So Much To Update

My oh my how I've needed to update. Time flies when you're baking a baby! We have so much fun stuff to share so let's just jump right in!

On Nov 20th we found out that Baby E is a HE!!!!!!!! We are so so so excited and in love with our little guy. He cooperated very well for the anatomy scan and passed everything with flying colors. The ultrasound tech said several times that he had a text book heart. This really blessed Josh and I, especially remembering back to when we thought we lost him and his heart rate had dropped. What a fighter :)

So here are some pics of us revealing the gender of Baby Boy Eckhardt!

This is how we told Josh's family at Thanksgiving in IL

And here is our handsome little guy just yesterday at 23w4d

Hand behind head and leg way up by his head, he wanted to show us how flexible he is.

Here he is again with his hand on his head and gearing up for a good kick.

Speaking of kicking, he moves so much these days! I've been able to see him from the outside kicking and moving for about 2 weeks. Yesterday Josh saw it for the first time. I will never ever forget Josh's face. You would've thought he won a million dollars, priceless. Baby Boy gave a really good kick and shook my whole stomach, it's so much fun. I am saying that as much as possible because I can already tell he likes to be in my ribs. I'm sure it's because I have a short torso and he just doesn't have a lot of room to stretch out. But I love it and feeling him move is something that I treasure.

We got two 3D ultrasound shots for free and fun! It was really cool, he looked so...human. Oh I just gushed over his sweet little lips and tiny nose. Then he opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out...then excitedly placed his tiny thumb in there. I cried. This is my son and he sucks his thumb. 

Here is a 3d shot. He has his hand by his eye, sleepy little bambino.

So everything is going really well, thanking Jesus everyday. If you have a spare prayer or good thought we'd appreciate it. My placenta is covering my cervix (known as placenta previa) and in order for us to have a natural and med free birth that we desire we need my placenta to move out of the way! Good news is that in November it was completely covering my cervix and as of yesterday it was partially covering it. So it looks like it's trying to move up and as long as I don't spot or bleed I can stay at my birth center for a bit longer. I will go back in 6 weeks (I'll be 30 weeks then) for another ultrasound so they can see if the placenta has moved. My midwife feels very optimistic that it will move because my placenta is in the front of my uterus as opposed to the back. My belly will grow out even more and this should help push the placenta up. Also, little guy is breach right now (which is normal at this point) and when he turns head down this will also help the placenta move up. So lots of things to makes us feel optimistic. In the mean time I'm still on pelvic rest, cannot exercise at all or lift anything over 10 lbs. 

I cannot really articulate how amazing Josh has been. It literally makes me teary eyed to think about. He takes such good care of me (and baby). Our safety and care is his number one priority. He does so much around the house and always goes grocery shopping with me. At first I was feeling really helpless and almost handicapped. But he helped me understand that right now my only job is to keep myself and our baby safe. I need to do everything in my power to keep this little guy baking til full term. So, he gladly goes above and beyond without complaining.

He loves us. And boy do we love him.

So I think that pretty much catches us up. Tomorrow I'll be 24 weeks and we only have one more "monthly" appointment left which is 1/16. That appointment will include my 1 hour glucose test. I'm a little nervous about it just because I have PCOS. But I've always passed my glucose tests so I'm hoping the streak continues. After our 1/16 appointment then I'll start going every other week then I think at 36 weeks I start going weekly. Woooooooow.

Josh and I are looking forward to January. We are going to start working on the nursery and hopefully knock off several "to do's" off our list. We have a lot to do before April comes, but we decided to get through the busy holiday season before we started any projects. I'm also getting excited thinking about baby showers. It's still hard to believe that I get a baby shower this time, I'm not going to be a guest. This will be the end of February or beginning of March. Probably should start making some decisions...but that's what January is for :)

Here are a few updated bump shots. 

I think I hit a growth spurt this week, belly seems to be growing right on track! My weight is doing really well and I'm hoping to keep it that way. Easier said than done with my birthday and Christmas thrown in there. Portion control and try to not eat a ton of sugar...wish me luck!

Hope you have a very beautiful Christmas, we're crossing our fingers for the snow that the weatherman mentioned! 

{P.S. Our very dear and best friends in the world are going to have their baby any day now. Please say a prayer for John and Tenisha and the healthy arrival of their sweet baby. We cannot wait to meet him or her in January when they come "home" from Florida. We are secretly (or not so secretly) hoping they have a boy too. Our little ones ages will be the exact age difference between John and Josh. John is 4 months older than Josh and John and Nish will welcome their baby first! Be a boy or girl, we are so excited and will love him/her dearly. But if it is boy then we have quite the adventure ahead of us. Little John and Josh's...oh Lord help us.}