Week 14

***Disclaimer about these week by week pregnancy posts: I do not expect this to be particularly interesting to anyone, but I know I will enjoy looking back on this journey of growing our kid so I'm taking the time to document it here. Whew! Now I can feel better about rambling on about my symptoms and cravings! 


Baby C is now the size of a lemon, which honestly doesn't make sense to me because last week the baby was the size of a peach. A peach seems larger than a lemon to me, but what do I know? Either way, little one is about 3.5 inches long, and is working on lengthening its neck and arms this week. The liver and spleen started functioning this week, and lanugo (fine, soft hair) started growing all over baby's body to help regulate body temperature until he/she fattens up a little.
My nausea is gone, yay! I think it might have something to do with my new prenatal vitamin, but it also could be saying goodbye to the first trimester, too. I'm still exhausted by the end of the day, and usually wishing I could nap sometime around lunch. I've talked to a few other soon to be mommas, and they told me this went away around 20 weeks for them. I've got my fingers crossed for that, because being so tired makes everything else so hard. My belly has been getting sore if I sit or lay in a position too long. Lately I've felt like I did one too many push-ups (which is kind of humorous considering the lack of exercise I have done lately). My muscles are stretching to prepare for the growth spurts that are to come...how crazy!
I keep thinking that I'm feeling fluttering, but every time I do, I talk myself out of it. It seems to happen a lot in the morning when I'm in the shower, so maybe it's not a coincidence. It's fun to think that it's the baby squirming, but I'm also ready for movements that I know without a doubt is the baby. We know from our last OB appointment that we've got a busy one on our hands, so I wouldn't be surprised if I felt it move early.
People keep asking me about cravings, and I really haven't had any, except I always want to drink a ton of water at night, which is the worst possible time to drink water. I've been getting up at least twice a night to go pee thanks to this new craving. Can I even call wanting to drink water a craving? It's the least fun craving ever! I did have Andrew buy a huge jar of pickles when he went to Sam's a few weeks ago, but I've always been a pickle lover (I used to DRINK pickle juice by choice as a child), so I'm not counting that as a pregnancy induced craving.

And now for this week's picture, which went wrong on so many levels. For one it was taken around 10pm in my pjs, my hair is cra cra, and my pupils are looking freaky(I guess because of the flash), and it's just not the most attractive picture I've ever seen, but without further adieu, here's the bump.

If you read all of that, you are either a true friend, or have way too much time on your hands. 

Thank you for caring about us and our sweet little nugget. 

Glimpse into the future

Today I got a small glimpse of what life may be like in a few years as a little family.
After the Bunny Friend's got stomped at their basketball game, we took Tre out to lunch at Cane's. His top three choices were McDonalds, Burger King, and Taco Bell but after Andrew let him know that I wouldn't go for any of those (he knows me well), Tre caved to Cane's. After some tasty chicken the plan was to take Tre home.
That is until he said "can we go to a pawn shop?"
I looked at Andrew, confused and not really understanding how Tre even knows what a pawn shop is, let alone why he is asking us to go to one.
Andrew said "I took him to a pawn shop...and he loved it."
All I could do was crack up, and think about how this is going to be my life. Driving around to pawn shops with my husband and kids looking through 'treasures' trying to find the perfect ones for us.
So, off we went to the pawn shop!
We looked at games, guitars, huge wrenches (when Tre saw those he asked what they were used for. Andrew replied "Big machinery, like backhoes" Tre thought that was hilarious), we even looked at the sparkly diamonds. His favorite were the games, though.

I loved laughing and spending time with these guys today. It makes me smile to think about future days like this with our growing family. So fun! 

Dear Baby

Hey Babe,

Your dad and I got to hear you today for the first time, and my gosh, it was amazing.
The doctor warned me right before she put the belly goo and doppler on me "don't freak out if I can't find the heartbeat right away" she continued while holding her thumb and pointer finger about a half an inch apart "baby's heart is about this big, and it might take a minute to find it..."
Well, you know what little love? Right when she put that little heart rate monitor on my belly we heard *THUD*, then "lub-dub lub-dub lub-dub lub-dub *THUD*". The doctor said that you were a busy baby and those thuds were you swimming around.
It was like you were ready to prove her wrong the second she put the monitor on my belly. Your dad told me later that he was a little worried when instead of hearing the heart right away, we heard loud thuds. We laughed thinking about you punching or kicking the monitor away because we were disturbing you.
Hopefully by next month we'll know if you're a boy or a girl. Either way though, we're absolutely head over heels for you, little one.
I'm so giddy thinking about you and dreaming about what life with you will be like.
I feel so lucky to get to be your mama.

I love you so much,

Your Mom

12 & 13 weeks

The first trimester has come and gone, according to most. Some websites I've read say that the first trimester doesn't end until week 14. In that case, we have a couple more days to go. We have our next appointment tomorrow and I am so excited. It's strange because I have gone from a person who really dislikes going to the doctor, to one that counts down the days until my next appointment. I look forward to them so much. I think it's partially because I can't feel the baby yet,  I don't really know how everything is going in there but getting to see it moving and its little heart beating is so reassuring and makes me so happy. 

Baby C is about the size of a peach, can suck its thumb,  has fingerprints, and his/her vocal chords are starting to develop. It's so fun to think that in a few months we'll get to hear our baby use its vocal cords!

We started taking weekly pictures at week 12 (when I started to show). I'm still not quite at the point where I think someone who didn't know I was pregnant would notice, but I definitely do, especially after a meal!

I'm still completely amazed by the mystery of this adventure. It's just really incredible, and a true blessing to be allowed to carry this baby and have the Lord forming and knitting together this precious little person inside of me. 

Anticipation

Today was a slower than normal day at work. I had some time to sit at my desk, go through my stacks and stacks of paperwork that needed to be looked over and signed. I was maybe using half of my brain during this activity, if that. The rest of my brain power was going toward thinking about this little person that's growing inside of me.
I haven't really done that much reflecting on the fact that I'm going to be a mom. I mean sure, I've thought about it, had my brief moments of terror, self-doubt, and honestly some sadness thinking about how much Andrew and I's life is going to change; but I haven't really thought about it.
Until today.
I started imaging what it is going to be like to feel my baby move for the first time inside of me. How weird that must feel, but also how completely amazing it's going to be.
I couldn't help but think about buying tiny little clothes, picking out a name, decorating the nursery, planning for this child that will soon be a part of my every thought and not just thought about during mundane paperwork and looking in the mirror every morning.
I thought about labor. How scary it's going to be, but in a strange way, I cannot wait to experience it.
Then I got to think about how magical meeting our baby will be. Will it have hair? My eyes? Andrew's beard? (hopefully not).
I started to get a little impatient thinking about how I have to wait SIX more months for that moment. Then I remembered how much planning there is to do, how much we have to learn, that we need to find a house for our expanding family, buy baby stuff, not to mention prepare ourselves mentally for the huge change we're about to face (although I'm not sure there is a way to do that successfully besides lots of prayer).
Andrew told me tonight that he's never changed a diaper.
We talked about how we're not going to be able to sleep in for a very long time.
I thought, "yeah...we need 6 months".

Sweet baby of ours,

I cannot wait to meet you in 6 months. I know you are going to be the cutest little thing there ever was, and that your daddy and I are going to be head over heals in love with you when you do decide to come. Until then, I promise to teach your dad how to properly diaper a teddy bear (and then we'll move on to putting a diaper on Nolan, your soon to be best friend). He'll be a pro before you know it. You just keep growing, and don't stress about the whole diaper situation.  We love you.

Boohoo

It's been a strange week around here.
Hubs has been gone since Monday morning and I have been missing him like a crazy person.
Pregnancy hormones kicked into full gear this week, and worked together with my insane week at work, to make me a complete mess. I cried 3 times at work on Thursday. Now, this may not seem like that big of deal to some people, but for me this was INSANE. I really RARELY cry, and when I do it's in the comfort of my own home, or in a dark movie theater. I was shocked that tears were coming just because of frustration. I held it together until I could get to the bathroom, but it was still completely ridiculous. Thanks baby for making your mama a blubbering mess. I reminded myself of pregnant Pam in The Office when she's at her desk watching this commercial crying, trying to talk through her sobs saying "this dog, he just wants to protect his bone!"

Even with Andrew gone, and my bad attitude about him being gone, there was still fun to be had! On Thursday night I got to go to Blue Man Group with some friends. It was such a fun, quirky, strange show, and a great excuse to get my sorry sulking self out of the house.
Last night I went down to the quarter to watch the first big Mardi Gras parade of the season, Krewe du Vieux, with Tyler and Rachel. It was exciting, and got me in the spirit for Mardi Gras. I'm getting more and more excited about all the parades this year.
Tonight we're having a little super bowl fiesta over at our house. I really couldn't care less about the game, but am super excited about eating mexican food, and watching the commercials. I'm going to try my hand (again) at making homemade salsa. Last time I tried it was a bust; really watery, and not salsa like at all, so I'm hoping this new recipe I found on pinterest will be a success.

Babes has grown a lot this week. Well, maybe just my belly has grown a lot and the baby is just my easy excuse instead of the strawberry cheesecake ice cream I've been enjoying every night after work. Either way, I'm beginning to feel more pregnant and less like a zombie. Friday was the first day in a long time that I didn't wake up feeling like I could go back to sleep, and sleep the rest of the day. I never thought I would be so grateful for energy after missing it for so many weeks!
This week our baby is the size of a fig (almost 2 inches long), and almost fully formed! Pretty amazing how God is knitting together this little life inside of me. I really cannot get over how spectacular it all is.

Andrew comes home tomorrow morning! Unfortunately that means I wont get to see him until after work, but I still cannot wait! I have missed him SO much. Very ready to have my husband back, and life back to normal.