18 weeks, 4 days!

Today I am 18 weeks and 4 days pregnant!  I still feel great physically.  I love seeing my belly getting bigger as the weeks go on.  I feel little baby move each day, throughout the day and I love it!  In fact, today I had a doctor's appointment.  I always say a little prayer before the doctor comes in, "Please God, let me hear a strong heartbeat."  Today I said that prayer and as soon as I did, I felt a little kick!  I told little baby thank you for that and I totally relaxed.  I love this baby more than I could have ever imagined  and I just want it to grow strong and healthy inside of me and to be born strong and healthy in January.  I'm learning to trust my body more and more as the weeks go on.  My body has failed me so many times before, I just can't believe it actually helped make a baby!  Each time I hear the baby's heartbeat, I am so shocked and so thankful.  Each time I see our baby on the ultrasound, I'm so surprised my body is growing an actual baby!  Now to feel it kick is just so amazing.  Pretty soon we will find out if our baby is a boy or a girl.  I cannot wait for that day.

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 18 weeks, 4 days

Size of baby: 5 1/2 inches long crown to rump, 7 oz, about the size of a bell pepper.

Weight gain: Ummm...the nurse said I've gained 15 pounds!  For real???? 

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I definitely have to wear maternity pants and I have been wearing maternity shirts, but I can also wear some non-maternity shirts, too.

Gender: Don't know yet. I'm guessing boy, though.

Movement: YES! The movements are more constant.  Yesterday I put my hand on my stomach and I could feel a kick through my stomach.  That's the first time I felt something on the outside! 

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: Chris also says I have started snoring loudly at night...ha!
Cravings: FOOD period! I am loving food these days!

What I miss: Not a thing!

Best moment this week:  Hearing the heartbeat today!  We also ordered the nursery furniture thanks to Cliff and Edie!!!  It's on backorder until November, so I won't get to see it for a while :(

What I am looking forward to: Finding out if it's a boy or girl!
How's that scar looking?  I have to add this because I've noticed my scar on my stomach has been changing. Before I got pregnant, some parts of it were flat, but for the most part, it was raised up.  Now it's all totally flat.  It's going to be interesting to see how it looks by the end.  I'm guessing it ain't gonna be pretty.  I'm not stressing over it, though.  Honestly, I couldn't care less about it.  I would never wear a bikini anyway, Chris doesn't care about it, and it will be yet another reminder of how lucky I am.  At some point I will take a picture of the front of my stomach...yikes!

  

17 weeks, 6 days!

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 17 weeks, 6 days

Size of baby: 5 inches long, 5 oz, about the size of a turnip.

Weight gain: Honestly, I have no idea, but I do know I've never weighed this much before.  I think I've gained about 10 pounds so far...and I'm loving it! 

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I definitely have to wear maternity pants and I have been wearing maternity shirts, but I can also wear some non-maternity shirts, too.

Gender: Don't know yet. I'm guessing boy, though.

Movement: YES!  I know I have been feeling little thumps.  Actually, they feel more like twitches to me.  But last night I was sitting at the kitchen table and I actually felt the baby roll over or flip or something!  It was so crazy because it was so strong! 

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: My feet have been really sore lately. I'm sure it's from being on them the past 2 weeks working on my room at home. Still have some swelling in my feet and hands.  Chris also says I have started snoring loudly at night...ha! 
Cravings: FOOD period! I am loving food these days!

What I miss: Not a thing!

Best moment this week: Feeling the baby roll over!
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if it's a boy or girl and much stronger kicks!!

This is a picture I took in my classroom with the self timer on my camera.  I was so hoping no one would come in my room...ha!  Don't you love my school t-shirt?  I don't know what's wrong with the flash on my camera but sometimes it goes off and sometimes it doesn't and sometimes it just doesn't make the picture look good.  The first picture at the top bugs me so much because the flash did go off, but it made the picture a weird color.  The second picture is with the flash and it looks fine.  Anyway, we are going to get a new camera soon and keep this one for emergencies.  I just thought I would try taking a picture in my classroom to see what it looked like.  I also don't like it when Chris takes my picture because he is so tall, it makes me look funny.  Oh well!  At least you can see the baby bump :) 



16 weeks, 6 days!

So, I am a little late getting in my 16 week picture.  We started back to school this week and today was the only day I actually looked decent!  This morning was "Meet the Teacher" so it was fun seeing my new kids as well as past students.  It was also fun showing off my bump :)  My friend, Lindsay took my pic in her classroom.  I didn't do a bare belly pic this time, but I'll do one next week.  It's so weird to look back at the pictures I've taken and see my belly getting bigger.  That should be enough to tell me baby is growing, but I get so scared sometimes.  I called my doctor on Monday and asked if I could come hear the heartbeat.  He was so nice and understanding.  I'm trying to convince Chris to let me get a fetal doppler so that I can listen to the heartbeat whenever I feel anxious, but he's not going for it right now.  Why can't I just relax?????  So, here's the update:  

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 16 weeks, 6 days

Size of baby: 4 1/2 inches long, 3 1/2 oz (some websites say 5 oz), about the size of an avocado

Weight gain: ????
Maternity Clothes: Yes! I definitely have to wear maternity pants and I have been wearing maternity shirts, but I can also wear some non-maternity shirts, too.

Gender: Don't know yet. I'm guessing boy, though.

Movement: Maybe???  Not sure....probably not.  I did think I felt a little thump, but I don't know if it was just my imagination or wishful thinking.

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: My feet have been really sore lately.  I'm sure it's from being on them the past 2 weeks working on my room at home.  Still have some swelling in my feet and hands.
Cravings: FOOD period!  I am loving food these days! 

What I miss: Not a thing!

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat again :)
What I am looking forward to: Finding out if it's a boy or girl!!



Happy 4th Birthday Nathan!!!!

We got to celebrate Nathan's 4th birthday this weekend.  We had so much fun with him!  Nathan was full of energy this weekend!  He had his birthday party at the Frisco Fire Department.  I thought this was such a neat idea for a party!  The party was held in the back room.  After all of the kids arrived, two firemen did a presentation for the kids.  They were all such good listeners!  The firemen went over safety, put on the fire suit and then showed the kids the fire truck.  At one point one fireman was telling the kids that if there was ever an emergency you need to call 9-1-1.  He really put a lot of emphasis on what is a real emergency and what is not and went over and over calling 9-1-1 on the telephone.  Nathan raised his hand and said, "But I don't have a real phone, I just have a pretend phone."  It was soooo funny how he said it!  My mom got it on video so I hope Ash puts it on her blog.  Here are some highlights:

 Here's Nathan with his friends Jake and Suzy.

 The firemen doing their presentation.

Looking at the fire trucks.

 I thought this was neat.  These are the cubbies the firemen keep their equipment in.  Most of them had pictures of their families on the shelf above :)

This is Willow...isn't she a doll?

This is Haewon and her two boys.  She just had her second one a few months ago.  Doesn't he look all snug and sweet?  Oh, and I want that wrap :)

Group photo on the fire truck.  Do you see the fireman holding Charlotte?  So cute! 

Ready for pizza, drinks, and cake!

Nathan's Transformers cake :)

This is Alison holding Charlotte.

Then we went back to Nathan's house to open all of his presents he got from his friends.  He got a TON of cool presents!

Nathan is such a dog lover.  He adores Otis and Daisy.  Here he is rubbing Otis' paw.  Otis is in heaven!

Sweet Daisy.  She was such a good girl this trip...

except when she decided to sit on Charlotte's lap.

 Auntie Carrie and sweet baby Charlotte.

This is a shirt I got Nathan from Groopdealz.  He looked so cute!

That night my parents and Wayne's mom came over to have a birthday dinner.  Nathan then opened our gifts.  Mama and Papa gave him money and a set of Lincoln Logs.  Wayne's mom gave him money for the toy store, and Chris and I gave him a Leap Frog laptop.  He racked up this birthday!!



We had such a fun time celebrating!  Happy 4th birthday Nathan.  We love you!!!

Chris got me a new ring!!!

Isn't it beautiful?  I do wish the stones were a bit bigger, but it'll do.  Guess how much he paid for it.  Only $8.12!  That's right folks....this here ring is a gen-uine cubic zirconia purchased from the ever so fancy Claire's Boutique.  I wonder how long it'll take for the "platinum" to turn to rust.  Hmmm...  So, here's the deal.  I have not been able to wear my wedding rings for the past couple of weeks because my fingers are swollen due to the extreme Texas heat and, oh yeah, pregnancy.  I just felt so weird not having my rings on.  For one, I'm so proud to actually have those rings because of what they mean.  But also, I hate thinking that someone might see me with a slight baby bump and no wedding rings and get the wrong idea.  I know it shouldn't bother me, but it did.  So, this was my solution.  Now, I need to be on the lookout for some sort of band....I still feel a little weird just being "engaged." :) 

15 Year High School Reunion!

This past weekend, we had our 15 year high school reunion.  Ashley and I drove down to El Dorado on Friday and stayed with our friend, Adriana.  Since our parents don't live in El Dorado anymore, we had not been back in a while.  It was so fun seeing the town again.  It seemed pretty much the same and it was fun reminiscing about the good 'ole days! 

Having fun taking silly pictures on the way to El Dorado :)

We made it!  We were surprised to see the population had gone down since we left in '96.  It used to be around 25, 000.

Here's our old house.  It still looked so nice!  Ashley and I were so tempted to ring the doorbell and ask if we could look around inside.  I can picture every square inch of the inside.   

Beautiful Ashley :) 

Ashley, Adriana, and me getting ready to leave for the main event of the reunion. 

 Having fun with some of our high school friends (Adriana, Allison, Laura, Ash, Noelle and baby Collin, Me)

Noelle's baby was so sweet because he kept sucking his thumb.  I love it when babies suck their thumbs!!!  He was so much fun to hold!

Adriana, Allison, Ashley

Adriana, Allison, Carrie :)

 Group photo.  This is not everyone in our class.  Since it was a 15 year reunion, the crowd was a bit smaller, but still so much fun!!

"Remember when we went to that party and you..."  Ha!

Dancing all night long!  I did not partake, but it was fun watching everyone else!  The songs were all from our high school days.

34/15

Yesterday I turned 34 years old and 15 weeks pregnant :) We were in El Dorado, AR for our 15 year high school reunion, so it was fun being with Ashley as well as a lot of our high school friends on our birthday.  I will do a separate post on the reunion. Our friend Adriana and her mom got us a birthday cake which was such a nice surprise. Adriana's little girl is adorable and wanted to be in the picture with us :) Adriana also took us out to lunch on the square, too.

Pregnancy Highlights

This is what I wore to the main event of our reunion.  My mom got me this outfit and I love it! 



 

How Far Along: 15 weeks

Size of baby: 4 inches, 2 1/2 oz, and about the size of an orange

Weight gain: Hmmm...after this weekend....I'm sure I gained something!

Maternity Clothes: Yes! I definitely have to wear maternity pants and I have been wearing maternity shirts, but I can also wear some non-maternity shirts, too.

Gender: Don't know yet. I'm guessing boy, though.

Movement: Not yet

Sleep: I have to get up several times to go to the bathroom, but I can always go back to sleep.

Symptoms: I've noticed that my feet have started to swell at times.  I'm sure it has to do with the extreme heat we've been having, but I'm still going to ask my doctor about this.  It seems a little early to have swollen feet.  If I prop my feet up, the swelling goes down.  Little worried about when school starts! 

What I miss: Not a thing! 

Best Moment this week: Going to an event where I actually look pregnant!
What I am looking forward to: I just really can't wait to feel those first movements of the baby and to find out what we're having!