30 Weeks! Let the countdown begin :)

I would be a day late posting on the week I am off from work. Whoops! It has been WONDERFUL being off these past 2 weeks, but I am actually not dreading going back to work on Monday. I know the sooner I am back at work, the sooner Morgan will be here. So exciting! One of my lifelong friends, Sara, had her baby this week. Sara was exactly 10 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy so it is crazy to now say that I will have my little girl here in just 10 short weeks. I still feel like there are a ton of things to do. Brad seems to think that the nursery is pretty much finished, but to me it isn't even close. I am very ready for hunting season to be over so that he will be home on the weekends to help me get things in order. I decided to put Morgan's bouncer together today, and to my surprise, I was very successful! Now all we need to do is put her swing and travel system together and we will be good to go for her first couple of weeks at home. We have not yet gotten her Pack N Play, but I am holding off on that since it isn't something she will need right away. We do need to get a glider for her nursery though. It will be so much easier at feeding times to have a glider than to sit in a chair or on the sofa.

This week I had my 30 week appointment with my new doctor. Again, I was very impressed with him. He took a lot of time with me and talked to me at length about some of the symptoms I have been having. More recently I have been feeling short of breath, and he explained to me that this is common for many pregnant women, but if it gets worse to let him know. He also listened to my heart and said everything sounded fine. My blood pressure is still good, but I have noticed it is creeping up at every appointment. I did a little research online and found that your blood pressure is typically lower in the first 2 trimesters than it is in the third. I am going to start watching my sodium intake just to be safe. The doctor also talked to me about Morgan being breech. He explained that at 34 weeks they would check to see where she is because she can still flip a lot between now and then. Many babies will flip up until delivery. I have decided that I will not have her turned by a doctor, because there are risks involved and it may not even work. If I have to have a C-Section, oh well. As long as she gets here safe and is healthy, I will be so grateful.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their families. I certainly did. Brad and I feel so blessed to have our health, a house, our wittle Waylon, and sweet Morgan on the way. Happy New Year!

Stats:

How far along? 30 weeks (only 7 weeks away from being full-term. WAHOO)

Total weight gain? +21. Up another 2 lbs from my last appointment. But hey, who DIDN'T gain 2 lbs over Christmas? ha ha.

How big is the baby? almost 16 inches and almost 3 lbs!

Maternity clothes? Yep. Still wearing non-maternity "lounge wear"

Stretch marks? None! So far so good. Please God let me have inherited my mom's stretchy skin! She had NO stretch marks and my brother was over 8 lbs when he was born.

Sleep? Pretty good!

Best moment of the week? Spending time with Brad and my family at Christmas. We can't wait for next year!

Movement? Oh yes. She got me pretty good in the ribs today. I had to have a little talk with her about that.

Cravings? Sweets. I feel like I am Buddy the Elf.

Gender? GIRL :)

Labor signs? No no no

Belly button in or out? In still, but looking weird.

What am I looking forward to? Finishing all of the little projects and shopping that I have left to do for Morgan.

29 Weeks - Lots of baby updates!

This week has certainly been an eventful one in babyland. I left off last week with my decision to change doctors. Well, I firmly believe I made the right decision. On Saturday, Brad was hunting so I decided to go hang out with my parents for the day. I had started feeling crampy on Friday night, but summed it up to having a busy day and decided to see how I felt in the morning. The cramping never subsided, so I called the on-call doctor around noon. Oddly enough, my "old" doctor was the doctor on-call that day. She did little to reassure me that I was okay, and basically said there was nothing she could do for me over the phone, and I would have to come in to the hospital. Of course I was terrified, so I decided to lay down for a little while and see if I felt any better. After about 2 hours, I decided it was time to go in. Brad came home from hunting and we were at JW by 4:00pm. My doctor came in for about 5 minutes when I first got there, but I never saw her again. The nurses were wonderful though. They monitored me closely for contractions, and although they were picking up "blips" on their machine, they reassured me that they weren't true contractions and that I was fine. I also had some tests done to check for a UTI and preterm labor, both of which came back normal. YAY! I followed up on Monday with my new doc, who is SUPER friendly, and took a lot of time with me. He also decided to send me for an ultrasound, just to be 100% sure everything was okay. Although I did not like the circumstances, I was very excited to see Morgan again on the ultrasound. She looked wonderful, and the ultrasound tech commented that I had a little gymnast in me. However, she is currently breech, but from my understanding she still has PLENTY of time to flip around. And from all the movement going on in my belly these days, it seems like she flips over often.

So where in the world are these cramps coming from? My new doc thinks that I should focus on drinking TONS of water and purchase a pregnancy "girdle" to support my growing belly. Morgan seems to have hit a major growth spurt and her constant movement has made my uterus very sensitive. It is so nice to know that everything is normal, and I am not experiencing pre-term labor. VERY SCARY. You really can't put a price on peace of mind.

Nothing else eventful this week, so I will leave you with the stats...

How far along? 29 weeks (can't believe next week I will be at 30. In my mind that is the home stretch!)

Total weight gain? +19. My weight on Monday was up two pounds from last Wednesday.

How big is the baby? still about 15 inches and 2.5 pounds!

Maternity clothes? Yep, but still getting by with some non-maternity tops

Stretch marks? None! So far so good.

Sleep? The past few nights have been great. I haven't even been getting up to use the bathroom until about 5am.

Best moment of the week? Seeing Morgan on the ultrasound and being reassured that all is well.

Movement? Yes! The nurses said she is a wild baby (they had to move the monitors constantly because she was so active). Oh lord....

Cravings? None

Gender? GIRL :)

Labor signs? Nope

Belly button in or out? In, but getting flatter.


What am I looking forward to? Spending Christmas with my family and having an entire day with Brad. Doesn't happen too often nowadays and I really cherish that time with him!

28 weeks = 3rd trimester!

It seems surreal that I am already posting about being in my third trimester. I was convinced that the second trimester would drag on, considering it really is the longest (it goes from 12 weeks to 28 weeks), but it has gone by quickly. I hope that the third trimester is the same way, because I am SO excited for our little girl to be here. I will be a Mommy in a matter of a few months.

This weekend my roommate and good friend from college, Abby, came to visit me. We lived together for two years and were pretty inseperable during that time. We had a blast catching up on stuff. She is a newlywed and lives in Northern Va, so needless to say, we don't get to see each other often. She gave me some cooking lessons on Saturday, and the chili and cookies we made turned out great! I can't wait for her to come back down to visit once Morgan gets here.

I had the DREADED glucose test today, and to be honest, it went much smoother than I had expected. I did crash this afternoon though, so I am glad I took the day off of work. My appointment was scheduled for 9am this morning, and several friends recommended that I fast before the appointment so that I would pass the test. I decided to eat a light breakfast (toast and milk), so that I wouldn't risk passing out. If I fail this one, I will have to fast for the 3 hour test. Hopefully my results come back on Friday. I also had my Rhogram shot today, because my blood type is negative. Morgan's is most likely positive (85% of the population has a positive blood type), so to prevent any issues with future pregnancies, I have to receive an injection at 28 weeks and then again after she is born. No biggy, but the shot REALLY hurt.

One major concern of mine that has been weighing on me my entire pregnancy is whether or not my doctor is right for me. I switched when I found out I was pregnant so that I could be at an office closer to home. I was hopeful that the one I picked would work out, but each appointment I find myself leaving very let down and confused. Being that this is my first pregnancy, I usually have a list of questions and concerns for my doctor. I avoid searching things online because the internet can be a scary place for a pregnant woman. At my appointments, I feel incredibly rushed, I am never asked to list any concerns, and I ultimately feel like a burden when I do ask my questions. My concerns are always dismissed as "normal" signs/symptoms of pregnancy as well. Today was the final straw. My doctor had obviously not even looked at my file before walking into my room, and assumed I was only 24 weeks along. I had to remind her that I was in fact 28 weeks. After rushing through the normal checks, she left the room, but said she would be right back. She never returned, so I had to send the nurse to get her so I could ask my questions. She came back, stood in the doorway with arms crossed, and glared at me as if I was a bother. I realize that she sees pregnant women all day long, and that my regularly scheduled appointment is no big deal to her, but it is a huge deal to me. I took the entire day off of work for this appointment, and my mom also took off a half day to take me. These appointments are milestones in my pregnancy, and an opportunity to for me to be sure my little one is doing okay. I ended up scheduling an appointment with her for 30 weeks (I go every 2 weeks now, YAYAYAYA), but as soon as I got home I called and switched to another doctor who came highly recommended. He is older, he is a he and not a she, and he is known for his ability to spend time with his patients. I hope he works out, because I would really like to get to know him, and better yet, for him to know me, before D-Day arrives. If I make it to 40 weeks, I have 7 more scheduled appointments, which means I will have as many appointments with the new doc as I did with my old one. Sounds good to me!

Sorry to ramble on this week. Here are the stats!

How far along? 28 weeks (not 24, ha ha)

Total weight gain? +17. I only gained about a half of a pound this month. I am guessing that is okay, but being that my doctor never looked at my file, I doubt she knew my weight.

How big is the baby? about 15 inches and 2.25 pounds!

Maternity clothes? Yep!

Stretch marks? Not yet, but I am lathering up twice a day now that she is growing so fast.

Sleep? It's hit or miss, some nights are great, others are not.

Best moment of the week? Spending time with my friend Abby and hearing little Morgan's heart beating at my appointment today. Always makes me smile.

Movement? Yes! She seems to be all over the place. Sometimes she will be up in my ribs, other times she is down by my hip bones.

Cravings? No real cravings this week.

Gender? GIRL :)

Labor signs? Nope

Belly button in or out (for some reason I have missed this question the last two weeks)? In, but getting flatter.


What am I looking forward to? My next appointment with my new doctor! :)

27 Weeks - Baby Shower post!

Mandy, Me, Lauren, and Victoria

Holly and I with our moms. She is due 11 days after me!

Yay for baby showers! I have always LOVED going to baby showers, but this week, it was my turn. Morgan and I are incredibly lucky to have so many family and friends who love us. We received a ton of wonderful gifts, and I am starting to feel more and more at ease about preparing for her arrival. A word of warning for future brides/mommies out there: Target does a very poor job with registries. Don't get me wrong, the products they carry are awesome, and it is a great place to shop for baby and home; however, I unfortunately received a lot of duplicate gifts because the computer did not remove the items from my registry when they were purchased (despite the fact that my wonderful guests did exactly what they were supposed to do and present the cashier with my printed registry so they could scan it). This of course made me very upset. My family and friends who worked so hard to purchase items for me off of my registry were no doubt disappointed to see that I was receiving the same gift from other people. But let me just say THANK YOU to them for putting so much time and effort into shopping for me and Morgan. And on the bright side, the duplicates were returned and put towards the travel system that I have had my eye on. Now we can officially bring Morgan home from the hospital! With all of this being said, I am deleting my Target registry for my upcoming friend shower, and sticking to Babies R Us. They seem to have the registry thing down to a science!

Other big news this week (well, big to me) is that complete strangers are beginning to inquire about my pregnancy! YAY! This is so exciting to me because now I know that I look pregnant enough for someone to ask me about it. Not only am I looking more pregnant, I am also FEELING more pregnant. Her kicks and jabs are getting stronger, and are sometimes painful. This morning, she was simultaneously punching me in the ribs and kicking my on my hips. She must like to stretch in the morning. Other than feeling tired, heavy, and uncomfortable, we have been doing well. I stayed home on Monday because I was fighting a terrible cold. To my amazement (although I shouldn't be surprised), staying home, resting, and drinking lots of fluids really is the best way to treat a cold. I felt 100 times better by Tuesday and was back at work. I hate using sick days, but it was worth it to get rid of the cold so I could get back to work and do my job well. Not to mention, I didn't spread any germs to my coworkers. So advice to ALL of my blog readers, if you are sick, stay home and rest. It's totally worth it.

Stats:

How far along? 27 weeks. This means next week I will begin my THIRD trimester. WOOHOO!

Total weight gain? Still haven't weighed. I will know next week at my appointment.

How big is the baby? 14.5 inches and 2 lbs!!!

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Stretch marks? Nope. Just bought some Belly Butter though because I ran out of my other stuff. Hope this works!

Sleep? Some nights not so great, other nights just fine. Has more to do with the dog and Brad than Morgan, ha ha. I actually dreamt that Brad and I went mattress shopping to get a King size bed. Ahh, wouldn't that be nice?

Best moment of the week? My mom gave me a lot of my old dresses and outfits from when I was a baby as part of my shower gift. I had asked her months ago if she had saved that stuff and she said she didn't think she had (lies!). I knew it was not like her to not save stuff like that, but I was still surprised to open that box. I have already picked out the outfit we will bring Morgan home in. So cute!!! It was also nice to see so many family and friends this weekend at my shower. It means the world to me that they came to celebrate sweet little Morgan!

Movement? Yes! And still loving it (even the painful ones).

Cravings? Nothing this week. Dairy products are still a big staple in my diet. Watch Morgan be lactose intolerant.

Gender? Princess

Labor signs? NO NO NO

What am I looking forward to? Seeing my good friend Abby this weekend! Also, getting my next appointment over with. Glucose test and Rhogram shot. Fun Fun!

26 weeks

Happy Hump Day! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and was able to get some rest. I sure did! It was so nice to have a few days off and spend time with family. I will admit that it was REALLY hard going back to work on Monday. The long weekend spoiled me and I was not ready to go back just yet. Needless to say, I am counting down the days until Christmas break. 12 more work days to go!

This week I have definitely noticed a change in my mood. Before I got pregnant, I was a very sensitive person, and always took things to heart. Now that I am pregnant, zit-faced, can't bend over, and look completely different than I did just a few months ago, I am even more sensitive. It doesn't help that people find it completely acceptable to comment on my appearance on a daily basis. I get a range of comments everyday, from "Oh, you look so small for being 6 months pregnant!" to "Wow, you are really popping out now!" I know people are trying to be nice, and I can not blame them for their curiosity in the preggo. It is just hard to process all of these comments when my hormones are out of wack and my self-esteem is already in the toilet. At the end of the day I remind myself that being pregnant is a blessing, and is not guarenteed to anyone. But if you were wondering what pregnant woman are really thinking when you comment on their growing tummy, now you know. :)

This weekend is a very exciting one. My first baby shower is on Sunday! My mom is throwing me my family shower, with the help of my brother's girlfriend, Calla. They have put so much effort into planning it, and I can't wait for everything to come together. I will be sure to post pictures next week. Mom said about 40 people have said they are coming, so it should be a wonderful turn out. I am such a lucky girl, and so is Morgan! We are very loved.

Stats:

How far along? 26 weeks

Total weight gain? haven't weighed this week, but I am sure it's up.

How big is the baby? 14 inches and very close to 2 lbs!

Maternity clothes? yes.

Stretch marks? Nope, but I am checking very closely now. My skin is getting tight!

Sleep? Terrible...waaaaaah. I need to stop my whining though because it won't get any better.

Best moment of the week? Spending time with my family on Thanksgiving. Also, Brad and I worked on the nursery and office on Sunday night and both rooms look SO great now. I was almost in tears when I saw the office after Brad finished it. It was so clean! haha. And of course I tear up everytime I go in the nursery. Can't wait for my baby girl to be in there snuggled up in her crib.

Movement? yep!

Cravings? anything, everything. bleh.

Gender? Sweet baby girl.

Labor signs? NO

What am I looking forward to? Baby shower this weekend!

25 weeks...Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope most of you had today off and were able to relax and spend time with your family. I got to see my best friend Lauren and her adorable son Connor today. We had a good time catching up and seeing Connor makes me so excited for Morgan to be here. Lauren is such a good mommy! I also got to catch up with my other best friend, Jenn, today. She just recently got back from Africa and is now working on interviewing for grad schools. I am so proud of her! I will take this opportunity, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, to express how truly thankful I am for my wonderful friends. They are always there for me and I don't know what I would do without them.

I was also able to go Christmas shopping done today. I got some things checked off my list, so I am feeling very accomplished. There is still a lot to be done though, and the thought of it all is very overwhelming. I may need to ask for Brad's help this year. He usually only shops for one person, me, while I am responsible for our families. Fighting crowds and dealing with traffic stresses me out, so I may just have to send him out with a detailed shopping list this year. :)

25 weeks pregnant is a major difference from just a few weeks ago. My belly grown a lot, and more people are noticing that I am pregnant, which I LOVE. I have not had the bad leg cramps, but sleeping is becoming more difficult. I keep waking up around 3 in the morning and can't go back to sleep. I suppose my body is preparing me for those nighttime feedings.

Ok, enough ramblings for today. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Stats:

How far along? 25 weeks

Total weight gain? 16 pounds. I am up one pound from last week :/

How big is the baby? 13 or so inches and 1.5 pounds

Maternity clothes? yes!

Stretch marks? not yet!

Sleep? getting worse

Best moment of the week? Seeing Lauren and Connor today. LOVE THEM

Movement? as we speak :)

Cravings? the milk craving is gone. Now it's back to nothing

Gender? Princess

Labor signs? NO

Belly button in or out? In but looking different each week

What am I looking forward to? BABY SHOWERS and finishing the nursery

24 weeks, 6 months, and Dr. appointment update :)

Hello all! I decided to post today because I wanted to wait until I went to the doctor. I am officially in the last month of my second trimester. At my next appointment I will be in my FINAL trimester. Seeing as this trimester has flown by, I am sure the last one will go equally fast.

My appointment went really well today. My blood pressure and weight gain are good, and Morgan is measuring right on schedule. Mom came with me today for support since Brad had to work. She was so happy to hear Morgan's little heart beating away. I asked my doctor about the EXCRUCIATING leg cramps I have been waking up to. I had another one on Sunday morning that almost brought me to tears. I screamed I was in so much pain and poor Waylon and Brad were scared half to death. Fortunately, my leg cramps are a normal "phenomenon" of pregnancy and nothing to worry about (NOT a blood clot, WHEW!). She suggested I drink more water and stretch some before bed to prevent them. I will give anything a try.

This week I have definitely been feeling more pregnant. At night I get very uncomfortable and I have not been sleeping as well as I used to. I can only imagine how uncomfortable I will be in February. Brad is very supportive though, and helps me as much as he can. We also hired someone to come and clean once a month to help me out. It is not good for me to breath in the fumes from the chemicals anyways. The house was cleaned today and I swear it is like Christmas morning when I come home to a clean house. Don't worry, we do clean more than once a month, ha ha. She mainly does the bathrooms and the back breaking stuff I should not be doing. You may ask yourself, "Hm, why doesn't Brad just do it rather than paying a cleaning lady?" Well, that is a very good question, and the answer is, BRAD DOES NOT CLEAN. Oh well, I don't cut grass or change the oil, so I will try not to judge.

Stats...

How far along? 24 weeks/6 months!

Total weight gain? 15 lbs! Yowzas. I know my Mom's scale is different from the doctor's scale, and I weighed at a different time of day, fully dressed this time, but good Lord. Time to slooooooow down. I still need to get through the holidays!

How big is the baby? Over a foot long and 1.25 lbs. (at least I can blame 1.25 of my 15 to Morgan, hehe)

Maternity clothes? Yepp. They are so comfy.

Stretch marks? Not yet. But this weight gain better slow down or I will start to look like a road map.

Sleep? Not great. Leg cramps and constantly wanting to change positions is making it harder.

Best moment of the week? SEEING my stomach move. I have been feeling the kicks for a while now but this week was the first time I could see my stomach move. So cool.

Movement? Yep!

Cravings? still milk.. Weird.

Gender? Princess

Labor signs? NO

Belly button in or out? In and stretching. I MAY be an outy by the end of this but still kind of early to tell.

What am I looking forward to? Getting past my next appointment. I have to get the gestational diabetes testing done AND get my RH negative shot. Fun fun. But more importantly, after the next appointment I will get to go every 2 weeks!

23 weeks!

VERY soft pink. Hard to tell the walls are even painted in these.

Where to start? This week has been a busy and productive one. On Saturday, me, my mom, and Brad's aunt, Lori, finally tackled the baby registry at Babies R Us. It was SO overwhelming. It is amazing to me how one little person can require so much stuff. Lori was an awesome guide though, and I couldn't have done it without her. I am glad I opted for Brad not to join because I think the whole process would have been way too much for him. He trusts my judgement, and knows I will probably get my way even if he does have an opinion on something, ha ha. Sunday, Brad and my Dad painted the nursery. I went with a VERY soft pink. It is exactly what I wanted and it goes perfectly with the bedding. I can't wait to get the crib up and start getting the room in order. Also on Sunday, my mom, Nanny, and I went and did my Target registry. There was not much to add there. Just a few things that I didn't see or didn't think to add to my Babies R Us registry. We are so fortunate that Lori has donated an entire baby girl wardrobe to us. I went through all of the clothes she gave us on Sunday night and I can't wait to start dressing Morgan up! Now all I need to worry about is getting the items off the registry so that we have everything that she will need.

On the pregnancy front, I am DEFINITELY starting to feel the strain of being pregnant. It is difficult for me to change positions and I am getting tired so quickly now. I better toughen up though, because I still have 17 weeks to go and I plan on working up until the day I go into labor. I really have not had many other symptoms, so I can't complain. It seems that Momma and Morgan are healthy and normal.

I have included some more nursery pics, but please don't judge yet. We still have a lot of organizing and setting up to do! I will try to add more as we make progress.

Stats...

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain? +12 lbs. Bleh, weighed at Mom's yesterday. That means I averaged a pound a week since my last appointment, which I guess is normal. It's just weird seeing these huge numbers on the scale!

How big is the baby? About 12 inches and over a pound!!! Crazy...

Maternity clothes? Yes!

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep? Oh yes. I love every minute.

Best moment of the week? Seeing Morgan's nursery coming together!

Movement? All the time. She is a busy lady. :)

Cravings? MILK!

Gender? Girl :)

Labor signs? NO. I got a childbirth book from the library today to start educating myself on the process. I still need to sign up for classes at the hospital.

Belly button in or out? In

What am I looking forward to? Organizing the nursery! Nesting instincts are in full gear.

22 weeks!

Oops! I was a day late again this week. Last night I was exhausted and had zero motivation. I was so tired I almost felt sick. Then in the middle of the night I woke up with the most painful Charley Horse in my leg. I literally screamed and woke Brad up. Looks like labor should be fun... ha ha.

This week has been okay. Brad got back from his cruise on Saturday afternoon and had lots of pictures and stories to share. He and his family had a great time and the weather was awesome for their entire trip. I really wish I could have been there with them! Morgan started kicking much harder while he was gone so I was hoping when he got back he would be able to feel her. Well, 2 nights ago he finally felt it! It was so amazing for him to experience it too. He thought it was really cool, but she hasn't cooperated since. It's almost as if she knows he is there and stops kicking! We will keep trying though.

The crib bedding just came in today. I was so happy to see it sitting on my front porch. I am very happy with it. It looks even better in person than it does online. Now all I need to do is pick a paint color so we can get going on the nursery. I will try to include pictures next week of any nursery progress. Yay!

Ok here are the stats...

How far along? 22 weeks

Total weight gain? Not sure, +9 total was my last weigh in but that was 2 weeks ago.

How big is the baby? 11 inches and almost a pound!

Maternity clothes? Yes! Pants with panels are the best. Haha I don't want to ever have to zip or button pants again.

Stretch marks? Nope. Still lathering the belly daily though.

Sleep? YES! I have been super tired lately. I think Morgan must be burning up my energy.

Best moment of the week? Brad feeling our sweet girl kick. I don't think that will ever get old.

Movement? Yes! And lots of it.

Cravings? None.

Gender? GIRL GIRL GIRL. So excited about all the pink bows and pretty outfits.

Labor signs? Heck no. But I thought to myself last night that if labor feels like a uterine Charley Horse I am in deep trouble. That thing had me in tears. I have had my fair share of stomach aches though (aka, gall bladder not working and appendix rupturing) so hopefully I am more prepared than I think.

Belly button in or out? In and stretching.

What am I looking forward to? Decorating the nursery. I can't wait to see everything all together.

21 Weeks

We can officially count DOWN to my due date now. Only 19 weeks left to go. I can hardly believe it!

Obviously we had a very exciting appointment this week. Last Wednesday we found out that our sweet baby is a GIRL. Morgan Reese Hooper is doing very well. She was measuring right on schedule and the ultrasound tech said everything looked great. We feel so blessed.

Brad is away on a cruise this week with his family. I wish I could have gone, and I miss him SOOOOO much. We have only talked for a few minutes since he left last Thursday. He comes home Saturday afternoon, and I can't wait to see him. He deserves the vacation though. He works very hard and usually does not have much free time just to have fun.

I'm a tad irritated this evening so I am going to keep the post short this week (Just so you know, if there are 6 leftover cupcakes, and the preggo has not had any, I suggest you not eat all 6 of them. How rude). Here are the stats...

How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain? +9 lbs per the doctor's scale.

How big is the baby? About 11 inches crown to heel and 3/4 of a pound!

Maternity clothes? For the most part. Definitely pants but still getting away with some non-maternity tops.

Stretch marks? Not yet!

Sleep? Yes. Hope I can keep it up!

Best moment of the week? Seeing my beautiful Morgan on the ultrasound. I cried many tears of joy.

Movement? TONS! I finally felt her from the outside with my hand. I can't wait for Brad to get home so he can feel her.

Cravings? None this week. Appetite is slowly going back to normal. I'm not as ravenous as I was last week.

Gender? GIRL!!! (I know, I know, I was wrong and YOU were right)

Labor signs? No sir

Belly button in or out? Way in

What am I looking forward to? Giving my amazing husband a huge hug when he gets home Saturday.

20 Weeks = 5 months = HALFWAY THERE

It's finally here! The halfway point has arrived. I have been pretty good about taking at least 1 or 2 pictures of myself every week, even if they are just on my iPhone. I save them in a file named "Preggers" on my laptop and then divide them up by week. It just seems amazing to me how big this file has grown! In 2 short months, I will be in my third trimester. Craziness!

I said last week that I would wait to post until tomorrow, but I have a feeling that with all the phone calls and visits, it just won't happen. I will certainly put up a FB announcement after my appointment, so stay tuned. We are scheduled to have the ultrasound at 2:30pm at the Johnston Willis office. Conveniently, Obama will be right down the road at a fire station to make a speech on his "Jobs Act" at 2:45. I decided to take a half-day off and leave work at 12:30 tomorrow so I don't have to rush to the appointment and stress about the crazy traffic. I figure I will go to Chesterfield Towne Center, get some lunch, and walk around a bit before the appointment.

It is so funny to me that 99.9% of people have guessed that I am having a girl. Only me and 1 or 2 of my friends have thought boy. In fact, Lauren Hill and I are the ONLY ones who have thought boy from the beginning. All of the old wives tales point towards girl (how I am carrying, heart rate, etc..) but something just keeps telling me boy. I have also heard how a mother's "gut instinct" can often be wrong. Hopefully little Hooper will cooperate tomorrow and the guessing games and pregnancy myths can be put to rest.

Now, onto the survey!

How far along? 20 weeks down, 20 to go :)

Total weight gain? +7 total but I have not weighed since last time. My pregnancy app says that I should be up to about +10 by this point. I think I probably hit the mark. We will know tomorrow.

How big is the baby? This is the week where measurements switch from crown to rump to crown to heel for length, so baby is about 10 inches long and about 11 ounces now.

Maternity clothes? Yes! Just bought some more this weekend. I needed another pair of jeans and one more pair of work pants. And let's be honest, I bought some cute tops too. :)

Stretch marks? Nada

Sleep? Yep. Been doing great with sleep actually. Hope I can keep it up.

Best moment of the week? Tomorrow! I will get to see our sweet baby again AND find out if we are having a Morgan or a William.

Movement? Yes! Tons of movement. I notice it most when I am sitting and slightly leaning forward. I love every single kick, jab, punch, and flip.

Cravings? Cheeeeeeeseburrrrrgerrrrrs. Ok this weight will definitely come on faster now. My appetite is in full gear.

Gender? TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROW

Labor signs? NO

Belly button in or out? In

What am I looking forward to? Seeing that ultrasound screen tomorrow and knowing that our baby is strong and healthy!

19 weeks

Sara about 29 weeks, me 19

This week, or shall I say weekend, was definitely a busy one. Friday night was Amy and Eric's rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. I got ready at work and headed straight to the rehearsal at Oak Grove Baptist, which was conveniently only a minute from the school I work at. The rehearsal and dinner were wonderful. Saturday I got up bright and early to get my hair done, then I met up with the other bridesmaids at the salon where Amy was getting ready. Brittany and I went to the church first, and ended up setting off an alarm because no one was there to let us in. Whoops! No harm, no foul. The wedding was BEAUTIFUL, and if you live in Richmond, you know that Saturday was the epitome of good weather. It was 75 and sunny all day. Everyone seemed to have a great time at the reception. It was amazing to be apart of their special day. Sunday was Sara's baby shower. As you can see by the picture above, she is about 10 weeks ahead of me in her pregnancy. It is amazing how much the body can change in such a short time. She looks absolutely wonderful and she received a ton of great gifts, which also helped me think of some essentials for our registry. Overall, the weekend was a ton of fun, but so exhausting for me. I have never been one to stay up late and maintain a busy schedule, so this was exceptionally difficult for me now that I'm pregnant. I crashed Sunday and Monday night, and now am feeling somewhat human again. Of course, it was completely worth it and I would do it again in a heartbeat!

19 weeks seems absolutely crazy to me. Only one more week until I am officially half way through the pregnancy. One of my apps today said that I will start to grow more quickly now, so the bump should really be making a strong debut soon. As far as symptoms go, the only new thing I have noticed is a change in my appetite. I am starting to understand why pregnant women eat all the time. I have been hungry for just about anything! I need to watch it though because I don't want to bombard my baby with junk food. More fruits and veggies definitely need to be added to my daily diet. Another thing I have noticed this week is my inability to move like I used to. Getting up from the couch from a laying position, or getting out of bed, is becoming more challenging. I can only imagine how comical I will look by the end of my pregnancy. I am starting to notice movement more frequently now. Today at work little Hooper was very busy. It is such a cool feeling so I can't wait for Brad to feel those kicks and punches from the outside! I have placed his hand on my stomach a few times just for fun, but he loses patience quickly and I don't think the movement is strong enough for him to feel yet anyway. Other than the complete exhaustion from this weekend, baby and I have been doing GREAT! Now, on to the survey...

How far along? 19 weeks, holy crap

Total weight gain? Ok so I weighed on Mom's scale on Sunday and I was up 3lbs from my last appointment. That brings the grand total to +7lbs

How big is the baby? 6 inches and about 10 ounces

Maternity clothes? Mostly. Still wearing some non-maternity shirts while I can but they aren't really long enough. I have given up on the belly band. It just isn't comfortable.

Stretch marks? Not yet...

Sleep? Oh yes, and lots of it.

Best moment of the week? Seeing my beautiful best friend get married.

Movement? Yes! One of the ladies I work with was talking to me about it today and she described it as a muscle twitch. I thought that described it perfectly.

Cravings? Nothing special, just food in general. Yikes.

Gender? Holy moly we find out a WEEK from tomorrow. Brad and I are so freakin excited to know. Everyone keeps saying girl because of how I am "carrying," but my friend Sara, pictured above, completely breaks the "if your carrying low you're having a boy" stereotype, because she definitely is having a girl. Most people think girl, but I have felt boy from the beginning. I have also had 2 dreams that the ultrasound said boy. 8 more days and we will know for sure!!!

Labor signs? Noooooo

Belly button in or out? In still.

What am I looking forward to? My appointment and ultrasound next Wednesday at 2:30pm. I am going to be a nervous wreck in that waiting room! Because my appointment falls on a Wednesday next week, I will just post when I get back from the doctor (after I make all of the necessary phone calls to family and friends of course). Stay tuned!

18 Weeks and on the MOVE!

Hello everyone! So sorry I am a day late posting this week. Brad and I decided to run some errands last night and by the time we got home I was too tired to post.

This weekend was a very productive one. On Saturday my parents and I went to Farmville (Brad was hunting) to visit my brother and his girlfriend. They had not seen me in quite a while, so they were excited to see my growing belly. Ricky's face was priceless. He acted like he had never seen a pregnant woman before. It was so nice seeing them though. I can't wait for the holidays roll around so that I can see them more! On Sunday my parents came over and helped Brad and I with what started off to be a simple, "clear out the closet in the nursery" project. However, as it turns out, Brad and I are Stage 1 hoarders and we spent almost 5 hours cleaning out all of the closets in our house to make room for new baby stuff. My dad also worked on fixing up the walls in the nursery. Mom and I spent a lot of time going through things and getting rid of stuff. Who knew a 1400 sq/ft house could contain so much CRAP! A big thanks goes out to Mom and Dad who devoted their entire day to helping us out. We couldn't have done it without them!!! I have included a "before" picture of the nursery this week. Poor Waylon thinks it's his room.

On the pregnancy front, things are moving along as scheduled. About 2 weeks ago, I felt what I thought was movement, but I was not 100% sure mostly because I didn't know what it felt like. Well, this week our baby has been on the MOVE! I tried taking a nap on Saturday before our trip to Farmville, but little Hooper was too busy for me to sleep. It was such a cool feeling. The movement is not regular yet, which I have read is normal at this stage. Some days I feel a lot, others I don't feel anything. I can't wait until the little kicks and punches are strong and frequent enough for Brad to feel. As you can see by this week's picture, the belly is coming along slowly. I have to admit that I am a little discouraged that I am not showing more at this stage (ALMOST HALFWAY). I look pregnant to family and friends who knew what I looked like before, but because of my body type (long waisted and curvy), I think most strangers would not be able to tell yet. I guess I am just ready for our wonderful news to be obvious to everyone!

Ok, here are the stats...

How far along? 18 weeks

Total weight gain? Not sure, have not weighed since my last appointment. Probably around 5-6 lbs if I had to guess.

How big is the baby? About 5.5 inches in length (the vegetable/fruit comparisons are too vague)

Maternity clothes? Mostly, yes. Still wearing some non-maternity pants with my belly band and non-maternity tops if I need to do laundry. All non-maternity loungewear still fits :)

Stretch marks? No, but I am becoming very "veiny." My veins are SO dark. Looks like varicose veins may be in my future.

Sleep? Yep! I ususally wake up once between 2 and 4am to use the potty but I fall back to sleep immediately.

Best moment of the week? Getting my house in order and finally being able to visualize a completed nursery, feeling those awesome kicks, and seeing my brother and his girlfriend.

Movement? YES YES YES

Cravings? None. No aversions either. My appetite seems about the same, which is good.

Gender? 2 more weeks!!! AHHHHH

Labor signs? NO

Belly button in or out? Way in.

What am I looking forward to? My best friend Amy gets married this Saturday and I am so excited to be a part of her wedding. Also, my good friend Sara has her baby shower Sunday. YAY! Fun-filled and very busy weekend ahead.

17 Weeks! And BABY NAME ANNOUNCEMENT

How is it Tuesday again already!? I guess it sneaks up on me because my weekends seem to fly by these days. This past weekend was awesome. I got to hang out with the beautiful bride-to-be, Amy Rowe, for some bachelorette fun on Friday night. It is hard to believe that she is getting married in less than 2 weeks! I am SO happy for her and I can't wait for the big day. Then on Saturday, Mom and I made the trip up to Northern VA for Abby's wedding. It turned out to be a gorgeous day, and she was a stunning bride. I was so glad I got to see so many of my friends this weekend, especially since many haven't seen me since my big announcement. The general consensus is that I look "full," not pregnant, and that my tatas look grande. I suppose I will take that as a compliment :) I guess it really depends on what I am wearing. Dresses tend to cover the bump, which is what I wore this weekend. However, the dress I am wearing in this week's picture seems to emphasize the bump a bit more. Regardless, in a couple months there will be NO denying that there is a bun in the oven, and I can't wait!

Symptoms seem to change weekly. I have noticed this week that I am a little more nauseaus than I have been. Brushing my teeth is REALLY difficult. I have to force myself not to gag. SO WEIRD. Another symptom that has been popping up is a little disease Brad likes to call CRS (Can't Remember Shit). I forget the little things and I feel so stupid at times. I guess that is why people call it "pregnancy brain." My back is about the same. The biggest relief is that the doctor said it was normal. She gave me a couple tips to relieve the pain, but told me not to worry too much about it.

I meant to do a blog update last week after my doctor's appointment, but obviously that didn't happen. Things went well though and our next appointment will be on October 19th where we will find out if it's a boy or girl. Time for a big announcement people...Brad and I have finalized our name choices!!! For a girl, Morgan Reese, and for a boy, William Isaac. We have had the girl name picked out for a while. We came up with Morgan right after I got pregnant, and Brad picked out Reese during the hurricane when we had no power and nothing better to do than flip through a baby name book. William Isaac has also been on the table for a while, but we wanted to make sure it was 100% what we wanted before announcing it. Both William and Isaac come from Brad's grandfathers. Papa Joe (Isaac), passed away in April and we miss him so much. Brad has always been very close to his "Papas" and we thought it was a great way to acknowledge both of them. We are so excited to find out if we have a little Morgan or William on the way!

Survey says...

How far along? 17 weeks baby!

Total weight gain? Ok it's officially 4 lbs. Mom's scale was either off or I managed to gain a little by my doctor's appointment. Either way, it seems that I am going slow and steady. Hope I can keep it up!

How big is the baby? Sweet potato

Maternity clothes? Yes, and it appears I may need to invest in some new bras before I have a wardrobe malfunction.

Stretch marks? Still no!

Sleep? Yes! I have been sleeping really well at night. I am going to enjoy this as long as I can because I know that as I get bigger, sleeping will become more difficult.

Best moment of the week? My doctor's appointment and hearing baby's heart beating away. (152 bpm). Also seeing a bunch of friends over the weekend, and yesterday ( <3 bitties)

Movement? Still not 100% sure if what I am feeling is digestion or movement. I am paying VERY close attention though.

Cravings? Not really. I ate a bunch of chips and onion dip today though. NOM NOM NOM.

Gender? No clue. CANNOT WAIT!

Labor signs? Please God, no.

Belly button in or out? Way in still.

What am I looking forward to? October 19th!!!

Sweet 16 :) 4 months pregnant!

There isn't much to update this week because my doctor's appointment is tomorrow. I will do another post then. Mom and I went to an awesome, but CRAZY baby stuff sale at Manchester Middle on Saturday morning (Thanks for the tip, Kristin!). We were both overwhelmed by all of the stuff. There were TONS clothes, but they also had toys, strollers, bouncers, highchairs, etc. I ended up buying a lamp for the nursery for only $5. It is really cute! There is another sale in March so I am sure we will be going back to get some more things.

I have been feeling okay this week. My back pain is getting worse, so I plan on talking to my doctor about it tomorrow. I have done some research online and it appears that it is some sort of "posterior pelvic pain." Obviously the internet can be misleading so before I diagnose myself I am going to talk things over with the doc. Other than the back pain, I have been doing good. My energy level isn't great, but I make it through the work day without caffeine. At night I am ready to go to bed at 9:30 and it is really hard getting up in the mornings. Sometimes I wonder how the HECK am I going to wake up 2 or 3 times a night with my baby. I am sure my motherly instincts will kick in and it won't be as hard as I anticipate (I hope!). But for now I am enjoying the spare time I have and resting a lot. I still haven't started my prenatal yoga, whoops. Better get my butt into gear!

Until tomorrow, here are the stats!

How far along? 16 weeks

Total weight gain? According to Mom's scale I have lost a pound, which puts me at about +2.5 total. But I am going to go by the doctor's scale tomorrow.

How big is the baby? I think an onion. These are vague though because I have seen some HUGE onions.

Maternity clothes? Yep! I also bought 2 dresses at a consignment shop on Saturday. They were $18 for BOTH!

Stretch marks? Not yet. Still using my cream daily.

Sleep? As much as possible. Getting up about 1 or 2 times a night to pee. I seriously need one of those body pillows. I hate sleeping on my side.

Best moment of the week? That will be tomorrow when I get to hear my sweet baby's heart beat.

Movement? I have felt what I would describe as "bubbles" in my lower abdomen (not gas, haha). It has happened a handful of times and I am pretty sure it is movement, but I am not 100% convinced just yet.

Cravings? Nope, but my sweet tooth is making a comeback. :)

Gender? No clue. 4 more weeks. I will be making the appointment TOMORROW.

Labor signs? No way, Jose.

Belly button in or out? Inny

What am I looking forward to? Tomorrow's appointment!!!

15 Weeks :)

I know I am going to think this every week, but...OMG am I already 15 weeks pregnant??? It seems like just yesterday I was taking the pregnancy test. It truly is crazy how time flies.

This was a very exciting week. Work has been going great. We have lots of kids in the program this year, which is keeping us very busy. I have not told the students yet that I am expecting. I am going to wait until I feel the time is right. Most of the staff already know though. One staff member who didn't know asked me today if I was expecting because she could tell my I had a bump. Well, obviously I would be quite offended if I wasn't pregnant, but I took this as a HUGE compliment! This is the first time someone has noticed my bump without knowing already. Friends and family are noticing now too. It is great to see their reactions at how we have grown :)

I had a busy, but very fun weekend. Friday, Brad and I went to the McDaniel's house to visit with Adam, Lauren, and Connor. We also got to see Bonnie and Darryl. It was so nice seeing everyone! Connor has grown so much since I saw him back in June. Even though I don't get to see them often, I really appreciate the time we have together. I got to see them all again on Sunday for Bonnie's baby shower. I LOVE going to baby showers, especially now that I am expecting. I made sure to pay close attention to the gifts she registered for and some other cool items I would have never thought of.

I've been meaning to update on my pregnancy symptoms. I was afraid that headaches were going to be a daily problem for me, but as it turns out, they have gone away almost completely (knock on wood). Other things I have noticed are some lower back pain on my right side and numbness in my right thigh after sleeping. I also notice I get crampy if I don't drink enough fluids, so I am really working on that. My acne has been OUT OF CONTROL too. I look like a pizza face. I know its worth it though. But I am certainly not the beautiful glowing pregnant woman that you read about or see on TV. My eating is going well. I feel like I have definitely gained some weight, although I have no clue how much. As you can tell from the picture, we definitely hit a growth spurt this week. I am still trying to be as healthy as possible, as I don't want to gain too quickly. I have an appointment a week from tomorrow so I will know then how I have been doing.

Other big news...the crib is in!!! We still have it packaged for now. We may even wait to put it up after we paint the nursery, which is going to be put off until we know whether it's a Brad Jr. or Pam Jr. (no, those aren't the names we picked out). I will try to get some pictures of the nursery stuff with my good camera for next week. Until then...SURVEY!

1. How far along? 15 weeks

2. Total weight gain? Not sure, but if I had to guess, 6-7 lbs total.

3. How big is the baby? Avacado!

4. Maternity clothes? Yes! And I think I will be buying more tops. They are much more flattering.

5. Stretch marks? Not yet...

6. Sleep? Some nights not so much, last night I fell asleep at 8pm and slept until 7. I better enjoy that while I can!

7. Best moment of the week? Seeing Lauren and Connor this weekend. Love them <3

8. Movement? Soon maybe??

9. Cravings? No. I love all food.

10. Gender? No clue. 5 more weeks!

11. Labor signs? No no no.

12. Belly button in or out? In but stretching...

13. What am I looking forward to? My doctors appointment next week!

14 Weeks :)

Although I am technically supposed to post tomorrow, I figured I would go ahead and do it today since tomorrow is the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! I am very excited to go back and see all the little kiddos. I also miss having a set schedule and routine. I am sure in a few weeks though I will be ready to go back to the lazy days of summer. I have always loved this time of year though. I am already thinking about the holidays and how exciting they are going to be this year with our little one on the way.

This was a hectic week again because of the stupid hurricane. Brad and I are so fortunate to have a wonderful family who took us in when our power was out. Brad's parents let us stay with them for a couple of nights this week (THANK YOU!!!). Waylon loves being over there because he gets to play with their Jack Russell, Abby. It's pretty bad when your dog can literally run circles around a Jack Russell. He is NUTS! Fortunately we got our power back Thursday morning. I have never been so excited to have electricity. This is by far the longest I have ever had to go without power and we weren't as bad off as some other people in the Richmond area. As much as I complained I really do sympathize with the Dominion workers who I am sure had very little sleep or time with their families this past week. I am so glad this is all behind us now and I pray that no more come our way this hurricane season!

I had a bit of a scare this week. On Wednesday I noticed I was experiencing some cramps on my right side, so I called my doctor who said that I should drink plenty of water and take it easy, but not to worry. Well, several hours passed and the cramps had gotten slightly worse. They were going down into my leg and felt very similar to menstrual cramps, so I decided to call my doctor again. This time, the nurse told me to come in so they could check things out. My mom was able to go with me, which definitely helped, because I was extremely worried. I didn't get to see my doctor, but the one I did meet with was wonderful. Everything checked out great and I even got to hear the heartbeat on the doppler. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. I could have sat there all day and listened to it. It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. The doctor told me the cramps could be caused by several different things, but I shouldn't worry because everything looked completely normal. WHEW!

Other big news...We bought a crib this week! I have been searching high and low for an afforadable crib, preferably with a changing table attached. I did not have much luck in stores, but was able to stumble across a great deal on Walmart.com. (I know what you're thinking, "Ew, Walmart?" But stay with me for a second...it is a Delta brand crib, which is also sold at Target. I found it on the Delta website, which then directed me to Walmart. I got the crib with the attached changing table and a trundle underneath for storage AND a crib mattress for the low price of $288! I found the same crib on Target's website without the mattress for around $280. I am very pleased! We chose the "expresso" finish, which Brad liked the most. We also bought a storage unit which we plan to use as a baby dresser. My Dad came up with this idea and I love it. It is way more affordable than a baby dresser and we will be able to use it in other rooms of our house (office, living room, etc) after the baby upgrades to the big boy/girl furniture that we already have from Brad's old room. The storage unit was originally $51 at Target, but we got it for $39 because of the Labor Day sale. We are holding off on buying the "fabric drawers" to go in it until we know what we are having.

Okay so this was a long post. SORRY! I promise next week is sure to be much shorter. Survey!

1. How far along? 14 weeks (tomorrow)

2. Total weight gain? I think I was up a few ounces when I went to the doctor on Wednesday but I am not sure how much exactly. So let's just say another +.5ish this week and +3ish total.

3. How big is the baby? I should probably start looking this up, but I believe I read he/she is now about the size of my fist.

4. Maternity clothes? Pants, yes. They are way more comfortable. Plus, even though I could get by with my regular clothes, I would rather get the use out of the maternity clothes I bought. It didn't make sense for me to be uncomfortable and put off spending the money on the clothes later. At least now I will get to wear them for several months, and let's be honest, they are SO DARN CUTE!

5. Stretch marks? Nope.

6. Sleep? Since returning to my own bed on Thursday night, I have slept like a rock. YAY!

7. Best moment of the week? Hearing my baby's beautiful heartbeat. (In the 150's by the way)

8. Movement? Hopefully soon!

9. Cravings? Still no.

10. Gender? No clue now. I don't think we are going to do the 3D ultrasound though. It is money that we can save towards other baby stuff! It looks like our 20 week ultrasound will be in Mid-October, which is not far away!

11. Labor signs? Please God no. Let's wait until 40 weeks, or at least until February 15th. (To qualify for FMLA I need to be at my current job for a year. My start date was Feb. 14th and my due date is March 6th. Let's keep our fingers crossed people!)

12. Belly button in or out? Way in.

13. What am I looking forward to? Feeling the baby kick, and seeing Brad's reaction when he feels it! OH, and getting the nursery set up! I believe my nesting instincts are kicking in :)

Lucky Week 13

I wish I could say this week has flown by, but I would just be kidding myself. Where do I start? The earthquake came this week while I was grocery shopping in Wal Mart. At the time I didn't think much of it and honestly thought it was just the Wal Mart that had been shaking. Boy was I wrong! Then of course Irene graced us with her presence this weekend and I held my breath the entire time. We are so blessed to have no property damage, and Brad cleaned up our yard on Sunday morning. No power yet, but Mom and Dad have been very hospitable! Now I need to worry about getting some scary trees cut down in our yard so I don't have to worry so much for the next storm that comes our way (hopefully no time soon!).

Momma and baby have done great this week. I am still getting those wicked headaches, but not every night. I got a call from my OB's nurse that the test results from my 12 week appointment came back normal. YAY! I forgot to mention in my last blog that I found out after my first appointment that I am RH negative. This really scared me at first because it was something I completely skipped over in my pregnancy books and therefore, knew very little about. I remember seeing it and thinking, "Well that is pretty rare so I don't need to worry about it." Well, I was right about it being rare. Only about 15% of the population has a negative blood type. If the baby's blood is positive, which is likely, my body can develop antibodies to the baby's blood, which can affect future pregnancies. I will get a shot at 28 weeks and 3 days after delivery to prevent this from happening, so no worries.

The tummy has started to pop slightly this week. Some family and friends have told me they notice a teeny bump. I think right now it is mostly bloat, especially after I eat. I am sure the beautiful round bump is just around the corner though. I have been focusing on eating healthier this week. I try to incorporate a fruit and/or vegetable into every meal and snack. I am not always successful but at least I am trying. This is something I definitely need to keep working on! I would like to start an exercise program but the fatigue has not quite let up yet so maybe once I get my second trimester energy wave I will be ready to commit. I have a prenatal yoga DVD that is dying to be used!

Survey time!

1. How far along: 13 weeks :)

2. Total weight gain: +.5 this week, +2.5 total (according to Mom and Dad's scale)

3. How big is the baby? A peach I think?

4. Maternity clothes? Most of the time no. But today, yes. Still mostly wearing dresses and using my elastic band clasp thing. I have pretty much finished shopping for maternity clothes though so I am ready to go when the time comes.

5. Stretch marks? Nope. Still lathering up with my lotion. I have also read that eating healthier and gaining the weight slowly and not exceeding recommended weight gain (25-35 lbs) really helps prevent stretch marks. We shall see...

6. Sleep? No power = no sleep. Waaah

7. Best moment of the week? Trees in the back yard still standing after the hurricane. WOOHOO!

8. Movement? Not yet!

9. Cravings? Still none. But I have noticed that sweets don't appeal to me as much anymore. I am way more interested in salty stuff.

10. Gender? Not sure what I think now. Ready for that 3D ultrasound to confirm!!

11. Labor signs? Heavens no. And lets keep it that way until 40 weeks, thank you very much.

12. Belly button in or out? Way in. I have a feeling my belly button won't pop. That sucker is deep. Haha.

13. What am I looking forward to? Feeling movement, looking pregnant, and knowing if we are having a Phoebe or a Phoebo (sorry, it's Friends reference).

Goodbye 1st Trimester!

Wow, just typing that title reminds me of how quickly this pregnancy is going to go. I have had so many friends and family members warn me that this time flies by, and boy are they right! Since I have been keeping my pregnancy quiet for the past 8 weeks (torture!), I can now fill everyone in on the joys and woes of my first trimester...

I took the pregnancy test on June 24th after being in Texas all week with my good friend, Lauren. We suspected that I may be pregnant, and I was DYING to find out, but Brad insisted that I wait to take the test at home with him. Although it was tough, Lauren and her adorable son Connor did a great job at distracting me and looking back I am so glad I waited for Brad to be with me. The minute I walked through our front door after Brad picked me up from the airport, I headed straight for the bathroom. After "conducting the test" I decided to put it back in the box rather than staring at it for the next three minutes. Brad and I mostly sat in silence with anxious excitement showing on our faces. When I pulled the test back out of the box, my initial reaction was, "Oh it's negative," because the second line was SO faint. But after a closer look, we both realized that it was in fact POSITIVE! I was in so much shock, and I am pretty sure Brad was too. We both decided to tell our families right away, and they were very happy for us. I took a digital test the next morning to confirm, and WAH LA! PREGNANT!

The next couple of weeks were uneventful. I was excited to spread the news so I told several of my close friends and family. When I reached my 6 week mark, Brad and I were in Topsail with my family for vacation. Morning sickness hit me pretty hard that week, and there were a couple days that I was not able to spend much time on the beach. The morning sickness lasted until about 8 or 9 weeks, and it finally let up. I still get nauseaus from time to time, but not everyday like I was. I consider myself VERY lucky.

We had our first doctor's appointment on July 18th and got to see our sweet little embryo on the ultrasound. The coolest part was seeing the tiny heart fluttering away at 135 bpm (Boy??). Although the appointment eased my worries temporarily, I was anxious again for my next appointment to ensure that our baby was still doing well. I went in on August 22 for my 12 week appointment and ultrasound (to test for Down's Syndrome), and again everything went great! Baby had his or her head down which made getting the measurements tricky. I joked that when it is time for the baby to have his or her head down for labor and delivery, he or she will be breech (I hope not!).

Now that I am entering my second trimester, my energy level is still low. I am hopeful I will get a surge of energy in the next couple of weeks, or at least when I start back at work! The nausea is mostly gone, but now headaches seem to be plagueing me nightly. I never really get headaches otherwise, so I am adjusting to how to deal with them. Each symptom, good and bad, is just a reminder to me that I have a beautiful life growing inside of me. I keep reminding myself that God has hired Brad and me for the most important job anyone can do in life, being a parent. We feel so blessed and hope to be the best parents that we can be!

Here is my pregancy survey (I know these are really popular now but they are so fun to read!)

1. How far along: 12 weeks (baby measured 12 weeks 3 days yesterday, but I am going to stick with my original due date)

2. Total weight gain: 2 lbs since my first appointment at 8 weeks (I don't have a scale at home because Brad hid it, haha. He doesn't want me to worry about weight so I can only update as I go to the doctor.)

3. How big is the baby? Last I read he or she is the size of a large lime!

4. Maternity clothes? I surrendered to my first pair of maternity pants yesterday. They aren't entirely necessary yet but they are way more comfortable. I also use the hair tie trick for pants, then other times I just wear dresses.

5. Stretch marks? None yet. I got stretch marks when I was about 11 after hitting a growth spurt so I know my skin is capable of making them. I am using some awesome cream though that my brother's girlfriend gave me to prevent them. Thanks, Calla!

6. Sleep? There are nights when I wake up 3 times to pee, but last night I slept all night. I am still tired during the day though and I love a good nap!

7. Best moment of the week? Seeing my sweet baby on the ultrasound and announcing our good news to the world :)

8. Movement? I know he or she is moving but I definitely won't feel it for several more weeks.

9. Cravings? Nothing really. I need to eat healthier though!

10. Gender? My guess is boy, but we won't know for several more weeks. We may get the 3D ultrasound to find out early.

11. Labor signs? Heavens no. And lets keep it that way until 40 weeks, thank you very much.

12. Belly button in or out? Definitely still in, BUT, because I have scars around my belly button from my gallbladder and appendix surgery, it is easy to tell when my stomach is stretching. So this should be interesting...

13. What am I looking forward to? Actually showing and not looking chubby! haha