23 WEEKS

Best Moment: Laying on the couch every night feeling you move all around is seriously the best.  When you move early in the morning it just isn't quite as precious :)

Baby News: It is dance time! Apparently you can feel me dance, and let me tell you, I have some sweet moves :) Your ears and lungs are really developing so you are ready for life outside the womb.  We are getting ready to kick off a major growth spurt in the next few weeks, but I feel like you may have gotten a jump start on that!

Symptoms: So tired from traveling! I swear it is taking me longer to recover than the length of our actual trip.  I am also feeling some crampiness (is that a word?) and fullness which I felt the last time there was a major growth spurt going on.  And I am beginning to realize my stuffy nose is here to stay....darn.  

Weight: I think I gained another pound or two, but it is so hard to tell on our scale at home.

Movement: More people have been able to feel you move and I even saw it from the outside this week.  Sometimes in the morning I wake up in a slight panic because I can't remember feeling you move, but then I remember it is because I have been sleeping....maybe I should add anxiety to symptoms???

Sleep: I do love that body pillow.  However, sleeping on my side is so uncomfortable for my neck.  Luckily the hubby has given me nightly neck massages, thank you baby!

Cravings/aversions/eating: Still loving the dessert.  Besides mexican food, I have been pretty much vegetarian this pregnancy.  I try and force meat down, but carbs just sound soooo much better.

Workouts: I am starting to think my walks with the puppy don't really count since she stops every two feet to smell something....I am thinking about ordering a prenatal yoga dvd to help with my muscle aches.

Clothes: Lots of dresses, leggings and stretchy shirts.

Other News: Not too much going on this week....My mom and I did go to a baby shower this weekend and it was fun to get ideas for my shower! Yes, I am totally helping plan it because otherwise I might not make it through this never-ending summer :)

22 WEEKS

22 weeks and 3 days in Wisconsin

Best Moment: This week we were able to hear your heartbeat, feel you move lots and take you on your first plane ride! Lots of fun memories :)

Baby News: You are starting to look like a mini newborn! You have lips, eyelids, eyebrows and you are even forming tiny tooth buds under your gums.  You are so close to being the length of a ruler and weighing one pound!

Symptoms: Mostly just uncomfortable during our traveling.  Lots of time driving, flying and sleeping in different beds has pretty much wiped me out.  

Weight: Yay! I finally gained some actual weight! At the doctor's on Wednesday I was almost 117lbs.  which means I have gained about 9-10lbs. total and about 4lbs. just in the last week.  

Movement: You have been moving so much! I am still not sure if I can tell the difference between hiccups, kicks, punches, rolling etc. You don't like seatbelts on my belly so any time we were in the car or on the plane you were moving away.  Patient family members have also been able to feel you :) 

Sleep: Finally bought a body pillow, but I haven't had a chance to use it really since we left for our trip the next day.  On the trip, the hubby and I had twin beds in our room and I could not get comfortable! I apparently am taking up more space than that in our bed at home, sorry hubby!

Cravings/aversions/eating: Oh dessert, I can't get enough of you.  I finally got the chocolate malt I have been craving!  Luckily, I also have been wanting lots and lots of fruit.  

Workouts: Just traveling this week :)

Clothes: Lots of dresses, leggings and stretchy shirts.

Other News: This weekend we went to Wisconsin for the hubby's cousin's wedding.  It was so fun seeing all of his family and getting lots of belly rubs.  It is really funny to me that strangers don't comment on my belly at all.  I think I look obviously pregnant, but apparently I don't! My theory is people are either a.) afraid to ask in case they are wrong and/or b.) they think I am a teen mom! I have always looked really young and I have really felt a lot of weird looks this weekend as we traveled all over.  

We saw a baby deer, baby ducks and baby geese (not pictured).  And of course huge bears!

I could live in Wisconsin....well minus the snow and bugs :)

20/21 WEEKS

As of today, I am officially 21 weeks pregnant.  My posts have been so off because of school and this week has been um, not my favorite, so I thought it was a good time to combine.

20 weeks and 6 days

Best Moment: Well baby girl it has been a rough week, but we are trying so hard to focus on the good.  Your daddy finally got to feel you move (so did your grandma!) and we got to watch you for probably a combined 2+ hours in ultrasounds this week.  You were a total stinker at some parts, only showing your bottom and covering your head with your hands, but we loved every second.

Baby News: You are weighing in at about 12 ounces according to the doc and your bone marrow is developing enough to contribute to blood cell formation.  Your digestive system is able to absorb water and small amounts of sugar (or large thanks to your mom!).  You are also growing eyebrows, fingernails and eyelashes.  

Symptoms: I'm not really sure I can blame my emotions all on pregnancy hormones this week, but let's just say I am thankful the husband hasn't had me committed yet. 

Weight: Still only five pounds.  Actually at the doctor's on Tuesday, I was even down a few ounces, but I was so nervous/stressed/anxious I wasn't really eating.  I am working hard to get that number up, but my mom only gained 19 lbs total with me so it isn't exactly in the genes....

Movement: Thank goodness for your movements.  They make me feel so much better! You were so wiggly at our 20 week ultrasound that it took an hour to get all the shots.  Your daddy also felt you kick for the first time! And since it was less than five seconds before Trumbo's homerun, he is now certain you are an Angel's fan :) 

Sleep: Still using the pillow between the leg trick, but looking for other options.

Cravings/aversions/eating: Still lots of mexican food and frozen yogurt.  I also made a lot of smoothies this week.

Workouts: Trying to stick to daily walks with the puppy and I have been looking everywhere for a pregnancy yoga dvd.

Clothes: Oh summer! Pretty much just comfy pjs and dresses when I have to :)

Other News: Like I have said before, this was a rough week.  Last Friday we had our 20 week ultrasound.  Like all my other prenatal screenings, they told us no news was good news.  This time though, we got news.  On Monday, they called and said the umbilical cord was showing only two vessels instead of three.  At the end of the day, that is really no big deal.  There is still a way for nutrients to get in and waste to get out.  The problem is that since the umbilical cord develops at the same time as um the heart! and kidneys, there is a higher chance for birth defects in two vessel cord pregnancies.  So they wanted to bring us back in on Tuesday to meet with a genetics counselor and see a specialist.  The next 24 hours were the worst, like ever.  The nurse who called was so sweet and she kept telling me not to panic since everything else had come back completely normal, but panic we did.  Tuesday we drove back to the hospital and met with the genetics counselor.  He was reassuring at moments and scaring us stiff at others.  We decided to decline the amnio unless we saw other "markers" on the ultrasound with the specialist.  I was such a wreck, they had to take my blood pressure three different times! We had another full ultrasound and a fetal echo of the heart.  Praise Jesus everything was developing normal, there were no other markers and she is growing right on track.  The doctor was awesome and very optimistic.  We will be seeing her every four weeks to check up on our baby girl along with our regular appointments.  We are just continuing to pray for healthy development of the heart and kindeys and growth that stays on track.  We are so thankful for an awesome support system that got us through this last week! 

Laughter is the BEST Medicine

We have had a rough week over here.  Lots of fears and tears and doctor's appointments.  I will go in to more detail on my weekly baby update tomorrow, but I felt like I could use the First Year Link-Up this week since it is all about laughing!

One of my favorite things in the world is laughing with my husband.  He cracks me up all the time and he can even put a smile on my face when tears are rolling down my cheeks.  Our first year of marriage had quite a few memorable moments...here are a few of my favorite:

-On our actual wedding day we completely forgot to sign the marriage license.  Our pastor had already left and we were in full party mode when we remembered.  In the heat of the moment, the hubby accidentally signed in the wrong spot (apparently we didn't even need to sign anywhere because we had already done that....).  Anyways, he was so worried about it our whole honeymoon and I kept blowing him off, telling him it was no big deal and it probably happens all the time.  Well when we returned from the honeymoon, we found out it is a big deal and it doesn't happen all the time....We had to drive about an hour to meet with the one clerk who could handle it.  After a new license was issued (more money was paid!), it really was no big deal, but I do love that story.  Especially because everyone tells you that all that matters on your wedding day is you get married, and that is the ONE thing we had issues with :)

-For the first few months of our marriage, every time I used the oven the smoke detector would go off.  It was sooooo frustrating! I remember sitting on our front porch crying because our chicken still had another hour to cook and the smoke detector just kept beeping.  We were all fired up saying we weren't going to pay rent until it was fixed and we called and called the maintenance department.  They finally came the next day (when we weren't home thank goodness!).  They left a note lecturing us on storing pots and pans in the broiler under our oven.  We had thought it was a drawer and had a bunch of brand new pans in it.  They were pretty much ruined and so was our pride :)



-We are both very competitive and even had the chance to be on the Newlywed Game our first year of marriage.  We thought we would do so well and we practiced for weeks! Well I think we we practiced a little too much because we didn't win....we actually only got ONE question right on the whole episode!

-And of course this little video from our first anniversary.....