Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my 21st birthday!

  

The truth is, I kept forgetting it was my birthday though.  Birthdays are not all they were when we were elementary age kids.  I still had to go to work and do boring grown up things. But that's OK, because my Hubby knew it was my special day and boy was it special.  He insisted on giving me a present the night before.  I don't like to spoil surprises, but he couldn't wait.  He is the most thoughtful.  He read an article that said pregnant women must have comfortable yoga pants.  These are crucial to the growing belly and the comfort of the mother.  So he was so excited to give me my new yoga crop pants! I am so happy too because all of my sweats just make me look bigger than necessary, but the yoga pants are comfy, stretchy and they also show that I do have legs and a bum.  The next morning as I was getting ready, Stefan kept surprising me with more gifts.  The first was a new bra, because he knew I was desperately in need with these new found ta-ta's of mine.  Thanks for the boulder-holder babe! The next was a new maternity shirt.  I have been whining about wanting some maternity clothes for quite some time now.  The truth is, he listens and all his gifts were something that I have been wanting and asking (whining) for in the past months. I am sick of all my clothes not fitting and he was so sweet to purchase maternity clothes all by himself.  After a couple more gifts, that again were on my list of "things to purchase", we were both off to work.  The sad thing about Stefan working on my birthday was that he missed the most exciting event of the day.  I went for an ultrasound and got to find out my sweet babies gender!  We knew ahead of time that Stefan was going to miss the appointment so I had some great ways to make it special! I purchased the DVD of the ultrasound and we got a print out of pictures too. 

Isn't she the cutest ever?  Oh my gosh, I am going to cry ... again!

Now, of course I wasn't going to tell him any old way.  I couldn't just call him and say, "Hey, we're having a ....." ya know?  So, I had a special cupcake made for him.  The outside was all white, gender neutral vanilla.  But the inside filling was either blue for a boy, or pink for a girl.  We had plans for my birthday dinner with friends and I would give him the cupcake then to reveal the gender not only to him, but all our friends too!

The crappy part was waiting....  I picked up Stefan from work in Payson and there he gave me my most exciting present! A sewing machine! I was so happy! I honestly didn't expect any more gifts, but he knew exactly what I had been wanting! I am so excited to use this puppy to make me and my sweet baby things!

Our dinner reservations weren't until 8 and you better believe I made him wait.  I did not tell him, nor did I allude to or hint at what our baby might be.  We finally got to dinner and obviously, he went straight for the cupcake!  Thanks to Anais for taking video of the event!

 

 

  

Everyone cheered when they saw the pink filling .. and then Stefan began to cry, and it was the most precious moment of my life.

 

Thanks to all of our friends for being there! It was such a fun and special night!  Probably the best birthday present ever was finding out that we are having a daughter.  I am so thrilled.

When we got home, Stefan and I watched the ultrasound and that was the cherry on top of a perfect day.  Seeing out baby move around and kick her little legs was so magical.  She is a real person and it still surprises me every time I think about that.  I love her so much already and I can't wait to spoil her. It's amazing to me, the miracle of life.  Stefan and I can't wait to be parents and are so happy to be having a daughter.  Stefan gets teary-eyed every time he thinks about his little girl and I couldn't be happier.

It's a girl!

16 Weeks

How far along? 16 Weeks
Baby's Est. Size: Avocado Size!
Total weight gain: 8 lbs.
Maternity clothes? I finally bought a belly support band from Motherhood Maternity.  It helps un-buttoned pre-pregnancy clothes stay in place!
Sleep: Getting more uncomfortable.  My belly doesn't like any pressure of any sort so sleeping on it is a definite no.
Best moment this week: Felt the little guy for the first time!
Miss Anything? Buttoned Jeans
Movement: Yes! Felt my little baby for the first time this week! Felt like a little goldfish swimming around in there...
Food cravings: Same old stuff.
Food Aversions: Still peanut butter, broccoli, yogurt.
Gender Prediction: Went from Boy, to Girl, to Boy, and Girl again. Really indecisive mommy here.
Showing: Yup. It's totally out there.
Symptoms: Still itchy when I try to sleep and the excess B.O. is not my thing.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!
Looking forward to: Finding out the gender next week! And 3 more weeks to our half-way mark!

First Trimester Must Haves

First Trimester Must Haves

Since I am well into my Second Trimester, I decided I could post my First Trimester Must Haves.
These are the things that kept me alive and sane through those, sometimes painful, first 13 weeks.

1. Ritz Crackers.  I have sleeves of crackers in my purse, in my desk at work, in my car.  NBD.  I am always craving these little guys, especially after I've been sick.  Saltines were good too, but Ritz really helped me out.

2. Breathe Right Strips. Glory.  The nasal congestion I experienced was ridiculous.  I feel like I've had a cold for 4 months now.  It has been consistent since about week 5 and I don't see an end in sight.  I wake up stuffed up every morning.  But, with the help of Breathe Right strips, I have been able to sleep through the night comfortably. They are a beautiful thing. 

3. DocQlace.  Period.  This is the miracle drug for the poop shoot.  Constipation during pregnancy?  It's inevitable.  But my lovely mother introduced me to this med.  It's cheap and gets the job done .. if you know what I mean.  You can get it at your local pharmacy.  Such a gem.

4. Burt's Bees.  Thanks to pregnancy, my lips have been chapped for weeks.  I coat them continuously with chapstick and they still continue to chap.  Burt's bees is a must and it is always in my purse... and my husband's pocket cause heaven knows I can't find anything in my purse.

5. Jolly Rancher.  And not just any Jolly Ranchers.  I am constantly looking for candy to suck on, and these are beautiful because they last for a while.  The smoothie flavors are divine.  The sucking candies are great for nausea and to calm an empty angry stomach.  Those tummies don't like to be hungry, but sometimes when you are in the middle of a 3 hour class, you can't do anything about it, so you give it a Jolly Rancher.  It always does the trick.

6. Sprite. Enough said.  My husband is always buying me Sprite.  And he knows that I really like the fountain version best.  The cans are OK, but I usually let them sit out for a while because it's too sharp straight out of the can.  I prefer fountain Sprite cause it's just right.

7.The Body Shop's Peppermint Cooling Foot Rescue Cream.  This stuff will heal your feet and your sinuses.  Mmmm. I love peppermint.  My heels have reached their ultimate worst.  They are so cracked and dry, it's so sad and I am pathetic.  But good ole' Stef comes to the rescue with this cream, and he rubs my feet until they are soft and pretty again.  He is the best.

8. Old Spice High Endurance Deodorant.  Yes this is mens deodorant.  And yes I do use it.  I pretend to understand body chemistry, but when the excess perspiration started, I about crapped myself.  Why does pregnancy have to be so gross?  I have NEVER been a sweaty person and I certainly never needed deodorant.  Now, if I don't put this power performance stick on after I get out of the shower, everyone will be suffering.  And I doubt it's just my enhanced sense of smell, cause my hubby, although darling, sometimes says the wrong things and told me I was "stinky" a couple days ago when I lifted my arm.  How embarrassing.  But not as embarrassing as when he told me I was getting heavy... Let's just say he probably hasn't read the "List of Things to Never Say to a Pregnant Woman".

9. MedHelp's I'm Expecting Pregnancy App.  This app is awesome.  It let's you track your weight, symptoms, appointments, etc.  It also gives you a great description each week about what your body may be going through, as well as the growth and development of your little fetus! It's really exciting even through all that sickness to remember the miracle that is taking place inside your body.

10.  Sonic's Crushed Ice.  I have no explanation.  Crushed ice is just a must.  We buy it by the bagful these days from Sonic and bless their hearts for selling it so cheap.  It is so perfect with a flat Sprite.  It especially helps with the Iron cravings.  Lovin' me some Sonic ice.

And there you have it.  Doesn't pregnancy sound so fun and beautiful?  They leave out a lot of the juicy details in movies that make pregnancy seem so glamorous.  What really should have been #1 on my list is an amazing husband.  I could not have gotten this far without his help.  And I don't mean that in a sexual way, clearly I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for him... haha but what I mean is, I probably would have rotted away in bed by now if it weren't for his help everyday.  He has been so loving and supportive of all my crazy emotions, cravings, and mood swings.  He puts up with everything.  If you haven't got yourself one of these, I don't know how pregnancy will be possible because he is my lifesaver.  I am so happy that we are starting our family and we cannot even wait to meet out little kidney bean in 21 weeks!

15 Weeks

How far along? 15 Weeks
Baby's Est. Size: Apple Size!
Total weight gain: 7 lbs.
Maternity clothes? This question taunts me every week. I'm rockin' the unbuttoned jeans too frequently to NOT buy some maternity leggings or something!
Sleep: A little uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach. I keep having nightmares and waking up with anxiety. Is that normal?
Best moment this week: Grandma Ericksen bought baby lots of toys and books and presents. She is so sweet!
Miss Anything? Being able to run. It's painful.
Movement: Thinking I feel some "quickening" ...
Food cravings: Fro-Yo. Every night. It's like clock work.
Food Aversions: Still peanut butter. Eww.
Gender Prediction: Went from Boy, to Girl, now back to Boy...
Showing: Just look at that picture. (Although it was after a rather large dinner)
Symptoms: Itchiness is something new. And soreness in my little belly.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy most of the time!
Looking forward to: Gender reveal in 2 weeks! Can't wait!

14 Weeks

Once again, I am late on posting. Bless this mess.

How far along? 14 Weeks
Baby's Est. Size: Lemon size.
Total weight gain: 5 lbs. (From 100-105) Rising exponentially I might add..
Maternity clothes? Would really appreciate some maternity leggings cause mine are getting quite tight.
Sleep: Sleeping not so good. Waking up throughout the night to pee and be uncomfortable.
Best moment this week: Not really baby related, but Stefan was awarded a hefty scholarship out of many legible and honorable Air Force ROTC Cadets. I am so proud of him!
Miss Anything? I've noticed the chubbiness in my face. I miss it's lack of presence.
Movement: I am dying to feel something legitimate!
Food cravings: Dry cereal. Sprite. Toast.
Food Aversions: Did I mention Peanut Butter and how ill it makes me?
Gender Prediction: Just so confused. Haha really not sure.
Showing: Starting to look more pregnant and not just chubby... I hope!
Symptoms: Nausea makes it's comeback. I am now 14 weeks. This should be long gone!
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: My moods have definitely been better. Happy most of the time!
Looking forward to: Gender reveal! Buying baby things!

Easter Weekend

Stefan and I had such a fun opportunity this Easter. We were asked to babysit the 5 wonderful Seolas kids from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. We were anxious as the kids run from ages 6 to 15. We were immediately impressed with how well-behaved they ALL were and how respectful and helpful they were. As it was Easter weekend, we wanted to have some Easter fun so we dyed eggs. Lots of them.

Liv and Owen dying eggs

My "Angry Egg"

Baby's 1st Easter. I love this.

We even had a surprise visit from the Easter Bunny who hid a plethora of eggs filled with candy for a great Easter Egg Hunt!

The weather was so amazing that we were able to have the hunt outside and I am so thankful for that and for the beautiful spring weather we have been experiencing! Other than the fun Easter festivities, we made yummy food, got to know the kids, Stefan let them each "practice" their driving skills in his car, and we played played played.

I miss being a kid sometimes. I also miss not having the body of a pregnant woman. Why am I so exhausted when this baby only weighs 2 Lbs? Riddle me this.

It was so refreshing for me to see Stefan really clinging to the kids and having such a good time with them. He was constantly playing with them outside and making sure they enjoyed their time. It makes me so excited for the future and our family. I know that he cherishes family and will always put us first. I love him so much and love that we are starting our family together.

Happy Easter to all and to all a good day!

How far along? 13 Weeks
Baby's Est. Size: Peach size.
Total weight gain: 4 lbs. (From 100-104)
Maternity clothes? Still none. Rocking the un-buttoned jeans with the belly band. Real great.
Sleep: Sleeping great this week!
Best moment this week: Doppler ultrasound, hearing the heart beat at 150 BPM
Miss Anything? Being skinny
Movement: Some butterflies, not sure if it's the baby though...
Food cravings: Same stuff. Crushed ice is huge.
Food Aversions: Still pretty much the same.
Gender Prediction: I'm thinking it's a girl now... Guess my motherly instincts are off..
Showing: Still don't look pregnant, but I look bigger for sure.
Symptoms: Nausea has weened a little bit, vomiting still persists. Some new ones include the blemishes that are invading my once clear-skinned face and the dry skin on my legs that makes me itch them so much I basically bleed!...
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Mostly happy, still some moody moments. Bless my husband.
Looking forward to: Finding out the sex in 4 weeks! Woohoo!