Baby is the size of a squash! (week 31)

This week, our baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's moving a lot, too, so I (and Joe...) have trouble sleeping because our baby's kicks and somersaults keep us up. But we're taking comfort: All this moving is a sign that our baby is active and healthy!

Taken from: http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-31-weeks_1120.bc

Having ourselves a Merry little Christmas....

Here's a few shots from our holiday festivities! We had such an awesome time hanging out with Jessie checking out the Christmas lights on Yongsan base, and we had a great Christmas day together too!

Joe and I opened presents before she got here,

then we opened some together,

and then she helped me cook and bake

while Joe set up the house and carved the ham and the turkey for Christmas dinner for his squad while singing along to Christmas carols!

We had a great little time. =)

We even started a new Christmas breakfast tradition - french toast made with egg nog (virgin, of course). OMG yum!!!!

For all of our Christmas pictures, check out our shutterfly account http://www.josephandgina.shutterfly.com/. xoxox

Baby's the size of a squash! (week 30)

Our baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Taken from: http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-30-weeks_1119.bc

Baby's the size of a squash! (weeks 29-32)

Baby’s energy is surging, thanks to the formation of white fat deposits beneath the skin. (Those kicks and jabs to my sides tipped me off.) Baby is also settling into sleep and waking cycles, though -- as I’ve also noticed -- they don’t necessarily coincide with my own. Also this month, all five senses are finally functional, and the brain and nervous system are going through major developments.

Taken from: http://pregnant.thebump.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-tools/slideshow/how-big-is-baby.aspx?page=21

Baby pictures!!! =)

Finally got around to uploading the ultrasound pics. Enjoy meeting our baby girl!! =) xoxox

profile

profile again

feet

feet again

face

close up nose and lips (kinda hard to figure it out)

close up face with elbow in front

Baby's still the size of an eggplant! (week 28)

By this week, our baby weighs two and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Taken from: http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-28-weeks_1117.bc

I'm making my list and checking it twice!

My Christmas card list, that is!!

I love sending Christmas cards. I love sending cards in general, actually. But there's just something special and magical about Christmas cards. Usually I spend hours picking out my favorite family photo, shopping for photo mounting cards, printing my own pictures, using a paper cutter to make them all perfect, mounting them in the cards, writing a little something, making Joe sign them all with me (hahaha), stamping and addressing them all, and taking them to the post office feeling all warm and cozy and like I am spreading lots of love, peace, joy, and Christmas cheer to everyone on my list. Plus I get a huge creative buzz off the whole thing as well, so there's that too. =)

Last year was the first year I didn't send any Christmas cards. We were preparing to move, we were traveling all around the country visiting family and friends for about 3 months before we left, and it was just too hectic for me to take the time to do all that. I was very disappointed and really missed the whole experience. It has definitely become part of my Christmas traditions that I cherish.

So this year, I decided to cut some corners and use a photo site to make our cards for me. I will miss out on all the hands-on part of it, but seeing as it is already December 3rd (how did this happen!?!) and we live on the other side of the globe as most everyone else on our list, it seemed in the best interest of time to let someone else do the work for me. So I've been shopping around on different photo sites looking for designs I like and who has the best prices.

WELL, did I hit the absolute jackpot this week!!!! I was reading my girlfriend Diane's blog, and I found exactly what I've been looking for! Shutterfly is having some pretty big sales this year, and since I'm already a member of that site, this couldn't be easier! (Though you don't have to be a member of their site to get in on these deals.) Right now you can save up to 30% on cards, and you can get free shipping on orders of $50.00 or more by entering the code SHIP50 at checkout! OR, if you happen to write a little blog about how awesome they are, they'll give you 50 cards for FREE!! I would've written about this anyways, so this was just fantastic news. =) (For details on their blogger promotion, go here: http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/)

They have almost 600 Christmas photo cards (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards) and holiday cards (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards) to choose from! You can play around and add your own pictures and messages on any design you like, without having to commit to anything. It's such a great way to be sure you're getting exactly what you want. And honestly, it's just really fun. Below are just a few of my favorites - I have about 10 designs that I absolutely adore and I've only gotten up to about 250 out of the 600 designs. There is definitely something here for everyone!

Along with Christmas cards, you can also whip up some great holiday gifts on Shutterfly as well! They have photo calenders (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars) and tons of other photo gifts (go here: http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts) to choose from! I just finished making a few photo gifts of my own, and I was a recipient of 2 photo calenders last Christmas from my nieces and nephews. They were absolutely fabulous! It was so awesome to have their little smiling faces around, even while we're a world away. =) Shutterfly does some great work. I can't wait to figure out which card design I'm going to use and see the finished product! Oh, and the best part for me - they will stamp and mail all the cards for me for just a smidgen extra. This could not be more convenient. Perfect timing, Shutterfly, just perfect. =)

xoxox