22 Week Survey

How far along? 22 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: +3, 20 lbs. total. It is weird how one week there is no gain, and the next week an insane amount.
Maternity clothes? Yes and no. I LOVE flowy dresses.
Sleep: Pretty good, I wake up now and then to readjust. I keep waking up on my back this week.
Best moment this week: Chris seeing him move from the outside, watching Chris get baptized on Sunday, Erin and Kerri's showers this past weekend, and meeting with a doula last night. And I LOVE her!
Movement: Yes, I love it.
Food cravings: Salty and sour things still. Occasionally starting to crave sweets now and then. Still eating a lot of cheerios...seems to be all I want for breakfast lately!
Gender: Beautiful Baby Boy. See pics below in next post.
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still and getting more shallow.
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: Having a three day weekend this week, woo hoo!
What I miss: My butt area not being sore when I sit.
Weekly Wisdom: Move around as much as you can.
Milestones: Chris seeing the baby move from the outside, and finding my Doula, Andrea! Also, officially sending out the invites for my first "friends" shower in June. So excited!

This picture is from Kerri's party on Sunday.
Me-almost 22 wks and Kerri-28 wks


Don't mind my scrubiness. I prefer to by comfy at home. :)


And here is a pic of the invites for my "friends" shower, I think they are so cute!!

Baby Boy Ostie

Last week at 21 weeks, we had our "big" ultrasound. As far as we know, and according to the tech, everything looked great and measured right on track. My favorite part was getting to see him in 3D/4D. He looks SO cute, and I think he looks just like Chris. He was being such a little stinker though, he would not take his hands away from his face. We had to wait a while until finally the tech caught a couple quick stills, but they were blurrier than the others.



I love how you can see things so well. In the one picture you can see his nipple, and in a couple of other ones you can see the umbilical cord really well. It was also amazing to me how she made the cord red and blue, to see things flowing through it, and also how she got a cross-section shot of the cord to see the 3 different flowing lines. He seems to have nice big lips like his Dad too. :)



I love this top picture because his little mouth is open, but the middle one is my favorite. You can see his cute little nose so well!

He has been moving all around today too. Chris finally just saw him move from the outside about 20 minutes go! :)
I cannot stop looking at the pictures though....love my little bean! :)

21 Week Survey

How far along? 21 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: +0 ...whoop whoop!! 17 lbs. total
Maternity clothes? yes and no
Sleep: Pretty good, I wake up now and then to readjust. Officially uncomfortable on my back and not really comfy on my right side anymore either...
Best moment this week: Watching my husband graduate on Saturday, and seeing our sweet baby BOY on the ultrasound today. He is so cute.
Movement: Yes, and even saw my stomach move from the outside Sunday night!
Food cravings: Salty and sour things....! I also ate a lot of multi-grain cheerios this week.
Gender: BOY! 100% sure now.
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still and getting more shallow.
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: Erin's shower Saturday and my friend Kerri's party on Sunday. And I am also meeting with another doula on Wed.....hope she is "the one!"
What I miss: Not being sore from sitting all day. BUT I convinced my boss to let me get a ball chair, so hopefully that will help!
Weekly Wisdom: Soak in every minute because it flies by.
Milestones: Having our "BIG" ultrasound today! Baby Boy looks perfect, and he is so cute. He looks just like a mini-Chris. I cannot stop looking at his cute little nose in the 3-D pictures. And seeing my belly move from the outside.

Enjoying the gorgeous weather today!


1 whole pound of baby in there according the ultrasound, and I was measuring right on.


Front shot of the belly. It seems so "round" to me!

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

The Pregnancy Survey

I found this and thought it might be fun!

-About the mommy:
Name: Anne
Age: 25
Is this your first child?: yeppers!


-About the daddy:
Name: Christopher/Chris
Age: 29
Is this his first child?: yes


-Finding out:
What day did you find out you were pregnant?: Saturday, January 16th, 2010
How did you feel when you found out?: I was in disbelief. Shock. Happy. Could it be real?
Who was with you?: Chris was in the other room.
How did the daddy react?: He was in disbelief as well! It was awesome.


-Telling the grandparents:
How did your family react?: I think everyone was pretty surprised because of our situation, but happy.
How did his parents react?: They were in shock as well, but happy also!
How often do they call to check on you?: Haha...this is a funny question. I guess not too often, we are adults right? :)


-About the pregnancy:
When is your due date?: September 29th, 2010
How far along are you right now?: 21 weeks and 1 day
Have you had an ultra sound?: Just a quick one at 10 weeks to see the heartbeat and measure the baby, and then another quick one when I had a kidney stone a couple of weeks ago.
Have you heard the heartbeat?: Yes, it is awesome!


-Sex of the baby:
What do you want. Boy or Girl?: I would be happy with either.
Do you know what you are having now?: Pretty sure it's a BOY! We will confirm it tonight.
Are you happy with what you are having?: Of course.


-About the birth:
Who is going to be with you?: Chris and a doula, if I can find one, haha.
Are you going to video tape it?: Maybe?
Natural or medicated?: Hoping to go au naturel.
Do you think you will have a c-section?: Hopefully not! Although the two extra weeks of maternity leave would be nice.
Do you think you will cry when you first hold your baby?: Most likely!
Do you know what you will say to the baby when you first hold it?: Probably I love you!
Are you scared about the labor?: In some ways.


-Names:
Do you have a name picked out?: Not yet.....
Is your baby going to be named after anyone?: The middle name will be after Chris, his father and grandfather possibly. Unless we just do Christopher, then it will only be after Chris.
Did the daddy help pick the name?: Oh yes, he def. has an opinion. ;)


-Other random questions:
Where was your baby conceived?: At home...
Have you felt the baby move?: Yes, and I love it!
What was your first symptom?: I was soooo tired.
Will you have godparents?: Umm...probably not, not sure yet.
Who will be the god mommy?:
Who will be the god daddy?:
What is the babys room theme?: We do not really have a "theme." I just would prefer something more modern than cutesy.
Are you ready to be a mommy?: I do not know if I will ever feel "ready" until the baby comes.
What do you think the baby will be a "daddys girl/boy" or a "mommys girl/boy"?: I think he will be a Momma's boy but we will see..

Hahaha.

My boss just came up to me and asked me when I was due again, and when my maternity leave would end.
LOL.
Ok, I know he had good intentions, trying to plan for the company etc. but seriously?
I was like ummm...well....that depends on certain factors. I could have the baby early. I could have the baby late. There is really like a 6 week window there. And then, depending on what happens, my disability is 6 weeks, unless for some reason I have to have a c-sec, then I get 8. OH and not to mention my two weeks of vacation. I was like honestly, I could be back in October, November or December, depending.
I'm sorry, I cannot guess when my baby will choose to make his entrance into the world.
It was just somewhat comical. And once again...really?! Oy.

On a lighter note, our BIG ultrasound is tomorrow. I am praying that everything looks ok. Also looking forward to confirming once more, that it is in fact a baby boy in the bump.
AND!!!! I saw my belly move from the outside on Sunday night. It was awesome. :)

I'm so proud....

Of my husband Chris.
On Saturday he graduated from Spring Arbor with his Bachelors degree for Social Work. Chris has worked so hard in school, ever since I have known him. When we first met he was just finishing up his associates degree as a Pharmacy Technician. Right after that he acquired another associates as a Surgical Technologist, and then he finally realized what he was passionate about: helping people. Soon after he started his classes to get his BSW and for the first time decided to walk this year. It was such a great day! He is consistently working hard in school, to reach his goals and the job that he would like to achieve one day. In the fall he will start again, getting his Master for Social Work, and another Masters in Public Administration. Two masters degrees, at one time. And he works full time at the hospital. OH and we are having a baby. Like I said, hard worker. I am proud. :)

This was right after he walked across the stage.


Chris and I in front of their sign.


Chris, his parents and I.


Emileigh, Nathan, Chris and I


Chris and I at the Claddagh Irish Pub, where we went out to eat afterward.


Overall it was a very fun day! Love you Chris. <3

20 Week Survey!

HOLY MOLY!!! The babe is half way done cookin. How in the world did that happen? It is exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. I probably would not be so nervous if our project upstairs would just get finished already but it seems to be taking FOREVER!! Alright, on to the fun stuff.

How far along? 20 Weeks! Out of the teens!
Total weight gain/loss: +2.5 lbs. Ok, I am starting to think that maybe my scale is broken. It is totally rebelling against me. How in the heck is this possible?! 17 lbs. total
Maternity clothes? yes and no
Sleep: Awesome...just wake up now and then to re-adjust. Still super tired, not matter how much sleep I get, ever since the whole kidney stone incidents last week. It's like I cannot recover!
Best moment this week: Mother's Day Weekend...OH and Chris talking to the baby. It was hilarious. You had to be there. Ohhhh and getting my baby legs order in the mail, they are freakin adorable!!!!
Movement: Yep! It is inconsistent and sporadic though.
Food cravings: Nothing in particular anymore. Things just do not sound good sometimes.
Gender: BOY! Can't wait to see him again next week.
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: The big ultrasound next week!
What I miss: Not being sore from sitting all day.
Weekly Wisdom: Stand if you can. Stretch. Move around.
Milestones: Well I feel like I am getting bigger, my bump is getting harder, and the baby's movements are more definite which is really cool. And we started our registries...and bought the furniture!



I have a feeling I am going to be huge.



Siggy what in the world are you doing down there you silly puppy. He has to be the center of attention, he is so funny. :)



All the weight in the bump I guess? Everything else still fits me normally, so who knows!

Also, here is what our furniture looks like, I love it sooo much!! It is the Hamilton Chocolate Collection from Baby Italia. They just came out with it, which was perfect timing since we were having trouble finding a set that we liked.

My very first "Mother's Day" to be.

This requires some back story.
A couple of years ago (4) before Chris and I got married, for one of our showers I received this as a gift from one of Chris's aunts.

Together

"For those who have found their true partner in love and life"

At first I was like Wow, thank you so much! but thinking "hmm...this is not so much our style..."

Little did I know what this one little figurine would come to mean to me over the next couple of years and begin to symbolize: Our married relationship, our commitment to one another, the love we have for each other etc. When I look at it, it just reminds me of fun times from that period of our lives, planning our wedding and all of the things the beginning of a relationship entails. I could go on and on.

A couple of months ago Chris's Aunt Barb, who has kinda been like a second Mom in his life and very close to their family, gave us this for our 4 year anniversary present.

Our Gift

"Our bright, joyful gift!"

Instantly I became all emotional and started to tear up. Wow. That is going to be us in a couple of months...holding our precious baby. How could something like this mean so much to me?

So of course I started to realize that for Mother's Day I would like nothing more than the figurine of the pregnant girl. Could I really be starting to enjoy these, and possibly wanting to collect them? Me?

I guess so. :) It just goes to show how people can change over the years.

So Sunday morning I woke up to Chris lying my little present in a box on my bed with a very sweet card. Of course he had remembered (with some help from his Aunt so I didn't see it on our bank account, sneaky boy...I thought maybe he forgot.) So yeah, I was pretty happy. :)

Cherish

"Awaiting a miracle"

I love it, it is so cute! And the saying is so true, he is such a precious, little miracle. Here are just a couple more that I hope to maybe receive in the future:

This one after the baby is born:

New Life

"Celebrating the miracle of new life"

And maybe this one next year for our anniversary!

Anniversary

"Love ever endures"

It was a special day. :)

As Chis would say....Oy Vey.

I feel so out of the loop in the blogging world, so behind on posts I have been wanting to write, and comments I have been wanting to leave.

Thursday I got ANOTHER kidney stone!!! TWO. In ONE WEEK. Needless to say last week was rough. I feel like I am still exhausted from it all. I guess when I was in the ER from the first one they saw it waiting there to descend in my right kidney. Not sure why they failed to mention that!
Honestly I do not want to complain at all because I am so thankful that the rest of this pregnancy has been really great so far, but dang. Anyways, I am on some meds that sorta helped me get through the weekend. But it sounds like this may be something I just may have to deal with during pregnancy. So we will see I guess....!

With all that being said, we had a super busy weekend as usual. I still was not feeling up to par but sucked it up. Saturday we had an appt. to choose carpet for the upstairs, started registering and a graduation party. Sunday we celebrated Mother's Day, ran errands, did yardwork (well Chris did while I napped) cooked dinner and primed some more of the upstairs. I was so tired all day today!

And OH. MY. GOSH. I am almost 20 weeks. That is insane. I love it. And baby boy is all kicking away as I type, it is awesome.

OH!!! And Megan had an appt. with the specialist today, and baby girl is looking perfect and the heard looks great. Praise God!!!

Mother's Day Post to come tomorrow...maybe. Hopefully.

19 Week Survey

How far along? 19 Weeks!
Total weight gain/loss: +0.5 lbs. 14.5 lbs. total
Maternity clothes? yes and no
Sleep: Awesome...just wake up now and then to re-adjust. But lately I have been super tired but I know it's because I have not been forcing myself to go to bed early enough.
Best moment this week: Finding out that we are having a BOY! Telling people at work, and also getting some amazing gifts....people are so giving. Today I took in cupcakes and brownies and put a little pastel blue and green M&M on each one with a sign that said "It's a Boy!" It was awesome seeing everyone's reactions. :)
Movement: Yep! It is inconsistent and sporadic though.
Food cravings: Nothing in particular anymore. Things just do not sound good sometimes.
Gender: BOY! My intuition from last week was right I guess. :)
Labor Signs: nope
Belly Button in or out? Innie still
Stretchmarks? Nothing noticeable yet. Thank goodness!
What I am looking forward to: Registering this weekend (hopefully)
What I miss: Not being sore from sitting all day.
Weekly Wisdom: Nothin really....
Milestones: Finding out the gender and I am also starting to get itchy on my stomach.

Decided to change things up and took the belly pic at the office today! Thanks Jess ;)





Also I was pretty happy I could still fit into my Banana capris with just wearing a bellaband. They are not comfy as maternity pants but are so cute... I am having issue letting some of my regular pants go yet...!

See the big picture

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Apple Cheeks Giveaway

Check out this cool giveaway I just entered over at Sally's blog for these super cute Cloth Diapers by Apple Cheeks! I hope I win one of the prizes!!!!!! :)

What a crazy weekend!

Seriously, I do not even know how to start all of this, I have so much to say! And a warning, this is probably going to be somewhat long. Also, if you make it all the way down to the bottom there is also the other "good news" I was talking about last week.....so hang in there!

Well, let's start off with this.........

It's a Boy!!!!!

Yep!
We found out a little early....I was in a lot of pain on Friday, which I called my doctor but they did not seem to think much of it. I knew that the pain was stemming from my urethra/bladder area, but my OB thought that maybe the baby was just sitting on my bladder funny. Especially since my urine test from my appt. on Tuesday came back clear. Whatev. I knew something was up.
All day Saturday, once again, I was pretty miserable. We went to Chris's parents house that day for his Grandpa's 83rd Birthday Party BBQ/family get together. Chris's cousin reassured me that I was probably fine and that she felt pains like that all the time. By the time we got home things were not getting better and I finally passed some sort of clump of something that I thought was a blood clot. Naturally I freaked because initially I thought I was spotting and something was wrong. Well then I noticed that I was urinating blood. Not cool. But it was inconsistent so I decided to go to bed. Anyways, long story short, I called my office on Sunday morning, and the on call Doctor was like you must have a bladder infection etc. you need to be seen, go to the ER.
So I went in and once again, clean urine sample, nothing there. Pelvic exam, cervix closed, no blood, nothing wrong there. Then they did ultrasounds on my kidneys, bladder, placenta etc. and in the end determined that I passed a Kidney Stone. Did not surprise me since I had one about 6 years ago. Didn't feel the same though but still... Your body does strange things while pregnant, so who knows.

But the best part of it all was when they did the ultrasound on the placenta she scanned over the baby. Finally I was like, Ok, I know this is totally irrelevant to what is going on but can you tell what it is?? And she was like yup, there it is, can you see that? Not being very shy, it's a boy! Deep down Chris and I had both felt like that is what it would probably be, so it was a cool moment. After a couple hours of finally getting out of the hospital and getting home, we went to Target and each picked out a little outfit so that was really fun. Also calling all of our close immediate family and hearing reactions was awesome too. I loved it!!

Ok, so now for the good news that we found out last week. Megan is having a sweet, precious baby GIRL! We are so excited and happy for them. A few of you may remember what Megan, husband Patrick, and fam. went through last year when they lost their precious boy Liam. Back story here and here. So far baby girl Kelly is looking healthy which everyone has been praying for, so we are all so thankful and happy for them!! What a huge blessing!!!!! Yay!
Also it has been cool because Megan and I got pregnant right around the same time, and are due two days apart. :) Crazy cool huh?
This week has been such a roller coaster of emotions!!!!