28 Weeks

28 Weeks! 

How am I feeling this week? Good, but tired! I think between Thanksgiving travel and scurrying around trying to get our home in order before Christmas, so we can actually slow down and enjoy the season, I wore myself out this week. The good thing is I'm pretty much set now, so I will be taking it a lot easier for the next few weeks. But I don't want to think about taking Christmas down! And then there's the matter of the nursery...

Movement: Baby guy is still moving a ton. Always a good sign! At my doctor's appointment this week, he was measuring well and seemed to be growing and growing and right on schedule. 

Cravings: Hmm... nothing in particular this week.  

Etc.: We keep moving along! I can't believe the third trimester is here, Christmas is coming, 2012 will be here soon... and, most importantly, that we are going to have a baby in just a few months! Today is actually my niece Imogen's first birthday, and seeing pictures of how much she's grown in the last year just makes me smile. I know I'll feel both proud of Baby Guy and sad to see each stage pass as he grows, but I am so excited. 

As we unpacked our ornaments and put each one on the tree, I felt so happy. Growing up, Aaron got a Precious Moment ornament every year, and seeing his "Baby's First" ornament, and the next two decades of little boy ornaments, just made me smile. I can't wait for our little boy to join our family and to watch him grow through the years. 

The downside of the week was my doctor's appointment. The baby is in perfect health and doing well, thank God, so praise, first and foremost, for that. What's up is I've been monitoring a lump I found, and this upcoming week we will take the next steps toward solving the problem, however small or large it may be. I have an ultrasound tomorrow and general surgery scheduled for later this week, but, we're praying that whatever is found is of no consequence and does not actually require the surgery. There are myriad probabilities as to what exactly the lump is, the vast majority of them completely harmless, so I'm [impatiently] waiting until tomorrow to find out more.  I also learned a very valuable lesson---don't google "lump in breast during pregnancy" unless you want to spend the week scared to death of something out of your control. Please keep me in your prayers tomorrow!

27 Weeks

27 weeks: the end of the second trimester!

How am I feeling this week? I haven't noticed any remarkable changes this week. I was nervous about driving to Texas and sitting in the car for 12 hours, but we took enough breaks to get gas and bathroom stops that I was able to get up and move enough. I was really concerned about this, but the only side effect of the drive seemed to be a tired back. It filled up my heart to spend time in Tyler with my family, and seeing how excited my family is about Baby Guy just makes me that much more excited. He is going to be so loved! Now, if only we could find a way to be closer. 

Other physical changes: I've noticed a little bit of heartburn this week. Will this guy have a head full of hair? Both his daddy and I did. We'll see! I have an appointment later this week, so we'll also see what my total weight gain has been so far.

Movement: I loved being able to share with my mom and dad the movements, especially after eating chocolate pie. He loved it! Driving was another time he was exceptionally active. I have noticed the jabs getting harder and harder, and some of them make me wince, not because they really hurt, but because the twinge I feel is unexpected. I can also more clearly feel his movement, and this week I noticed that I instinctively thought about his movement when I felt like he had been still for a long period of time. There seems to be less of a schedule regarding his movement this week, but much more movement overall.

Cravings: We are back to fruit! Also, my most favorite road trip snack, beef jerky. And I am so glad we got to have Grandy's mashed potatoes when we were in Tyler! 

Etc.: My mom and sister are insistent on guessing the baby's name. Actually, my sister just wants me to tell her. Not yet! This week I had a wonderful baby shower in Tyler, and I was/am overwhelmed by the love! My sister drove home from College Station Friday morning after the A&M/UT game Thursday night, baked and cooked, decorated and hosted a lovely shower. I am so grateful to her, my mom and our friends who were able to attend. Fun pictures to come! 

I feel more prepared with each passing week. I think hearing the advice from women who have been down this road, but who all have different stories to share, makes me feel confident that we have the things we really need. It's overwhelming to think about preparing for a baby, but knowing that such an amazing support system exists for me and Aaron and the baby is invaluable and helps me sleep at night. Not that I need any help falling asleep! 

26 Weeks

26 Weeks 6 Days

How am I feeling? Goodness, this week felt like a transition. I noticed being less comfortable when I am moving around, and I noticed it takes just a little more effort to get up from sitting or lying down. The emotional roller coaster continues, and for that I'm so thankful for Aaron! I heard Christmas music in the mall (Happy Christmas/War is Over) and I started to tear up because it made me sad. WHAT?! I do dislike this particular song, but even hearing it made me tear up. I am so excited for the Christmas season to begin, though... I am anticipating tearing up at every sentimental Christmas commercial displayed.

Movement: Baby guy has been going crazy this week. I have noticed a lot more hits/kicks/elbows/knees, and some that have even been strong enough for me to think "hey!" or to take me by surprise. As an aside- how do you know which appendage, exactly, is hitting you? I have heard a lot of mamas say they could feel their baby's elbow or knee or foot, etc. How can you tell? It all feels the same for me. 

Cravings: I noticed a big decrease in milk and fruit cravings this week, unless you count ice cream. Aaron and I shared a pint of Ben and Jerry's AmeriCone Dream, and it tasted like the most amazing ice cream ever. I wanted ice cream for the rest of the week... Other random things I usually wouldn't like: a Subway meatball sub. 

Etc.: I can't wait to see this little baby. I am hoping for a March baby (his estimated due date is February 20), so I doubt that will happen, but for some reason March sounds good. This week I made a little more progress on decisions for his nursery, found an amazing tutorial on turning a regular chair in to a rocker, and generally just found myself more eager to be this little one' s mama. I can't believe the second trimester is almost over and the third is beginning. Only a couple more months and he will be here, with us. We are praying the easy pregnancy will continue and our sweet baby boy will continue growing healthily. 

25 Weeks

Here we are at 25 weeks 6 days!

How am I feeling? I feel like I look slightly miserable in this picture... I'm not really miserable, but I have had killer pain in just one spot in the middle of my back for the last week or so. I notice it, for the most part, in the night time. It's not lower back pain; it's more in the area of my mid-to-high back, closer to my spine. Any ideas?

Otherwise, this week was a quiet one in pregnancy land. Highlights of the week include a three day work week and crazy awesome movement. Baby guy is moving around non-stop, and it's so strange and interesting to see my stomach moving as he jabs and kicks and rolls around.

What's his name? We are getting closer to having a name for baby guy(!), but we probably won't share it until he is born.

Cravings? This week has been all about sweets. Cookies and coke have been luring me in, and I have valiantly resisted with exception of last night, when I had both. The cold food streak continues; I am still loving cereal, fruit, and ice cold drinks.

Anything else? Having my mom here was another highlight of the week. We got to do some nursery shopping and planning, and she gave me inspiration I desperately needed. We are looking forward to our trip to Texas next week for Thanksgiving! Also, we got our stroller this week. My mom and dad very generously got us (and the baby) a [Husker] red UPPABaby Vista, and we love it so far! A bit premature, I know, given there is not even a baby to push around yet, but we had a great time walking around the neighborhood albeit feeling strange that the bassinet in the stroller was empty.

24 Weeks

We took this photo last Monday (the first day of week 24), which was Halloween. Hence the baby skeleton. Lots of mixed reactions on the shirt, from people who loved it to people who thought it was super creepy. It's one day a year, I thought, so what the heck!

The best part of this week was being able to spend time with my mom. She came in to town Friday, and she hasn't seen me since we announced the pregnancy. (I was actually pregnant at our beach vacation this July, but we hadn't told anyone yet.) I was so happy little guy cooperated and was moving and kicking quite a bit for her, so she got to experience that. I loved being able to glean advice from her about things big and small. He is a lucky little guy to have such a fantastic grandmother! 

On to the questions...

How are you feeling? Still feeling superb. 

Name: Nada

Food: Milk, cold things (cereal, fruit), sweet tea, fruit, oatmeal, fruit. We have to work on protein.

Etcetera: Birth class re-registration (they messed up our information the first time, and we weren't going to be able to take the class due to schedule conflicts); a fantastic baby shower; a great time spent with my mom; nursery progress; and just a few weeks until Thanksgiving! Aaron said last night to me that he just wants to know what he looks like. The way he said it was so sweet and despondent sounding. He's the best baby daddy.

23 Weeks

How are you feeling? Good, good, good. Aaron's film and several other films screened Friday evening at 8 p.m. and I actually opted to get out of my comfy yoga pants and sweatshirt and go watch them instead of watching TV on the couch. This was a major victory for me last Friday, as things at work have been insanely busy lately, and I really just wanted to lounge around.

Stats: At 23 weeks, according to my appointment this week, I have gained 5 pounds. Trying to be wary of all of the tempting Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas deliciousness and be moderate in my consumption of them. In a strictly observational sense, I think my feet are getting bigger. Weird.

Name: Not yet!

Cravings/aversions: Same as last week: milk, apples and bananas. I consider myself a "savory" person, but it seems all I've craved throughout this pregnancy are sweets. 

Misc. This week's appointment went so well, and the baby is doing well. He's measuring five days bigger than my estimated due date, and he's moving around a ton, especially as I'm going to sleep at night time and right when I'm waking up in the mornings. Seeing his sweet profile via ultrasound was the highlight of my week. I'm so glad he cooperated this time! I have to take my glucose test sometime next week.

Overall: Feelin' groovy! I can't believe I'm nearing the end of the second trimester. Birth class registration, maternity leave, planning baby showers... it's really happening, huh?!

22 Weeks

Here we are at 22 weeks! No doubt about that baby bump!

How are you feeling? Another week of feeling great. I can't remember anything specific that bothered me during the day, so that's a good sign. I love feeling baby guy moving around. I can't wait to see who he looks like, and sometimes I wonder if he'll surprise us both and look like neither of us. I especially wonder if he will have a head full of hair.

I haven't had any leg cramps this week, but I'm thinking it might be time to invest in a Boppy body pillow like this one. I have had restless sleep and pain in my back for the last few nights. Yesterday, my back hurt so bad I didn't stay awake for the Wisconsin/Michigan State or the OU/Mizzou game...! I can't believe I missed these two upsets, but I was writhing in pain on the floor (drama queen just a bit?) and Aaron suggested I might just need to go to sleep. Which I did.

Stats: As of this morning, I've gained five pounds from my starting weight; this after losing several pounds during my first trimester, gaining them back at the end of the first trimester.

Clothes: Hooray for cold weather, which has allowed me to pull out tights and leggings and dresses and tunics! I'm happy to still be able to wear my two favorite pairs of jeans thanks to the Belli band, but the time has come to order proper maternity jeans, which should arrive sometime this week. I ordered the Gap maternity demi-panel Always Skinnies; expect a full report on fit, etc. when they get here. As for other maternity clothes, so far, the maternity items I own include two belli bands (black and nude colored) and two long-sleeved tops from Target. I am happy to make do with the longer tops and dresses I have until I absolutely can't fit in regular clothes.

Registry: Holy stress, Batman! We registered for baby things this weekend, and I have a whole post to dedicate to this topic. I am so glad my mom will be in town in the a few weeks so she can offer a little guidance in this subject, too. Let's just say thank goodness for Aaron, because looking at 1,000 bottles of all different shapes, sizes and brands was enough to frustrate me for one afternoon, so we split up our registering in two days. I have never felt so clueless!

Nursery: Another area we haven't made much progress on. The next two weeks are going to be Mission Clean Out the Office, as we'll be turning the second room in to the baby's room/office combo. I have a goal to have the entire room tabula rasa by the first week of November. This means Aaron has some serious Craigslisting to do.

Name: He doesn't have one yet. We're still considering a few of our favorites.

Cravings/aversions: Strong bones for this baby. I can't get enough milk. I'm driving Aaron crazy with our trips to Publix for apples and bananas, too. I had Chipotle for the second time this week at lunch with Aaron, so I can't consider than an aversion any more.

Misc. This is absolutely more than a miscellaneous detail, but we have found someone to care for Baby Guy when the time comes for me to return to work. I am so, so relieved and, though my heart is still sad about it, I feel a million times better than I anticipated I would. I enjoyed our conversations and I am eager to visit in the next week or two. The great thing about this is now having the freedom to not have it linger in the forefront of my mind; I feel like this will help a great deal with so much of the anxiety I've felt.

We have another appointment this week to redo the ultrasound in an attempt to recapture some pictures of baby guy's heart. Last time, our tech said she couldn't get any quality pictures of the chambers because of the position he was in, so she scheduled another look at the next month's appointment. I'm praying he looks great and is growing well! I am also hoping he cooperates and we can get a peek at his little profile.

Overall: This week of cooler weather has done wonders for my spirits. I feel so much more at home this week, with chilly temperatures and open windows and cinnamon and cloves boiling in the kettle. What's next is never far from the front of my mind, but I feel like in the last two weeks I have been proactive about keeping the emotions of feeling so far from home at bay. We remain prayerful and mindful of whatever plans lie ahead of us. Praise for my patient husband and for plans that He has laid out for each of us, especially this little one.

20 and 21 Weeks

Yikes, in between D.C., Lincoln, Sarasota and a trip to the beach last weekend, I haven't been doing too well with the weekly update. So today's recap (at 22 weeks) will have to suffice for both weeks 20 and 21. 

How are you feeling? I felt great for both weeks 20 and 21. I don't have any aversions (that I can recall) and am back to feeling good about eating most things. I have had leg and foot cramps in the middle of the night for two or three nights, but they have been rare enough that they haven't interfered with sleep too much. In fact, I am sleeping well with exception of an extra time (rarely two) that I have to get up in the middle of the night. Waking up is hard for me!

Cravings and/or aversions? Miracle of miracles, I even had Chipotle on the way to Sarasota for a business trip! Thinking about the burrito made me feel worse than actually eating it did, fortunately, although I probably won't choose to go back any time soon.

I've been craving ice cold glasses of milk. We've bought out the grocery store in the last two weeks; I easily drink two to three glasses of milk every night in addition to a glass with my oatmeal (strawberry, please) at breakfast. I've also continued craving Fuji apples, bananas, fruit juice, sweet tea and cereal.

Anything else? Aaron's uncle asked me this weekend how I liked being pregnant. I have to say, I am absolutely loving it right now. The bump is apparent, which makes everything more real. I'm looking to our next appointment in a week and a half.

Baby guy has started moving a lot. Around 7:30 each night, and as I type this, he is jumping around a lot. On our drives to and from Miramar Beach, Aaron was able to feel little movements, which was so fun to watch. Sometimes, as I'm falling asleep, the baby is moving enough that Aaron can feel him for several minutes. It's a crazy feeling; to me it feels like someone is flicking my stomach from the inside out. 

19 Week Recap

19 weeks was a busy time for me and baby. We finished trips to New York City and D.C., saw old friends and caught up on sleep after a lot of travel around two amazing cities. This week I drank a ton of milk and water, and I craved "fair food:" caramel apples, funnel cakes, Frito pies, etc. At this point in the pregnancy, I have gained a total of four pounds from my starting weight (I lost about seven pounds during the first trimester due to nausea), and I feel like my stomach is huge. I'm walking about 45 minutes each night (thank you amazing weather!) and trying to drink a ton of water during the day.

Some things I'll want to remember about this time: I feel so off-balance when I get up from the couch or out of bed! I will get up too quickly and feel dizzy and have to rest for a moment and then try again. Aaron is so patient with me and my cravings. They are all over the place, and the poor guy has to deal with a lot at dinner time. I'm rarely hungry for dinner, and usually I have vegetable soup or cereal. He's so patient when it comes to me not making much for dinner. I also want to remember how much fun it is to dream with Aaron about what our little guy will look like. In my mind, he looks just like Aaron, with really dark hair and sweet eyes. I hope he gets his daddy's long legs, too.

Finally, I am thinking about purchasing the Jesus Calling devotional for kids. If you follow my blog, you may recall that I love the adult version of the book, and I want to get the children's version to read to the baby each night after he is born. Growing up, my parents would tuck my sister and me in to bed each night, we'd say prayers and then we would all sing the "night night song." Each night I still start my prayers with the same rote verse: "Now I lay me down to sleep..." and end with "God bless Daddy, Momma, Emmy, Jilly," over the years replacing our old cats and dogs names with Aaron's. Still, that ritual brings me incredible peace, especially as I've grown in to an adult with more complicated prayers that generally follow. I look forward to that time with our son.

Finally, now that I'm halfway there (remember, I write these posts at the end of each week), I am beginning to think about registry items and looking for recommendations in baby essentials. I'd love to know if you have any suggestions about baby gear you consider a must-have. We don't want a lot of stuff, but we do want to invest in high-quality items that will remain durable through several kids. I hear no matter what you do to limit toys and paraphernalia before your baby is born, you still end up with a ton-o-stuff. If you have any references to other websites or suggestions, please leave a comment!

18 Weeks- Boy, oh boy!

This eighteenth week was a busy one for baby guy and me. We visited New York City for a whirlwind 36 hours, rounded out the weekend at home, and then flew back up the eastern seaboard to Washington, D.C. This week I noticed quite a few stares in the airport, and friends I was able to see in D.C. commented on how I looked pregnant. This was actually pretty fun to hear! We landed back in Tallahassee around 2 a.m. Saturday morning (from NYC) and I noticed major swelling on my feet... it made me nervous, but as soon as we were on the ground it subsided. I was exhausted all weekend, and I think anticipating a repeat performance of all of that travel made me even more tired, but it was still nice to  be in such great cities.

I've noticed this week how often I've been craving sugary drinks and milk. I'm trying to stick to milk and water with lemons or limes, but sweet tea, especially, has been at the top of my favorite things list, along with my Belli band. Seriously, that thing is a lifesaver. Not so much a fan of the maternity jeans I bought though; they are going back to Target and I'm getting my favorite Gap jeans in a maternity style instead.

By far the best part of week 18 has been learning our little one is a little guy, simply because we can call it "him" and finally, finally discuss names. I've always had a list in the back of my head, and finally getting to ruminate over it with Aaron has been so much fun. I bought a baby name book, which I thought Aaron would find silly, but he grabbed it from me pretty quickly and spent most of the night calling out names. It made my heart swell. We have a few names, one of which is my absolute favorite, and I was pretty sure Aaron would hate it. But he bit! So we're still ruminating and laughing about all of the possibilities.

Favorite moment of the week? Yesterday in the airport, a TSA agent called me through security and stopped me. He said something, but amidst all of the beeping and buzzing I couldn't hear him clearly. I asked him to repeat what he said. He asked me how far along I was and if this baby was my first. For some reason, a stranger saying something to me about this made me bubble up with happiness. I quickly told him I was about 19 weeks along, so as not to slow the line, and he smiled and told me congratulations. As I walked to pick up my carry-on from the conveyor belt, he yelled out congratulations, again, and said "you will love it. It's the best!" Such kind words from a complete stranger in the most unexpected of places made my otherwise dull trip home happier.

It's a BOY!

When we finally got to meet the ultrasound tech at our appointment this morning, the first question she asked us was "do you want the baby's sex to be a surprise?" Immediately, Aaron responded with a no, the tech laughed, and she told us that the first thing she would do would be to try to see the "parts." She pretty quickly identified the anatomy, and Aaron and I waited eagerly until we heard her say "it's a boy!" Seeing Aaron's face as he watched the screen was one of the happiest moments of my life.

I am happy our baby guy cooperated with that part of the ultrasound, because he certainly didn't with the rest. Our tech said he was curled up in a tight little ball. His anatomy looked great according to our doctor; he has long legs like his daddy, at least for now, and clear white bones. Uncooperative little guy's spine's shadow was blocking the view of his heart, so at my next month's appointment, we will look again and hope he will let us see. I hoped to get a good view of his profile features, but he was turned around and facing my back, so we didn't get any good pictures of his face, either. He is measuring big (yipes!) and I am both eager and anxious to find out if that trend continues. Aaron weighed more than 9 pounds when he was born, so baby could, too!

I've always been intrigued with ultrasound pictures, because they are so strange and yet so interesting. I can easily see how someone could be turned off by the semi-ghoulish looking bones. You can't always tell what exactly you are looking at, and sometimes what you're looking at is kind of creepy. At the same time, it's so, so cool to see the little life on that screen and realize that you know both nothing and everything about it.

We are so, so happy and excited to know more about our baby and to be (finally) able to talk baby names and come up with ideas for his nursery. It looks like the Chinese chart was correct for this babe, and that we had the right idea, too! I leave for New York tomorrow, and I'm eager to spend the time on both flights dreaming about this little guy. He is due five months from yesterday!

Hope everyone has a great Thursday and Friday!

He or She?

Aaron and I decided long ago that, at least for our first child, we would find out the sex before he or she was born. We haven't really wavered from that for the last few months with baby, and I'm so excited to find out tomorrow! I think a surprise would be fun, but I know myself, and as fun as that day-of surprise would be, the fact that I can know already (well, at least with <90 percent probability) is so much more fun and exciting. Plus, since neither of our families are close by, I feel like knowing our baby's sex gives our families a greater opportunity to get to know the baby, too. 

Since I announced the pregnancy, my friend Jen has told me that if I'm feeling strongly about the baby being a boy or a girl, the baby's sex is probably is whatever I'm thinking. The crazy thing is I have an overarching opinion, but I don't know if it's exactly a feeling/intuition or just an opinion! 

One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at Blue-Eyed Bride, posted links to a Chinese gender prediction chart. I have heard that most babies are accurately predicted by the chart. According to this chart, our baby will be a boy. If you have babies, was this correct for you?

Gender predictor chart found here

Three out of the four of our parents have guessed girl; Aaron's dad's guess was the funniest (and only boy guess); he said "it's a boy Husker baby!" It made me laugh, but we know whether baby is a boy or girl, he or she will be a Husker! My sister Jillian guessed girl; Aaron's sister Tiffany guessed boy. Most of my friends are also leaning toward girl. I'm having so much fun hearing these predictions... it's kind of silly, but mostly just exciting!

Aaron and I have the same guess for the baby. Aaron doesn't have any preference, or at least any that he is telling, but I do... (obligatory "of course what is most important to me is having a healthy, strong, growing baby regardless of sex! Whether baby is a boy or girl, I will be overjoyed!" because it's true, y'all...) Nonetheless, I would love to have a boy!

For the record, Aaron and I both think that baby is a boy. 


My appointment is tomorrow morning, so keep our little one in your prayers: that he or she is healthy, growing, and that the anatomy scan goes wonderfully!


Any last-minute bets on Baby Nix's sex?

17 weeks

No picture from this week... I will probably regret that, but oh well! I feel like Week 17 passed in a blur, mostly because I was really tired throughout the week. I got a little cold, which zapped my energy. I was also really hungry though this week. Fruit (watermelon, nectarines, plums, lemons), potatoes and bread were my faves of the week. I also enjoyed chicken for the first time in months!

The most exciting part of the week (and of the pregnancy so far) was feeling baby move for the first time on Tuesday. Of course, I'm not certain it was movement, but I really think so. I felt the same thing around the same time driving home from work and also when I would lie down on the couch each evening. To me, it felt like tiny popcorn kernels popping. So exciting!

After trying on a lot of nicknames for our little one, the only one that has really stuck is just plain "Baby." We both call it "Baby," and it's so endearing to hear Aaron say our little one's first name. Once again, I'm incredibly thankful for Aaron's reasonableness in the midst of my fluctuating emotions. I think I exasperated him by going from calm and serene one moment to full-out bawling the next.

I felt great through Week 17 and am looking forward to Week 18 (disclaimer, as I write this, I am already in Week 18. What I mean to say is I'm looking forward to finding out Baby's sex on Wednesday!) I can't deny the little bump that's growing anymore!

16 Weeks

How far along? For purposes of this post, I'll be recapping week 16. But today (Sunday) is day one of week 17. 

What up? So, above picture is sort of a fake thanks to photo magic. Can you tell my shoulder is turned a little too much toward the camera and my hands are conveniently folded behind my back to make my bump stick out a little more than it does in real life? I guess that makes me a cheater. I am, however, noticing that standing up straight and sucking in doesn't have the powers it used to. I tried to wear jeans because of the cooler temperatures at the beginning of this week, and I realized that soon I won't be able to wear my regular jeans, so off to Target I went for a band. Toward the end of this week I especially feel noticeably bigger. I think it will be funny if I look smaller in the 17 week picture Aaron is taking tonight.

Cravings/aversions? I was starving for a roast beef sandwich this Wednesday. I want mashed potatoes every day. Otherwise, pretty much normal food. I'm terrible at the "what's for dinner?" game because the only thing that sounds good are sandwiches from Jason's Deli. I haven't had one of their sandwiches for probably two years, but learning that they are building a franchise in town has ruined me. It's like Chipotle all over again. No aversions to speak of. 

Etc.:

I'm eager to find out the sex of our little one. I want to know if our hunch is right! We will find out next week. 

I feel weird going through the baby section at Target because I feel like the women in the aisles were staring at me. Oh well... I better get used to it. All of the teeny things were so adorable. I can't wait to know a little bit more about the tiny thing who will be here soon!

We've decided that Mashed Potato is this little one's nickname based on my incredible love for them. Nothing else fits as well.

I'm researching Bradley Method classes. I have found one that begins in October here in town. I'm calling tomorrow to see if it's full. Do you have any experience with the Bradley Method or know anyone who does?

My sister-in-law Tiffany sent me some required reading that I'm eager to start. I couldn't read books almost all of my first trimester because I felt seasick. Weird. 

As I said earlier, bought the band this week. Another thing I felt awkward doing. Stares in the maternity section. Also, when is OK to start buying maternity clothes? Anyone?

Also, remembering the tragedy of 9/11 ten years ago was, in some way, magnified to me this year. Our baby will be born in a post-9/11 world, and though I realize this is a decade-old remembrance, it really struck me today what that means for him/her. Will the fear of terror look to him/her like it does to me? What will his/her generation see as their defining moment? What changes and freedoms and fears can my baby expect? What will the future of the United States and of the world look like when he or she is growing up? I am going to New York and Washington, D.C., in a few weeks, and having our little one there with me is almost unbelievable to me. When the planes crashed, I was a teenager eighth grade. My mom was on a business trip, and me, my sister and my dad had no idea when she would be able to come back home. Now, ten years later, I am married with a baby on the way. How does the passage of ten years seem like a few weeks? I will never forget those who died and who gave their lives on that day and in the years since, and I pray that our baby can know a world where the value, and the cost, of freedom are honored.

How far along? 15 weeks 4 days

How are you feeling? Hormonal. To. The. Max. Example 1:

And then 20 minutes later he texted me that he was at my work. 

And he handed me a bag with a little container of watermelon in it and a fork.

And then I went to my office and cried because I have the most amazing husband in the world.

Physiologically, nothing but being tired seems to bother me. Lost 6 pounds over the course of pregnancy (I think it's avoiding fried food... something I admittedly was not doing previously). I've been able to eat almost everything I would normally eat (except Chipotle) and had no nausea to speak of. 

Right now, I don't really even feel pregnant. I know that will change soon, and I don't mind either way. I'm making a more conscious effort to sing out loud and talk to myself, which I'm sure all of the drivers in Tallahassee find hilarious. I don't care. Neither Aaron nor I are very talkative, but I want baby to be immersed in language, and so I'm trying to train myself right away to do this. I also love when Aaron talks to the baby. I think it's weird, but I love it. Last night he explained a little bit about football season and told the baby that it was the Toad's first birthday. It made me so happy. Also, I'm excited that football season starts tomorrow, and baby will get to experience his or her first Husker season. Let's hope it's a good one! Otherwise mama's heart rate might get elevated. One of my best friends, Tia, sent us a Husker onesie for the baby, and each time I see it I get a little more excited that soon we will have a little guy or girl with whom to indoctrinate in all things University of Nebraska!

Today we had a monthly appointment with our doctor. I am 15 weeks and 3 days today, and I was very eager and somewhat nervous—it's been about 5 weeks since we've seen how the little one was doing, and though I didn't have an ultrasounds, it was a delightful thrill to hear a little heartbeat (about 150 beats per minute) in addition to a slower heartbeat (mine). I have lost weight since my ten week appointment, but my doctor wasn't concerned, as I am feeling well and can finally eat and be active again. I'm still a bit tired, but I will happily take that!

I'm so thankful I'm feeling up to life again. I really, really like my physician, and it's always so reassuring to speak with him and hear his viewpoint. I didn't really know where to start with finding a healthcare provider for this pregnancy, and after learning about the options available in our town and hearing various experiences, I am content with the route we have chosen so far. It's definitely a personal choice, and I think I'll share more about why Aaron and I chose this route as the pregnancy progresses.

At this appointment we set the dates for our next ultrasound, when we will be able to find out the baby's gender. The appointment is three weeks from today, on September 21. I am so excited. Obvi. Aaron and I agree on what we think the sex of the baby is, and I can't wait to see if we're right...

14 Weeks

How far along are you? 14 weeks

When is the baby due? Estimated February 20th

How are you feeling? Much better than I was for the last five or so weeks. The extreme nausea seems to have disappeared with the first trimester. I had severe nausea for most of July, which (fortunately or unfortunately) reared its ugly head at about 4 p.m. every day and lasted until the time I fell asleep. I have hated eating everything but cheerios until about two weeks ago. Please don't bring chicken near me. 

What helped with feeling sick? Singing out loud, cheerios and water. I tried taking B6 and half of a Unisom  in the morning and before bed, but the sleeping pill knocked me out, which meant I couldn't take it Monday-Friday because of work. I tried to tough it out for the majority of the first trimester, but I finally got so tired of feeling bad that I filled my prescription for Zofran. I took it for about nine days; it kicked the nausea and I felt OK eating bread/toast, fried eggs, mashed and baked potatoes and different types of cereal. In week 12 I stopped taking it to see if I needed it, and thankfully, I haven't felt bad enough to take it since.

Are you showing? Not much of a bump yet. Happy to keep wearing my regular clothes for as long as possible!

Do you have any weird cravings? Still not much of an appetite, but I'm doing much better than late June and all of July. Just give me fruit! Aaron has had a tough time policing me to eat at mealtimes. Breakfast seems to be the only time I can eat a full meal; lunch and dinner have become my least favorite times because nothing sounds good. I'm hooked on green monster smoothies. Also, I can't stand the thought of eating Chipotle. Aaron can't believe it either. 

 In the announcement video, the little person was pink! Are you having a girl? We don't know if baby is a boy or girl yet. We chose the pink peg only because the LIFE board game doesn't have a unisex option. That said, I feel like I know what the baby is. We'll see!

Those are the most asked questions so far. This week, baby is the size of a little lemon. Now all of our friends and family as well as co-workers know about the baby, and it's made everything a bit more real. It's nice to not have to keep a secret anymore, especially for Aaron. I think I would have kept it a secret for as long as possible if he hadn't put an end to it.

Image courtesy of my mom. That's me as a baby! Wondering if our baby will get my dark brown eyes or lighter eyes. For what it's worth, I'm the only person with brown eyes in my family. Every one else has hazel or green eyes!