Kickin' Daddy

Addison finally said "hi" to her daddy.  We just arrived home this evening from being in Arkansas for the holidays and decided to relax and watch some tv.  Addie was kicking up a storm tonight and, up until now, Shane really hadn't been able to feel it when he would put his hand on my belly.  Around the third or fourth kick, Shane flinched and smiled really big.  Shane was so excited to finally have felt her move.
It's such a strange feeling,  Addison's movement becomes more pronounced every day.  Being able to feel what's going on also helps make everything seem more real and comforting.  It's an amazing feeling!

The results are in....

Shane and I had talked about baby names long before even talking about having a family.  After finding out that we were pregnant, we narrowed down our favorites to 5 boy and 3 girl names.  We then decided it would be unique and exciting to have our family and friends vote on their favorites of our top picks.
In October, we sent out voting slips with our top 5 boy and top 3 girl names (click on the picture below).
After a month and a half, the results are in.  The doctor has confirmed that we will be having a baby girl.  The name that took the lead for the girls was Addison Elizabeth Handley.  We've attached a picture of the voting slip and the results slip below.

19 Weeks

Today Shane and I conquered our Christmas shopping.  I've decided that there needs to be "expectant mother" parking at ALL malls and stores! Just Kidding.  While we were out, we found a really cute wall hanging to put in the nursery.  I'll post a picture on here within the next week.
Over the last two weeks, I've been feeling "flutters" more frequently.  It seems like they happen most when there is a lot of noise going on around me.  I can feel them several times in one day and then go a few days with nothing.
Despite several calls from the doctors office to reschedule, and reschedule again....we are set to find out the gender of baby minnow next week!!  Originally the appointment was set for Wednesday the 16th at 10am.  Then I got a call from the doctors office asking if we could move the appointment to 11:30.  Of course, I accepted, even though a later appointment meant that we would have to wait longer to find out the sex. Then another call came in a few days later asking if we could move it to later in the afternoon or perhaps a later date.  UGH!!!  Luckily, I was able to keep the appointment for the same day, but we moved it to 3:00 Wednesday afternoon.
I'll keep everyone posted as to what we find out.  Of course Shane and I will be happy no matter what the gender is!

The Nursery

We're still working on the nursery, but here are some pics of the before and after.  Shane has put so much work into this little room!  Shane laid the carpeting himself, assembled the furniture, hung the curtains and blinds, and he even painted the ceiling fan to match the accessories!!  What a great guy!
The color is a little off in these pics and really doesn't do the blankets and curtains justice, but you get the idea....

 

17 Weeks

Our trip was AWESOME! Of course, I was worn out from all of the walking we did, but it was still a great time.  If you've ever been to NY, you already know how difficult it is to find a bathroom while sightseeing.  While we were walking around Manhattan, of course I had to pee every 10 minutes.  Somehow, Shane was always able to find a place that would let me use their restroom.  It was amazing!
We saw a few shows Stomp, Wicked, CirqueDuSoleil Wintuk, and we stopped at an IMAX theatre and saw the animation movie A Christmas Carol.  There were several other touristy things we did as well, but most of all we just walked around.  At one point, we were at the corner of 5th Avenue and 48th Street and had Alec Balldwin walk inches in front of us while crossing the street!
As you know, just before our trip my baby bump came out of nowhere.  We took a picture of my belly while we were in NY, and then another once we got home.  As of last week, doc says I have gained 4 1/2 lbs total during pregnancy and everything looks great.  If only it felt great when I went to put my jeans on!

16 Weeks

I had my 16 week doctor appointment this morning and everything is looking good.  The heartbeat was 151 and doc says we're progressing nicely so far.  I didn't get a chance to take a baby bump photo this morning because we were a little rushed getting out the door, but I will do my best to take one while we're in New York this weekend.  I will say, this next baby bump picture will be one that some of you have waited for.....I'm starting to show!!!  It happened within a matter of days last week, and all of the sudden, I had a belly!!

We're both so excited for our trip!  We leave for St. Louis tonight and catch the first flight out tomorrow morning (6AM) for New York.  Keep your eyes opened Thanksgiving Day because we'll be on the streets watching the Macy's parade.  Have a good weekend and great holiday everyone!!!!

14 Weeks

Shane and I have been starting on the nursery this week.  We've got so much going on over the next two months that we figured it would be best to at least get the big stuff out of the way now.  So far, we've got the dresser/changer, crib, and the glider is on order.  It was cute to see Shane put the crib together.  He put a lot of effort into it and everything looks great!  I took a ton of pictures that I'll soon post on here.

Not much else has changed.  I'm currently about a pound over my pre-baby weight and still haven't really seen any sort of "baby bump".  My next doctors appointment is my 16 week appointment on the 20th.  I've tried using the handheld doppler to listen to the heartbeat at home, but I still can't find anything.  Most of the blogs that I've read online say that they couldn't find the heartbeat until about 20 weeks with an at-home doppler.  I'll probably keep trying anyway ;)

Flowers

My most AMAZING husband always knows how to make me smile.  A few weeks ago, Shane brought home a huge bouquet of flowers.  I had been feeling kind of down all week because NOTHING was relieving my stomach aching.  Maybe he thought the foliage would help?  Either way, I was thrilled and it made me smile.
I would've posted a picture sooner, but the computer and my camera were having an argument and I couldn't get them to agree to upload the pics.  So, for your viewing pleasure....

13 Weeks

I'M FINALLY AT THE END OF MY FIRST TRIMESTER!!!  The first trimester is supposed to be the "scariest" because the highest rate of miscarriage is in your first 13 weeks.  It is important for the expectant mom to be extra cautious about what she eats, drinks, pulls, breathes, lifts, and sniffs.  It's nice to be able to sniff what I want now. HA HA

I thought I was starting to get a "baby bump" over the last week or so, but it turns out, one good visit to bathroom deflated that hope.  My stomach is still fluctuating so much every day that it's hard to tell what's baby and what's Taco Bell.  I know all other moms around me keep saying "you'll know when it's baby".  I sure hope so because as of now... I feel like there must be a baby blow fish in there that just blows up and deflates as it feels necessary.

Our camping weekend

We're back from our weekend in Arkansas.  We had a great time.  The "bed" we set up in the back of the SUV worked out nicely.  I think we stayed a lot warmer than we would have if we had been in a tent.

On our way home from Arkansas, Shane and I stopped at Babies R Us and bought the crib and changer for the nursery.  Unfortunately, both items were out of stock and they had to put them on order.  We should be able to pick them up in about two weeks.  I'm excited to see how they fit in the nursery.  As soon as we get them and set them up, I'll be posting pictures for sure.

Not much else to post today, but we'll be getting a baby bump picture on here soon!

3 Mo's preggers

Ok so my computer is not cooperating with my camera, so I'll have to post a belly pic later.
I wouldn't say I have a baby bump yet.  So far I'm up 2 1/2 lbs from my pre-baby weight.  My belly fluctuates so much from day to day (bloating & constipation) which is apparently normal.  The downside to this fluctuation is that some days I look 5 mo's pregnant and other days I look like I need a cheeseburger.
Still no sickness and most of my other pregnancy symptoms have tapered off (other than the ever growing boobs).
Shane and I are off to Arkansas this weekend to go camping....I know...burrrrrr.  Instead of messing with a tent, we have decided to build a bed in the back of the SUV with masses of blankets.  The family gets together every year for a hayrack ride, food, and fun.  We're excited!  I'm sure I'll post more once we get back.

3 Month Appointment

Today was my 3 month appointment.  The doctor had a hard time finding the heartbeat with the hand held doppler (which is apparently normal at 12 wks).  I was really hoping to hear something or see something at this appointment because I really couldn't see the monitor as well as Shane could at our last appointment. 
I think the doctor felt bad for me because he decided to go ahead and do another ultrasound.  It was AMAZING!!  It looked like Baby Minnow was waving at us!  The left arm kept going up towards the head and opening/closing it's fist.  At this point, the baby is about the size of a large plum.
Another big moment at this appointment was that I got the H1N1 vaccine.  Shane and I had decided a while ago that I was not going to get it.  We really didn't know if there were risks involved with the vaccine and really weren't sure if it was a good idea.  After the ultrasound, the doctor talked me into getting the shot.  He said that it's the safest version of the vaccine (no preservatives, no mercury, and not a live strand).  Keep your fingers crossed that this vaccine works and doesn't give me a hairy chest or orange eyes or something :)
Tomorrow I'll post an updated belly pic.  For now, here's a pic of Baby Minnow....

9 Weeks Pregnant

Now that the doctor has confirmed how far along I am, I don't have to put "ish" behind the number of weeks in my title!
I would have to say, my only real complaint about being pregnant is IRON!  Unfortunately, I'm one of the people that are SEVERELY affected by the intake of extra iron.  For those of you that don't know what that means...it makes it hard for me to do accomplish all of my "goals" when in the bathroom.  The worse part is, I'm not even anemic and the doctor prescribed MORE iron at my last appointment.  Give me a cork and some duct tape and I'll give doc a dose of his own medicine!
Other than a severe hatred for iron, being pregnant isn't so bad... yet :)
I finally gained a pound! I'm sure I won't be saying it like that in a few months though.  The last two months I hasn't gained a single pound and I didn't understand why.  My clothes felt tighter around the stomach area, but the scale wasn't agreeing.  I'm sure all of that will change in the growing months.  I'll probably want to throw the scale off the balcony at some point for not "agreeing" with me.  Until then!

Baby Minnow

A really funny story that I forgot to mention earlier...Shane and I had gone out on the boat and brought along Mom, Dillon, Joy, Blake, and Avryl.   We happened to stop by "Dick's-Halfway-Inn Bar and Grill" (I know, a crazy bar name)...anywho, this bar is known for their "minnow shot".   The minnow shot is where you pick your poison, and they drop a live minnow into the shot glass and you drink it.  I know it sounds crazy and who would do that right?  Well, we all did!!  It sounds disgusting, and it is, but it's a big deal at the lake.  Even BLAKE, my 6-year-old nephew did it (in soda).

Once we found out I was pregnant, it was realized that I would have gotten pregnant right around the time we took the shot.  I began teasing Shane that it's probably just the minnow swimming around in there. We started making jokes that our doctor was going to freak once he saw that it was a minnow on the sonogram and not a baby.  So, if either of us refer to "it" as "Baby Minnow", now you'll know why.

Our First Sonogram

The first appointment went GREAT!  According to the doctor, I'm just over 8 weeks along and my due date is May 8th.  Doc said everything is looking good and healthy so far.  It seemed like we were there forever, but once we got into the ultrasound room, it breezed by.  I didn't really get to see much of the baby because of the angle I was at, but Shane said he could see the outline of the legs, arms, and everything when the doctor moved the instrument around.  We also were able to hear the heartbeat!!  It was a really amazing experience.  I've included a picture of the sonogram below.
My next appointment is scheduled for October 26th.  Until then I'll keep you all posted on our progress.

8ish Weeks Pregnant

8 weeks and still no vomit....  I had a teeny bit of queasiness a few days this last week but not the type that I was "warned" about.  I've been getting a few small headaches every now and then (apparently normal in pregnancy), and ta-ta's are still ever growing and painful... other than that, no big changes in symptoms.
I've been checking the scale every day to see if I've gained anything, but I haven't.  Despite not gaining anything, my pants are getting snug in the tummy area... weird, I know!
My first sonogram is on Monday.  I'm excited and nervous.  What if he says the baby has 4 heads, what if he says it's not mine?  All valid concerns ;)
I hope you're not disappointed that I'm not looking as tan in this picture as last week, but that was only a lack of lighting when we took the picture.

7ish Weeks Pregnant

I'm about 7 weeks today.  I STILL don't feel very pregnant...yet.  My chest feels like it's doubled in size and it's still pretty sore and I'm exhausted most of the time.  I feel like a whale lately (because of water gain) but haven't actually gained any weight since first finding out I was pregnant three weeks ago.  Aside from that, there's have no morning sickness, no nighttime sickness, no cravings, no mood swings, no other crazy symptoms, and I'm beginning to feel like I need to take another pregnancy test!!  Shane says three pregnancy tests is enough and I'd know if I wasn't pregnant anymore.

A lot of my friends that have been through it all recently, have said it's common not to "feel" pregnant for the first few months.  It's just unsettling not being able to feel anything in there.   I just want to text message it and see how it's doing!!

Maybe I feel like, if I had more symptoms, that would be a good sign that everything is functioning correctly in there.  Mom says to "ENJOY IT if you're not hovering over the toilet all day long...YOU'RE LUCKY!"

6ish Weeks Pregnant

September 11, 2009:  I'm unofficially "officially" 6 weeks pregnant today! :)  My first appointment is set for right around 8 weeks (on the 28th of this month).  Still no huge pregnancy symptoms other than being sore and tired.  All of the moms around me have warned me that "it's coming" and I'm just too early in the pregnancy to have any other symptoms.  I'm hoping that whatever else comes along, isn't as bad as they say it will be!

5-ish Weeks Pregnant

September 4, 2009: I had set up an appointment to see Dr. Kevin Hooker towards the end of this month. In the meantime, I have a guesstimate of my due date based on a few pregnancy websites that I had visited. I'm not showing too many signs of pregnancy other than really sore boobs and being extremely tired over the last few days. I'm not sure how long this will last. Shane is reading the "What to expect when Expecting" book. I'm trying not to become "too informed" on my pregnancy because I don't want to become paranoid about "what if's". It works out nicely because Shane loves to read and if there's anything I'm concerned about, I can just ask him if it's "normal".

The Digital Pee Stick

September 1, 2009: I had strategically placed a digital pregnancy test right by the toilet so I would not forget to use it during my "first a.m." visit to the bathroom. The digital test took longer than the other ones. What seemed like 3 hours, was more like 3-5 minutes. I came back to the test a few minutes after I took it, and saw the little digital plus sign with "yes" next to it. I couldn't believe it! I tried to think of a clever way to give Shane the official news, but instead, I placed the (clean) "pee stick" on the counter near his toothbrush...the ONLY chance of him seeing it!

I opened the door just a crack when I heard him start brushing his teeth, he turned to me with a big gleaming smile, and said "YAY"!!! He was thrilled!

Positively UN-Positive!

August 31, 2009: At school, I talked to my friend Danielle (who recently had a baby) about the possibility of being pregnant. Danielle was thrilled and very convinced that I was in fact, pregnant. She advised me to take another test after school though, just to be sure. I followed her advice and received another faint line. I was growing frustrated because I really didn't know how to interpret such faint lines. I called Danielle and she immediately came over. After looking at the test, she assured me that "a line is a line, and YOU'RE PREGNANT"! I still wasn't convinced, so she had me take another one. Again, a positively UN-POSITIVE line! I decided to give the pee sticks a rest and try again the next morning.

A big surprise

August 28, 2009: Shane and I were spending the weekend in Arkansas when we first realized the possibility of being pregnant. I had been "late" all weekend long.  We were not exactly planning a family just yet, but were definitely not opposed to it.

On our 5 hour drive home Sunday, we stopped at a Wal-Mart to get a pregnancy test. The line was so extremely faint though, that I figured I had a faulty test. We continued home and decided that stress was probably to blame for being "late".