Dexter wanted to get in this picture (you can see the back of his head). We're standing in front of our Christmas tree (yes, it's a real tree...probably one of the biggest trees we've ever had).
I went for my 5-month check-up this past Wednesday. Baby Chase is doing great! I can feel him moving around everyday. Tim can feel him at times too....this is SOOO exciting for us! Not too much to report from the 5-month check-up: no ultrasounds were done, but we could hear Chase's heartbeat going strong; my blood pressure and weight are excellent....as of Wed, I've only gained 6 pounds in this pregnancy, but you can see every one of those pounds in my belly! On average, I should be gaining about a pound a week from here on. Trust me, I've definitely been eating plenty! I go for my 6-month check-up on Jan. 9th, so things are moving right along.
There is still so much to do in these remaining 4 months....like finishing the nursery. My mother-in-law has been working hard on painting a mural in there. She has each wall of the room covered with an "under the sea" theme....sea turtles, dolphins, crabs, shipwrecks, jellyfish, tropical fish, etc. It is so amazing! I'll take pictures and post them on here as soon as the mural is complete (it's almost done now). My mother-in-law is so talented. She graduated from VA Tech with an art degree. She painted a mural in Tim's nephew's room as well. Anyhow, as soon as all of the painting is done, we can focus on getting some furniture in there. We have no furniture as of now; but, on the other hand, we seem to be good to go on baby clothes. Amber (Tim's sister) gave us lots of Kenden's (Amber's son) old clothes, and we have a friend at work who has offered us some baby boy clothes too.
Another thing on the "to-do" list: we need to find a pediatrician. If anyone has any recommendations, please let us know. We're looking for something in the Smithfield area or Newport News area (an office that's not too far from the shipyard; for instance, my OB/GYN is in the Oyster Point Area and it only takes me a few minutes to get there from work). We haven't decided if we're going to take any baby or birthing preparation classes yet. I have a ton of books that I've been reading that probably relay the same information as the classes do. Plus, I always have the great parenting advice from my family and friends who have kids of their own.
Well, time for me to get back to doing Christmas cards. Just 11 more days until Christmas!!!
