Heartbeat

Hi Baby!
A few nights ago I used a home fetal doppler, and heard your heartbeat! Our friends let us borrow it and I'm tempted to use this every night, but I know your dad will think I'm crazy, so I'll might need to space it out. Anyway, this is what you sound like!!

My First Trimester Surprises

No matter how many questions I asked my girlfriends and no matter how many articles I read, I was still surprised by a few things:

I have been very blessed with this pregnancy. I have not had morning sickness, emotional breakdowns, or bizar food cravings (yet). Please note that these are my personal experiences. Everyone is different and every pregnancy is different.

Bump Week 13

How far along: 13 weeks & 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: 8 (120 to 128)  

Maternity clothes: Just a belly band!

Have you started to show yet: A little...
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Great except weird dreams

Food cravings: Milk, egg rolls, soft pretzels with cheese and pretty much whatever food commercial/Pinterest recipe I see.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Only if I don't eat small meals often
Best moment this week: Graduation to my second trimester, eating homemade gluten free egg rolls, and my husband finishing up my walk in closet!

Worst moment this week: Still have slight bladder pain

Miss Anything: Not really
Movement: No
Gender prediction: Boy! I couldn't help myself, I took a Chinese gender prediction quiz and another gender prediction quiz and they both said BOY! However, I'm getting excited to think my little "appleseed" could be a girl!
Belly Button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Weekly Wisdom: Exercise, even if it's just 20 minutes of stretching on the living room floor while watching TV, you'll start to feel more prepared for delivery, and this will help your body relax.
Looking forward to: More energy so I can organize our extra rooms and my new closet!

Keep an eye out for my post on First Trimester Surprises! 

Bump 12 weeks

How far along: 12 weeks & 3 days
Total weight gain/loss: 8+ (120 to 128)  

Maternity clothes: Just a belly band!

Have you started to show yet: No
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Great except weird dreams (last night I had a dream that I was eating taco bell, and actually tasted the tacos!)

Food cravings: Milk, nectarines (tomorrow it will be different!) 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Eggs, tortilla chips and brushing my teeth
Best moment this week: Hearing your heart beat!!!

Worst moment this week: I found out I have a bladder infection :(
Miss Anything: Coffee 
Movement: No
Gender prediction: Boy! (I really have no idea!)
Belly Button in or out: In
Wedding rings on or off: On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Weekly Wisdom: drink lots of water and don't push yourself!
Looking forward to: getting out of the first trimester, and dinner!

Letters to baby #8

Baby
You're 12 weeks old today and the size of a plum! The last few days I've been a little sad. I think it has a lot to do with not getting enough sleep due to your daddy's new schedule. He is taking classes to be a volunteer firefighter and possibly become a firefighter! We will know more by the time you're born if this is something daddy wants to keep doing or not. AND this cold weather always makes mommy sad in January. I took Reece on a walk after work today and that seemed to help me feel better. I came home and dusted the front room (there was drywall dust all over!) cleaned the bathroom and the shower (you don't want to know how long it had been since I last cleaned the shower - but I'll just say it took a LOT of scrubbing!) I ate dinner with full intentions of cleaning the 1/2 bath and folding laundry but I'm still sitting down and probably won't get up until I have to go potty, then it's back to the couch! Even though I JUST ate I can't stop thinking about crab rangoon and egg rolls. Non of which are gluten free!

I promise I will get to the other bathroom and laundry by the time you're here!

Love you baby

Ultrasound & Doctor Visit # 1

Hello my sweet baby
Today we got to see your beautiful face for the first time. And hear your heartbeat (166 beats per minute). Once the tech put the wand on my belly I could see your tiny body. Your dad said "there really is something inside there!" I grabbed ahold of your daddy's hand and happy tears streamed down my face as we watched the nurse take different pictures of your tiny little body. Then she played your heartbeat and I couldn't help but smile and cry as I watched your little arm move across your body.

That was one of the most incredible moments of my life and I'll never forget it. The doctor says so far everything is perfect! I have so much comfort knowing that you're healthy and being able to see you! I can't wait to hold you in my arms and kiss your little round face.

I love you my precious little baby

Bump 11 weeks

Here is what I look like at the end of the day at 11 weeks and 5 days

Here is what YOU look like at the end of the day at 11 weeks and 5 days!

I think you're cuter

Letters to baby #7

Hi Baby!

We just got back from a week long trip to Give Kids the World in Florida with the staff at ECC. I finished my 10th week and started my 11th week in FL. You're the size of a LIME. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate another week of you growing so big and strong in my belly than in the sunny state of FL. While on the trip I saw lots of sick children and it made momma very sad for the mothers who can't see their babies run, jump, eat, or play. There are moments when I get very nervous that you won't be healthy. Then I am quickly calmed down knowing that God knows our future. He knows what you look like, what your beautiful voice and cry sounds like - even before me and he won't give Daddy and I anything that we can't handle. 

Almost everyone knows about you! We still have two couples to tell and will hopefully find time to see them real quick or call them before we see the doctor on Monday!! I'm strangely calm calm about the appointment...which you'll learn momma is not always calm with change or exciting things. I usually think and plan for the worst possible news or outcome. I hope you don't inherit this from me!

Right now I feel great! My belly is slowly getting bigger and at the end of the night I definitely look pregnant! But when I wake up in the morning - you can't even tell! I've only gained about 2-3 lbs. which is great! I'm eating more and different foods are starting to sound good again. I am still very hungry, often. I'm also tired at the end of the night and for the most part I sleep great. I do wake up once during the night to go potty but I fall right back to sleep. I am having strange vivid dreams! My energy is slowly coming back but I still need to rest!

I'm looking forward to: 

hearing your little heartbeat

posting our ultrasound photo on facebook

finishing the closet in our room so we can clean out your room

And my next meal :)

Love, Mommy

How we told the family...

By now all our family knows about you! Daddy and I were able to capture MOST of the families responses. See how we told them!!