A Recap of 2009

2009 in Review:

January: President Obama was inaugurated. This also happened to be the day I woke up sick as a dog and had to stay home from work. We continued house-hunting and making offers on houses. The Chargers made it into the playoffs and kicked the Colt's behinds. Mike and I went on a whale watching cruise. We participated in San Diego Restaurant Week for the first time (The Brigantine in Del Mar). I went to a baby shower for the first of many of my friends that were expecting in 2009!

February: I baked cupcakes for a Superbowl party. One of my mystery orchids started blooming! Hubby went to visit family for a weekend, and I MISSED him lots!!! I hosted a fun party just for girls. I went through a phase of the blues. Mike and I went to dinner at Croce's downtown for Valentine's day, and went to see the movie "Coraline". We had our first offer accepted on a house, and we began escrow process #1.

March: I was really bad about updating my blog. I was very busy making plans for my new home. March was very mentally and emotionally stressful. I started doing more research on starting my own business.

April: We found out that we were NOT getting the house we had been agonizing over all month. We resumed our house-hunting. We saw Leonard Cohen in concert and he was awesome. We went to a screening for our roommate's movie, "Between the Lines". We went to a car show. My in-laws came to stay for a week, and my office moved to our new location. Mike and I thought we were going to have to move since our old roommate moved out, but we decided to get a new roommate instead.

May: I went to another baby shower for yet another friend due in 2009. We found a house we absolutely adored, but unfortunately it didn't work out. I was a featured blogger on The Foodie Blogroll's Foodie Friday. Mike and I went on a road trip up the California coast and visited Napa for the first time.

June: We continued to look at houses. We went to the Del Mar Fair a LOT. I was so busy having fun that I didn't blog at all. (*blush*) Probably TMI, but I went off The Pill. Mike and I started looking for another roommate. Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett died. Mike built me a bookbinding press. We had an offer accepted on a house and began Escrow process #2.

July: Mike and I went to Vegas to celebrate our 2nd anniversary and the 4th of July. We saw "LOVE" and watched the fireworks at the M Casino. I finally realized that I was just not into blogging about food anymore. We had a big Tiki BBQ Bash at our house by the beach. Mike and I went to see Tears for Fears in concert and it was AWESOME. I went to see Coldplay in concert and they were awesome too. Mike and I went to the Del Mar races quite a few times. I bought a big paper cutter for my bookbinding business. We got a fun new roommate. We found out that we were not getting house #2, either.

August: We began our home search yet again. I attended two more baby showers this month. I saw the Flaming Lips in concert. AWESOME! I was given a Mac laptop. I got hit on by an old bum with a skullet. Once again, I was having too much fun living to update my blog. My honey went to visit family again, and I missed him lots. (It sucks when your hubby gets several extra weeks of vacation time than you do!) I got my first real bookbinding job. I had several emotional breakdowns for some unknown reason.

September: Mike and I went to a couple of pre-season Chargers games. I discovered the reason for the emotional breakdowns - I found out I was pregnant! My Father-in-Law came to town. My Green Lady orchid bloomed! We got hardcore on our Realtor and told her we NEEDED a house ASAP. We had a big celebration for Mike's birthday. I started doing all sorts of baby research. I had an exciting new job offered to me and then quickly had the offer retracted. We had an offer accepted on a house and began Escrow process #3.

October: I had my first prenatal appointment and Mike and I got to see our baby and hear the heartbeat. I got a Google Wave invite. (What a letdown that was!) My baby began craving cheeseburgers. Mike and I went to an Oktoberfest party at our German friend's house. I had another SICK day from work (not pregnancy related). Totally miserable! I had a heart-to-heart chat with my boss. I went to yet another baby shower! Mike's aunts came to town to visit us. We didn't do anything for Halloween because: We FINALLY signed escrow papers and moved into our very own home!!!

November: We had another ultrasound and got to see our little bean with SUPER long legs. I began researching doulas and childbirth methods. We celebrated my birthday with a simple celebration at an Anaheim Ducks hockey game. The Chargers started winning and winning and winning. I won a BellyBar giveaway on Facebook. I got my very own Kitchen Aid mixer. I joined a Meetup group for north county moms and moms-to-be. Mike and I went on vacation and road-tripped through the southwest. I went to see "New Moon" with the girls. We had a Turkey dinner with good friends. I switched OB/GYNs. Mike and I bought our very first dining table and went to Costco. Mike and I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time in our new home. We decided we couldn't wait until January and paid for a 4D ultrasound and found out that we are having a GIRL!

December: I got my flu shots. I discovered BabySteals.com and started a new addiction with buying baby stuff. We had a successful housewarming party. We have awesome friends. I attended a prenatal yoga class. I started researching nursery decorating ideas. My work had an amazing Christmas party, and I got a Kindle as a gift. Mike's work had a nice holiday dinner. I baked cookies and made hand bound journals for our families. I felt my baby move for the first time. We ordered Christmas cards and due to a miscommunication, they turned out BAD (and were late) so for the first time since we've been together, we did not send out cards. We saw "Avatar" in 3D. Mike and I celebrated Christmas at home alone since it will be our last one with just the two of us. We got lots of fun gifts. We watched "Up" and the new "Harry Potter." The Chargers played on Christmas day, and we won! We spent the day after Christmas with my extended family in southern California. I made it to the halfway point of my pregnancy, and I am getting bigger and bigger.

All in all, it has been an amazing year. So much has happened, and the changes in our lives are just beginning! I am expecting 2010 to be an even more amazing year.

Things to come in 2010:
Celebrate the New Year. Have our big anatomy scan ultrasound. Watch the Chargers in the playoffs. Watch the Superbowl! Start taking childbirth classes. Register for baby stuff. Install new windows in our house. Get my home bookbinding business started for real. Have a baby shower. Decorate my little girl's nursery. Become a MOM!!! Celebrate the holidays and take a vacation as a family of 3.

I can hardly wait!

20 Weeks

We've made it to the halfway point!!! 20 more weeks (give or take a couple) to go!

Things are going great. We had a very nice Christmas - very simple and peaceful and quiet with just the two of us, since it will be many years before we have another one like that! We are both very excited to have a little munchkin crawling around next Christmas. :)


Our little girl is now about the size of a cantaloupe. (I feel like my entire belly is the size of a cantaloupe right now!) She is swallowing a lot of amniotic fluid now, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's producing meconium, which will be her first bowel movement - hopefully not until after she's born!

Mom is feeling great. My uterus is about as high as my belly button now. We'll see if I've gained any more weight next weekend when I go in for my anatomy scan ultrasound. Other than the usual, I have nothing new to report. I'm still waiting to feel kicks, and I'm starting to get a little concerned that I haven't. I really haven't felt anything since those couple of nights of movement a couple weeks ago. If I'm not feeling anything by my ultrasound next weekend, I'm definitely going to ask about it. Hopefully everything is okay! According to my weekly emails, I should be feeling her kickboxing in there by now. Maybe she's just a gentle mover. I'm really looking forward to next week so I can check in on her again!

I'm still really excited for the big ultrasound, even though we already know we are having a girl. It's going to be so much fun to spend all that time looking at every little detail. I'm sure she's already grown since my last ultrasound!

20 Weeks

19 Weeks

I'll keep it short this week, since I just posted an update the other day. I am now 19 weeks pregnant. Time sure is flying! Baby is about the size of a mango now.
Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. She is probably able to hear now, so though I'm sure she can't understand, I can start talking to her a little more often. She's definitely learning the sound of my voice!

I've been experiencing round ligament pain quite frequently lately as my uterus continues to grow. It only lasts moments, but it's not fun! It happens mostly when I sneeze, cough, laugh, or get up or roll over quickly. I feel it most often at the end of the day. Constipation has become an issue again, and has been causing some discomfort (which is why I am up blogging at 4 am - I can't sleep!) so hopefully that won't last too long. I haven't noticed any of the skin changes yet (dark spots, etc.), which is fine with me!

And, last but not least, here's your weekly belly pic!

19 Weeks

18 Week Checkup

Today I had my 18 week checkup. Everything is looking great! To my surprise and excitement, the doctor asked me if I wanted to do another ultrasound. Well, why not?!? So, we went to check in on the little bean. He asked if I wanted to find out the baby's gender, so I just said yes - I figured it would be fun to see if he came to the same conclusion! My little girl was being modest today, and had her legs crossed like a little lady, and even had her hand in front of her goods. We managed to maneuver her a bit, but from the angle we were able to see, the doc said he would guess (about 75% sure) that we were having a girl. No surprise there!

She sure is getting big - it's looking more and more crowded in there! Her legs are crossed and folded, and she doesn't have so much room to move around. I asked the doctor if it was normal that I would have felt her twice earlier this week, but nothing since. He said it can take a while longer to start feeling regular movement. I'd be happy just to feel another flutter again soon! It was good to see her moving around though.

As for me, things are looking good. I have still only gained 2 pounds, up to 139 pounds. I am pretty surprised that at 18 weeks I've only gained this much! I'm definitely not complaining though!

I asked about the birthing center, but it looks like I'll probably be delivering before the center is ready. I'm not worried though - I know that the hospital I'll be delivering at is a good one for natural birth options.

Just two more weeks until the BIG ultrasound! We'll get to spend about 45 minutes with the tech and measure everything. It'll be fun to get to see our little girl for such a long amount of time!

The road to childbirth

I realize that this can be somewhat of a controversial subject, but I would like to share, and hopefully get some feedback from my readers. I have decided to pursue a natural childbirth, and I am really interested in learning more. I have been reading and studying, but I still have so many questions.

To begin, I'm a little surprised myself that I'm so set on doing this. For most of my life, I've been the type that will take a pill for anything, just to get rid of the pain. I have no absolutely no problem with medication in most cases! However, when it comes to childbirth, I have developed really strong feelings over the years, and now that childbirth has become a reality, I am finding out what is really important to me.

I think it all began about 7 years ago, when I took a human sexuality class in college. One class session focused on reproduction and birth, and the teacher had us watch a video showing an actual birth. I'm not sure what all the movie included, but the one thing I really vividly remember was a home water birth. I remember leaving that class thinking "Wow, childbirth is something I think I actually CAN do!" I didn't think much more of it at the time since having kids was the last thing on my mind, but I guess it kind of stuck in my mind that giving birth is something a woman's body is MADE to do - it is a natural process.

Over the past couple of years, as my close friends have started having babies, I only vaguely considered what I'd want to do when it came to my turn to give birth. I just assumed that I'd want the epidural and the whole deal that came with it. Why feel pain if I don't have to, right?

Once I became pregnant, I put the whole idea of giving birth out of my head at first - it was just too scary. After the first couple of months, I started thinking about it again. I had heard of a doula, but I really had no idea what they did. I started doing research and ended up signing up for a free class where I got to meet a doula and ask her questions, and find out if it was for me. I really had no idea what to expect, so I took Mike along with me. At first he told me it was just some hippy stuff that I didn't need to worry about. We both ended up realizing there was SO much more to birth than we had ever realized. At this point, we were both of the mind that we weren't opposed to an epidural, but would like to try to go as natural as possible. (Actually, Mike just wanted me to do what I was comfortable with, as long as I was safe.) Mike did feel that I don't need a doula - he feels that he can help me on his own and doesn't need that extra assistance. If I want a woman there, he felt that I should have one of our mothers help me through labor. So yeah, we need to discuss that one further!

The doula we met with was wonderful and gave me SO much information. I discovered that the doctor I was seeing at the time, as well as the hospital where I would be giving birth, had VERY high c-section and episiotomy rates - something I knew I did NOT want. I ended up switching to a new doctor who is very supportive of natural birth. Mike asked me if this new doctor was a compromise to me hiring a doula. I just said "I don't know about that yet!" This wonderful doula has been very helpful by emailing me about birth classes, etc. and she also let me borrow several of her childbirth books.

I recently read "The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Childbirth" by Henci Goer, and I am currently reading "Birthing From Within" by Pam England. I am learning so much, and realizing that there are SO many unnecessary interventions in most hospital births. Neither Mike nor I are quite comfortable with the idea of a home birth, but we do definitely want to limit the necessity of interventions. I am hoping that my new doctor will be a big help in that area. I also found out that he is opening a birthing center in May, so I am REALLY hoping that it will be ready in time for me!!! That would be the perfect medium between a home birth and a hospital birth. Mike and I also watched "The Business of Being Born," which I found very interesting. The information was basically the same as what I have been reading, but it was very helpful to see actual births. I really think that I would like to have a water birth, but I need to find out if that is a possibility with my birthing location.

On my list still to be read are "Your Best Birth" by Ricki Lake and Abby Epstein, and "Natural Childbirth the Bradley Way" by Susan McCutcheon. I am anxious to sign up for a childbirth class, but I am still busy researching the method that I think suits me best. My current options are Hypnobirthing, The Bradley Method, and a class that combines Hypnobirthing with other relaxation methods (the instructor used to work with Pam England ("Birthing From Within"). I am leaning towards the latter class, but I want to find out a bit more about the Bradley Method before I commit. From what I've heard, the Bradley class is good, but doesn't do a very good job of detailing HOW to relax, whereas the Hypno class gives very detailed instructions. I can be a very tense person and I don't really know how to relax so I feel like I need a class that will help me figure out exactly how to do so. Hypnobirthing seems a little hippie-ish to me, but I think that it may be exactly what I need. I need to visualize and meditate and all that…I just don't know how to do so!

I feel like my stack of books is ever-growing. There is so much to learn! If any of you have any experiences with any childbirth methods, I would LOVE to hear your input. In the meantime I'll be doing research of my own, but hearing personal experiences from friends is a great help.

At this time, I think I'll be able to get Mike to come around and agree to hiring a doula. I'm going to see my doctor tomorrow, so I'll ask him his thoughts then. I have so many more questions for him this month! I am so excited to cross over into the new territory of motherhood. I already am feeling a bond with other women who have had children - I feel like I am a part of a larger group now. It's a wonderful feeling, going where so many women have gone before!

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Sometimes it just amazes me at how "crunchy" I've become when it comes to having a child. I've always been a hands-on kind of person, but I never really felt like I was "earthy." My mom cloth-diapered all my younger siblings, and I was SO grossed out by it. I swore I would never do such a thing! Cloth diapers have come a long way since then though, and now that we are on a tight budget of our own and I have become much more conscious of the environment, I plan to go the cloth diaper route with my baby. I plan to breastfeed, and I am very interested in baby-wearing. I also plan to make my own baby food. At first I think it was just to save money, but once I started researching these things, I've realized that there are multiple benefits to going natural. I am very excited to starting this new journey. Life will be busy, but it will be full and exciting!

Wondering about things to come.

I know this might sound a little weird, but I'm afraid that I won't be as excited once the baby is born. I really truly love being pregnant, and every day is a new adventure. This whole thing is so exciting to me! I am afraid that once she's born, I won't have this excitement and anticipation anymore. I know I'll have new things to be excited about once she's here, but for right now I can't even fathom what it is like to have an infant. Will every day still be exciting and new? Will I be as excited about every new thing she does as I am about each change in my body?

I'm also concerned that the second pregnancy just won't be anywhere as near as exciting as the first. Can it ever possibly be as amazing as the first time?

Now that I'm about halfway there, I'm really starting to think about life on the other side. I hope that being a mom is as good as being pregnant!

We have movement!!!

I felt something the other night, but wasn't quite certain it was the little bean. I felt it again last night though, so I'm 99% sure that I felt the first movements!

The other night, December 14th, I was lying in bed reading, with my book propped up on my belly. I noticed my book suddenly pop up from my belly totally on it's own, twice in a row. It wasn't in time with my breathing at all, so I had a feeling it might have come from within. I tried to be still and feel for it again, but nothing else.

Last night I was lying in bed again, and I started feeling some funny little flutters in my belly. All the movement I felt was close to the front, just below the belly button, and definitely didn't feel like gas bubbles. It felt like a tiny little tickle or something brushing up against me from the inside. She must have been moving quite a bit, since I felt several movements from her before we finally fell asleep. I can't wait until it happens enough for Mike to feel!

I am so excited - this is the beginning of a whole new phase of my pregnancy! From here on out we just get bigger and get to know each other more and more.

I love you, Little One! :)

18 Weeks

18 weeks and Mama is so busy that she hardly has time to blog! Between holiday events and Christmas baking, I hardly have time to sit at my computer. But, I want to be sure to give my weekly update!

Little Girl is still growing and growing. Her skin is developing its layers, and she is coated with a waxy-like substance to protect her skin as she floats in amniotic fluid. It will also help her to slip out easier when her birthday arrives! Her uterus and all her other lady parts are formed now - it's a uterus within a uterus! She is now about the size of a sweet potato, or somewhere around 6" from crown to rump. She's moving all around, but I have yet to feel her. I know my abs can't be THAT tight, so hopefully I'll be feeling her in the next week or two!
Mama is feeling pretty good. The digestive issues have returned somewhat, but nowhere near as bad as the first trimester. There are little things here and there that are just gross and annoy me, but I will spare you the details. :) Otherwise, I'm pretty much feeling like my usual self! I do have to try to get up slowly so I won't pull a muscle or get round ligament pain, but I haven't really noticed any issues with dizziness yet. I'm definitely showing now, but I still feel like I'm too small for strangers to even guess that I'm pregnant.
My maternity Chargers tee was in the wash today, so I squeezed into my regular tee. I was definitely popping out today! Speaking of the Chargers, we won our 8th straight game today - woohoo!!! Mike surprised me with an early Christmas gift today. We are going to the Chargers game vs. the Bengals next weekend! I am super excited. This will be Baby's 3rd Charger game already. I'm sure she'll be a huge fan! :)

Baby, I'm Amazed...

It's been 4 months, and it still sometimes blows my mind that I'm actually pregnant - that there is actually a little tiny person growing inside of me. I'm actually going to be a mom, and we are actually going to have a child. I look down at my growing belly and it amazes me that my body knows exactly what to do. I don't have to tell it anything, it just knows. Although my body has never been through this before, it knows how to change in the exact same way that a woman's body has always changed to carry a baby. I am so very excited, and I am in awe of the way everything works together naturally. Giving birth is such a natural thing for my body to do, and I can't wait to experience it.

I can't wait to meet you, Little One - I love you more and more each day!

17 Weeks

I am now 17 weeks pregnant! Time seems to be moving faster and faster now. At Christmas time, I will be halfway there already. I'm still waiting for some milestones, but I am definitely feeling like things are progressing.

First, about baby:
She is now about the size of an onion, at about 5" (or more!) from crown to rump. Her ears are developed now, and she is able to hear. The sounds of my womb and my voice are comforting to her. Her bones are changing from soft cartilage to bone. Fat is starting to accumulate now, so her little form is starting to fill out more. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop. She is in the middle of a growth spurt right now, and judging by my own growth, I definitely believe it!

Now, about me:
I've reached another milestone - I had to go buy maternity jeans yesterday. I went out shopping intending to buy just a shirt, but as the day progressed, I had SUCH trouble keeping my jeans up! They were too tight to button, but when I left the button undone, my butt was too big for my jeans to stay up correctly. So, I bit the bullet, and bought my first pair. The mediums are kind of big on me, but the smalls were too short, though the waist fit correctly. I figure that within a month or so, I'll be fitting in the waist of the mediums, and they'll still be long enough. I'm still in that awkward in-between phase, I guess!

I think I'm to the point now where people can probably tell that I'm pregnant. (In some shirts more so than others!) Most people probably wouldn't say anything yet, just in case, but I think it's pretty apparent. Like Mike pointed out, the belly is very hard, and it's too high to be a beer belly. So far the rest of my body seems to still be retaining it's normal shape, although my poor butt has gotten flabby. Back to the gym for me this week!!! I'm pretty sure my boobs grew some more. They aren't painful anymore, but they are still tender. I've had to start hooking my bra on the next looser notch now, so I'm assuming that means that my ribcage is starting to expand a little bit.

My belly is definitely growing - within this last week, I feel like my belly has noticeably popped out. I feel huge right now! (But I love it!) Mike keeps rubbing my belly all the time, saying "there's a baby in there!" or trying to listen to her by putting his ear on my belly. :)

17 Weeks

I am so anxious to start feeling baby move. I thought MAYBE I felt a little something the other day, but I think it was just some gas bubbles. :( Hopefully soon! I'm looking forward to having that reassurance that she is still in there doing well.

One weird thing I've noticed is that I constantly feel my heart pounding in my ears. Sometimes it's ridiculously loud! I'm guessing that it's because I have so much more blood flowing through my body right now, but it sure is strange. I think I'll mention it to my doctor. I'm still doing quite well, although I have noticed that occasionally I have a hard time getting up from sitting on the floor. My balance is still pretty good, but I can tell that it's slowly shifting! I won't be able to wear my heeled boots much longer without fear of toppling over. LOL (I'm not known for my grace to begin with...) I'm going to have to invest in some flat boots for this rainy season!

My next doctor visit is two weeks from today. I am looking forward to hearing her little heartbeat again, and very curious (but a little scared) to see how much weight I've gained!

So freaking excited!!!

I am SO excited, I kind of can't believe it. Who ever would have thought I'd be so ridiculously excited to have a little girl?!? I keep having random moments where I feel like I might start crying with joy. It's like I'm pregnant all over again. (Not that I ever stopped being pregnant, but stay with me...) When I first got my BFP, I was ecstatic. I did some browsing for baby items online, but eventually the novelty wore off. I was happy, of course, but not excited. But now that I know that this baby is a girl, I am beyond excited again. I'm sure I'd feel the same way if I was having a boy, but the fact is, just KNOWING is making me excited. I can't stop thinking about her - I am constantly looking for baby items, cute baby clothes, etc. I keep looking at her little ultrasound photo and smiling, wondering what her little face will look like.

Listening to Christmas music is also putting me in a happy frame of mind. Life is so good right now. :)

Doing the Jingle Bell Rock!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

I have had so many thoughts going through my head since yesterday morning, since finding out that we are having a little girl. At first it was a feeling of shock - realizing that we are NOT having a boy, worrying that Mike would not be happy, wondering what we will do with a little girl. Within a few moments of finding out that baby is a girl, after the initial shock wore off, I felt such emotion and my eyes welled up with tears (tears of joy, not sadness!).

In the past 24 hours, I have become more and more excited about my little girl. As much as I've been wanting a boy, for some reason I always found myself daydreaming of having a daughter. Whenever I imagined myself with a child, I always imagined myself with a little blond girl. When I was trying to think of ways to decorate the nursery, I had no clue what I would do for a boy, but I had my little girl nursery planned out from the start. Maybe subconsciously my body has been telling me that I was having a daughter first all along!

I feel like I love her even more now, just knowing that "it" is a "she." It seems so much more real now. I can start to imagine what she will look like, how she will act, and imagine all the things we will do together. I can't wait to dress her in cute little clothes, style her hair, paint her nails, and teach her how to bake, sew, and all kinds of fun girlie things. This morning I went to get my little Alice in Wonderland figurine that I had as a child since I thought it would be a cute start for decorating the nursery. I ended up finding several of my childhood possessions that I have been holding on to, in hopes that I would someday have a daughter to give them to.

We can always try for a boy next time (and Mike is planning to, as soon as I am physically ready to be pregnant again!), but for now, we will have a firstborn daughter. Just as it was meant to be. I keep imagining my parents at my age, with me as their firstborn child. (My parents are of course thrilled, since my little girl will be their first granddaughter after having 3 grandsons! My siblings are also thrilled to finally have a niece!)

I know there will be trials down the road, especially as she becomes a teenager, but we'll deal with those things when the time comes. (And honestly, I'm sure that boys come with trials of their own!) For now we will focus on taking care of an infant - and we will enjoy every moment of it!

16 Weeks - It's a girl!!!

Today I am 16 weeks pregnant, and today I found out that I am having a daughter!!! As much as Mike and I said we had no idea what the baby was, we were both totally shocked to find that we were having a little girl. We are still in somewhat of a state of shock (especially Mike), but we are very excited. Now I can start planning that Alice in Wonderland-themed nursery I was hoping for!

We couldn't wait for my big ultrasound at 21 weeks, so we went ahead and paid the $65 for a quick-look gender determination ultrasound. At first, my little girl was sleeping and didn't want to cooperate, so I went and emptied my bladder to give her more wiggle room. (I may have run and jumped up and down a few times to wake her up too...just maybe.) When I got back, she was much more cooperative and showed the ultrasound technician her little hoo-ha. The tech was able to tell right away that we were having a girl, and those three little lines made it pretty obvious. The tech also commented on how long baby's legs are - so we were right - she is going to take after me!


Aside from the genitals, our little girl is growing in many other ways. She is about to start a growth spurt over these next few weeks. Right now she is about the size of an avocado (although I think she is a little bit longer than average!)
Her toenails are now growing (little toenails that I'll be painting someday!) Her head is much more erect now, and her body is growing much faster than her head. The pattern of her scalp is beginning, but her hair isn't recognizable yet. Her ears are almost in their final position, and her eyes are more towards the center of her face, where they belong. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day. Today her heartbeat was 158 bpm.

I am feeling great - my belly is growing little by little (and after Thanksgiving dinner and leftovers, I think that not all of it is caused by baby!). I'm still fitting in my jeans, but I am getting annoyed at having to wear the belly band over my unbuttoned pants. I think my next purchase will be a pair of maternity jeans, just for comfort's sake! I haven't felt her move yet, but I am anxiously waiting to feel that first little flutter!

16 Weeks

Now, on to shopping for my little girl (after I start my Christmas shopping!). I have already decided the theme of my nursery, but I have to work out all the details and see what kind of deals I can find on furniture! We're going to have to buy most things used, so hopefully there will be some nice stuff out there! I love this nursery, and I want to do something along these lines, but with fun Alice in Wonderland decorations. :) I know that I definitely don't want pink all over the place, and Mike is okay with that too. :)

I feel like I'm finally growing up.

Yesterday, we purchased our very first dining table set. It's actually really cool - it's a retro 50's style diner set, with black vinyl chairs with white piping, and a black table top with the classic boomerang pattern. The black and chrome looks great in our kitchen, with it's black and stainless steel appliances. My new dishes are also a classic diner style (with a red stripe!) so they work well with the dining table. And my new Kitchen Aid mixer matches well too. Now I just need more red accessories to pull it all together! Mike has been against dining tables for so long - we just never really needed one, since we always ate at the coffee table in front of the TV. Now that the little one is coming along though, we both agreed that we are going to need a table.

I can't find a picture that shows our particular table since it was custom-made, but it's similar to this one, with a black table top. Once we get the house decorated, I'll post some actual pictures of our kitchen. :)

Also, the other day, we made our first Costco run. I got the gift of a membership for my birthday, so we decided to go check it out. We've avoided the mass obsession with Costco for the past several years, but now that we own a home and are expecting a baby, we figured we'd give it a try. Plus, it's RIGHT down the street from our new house, so why not? :) We managed to keep it around $65 on that first trip...but I think we got lucky because they closed the store before we finished checking out every aisle!

I feel like we are doing such grown up things lately - having a baby, buying a house, getting a Costco membership, and now buying a dining set! Wow, I really have become an adult! ;)

15 Week Doctor Visit

Yesterday I had my first appointment with my new doctor. I didn't end up seeing him, as he was out delivering someone else's baby, but I was able to get in to see his backup doctor, who I like just as much as my regular doctor. (I'll probably end up seeing more of the backup doctor anyway, so that will work out fine.) It was a pretty simple visit, just going over the basics, making sure I was caught up on everything, etc.

I am officially back to my pre-pregnancy weight now. I lost a total of 4 pounds, so I guess now, at 15 weeks, I am starting the uphill climb. I'm not sure how I feel about that - I was kind of liking the fact that I hadn't gained anything! But, I suppose starting to gain from 4 pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight is a good thing. :)

We did an ultrasound since it was my first visit with this new clinic. I told the doctor that I did not want to find out the baby's gender yet, since Mike wasn't with me. So, we didn't look anywhere near the baby's junk. :) Baby is starting to look crowded in there now! Baby has definitely grown (just over 15 centimeters now) and the spine is really noticeable now. Baby was measuring right on schedule. He or she was doing some kind of dance in there - bouncing up and down and waving the arms all around. Gotta put those legs to good use, I suppose! :)


My next visit is December 21st, and my big ultrasound isn't until January 2nd. Mike and I decided that we couldn't wait that long, so we scheduled a 3D ultrasound for this weekend. I will be 16 weeks, so hopefully baby will cooperate, and we'll be able to find out the baby's gender - just in time for Christmas shopping! Wish us luck...and stay tuned! :)

15 Weeks

Yesterday, I was 15 weeks pregnant. It kind of feels like time is going faster now, and at the same time, it feels like it is still going so slow! I think once we have our big ultrasound and find out if it's a boy or girl, then I'll be about halfway there, and it will feel like time has really gone by!

I have been feeling pretty good this past week. Mike and I took the week off and went on a road trip through the southwest. We saw some strange and interesting things, and over all we had a great time. The peeing situation actually turned out pretty well - Mike had to stop almost as often as I did, so we never really had a problem with stopping frequently (usually every 2 hours). We slept in the car one night, but that was uncomfortable for us both, so we got hotels the rest of the trip.

This week, baby is about the size of an orange. That actually seems like a substantial size, for a change! He or she is about 4 inches from crown to rump now. The legs are longer than the arms now (although I'm pretty sure my baby already had longer legs a few weeks ago!) Amniotic fluid is now moving through the nose and respiratory tract, helping the lungs develop. The eyelids are fused shut, but baby is now sensitive to light. Baby is moving around a lot now, but it's still a little too early for me to feel those flutters. I can't wait for that extra reassurance that baby is doing okay in there!



Tomorrow is my first doctor visit with my new OB, and I am really looking forward to it. I have a lot of questions for him, and I am anxious to hear my baby's heartbeat. It has been a whole 3 weeks since we last checked in on baby, and it feels like an eternity. I want to make sure everything is okay! (Guessing by my ever-expanding waistline, I'm pretty sure everything is fine!) Hopefully tomorrow we will be scheduling the BIG ultrasound. I'll update you tomorrow after my appointment!
The average weight gain for this point in my pregnancy is about 5 pounds. I'm pretty sure I've gained some weight by now - I'll find out tomorrow!

14 Weeks

Today, I am 14 weeks pregnant. And I think, that no matter how you count your trimesters, I am officially in the 2nd trimester now, by all counts. As I've already mentioned, I have already been feeling much better these past couple of weeks. I still get cases of "pregnancy brain" quite often, but that's no big deal. (Mike is the one who accidentally put the ice cream away in the refrigerator, not me - I haven't ruined anything...yet!) I'm still not really showing too much. My belly seems to expand and shrink depending on how much I've eating. I can still button my jeans if I want to, but when I'm sitting down, I prefer to just use the Bella Band to hold them up. I LOVE my maternity shirts - they have a lot more belly in them than I need right now, but they are super comfy! I am really feeling my round ligaments stretching a lot now. If I roll over too fast I get some pains on the side of my pelvis. They are the worst when I have to pee really bad though!


Baby is about the size of a lemon now. He or she is able to do some thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and is now making urine (Mike was totally curious and grossed out by this!) and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth. His or her body's growing faster than the head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his or her arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of the body.

Supposedly I should be getting more energy now, and my boobs are supposed to stop hurting so much (yeah, right - they are hurting more again!) My belly should pop out any one of these days now. I'm still waiting for the day when it's actually obvious to other people!

I have been slacking on my exercise these past several weeks due to the move and all the craziness at home. I know that I really need to keep at it though, and now that I'm feeling a bit better and a bit less tired, I really want to get back into it. I have heard so many great things about prenatal yoga, so I think I'm going to give it a try. There is a class on Saturdays right near my house, so once we get back from vacation, I'm going to give it a shot. I'm really looking forward to it. Exercise + preparing my body for giving birth = awesome!

More birthday presents!!!!

OMG OMG OMG...I am SOOOO excited - I got home from work yesterday, and there was another birthday gift sitting outside my door waiting for me. I about fell over when I saw what it was....



...the shiny RED Kitchen Aid mixer I have been wanting for years!!!!! Thanks to my wonderful father-in-law who understands the necessity of these wonderful machines, and who knew how badly I wanted one. I cannot wait to bake something and give this baby a whirl!!!!


Also in the mail yesterday, I got a book that I ordered, thanks to the suggestion of my friend Natalie over at the Bobby Pin.

It's called "Preggatinis - Mixology for the Mom-To-Be." Now, if you know me, you know I LOVE making all sorts of fancy cocktails, so it's been sort of a bummer to drink nothing but orange juice or water. So, I can hardly wait to get started with this book! All the drinks are made from fresh juices and ingredients, and taste wonderful without the alcohol. Our coctail/preggatini bar is going to be stocked, and I cannot wait!

Beaba Baby Food Cooker Giveaway

I am SOOO excited about this giveaway. I fully intend to make baby food myself rather than go out and buy hundreds of little jars. When I discovered that there was a handy little gadget that contains everything you need to make baby food in one unit, I about fell over with excitement.

I discovered this super cool gadget over at The Shopping Mama. I really really hope I win!!!! Making baby food is one of those things, along with cloth diapering, that I am really excited about doing. It is not only better for our budget, but it is also much better for the environment. You can't beat that!

Go check out the giveaway - even though I secretly hope that not TOO many people enter, because I really really want to win! :)

Here's some info on the Beaba Babycook:

About Beaba

Founded in 1989 and headquartered in France, Beaba is revolutionizing the traditional infant market by offering today’s parents a range of conceptually and technically innovative products, including the groundbreaking Babycook, the Original Babyfood Maker™. Their mission is to listen to what parents want and ensure that safety, functionality and ergonomics are the forefront of the priority list when it comes to babies’ well being.

What is the Babycook?

The Beaba Babycook is a one-stop shop for making babyfood. This small, counter-top appliance includes a water-heating reservoir (for steaming), a 2.5 cup bowl, a cooking basket to use when steaming and then to drain, a blade for pureeing and a splatula to get all your goodness from the bowl. The Babycook also comes with an instruction manual that includes a few recipes. Here’s how it works: fill the water reservoir with water to steam, place food in the steamer basket and start steaming. It cooks food in less than 15 minutes! Next, drain the food in the basket and then place it in the food bowl. Puree to desired consistency and you’re done.

Babycook Features

• Steamer, Blender, Warmer, Defroster in one
• BPA safety tested
• All pieces are dishwasher safe

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Also, check out the Scandinavian Child website for even more cool baby stuff. I am having such a hard time restraining myself from spending too much money!

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And for more information on how to make your own baby food, check out this blog post at The Shopping Mama. I will definitely be coming back to this site for tips once my baby is ready to eat solid food!

31 Years

I just had my birthday this weekend. What a birthday of firsts! My first birthday in my own home, and my first birthday being pregnant! Needless to say, it wasn't the most EXCITING birthday of my life, but I definitely got a lot done. The night before my birthday, Mike and I went out to dinner (using a gift card that he had gotten for HIS birthday!), so that was a nice little pre-celebration. We went to PF Changs, and it was SO good. :)

On my actual birthday, I spent most of the day working around the house. I also did grocery shopping, which took a long time since I was learning a new grocery store. We got a lot of work done around the house, and unpacked most of the boxes. That night, Mike surprised me and took me to an Anaheim Ducks hockey game. We aren't particularly Ducks fans, but we've really been missing hockey since the Gulls left. The Ducks game reminded me a bit more of a Colorado Avalanche game than a Gulls game, but it was a lot of fun. And, the Ducks won, so that made it even better. :)

I got all sorts of fun presents - a new set of dishes (our old, pretty ones broke almost as soon as I bought them, so it has been a pain eating off of cracked, broken dishes!), a new toaster, a bracelet, and some awesome new Chargers gear. All in all it was a great birthday!

We spent the rest of the weekend watching football (Go Chargers!!!!) and working on the house. We finally got the toilet paper roll holders installed. It's amazing how exciting the little things are! We made another trip to Lowe's, and we are pretty much down to decorating and installing hardware. Everything else is put away. It's really starting to feel like home now!

13 Weeks

Yesterday I was 13 weeks, and today I am 3 months pregnant. Next week I officially start my second trimester!!! These past few weeks have gone by SO fast.

Baby is now about the size of a peach (from crown to rump - obviously these froggy legs on my little swimmer are at least the length of the body!
The baby's teeth and vocal cords are now forming. Baby is now swallowing amniotic fluid, and peeing it out. Lovely thought, isn't it? The baby also now has his or her very own set of fingerprints. And if the baby is a girl, her ovaries already contain over 2 million eggs. Now THAT is crazy!

I've been feeling pretty good these past couple of weeks. I am now to the point in my pregnancy where morning sickness and fatigue usually fade away. I haven't really had either problem for a couple of weeks already. Supposedly my libido is supposed to go back up sometime soon, but we'll see about that! I'm not sure if I've gained any weight yet or not, but I definitely feel like I'm getting huge. Some times in the day, I still feel pretty skinny and can button my jeans. Other times, I'm huge and can't even zip them up! My biggest issue right now is my bladder. I feel the need to pee CONSTANTLY. The bad thing is that I usually don't have to go. You know how sometimes you have to pee so bad it hurts? Well, I have that feeling ALL the time, even right after I pee. I'm sure it just has to do with where my uterus is in relation to my bladder, but I sure hope this doesn't last long!

The other big change in this past week is that I switched doctors. I went to a class to learn about doulas the other night, and it was very eye-opening. I am not opposed to getting an epidural, but I want my birth to progress naturally as long as possible, with minimal interventions. I found out that my doctor and hospital have EXTREMELY high C-section and episiotomy rates, and I am NOT okay with that. So, I switched to a new doctor that gets rave reviews, is very willing to go along with more natural birth procedures, and on top of that, the location is much closer to home. So, I am very excited, and I'm already feeling much more comfortable about giving birth!

Sorry I never got around to posting any belly pics for you last week. Here is my photo from last week (shortly after 12 weeks).

Here I am this weekend, at 13 weeks:

And just for fun - since this is the angle that I see my belly from most often!

12 Weeks (and a few days)

Sorry I'm behind on my updates! This Saturday I finally made it to the 12 week mark. Hooray! This Saturday, I also was busy moving into my new home. Yes, we are FINALLY homeowners! It only took us a year and a half. I am SOOOO glad that part of my life is over. Now we get to deal with all the joys and trials of owning a home. I have to say, I never want to move while pregnant again! Sure, I got out of moving pretty much all the furniture and boxes, but ooh, the hormones. I was just a giant stress monkey by the time we were done moving. But, it's so worth it. We still have boxes everywhere, and it will be weeks before we are completely settled, but we are in, and we are very happy. (Now to find out if we are having a boy or a girl so I can get started on the nursery!)

Time feels like it is starting to move faster now. I can't believe I'm already just about to the 2nd trimester! I can only imagine that it's going to go faster and faster now with the holidays coming up. These next couple of months are going to fly by!

I have been feeling pretty good (other than the recent stress) in the past couple weeks. The nausea seems to be gone for good, and the headaches only show up occasionally, and they aren't so bad. My appetite is still through the roof, but I have yet to gain any weight. My belly is definitely growing. If you didn't know me well, you wouldn't notice, but it's very noticeable to Mike and I. I can still fit in all my pants, but most of my shirts are starting to make me look like quite the fat girl. I think I'll be buying maternity shirts before I start buying maternity pants. (And that is quite alright with me!) I'll get a new belly picture up as soon as I can. My computer at home doesn't have internet yet, so I'll do my best to take care of it later this week.


Now, about baby:
They say that baby is now about the size of a plum from crown to rump. I had my Nuchal Translucency ultrasound this morning, and baby is measuring at right around 11.2 centimeters (and he or she is almost all leg - just like Mommy!).
Baby's reflexes are now in action - the fingers and toes are curling, eye muscles are clenching, and the mouth is making sucking movements. We were able to see baby kicking and squirming as the ultrasound tech prodded my belly. He or she is quite the little wiggler already! The heartbeat today was 148. I am afraid that means it may be a girl…but then again, who really believes in old wive's tales, anyway? Of course, we will be happy either way, but we are sure hoping to see an extra piece of anatomy at our next ultrasound! ;)

11 1/2 Week Checkup

Yesterday's appointment was quick and *mostly* painless.

I started off by peeing in a cup (I hear I will be doing a lot of that for the next several months!). Then I met with the nurse, and she weighed me and checked my blood pressure. I was sure I would have gained weight by now, but NO - I LOST weight again!!! I am down to 134 now. I have been trying to lose weight for years, and to no avail. And now that I'm actually supposed to gain weight, the pounds keep falling off! At this point, I think I'm just losing muscle since it's been a few weeks since I've been in the gym. It's looking like I won't be gaining any weight in the first trimester!

After chatting with the nurse, I met with my doctor. I asked him all of my questions. He said that if I decide to use self-tanning lotion, I should wait until the 2nd trimester. He also recommended that I DO get the flu shot (both seasonal and H1N1), but I can't get either one until the 2nd trimester. I also asked him if the 20-week ultrasound was a routine procedure, and he said that yes, it is! After I finished asking questions, he checked for the baby's heartbeat. He said that at first it can be hard to find the heart beat, but he found it right away! It was beating at a strong 140-150 (that seems like a wide range to me, but he said it sounded perfectly normal.) He said that I look great, and everything seems to be going well.

After talking to the doctor, I went back with the nurse and she took my blood for the first of the prenatal screening tests. Here is where the not-so-painless part comes in. I HATE having my blood drawn. When she stuck me at first, it hurt! and so I cringed, and apparently twisted my arm a bit. She had to start over!!!! I got all teary-eyed, and she kept telling me how I needed to relax and not twist. The second time worked fine, but by that point, I had tears about to spill over. I was so embarrassed to walk out of there after obviously crying, but I think I pulled it off okay. I blame the hormones!!! She also said that they were all out of the flu shot, but since I can't get it for a couple more weeks anyway, I didn't mind. (She did call me later in the afternoon to tell me that they got it in, but I'm sure it'll be gone by the time I can get it!)

So, next Tuesday is my Nuchal Translucency ultrasound, and then my next regular appointment is November 24th. I can't believe that I'll be in my second trimester so soon!!! My birthday is coming up, and I'll hit the 2nd trimester right around that time. Yay! We are going on vacation a week later, so I think I'll try to get the flu vaccine a few days before we leave.

11 Weeks

Today I am 11 weeks pregnant! I am getting closer and closer to the 2nd trimester - I can hardly wait! :)

Just a minute of self-promotion here...I added my blog to Top Baby Blogs. Please click this link to vote for me! Every vote will help!

Thanks!
Now back to blogging as usual. :) Baby is now the size of a lime or a fig. That seems so big, considering that little he or she was only the size of a prune last week! No wonder I am starting to see a bit of a bulge at my waistline - this kid is practically doubling in size every week!
I can't feel it yet, but baby is doing all sorts of acrobatics in my belly now. It will be a couple more months before I start feeling little flutters! Baby's bones are beginning to harden, and little teeth buds are forming under the gums. The little tiny hands will soon be able to open and close into fists.

As I mentioned the other day, this week has been a rough one. Between having the flu last week and the stress of moving, having morning sickness and headaches on top of it has been rough. Today hasn't been too bad though, so hopefully I'll start feeling better soon!

Here are a couple of new belly pics. It's still not really recognizable as a pregnant belly, but there's definitely a belly goin' on!

Bump Envy

I admit it, I have bump envy, and I have it bad.

I realize that I'm still in my first trimester, and since this is my first baby, it will take me even longer to show. I know I should be happy that I'm still fitting in all my clothes, because I'm sure I'll be sick of maternity clothes by May! And I know that little by little, my body is changing, and it's becoming more and more noticeable.

But I see all these adorable pregnant women with their cute little bellies, and I just wish that mine was visible too. I wish people would see my cute belly and smile the way I smile at other bellies. I wish that other people knew that I too have a little bun in the oven.

Sigh.

Waiting is so hard sometimes!

Feeling like barf.

Okay, so I'm not actually barfing, but I sure feel like I could. This week has been rough! I had the flu (or something like it) on Friday and Saturday, and I've been trying to get over it all week. The headaches have been plaguing me, and now the morning sickness is back. I thought I was in the clear at this point! My boobs aren't quite as sore as they have been, but otherwise, all my original symptoms are back - nausea, exhaustion, shortness of breath, headaches, and constipation. I'm trying to look on the bright side and remind myself that the fact that I am having all these symptoms means that baby is thriving and doing well. But I sure can't wait until baby and my system can get along a little better!

We decided to go ahead and do the prenatal screening tests - just the blood tests and the nuchal translucency ultrasound. I'm not really too concerned about Down's Syndrome, but I suppose it would be nice to ease my mind about an extra concern. I'm really just very excited to have another ultrasound! It is scheduled for November 3rd, when baby will be 12 1/2 weeks. I can't wait to see how much he or she has grown! My next regular appointment is this coming Wednesday.

I still don't feel like my belly is showing much from the side, but when I look down, I can really see a bit of a bump. Mike can really notice a difference as well. No one else would ever guess I'm pregnant, but the changes are definitely there now!

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On another note, we did get the house! We did our final walk through yesterday, and everything looks great. Unfortunately, our moving schedule has gotten screwed up. We had been planning to move over this weekend, since we are supposed to be out of our rental house on Sunday.

Well, our lender is a major slacker, so all our escrow documents were not ready for us to sign yesterday! Even if we were able to sign them today, the transfer of ownership would not be processed until Monday. So now we are out of a house for a couple days! We are hoping our landlord will be nice and give us two extra days. If not, we'll be living out of a truck until we get keys to the new house!

This weekend will still be a weekend of packing, and the moving itself will probably take place on Tuesday.

Talk about major stress on top of being pregnant!

It's all for a good reason though, so I'm trying to stay positive!

10 Weeks

Baby is now the size of a prune! Kind of ironic, since lately I have been thinking of nothing but prunes. I tried prune juice for the first time last night, and I think I will be purchasing some prunes. Oh, the joys of pregnancy!

My "bump" seems to have just been a lot of extra bloating, because this morning I woke up, and my belly was back to normal. Oh well! I guess I'll have to wait a couple more weeks for my belly to really "pop."























Baby's liver is now producing red blood cells. Tiny nails are forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair is beginning to grow. The legs and feet are big enough now that they can meet in the front of the body. From crown to rump, baby is about 1 1/4 inches long.
This picture is cool...you can actually see that there's a baby in my uterus now, and not just a little tiny something in there.
My main symptoms this week are headaches and the ever-present breast tenderness (or pain and agony, whatever you want to call it!). I came down with the flu or something like it on Friday, and have been sick in bed all weekend. That has NOT been fun!

We are still waiting to find out if we are moving next week. Escrow is NOT a fun thing to deal with! It looks like thing will probably go through okay, but we don't know for sure yet. Hopefully we'll find out tomorrow. And then we'll start moving on Wednesday. Yikes! It's exciting though!

The Bump!!!

It's starting!!!! It's been 3 days now and it's not going away, so I'm pretty sure that my belly is starting and it's not just gas anymore! I don't just have the flabby gut now - my entire pelvic area is expanding outwards now. It's all firm down there, and no matter how much I try to suck in, the bump stays. I am so excited! I know I totally don't look pregnant yet - I just look like I am kind of chubby. I'm not a fan of looking chubby, but at the same time I am loving it, because I know that my baby is growing!

What do you think - can you see the bump starting?!?!? I can definitely feel it!


Even after I suck in!


Just to compare the difference...












October 4 October 13

Okay, so it's a small difference, but it's definitely there!