Back from Mississippi

This 17th week is especially hard because the baby is now the size of an onion. The bad part is... I can't stand onions right now! Ha ha! The baby is about 5 inches long and should weigh about 7 ounces. He or she is now getting harder bones and has fingerprints! How cool!
We just got back from Mississippi on a whirlwind trip (at least it was for me...Nathan had 10 days off, while I had just 2) for Granny's 90th birthday. It was the first time that my mother-in-law's whole family has EVER been together! We had such a good time and it was very hard to leave this morning.
My in-laws were excited to see that I'm (kind of) growing. My mother-in-law Pam talked to the baby quite a bit. Mom Seago, I'm sure that he or she will definitely know that you are NOT a smoker! :) I got some advice from other family members on how to "look more pregnant." All in due time, I'm sure.

By the way, for those who haven't heard my rant yet... when I was getting an adjustment the other day, my chiropractor said "You can't tell you are pregnant yet, you just look kind of chubby." I wanted to punch her in the face! But, I chose not to let my hormones get the best of me and brushed it off my shoulder.

Well, I am in desperate need of a nap since we had to be up at 4am to make our 6:30am flight from Memphis this morning! I'll never function at church or work if I don't! Have a wonderful week!

Little Avocado

The baby has grown almost another 1/2 inch in the last week. He or she now has eardrums and can hear my voice! I have been telling Nathan not to get too used to calling the baby a "boy" or "son" because if it is a girl, she'll be able to hear him and come out resentful! Ha ha! If I had an ultrasound this week, I could potentially tell whether the baby is officially a boy or girl. How exciting.

I took another goofy "Old Wives Tales of Gender Prediction" test and it said:

You have a 47% chance of having a boy.
And you have a 52% chance of having a girl.

And Here's Why...
You are carrying the extra weight out front, so it's a boy.
The hair on your legs is not growing any faster during your pregnacy, so it's a girl.
Boys are carried low. You are going to have a boy.
Sleeping in a bed with your pillow to the south indicates that you will be having a girl.
Your feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy. You are having a girl.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread. You are having a girl.
Dad-to-be hasn't been gaining weight along with Mom-to-be, so it will be a girl.
The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair (dyed or natural), so a girl will be born.
You had morning sickness early in pregnancy, so you are expecting a girl.
You are looking particularly good during pregnancy. Therefore, it must be a boy, because girls steal their mother's looks.
Your chest development has been quite dramatic during pregnancy. You should expect a girl.
Since the sum of the mother's age at conception and the number of the month of conception is even, it will be a boy.
A needle on a thread held over your belly moves in circles, so you will have a boy.
Your urine is a bright neon yellow color, so you will have a boy.
You have a craving for salty or sour foods, which means that it is a boy.
Your nose hasn't changed during pregnancy, which indicates a girl.
You have been craving meats or cheeses, so it is a boy.
Your baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute, so it's a girl.
You have no desire for orange juice, so it's a boy.
You are having headaches, so it's a boy.
Your belly looks like a watermelon, so it's a girl.
You show them the palm of your hand, so it's a girl.
You use the handle, so it's a boy.

It's so close! The last one I took which had a few different questions in it said that we had a 53% chance of having a boy and a 47% chance of having a girl. That is too close to know. I guess we'll just have to wait until May 18th. But you watch and see, the baby will probably have its leg crossed or something so we can't tell.

As for me, I am overall starting to feel much, much better. I do still have some icky moments of nausea, indigestion and headaches, but overall, I am significantly feeling better. My cravings at the moment are cheese sticks and pickles. The baby is giving me "automatic portion control" because as soon as I've had one bite too many, I immediately feel sick. I still haven't gained much weight, but my tummy is growing so I'm assuming that is a good thing!

I have a very busy week ahead with work, appointments, meetings and traveling. I am really looking forward to being in Mississippi this weekend for a (hopefully) relaxing end to the week and to help Nathan's Granny celebrate her 90th. I better enjoy my rest today!

Week 15

So begins week 15. The baby is now about the size of an orange, probably about 4 inches long. His or her little legs are longer now and all the joints are fully functional! Pretty soon, hopefully in the next few weeks, I'll be able to start feeling him or her move. I can't wait!

Lately, I've had several good days mixed in with a few bad days. Last week, I had a headache that lasted almost 4 days, with the 4th day culminating in a doozie of a headache. Tylenol does nothing for me, so I pretty much take nothing except for using my "Head On" (which surprising does work for frontal tension headaches) and my heating pad. Saturday, I was having really sharp stomach cramps almost all day long, but I felt just fine when I woke up this morning.

Yesterday, my friend Stephanie and I went to a day spa and got spa pedicures. It was wonderful! I love having shapely, polished toes. Now if it will just last until our trip to Mississippi, that would be great!

Still not really noticing any major weight gain. I'm eating 3 normal meals and snacking intermittently throughout the day, so I'm not totally sure what is going on. I'll be officially weighed again at my May 18th appointment, so we'll hope for a little more growth by then. Overall, I should have gained about 10 pounds by my 20 week mark, but my 10 pound weight loss at the beginning didn't help much. I really can't eat a ton at each meal or else I really pay for it with that lovely indigestion. Although... I do have to say that I haven't been taking my Tums nearly as much lately. Yeah!!

I'm looking forward to an uneventful week before Nathan leaves on Saturday. Then it kicks in to high gear with friends, meetings, church and altered work schedules before I leave next Thursday. Whew! I can't wait to see our Mississippi family and spend a few quality days with them and helping Nathan's Granny turn 90.

Have a blessed week.

Easter Picture

The innocence of children and the love of family

The 14 week belly!

Yesterday at work, a little physically and mentally handicapped girl asked me if "I had a baby in my belly." I told her yes I did and I asked her if she wanted to feel my belly. She said "YEAH!" and then proceeded to ask me "when is he going to come out?" Ha ha! It was so cute that it put a smile on my face all day!

My cousin Olivia stopped by my work yesterday too, just to say hi! That girl is so busy, but she hadn't seen me since I told her that I was pregnant and she just needed to see how I was doing. She and her boyfriend, Tom, were both very excited that we are expecting and said they thought we would be wonderful parents. I am just loving the enthusiasm of my whole family! I think they all are ready for a baby in the family to cuddle on!

Last night, Nathan asked me what I wanted for dinner. I knew immediately that it was a "sausage thin crust pizza from Pizza Hut." Yum! I dreamed of it all the way home, and then...... disappointment. At Pizza Hut, if you want regular sausage, you have to ask for "pork topping" or they give you italian sausage. So I ended up with an italian sausage, lukewarm, kinda crispy, no sauce pizza. GRRRRR! And to make matters worse, it upset my stomach all night long! To make up for it, we are going to go out and get a yummy breakfast at Cracker Barrell this morning.

Nathan gets to pick out his early Father's Day present today...a new grill. Our old one has blown over in the wind and we've made due with some replacement parts, but a new grill would be nice. We still plan on doing some summer entertaining. And...I know the baby will want some steaks this summer too!

April 7th Appointment

Everything went great. Dr. Hoover said I haven't gained any weight since my 8 week appointment, but that was okay and not unusual in the 1st trimester. I am in good health and I heard the baby's heartbeat again...about 150 bpm. The doctor said everything was "perfect." Yeah! The next appointment is May 18th for my ultrasound....will it be a boy or girl???

The Second Trimester Begins

Today is the official start of my second trimester. I am still continuing to progressively feel better although indigestion and headaches seem to be the worst of it right now. Just knowing that I am 1/3 through my pregnancy is such a huge relief. I have another doctor's appointment on Tuesday, and I should get to hear the heartbeat again. I can't wait since I am finally realizing that there's a baby in there! Nathan is being super cute and starting to touch and kiss and pray more for the baby. My mom and I had a "shopping spree" to the Motherhood Maternity store Saturday. I went in just looking for a maternity swimsuit for our vacation to North Carolina in June and I got a whole bunch more stuff! I mean, I should have a reward for the last 8 weeks of not feeling good, right?

Yesterday and today were the first time that I've seen a lot of my extended family since "THE announcement." It was fun actually talking about it and seeing how excited they were. Today several of them really wanted to touch my belly. It was really funny. It's not like getting chubby because my baby bump is hard. I like to see peoples' faces when it's not what they expect. Maybe my bump is different...who knows?

I am getting jazzed up for the last casual work day that we are going to have at work tomorrow. The NCAA tournament has been a blessing because jeans, tshirts and tennis shoes have been very, very welcome. The chiropractor and massage therapist keep telling me what "a mess" my neck, back and shoulders are. No kidding! I'm pregnant and I work on my feet for 7-10 hours a day and have an hour commute each way. I had the most "painful" massage that I've ever had on Saturday. Her words were "I know you came in for a therapeutic massage, but your body needed deep tissue." Whew! It was intense!

We are just trying to figure out finances now and what all we want to do while we are still both working full time before the baby comes. Lots to figure out and decide.... I'm sure I'll blog about it eventually.

Anyway, thanks for reading and have a blessed week. Enjoy my 13 week belly picture. :)