11Weeks!!!

How Far Along:  11 weeks!

Total Weight Gain: +1 pound- finally gaining!

Maternity Clothes: YES!!!! and they are wonderful!!!! (thanks mom!)

Stretch Marks:  Nope

Sleep: All the time!

Best Moment This Week: HEARING OUR BABY'S HEART BEAT!!!!  Maternity Clothes Shopping, party in park, and my birthday!

Miss Anything:  Ordering our OSU Season Tickets :( dont worry- we will be back next year!

Movement: not yet

Food Cravings:  Sonic Route 44 Ice Water :)

Anything make you quesy or sick: Smells and brushing my teeth still

Gender Predicition- Girl

Labor Signs: none

Symptoms: Very heightened sense of smell,  extreme tiredness, burping, stretching of my uterus!

Belly Button in or out: In

Wedding ring on or off:  On

Happy or Moody: Exhausted

Looking Forward to:  Getting my energy back! And our next ultrasound!

Nursery Progress: Hopefully soon!

The baby is now the size of a lime!  We've come a long way from a sweet pea- it is now 1.6 inches long and weighs .25 ounces-  its moving around and its hands are busy exploring its face and mouth .The fingers and toes are no longer webbed and the tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds are forming.

Man this was a fun and eventful week!!!

We went in for our monthly doctors visit this week and we finally got to hear our baby's heartbeat! It was such an amazing moment- words cannot describe.  Our baby has a high heartbeat- 169bpm... the old wives tale says a high heart rate means a girl- I know these are just myths...but its still fun to think of them!  I was so glad Brian was there for this moment.  Its amazing to think that we have gone from a 10% chance of our baby surviving to now a 90%!!!

I need to take a minute and brag on my husband. He is always there for me- spiritually, emotionally, physically- always. We are each others best friends and always put each other first.  There isn't a time in our entire relationship that he hasn't been there for me.  We always sit by each other, we eat with and by each other, we hold hands, we pray over each other, we go to events together- we make memories and live life together.  And this pregnancy is no different- he has been by my side every step of the way.  He was there when I took the first test and we saw the positive sign together, he was there to hear the doctor tell us congratulations for the first time, we spread the news to everyone together, he was there to hold my hand and calm me down during all the scary doctors appts and all the lab work,  he lays in bed with me when I feel miserable and rubs my arm to make me feel better, he was there to see our baby in the first ultrasound, to hear the heartbeat for the first time- everything we have done together.  I haven't had to do one step of this pregnancy alone. Sometimes I start to think this is normal- but I know its not- I am so blessed to have a husband so involved and loving- I thank God for blessing me with a man so much better than I deserve!

"For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church.  He gave up his life for her.... husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies.  For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself"  -Ephesians  5:25-28

Thank you Brian for loving me with the love of Christ!

I also found out I can actually eat hot dogs (I thought I couldn't!)   So to celebrate the heart beat we went to Sonic and got a chili cheese coney- yum yum! And just our luck- it was a buy one get one free :)  Its the little things like this that can put the biggest smile on your face!

Also this week my mom took me maternity clothes shopping!  It was sooo fun!  I really needed clothes, I've definitly outgrown my regular clothes.  I tried to use the bella band, but I was not a fan- it was not comfortable to me at all.  So shopping we went!  I got 2 new bras (that is what I needed the most)- I walked in wearing an A- and after being properly measured and fitted, I walked out wearing a D!!! ahhhh- i cant believe I'm actually that big! And the lady said I'm still growing! Crazy!  I also got some maternity jeans, capris, skirt, dress, and some tank tops! It was a great start and was so fun to do that with my mom and husband!

Sunday we had a birthday party in the park with my family and part of Brians family and our Konnect family. That group of girls and their moms are so special to both of us, it was nice to have them there to celebrate with our families!   My mom got me a cupcake cake- I have never seen anything like it!  It looked like a cake on the top, but it was all little cupcakes on the bottom!  It was a great day all around!

My cupcake cake!

Us and my mom- who we affectionately call Millie

Us & Brian's Mom Debbie

The whole gang!

Tuesday was my birthday- we couldn't do a lot because I am still feeling miserable and sleeping by 7pm- but my husband took me out on a date and made the day so special for me.  He surprised me with the diaper bag that I fell in LOVE with! Its so perfect :)

Tuesday was also my last night of taking Prometrium! YAYAY!!!! We are both so excited for me to be off of it.  We are so thankful for that medicine, it kept our baby going (Well the medicine did, but God really worked a miracle), but the side effects are miserable.  It's hard to explain how it makes you feel to someone who has never been on it- I am just so thankful my husband was so understanding and so sweet to me during this whole time.  I'm hoping I can now stay up past 7 and I have energy!  However, as excited as we are for me to be off- it does bring some worry.  I trust my doctors and I know they wouldn't steer me wrong, but my mind is full of questions-  Is it really okay to stop taking it right now?  How do I know my placenta has taken over?  What if it hasn't?  Will our baby be okay without it?  It is a very scary for me, but this whole journey has been all about blindly trusting and walking in faith.  Our God is a good God and I have to place my trust in him.  There is no other person I would rather be on this journey with than my amazing husband Brian.

10 Weeks!!

How Far Along:  10 weeks

Total Weight Gain:  I gained back 3 pounds, so now I'm only down 5 pounds total!

Maternity Clothes:  My belly has officially outgrown my jeans, so I'm now wearing Bella Bands :)

Stretch Marks:  Nope

Sleep:  Lots of it!

Best Moment This Week:  We stayed at my moms house all weekend- it was so much fun! And we went to a baby expo as a family- what a great weekend it was!

Miss Anything:   Being active- still not medically released

Movement: not yet

Food Cravings: Puffy Cheetos! Cant get enough of em!

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Water :(,  Driving in cars, brushing my teeth

Gender Predicition- Girl

Labor Signs: none

Symptoms:  Dizziness, cramping, heightened sense of smell

Belly Button in or out: In

Wedding ring on or off:  On

Happy or Moody:  Happy

Looking Forward to:   Getting off Prometrium- 1 more week to go!!!!

Nursery Progress: We have picked out the crib! Just need to decide the color now!

The baby is now the size of a prune! Its vital organs are now fully developed and starting to function! Plus, the baby is swallowing and kicking!

We had some severe weather hit this week- they predicted awful tornados and hail- so we packed up our dog and luggage and loaded everything up in the pickup and headed to my moms for the weekend. That way Brians truck would be in a garage instead of outside, and we could all be together as a family if bad weather really did hit! It was so much fun- since my mom lives in town, we don't really ever get to "visit" her- its more of stopping by for a few minutes for something or seeing her out and about- but we got to stay all weekend long and really visit with her.  We went garage sale-ing (we thought we would find baby stuff, but we quickly learned its much easier to do after you know the sex- but we did end up with 2 nice hoodies and 2 pregnancy books all for $2!!!!),  we went house looking (that was just spur of the moment, but so fun!), and we went to a baby and toddler expo!  We rested a lot and watched movies together- it was a great weekend!

The 24/7 nausea has gotten better, however it was replaced by actual throwing up now :( I don't know which I dislike more!  I'm still struggling with brushing my teeth- I took advice from friends and use very little toothpaste, spit constantly, and hum while I brush- If I can brush that morning, I have about 20 seconds max to get it done.  Ugh.  But good news is, flossing and mouthwash don't bother me at all, so at least I can still do that!  I'm still extremely tired all the time, like tired beyond what words can describe.  I only have 1 more week of the Prometrium (hallelujah!) and then as my doctor says I will finally feel like a normal pregnant woman!  

I think my belly outgrew my jeans in 1 day- sounds crazy, but true.  I went to work that morning with my jeans fitting fine, and by lunch they could no longer be zipped up- so this week brought out the Bella Band!!! Every day is so exciting- some days scary- but every day exciting.  I love this journey we are on and can't wait to meet our little one in November!!

9 Weeks!!!

How Far Along:  9 weeks

Total Weight Gain:  down 8 pounds :( not good

Maternity Clothes:  Not clothes- but went up 2 bra sizes!!! (That might be TMI, but hey its part of pregnancy!)

Stretch Marks:  Nope

Sleep:  Still have crazy dreams- I'm ready for a nap everyday about 1pm- I can barely keep my eyes open.  I go to sleep by about 8 or 9 every night and sleep so hard!

Best Moment This Week:  Getting to see our baby's heartbeat

Miss Anything:  Hot dogs and pepsi :)  

Movement: not yet

Food Cravings:  Chinese

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Still can't brush my teeth without throwing up and car rides

Gender Predicition- Girl

Labor Signs: none

Symptoms:  The usual-  tiredness, nausea, sore boobs

Belly Button in or out: In

Wedding ring on or off:  On

Happy or Moody:  Tired! (but always happy and so blessed to be pregnant)

Looking Forward to:   Getting into the 2nd trimester!!!!

Nursery Progress: I keep thinking I'm going to start working on it, but then I just lay down and rest :)

At 9 weeks our baby is now officially a  fetus!  It is the size of a green olive.  The iris of the baby's eyes now function, but the eyes will be fused shut for awhile.  The kidney is now functioning and the baby is developing a sense of balance.

This week was a bit scary for us- we had to have an unscheduled visit to the OBGYN for more complications.  I am on some new medicine  and hope that it works!  They think we caught everything early enough that it should be okay, but I still worry.  I still have no appetite.  I have to force myself to eat so that I get enough calories in during the day.  I'm so ready to get into that magical second trimester!  

While we were at the doctors office they tried to hear the baby's heartbeat through the Doppler, but it couldn't pick it up yet.  Just to be safe they went ahead and did an ultrasound, and we were able to see our little baby and see the heartbeat. That is the good news!

8Weeks!!!

How Far Along:  8 weeks

Total Weight Gain: -5 pounds...not sure why?!?!

Maternity Clothes:  Nope- I have a bella band ready and waiting....

Stretch Marks:  Nope

Sleep:  Good, but having weird and crazy dreams!

Best Moment This Week:  Finding a daycare!

Miss Anything:  Being able to workout with my husband

Movement: not yet

Food Cravings:  none this week- just chowing down on fiber bars and gingersnap cookies

Anything make you quesy or sick:  Brushing my teeth! Uck!

Gender Predicition- still going with girl

Labor Signs: none

Symptoms:  Get worn out really easy, nausea-  riding in cars is the worst!  Ive tracked down my peak times of feeling sick- 730am-10am, 130pm- 4pm and 7pm to 10pm-- yep basically all day

Belly Button in or out: In

Wedding ring on or off:  ON!!!! Im finally wearing my wedding ring after 2 long long months!

Happy or Moody:  Happy- excited!  

Looking Forward to:  Hopefully getting the medical release to do physical activity!

Nursery Progress: Still just trying to come up with a game plan on where things can go

The baby is now the size of a raspberry, taste buds are forming, fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed and the tail is gone! Its crazy to think about all that going on inside me!

The pregnancy is definitely getting better and easier- but its still tough.  The medicine is still really rough on me, but hopefully I won't be on it much longer!  I have to rest a lot, but I think thats pretty normal. I just never imagined so many problems would have already happened by week 8- it seems like just when we fix one problem, another one arises out of nowhere- but we just keep praying and resting and trusting in God to take care of me and the baby.  

We did our daycare search this week- it was amazing the difference in places we saw!  It was an absolute no brainer to choose Primrose Academy- we wanted a place we felt safe leaving our baby and a place where there was actual education and not just wasting time.  They had the friendliest staff, they have educational curriculum all the way from infant up- that includes sign language, technology, spanish, arts, math, and science- and they are constantly doing assessments on the children to make sure they are growing socially and mentally at the rate they should.  They have their own private kindergarden and the kids have uniforms once they reach the age of 3 (and they are very cute!).  The level of education seemed outstanding! They also have an actual safe room for the kids to go to in case of a tornado- and hurricane covers on the windows!  It has the best hours- they are open the earliest and close the latest- and they give you grace if you are late due to an emergency or wreck.  I'm so thankful we agreed on the same place and that we both felt so strongly it was the right choice. It is everything we could want for our child! The waiting list was longer than we needed- by about a month- so we will have to find a temporary arrangement for a month or so....praying on that one!