Baby Update - Week 31

Today, I am officially 31 weeks (plus FIVE days, oops) pregnant! Here's what's been going on over the past week...

Week 31 Highlights
Over the past week, my younger sister Carly (AKA Aunt Carly!) and I traveled to Houston, Texas to visit Great Grandpa Darling (AKA Great, Great Grandpa Darling!).

We spent Wednesday and Thursday driving (yes, driving) down to Texas with an overnight stop in Oklahoma City. Carly and I switched roles (driver/navigator) periodically and stopped many, many times for potty breaks! We have now mastered some key traveling skills: early departures (we were on the interstate by 6:30 on Thursday morning) and packing a cooler as well as a bag of snacks for the road.

On Friday, Carly, Baby and I pretended (yes, pretended) to be nerds at the Houston Space Center. Here are some fun pictures:

Carly and I on the tram (escaping the field trip crowd)

 

This is me trying to feel small again

Saturn V

Carly and I standing by Saturn V

Another view of Saturn V

This space suit has actually been on the moon!

Silly Aunt Carly

Mom...

Moon rocks!

On Saturday, my mom's cousin Brian and his family showed us a fun time at Kemah Boardwalk! Carly rode some crazy rides while I watched. :) More pictures:

Carly and I riding the train

Carly sans flip flops

Where are the flip flops?

Carly, me, and the BOB (big ol' belly)

In front of the aquarium

Sunday was our last full day in Houston. After church and shopping (there was a huge Forever 21, and Carly was in Heaven), we had a nice dinner and spent some quality time with everybody! Here are some pictures of the extended family that we got to visit:

Austin, Stacy, Carly and I

Carly, Brian, Randall, John, and I

Great Grandpa Darling, Carly, and I

 

Great Grandpa Darling, Carly, and I

 

Great Uncle Carl, Great Aunt Sherry, Carly and I

Brian, Heather, Carly and I

We spent Monday and Tuesday outrunning the tornadoes on our way home to Nebraska! We made it home safe and sound - the only bad weather we drove through was just north of Topeka.

This week in development
Baby weighs as much as four navel oranges

Baby is busy growing, growing, growing and practicing some important skills: hiccuping, swallowing, breathing, making faces, and sucking his thumb. Some babies suck their thumbs so vigorously in the womb that they're born with a callus on their thumb!

How's Mom doing?
I am feeling bigger and "pregnanter" with each day! I'm getting tired a little faster now, and I'm learning the joys (and the necessity) of putting my feet up. My feet actually swelled quite a bit in Texas, especially when we spent the day at Kemah Boardwalk. But I handled the trip pretty well, I think. It wasn't super hot, which helped quite a bit. I am so glad that I got the chance to visit my great grandpa and the rest of our extended family down in Houston. Now, I'll be staying at home - my traveling days are probably over until Baby comes. :)

How's Dad doing?
I think he missed having Baby and I around! Dad gets to go fishing with his brothers this week, so we'll tell you all about that in the next post!