30 Weeks

                                                 Sophie checking out your new clothes!

Dear Tillman,

66 days to go until your due date! That caught me my surprise when I saw that (I have a countdown app on the blog). 214 days so far of being on this journey together. I often wonder what you are thinking in there. My pregnancy book tells me you now have the capability of dreaming. I am so curious as to what kind of dreams you can be having! I dream about you quite often. Your Pa also does. We are so excited to see your face and what you look like. You could come out with blond hair and blue eyes and have light skin, or the complete opposite! Hopefully your Pa and Mama's DNA make a good combination! LOL. No, as long as you are healthy, we will be completely ecstatic. We will be so in love with you no matter what. We have another perinatologist visit on Tuesday and get to see you on the ultrasound. When we went two months ago, Dr. Silver saw some mild dilation of your kidneys. Possibly due from a blockage or reflux, so he wanted to see you again in 2 months to see if it is resolved or resolving. He didn't seem super concerned about it and reassured me that most cases resolve on their own and if not, only 1 in 50 children will need surgery. It is the most common congenital defect seen. I have been praying to our Father and asking him to heal you. I believe we will have good news on Tuesday. I am hoping their ultrasound machine has 3D images so we can see your face! I love that I get to see you again. I'm not sure if this will be the last time until your delivery, so I will cherish every second until that time comes.

Here are your latest updates:

• You are on the move! I can totally feel you turning in there now, and not just little pokes and jabs like before. You twist and turn and are taking up a lot of room in there! Sometimes your movements are a tad painful, but I still love it because I know you are okay. It's an amazing feeling. Your Pa LOVES to feel you move. He says he feels close to you. His face lights up like a kid in candy store. He truly loves you so much already and I know he will be an amazing father to you. You may get mad at him some days, but just know it's because he cares about you and wants to keep you safe and out of harms way. He is very protective of the ones he loves. Sometimes it may feel too protective, but he's very smart and you'll have to trust his judgement even when it seems overboard or unfair. Trust me on this one. :) Your Mama is more laid back and easy going, but I've learned that sometimes that can actually put me in dangerous situations, so I should be more cautious like your Dad.
• Some people have commented that it looks like you are big boy in my belly! As long as you aren't 10 lbs or more, I am all for it, and hopefully more like 8 lbs? A lot of people have told me that from behind, I don't look pregnant. YAY! That always makes me feel good, especially since I've gained 30 pounds already; but like my cousin Kirstin told me, we just like to make roomy homes for our babies! Cousin Kirstin is also pregnant, only 2 weeks behind us! You will have a girl cousin to grow up with. We love going to Arizona, so I think you will get to know her, just like Kirstin and I did (she is only 3 months older than me). We were very excited when we found out that we would be going through pregnancy together! God timed it perfectly and she's been a source of strength for me especially when I needed it in your first few weeks. She told me, "Have no fear, the Lord is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. His plans for you are good. Delight in him and he will give you the desires of your heart". I typed it up and posted it in our kitchen and my office next to my desk so I would be reminded of his plan for you and that everything would be okay. It truly has helped me when fear and doubts entered my thoughts. It shut them right out. God is so Good, and I am so excited to see what his plan for you is! I believe He prepared Nick and me for you by bringing us closer to Him. That needed to happen before He gave you to us. I deeply feel that you will be a spiritual leader. In what capacity, I don't know, but I do know that He has big plans for you my son. Don't be afraid to walk down the path he has laid before you, it is the best road to take. Trust me on that one too. :)
• You like music! We were watching a Led Zepplin concert from the 70's and you were moving all around. Your Pa was very excited about that! You also move a lot during worship at church which always brings a smile to my face. We are worshiping the Lord together! I've also noticed that you jab at my belly when the Pastor asks anyone at the end of service if they would like to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It feels like you are raising your hand and saying, "Yes, I do, I do!". That makes me giggle too. :)
• You got some awesome Christmas gifts and other welcoming Baby presents. A Bronco fan in the making:

  Gray doggie sleeper from Auntie Sils, next 2 outfits from Auntie Pru (the orange one says "I'm cute like Mommy and a Bronco fan like Daddy"), the next 3 outfits were xmas presents for Papa from Mama and the 2 Bronco newborn caps for your first pictures, Mama opened up the Bronco stuffed animal "Thunder", and sippy cups from Papa on Christmas. We were more excited to open up your presents than our own!

 Aunty Kell and Uncle Pete got you the giraffe and monkey onesie and  your "Adopted" Aunt Ginny got you the little brown mouse.

 The Dogs like hanging out in your room and smelling the new scents. I think they are excited for you to come!

                                                  Miss Bailey

Your First Books! Goodnight Moon from Grandpa Bud and Grandma Misty, and the others are from your cousin Baby. Green Eggs and Ham is a classic! We are excited to read to our little boy!

The good news for Mama is that I don't have gestational diabetes. My first glucose test came back high, so I had to do a 3 hour fasting glucose test, but that came back normal! I do have anemia, which may explain why I've need some extra sleep in the mornings. I am on iron now, so hopefully that will resolve within a couple months.

Your Pa and I started going to a 5 week child birthing class. We've completed 2 classes so far. Although your Pa was a little reluctant to go, he has really embraced it and I am so happy that he is being so supportive. You'll get to know your Dad, and blood and guts and hospitals are NOT his thing - he hates it! But he is putting that aside and preparing himself for your delivery. I think it will help him immensely. I've worried more about how he will handle it than me, so it's making me feel much more at peace that he'll know what to expect and how he can help me. He told me that we are a team and we'll do great! That's a big step from him being scared of even being in the room! I am going to try to deliver you without drugs. If things get prolonged or Dr. Durbin recommends I get assistance, I will be open to her opinion, but for now we will try to do it naturally so that you aren't affected by the medications and I don't get one of the rare complications. So, we will give it a try at least!

Well Tillman Robert, we love you so much and may God bless us with a healthy finish to this long 9 month journey! Keep growing, rest, and know that you are loved! Love, Mama, Papa, Bailey & Sophie, your family who is so ecstatic to meet you!