[rounding the final corner]

It's pretty hard to believe I'm rounding the corner into week 34--6 short weeks left till baby barber's arrival!!

these past two Saturday's, Peter and I have spent 3hrs each morning downtown learning how to give birth to this precious little one. week 1 we learned about relaxation techniques (not sure there are any during the point of 8-10cm dilatation), and practiced different positions for labor. week 2 we learned the 3 stages of labor along with the incredible way my (a woman's) body is specifically and uniquely designed for this birth process. i never knew that a woman's pelvis is largest from side to side near the top of her hip bones and largest from back to front near her tailbone. all very important features for getting that baby through there!!

this past saturday i was blessed with a spontaneous visit from an old college friend, Brittany, who happens to also be preggers. she is due in early july...just 4 short weeks after me, and happens to be the only person i know having a boy! we were able to meet up for dinner and it was a splendid time of sweet fellowship and sharing our "mommy fears!"

till next time... all our love.

here's some fun info on week 33 and a photo of me taken last week.
This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

33 1/2 wks

[UPDATE: announcing baby's name]

OK, we need to make a serious clarification. Remember a couple of weeks ago when we announced our baby girl's name right here on this blog? You remember, don't you? It was quite the post, if I do say so myself (Peter speaking here). Why don't you scroll down right now and read it. Go ahead....I'll wait right here.

Read it? Good. Now scroll down again and look at the date on the post. Go ahead...scroll down. Done? What was the date on the post? That's right: April 1, 2010. That day is also known as April Fool's Day. That's the day where people play all sorts of practical jokes on one another; the one day a year where you can practically lie through your teeth—and get away with it!

So, just to be exceedingly clear: our daughter's name IS NOT GOING TO BE Isadora Montenegro. April Fool's!!! Have a nice day. ;-)

PS. Want to know what her name will really be? Stayed tuned. We'll reveal it as soon as she makes her grand entrance into this world!

[my feet are gone!]

I can officially no longer see my feet! The proud accomplishment of any pregnant woman out there! And that's me!! I'm not sure when exactly it happened, but I noticed it the other day in the shower and just had to share.

that being said... she keeps growing and growing and growing. This week will be 31 weeks! Can you believe it? I can't. Not only am I starting to have those terrible nightmares of not knowing how to take care of a baby or forgetting her in a grocery store, but I'm also starting to get excited about being her momma! 9 weeks seems so far away, yet way too close. anyone hear me on that?

here's a photo of me from last week (30wks). praise God for my/her continued health and good pregnancy! we're coming into the home stretch and can't wait to meet our lil' one!
peter and i had some fun visiting a baby consignment sale this past weekend here in denver. we actually walked away with a few really neat baby items, all for el' cheapo! (or at least waaaaay discounted prices.) peter's most excited about his baby bjorn (pictured below), which he has persistently told me he plans to use "everyday!" For my sake, I hope he does! :)

[announcing: our baby's name!]

Well folks, the time has finally arrived. After much soul-searching, many long and tedious conversations, and countless sleepless nights, Sarah and I have finally decided on a name for our new little one.

It is quite exhausting having to come up with a name! Think about it, this is the name that this child will carry in perpetuity. For ever after, this is the identity she will have. Her friends will call her by this name, her future husband will profess his undying love to her while he breathlessly whispers her name, her children will tell their friends what her name is, and perhaps even her grandchildren will choose to name when of their kids after her. All of this will come about because of the name that we have to pick for her!!!! Like I said—it's exhausting work.

So now that you've put up with my rant, I'll bet your wondering what the name is, huh? Now wouldn't it just be cruel of me to make you have to read this entire post without giving up her name? But fear not faithful blog followers, that will not happen! For here is the name of our soon to arrive baby girl...

(drum roll please)





(keep scrolling...it's coming)











And her name is....Isadora Montenegro Barber

Isn't that awesome? We really like it...it's a great mix of traditional American with traditional Brazilian. Oh yeah, and it makes for a great nickname: Izzie.

So what do you think? Feel free to post your comments in the feedback section!