Panama!

Well, we have returned safely from our trip to Panama. My mother and father and took me to Guatemala while I was in her tummy. Now our little guy will have a cool story to tell about Central American travel while he was in mommy's tummy too!

The wedding for our good freinds Schana and Jorge Canto was superb! We were so happy we made the trip to celebrate with our best friends and spend some time on the beach, in the pool and seeing the beautiful countryside (see the pictures below).

It was a rather long trip for us - it only takes about 4 hours to Panama from Houston, but we had to fly in from San Antonio and then connect, so it was about 7 hours going and then 9 hours returning. Once we arrived in Panama, we got on a bus that took us through Panama City and then on another 2 hours to our beach destination at the Royal Decameron resort. Jonathan said I truly was a trooper enduring the travel and making the two hour bus ride without a bathroom break! The food and the humid heat were the hardest part of the trip for me, but it was worth it.

The wedding was about 45 minutes from the resort at Jorge's mother's home. It was absolutely beautiful to see what his mother and sister created on their lavish property for the ceremony and reception. They live in a town called Agua Dulce, which translated means "Sweet Water" and the water is truly one of the best, purest waters in the world. At the ceremony, there was a performance by local dancers and singers to bring in some of the Panamanian culture - they were fantastic!

We had a wonderful time and were so happy to be with our closest friends for a long weekend away before the little man makes his debut - which is due in just 7 weeks and one day!

Baby on Board - and heading to Panama!

Say a prayer for us to have a safe trip as we head to Panama for Jorge's and Schana's wedding!
We had a doctor's appointment today and she wrote us a formal letter stating that I am in great health and cleared for air travel. We are so excited about the trip - it will be one last, short vacation before the baby arrives. Today we are officially 32 weeks pregnant - so we are just 4 weeks away from being full-term and the expected due date is less than 2 months away!

As of now, most people are gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. I gained one pound in the last 2 weeks and 2 days. The baby will gain a third to half of his birth weight during the next 7 weeks as he fattens up for survival outside the womb. He now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). His skin is becoming soft and smooth as he plumps up in preparation for birth.

Look for pictures from the trip next week!

So many updates!

Well, we have been very busy! Last weekend Angie and Tiffany threw us the most wonderful shower I could have imagined at mom's house. It was truly a wonderland of baby boy Tinker delights! See the pictures at the following website: http://www.shutterfly.com/view/slideshow.jsp?auto=1&aid=67b0de21ef581fcfa40f&js=1212938403015

We are so blessed and this baby is already so loved! We received so many wonderful gifts. The stroller and car seat are out of the box, assembled and ready! All the cute clothes are folded or hung and ready to be worn, and all the books are on display ready to be read to the little man. In fact, we have already started reading some of our favorites to him at night. Thank you so much, Angie, Tiffany, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Julia, Nannie and Mom for making the special day so amazing! And thank you everyone for your gifts and love!

We also had a doctor's appointment the day before the shower. We had yet another ultrasound to check on the low laying placenta condition. Praise the Lord, we are now in the clear. The placenta needs to be a minimum of 3.5 CM above the cervix in order to not be diagnosed with low laying placenta. In the 4 weeks since the previous appointment, the placenta moved all the way up to 6.4 CM! So, everything is 100% healthy and we have no more risk. The doctor has even allowed us to make the trip to Panama this coming weekend for Schana and Jorge's wedding! This little boy will have been on a plane 18 times before he makes his debut and traveled back and forth to Houston, Colorado and Panama! How's that for his first show and tell.

We have also successfully finished our prepared parenthood class. We learned what to expect before, during and after labor as well as how to bathe, dress, feed, and buckle up the baby. I hope we can remember it all once he arrives!

This week, we had a visit from the Vegas. Della, Avery and Kathryn came in on Wednesday afternoon and stayed with us until Sunday. We went swimming, shopping, cooked some wonderful meals and treats and made a trip to Sea World! It was a wonderful visit!