15 Weeks!!!

Holy guacamole… 15 weeks! In 5 short weeks we will be at the half way point. I love watching the weeks on the calendar fly bly. Everyday that goes by, we get that much closer to meeting our little angel!

Don't get me wrong… part of me wishes time would go a teensy bit slower because we have some major work that needs to be done around the house.

We recently painted our bedroom. It was need of a makeover… BAD. It's amazing what a little paint can do for a room.

Next on the "to do list" are the fences in our backyard. They are like a million years old and are about to fall over. When we do the fences we will also pour a nice concrete slab off the sliding glass door. This will make my dream of enjoying dinner, entertaining friends, laying out in my backyard come true.

We are also planning on ripping the nasty carpet we have had since we moved into our house out and replacing it with beautiful laminate flooring. Yes, we would love to have beautiful HARD WOOD but we have "inside" dogs who would completely destroy it! Laminate it is!

Last but not least we obviously need to start work on the baby's room! I can't wait for this one! Well… actually I can and I have to wait. I need to know one small detail. I need to know if our Baby J is a baby BOY or a baby GIRL! This will help a ton when decorating the bedroom for his/her arrival!

Your pregnancy: 15 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

How your life's changing:

You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.

If you're having amniocentesis, it'll most likely happen between now and 18 weeks. This test can identify hundreds of genetic and chromosomal disorders. If you're getting very anxious while waiting for the results, it may help to know that most women who undergo amniocentesis get good news about their babies — bringing welcome relief from their worries.

Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.

As you can see by the description above my life is changing and I have probably gained about 5 pounds by now. LOL this is true. I have gained about 7lbs by now… thanks to not being sick in the 1st tri! I am hoping to gain at a steady pace througout the entire pregnancy. I have a hard time with weight gain, since I lost a significant amount of weight about 4 years ago… and kept it off. I always knew I would struggle with the weight gain part of pregnacy but all I can really do is try my best to eat healthy and keep up on my work outs. It is what it is! As long as my baby is healthy and I am doing my best to keep myself that way I will try not to worry about it too much. That's easier said than done some days but there is nothing in the world more worth it!

14 Weeks!

I have said it before and I will say it again… TIME IS FLYING! We are already at 14 weeks! I can't believe it.


I had a doctors appointment today. Everything seems to be right on track. The doctor was able to find the babys heartbeat with his handheld doppler. Craig and I got to hear the heartbeat last week when we had our "surprise photo shoot" but it was so nice hearing that sweet little sound again today. I could listen to it all day long.

It's crazy how much I love this baby already. I always knew that would happen but I had no idea the extent of the love you feel so soon! Not to get to sappy, but it's amazing how much you can love something you have never really seen or held. Ahhhh brings a tear to my eye, but that's not hard these days!

Your pregnancy: 14 weeks

How your baby's growing:


This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.


In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.


How your life's changing:


Welcome to your second trimester! Your energy is likely returning, your breasts may be feeling less tender, and your queasiness may have completely abated by now. If not, hang on — chances are good it will soon be behind you (although an unlucky few will still feel nauseated months from now).


The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

YAY for the second trimester!!!!! I am happy that I don't have to worry about morning sickness rearing its ugly head at any moment. I feel SO lucky that I didn't have much of that side effect. Whew!

I keep reading that my energy level should be picking up around this time. Although I am not 100% back to my "normal" energy level, I am definitely noticing a difference. I don't feel like I am going to pass out the minute I get to work in the morning. Work outs are getting a little bit easier because of the tiny boost of energy I have left at the end of the day. That makes me happy. Anything I can do to keep myself moving and stay in shape is great. I know that working out doesn't guarantee an "easy" delivery but I know that being in shape helps! I hope I can keep working out througout the entire pregnancy. My ass will thank me too! LOL

My next appointment is scheduled for May 19… at that time I will be 18 weeks and they will then schedule the big ultrasound where (hopefully) we will find out the sex of the baby! I am on pins and needles… I can't wait! It's killing me! I want to know if there's a little boy or a little girl growing in my belly. I can't wait to pick an name and get to work on the nursery!

Surprise Photo Shoot =)

Our little Baby J had a surprise photo shoot today! Daddy got to come to Mommy's work and were able to sneak in to see how our little baby is growing!

I think the baby was loaded full of carbs from the bagel I had just devoured so he or she was very sleepy and didn't move around too much, but we were still able to get a couple good pics!

It's crazy how much developement happens over the course of a couple of weeks! The pics looked nothing like this the last time.

Hopefully the next ultrasound we can see if we are having a baby boy or baby girl! I am SO excited!

Oh... we also got to FINALLY hear our little baby's heart beating away! SO AMAZING!

Easter and My 30th Birthday!

Aside from my pregnancy updates I have been a COMPLETE slacker on my blogging these days. Yes… we are expecting a baby but we have still been having SOME fun =)


Easter has come and gone. Every year we spend Easter at Sand Mountain. This year was no different! We headed up to Sand Mountin on the Thursday before Easter… April Fools Day to be exact. (That part comes in soon) We arrived around 7:30pm and unloaded and set up the trailer. The boys couldn't WAIT to go on a ride in their new Rzrs! They hadn't gotten a chance to ride them at Sand Mountain yet. If I remember correctly they took a quick spin and came right back and left again shortly after. Well about 10-15 minutes went by and the boys were all pulling up again. All of the sudden boy after boy after boy starts piling into our trailer. I asked what they were doing back so soon and I hear "Craig rolled the Rzr". You can imagine my shock and then I remembered "it's April Fools Day" so I said "Oh… ha ha… April Fools, right?" Hoping it was a joke. Craig walks in the door and says "Not April Fools" and he looks a little stressed. Then I see his arm… blood soaking through his sweatshirt. O M G!!!!!!! He took off his sweatshirt and the light grey thermal he had on underneath it was literally DRENCHED in blood! He took the thermal off and there was a gaping HOLE in his arm! Not only was it a hole but there was fatty/muscle tissue sticking out of it. I got light headed and damn near passed out! I had to sit down. That and the fact that we had about 15 people in our trailer was a lot to deal with! I asked him (knowing the answer) if he wanted to go to the hospital. Luckily he said YES (some guys are the "I'm fine" type) because he obviously needed stitches and we were hoping and praying nothing was broken!

Our friends Landon and Deidra were staying with us and offered to drive us to the hospital, which was about 1/2 hour away... At this point it was about 9:30. We got to the hospital… seemed pretty slow in there and we got right in to the "trauma" area. They checked Craig's arm out and made sure he could move his fingers and arm and then pretty much left us for awhile… came back to give him some meds… left again… came back to clean the wound… left again… came back to do x-rays… left again. 4 HOURS LATER we were out of there with 3 stitches. (Poor Landon and Deidra! They waited in the waiting room for us the whole time!) The doctor didn't want to stitch up the whole would so as not to prevent it from healing by not letting it "breath". Thankfully nothing was broken.

That was pretty much the highlight (if you want to call it that) of our Easter weekend! The weather at Sand Mountain wasn't the best, so we spent most of the time inside =(

I am going to post a few pics… Be WARNED these pics are VERY graphic… If you have a weak stomach, you might not want to scroll down!

Before the cleaning...

After some cleaning...

Disgusting side view!

On a lighter note my 30th birthday was the next week! My "actual birthday" fell on a Wednesday and I got spoiled by being taken out to lunch and dinner and stuffed silly. The real celebration took place on Saturday. I always imagined I would have a raging 30th birthday party, but that plan changed when I found out I was pregnant. I took full advantage of the "celebration" part and spent the day with my girls getting mani's, pedi's and a massage! (I am not longer a massage virgin!). It was an amazing day… to say the least! As if that wasn't enough, we went to dinner that night at my favorite Mexican place! YUMMMMMMY! More stuffing myself! I was completely spoiled and got some gift cards, CASH, My FAVE cereal (that I may or may not be addicted to) SPECIAL K RED BERRIES and the last book in the Twilight saga Breaking Dawn! What an awesome day! I couldn’t have asked for a better 30th birthday and THANK YOU to everyone who helped me celebrate. I love my family and friends!

So that's what's been going on… aside from the pregnancy! Obviously being pregnant is on my mind 27/4 but we still find time to have fun!

13 Weeks... and a bump!

I am officially 13 weeks tomorrow! This is huge for me because I am going with 13w3d as the end of my 1st trimester! In order to celebrate here's a pic of my "bump". It's not much but it's something =))

I have been waiting and waiting to get enough of a "bump" to post!

Your pregnancy: 13 weeks

How your baby's growing:


Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.


How your life's changing:


This is the last week of your first trimester, and your risk of miscarriage is now much lower than earlier in pregnancy. Next week marks the beginning of your second trimester, a time of relative comfort for many women who see early pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and fatigue subside. More good news: Many couples also notice a distinct libido lift around this time. Birth is still months away, but your breasts may have already started making colostrum, the nutrient-rich fluid that feeds your baby for the first few days after birth, before your milk starts to flow.

Well… I don't know about the baby being the size of a "medium shrimp" LOL… my "What to Expect when you're Expecting" book says that the baby is about the size of a peach this week! I am going w/ that comparison!

Happy Birthday to ME! And a 12 Week Update!

Well good morning! Today is a very special day! Not only am I 12 weeks pregnant, but it's also my 30th birthday!!!! Wow… 30? Time flies when you are having fun!


I always imagined I would be having a huge party for my 30th birthday. Since I am prego, I have decided to skip the "huge party" and celebrate this weekend by having a massage and mani's/pedi's with some of my girls… then dinner at my favorite Mexican place! Ahhhhh honestly, nothing sounds better! A full day of pampering followed by chips and salsa and who knows what else I will order!

Your pregnancy: 12 weeks


How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.


Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.


How your life's changing:


Your uterus has grown to the point where your healthcare provider can now feel the top of it (the fundus) low in your abdomen, just above your pubic bone. You may already be into maternity clothes, especially if this isn't your first pregnancy. If you're still fairly small and not yet ready for maternity clothes, you've no doubt noticed that your waist is thickening and that you're more comfortable in loose, less restrictive clothing.


You may begin to feel heartburn (also called acid indigestion), a burning sensation that often extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat. Many women get heartburn for the first time during pregnancy, and those who've previously had bouts of heartburn may find that it gets worse. During pregnancy, the placenta produces a lot of the hormone progesterone, which relaxes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach. Particularly when you're lying down, gastric acid can seep back up the pipe, which causes the uncomfortable burning sensation. For many women the problem doesn't begin (or get worse) until later in pregnancy, when your growing uterus starts to push up on your stomach. The discomfort may range from mildly annoying to intense and distracting.

So, it looks like Baby J is now the size of a lime! Getting big already.

I am still feeling really good. Still having slight bouts of nausea and fatigue but that's it!

My clothes are definitely getting tighter, which I have mentioned before. My work pants do not button any longer. Thankfully my jeans and "play clothes" are still fitting just fine. Sometimes I need to unbutton, but for the most part they are fine.

I will try to remember to have Craig take a "bump" picture tonight. I have a few, but so far there's not much change.

That's all for now!