Holy Moly - It's been a month!!

I don't even know if I can remember what all has happened in the last month. When I looked back at my blog, I haven't even posted my 24 week belly picture. Here I am coming up on 28 weeks. Let me see if I can recap the last month of events.



The day after Thanksgiving, Alabama beat Auburn by the skin of our teeth. It was a good game, but not really if you are an Alabama fan playing your rivals that have talked smack all week long. I watched the game at Heather and Derek's, because Kyle had to work like always. Then, on December 5th, we won the SEC Championship game against Florida!! Yah!! Man were we so excited!! If I weren't pregnant, I believe we would have partied all night long. It was such a good feeling!! We now wish we would have gone ahead and bought those National Championship tickets a long time ago like we thought about doing.

On December 11th, we attended Kyle's work Christmas party. It was a pot luck type dinner where everyone brought a dish. Kyle signed me up for mom's Seven Layer Salad. Everyone really liked it. They had a different but fun party. It was in the lobby of their work with pool tables, Wii games, Tiger Woods golf, Rock Band, putt putt golf, and all that. They had tournaments where you could win games. The owner of his dealership gave all of the significant others a gift for supporting them through long hours and weekend work days. She gave me a glass Christmas ornament looking cookie jar. It was really pretty. I've already put it to use with some homemade Oreo Truffles that I made for work. I sent some with Kyle to work in that jar. After Kyle's party, we drove out to our friend's house because it was her birthday party. She is my other friend that is pregnant and due 2 days before me. I also went to my doctor's appointment this morning. I can't remember all of my stats now that I've waited so long. I do remember my weight was 145.something lbs. I told the doc about my tender swelling knee, the blood blisters on my feet, and this crazy burning kind of feeling under my right boob every time I eat. It just is uncomfortable. She told me to keep an eye on it because it could be my gallbladder. That freaked me out!



From the last post I just ordered my baby bedding. I've received it by now, and I love it so far in the bag. I hope it looks as precious when I get it put in the crib. I've gotten several gifts of clothing from friends and Kyle's mom for the baby. I have neglected to take a picture of them all yet. They are all so cute. I need to get a picture of his first outfits. I finally purchased the crib and dresser/changer combo last week. I went with the same one I loved in this post. Kyle and I picked them up this past Sunday to store at mom and dads until we have new carpet down. While we were there, we finished up little bits of our registry. Kyle had never been in BRU before, so he really enjoyed it. I was worried that he wouldn't even want to go, but he was fine with it and actually liked it. He played with everything and even dropped a few things. LOL He just walked around amazed at all of the baby stuff and read the backs of labels to try to learn about it all. I should have taken my video camera. I think I am pretty much done with my registry for now.

Sunday night, December 13th, I woke up in the middle of the night to that same spot under my right boob just hurting. All that morning on the 14th, it even was hurting me in the back behind my right shoulder blade. I called the doc, and they wanted to send me for a gallbladder ultrasound. So, I went to that on December 15th. I had to undress my top and put on a robe. They squirted that warm gel all over me to do like a normal ultrasound except it was aimed under my ribs on the right side. The little lab tech girl worked at it for about 30 minutes taking pictures here and there. She said deep breath, and hold......now breathe. I didn't think I was going to make it between some of those hold and breathes. I had to let it go before she said once because I got dizzy. That is hard to do! LOL Otherwise, the test was harmless. Then, she let me sneak a peak at lil man. He has really grown since the last time I've seen him. She was trying to get his heartbeat, and he was moving all over. He brushed his little arm across his face and moved his little lips like sucking almost. I got the results a couple of days later that I didn't have gall stones, but I had some normal or not alarming "sludge". eww!! I have sludge. She said it may can cause some pain, but there is nothing they do for it while pregnant. Yah! I think I have come to the conclusion that it really is just heartburn and I've never had it before. So, now, I eat about 2 Tums a day when I feel that under there. Its a burning, tingly feeling that is just weird. Tums helps.

December 18th, we had my work Christmas party. I had to rush home from work to get ready and be at Kyle's work to pick him up. We had it at the same place as last year. It is always really nice. We got a nice buffet of some really good food. The band wasn't as great this year. It was the same one we've had the last 2 years, but the lead singer quit a couple of months ago. The new lead singer was ok voice wise, but he was horrible to watch. I am on the committee at work that plans the company events including the Christmas party. I got up during one band break and announced door prizes. I didn't win the first two rounds, and we left before the third one was done. We bought tickets to see Avatar at 10:50 that night. Bad idea. The movie was great and the first one I have ever seen in 3D, but it was way too late and too long. Kyle and I both nodded off during parts of the movie. I even heard him snore once. I had to elbow him. It wasn't because the movie was bad, but we were so tired. It ended around 1:30.



December 19th, now this was a busy day and I am more understanding through this why I haven't had time to blog. I went to my grandmother's house for Christmas lunch with the family at 11. I had to keep an eye on the clock to leave in time to be at Heather's college graduation at 2. She graduated with her Bachelor's in Engineering...finally!! I am so proud of her. My other friend graduated with her Communications degree the week before, but it was on a Friday when I had to work. So, I wasn't able to go. I did meet them for lunch though. I am so proud of her too. After Heather's graduation, I ran home to rest for a minute and get ready again to drive to Birmingham for Kyle's family party. It was at his aunt's house. We ate a few bites to eat and sang a few songs. Then, we stayed the night at one of Kyle's friend's houses and just hung out. We ate a bite and watched some games at Buffalo Wild Wings Sunday before driving back home. Boy that was a busy weekend.



Kyle actually got Christmas Eve off this year, so I took off too. He was still gone from the house all day though doing his shopping. Procrastinator!! Christmas day, Kyle and I opened our gifts from one another. I got a beautiful Bulova watch and a Patagonia pullover from him. I love them both!! I had gotten him a new blazer for work and 2 tickets to the Jay-Z/Jeezy concert in Atlanta for him and a friend. I am so jealous, because I would love to go since we missed out on the last one. However, I don't think lil man would enjoy loud concert speakers at 8 months pregnant. I'd probably have him on the floor right there. Being Kyle's child, he would probably come out singing all the songs anyway. lol So, I am letting Kyle take a friend instead. He was really excited. He first thought they were tickets to the championship game, but I couldn't afford to send him there. LOL He was still excited though. We went to mom's for a yummy fried turkey for lunch. Their big gift to me was a cute little mini camcorder that records on a memory card. It is the coolest thing ever. I can't wait to record something on it. I wanted it to try to record the baby being born. If not, then I am sure I will find a ton of other cute things to record him doing. :)

I just went to my regular checkup this morning. I had to do the yummy glucose sugar test. I passed my glucose and hemoglobin tests. Yah!! I weighed 148 lbs, my BP was 100/80, my belly from top to bottom was 29", and lil man's BPM was 140. Everything is moving right along! I now start my every two week visit. Man time is flying! I am starting to get into the somewhat nesting/panic phase. There is so much that I want done before the baby gets here. I had all intentions of doing that this past weekend when I was off for 4 days, but I have had a head cold of sneezing and blowing my nose constantly. So, Saturday, I took it easy all day and felt like poo. I started Monday night trying to organize a little at a time. I got the kitchen pretty much done. I still have a few cabinets to go through and clean out. Next will be the closets. Once I get the new flooring in, everything will start rolling along. I need to paint the hallway, my bedroom, and the baby room. I have to clean out his closet in that room because its used for storage right now. I really want those metal organizer type shelves for his closet to have some spots to stack stuff. Maybe I can get some of those too if I can find them for a good price. Ahh! A lot to do in so little time! :) Panic has set in!

Bedding

I finally broke down and bought the baby bedding. I waited until the day after Thanksgiving to see if I could catch a good sale. It didn't go on sale anymore than it was, but I did get a coupon for free shipping. I am so surprised that I liked this bedding, because I do not like the typical baby stuff. I don't like the bears, animals, airplanes, trains, and any of that kind of stuff. I just wanted geometric like shapes or something. However, when I saw this bedding, I loved it immediately. I am so surprised with myself, because it has elephants on it. I am ok with them though because they look more modern than like a real elephant. The elephants also are good for us as Bama fans too! lol I've made the purchase and just waiting for it to get here now. Now, I just need the new floors down, the crib, and then I will be set. I love it online. I hope I will love it just as much when I get it.

Week 21, 22, and 23

Yeah, well, it has been a couple of weeks and I am many updates behind. So here are all of the bump updates, then I will do a couple of other posts to catch up. I'm being lazy!

Week 21 - Well, I have been pretty luck so far not to really have any stretch marks. I have noticed them I guess under my boobs, but I have no idea how long they've been there. Who would have ever thought to look under there before now? lol So, I may have gotten them there, but you can't really see them. I feel pretty lucky with that so far.

Week 22 - I definitely was noticing a sleeping pattern with Lil' man. He was waking up every couple of hours and kicking me for about 20-30 minutes. I could tell them time when he was moving because it was always 2 hours later. He is getting more active!!

Week 23 - I haven't been able to notice his sleeping patterns as much. He almost seems to move a lot more often now. His little kicks and punches are getting stronger and stronger. I was so excited that I haven't really noticed any swelling or anything. Well, just today, I noticed that my right knee was hurting on the side or back. When I look at it, it almost looks like it has a knot on the side of my leg. I'm not sure if its swelling or what is going on. For the last few weeks I also have been noticing that it hurts my heels to stand too long while getting ready in the bathroom in the mornings. I've found a pretty good remedy to help out. I wear my Yellow Box flip flops while I'm around the house barefoot. They are so squishy that it helps the extra weight. Well, I ask Kyle last night if it is possible to have less "meat" on one of my heels because my left one hurts more than the right one if I stand too long. I don't know why I haven't looked before now, but I looked last night at my heel. I have blood blisters all over my feet on the bottom at all of my pressur points. How weird is that? I hope this is totally normally or at least for some people? They are on my heels, the side of my foot, and the ball of my foot. No wonder it hurts to stand on them. My right food is not that bad. I may be finally feeling some of the pains of pregnancy. Besides getting fat, I haven't had any other problems. Here's a picture of my foot the best I could take it by myself turned to the side.



You're 21 weeks pregnant!

Gasp...is that a stretch mark?!! Take deep breaths and remember -- they'll fade after delivery. Your skin may also feel dry and itchy, especially over your emerging bump. Take a cue from your fetus, now coated by vernix (a milky, protective cream), and slather on the lotion.

Baby's now the size of a banana!



Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, if baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop to around one million by birth).


You're 22 weeks pregnant!

Real estate within your belly is getting tight, with growing baby leaving little room for your lungs to...well...breathe. Expect the huffing and puffing to start soon. There's not much room for your belly button, either -- it'll pop out any day now.

Weeks 21-24 (Month 5): Papaya



Watch what you say -- baby is now able to hear outside noise from down in the womb. Studies show that baby finds gentle music and your own voice most soothing. Nipples are starting to sprout, and that little face is fully formed. And, baby's starting to settle into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

You're 23 weeks pregnant!

Swollen from head to toe? Increased blood flow, by now an old friend, is to blame. Consider a trip to the shoe store because loosening ligaments will cause your feet to expand even more in the weeks to come.

Baby's now the size of a papaya!



Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples!

Week 20 and It's a..................

Well, my guess was right!! It's a wonderful little boy! We are so excited. I was secretly hoping for a little boy, because that was what I was convinced this baby was. I was right!! I took the picture above the morning before my ultrasound.

At this appointment, I weighed 142.6, my BP was 118/70, and his BPM was 154. Kyle met me at the doctor's office. We both sat patiently and anxiously in the waiting room. Of course, they call me back first to get all of the info above. Then, it was time to bring daddy back with me to get the first real glimpse of our sweet baby. She verified first if I wanted to know the sex. We both answered "Yes!" immediately. She squirts the gel on my belly and places the stick on my belly. Boom!! The first thing we see is little peanuts little pee pee! She said, well there is no doubt that it's a boy! He is not shy! Paint your room blue! We just both smiled as we watched the screen to see what else we could see. We saw 2 arms and legs and even 2 little feet. I saw a hand briefly go by and one punch thrown to my belly. LOL! I took Kristen's advice and drank a Mt. Dew before going, which was extremely early for all that caffeine. He was moving around all over in the belly. It was unreal to see him in there moving around. When I think of an ultrasound, I guess I think of it like a still photo. When he actually starting moving around, and we could see it on the screen, it was so crazy! My sweet little boy was all bunched up in my belly.

Here are the first glimpses of our little boy.


Here is little Peanut's face. It freaks me out a little, because he looks so scary. He is still such a cutie though!

These are his two precious little feet. The one on the left is the bottom of his foot, and the one on the right is turned to the side.

She said this one was his hand on his knee.

This is a side profile showing Peanut's little lips.

Here is his heart with four perfect chambers. His BPM was 154.

And here is the famous little pee pee! She said he was not shy! This was the first thing we saw when she put the thing on my belly. It was so funny!


I forgot to post a picture of Peanut's first gift. Yes, I still have to call him Peanut, because we haven't decided on a name yet. We both still really like Carter, so maybe I should call him Carter for the time being...even if it my be his middle name instead. Anyway, the adorable little onesies were his first gift from a friend at work. She saw them at TJ Maxx and couldn't resist getting them, when she knew I was pregnant. They are little newborn ones. They are just plain ol' white onesies, but they are the cutest thing I've ever seen! I've seen tons of these before, but I think when I know they are my little boys and he will be in them one day is what makes them so dang adorable that I can't stand it! Then, Kyle's mom just brought over the sweet little hats this past Sunday after we found out it was a boy. They say Lil' Bama fan. They are also the cutest thing ever, and I hope they fit him when he is born so that he can wear them while we are in the hospital. For some reason, I hate the hospital things! I can't help it. All babies wear the same little striped hats and have the same little striped blankets. I want mine to have his own things in the hospital. These little hats will be so cute on him, if they fit when he is born.

The only thing I have bought for Carter so far are things he can't use until he is a couple of years old. LOL. We've been having some really cool consignment stores that open for a couple of weeks every six months. I've gone to them and found some cute stuff or cheap. So far, he has a wooden rocking horse, a wooden rocking chair, and a high chair for each of his grandparents. The only thing I've bought otherwise is a pack of newborn diapers. I have two good friends that are pregnant with me due within the same week as me. They both have been out buying things. One of them even already has her furniture, the bedding, and some clothes that she's already washing to put in the furniture. Why am I so behind? All I have done is shop online and paste the things I like in a Word document to pick and choose from. I think I will get more in the swing of things when my wood/laminate flooring gets put down. That will mean that the dog room is no longer a dog room. It will then be Carter's room. I hope by then, I will be more eager to buy the furniture and bedding for him. I've been searching and have some things picked out, but I don't want to buy it just to put it in the garage, since his room is not ready. I'm hoping that the floors will get done in the next couple of weeks, and then it will be on with the shopping and decorating. A lot of the bedding I have picked already seems to be green and brown. I will probably pick out 3 or so and let Kyle make the final decision. I like around 3 of them about the same and can't decide, so he will be able to do that hopefully.

From the Bump.com

Your Pregnancy: Week 20

Congrats! You're halfway there...and at one of the great milestones of pregnancy. Increased blood flow is making the pelvic area extra-sensitive, libido is resurging, and the weight gain has just barely begun.



Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Week 18 & Week 19

I am behind on the last two weeks. I am about to be 20 weeks in two days. Not to mention that I find out what little Peanut is on Friday at 9:15. I CANNOT wait! I have been convinced for months that it is a boy, but here lately everyone is trying to convince me its a girl. It will be such a surprise.

Here is what the Bump.com has to say:

Your Pregnancy: Week 18

As your growing uterus starts shifting your center of gravity (belly forward, bottom out), hormoes are causing your ligaments to relax and joints to loosen. The result? Back pain and soreness. On the bright sie, if you want to know baby's gender, this might be your first week fora sneak peak.

Baby's now the size of a sweet potato!



Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel movements.

Your Pregnancy: Week 19

Those nasty leg cramps are probably making it tough to get comfortable. One way to ease the pain: Extend your leg and flex your ankle and toes toward your knees. Or enlist your partner for a calf (and back!) massage. Good news: Your now-bulging belly should get you a little more compassion from everyone around you.

Baby's now the size of a mango!



Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lango, oil, and dead kin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might et to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

I hope to post again tomorrow with a sneak peak picture of Week 20 for a nice guess at the sex of the baby before we find out on Friday.

Furry Child

I feel bad that all I ever seem to have to post about lately is my weekly updates. I wish I was more creative with ideas to talk about on here, so that I could post more often. I thought of something that has been on my mind the last few days. It is still about my child, but it is my furry child.

My baby boy Jigga, who is now 5 years old, has been in some pain for a while now. A while back ago, he got to where he would only walk on his front two legs. Yes, this sounds odd, but the dog is talented. I would get him down and inspect him all over to try to figure out what was wrong with him. We have taken him to multiple vet visits. Their only diagnosis was that he had yeast infections between his toes that made it painful for him to walk on. They would give him medicine, which seemed to help him walk on all fours. Then, as soon as the medicine was over, he would be back to the awkward walking after a month or so. We are puzzled.

I change vets to a man that has been a family vet for years, but he was a little bit more of a drive away for us. He is just a normal country man that will tell you like it is and is not all about making the money off of you. I trust him and his judgment. I took Jigga to him back in June to look him over. He said right away it was not his feet as he mumbled some disgustment in the other vet. He smashed his finger between Jigga's toes and smelled it. Gross, I know. I told you he was just a country boy. Forget smearing stuff on slides and looking under the microscope. Why not just smell it?! lol A yeast infection would stink. He said Jigga's toes smelt better than most dogs he's smelled, which made me feel pretty good. However, he did say that Jigga was the first dog he had seen walking this way in a long time and that it didn't look good. He prescribed him medicine, which also really helped. After it was over, Jig was back to funny walking.

I finally worked up the nerve to call him again to go ahead and schedule an appointment for him to get x-rayed tomorrow. I will have to leave him with him all day, and he can't eat or drink after 10 PM tonight. My poor baby. I am so nervous as to what he will tell me is wrong. Jigga, like most pitbulls, can jump plum over my head in one spring. He once lunged at a balloon floating around the kitchen and popped it. From then on, we thought it was fun and cool to hang something from the ceiling that he could jump at until he got it down. He always would. It was so much fun for him, and he was always willing to show off to anyone new that came over. He was anxious to run over there and show them his trick. I am convinced that this crazy jumping has hurt his back or hips. I would feel horrible for contributing to this pain by letting him jump like that, but he really did enjoy it. I am just hoping that the vet will not tell me that he should be put to sleep. I know that is so selfish of me, and I know I will have to do it if he feels that is necessary. I am just not ready, like we most of the time, never are. He did suggest that he may be able to keep him on medication for the rest of his life that will relieve whatever pain he is in while walking. I am hoping that will be the case. We would then have to take him for routine blood work to make sure his organs were functioning correctly after taking all of this medicine. He not only has messed his back up, he now walks flat footed on the front two feet. All of the pressure from holding up the rest of the body has smushed his feet flat to where they spread out. They are supposed to walk on their toes. I just hope everything goes well tomorrow, and we are able to fix his problem in some way or another. I am just not ready to let go of my baby boy and our special moments together. Remember this post?


Ok, I am getting sad, so I will talk about peanut. I have been feeling a lot more movement these last couple of weeks. It is more like little thumps here and there. I haven't felt as many these last couple of days, which always makes me worry. I know I shouldn't, but I always do. My tummy goes up and down depending on what I eat. Some days I feel huge and others I feel small again. My pants are getting smaller, because now not only do I need to unbutton them, I need to also unzip a little. I wore my first maternity outfit on October 12th. The jeans that I bought at Kids Market barely fit. Two of them don't, and the other pair may only fit a little while longer. I am making these work pants last though with this wonderful Bella Band. I don't know what I would do without it.

I find out what I am having in only 2 1/2 more weeks. My next appointment is November 6th, and I am super duper excited and anxious. I can't wait to know. I am also excited that Kyle will be going back with me to this appointment. I like when he gets to experience it with me too. I told him not to worry with coming to the ones in between unless he wanted, because I am literally there for 10 minutes. A friend told me that I can use a DVD to record the ultrasound. I plan to try to remember to take one just in case I can. How awesome would that be?

I started looking at cribs online this past weekend. The anal organized person in me, made me paste all of the ones I like so far into a Word doc so that I could compare them. Below is my favorite one so far, but I've really only loved at two sites. My mind may change. Of course, I like one of the more expensive ones. I want a convertible crib so that it will change into a toddler bed. So, I made sure the headboard would still look pretty when it was a normal bed.


I have been dying to look at bedding, but its hard when I don't know what I'm having yet. I have still looked, but I get discouraged when I don't know what color I'm looking for. I don't like the traditional things. I like more modern or contemporary things. I am not big at all on the animals, trains, airplanes, and stuff like that. I like shapes, designs, or patterns. Hopefully, I will find something I love once we know.

Here is the weekly update from the bump.com on my 17th week:

Your Pregnancy: Week 17

Though increased blood flow is good for baby, it might be making you a little...damp. Body secretions (think sweat, mucus, nosebleeds, and vaginal discharge) are in full force. This week might also mark the first time you feel baby move inside you, but don't worry if it's another two months before you notice anything. (Or realize that this time, it's actually not gas.)

Baby's now the size of an onion!Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints.

[ tip ] Soothe those awful itchies with an oatmeal soak. Add a cup of fine-ground oats to running bath water. Afterward, pat (don't rub!) yourself dry and moisturize like crazy.

Third Appointment & 16 weeks

Four weeks and counting down until I find out what we are having. I cannot wait!! Everyone tells me not to find out that it is so much more fun that way. I can't do it. I am OCD and have to know what I am having. I have to have it all planned out, names picked, and the room ready in a color suitable for that sex. I don't know how people do it, but that's great if they can. I just have to know!

My third appointment was fast and went great. I now weigh 133.8, my BP was 103/68, and Peanut's heart beat was 157 BPM. The little sucker is tricking me. I can't tell if its a boy or a girl and I want to know! :) I had a different nurse today, and I talked her into letting me voice record the doppler of the heart beat. It was awesome to have. I can save it forever. Here is little Peanut's fast heart beat.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ylode5mtmko

I've been thinking all week that I've been feeling the baby just a little bit. It feels like a thump really low on my belly. I think that its the baby, but I'm not really sure. The doc says I will feel it soon within the next two weeks. I can't wait until I know for sure that is what it is. Its getting a little harder to get up and down or bend over. It hurts when I lean against the counter to put my makeup on. I wore my first pair or maternity jeans today. So not flattering!! But its ok. I need to probably buy a pair or two that fit me. I found these at Kids Market and just had to buy them without trying them on. I got so many shirts from there. I finally washed them all this weekend and will need to wear some of them soon before I outgrow them.

Kyle said that its getting more and more real to him as my belly is getting bigger. It has really grown in the last week or so and seems to grow daily. He has been eating all kinds of junk food and sweets, which is out of the normal for him. I asked if he was pregnant too. That is when he told me that its getting to be more real now with my belly showing.

I had today off for Columbus Day. I had all intentions of painting my bedroom today, but I just didn't feel like it. I met Kyle for lunch, went to Wal-Mart, and did some laundry. I taped up one of the two doors in the bedroom and one of two windows in the room. I am half way done preparing. LOL. I am doing a big stripe around the room at the top, so I have to tape a stripe there too. Its just hard to do it using the laser beam by myself. I think I'm going to need some help. I don't think I am as quick to it this time either, because I have a lot of furniture to move or work around. Its just going to be harder than the small bathroom. I hope it turns out to look alright.

Well, here is what the bump.com says for me this week. Only 4 more to go until our next ultrasound. It is going by so fast! I guess I need to start unpacking the fall/winter shoes. Its getting colder every day. :(

Your Pregnancy: Week 16

Thanks to increasing blood flow, it's time for some major cash and prizes. Enjoy quick-growing hair and nails, smooth and firm skin, and a healthy glow. One bit of bad news -- your eyes might be feeling a little dry these days.



Baby's now the size of an avocado!Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean she can now pick up your voice. A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

Week 13 - Duh!

Well, here is what the Bump.com had to say about Week 13. Doesn't it sound lovely?! :) Well, the blissful part does, but not the second part. LOL.

"Your Pregnancy: Week 13

Welcome to the blissful second trimester, widely recognized as pregnancy's most comfortable and enjoyable. (Yes, it's a relative distinction.) Don't panic if you start noticing some lovely vaginal discharge. It's called leucorrhea and is totally normal. Though it might mess up your panties, it's essential in protecting your birth canal from infection. (Sorry I know you all wanted to know that part!)

Baby's now the size of a peach!Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords...savor this, their nonfunctional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with his head now only one third the size of his body. And intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy -- much more convenient."

I can't believe it is already the size of a peach. That's a pretty good size. We should find out what it is in 6 weeks, and I cannot wait!! The whole reason for me saying Week 13 - Duh! is....I know Kristen told me that you are very forgetful when you are pregnant, but I don't remember anyone warning me that you truly become a dumb blond. I am seriously having issues! Kyle says I have really become accident prone since I've been pregnant. Saturday, I was making party rolls for the Alabama game (Roll Tide!). Heather has all of this fancy Williams Sonoma stuff she got when they got married or through wedding gift cards from there. I was excited about her sharp knife, because I knew it would cut the bread in half really easy for me. That is the hardest part of the whole deal is standing the pack of rolls up and cutting them in half. Well, I did fine the first pack and all the way until the end of the last pack of rolls. I was holding the bread still as I finished up cutting through the last of the bread, when out comes the knife onto my thumb. It just barely tapped my thumb halfway down on the inside. I knew immediately that it cut through for sure. It started bleeding, and my hand started to shake. I was starving on top of all of this, so I had to calm down. haha I had to fold up a piece of paper towel to put in with the band aid to make it stop bleeding. It hurt for a few hours. A little neosporin and it looks much better.


Next, the rolls were done cooking and smelling up the kitchen. Yum, I am so hungry! I get the pans out of the oven and set them on the stove. I got out the scary knife again to cut them into little sections. I knew that sharp knife would cut through the tin pan, so I got an oven mitt and tried to scoot the pans off to the counter so I wouldn't stab the top of the flat top stove. Well, in trying to move the pan, I apparently turned the knife downward to do so. I didn't know that until I poked myself in the upper stomach with the knife. It made a red spot but luckily didn't break skin. I really could have hurt myself! That knife is so sharp. Luckily, I just barely poked myself. What is wrong with me?!

Then, last night, Kyle broiled some talapia and scallops in the oven. When they were done, he just pulled the rack out and let everyone get the food with the spatula from there. I noticed Be was sniffing it at one point, so I pushed the rack in and closed the door. A few minutes later they told me to preheat the oven for some cookies. I went right on in there and turned the oven back on. A few minutes later, Heather says, um there is stuff in the oven. I said, Oh its ok because I just shut the door from Be. Then, duh, oh crap, it is not ok because I cut the oven back on. I had to get the food and plastic spatula out of there before it burned.

Friday night, we went to eat Italian. I got manicotti. When the waitress put the plate down, I was ready to dig in but the little bowl thing on my plate was not where I wanted it on my plate. I grabbed it with my middle finger to scoot it towards me and yowzer it was hot! It was like sticking my finger to the iron. I jerked my hand back and said ouch! It was my fault for not paying attention that it is the same looking bowls that they stick in the oven to bake the stuff in. That was my duh, but I was kind of ticked at the waitress. When I said ouch, she said oh yeah that middle plate is hot, but I guess you figured that out. Uh, really. It made me mad after that. She should have warned me. Oh well, I guess. It only hurt for a few hours. lol I can't imagine if this will only get worse! I will kill myself for this is over! So, I went window shopping in Rue21 after work today. I was looking to see if I could find some cute cheap shirts to buy for the big game this weekend...by the way we are going to the Alabama Arkansas game. Yah! Anyway, my belly is starting to poke out a little, so I want to wear something cute but comfortable too. They had some good sales on cute loose shirts. I was only window shopping, UNTIL, I found a cute pair of shoes that was the last pair and they were MY SIZE. It was meant to be! lol They weren't red lined like the rest, so I was sad. They were $24.99. I didn't really want to pay that since I was really only window shopping. I decided to get them anyway since they were the last pair. I take them to the register, and they were $8.00!!! Woo hoo!! Talk about excited. I liked them. What do ya think?

Week 12

Well, I've waited so long that I think I'm actually done with 12 weeks, but here it goes anyway.

This 12th week was starting to feel about like 8 or so. My tummy has been feeling a little nauseous again like it was before. I am having a problem with finding something to drink that doesn't bother my tummy. I never get sick, but it just makes my tummy feel yucky. I tried all of the diet caffeine drinks that I like, but I got tired of them quick. Now, I almost crave a straight up Coke or Pepsi...no diet...no caffeine free. I hear they have caffeine free regular Coke and Pepsi though. I may have to try that. I would still be getting the sugar, but I just want something that doesn't bother me. Tea seems to work pretty good, but I get such a full feeling when I drink it after eating. Then, I am miserable. No tummy ache, but miserably full. Which is worse? I drink 2-3 20 ounce bottles of water in the morning time, which is good for me considering I don't like water. I have to have a soda of some kind from lunch on through the rest of the day. I went to the grocery the other night to get some juice. I am somewhat allergic to orange juice, but it is my favorite. I like apple, but I wasn't feeling it that night. My boss walked around here shaking up a bottle of orange apple juice right in front of me and that was what I wanted. I couldn't find it though and was disappointed. I got Orange Pineapple instead. I am trying not to drink a lot of it at a time so that I don't break out or whatever. I don't think I like that pineapple part. Too many mixed drinks gone bad with it.

I feel pretty good otherwise though. I still have my good days and bad ones. I've been tired a lot this week though. I go home after work and lay on the couch. I may fall asleep or I may go to bed at 9. I am supposed to be painting my bedroom sometime soon and haven't built up the energy to tackle it just yet. Doing my bathroom really made me not want to do the bedroom just yet. Actually, I need to put the before and after pictures up of my bathroom. I can't wait to get my room all finished. By that time, I hope to get my laminate flooring soon after so that I can get my bed put together that has been sitting in my garage for a month now. I went round and about with those people to hurry up and get it shipped to me, and I haven't even put it up yet. I figured why put it together when we will be getting new floors soon. That would be a hassle. I am just hoping its not broken to pieces when I get it all out of the box. I would be furious! Once that all gets done, we should know the sex of the baby and it would be time to start decorating the baby room. Awww!! Those poor doggies aren't going to know what happened when they get booted from their bedroom. They are going to be so upset. I can tell them now to go to their room and they will go in there. They are going to be majorly confused when they don't have a room any more. Its so sad actually. They will become the step children.

I get updates from the Bump.com on my weeks. Here is what they had to say about week 12:

Hi Melissa, you're 12 weeks pregnant!

First trimester: Check! The nausea, fatigue, mood swings, and bathroom dashes should soon fade, but (sorry!) headaches and dizziness will probably get more intense. The good news: You're about to embark on the second trimester, when mood and energy levels generally peak.

Baby's now the size of a plum! As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of her systems are fully formed.


Now, onto week 13 and the start of my second trimester and Month 4! Only 5 more to go and about 6 more weeks until I know what peanut is! I can't wait!

Its About Time

Well, now the truth comes out about why I've been slacking so much on my blogs lately.

I AM PREGNANT!!!!

Woo hoo!! It has been killing me not to tell until I felt like it was time. It really made it hard to come up with any good blog posts to write about, when that was all I was thinking about or feeling. I wanted to wait until 12 weeks to tell the world. A few select friends and mostly all family knew about it. I must say I am so proud of Kristen for keeping such a big secret. :) I love you!!

I knew I was feeling a little different back in July. My boobs were a big symptom that I noticed. They hurt so bad and felt so swollen, which wasn't always abnormal. That happened sometimes the week before I would start. I was cramping really bad too and felt like everything I had was about to fall in the floor. When that happened for two weeks straight, I knew something wasn't right. I was pretty stupid in the part that I knew I was trying to get pregnant and hadn't written down when my cycles were. I kept counting and guessing and counting and trying to remember when my last one was. It just got to the point that I knew it had been longer than 4 weeks since my last one, so I went and made the big purchase on July 24th! I picked a pack of tests that had 2 in it just to be sure. I was so nervous to make this purchase like I was 16 in high school and afraid to tell my parents. haha Why?! I have no idea. Kristen says - Lissy you are grown and married - its ok to be pregnant. I came home and showed Kyle the box. He laughed at me. I read the box over and over again. I don't know if I had ever been so anxious/nervous before. I have NEVER taken a pregnancy test before. So, I peed on the stick and sat it down to finish up. Before I could even stand up...this is what I saw...

I announced it to my closest friends through a text message with a picture of the two positive tests. We went to dinner with several friends that night to celebrate. We were so excited! All of my friends were ecstatic as well.

5 weeks

I went to swim at mom and dad's the next day. I am one who likes to surprise you or trick you into my big news. So, I showed mom and dad a picture of the two tests I had taken with the camera. They were so excited. Mom sat down and fanned herself and dad just grinned. So far, mom has already bought newborn baby diapers and rearranged furniture to put the baby's stuff in my old bedroom.

In the next few weeks, I felt nauseous from early in the morning until about lunch time. I had a daily headache, and I was still cramping pretty bad. I was hoping it wouldn't be that way the whole time, but I knew I was blessed to be pregnant and was trying not to complain. I was hungry every couple of hours and would get dizzy if I didn't eat when I had the urge.

I had my first ultrasound on August 10th. They ran a couple of tests on me, weighed me, and I got my first look and listen to my little peanut. This is now what I call my sweetie is peanut. I was hoping that we would get to hear the heart beat, and sure enough she found it. It is so fast and the most awesome thing to hear. I weighed 127.4 lbs.

Week 8

Around week 9-10, I started feeling a lot better. I wasn't getting as nauseous as I was before. I finally had a little more energy. Then again, I still have my good days and my bad ones. One day I could come home and nap for hours, and other ones I could stay up all night. I just try to take it one day at a time and rest when I get tired if its possible. I definitely am loving my sleep these days.

I am now at almost 12 weeks and feeling pretty good. I barely even feeling pregnant besides getting hungry and tired every so often. I had my second appointment last Friday September 4th. This time, they only checked my vitals, weighed me, and I got to hear the heart beat again. It took her a minute to find little peanut, but it was way down low and the heart was beating 160 BPM. I weighed 130.2 lbs.

Here's a list of all of the questions I get frequently and my answers to them:

1. Have you been craving anything? Yes, mainly meat like burgers. If I had to pick a place, it would be Taco Bell...had some tonight...yummy. 3 soft tacos minus lettuce and a cinnamon twist. I forgot the cinnamon twist tonight and was so let down. Its just not the same without them.


2. Have you been sick? Nope. Like I said, I've been nauseous for a while, but I never threw up. Besides the headaches and cramping in the beginning, I feel pretty good.


3. How is your skin? What does this mean? If it is asking if I am broken out, then no. I still get the normal break outs like before, but nothing out of the ordinary.


4. What do you want? At first, I said I didn't care either way and I truly meant it. However, I have made my mind up thus far that this is a boy. So, now that I've had it in my head, I guess that is somewhat what I am hoping for. I would absolutely be thrilled with either of them.


5. What names have you picked out? We have agreed that we both like the name Carter for a boy. We are not dead set on this name, but we do both agree at least. Kyle wants a name that starts with a J so that he can be called J Henderson. Kyle mentioned the name Jason, but I do not want common names. I want different names. We haven't talked a lot about girl names, but I have a couple on my list. Kyle says Erica but again that is common so I say no. lol. So far, I like Reese and Kate pretty good. Then, one morning, it popped into my head...Alivia Reese. Say it like an Alabamian pronounces Olivia.