37 weeks down... Merry Christmas

So... this post is a little late, but things have been pretty busy because of Christmas. Unfortunately, Santa didn't bring me what I really wanted this year... a beautiful, healthy baby girl and an awesome tax break, but I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that she will come soon.

Like I said, this last week has been busy. I have been winding things down with work, getting ready to make my exit just in case. Luckily, I've been able to take off all of next week so I can get in some final days of resting and nesting. With winding work down, there have been a lot of little projects that I've needed to wrap up in order to be able to pass everything on. Luckily, I'll have some good support while I'm out of the office and it shouldn't be too bad to come back to.

With Christmas this week, I feel like I've been eating non-stop. I'm a little worried about the look on my doctor's face when she sees me step on the scale next time. I feel huge... probably because I am huge. I waddle 100% of the time these days, and my belly is so heavy that I find myself leaning back to support it. I feel like I've gained weight all over too. My legs and face seem bigger, and of course the swelling of my hands and feet isn't helping much.

Scott and I have officially started baby boot camp, trying to work this little girl down. We've been walking more and more, I've been eating the spiciest of foods and trying to explore new ideas to jump start labor. So far, the spicy food has only upset my stomach, but the walking has lead to more braxton hicks contractions. The other night, while we were out on our walk, I got the strongest contractions yet. I literally felt like I was going to pee my pants. I very seriously contemplated making a pit stop in the bushes, but luckily no extreem measures were taken and I made it home okay.

Scott and I also got a little excitement this past Tuesday with some false labor. After I had gotten up from the couch I noticed a couple of contractions and felt a sudden gushing sensation. I literally thought that I may have broken my water, but wasn't sure because I expected more out of it and the contractions didn't seem to be getting stronger. Just to be safe, I called the hospital and they had me come in to see if I was leaking amniotic fluid. While they said it was good that I came in just to be safe, the did make me feel a little stupid when they asked me if I might have just peed my pants. I don't know what it was, but I assure everyone that I didn't pee my pants... at least I think :). It was nice to get to hear her heartbeat again and see how some of my contractions were registering. It looks like my body is slowly but surely preparing myself for the big day.

On another note, big sister Mya has been absolutely terrible lately. I think that she notices that there is a big change about to take place and has been acting out by being destructive. She has managed to jump on the counter and heat entire plates of cookies (plastic plates included), as well as tissue, a bottle of Tums and opened up a few Christmas presents for us. Scott and I are trying our best to give her lots of attention and work her into this whole baby thing, but she isn't making it any easier on herself. I think we might need the dog whisperer.

Hopefully, labor is just around the corner. I am getting more and more excited for the entire Mommy experience by the day.

I absolutely can't wait to meet you little girl, I already love you with all of my heart!

Weekly belly photo taken at 37 weeks and 2 days... pretty sure the belly enters the room 5 seconds before I do :) With each day I feel her getting bigger and stronger, prepping herself for her entrance into the world.

And I just had to include a picture of Mya trying to look innocent and adorable. At this moment, she is probably exhausted from eating 5 lbs of Christmas cookies and the plates they came on. Bless her goofy little heart, we love her anyway.

36 weeks... aka 9 months!

I'm officially 9 months pregnant!

When looking back at the past 9 months, I can't believe how much our lives have changed already. These days, much of our life is centered around this baby. Whether we're prepping for the baby, decorating for her, shopping for her or just talking about the baby it really doesn't matter because she is always on our minds. I love looking through and reading some of my older posts. My belly has gotten so huge!!! It makes me laugh when I see pictures of it because it really looks like I have a basketball stuffed under my shirt. I'm excited to see what more my body is capable of, I'm sure I'll be really impressed once all is said and done.

The last week has really been full of exhaustion. I am literally not sleeping anymore. This is in part due to my rash, my acid reflex and all of the other pleasant pregnancy side effects that I have going on. Because of my insomnia, I have found myself doing a lot more nesting. I've been doing tons of laundry and folding and refolding all of her clothes. Her room is really starting to look so good! I can't wait to see her in it.

Other than that, there haven't been a ton of new things going on. It is definately feeling like winter outside and the holidays are just around the corner. We have had tempatures below freezing for the past couple of days and it has made walking outside a little dangerous. I actually slipped and fell pretty hard yesterday. It absolutely scared me half to death because I landed right on my side, partially on my belly. Luckily she started moving right away so I knew she was okay, but just to be on the safe side, I called my doctor and double checked. She reconfirmed that our baby girl was fine as long as baby girl was still moving, and I wasn't bleeding or having contractions or anything.

I can't wait for Christmas and New Years... it's going to help the next couple of weeks go by faster and then soon there after we'll be getting the best gift of all. This will be the first year that we aren't spending heading over to Tri-Cities at all for Christmas. It will be a little different spending Christmas morning just the two of us, but I'm actually kind of looking forward to it. It will be nice and relaxing for once, but I'll still miss some of the holiday chaos that the rest of the family will be enjoying.

Here is a picture of me at 36 weeks wearing the same shirt as 32 weeks... look at the difference in just a month!

35 weeks pregnant and PUPPS!

Ahhhh! I can't believe that I'm 35 weeks pregnant already. I am so excited for this baby! I keep dreaming about what she will look like, holding her for the first time and welcoming her into our family. In just a few weeks, we will have a daughter and our lives will be changed for the better.

As excited as I am getting for this baby girl to come, I am also getting almost as excited to not be pregnant anymore. Over the last week I have developed PUPPPs which stands for "pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy" aka not fun... not fun at all. PUPPPs is a rare rash that sometimes developes late in pregnancy for some women and usually is centralized around the belly. Lucky for me, I have developed an extra bad case of it and it has spread all the way to my hands and ankles. The worst part about it is that it itches like crazy! Sleeping has become near impossible and it doesn't sound like it will be getting any better any time soon. Needless to say, I could do without this annoying, unsightly rash.

Here is a picture of my left shin... the rash gets wors the closer it gets to belly, but I'm not willing to bare it all on the internet.



With this rash has come more doctor's appointments, which I don't really mind because I always love to hear her heartbeat and to check on how she is doing. Luckily, everything looks good. Her heartbeat is strong, she is still moving a ton and PUPPPs actually isn't dangerous for mom or baby. At my last doctor's appointment I was surprised to learn that I had actually lost 2 pounds. The doctor assured me that this most likely was just due to the fluctuation in the amount of water I have been retaining. Either way I'll take it! My next appointment is scheduled for next Friday and depending on how I'm feeling I might be checked to for early signs of labor!!! :)

This has been such a journey! I still have a few more weeks to go, but I can't believe that the bid day is almost here!

34 weeks down

Today I am officially 34 weeks and 3 days pregnant. I think it's safe to say that I am slowly starting to lose my mind. Sleeping has become very tough. When I do finally find a comfortable position at night, I am usually woken up by my acid reflex, braxton hicks contractions, the baby kicking or my skin itching. I have also noticed that breathing has started to become more and more difficult. All of my insides are completely squished.

I've been told that there are specific reasons pregnant women are supposed to be uncomfortable towards the end of pregnancy. I guess it makes us even more excited for our babies to be born. And apparently the lack of sleep is supposed to prepare us for waking up in the middle of the night with a new born. I don't know all about that... I'd be excited either way, and it would be nice to get some quality sleep before she comes!

Work as become tougher and tougher. I literally dread Thursdays when I have to walk around the departments and pass out paychecks. Just getting out of my chair has started to take a lot of effort. Every time I walk up stairs I sound like I've just run a marathon because of how hard I'm breathing.

I'm definitely starting to feel ready for this baby to come! Her room is almost together and it looks so cute. We've almost got all of my paperwork in order for taking my maternity leave and preregistering for the hospital. I can't believe how real this is all becoming! I'm so excited! All of these aches and pains are about to pay off and I'll have a beautiful baby girl to show for them.

I love you already baby girl. You've stolen my heart! Now please just hurry up and get here, because you're hurting my back :)

32 weeks and livin large

Wow... I can't believe that I'm already 8 months pregnant. Only 8 more weeks to go. I don't know who started the rumor that women are only pregnant for 9 months... I'm no math wiz, but I know that 40 weeks divided by the 4 weeks in a month is 10.

These days, I've definately feeling big. I'm having a hard time with all of the pressure on my insides. I've actually been getting sick more and more due to acid reflex and indigestion. I've woken up a couple times in the middle of the night choking on my own stomach acid... not fun!

On a brighter note, we got to experience some baby joy this week. Tyler and Shermin Davidson (our old neighbors) gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. I was so excited that they envited us to visit them in the hospital. She is absolutely perfect and so tiny. I actually got to hold her for a while, and she fell asleep in my arms... so sweet! I can't wait until baby girl comes so that they can be best friends together.

Well, unfortunately, that's about all the energy I have for this post. I'm getting worse and worse at keeping up with this, but I'm doing my best!

Here is a belly pic of me at just over 32 weeks.

31 weeks... Hello Braxton Hicks!

Week 31 has been full of fun... and Braxton Hicks contractions. I've actually had so much concern about them that I called my doctor about them. Luckily I had an appointment scheduled for Friday, and she was able to check me and tell me that everything looks good.

Our baby girl sure is growing and still twisting and turning about. At my appointment the doctor could hardly get her heartbeat because she was twisting, kicking and punching so much. My stomach was moving in waves. The doctor could also tell that she is getting much bigger. Right now, her head is down and she's facing my back. Sometimes I can feel her stretch out against my back and her little butt pokes out just above my belly button. I can't wait to see her little baby butt for the first time, I can already tell that it's going to be a cute one.

We're starting to get closer on her nursery, but it still feels like we have a lot of work to do. We've been lucky enough to be blessed with so many hand me down baby clothes, not to mention all of those that friends and family have bought us. She is going to be a very well dressed little lady. I can't believe how cute some of the stuff is. Everything is adorable when it's that tiny.

Scott read somewhere that when I'm about to go into labor that I'll start cleaning and nesting a bunch. So, naturally, every time I've picked up the vacuum, or done a load of laundry lately he has asked me if I'm "nesting." It's great to have a husband that is so in tuned and cares so much, but sometimes it really just makes me laugh.

I'm getting more and more anxious to have this little girl in our lives. I can't wait to kiss her, and hold her for the very first time. Pregnancy has been a very interesting journey for Scott and I, and I'm starting to think about some of the parts that I'll miss. I am so going to miss feeling her kick inside of me. I can sit forever and just feel her wiggle in my tummy. Of course, there are also so many aspects to pregnancy that I wont be missing so much.

Most of all, I am just so excited to bring this little girl into the world. I pray that I can be the mom that she deserves. Already, I have so much love for her, it's incredible.

Belly pic for this week... looking huge!

30 weeks and feeling GIANT!

Week 30 really hasn't been too different from week 29. Last week, I felt big, this week I feel bigger. I guess that has been the only difference.

Our little baby girl is still twisting, turning and kicking about tons. Her kicks are pretty strong these days and sometimes even hurt a little. I can tell that she's growing and getting stronger each day. I absolutely love feeling her move, I sometimes even try to wake her up if I haven't felt her move in a while. Usually with a couple of jiggles she's up and bouncing around again.

I seriously get more excited and fall more in love with this baby girl every day. I don't know if it's the hormones or what, I am starting to feel like a real sap. I'm turning into my mom... or maybe even worse than my mom. The other day I was listening to a sappy Country song about having a daughter and actually starting crying. It's crazy to think that I haven't even met her, and I'm already so in love with her.

All the stretch marks, getting sick, back pain and other annoying parts of pregnancy are going to be completely worth it when I get to see her face for the first time. Baby girl, I love you already!

29 weeks!

I've officially completed my 29th week of pregnancy, and all I can say is that I feel huge. I truely believe that there are two types of pregnant women, the ones that glow and look absolutely radiant, and the ones that get huge all over. Unfortunately, I'm the latter of the two and I've gotten huge all over. My face is bigger, my theighs are bigger, I'm really just bigger all over. Even some of my maternity clothes are starting not to fit. I truely hope that this baby weight comes off someday!

As for our little girl, she seems to be loving every buttery little morsal that I put in my mouth. I love feeling her dance around after I've eaten. She seems to especially like spicy food, maybe she'll take after her momma that way.

In our last doctor's appointment, we learned that I don't have gestational diabetes, which is absolutely great news. We also went in for our last ultrasound and got to see baby girl move about and check on her kidneys. For now, it looks like her kidneys are just on the bigger side, but nothing to be too alarmed about. The technician seemed to get a little frustrated with our little bundle of joy because she kept twisting and turning about, there were even a couple of times that she kicked the ultrasound want... so funny!

28 weeks!

28 down, 12 (or so) more to go... the countdown begins!

This past week was full of celebrations. We celebrated Scott's 26th birthday and my mom threw me a baby shower. I can't believe all of the great gifts that we got from our family and friends. This baby girl is already spoiled, and I feel like I am too. It was a great excuse to have a party with family and friends and catch up on everyone's lives, not to mention talk about babies and baby stuff. Unfortunately Scott had to wait to see all of baby girl's loot, because he was away on a hunting trip, putting all of his birthday presents to good use.

I always miss Scott when he's away, but I felt like it was even harder this past weekend. Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones or something, but I could not wait for him to get back. I was so happy when he decided to come back a day early!

We celebrated Scott's birthday on Monday with Monday night football, and a doctor's appointment. The worst part of our appointment was drinking my glucose drink for my glucose tolerance test. Ugh... it said that it was fruit punch flavored, but it was just plain nasty. I barely got it all down, and really had to focus on not letting it all come back up. Other than that, everything still looks good. I seem to be measuring on the big side, so it will be interesting to see what baby girl looks like when we go in for our next ultrasound on Thursday. I'll be sure to give an update with the glucose and ultrasound results once they're in.

The third trimester is starting to set in, and I'm really starting to feel huge. I can't believe that I still have 12 weeks to go. I don't know how much more I can grow. I definately feel like I've moved out of that "cute pregnant" phase and more into just the big phase. My ankles are always swollen now, and my single stretch mark has multiplied. The next couple of weeks are going to be a little rough, but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I can't wait to meet our baby girl.

The Grandma to be and I at the shower.

Just about 27 weeks down

I seem to be getting worse and worse about making sure I get my weekly post in. I just can't believe how busy we've been, not to mention how tired I've been. With my big ol' belly, aching back, leg cramps and bathroom trips, sleeping has gotten tough. I guess this is nature's way of preparing me for what's to come.

This week marks the beginning of my third trimester! We're actually 2/3 of the way there and I can't believe it. I feel like we have so much to do in in the next three months to get ready for this little girl. We've started in on the nursery by painting and ordering some of the furniture, but there is still so much to do. I can't wait to see it all done, and better yet, with a baby in it! The next 3 months are going to go by fast!

This week, I've been feeling like a giant. I've been growing a ton, and even have my first stretch mark to prove it. Luckily, I have a loving husband that has been willing to rub cocoa butter on my huge belly every night since. I laugh every time because it makes me feel like a giant butter ball turkey being greased up for Thanksgiving dinner. Other than my stretch mark, I've been getting more and more back aches and weird muscle cramps in my legs. The weight of my belly also has me going to the bathroom more frequently again. It's crazy to think that I still have a ton of growing to go. I just don't know how much bigger I can get.

This big ol' belly of mine has given me some new physical restrictions that I am still getting used to. Last Thursday, I climbed back into our closet under the stairs and actually got stuck. I have no idea how I got in, but once I was there I actually needed help to get out. Beyond that, I can barely tie my own shoes without sitting down and getting out of breath. And I still have 3 months to go! I mostly try to laugh these little things off because they're all for a good cause, but it can be a little tough on the self esteem to get so big so quickly.

Scott and I are so thankful for all the great support we have been getting from our family and friends. We are truly blessed as is this baby girl to have all of you in our lives. Thank you for stopping by to read more about our journey to parenthood.

Here is a great pic of Scott working hard on baby girl's room.

All three of us at Cannon Beach this past weekend.

This weeks belly photo... can't believe how big I've gotten.

25 weeks down!

The last two weeks have been busy with work and life in general. I've been interviewing and hiring like crazy (not that I'm complaining) but it's been exhausting running around. Steve moved out this past weekend and we decided to tackle painting the nursery. It feels great to be so productive, but I wouldn't mind a day of just doing nothing.

At our 24 week doctor's appointment everything looked great. The baby seems to be measuring on the big side which is great news for her, but unfortunately mom is too :). Apparently I'm gaining too much weight! No wonder I feel like such a blimp these days. Since my diet hasn't been too out of control, my doctor suggested that I add a little bit more exercising to my daily activity. So Scott and I are going to do our best to get a nice walk in every day.

The best part about the last couple of weeks has been the amount of movement that I have felt. Every night at about 9:30, she goes crazy. I feel her twisting and turning, kicking and punching and I absolutely love it! I can actually feel her getting stronger by the day. Scott has gotten to feel some pretty nice kicks too. He was talking to her the other night and she kicked him right in the face.

With all of this movement and getting the nursery started, it has really started to set in that I am going to be a momma in just about 15 weeks. The amount of love that I feel for this baby girl is amazing. At least a couple of times throughout the day I'll just start smiling thinking of how blessed Scott and I are.

Here are two picture of me this week. I'm definitely pregnant...

23 weeks down!

This blog will be from the prospective of a soon to be father. These last 5 months have been an experience that was not expected. Sure I was thinking there are going to be crazy food cravings, my wife being sleepy and doctors’ appointments. The thing that I was not prepared for was the constant cravings or certain foods, the aches & pains and the concerns & worries that the doctors bring up.

So Taco Bell has become one of our staples, twice a week meal sometimes. I have eaten soft shell tacos, hard shell tacos, taco salads, burrito supremes, gorditos, volcano nachos and mexi fries at least twice now and currently working on round 3. Needless to say, I am tired of Mexican food all together, but my lovely wife loves her some bean & cheese burritos. She always kicks it up a notch with hot fire sauce. Who would think that I would get sick of Taco Bell. I remember betting my grandma when I was 7 that for every basket I scored in basketball she owed me a soft shell taco. Now I can’t stand them. Anyway you look at it, Whitney is my little Latin lover! And for her, I will continue exploring the un-tasted items on the Taco Bell menu.

Now as for her being sore and uncomfortable, something I was not expecting it at all. Me not thinking, planed camping trips and out of town vacations. Not sleeping in your own bed already causes a rough night of sleep, but for a pregnant wife makes for sore backs, cramped legs and achy hips. She is a strong woman that has gone along with my bad judgment with little to no complaining. She has made multiple trips to Tri-Cities, road trips to Cannon Beach, a camping adventure to Deception Pass and Whidbey Island with putting her pains to the side and making the best of it. All I can say is that she is a trooper and has a high pain tolerance. I truly believe that all of these trips that I have put her through will make her stronger for this baby girl.

The hardest adjustment that I have had to deal with is the doctor’s visits. We have had the worst experiences with doctors telling us what we should be worrying about and what we should or shouldn’t do. We have seen multiple doctors, nurses and specialists. They tell us that there may be a problem which makes us worry, and then tell us that there is nothing that we can do to prevent it. I care so much about this baby that it is on my mind at all times. I am worried about what Whitney’s eating, if she is getting enough sleep, if she sleeping right and if this baby kicking and growing. It is hard to believe that a baby can change your way of life before you have even had a chance to touch and hold her. I am already in love with her!

All and all, I am enjoying the whole experience and trying to take it all in. I get worried if I am cut out to be a Poppa or if we are going to give her a good enough life, but also excited to see her personality, her mannerisms and her beautiful face. It’s a nerve racking experience, but at the same time an adventure I am looking forward to and an expedition that I want. I can’t wait to see what the next 4 months have in store for me. Wish me luck.

Here is a picture of my glowing wife heading into her 24th week of pregnancy.

22 Weeks!

I just finished up my 22nd week of pregnancy and am happy to officially be 5 months pregnant and moving into the 6th. I can't believe how quickly time is passing us by. In just 4 months we'll be able to meet our little girl for the first time!

This week I have been having some very different dreams. I've noticed dreaming a lot more since I've been pregnant, but I've definitely had some weird ones lately. The other night I had a dream that I was a terrible mother and that I had left our baby with some strangers at a basketball game. I also had a dream that I gave birth to her early and decided she wasn't quite done, so I had the doctor put her back. I seem to be having lots of weird dreams about the baby, probably due to hormones or something. Hopefully none of them mean anything :)

The biggest change in this week has been the amount of movement that I have been feeling. I feel her kicking all the time, and I've even gotten to feel some pretty big kicks from the outside too. She seems to move the most when I start to get hungry or right before I go to bed. Then once I'm done eating and my food has all settled, she relaxes and goes to sleep. I guess she's like her momma in that way. We like our big meals and then naps right after.

This past weekend was a lot of fun and really relaxing. Scott and I managed to finished our registry and even bought some baby clothes while we were there. We're starting to accumulate a little pile of baby stuff in our living room that will be hanging out there until Steve moves out towards the end of the month. I am getting so excited for putting her nursery together. Other than our registry outing, Scott and I pretty much just relaxed. Sunday was perfect, after church we just laid around watching movies all day. I'm excited for more relaxing rainy days with Scott this fall. I guess we better enjoy them while we can.

Thanks for all your continued support and prayers. We feel so blessed to have such amazing friends and family.

Healthy Baby

Getting to Friday's appointment was really the hardest part. On the way, not only did my maintenance light come on, but so did my check engine. Then I got lost. After driving around in circles, and trying to call the office a million times I finally spotted the building. As I was pulling into the parking garage, some construction workers informed me that my back tire was completely flat. By this point I was already sweating due to frustration, but I managed to pull into a parking space and jogged up to the doctors office.

When I got there, sweating and panting, they told me that I was too late to actually go to my appointment and that I would need to reschedule. The next open appointment would be over a week away. I simply couldn't take it anymore, I started balling right there in the middle of the lobby. After the water works, the whisked me into the back room and said they would just go ahead and squeeze me in.

The rest of the appointment went great. I got to see my kicking little girl on the big screen and she cooperated very well with the ultrasound technician. The doctor explained to me that even though her kidneys look dense, he doesn't think that she has whats called poly cystic kidney disease. Apparently in cases of poly cystic kidney disease, the kidneys are also larger and more fluid filled. The plan is to keep an eye on them to make sure that nothing changes for the worse, so I go back in 7 weeks. The doctor comforted me in letting me know that he actually sees this a lot, and it usually turns out to be just fine. He was very nice, but I'm sure he's used to worried mommas since he is a high risk doctor.

I pray that she is healthy, and I'm pretty confident that she is. I am so excited to meet her for the first time. It seems like she is all I can think about.

Keep growing little girl... I love you with all my heart!

21 weeks and exhausted

Today was a rough one.

Scott and I had an ultrasound appointment today, mostly because they forgot to record some of the images from last time and didn't record us a video. I was actually really excited to go in and get to take another peak at her. Unfortunately, it looks like things aren't quite as on track as we thought they would be. Her kidneys showed some abnormalities.

I can't quite remember the exact name for her condition (not that I would be able to pronounce it anyway) but basically as it was explained, her kidney's are showing up brighter than they should on the ultrasound. This means that they are too dense. Later down the road, this usually results in cysts in the kidneys in the third trimester and in early childhood. In extreme cases this requires a kidney transplant for the infant or child. Dr. Delorit, explained that it was still too early to tell exactly what the extent of her condition would be, but she did refer me to a "high risk pregnancy" specialist.

At this point all we can do is pray. I just want this baby girl to be healthy, more than anything.

Here are two belly pictures for this week since I missed last week, I've included an extra letting it all hang out.

Other than the doctor news, everything seems to still be crazy. We were out of town last weekend and I've been playing catch up with work all week. I am hiring for multiple different positions right now, and having the hardest time keeping everything straight. I am so excited for a 3 day weekend at home.

Well, that's about all I have energy for right now. I'll be sure update as I find out more news on our little girl.

20 Weeks Down... halfway there!

I can't believe that we are already halfway through our pregnancy. Time is just flying by!

This week, I have really started to feel some movement, and every time it makes me so excited. At first I wasn't really sure what I was feeling, but over the last couple of days it has become more and more obvious. The movements feel like tiny tummy rumbles, or little muscle twitches from within. Today I got the weirdest sensation when I was kicked in the back of the belly button. Having my belly button touched is a weird feeling anyway, but from the inside it feels even weirder. I am so excited to get that first big kick!

Scott and I seem to be forever busy! We had so much fun this past weekend at our friend's Jeff and Santral's wedding in Tri-Cities. It was very hot, but absolutely beautiful, and we definitely got our dance on. I could barely see my ankle bones when I woke up Sunday morning, probably due to combination of the heat and all of my dance moves. Totally worth it though, because we had such a great time and loved being a part of Jeff and Santral's special day.

Monday I had a follow up appointment with my doctor to go over my ultrasound and quad screen results. The good news is that it looks like everything looks great and so far mommy and baby seem very healthy. At 19 weeks our little girl came in weighing an approximate 10 oz with a strong heat beat of 145 bmp. Both tests showed no sign of Down Syndrome or any other chromosome abnormality. All very reassuring to hear! As in every check up, Dr. Delorit also took my weight and measurements of my uterus. She let me know that my weight gain is normal, but definitely starting to pick up. She also showed me where the top of my uterus hits. Apparently I'm carrying this baby very high, which could probably be partly because I have such a short torso and why I seem to be showing so soon.

Now that we know we are having a little girl, it has been a lot of fun to window shop for baby stuff. I have even started working on a baby registry with Babies R Us. The only problem with window shopping is seeing how expensive everything is. The cost of having a baby can be a little overwhelming at times, but I am really trying to do my best not to stress. Scott and I are doing our best to save and stick to the essentials.

Thanks for taking the time to check in with us this week!

19 weeks and It's a GIRL!

Well obviously our biggest news for week 19 is that we were able to find out the sex and it's a GIRL! And a healthy one at that!

This week I have also realized that I have become that pregnant lady that is maybe a little too open about her bodily functions, so if you're not ready to hear my "over share" go ahead and skip to the next paragraph. If you are, read on. We weren't actually scheduled to go in for our next ultrasound until Monday the 24th, but this was bumped up due to reasons of concern. Yesterday on the way to work, and a couple of times at work, I kept getting the cold sweats and felt like I was going to faint and throw up. These spells came at different times during the day and usually after I had eaten something. Later when I went to use the restroom I noticed that I had been bleeding... Scary! Right away I got very nervous and called my doctor in a panic. She immediately decided to bump up my ultrasound just to make sure there were no serious issues, and she tried to reassure me that everything was most likely okay. The fainting spells, she told me, were most likely due to stress or anxiety and fairly common, and the bleeding could be due to a number of things and was most likely normal as long as it wasn't heavy.

Our doctor gave us the next available appointment that was this morning at 9:30 am and instructed me to go home and relax for the evening and not to do anything strenuous. Times like these make me realize that I am so blessed to have such an amazing husband. When I got home Scott had gone grocery shopping and surprised me with my favorite lillys. Then he cooked a delicious fajita dinner for both of us, all while I relaxed on the couch. What a great guy huh?

I couldn't believe how nervous I was to get up on that exam table this morning, I was sure that the technician could hear my heart pounding out of my chest. Luckily she only gave us good news and told us that everything looks healthy, strong heartbeat and our little baby is definitely growing. Then she asked us if we wanted to know the sex. The look on Scott's face was absolutely priceless when she told us that it was a girl. He was so sure that it would be a boy :). Really, the best news was just finding out that she is healthy. Seeing her move her little arms and legs on the screen was such an amazing experience. I can't wait to meet her for the first time.

Besides the fainting spells that I have had for the last couple of days, I am feeling pretty good. Still craving lots of carbs and sweet things, and not so much into red meat. I have had a little bit of relief from the back pain that I was experiencing last week, but it is still waking me up in the middle of the night at least once or twice. Watching my body change over the last couple of weeks has been so weird. I swear if someone were to hand me a naked picture of myself without showing my face, I wouldn't even recognize it. It's all worth it though as I am going to get a precious baby out of it! Here is my latest pic...


Baby girl, you have already stolen my heart. I absolutely love you and am so proud to be your momma.


Thank you following along with our baby journey.

Goodbye to week 18

Week 17 was a busy one, and it somehow just got away from me and I wasn't able to post. I don't know if our little baby Davis is going through a growth spurt or what, but I have been hungry and tired all of last week. I have been constantly yawning and snacking all day, every day.

Today I finished up week 18 and I'm feeling pretty great. Yesterday Scott and I went to the doctor's for a check up and got to hear our little Gummy Bear's heart beat again. The doctor said that it was beating at 155 beats per minute which is just perfect. Some other great news, our doctor told us that I am actually on the low side of average for weight gain. This has been something that I've been worried because I am really starting to feel like a cow. She told us that as long as I gain about a pound a week for the next 20 weeks or so that I should be in the perfect range. I also gave blood for my quad screen test which was a little scary. The quad screen tests for Down Syndrome and other abnormalities... yikes!

Lately I feel like I am really starting to show and have been amazed at the amount of people who have actually asked me if I'm pregnant. Over the last 2 weeks I have seriously had about 5 different people ask me. I have always thought that this was an off limits question for women, but I guess I was wrong :). Thank goodness I actually have an excuse for my gut, or else I would have some serious self image issues.

With all of this growing, has come back pains and a very itchy belly. I have been waking up at least few times in the middle of the night for the past week due to pressure in my lower back, and have sometimes felt it throughout the day. I also feel like my belly is itching all the time. I can literally feel the skin stretching and it is driving me nuts. In an effort to limit the amount of stretch marks (or at least the itchiness) I have invested in some belly balm. I hope it works!

This week Scott and I toured a day care. The lady that runs it was very nice, and she runs it out of her home. She was referred to us, and I think she would be perfect, but she doesn't have any opening until July. So... we are still on the hunt. I really hope that we find someone who is reasonable and will take good care of our little baby.

Here is a picture of me at 18 weeks, wearing the same thing as week 14. Wow, look at how much I have changed already! Yikes! Until next week... thanks for reading our baby blog!

16 weeks and surviving the heat

Over the past week we have had some record breaking highs in the Seattle area, and things are only supposed to continue heating up. This heat is making it impossible to get a good night of sleep. Scott and I have been going out to eat more often lately to escape the heat since turning on the oven or stove has been the last thing that we've wanted to do. Really, the only thing that sounds good though is ice cream and Popsicles.

I spent some time looking in the mirror yesterday, and realized that I hardly recognize my body. I can't believe how much I've changed and grown already. I felt like I went through a growth spurt this week because my belly feels much bigger, I can even see my veins on the sides of my stomach. I have felt a lot of tightening, stretching and pulling this week in my lower abdomen. This has also contributed to my difficulty in sleeping and made it just overall more difficult to get comfortable.

Here is a picture of me at 16 weeks... I feel like I've grown a ton in just 1 week!

This weekend I am really looking forward to staying home. I recently realized that out of the last 7 weekends, Scott and I have only been in town for one of them. We have had a seriously busy summer. It will be fun to tell this baby all of the places he/she has been before even entering this world.

We're about a month away from finding out the sex of our little baby Davis and have been trying to think of names. This has been so difficult, because there are so many that we like, and so many that we don't. It took us forever to name our dog Mya, and this is about a million times harder.

Boy or girl, we are so excited to meet you baby Davis!

15 weeks!

Week 15 was a good week, and we are getting more and more excited for this baby every day.

This weekend we went camping with Scott's company up at Deception Pass and it was beautiful. I love camping, but I think it is safe to say that I am all camped out as of now. We have been out of town for the last 3 weekends in a row, and every single weekend has included a bon-fire and lots of sun. Unfortunately, I am not able to enjoy the sun like I did pre-pregnancy, I think mostly due to hormones. Instead of getting a nice tan, I burn and get a headache... not fun!

I've started to feel better and better this week, less getting sick, and less headaches. However, I still seem to be exhausted all the time. I have also noticed that my brain isn't functioning very well lately. A friend at work told me that there is actually a term that people call this during pregnancy, it's called "pregnancy brain." Maybe it's because I'm always tired, or that I have so much on my mind, or maybe it's just all of the crazy hormones. Whatever it is, it's made me feel a little loopy all week.

Scott and I have made it a point lately to go on a walk almost every night. I'm hoping that this little form of exercise will keep me in somewhat of shape throughout my pregnancy. For some reason I have this fear of gaining 1 million pounds because all I seem to crave are carbs and baked goods. At this point I'm mostly in my smaller maternity pants and cramming myself into my regular work pants with the help of a Bee Band. Really, I don't feel like any of my clothes are looking good on me these days, I'm excited for my gut to turn more into a baby belly.

Here is my weekly snapshot... things are starting to grow...




We are just starting to look into child care, and finding it a bit overwhelming. There are so many decisions, and all of them seem to be so expensive. Luckily we have time to find a place, or person that will be great, it's just such a big decision.

14 weeks!

14 weeks and we have a heartbeat!

This week was a big week for Scott and I, we went in for our check up on Monday and were able to hear the heartbeat for the first time. The doctor said that it was beating at 150 beats per minute, which is very healthy for 14 weeks. She was also kind enough to inform me that I've gained 5 lbs since my last visit.

Hearing the heartbeat for the first time made this baby seem very real to me. I'm still not exactly feeling pregnant, although I have no idea what pregnancy is supposed to feel like. At this point, I really just feel like I'm a little run down and getting fat. Not that I'm complaining because I'm sure by the time I'm eight months I'll be looking at this time and laughing.

One of the big changes that I have experienced this week is an increase in appetite. I seem to be hungry and thinking of food all the time. Scott and I went out to dinner last night and as we were leaving, he so lovingly pointed out that I had polished off my entire portion and about a third of his. It's been a little over a week since I've gotten sick, and my headaches seem to be occurring less and less.

Here is a picture of me at 14 weeks... at this point it looks as though everything is starting to grow. I am excited to be out of the first trimester and moving into the second. From what I've heard, the second trimester is the best of the three!

Happy Birthday Tyler and Jackson!

Yesterday we celebrated Tyler and Jackson's 6th birthday. It is so hard for me to believe that they are getting so old and big. I remember changing their diapers and sometimes rocking them for hours while they were getting a good cry in. I love watching them grow up and develop into such little individuals with their own personalities.

It feels like the month of July has been nothing but celebrations for us. Our trip to Cannon Beach was amazing and relaxing. We ate a lot of delicious food and even treated ourselves to massages. Scott was so sweet in the planning that he even remembered that I needed someone who could do a prenatal massage for me since I am no longer supposed to be laying on my belly.

Here is picture of Scott at Haystack Rock

In a couple of weeks we'll be heading to Tri-Cities to celebrate Steve's graduation for Western. We're so proud of him entering the real world and are trying to support him during his adjustment. We've even opened our home up to him while he's taken on an internship with Boeing.

Keeping up with all of the celebrations has been a little tough for my pregnant body. It seems as though my morning sickness is still lingering around and I've been down right exhausted. I am very much looking forward to being in the second trimester when all of the pesky symptoms are supposed to fade away for a bit. We are currently just over 13 weeks and patiently waiting on our next appointment on Monday. The belly is definitely growing, but still looking more like a beer gut than anything. I am definitely in that "is she fat or pregnant" stage, and can't wait to be out of it. Luckily when I am, I have some stylish maternity clothes that have been loaned to me from my Aunt Catie.

Well that is about it for now, I'll be sure to update after our next appointment.

12 weeks and counting

Today marks 12 weeks and 1 day, next week will be heading into our second Trimester. This weekend we are also celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary in Cannon Beach. We've been so busy lately, that a nice weekend of delicious food and relaxation is just what we need.

For the most part, I've been feeling pretty good besides the occasional jog to the bathroom due to morning sickness. It was a sad moment this week to find out that the Taco Bell burritos that I crave so much were not going to sit well. Of course this realization came during an interview at work.

This week I bought my first pair of maternity jeans since almost none of my others are really fitting anymore. I've been trying to be creative and make them fit for a while with safety pins and rubber bands for the last couple of weeks, but I finally caved since I found some on sale. Even though my baby bump is still rather small (and looks a little more like a beer belly than a baby) I'm excited for how comfy and stretchy they are.

We have officially started to tell more and more family and friends about our exciting news and feel so blessed to have such great support. The next step will be to announce the news to work, but that will have to wait until after out next doctor's appointment. We're scheduled for our next check up on July 13 and are very excited to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time.

Well, that's about it for now. Scott is making tacos right now, and they smell so good that it's hard to concentrate on typing. I'm still trying to figure out how to post pictures, so if you have any ideas, please feel free to let me know. Thank you for checking us out.

The first 11 weeks

These last 11 weeks have been full of ups and downs. On May 2nd, two pregnancy tests confirmed that we are indeed expecting a little one. Being new at this, we assumed the next step would be to contact my normal doctor and confirm the pregnancy. The doctor confirmed that we were pregnant, and based on dates should be about 4 weeks. She scheduled us for an ultrasound because she had some initial concern about the symptoms that I had been experiencing.
At our ultrasound, we were expecting to see about a 5 1/2 week old baby, but found what would be normal development for 4 weeks. This was very upsetting, the technician told us that we would most likely miscarry since the baby wasn't developing. With this news, and the way it was delivered to us, we decided to switch doctors.
We were referred to Michelle Delorit with Evergreen Hospital. Dr. Delorit explained to us, that we may just be off on our dates, and that she would like to do at least 2 ultrasounds before determining the viability of the pregnancy. On May 21, we were able to see the heartbeat for the first time and on May 28th, we were able to see it even stronger. Dr. Delorit confirmed that we were only off on our dates, and that we had no need to worry because everything looked healthy just as expected.
Our next checkup wasn't until June 17th (which would put me at just over 10 weeks with the adjusted dates) showed a very healthy baby, developing right on track. Both Scott and I feel so blessed and couldn't be happier with this confirmation. Finally with this news, we felt the confidence to begin to tell people and start enjoying the experience rather that worrying about it.
So here we are at week 11 and feeling great. Most of my morning sickness was experienced between weeks 6 and 9, and seems to have faded away a little. I am still extremely tired at all time and battling occasional headaches. My baby bump, is slowly starting to make it's appearance, making it harder each day to squeeze into my normal pants. I'll be sure to post some pictures and keep everyone to date along our journey.

Thank you for checking out our blog and sharing in our excitement.