33 Weeks

This is how I look, feel, and how my baby bump has grown!

Just barely fitting into Mike's White T at 33 wks and counting!

Triathlon and Training

This July 11th Mike completed his first Sprint Distance Triathlon!

500m swim, 20k bike, 5k run

Joel and Mike before the race...the boys started the swim around 8 am in Lake Michigan. Thankfully the water was calm and warm.

The crew arrived bright and early to show their support...coffee in hand!

More of the cheering squad- Mike's family!

Here is Mike finishing up the swim and running onto shore. I was so nervous waiting for him. There was a lot of "Is that him?...That's him!....No, wait, that's him!" until we found OUR Mike! He can fill you in on the details of the
swim...

Racing past us to finish up the bike- he was smiling at this point which we took as a good sign!

Finishing up the run and coming toward the finish line! Baby was kicking with all the excitement (or maybe it was the coffee)...either way we had a great morning and were proud to watch Mike compete!

Mike and I have been doing some serious training lately...

Mike's events: Triathlon-Swim, Bike, Run
Amanda's events: Baby-athon- 1st, 2nd, 3rd Trimester

Mike's workout: 3 mile runs....8 mile bike runs...

Amanda's workout: 1+ mile walk or as long as my legs will take me and I don't have to turn around to pee!

Mike's goal weight: Decrease 10+ lbs
Amanda's goal weight: Increase 20+ lbs...yikes!

Mike's fav website: MapMyRun.com

Amanda's fav website: Pregnancy.com

Mike's new gear: Sports clothes- fit and trim!

Amanda's new gear: Maternity clothes- let your belly grow "belly bands"!

Mike's train time: 12 weeks
Amanda's train time: 40 weeks

Mike's injurys: Achy knees
Amanda's injurys: Internal bruises (baby has really kicked it into high gear!)

Mike's meal plan: Anything protein, green, and calcium packed
Amanda's meal plan: Anything...

Mike's goal: Don't pass out!
Amanda's goal: Dont' pass out!

Mike's prize: Lots of love and hugs from his fans
Amanda's prize: Our bambino...and that is priceless!

29 Weeks

Kelly and I...6 weeks apart.

Kick baby kick!

Hospital Tour

This week Mike and I went to St Mary's Hopsital http://www.smmmc.org/ for our hospital tour. Dad and mom you can mapquest directions now....we are only 10 weeks away from the due date!

The main entrance...come visit!

Front Entry- Feel free to stop at the gift store on your way in and pick me up my favorite gummy candy...Sunkist fruit gems:)

Labor And Delivery: 9th Floor

Labor Room...hmm...lots of gadgets...

Recovery Room

Mike pretending to hold baby in the Recovery Room :)

View of downtown Grand Rapids from the Recovery Room...but who is going to be looking at that? I'm sure our eyes will be focused on the little person who just entered our world...

Graduation!

Q. How many Social Workers does it take to change a light bulb?

A. Only one. But the light bulb has to want to change :)

Here I am at Western Michigan University's Masters of Social Work graduation ceremony! Three years of being at school every Monday and Wednesday night is OVER! It took the love and support of my family and friends (both in Ohio and Michigan) to arrive at this day, and it was more emotional and exciting than I thought it would be.

While I got to walk with my class tonight, I will be wrapping up a degree requirement this Fall at Calvin College (I can't get enough!). I'll be interning two days a week as a counselor at the college's Broene Counseling Center. I will also be leaving my job at that time. This will allow me to focus on this internship and of course baby! Mike and I are thankful that we can make this decision and recognize what a blessing it is.

Our Family

I'm not the only one who graduated today. Mike put in long hours helping around the house when I could not. He made dinners, proof-read papers, listened to practice presentations, and encouraged me when I just didn't think I could do it one more day. He was my biggest fan, therapist, friend, and coach along the way. Thank you Mike!

Grandma VA, Me, Amy

I'm not the first one in the family to graduate with a MSW. Mike's grandfather Nicholas VanAndel was also an MSW (University of Michigan) and worked with at risk and in need youth in the Grand Rapids area for much of his life. Grandpa Nick passed away this past year, and he is dearly missed. I will always be thankful for his support and interest in the work I was doing, and appreciate the special connection we share.

More of my cheering section: Mike, Shamu (Isn't the robe so flattering?!), Mark, David

Friends from Lansing: Dean, Angie, and their little guy Austin stopped by afterwards to say Congrats!

My brother in law, Scott and his wife Cindy, also came out to celebrate!

28 Weeks

28 Weeks

First week of 3rd Trimester

The Middle-Mester

27 weeks

The Second Trimester or the Middle-Mester has a positive reputation for being the best of the three. Being a middle child, I happen to like that this middle is viewed so fondly. Having just closed out my middle-mester, I'd have to say it's by far my favorite! During the first trimester I could literally give you daily updates of interesting pregnancy happenings, but this one has been much quieter. Here's the instant replay...

Week 13- Goodbye nausea and good riddens! Like magic the nausea was gone...and my happy appetite returned. Food is once again a pleasant treat (I'm sure this will catch up with me later...)

Week 14- I noticed that once I started feeling better I could stay up later than my 7pm bedtime:) It's amazing what you can do with just a few extra hours in a night!

Week 15- Our guest room, formally know as "Blue Lagoon" and a longtime favorite of our regular out of town guests has now become baby's room...crib included.

Week 16- Children's books are so much more exciting to read than adult books...so many fun pictures and everyone is always happy and rhyming. We started reading to baby and look forward to finding out what books are his/her favorite.

Week 17- Mike and I started taking walks once the weather improved and it has been good to get out and moving. I do miss simple things like being able to hop on a bike, go for a jog, or I'd even settle for being able to strap on my own sandals...thanks Mike!

Week 18- I felt the baby kick for the first time...the first time I was sure anyways! It happened to be on Mike's birthday and was a great gift. This is the BEST part of pregnancy, and something I think I'll actually miss.

Week 19- Baby name books...10,000 "names" to choose from. I now know why people end up with Jr's and stick with family names. It's not tradition or honor...it's simply easier that way! So Michael McMichael it is...

Week 20- The gender guessing continues, as baby decides that mom and dad don't need to know just yet...I've had lots of guesses these days, but the majority are now saying boy. Some because I have a storehouse of girl clothes and so it just won't be a girl, and others think I'm carrying lower which is a wives tales that indicates you are having a boy.Also this week: Mike felt the baby kick for the first time! He has even had a kick to the face, at which point he looked at me like I had done it!

Week 21- Celebrated my first mother's day :) Hopefully I remember it, because I also happened to lose my mind this week. Mike could give you countless stories of my driving aimlessly past our exits, forgetting words for things like the "disposal" (it's not the thing that eats food up in the sink?), calling people the wrong names (apparently this happens before you even have the child or a sibling for that child), or singing the wrong lyrics...oh, wait I did that before I was pregnant too:) Mindlessness during pregnancy is the real deal.

Week 22- My belly is increasingly itchy!

Week 23- I can now pee on command.

Week 24- Baby can hear noises outside the womb, and loves (and by love I mean kicks, punches, and moves around while) listening to music.

Week 25- First baby shower in Ohio. Baby loved it's gifts...I'm sure of it. I know baby also loved all the home cooking because mom gained some extra lb's for the month with this trip. It's around this time that I nearly stopped using my belly band with my pre-pregnancy pants, and decided dresses are best:)

Week 26- Kankles! I thought if I avoided salty foods I could avoid kankles...but late one night after a long, hot day on my feet I noticed my ankles had disappeared! Thankfully they came back to me...for now anyways. I think this might be the only downer of the middle-mester.

Week 27- Baby is getting bigger, and I can feel it not only kicking but also moving around. My belly feels hard in some places from time to time and I know it's the baby head or arm or some other body part...haven't quite figured out what is what, but it's amazing just the same. Lately, the baby is most active at night or first thing in the morning...it's a nice way to go to sleep and a great way to wake up.

Also this week: Mike celebrated his first Father's Day:)

I am thankful for a happy and healthy middle-mester. I am praying for more of the same in the weeks to come. Mike and I just feel so loved by family and friends and are really excited to share this JOY! On to the final round...