34 Weeks

The body is amazing! Phil and I were just talking about how accommodating the body is in preparation for baby and then how "magically" it returns to "normal." I can definitely feel my body stretching and widening. My body is getting ready for birth!

I met with my doula Barbara Monday evening for a prenatal visit. She came here to our house and we talked about her experiences and my upcoming birth. Barbara is going to help me with my labor. The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period. Phil and I are both very excited about working with her!

Baby Micah now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is almost 18 inches long! His fat layers are filling out and and making him rounder. His skin is also smoother than ever. His central nervous system is maturing and his lungs are continuing to mature as well. Some great news is that most babies born between 34 and 37 weeks that have no health problems generally do just fine. He might need a stay in the neonatal nursery but babies born during this time can do as well as full term babies! I have been praying that Micah stays inside my womb as long as he needs.

Today Luke was sitting on my lap and leaning against my belly and I could feel Micah bumping back at him! I don't think that Luke noticed but I sure did. It is so funny that they know nothing of each other! Soon enough they will. We moved some things around in our bedroom to make room for Micah. I washed all of Luke's newborn clothes and I folded them and put them away in our bedroom. Luke even helped me pack Micah's bag for the hospital. Actually, Phil and Luke were playing "trick or treat" so he packed Micah's clothes in his trick or treat bag and took them to Phil! I love him!

A Fishbaugh Christmas

The Fishbaugh family celebrated Christmas this year on Christmas Eve at our townhouse in Bloomington. It was a different year for us not to travel to see family. We always look forward to staying with both sides of our families and seeing as many family and friends as possible. I am thankful that we have accommodating families as we decided months ago that we would not be traveling due to my pregnancy. Long car rides are rough for the pregnant crowd.

Luke handed out the gifts! He had all of the gifts memorized under the tree and who they were for. And then, of course, he helped unwrap them!

Uncle Drew

Crystal gets a taco kit!

Mr. Happy boxers for dad/grandpa. He really looks happy about it!

Zip up sweatshirt for mom/grandma

A very cool homemade cubbies ball

So much going on at once!

Richard Scarry books are timeless!

Luke "driving" while sitting on top of the Mario Cart box!

I put everyone to work! Drew, first time turkey carver.

Mom shot baskets with Luke because that is all he really wants to do right now!

I slouched on the couch in lazy posture form. I was so tired.

Mom made some adjustments to the gingerbread house

Dad was in charge of the food. Yep, he is good like that and well loved for it!

Crystal and I kicked off the Mario Cart playing. I was all over the place trying to keep my car on the road! I am pretty sure that she beat me!

Luke was quite fascinated. He needs lots of turns.

My parents were still around for Christmas morning! We watched the Disney parade and Luke had more special gifts to open. Some "Santi" hats were worn...

For supper we had homemade pizzas, which Phil wants to make a tradition, and then we all drove around and looked at Christmas lights and sang Christmas carols. It was a very different Christmas. Next year will be even more different! That's okay. So, until next year...

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Yesterday we had our first real snow of the winter here in Bloomington. We had a dusting earlier, but this snow was for real! We were in Indy during the day - our friends Peter & Tina were back in Indiana for their daughter's dedication, so we made the trip up to the dedication and lunch after the church service.

To our surprise and delight ("Snow!" said Luke), the snow was coming down in huge snowflakes when we left the church. This continued throughout lunch, and by the time we were headed south on 37, it was snowing hard. At one point after passing through Martinsville, cars and trucks were sliding all over the place and the road went to one lane.

We made it home safely, and Luke and I played outside. We went sledding and made snow angels in the snow. Luke also tried his hand at shoveling snow! His favorite activity was picking up a bunch of snow in his mittens and throwing it at Sanibel. She would try to catch the snow in the air by jumping at it. Hopefully the snow sticks around a few more days so we can get in some more sledding!

Merry Christmas From Luke

Luke and His Lady

Luke is not lacking in the area of lady friends. We had Isla for a few hours while her mom, Brooke, had a date with the BMV. Isla found plenty to do at our house. It is always fun to play with other peoples toys. Notice the look on Lukes' face! He was unsure how to act. Ladies are much more delicate.

He is a little shy at first.

Two steady towers? Luke had a horrified look on his face when Islas' tower crashed to the ground.

So he tried to make her feel better with, what else, dribble dribble shooting. How else does one impress a girl? He wants me to let you know that he is "fast" as well.

Max and Ruby (a kids show) crosses the gender boundary and brings people together! I like that Isla chose to sit in front of Luke! I also like that Isla was so engrossed in our power tool set and workbench. A woman after my own heart! I didn't think that she would like our "boy toys" but kids do not care! Toys are toys, especially when they are "new." I also like that Luke loves all of the toys at Islas' house. He found plenty of miniture doll accessories and made use of them. I couldn't help but smile when Luke brought me a microscopic hairbrush (less than a half inch) and proceeded to groom his hair. Priceless!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunking

I have hardly been able to keep up with the baking this season. My boys LOVE cookies!

Phil sets them both up with a plate of cookies and a mug of milk for dunking...Luke has to do everything JUST like daddy.

Do you see the jeep in the lower left hand corner? Did you know that jeeps like cookies too? And that same jeep REALLY likes milkshakes but that is a story for another time?!

Dunking cookies can be messy! Oh, and there are rules...

I thought maybe there would be some left for Santa but that was not a reality!

Gapas Tree

My parents have always gotten the best real tree that we could find...or that $10 could buy us! Our traditional tree farm closed though. So sad. So my parents have been improvising the past couple of years. Will my dad ever "break down" and get an artificial tree? Only the bestest deal of the century will tell.

Every year my Aunt Marsha and Uncle Dave send our family a commemorative White House ornament. My dad takes pride in hanging the White House ornamnets on the tree every year. It is a special tradition to look at each one and read the history behind it.

This year Gapas was generous enough to share this tradition with his "little gobbler." The ornamnets fit nicely on this little decorative tree that my mom used to use on the front step.

The front door of the White House is a family favorite!

Gapas models proper ornament placement. There is a science to it you know!

White Christmas?

We did have one snowfall that covered the ground. As you can see, it was more of a dusting, but it was cold enough for little ones to wear snowsuits!

It was really windy so we brought all of our outdoor items into the garage for safe keeping. Phil even built a minture snowman on the patio table! I wonder if that will be our only one this year?

Today is Christmas Eve! We are watching "White Christmas" right now. It will not be a white Christmas for us though since the temp. highs today are 44 degrees but we will be having a wet Christmas!

Shooting baskets!

Uncle Drew got Luke a Nerf basketball hoop for his birthday. We set it up last night on the back of a stool, and to our surprise, Luke shot baskets for about a half hour! He loves to "dribble, dribble, shoot," and he also likes to "miss" a shot occasionally!

Thanks Uncle Drew!

Christmas Card Dramatics

I have all of my Christmas cards addressed and sitting in a stack on the counter just waiting for postage. They have been ready and waiting for a week now! I thought I was on top of things this year but evidently not. I hope that they make it to their destination by Christmas! So while you are waiting I will let you view the photos that did NOT make the cut...anyone else have this problem? Thanks goodness for digital cameras!

Can you see the top of Luke's blond head in the lower left hand corner of this photo?

Still didn't make it in time.

Yes, everybody is looking...but we are standing in awkward places!

We had some obvious troubles...just imagine if Sanibel had been in the mix?!! Oh dear!