April 24, 2014 by Stephanie

Bumpdate Week 18

I pulled back the dress in the picture on the right again to show you the full bump.

How far along: 18 weeks..holy moly

Sex of Baby W: We will be confirming the sex today at our appointment. It will be fun to actually see everything because the last time I had to close my eyes while she looked and wrote it on a note so I can take it home to open it with Tom.

Weight gain: Still at a 7lb total loss. The bump is growing (which is a weird feeling), so I am sure here soon the scale will jump some. Some days my bump disappears, and then other days it is very much present. Anybody else have this experience?

Size of Baby W: The size of a bell pepper (Last week was a turnip, so Tom and I were calling him Turnip all week.)

Maternity clothes: I have bought a few tops that I can easily wear not pregnant. I am all about the long term investment here people. I also purchased the Be Band from Target, which is amazing. There is nothing like knowing that your pants are undone all day, but no one else can tell. Super awesome and freeing. Also, maternity yoga pants are the best thing ever.

Baby items: We have not been successful with finding a dresser. We have a backup plan for Tom to construct something if we are still unfruitful come the middle of the summer. We have made a giant list of things that will go on a registry when the time comes. Any recommendations on what store to register at or if we should register at more than one place? We are still doing well with not buying anything else yet, I am sure that will change once I allow myself to go into baby sections to actually create the registry. Folks, little boy things are super darn cute, and it is hard not to buy every pair of overalls and bow ties!

Stretch marks: Nope. I have started a strict regimen of lotion and tummy butter morning and night.

Belly button in or out: Still in.

Sleep: I have been sleeping pretty well, but I still have some wicked dreams. (Last night I had was a superhero trying to defeat an evil man who was killing off my family and students. I could freeze things and shoot freeze balls out of my hands…) I have started having to get up when Tom leaves for PT (at 5:30am) to go to the bathroom, and there are usually a couple nights of the week that I wake up several other times to go pee.

Best moment the past few week: Hanging out with our friends in Indiana

Worst moment the past few weeks: Finding out I didn’t get the job at Austin Peay

Miss anything: This last weekend I really wanted wine, but little guy doesn’t need to be a party animal more than he already is in there.

Cravings: Not really anything special that I can remember. I am still in the phase of if I see it or hear it, I want it. I am doing good sticking to a pretty healthy diet though.

Movement: I think I felt something last week, but I am not sure…It felt more like a punch in the gut instead of a flutter which is what people told me I am supposed to feel.

Symptoms/how I am feeling: For the most part, I am feeling pretty good. I still have moments of nausea. I also learned that I cannot sit in the backseat of a car anymore because I get motion sickness. Super fun. I do take a lot of naps too. I have been walking the dogs a lot and yoga, so I think that is helping. I did try actually running the other day, and it felt super weird. I might have been a little paranoid that he was going to fly out with all the jiggling that was going on, so I probably will just stick to walking.

Looking forward to: Our checkup appointment today. It will be the first time Tom has seen the baby since Week 9. He got to hear the heartbeat a few weeks ago, but did not see him. I can’t wait to see his reaction on how much little man has grown.

Week 18

April 3, 2014 by Stephanie

Bumpdate Week 15

I am officially in the second trimester!

How far along: 15 weeks
Sex of Baby W: We found out we are having a boy! Also my hands are super dry now. Old wives tale coming true.
Weight gain: I am at a 7 lb loss now from before we knew Baby W was coming along. I am sure this will change with my appetite coming back now.
Size of Baby W: roughly 4 inches and about the size of an apple.
Maternity clothes: I am in denial about maternity clothes. I am not big enough to wear them yet, but I am only down to 2 dress pants and 2 pairs of jeans that I can comfortably put on. And most of those I have to use a rubberband to hook them instead of the button. Luckily all of my shirts are fine because I have a pretty loose wardrobe. I should be able to wear most of them at least for the next couple months if not longer. With the warmer weather, I have been able to break out my dresses too, which allow for a little more stretch. So I haven‘t needed maternity clothes just yet. I am still little but definitely feel frumpy.
Baby items: We are going thrift store hunting this weekend to find some furniture. We bought fabric for the bedding. My mom and I are going to make all the bedding, so it was exciting to get the print for it. I have also bugged some moms I know if what is on the “must have” lists are accurate.
Stretch marks: Nope.
Belly button in or out: Innie.
Sleep: I gave up on trying to “train” myself to sleep on my side. I am sleeping on my back until I get a little bigger. At least, I can get some good sleep for the time being. My body will know when it is time. I am having some crazy dreams though.
Best moment the past few weeks: Finding out our little nugget is going to be a little dude and being allowed to walk the dogs again!
Worst moment the past few weeks: The doctor telling me that I have to stay on hormones meds still. My grandpa also had a pace maker put in this week, so that is always hard to not be able to be there for family in times of need.
Miss anything: Last week at the conference I really missed coffee!
Cravings: I am in this stage where if someone mentions a food item, I automatically start to crave it. I have to be careful of commercials…
Movement: I don’t feel little guy, but my stomach is constantly feeling like it is stretching. It is really uncomfortable.
Symptoms/how I am feeling: I AM SO MUCH BETTER! I can actually eat real meals and don’t feel woozy all day. I still have spurts of it during the day, but I am so glad it is not constant. I also notice that I get sick a little more when I have a completely empty stomach, so I have been trying to keep healthy snacks with me at all times, which really isn’t much different than how I am not pregnant. I also have a lot more energy lately so I am trying to add my miles back with the dogs.
Looking forward to: Finding pieces for the nursery.

With this picture, I pulled the dress back a little so you can actually see the bump. It’s really there! In most clothes though, I still look normal.

March 30, 2014 by Stephanie

Something We Have Been Waiting For

I am announcing for real this time. We are ecstatic to share our news with you!

Our house will grow to 3 boys and 2 girls!

We couldn’t get them to stop drooling on the chalkboards.

So it turns out that many of the old wives tales are wrong, at least in my case. I guess our little guy is already stubborn.

Grace apparently is not excited about being outnumbered.

We are excited to move forward with planning for our little boy!

We have settled on a name which we will be sharing at a later date.

It is so nice not to call him “it” anymore!

Now enjoy some of our out-takes of our doggy photo session.

Grace was not happy about the chalkboard. She kept falling over like she was drunk.

Of course we have to bribe them with treats to sit still.

March 25, 2014 by Stephanie

What Are You Having?

I am having a baby. Duh…

This is one of the most common questions behind “How are you feeling?”

First of all, sex and gender are two different things. Sex has to do with anatomy, gender has to do with the person’s decision of how they would like to be identified. Sex is biology, whereas gender is more focused on cultural norms and identity. Or at least this is how I have interpreted it; society seems to think differently than I do with all these “gender reveal parties.”

So yesterday we found out the sex of Baby W.

I successfully didn’t open the envelope before I got home to open it with Tom. This was an intense couple hours of waiting!

We wanted to find out for a few reasons. Finding out for us, makes the baby more real. We are still in a state of shock most days that this baby is actually happening. We could put a name to our ninja baby, instead of calling by “it” or various pet names. Finding out for us means that we can connect more to this little nugget. We aren’t really changing how we plan and what we buy for the baby since we are staying pretty neutral. But knowing something about our baby, allows us to come together more as a family. It may sound weird, but it was what worked for us. I know many people who are surprised during labor, and that works for them. I think this is a decision that is up to each couple, and we should respect why they decide to find out or not. As long as they are going to love that child no matter the outcome!

Plus finding out ends our name debate. We can finally focus on what we are going to call this little human. This is the hardest thing for Tom and I! (This topic is a post for another day.)

You will have to come back this Sunday for the big reveal on Baby W.

I know I am cruel.

I thought it would be fun to see how accurate some old wives tales are on predicting the sex of babies. (I stole this idea from Alex at Munchkins and the Military.)

I got these from this site. Some of them were kind of odd, so I didn’t use all of them.

Rumor has it that if you are carrying your baby high, it’s a girl. Carrying low? Stock up on blue. Similar tales say if you carry in front, you’ve got yourself a little boy, and if you expand horizontally, it’s a girl. I can’t really tell on this one. I have only filled out in front a little, so I am going to say BOY.
Legends say that if you are having a little girl, she’ll steal your beauty. So, if you’ve got acne and other not-so-pretty skin blemishes, you’ve got a little princess coming your way. Dry hands and cold feet are signs of a boy. So, if you’ve got these ailments, break out the baby blue. I have had acne really bad for me, and no changes in my hands or feet. GIRL.
Your baby’s heart rate might be an indicator of its gender. If your little one’s heart rate is under 140 beats per minute, you’re having a little boy. If it’s over, get ready for your little girl! The heartbeat has been in the 170s until yesterday when it was 156. GIRL.
Craving sweets? According to some, that means your going to have a little girl. Salty and sour cravings indicate a boy. I have really only craved meat and peanut butter. I guess the peanut butter puts me on the side of BOY.
Chinese Predictor I have put it in by both conception date and due date, and they both come up GIRL.
The Mayans used a similar method. They looked at your age at conception and the year your baby was conceived. If both are even or odd, it’s a girl. If one is even and one is odd, oh baby — it’s a boy! At conception both Tom and I were 28, and it was 2013. BOY.
Morning sickness means pink. If you’re stricken with a queasy stomach during your first trimester, think ribbons and bows. If you sail through your pregnancy with nary an upset stomach, it’s blue all the way. As you all know, I have been so sick. GIRL.

So according to all of these “predictors” we are having a girl. Wouldn’t you like to know if it is correct?! Come back Sunday to see which of these are right!

What do you think we are having? (Family and friends who already know keep quiet!)

March 13, 2014 by Stephanie

Bumpdate Week 12

From this angle, it looks like I have a much larger bump than I actually do. But this is what I see every day.

So here is where I sit with the pregnancy right now.

How far along: 12 weeks
Sex of Baby W: We may be finding out sooner than we thought, but we still are in the dark on this one.
Weight gain: I have actually lost 5 pounds. Thank you morning sickness.
Size of Baby W: 2 inches or the size of a lime
Maternity clothes: Not yet, but I have started the hairband through the button loop trick. My sister-in-law just gave me a whole bucket full of maternity clothes which will come in handy in the upcoming weeks. Right now I am sticking to my looser pants and dresses. Oh how I love that I can wear dresses again!
Baby items: I bought the first items this last weekend, but these clothes are it.We do have the nursery planned out though. It is just a matter of collecting/making the items.

I am a sucker for all thing Kansas City and elephants.
Also I am a sucker for cute baby things that are on ridiculous sales.

Stretch marks: I barely have a bump, so none yet.
Belly button in or out: Still in. This will weird me out…
Sleep: It is ok. I am a back sleeper, so I am trying to train myself to sleep on my left side now before I get too far along. Unfortunately, I keep waking up to my arm cramping or just being plain uncomfortable. Yippee. Anyone recommend a good pregnancy body pillow?
Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat for the first time and watching it’s ninja moves. This baby is long and likes to dance and kick a lot!
Worst moment this week: Oh the sickness…

Ok, so it may not look like it, but there is a little bitty bump!

Miss anything: Walking the dogs. I hate being on semi-bedrest.
Cravings: Meat and Peanut Butter. (Peanut Butter is very abnormal for me because I generally detest the stuff.) Apparently this little ninja baby needs some protein.
Movement: I have only seen it during ultra sounds, but I haven’t felt anything yet.
Symptoms/how I am feeling: Still feeling pretty sickly, but I am able to eat a lot more than I was. Also, I am fairly crabby-Sorry Tom.
Looking forward to: Being out of this first trimester and getting through this ultra screening scan we are having done.