22 WEEKS

We're still waiting to hear back on Steven's interview. Mom and I did some shopping and I've started sewing again. I have two buddies on my forum for a virtual baby shower that I need to get gifts for. We're still mulling over names but haven't come up with anything we both like yet.

I don't feel like writing much since the horrible events of yesterday. My precious mister Rusty passed away very unexpectedly. I can't talk about it or even think about it. My heart is broken.

21 WEEKS! It's a ......

Monday was the big ultrasound!! The tech was very nice and although she didn't tell us much as far as the organs go, everything seemed ok. We haven't received any phone calls so I'm guessing that means our little one is healthy and whole. :) The best news was that we had confirmation that we are indeed having a little GIRL! Unfortunately they didn't give us a DVD and their policy is not to give pictures. But the tech printed us a beautiful profile shot on 5x7 photo paper. We immediately went and got a frame for it. I would scan the picture and post it here but our scanner is still in a box. It's on the list of things to do though.

I would have been overjoyed either way, boy or girl. But it's so nice to know she's a she so we can start really planning for her arrival! We haven't picked any names yet but we're talking about it. So far nothing is popping out that we both agree on.

I really was expecting to get some pictures from the 20 week scan to give to the Grandma's but unfortunately that didn't happen. :( I need to print some of the 17 week ones to give them. Steven wants to take them to a 3d/4d ultrasound when his Mom is coming out to visit in July. Should be fun!

Steven flew to Salt Lake early Wednesday morning to get my car. While he was there he had an interview and drove back on Saturday. He had a nice time visiting his Mom and driving RC trucks with Steve. I didn't really do much while he was gone because I haven't been feeling very well and my energy level is pretty low again.

On Saturday Mother and I met Michelley and Charlotte at her church for a Mother Daughter tea. We ended up leaving early and having a nice lunch at Mimi's Cafe and then Charlotte came home with us and we did some shopping. I got a card from Diane, and my favorite trouffles from Michelle. My Momma bought me a bunch of darling baby clothes. I also received a few texts which were very nice. :) When Steven got home he gave me a beautiful ring with our daughter's birth stone on it. Since she's due Sept 20th I think we have a good chance of her being born in that month. Haha! It's a beautiful ring and as soon as it's back from being sized I'll post a picture.

I'm feeling a bit ran down for no reason. I think perhaps little one is experiencing a growth spurt. She isn't kicking as much this week and I'm exhausted like I was in the first trimester. I have a lot of aches and pains but that's to be expected. I had some cramping and can feel my abdomen tightening when I walk around for more than 20 mintues. I think they are Braxton Hicks. I'll be asking the Dr. at my next appointment. My appetite is up and down and my sleeping patterns are terible. It seems all I do is sleep but never feel rested for some reason. I'm also having a lot of bad dreams so that's not helping matters.

This has felt like a big week for me. Something feels decidedly different. I'm not sure if it's becuase I'm in maternity clothes now (mostly, a few big things still fit), or because I feel so much bigger. Or because of the possibilities with Steven's interview or if it's from feeling so sluggish and sickly. The 20 week half way mark was a huge milestone and having my first Mother's Day was surreal. And now knowing that we have a daughter and feeling movement. I think it's all just more real. I've had some anxiety about being a good parent, and labor, and everything inbetween. Luckily I have a great support system and can go somewhere quiet to pray when I feel overwhelmed. Either way, God has been abundantly good to us.

Here's my 21 week picture. I'm much bigger in the evenings than when I wake up in the morning. I think next week I'll do one in the morning and evening to compare.

20 WEEKS! HALF WAY!

I officially started wearing maternity clothes on Monday of last week. We had our follow up Dr appointment on Monday also. After a three hour wait, we got the results back from the AFP test and everything was normal! YAY! So that means no detectable birth defects. She confirmed all of the information sent over from my Dr and listened for the heartbeat. Everything looks good!

I'm still having some indigestion problems but nothing that's not manageable. I had a few episodes of queasiness. I'm losing some of my energy levels again. Some days I feel very energetic and some days everything seems so much harder than it is. I think that's related to my poor sleeping habits at the moment. I'm still feeling lots of movement and it's started to develop a pattern that I'm noticing. Babe doesn't like me to lay or sit still. Especially when I'm laying in bed trying to sleep babe will start kicking me really hard. I can feel it from the outside now.

I'm really enjoying spending time with my Momma. I've seen Michelle and Charlotte a few times also. Steven is spending lots of time with his Dad and a few of his friends. They're very into the RC truck racing so it's nice that he has an outlet to take his mind off of things.

I have sevearal sewing projects I've started for little one. I'll post them as soon as I'm done. I also ordered my first cloth diapers! I used the coupon for buy one get one free from Bum Geneous. They're all in one diapers and I got the small size, so it will probably be a bit too big for newborn. I plan to order a bunch of prefolds and covers to use for most of the newborn to 4 or 5 month age. We'll see how it goes.

Looking forward to the anatomy scan on Monday!!!

19 WEEKS!

We're almost half way! This week Steven felt the baby move for the first time! Tuesday night I was sitting and my computer and the baby was hitting me really hard so I grabbed his hand and he felt it! Little one has been active very consistantly through the day and night. The belly band technique isn't working very well on my clothes anymore so I think it will be time to officaly bust out the maternity clothes next week.

I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping. I think I may need to start taking my vitamins earlier in the day. I have awful heartburn and reflux most of the night so I have to sleep sitting up. I'm not very good at that so I usually have to take Rolaids and drink some water in the middle of the night. I'm also hungry almost constantly. I have to eat right before bed and I'll still wake up starving in the night.

For some reason I kept thinking that Saturday was Sunday so this picture is from Saturday. :)

18 WEEKS!

This week was very exciting for me! I found a nice place that did 2D ultrasound with gender determination for only $25! So when Tuesday came around I was super nervous and jumping out of my skin with excitement! The ultrasound tech was very nice and spent a lot more time with us and the little one than the 10 mintues we paid for. The babe wasn't very cooperative for getting a good "potty shot" but had more than enough fun contorting into strange shapes and showing off for the camera. It was absolutely amazing to see how much babe had grown and all of the fun things going on in there. And now that I can feel movement it all seems so much more real. We don't have super conclusive results on gender but the tech felt strongly about which one she thought it was. We want to keep it to ourselves at this time but will be announcing gender shortly after our anatomy scan on May 3rd. Here are a few of my favorite pictures. :)








And me at 18w1d.

17 WEEKS!

We arrived in CA on Monday around 5pm. A lot of people showed up to help us unload which was so nice after such a long drive. The dogs were more than happy to be done with the car. LoL. It was difficult finding a place for everything so we just filled up all of the empty rooms, including the living room. My poor mother... I've spent most of the week going through boxes and finding a place for what I can and the rest will go in storage. Dare isn't eating much and I'm kind of worried about her, but I'm sure it's a big adjustment for puppies as much as it is for me.

On Saturday Dad had a BBQ at the house for a belated Easter get-together. Not everyone could make it but it was wonderful seeing most of my family again. I can't believe how excited everyone is for the baby and for us to be back! Steven got to spend some time with his Dad this week also.

In pregnancy news some exciting things happened! I have an appointment on the 19th to see a midwife pratice and next Monday Michelle set up and appointment at a clinic to apply for Medical and see their Doctor. I'm hoping I'll at least be able to get an Anatomy Scan without having to pay a ton out of pocket. But the best news of all is that I started feeling movement!! I thought I felt a few things while laying on my stomach on Friday but Saturday there was no mistaking it. My jeans are very tight in the belly now and as I was sitting at the table, eating and talking with my aunties and cousins I felt distinct movements. It lasted a long time and went off and on all night. I've felt a little bit every day and it's so exciting! I think I'm hitting a growth spurt also (or rather, baby is) becuase my tummy seems bigger every morning. It could just be in my mind though. LoL, wishful thinking.

Steven took me to buy a few more maternity pieces to add to my wardrobe. I'm a litle too small for them yet but soon I'm sure they'll fit.

Here is me starting my 17th week with a dirty mirror. :)

16 WEEKS!

This week has been full of packing and arranging and quick decisions. My Momma flew out on Thursday and we had planned to load the truck on Friday and drive all day Saturday but Steven got called in for an interview. The job looked very promising and he really felt he had it, but they failed to call back on Friday (typical Utah) so we had to go ahead and leave. We loaded the truck all day Saturday and left Sunday at 12:30. We had planned to drive the whole way but Steven was very uncomfortable in the moving truck so we stopped for the night in Mesquite.

I had an EAGeR appointment on Thursday. They collected the usual samples and took my weight (only a pound gain!). I'll be continuing the study over the phone.

Pregnancy wise I've had a lot of headaches and pains this week. My lower back is especially painful but I have also been moving tons of stuff and doing a lot of work. Driving for long periods of time is pretty uncomofortable.

This pic is from 16 weeks 2 days (Tues).