18 Week Survey

How far along? 18 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 3 lbs. again this week....but that was after two weeks of nothing. Up 14 lbs. total..yikes!! I can tell too....in my arms and face...ahh!
Maternity clothes? yes and no
Sleep: Awesome...just wake up now and then to re-adjust.
Best moment this week: Feeling more movement, hearing the HB on Tuesday (strong at 153!) and finally getting my hair done after 4 months!!
Movement: Yep! It is inconsistent and sporadic though.
Food cravings: Juice, lemonade, fruit....and chocolate shakes and anything fried, but I have done a pretty good job trying to refrain I think.
Gender: Boy maybe??
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still but it is starting to get more shallow. Chris says it looks weird, haha.
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: Having a fun weekend with family and friends!!
What I miss: Not being sore from sitting all day. Because now I am sore. All. Day.
Weekly Wisdom: Ummm....I got nothin.
Milestones: Feeling more movement I guess!



Growth spurt maybe??

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.


And this one of the of the pups is just for fun, cause they are so cute! :)

Niles and Siggy

Wordless Wednesday...sort of.

Niece Nataleigh playing on the computer this past weekend....



Nataleigh playing on the computer, and Siggy hanging out....and our new rug! Can she get any cuter?!!



Love it!!

Soo....

I had another appointment today. Just the usual stuff and nothing too exciting. My bump was measuring right on at 18 weeks. I got to hear the babe's HB again, and it was going strong at 153. My doctor said that it was "happy" in there! Also got my blood drawn for the Quad testing. We decided to go ahead with this just to see if there was anything that shows up and if so then we can start to mentally prepare ourselves for what lies ahead. I am not trying to think to much about it I guess, and we are hoping that everything comes out fine! I cannot believe that in two more weeks I will be half done with this pregnancy already!!! Also got some really great news yesterday but cannot share yet...another post for another day! :)

17 Week Survey

How far along? 17 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 0 lbs. again this week. Up 11 lbs. total
Maternity clothes? Yep, still wearing some normal shirts though.
Sleep: There have been a couple rough nights...I finally busted out my body pillow.
Best moment this week: Feeling movement here and there. It has been awesome. Also the drywall on our upstairs is finally getting finished, and we have slowly been purchasing some more house items etc.
Movement: Yep! It is inconsistent and sporadic though.
Food cravings: Juice, smoothies, chocolate shakes??? mmmm
Gender: Thinking girl still
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still but it is starting to get more shallow.
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: Feeling more movement. Hearing the heartbeat again on my appointment on Tuesday. Seeing family this weekend. My neck feeling normal again ( I hurt it this morning.)
What I miss: My neck not hurting.
Weekly Wisdom: Be careful how you sleep....and how fast you move when you wake up!
Milestones: Feeling the babe move.

I swear I look huge in my pic this week, but it must be my shirt or something. The bare belly pic doesn't look too different from prior weeks! Also this was taken after work, which it seems that I look bigger as the day goes on. The bare belly pic was taken in the morning. Or who knows, maybe I am just popping out!!



Chris was really making me laugh....!



See, no difference I don't think?



I feel like the pregnancy is starting to go by quicker...ahhh!!! :)

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Wow!!!

I just realized this.....ONE MORE MONTH until the Big day/ultrasound!!!!!!!!!! Ahhh!!!

And I am totally feeling movement. I SWEAR that is what it is!!! And it is getting more frequent. I love it. I totally almost started crying today at work because I got so happy for a second. So awesome. So amazing.
I do not even have the words....

Busy Weekend!

Wow I had a busy weekend! I feel like we were on the go right from the moment I got out of work on Friday afternoon. We went straight over to our friend Jason's house and picked him up and then we met up with his wife Andrea at the Macaroni Grill for dinner (woo hoo for gift cards!) Afterward we went and saw Avatar again. I love that movie. They had not seen it yet, and it is in the cheap theater here now so we couldn't pass it up. It was only $6 a ticket to see it in 3-D, usually it is like $12 or something.

Saturday morning one of my bf's Kerri came over and I did her hair, and shortly after Chris left for work. I ended up having lunch and decided to lay down for a little while....bad idea!!! I ended up falling asleep for like 3 hours!! I guess I needed it. Later I ended up being super thankful because we were up so late. Once I finally woke up I got myself together, headed to the store to pick up all the fixings for S'mores (including Reese's pb cups....if you have never tried those on a S'more I highly recommend it!!) and headed over to our friend's house for a little get together/bonfire. When Chris got out of work he headed straight over to join us. By the time we got home that night and showered, we didn't get to bed until 2 am. We were spent!!

Sunday mornings we typically go to church, but sometimes we skip on the weekends that Chris works. It felt really nice to sleep in together, which is rare! Gotta take advantage now before the baby comes I guess! Eventually we got up, he headed off to work again, and I headed out to run errands. I spent a couple hours grocery shopping, getting dog food and some other things. I was pretty excited, when I went to Target I found an AWESOME bathing suit!!! I almost passed it up but I knew that later on in the summer I would end up regretting it and then probably not being able to find one that I like later on, that is so typical when you pass stuff up, ya know? I got the bottoms that are like a little skirt, and then here is the top (it also is WAY cuter in person, for some reason I do not even like it in the picture!)


What is also nice is that you could totally wear this when you are not pregnant and it looks like a normal bathing suit top, which I really like.
I also had to buy a new bra finally, I couldn't hold out anymore. I am typically a Large A/Smaller B so that was fun stuff.

I think I have been feeling some movement too!!! I keep feeling like random little "flicks" from the inside, like someone is flicking me with their finger. But from inside of me. It is so weird!!! Can't wait to start feeling some more movement!!
And now it is back to work today and I am exhausted...didn't sleep well last night! Hope everyone else had a really great weekend!

Gorgeous Blogger Award

Thank you Mrs. D for this super cute award! And I love the button....

The rules for this award go as followed:

* Accept & thank the fellow bloggie who gave this to you

* List 10 things about yourself

* List 5 additional things that you don't like

* Award this to 10 other fellow bloggies

Ok, here we go then:

1- Ever since I was little I knew that I wanted to get married and have a family. I have been wanting a baby ever since Chris and I got married when I was 21.

2- Right now I have been helping one of my best friends Kerri, plan her celebration party for graduating with her MBA, and for her baby shower. It's been fun!

3- I am not a huge pop/soda drinker, but my favs are squirt, ginger ale, and root beer.

4-Typically I love chocolate chip cookies, but right now I could care less about them. It is sad.

5- I am thinking about chopping off my hair. Probably won't....but I AM doing something different with the color though.

6- I had a bit of a rough childhood so to speak but have amazing people in my life now and I love where I am at, so I am so thankful for what I have been through!

7-A huge perk of my job is that I get to be online all day. It is ridiculous really. For that reason I try to stay off the computer at night, but sometimes it is hard.

8- I also have to talk on the phone all day long. So I pretty much hate calling people now and talking on the phone at night. It is a bummer, because I do not keep up with people as much as I used to.

9- I enjoy raising money and donating money and then walking/running for good causes. Next year I will be back on the running wagon, can't wait!

10- I think that we live in one of the best, most progressive cities in Michigan. Grand Rapids has so much offer, I feel blessed to and I really enjoy living here.

Now for 5 things I don't like:

1- People who do not know how to drive and/or do not obey traffic laws. It is not an "option" to use your blinker.....it is also common courtesy!

2- Dishes laying all over the kitchen counters and sink. I like a clean kitchen!

3- Roots/new growth. Drives me crazy and I always notice it instantly on people....lol. Can't help it.

4- When our dogs shake off and their snot/boogers/drool fling all over onto the walls/furniture/in my mouth/eyes etc. YUCK. Still love em though.

5- When someone is wearing way too much perfume/cologne and it's like they took a bath in it.

Now, I shall pass on this award to the following lucky ladies:

Sally aka Mrs. Trophy Wife

Kaymee

Mrs. Bro

Mitzi

Jessica

Little Lotero

Shannon

Emileigh

Mrs. Hoppy

Lindsey

16 Week Survey

How far along? 16 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: 0 lbs. this week. wooo hoo. Up 11 lbs. total
Maternity clothes? Yep, but not all of them, and I LOVE them for the most part. Also loving any sort of flowly dress/sundress.
Sleep: Sleeping good, but waking up a lot to reposition. I am going to follow the advice of others and most likely break out the body pillow soon.
Best moment this week: Spending tons of time with Chris this weekend, the awesome weather, hanging out with friends almost every day and making it to 16 weeks!! Also I started doing hair again this week, which I totally took a hiatus from the past couple months. I chose not to color hair for a while, and now I feel that I am far enough along to get back at it. I missed it, and have been doing someone's almost every day!
Movement: I think I have felt some flutters here and there, but sometimes I think it is gas, lol. It is much easier to feel when I am laying down too. Hoping to feel more soon!!
Food cravings: Salt and vinegar potato chips, lemonade, oranges
Gender: Thinking girl again!!
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still
Stretchmarks? I think I am starting to notice some really light ones on the girls up top....
What I am looking forward to: Feeling movement. I cannot wait for that first time when I am like OK, that was totally the babe! Also, I am getting my hair done on Tuesday finally....I am super excited, it needs it so badly!! Oh AND seeing this growth spurt that is supposed to happen over the next 3-4 weeks....can't wait to see how much bigger I get!
What I miss: Nada
Weekly Wisdom: Stay positive. I truly believe that the babe can feel negative energy, feelings, moods etc.
Milestones: Making it to the point of being able to feel movement, and if we wanted to know sooner, we could now find out the bebe's gender. Only 5 more weeks!! Also, I cannot get over the fact that the babe is pumping up to 25 quarts of blood per day! Way to go little one!

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Little things.

It's all the little things that add up while being pregnant, right?!
It has been interesting to watch my body change.
The past couple months my acne, which I already struggle with, has gotten a lot worse. And it will probably continue in that direction since summer is almost here, and summer = sweat. Sweat = oily skin, and oily skin = more pimples. I typically use a toner and topical solutions but I am choosing not to until after the baby is here, so just trying to deal with it I guess!
Sleep is becoming more of a struggle. I wake up on my sides with hips that hurt, and sleeping on my back feels just plain weird, creating pressure on my abdomen. Any tips for sleeping on your back anyone? My coworker told me his wife has a "wedge" that she uses to sleep with and loves it. Might need to Google that later....I am determined not to spend money on a snoogle, lol. We will see!
Pretty sure I got constipated this week! That was no fun. Usually I am like the total polar opposite, and I eat pretty good and what I think is an awesome amount of fiber, but who knows what my hormones are doing in there!
I feel like I have to pee 24/7 too. Love it.
Oh, and Saturday, I almost passed out. Yep. That is what I get for trying to clean for like 4 hours straight and not sitting down to chill every now and then. Everything started going all black...thankfully Chris was right there. I got to the couch and then got the sweats really bad. It was so weird! I saw there for a while, drank a bunch of water and then I felt better finally.
Anyways, these are all pretty minor inconveniences, but come with the territory I guess, and are TOTALLY worth it! :)

*edit*
I also forgot about the insane, worst smelling eva almost as bad as the dogs, painful gas I've been having the past couple of weeks. ayecarumba.

Just a little fun comparison.

5 weeks pregnant!



15 weeks pregnant!



I can't wait to see the difference again once I am 25 weeks....!

15 Weeks!

How far along? 15 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: +2.5 lbs. this week. YIKESABEE!!!! I blame it on all the yummy food I ate on Easter.
Maternity clothes? Mostly maternity pants now, but wearing Capris with the BeBand. Some shirts but not too often yet. I did happen to be wearing one today in the pictures though!
Sleep: Sleeping good, but waking up a lot to reposition.
Best moment this week: I love it when Chris rubs my belly. Also getting lots of sleep and catching up on cleaning finally!
Movement: Not yet, waiting patiently!
Food cravings: Still loving juice, and dill pickles. I swear, this baby like salty stuff! I have not had that much of a sweet tooth, which is totally unlike me!!
Gender: I still have no real instinct either way.
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still
Stretchmarks? Same ones as always
What I am looking forward to: Chris works first shift tomorrow, which is rare for a Friday, and has the weekend off! So hopefully we will get some stuff done around the house, and get to spend some more time together!
What I miss: nothing much I guess
Weekly Wisdom: Don't let the little things get to you.
Milestones: Making it another week!

Niles saying HI! to the babe. I swear he knows what is going on. He follows me all around, it is so cute.



Siggy and Niles getting in on the fun!





And this one is sort of random for fun. I was trying on a potential bridesmaid dress for a wedding in August. I will be 34 weeks at that point! Yikes! But this dress was really comfy and had TONS of room for growth. Loved it!

14 Weeks!!!!

How far along? 14 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: +0.5 lbs. this week. I'll take it. According to my tracking, I have gained 8.5 lbs so far, but the nurse said I've only gained 7 lbs. Who knows.
Maternity clothes? Some pants here and there, some shirts here and there. Wore a flowy dress today and everyone kept asking if it was maternity, but nope! I love some of Old Navy's summer clothes.
Sleep: Sleeping good, but waking up a lot to reposition.
Best moment this week: Hearing our babies heartbeat on the doppler and spending time with Chris.
Movement: nothing yet
Food cravings: I could not stop eating pickles the other night...and juice is awesome.
Gender: I have no idea, and I found out today at our appt. that we will have to wait even longer to find out. Not until May 20th!
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still
Stretchmarks? Same ones as always
What I am looking forward to: It is supposed to be in the 80's here again tomorrow. Also, seeing family on Sunday for Easter, and Easter Sunday in general. He is risen!!
What I miss: Not having to pee like every 45 min. haha...oh, and my libido. Just keepin' it real.
Weekly Wisdom: stay hydrated
Milestones: Hearing the heartbeat on the doppler!! I also feel like I sorta popped this week!! I guess my stomach is measuring a couple days ahead, according to my doc.





So yeah, we heard the heart beat for the first time today which is awesome! We were having some issues with the camera so only caught it for a short time, but I am still happy that we got a little video of it. That little whoosh whoosh is something you will always remember. Baby Ostie's HB ranged from 147-153.



After our appointment we went to eat at a little place called Marie Catrib's and it was really really good. We are sorta making it a little tradition after my appointments to hang out afterward and just have dinner and spend some quality time together. I value our relationship so much and it is just a reminder that it will not be just the two of us much longer.

And just for fun, here is a pic of me and my boys. :)



Awwww they are cute.

Preppy Mafia Award

Haha! I cannot help but laugh a little at this award, it has such a funny name and picture. But thank you to Pippy, at Life from Pippy's Perspective!




1. Who is your Style Icon?

Audrey, Gwyneth and Scarlett



2. What is your favorite Socialite Lit. Book?

I have no answer for this I guess?

3.Favorite party theme?


4. Go-to Halloween costume

Honestly Chris and I haven't really ever "done" Halloween. He usually has to work, and I end up passing out candy alone. But this year will be different with a little one! I guess I am more focused on what I would dress up my baby as. I think these are pretty cute.




5. Extravagance you can't live without.


MACs Fluid line black eyeliner, and Mary Kay Eye Makeup Remover....to remove the eyeliner, of course. haha

6. Living person you admire.

I would say most of my elders in general.

7. Greatest Fear?

Something happening to my husband.

8. Traits you deplore in yourself.

Selfishness and vanity

9. What talent would you most like to have?

I would love to be able to sing well.

10. What is your greatest achievement?

Honestly I do not feel like I have many of these, but I guess I would say just having a really great relationship with my husband, and having a strong marriage etc.

Okay enough about me!
I have to tag 10 people, so in no particular order:

Mrs. Hoppy
The Buchingers
Baby Fever
Back to the Basics
The Southern Belle Baby
Faithful Fashionista
The Adventures of a Soapscum Avenger
Neck Rolls and Toe Crust
Cupcake Dream
Our Growing Garden

The rules:
Post the "Preppy Mafia" picture on your blog.
Tell who tagged you.
Answer the questions.
Tag 10 people & let them know you tagged them!