These newlywed's have moved!

Today's quote from my daily quote app on my phone:

One of our greatest gifts is our intuition. It is a sixth sense we all have - we just need to learn to tap into and trust it.

Collectively, Kevin and I have had so much going on recently, it's been a more stressful period than we'd hoped for. Work, doctor's appointments, moving and dreaming of the little babe have been consuming our every second. Now that the move is out of the way (amen.thank god.hallelujah!), it should be easier to get back to the simple life. Spending quality time between work and play. Doing fun summer things like going to the Portland brewfest, taking our nieces to the park and spending lazy Sundays at the Saturday market. Overall, I've been working really hard to keep the stress at bay, especially with baby on board, and I have for the most part been successful at doing so.

I look forward to the next few months. We'll be living back at my parents house with them, their adorable dog Hurley and the little Monst, just relaxing and watching our savings account grow. Living back with your parents at almost-30 isn't the ideal scenario, but we appreciate the fact that we have the ability to do so. We decided to trust our gut instincts by making this move - that it would be best to save more money before the baby comes and what better way than not paying rent? Instead, we'll just be working hard, raking in the dough, planning for Baby G and spending our last summer as newlyweds. Plus, this break from renting gives us the time and energy to find another place at our own pace and not feel pressured to take anything available. Together, we have quite the list of requirements and we'll do our best fulfill most, if not all, of the needs/wants. Although the talk of buying a house still floats to the surface occasionally, we are leaning more towards renting a townhome apartment duplex trailer house! It offers us the freedom of not being stuck in a mortgage during this warped economy and the flexibility of being able to pick up and move if needed. Even though the idea of being homeowners at such a young age seems lovely, I think having a baby is enough pressure excitement for one year.

I don't like avocados...

except this one! At 16 weeks, Baby G is now the size of an avocado. That's 4.5 inches head to rump and only 3.5 ounces. Even though baby is still pretty small, he or she has been doing a lot of work in there. The eyes are moving closer together and the ears are now close to their final position. The head is now in the most erect position it has been so far. Toenails have even begun to sprout!

We had our 16 week doctor's appointment yesterday with Dr. Johnson. Things are going well for me in my second trimester so far. I traded the nausea for headaches...fine by me! Tylenol helps with headaches, nausea is another story! I have more energy but I still sleep whenever I get the chance. Doc says I should start gaining weight during this trimester. Since losing weight in my first trimester, I've stayed down. Should be interesting to see the scale creep back up. It's all good for baby :) I can feel lower abdomen thickening and things are continually shifting in my body. Overall I am feeling great. Baby is feeling great, too, says Doc. We got to hear his/her heartbeat at a steady 155 BPM. This time we got to listen for longer than a milisecond which was appreciated. At the end of the usual appointment (no ultrasound this time, but the usual pee in a cup and chatting about questions), I was sent down to the lab to get my blood drawn for various tests. YIKES! Needless to say, I was a little nervous but it gave me the chance to practice my mommy-is-brave-face and I survived. Thankfully, it was a trained professional and she made it as painless and quick as possible. Thank you's were exchanged and I was on my merry way. Now, we have our BIG ultrasound to find out the gender at the end of July to look forward to! Things are getting very exciting around here!!

My personal hulk.

This weekend I learned what it means to really be loved. I don't just mean the I-love-you-because-you're-my-wife love, but the real I-love-you-and-would-do-anything-for-you love. In the midst of my hormonal rage Sunday regarding the stress of the move and the stress of being pregnant (and let's face it, the stress of moving while pregnant smack-dab in the middle of allergy season), and being forced to do it all basically by ourselves, my husband stepped up to be the man I know he is. The man I fell in love with, the man I married. He talked me through my hysterical cry fest without judgment or anger. And boy, was I a sight to see...you know, the kind of cry that is accompanied by the ugly-cry-face, the puffy red eyes, the deep sobs and the can-barely-catch-your-breath gasping. It was a full-blown toddler breakdown on a 26 year old woman. Not my brightest moment. But I got through it and it's all because of him.

For 7 hours I watched him pack boxes and load furniture (dressers, desks, bed, coffee table, etc) by himself that really should have been moved by two people. He wouldn't let me help him since I am not supposed to lift things over like 30 pounds or something. (Pregnancy is weird). So I packed and organized and cleaned what I could. I offered to help but it was consistently denied. I resorted to carrying the light boxes and as I'd watch him transform into the incredible hulk to carry the dresser or the desk, I felt so lucky and so bad for him all at the same time. He is such a special person and shouldn't have to be alone all the time.

Bottom line: Kevin is amazing. Even if something isn't easy or enjoyable, he does it with a smile and a giving heart. He sets out to tackle something and just doesn't stop until it's done. Kevin really does anything and everything he can for me. He makes sure, through the little things and the big, that I feel loved and appreciated and special and protected. And he has made it his special mission that Baby G is always safe, too. Yesterday, through an event as ordinary as moving, he showed me what it really means to love your spouse.

************
[When we move out of my parents and the storage unit into our next place in a few months, we've (aka me) decided to go with a moving company. And the tired, worn-out husband agreed. They will unload the unit into a truck and take it to our next destination because, let's face it, in 4 months I will definitely be worthless in the helping-to-move department and you can't ever rely on other people. That lesson has been officially learned.]

Little things.

My pants are getting tight. I haven't gained any weight but I can tell things are shifting around, making room for baby. Those maternity clothes with stretchy waistbands do sound mighty nice right about now.

Kevin is all in for the babymoon. We already found where we want to go: Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, AZ. We have found some good flight & hotel deals on orbitz, hotwire and expedia. Now, it's just a matter of finding the time.

We're pushing it to the end with moving. Just like I said last time and probably the 8 times before that, I'm over moving. 'nough said.

Going to the spa on Saturday morning with a girlfriend and I cannot wait. Hello hour-long full body massage, hour-long spa facial and spa pedicure. Can't wait to treat myself. I deserve it :)

All of our kitchen stuff is packed up and moved into storage already. We are living with paper plates and green, plastic beer pong cups. Fancy.

Baby G seems to be doing well. I entered my 15th week yesterday. I still haven't felt any movement, but I don't expect to yet anyway. Supposedly baby can sense the light through my tummy now and will squirm from the light. We're going to test that theory. I just need to find a flashlight.

It's Friday - YAY! This should be a busy next couple of days but it will all be done soon. TGIF.

Finishing 2011 with a BANG!

On December 31, 2010, I celebrated with the hope that 2011 would be much kinder to us than 2010 was (and especially more kind than 2009). Boy, oh boy, did I get my wish! It was a long-time coming but this actually is going to be such a big year for us. A year full of changes, new adventures, and parenthood! Here's a listed calendar of the 19 note-worthy BIG moments that will finish out 2011 for the Garvey household:

June 28 - next maternity appointment
July 2-5 - 4th of July celebration at the beach
July 9 - Grandma's 80th birthday bash
July 10 - Vegas vacation for me and the hubster
July 28 - Boy or Girl? 20 week mark (halfway there!)
July 31 - our 2nd anniversary (time flies!!)
Aug 5-10 - Lincoln City vacation with family
Aug 13 - Tara & Casey's wedding in Lincoln City
Sept ? - Our babymoon to Arizona
September 23 - 4D ultrasound appointment
September 24/25 - Family baby shower!
Oct 2 - my 27th birthday
October 6 - 30 week mark (3/4 way there!)
October 16 - Friends baby shower!
October 31 - Halloween
November 24 - Thanksgiving
December 15 - Baby G's DUE DATE!
December 25 - Christmas
December 31 - New Year's Eve
January 14 - Kevin's 27th birthday

Whew! It's packed. And we still have to add in the dates for our birthing classes, visiting Lauren in Cali (hopefully), registering at Target, registering at BabiesRUs, finding time to move into our own place again and setting up the nursery. It's going to be busy-busy before baby comes, but I'm loving it.

Babymoon, anyone?

I got the bright idea to go on a babymoon (aka one last hoorah before baby). Sounds delightful, yes? Now I just have to convince the husband that it's in our best interest (shouldn't be too hard). Now, I am on to dreaming and scheming. Oh, where to go in this big USofA? Where to go??

My magnetic connection.

My friend Shannan (aka Auntie Shannan), who lovingly calls the baby Shannan Jr, got me some magnets for my desk at work. If you know me and/or have ever seen my refrigerator, then you know I love me some magnets. I especially love these new ones from Auntie Shannan. And they say...

"new mom: babies make your heart bigger!"

"A baby enters your life and fills a special place in your heart."

And my personal fave:
"You're going to be a great mom since you've had so much practice being a great person."

A little gesture can often mean so much more than you'd expect. Thanks, Sha-nay-nay.

Worth the wait.

This was written back in May - guess in all the excitement I forgot to post it:

I have been bursting at the seams. Like money burning a hole in my pocket. The anticipation of your first kiss. The agony of sitting through the previews to see a long-awaited movie. The wait for an entire bag of kettle corn to cook without burning or for fresh baked cupcakes to cool so you can frost and indulge. Or, better yet, like a child having to wait to open the mound of birthday gifts that seems to be taunting with every glimmer of that special, shiny paper. Bursting with anticipation, I tell you! In my opinion, my husband's request (or more like a threat) for me to wait a-month-and-a-half to share the news has been pure torture. Agony in my gut. But, it was well worth it. The joy of telling his family in person, to see their expressions and hear their congratulatory cheers is something I will never forget. Then, we got the chance to tell my parents and their reactions were pretty spot-on to what I anticpated: mom screamed, dad cried. There are so few moments like that in life - moments that seem to transform your relationship with those around you. Moments that connect you to people in ways you didn't know were possible. No longer are we the cute college lovebirds, the newlywed couple, the young couple. We're (going to be) parents.

P A R E N T S...

And that, my friends, is a big deal! So big that it was hard to keep to myself all this time. Now that I have the "go ahead" I feel like running through the streets and shouting it from the rooftops. Why not a mass text or email or, god forbid, a facebook alert. Alert the media: Baby Garvey on the way! :) Like so many things in life, it was difficult to wait, but so worth it in the end.

*PS. If he thinks I'm going to keep the sex of the baby under wraps after we find out, he's got another thing coming. Better watch yourself, Mr. Garvey - one must pick his battles! Ha ha :)

Who likes lemons?

I am officially in my second trimester. The nausea has lightened up, with the exception of toothpaste. I bought some Pepsodent cinnamon toothpaste to see if a different non-mint flavor would help. Let's face it, nobody wants me to walk around with dragon breath. That's not cute.

In the 14th week, the uterus starts to make it's appearance above the pubic bone pushing your tummy out a tad. Doc says this is when I will start to feel like I am getting fat, not looking more pregnant. It's the awkward in-between stage. I wouldn't say any of that is bothering me yet. The only evidence I have is my lower abdomen feeling fuller. When I stretch, when I put on jeans, when I take a shower, I can feel the bulkiness. Last night was the first time it became uncomfortable to sleep on my stomach. That will take some getting used to.

Baby G is now 3.5 inches, about the size of a lemon, and weighs in around 1.5 ounces. This week's big developments include grimacing, squinting, frowning, peeing and sucking his/her thumb! By the end of this week, his or her arms will have grown out in proportion to the rest of the body. The kidneys can now produce urine, the liver has started to produce bile, and the spleen is producing red blood cells. Although I can't feel it, supposedly baby is kicking and punching up a storm! Lastly, Baby G is developing a lanugo (ultra-fine downy covering of hair) all over his or her body.

Seems like baby is doing more work than I am! It's a team effort, I suppose.

Letters to my loves.

Dear Sophia,
I appreciate your firm suggestion demand that Uncle Kebun and I only have one baby. Don't worry, we'll always be your fun auntie and uncle.
Love,
Auntie Katie

Dear Peyton,
You're getting so big. I can't resist when you put those little arms up in the air when I walk in the room. Thanks for always being excited to see me.
Love,
Auntie Katie

Dear Mom,
Thanks for instilling in me a love for music. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of you cranking it up to do things around the house. Because of you, I will instill that love in my own baby. Music sure does make life more fun.
Love,
Your [pregnant] daughter :)

Dear Monster,
People keep saying that you'll become 2nd best when Baby G arrives. Don't worry - we'll never get rid of you and your cute face. Plus there are too many treats left for you to consume. P.S. If you wouldn't mind packing a few boxes while we're at work, that would be much appreciated :)
Love,
Your mama

Dear Hubster,
Your cute little shimmy into the kitchen while transporting a packed box made my day. I love your free spirit, even if I am the only one that gets to see it.
Love,
Your wifey

Dear Baby G,
Talking about you puts your mama and papa in a good mood. Stay warm in there. We're taking good care of you. Oh, and thanks for working your magic to lighten up on the nausea ;)
Love,
Your mama

Shopping, shrimp and vomit.

*This morning, as I was walking to my car to go to work, I puked out of nowhere. No extra-saliva warning. No sour stomach. No puke after brushing my teeth. I just bent over, splattered my breakfast across the parking lot and then went on my merry way. Ahh, pregnancy. Full of surprises. Anyway, that experience reminded me of this old story I hadn't yet posted. Enjoy!

written 5/23

Fun story: So, everything is an adventure when you're with child, I'm learning. What used to be a simple trip to the grocery store for a few items turns into a "what does baby want?" frenzy. Went in for Taco House dressing and ground beef. Came out with a bag of EL Fudge cookies, some pears, cream cheese, a package of bagels, a 2 liter of orange soda, cheese AND Taco House dressing and meat. See? The list goes out the window now that baby is here.

When browsing the meat counter for the best ground beef deal (for my husband since meat still sounded awful at the time), I knew the putrid seafood smell was going to get me good this time. And boy, did it! I was sure the lady couldn't have wrapped it in paper any s l o w e r. I (rudely) clawed my 1/2 lb of ground beef from her hands, didn't even say thanks, and got the heck outta there! But ah, there it was. That familiar feeling in the back of my throat. That sweet taste of saliva filling my mouth as if I were a dog salivating over a bone. Made it through the check out, breathing through my mouth, and counting down the seconds to fresh air! At last! I was in the clear. Loaded up my bags and sped away. But, as I was crossing the intersection (literally within walking distance to my house) I tasted that familiar saliva flooding up under my tongue. It was going to happen...I was going to vomit. Damn you, seafood! So, while trying to drive without getting in a wreck, I managed to grab the closest plastic bag and vigorously shake out all it's contents all over the passenger floorboard. As soon as the bag reached my drooly mouth, I heaved. WHILE DRIVING. It was terrifying. I slammed on my brakes, nearly causing the car behind me to plummet into my bumper and turned off into the nearest parking lot. There I sat, windows down and stomach juices a'flowing. It really was pitiful. And all I wanted to do was call Kevin. In my mind, somehow he'd make it better, he'd rescue me so I didn't have to drive, he'd make sure I was ok. After about 15 minutes (or what seemed like a lifetime) sitting in the parking lot, I got up the courage to drive the 1/4 mile home. Got there, left the groceries in the car and just walked my defeated, semi-puked-on self into my home, dropping the goods off in the garbage on my way. Kevin would be home soon and I couldn't let him see me like this.

He got the groceries and, as he was putting them away, I explained to him this story and how I was humiliated beyond words (and oh-so-thankful it didn't happen IN the store). He gave me a hug (asked if I had puke on myself first, of course) and then just laughed. He said it wouldn't be the last time and reassured me that it was ok. I am pregnant, after all.

Just call me "Olivia"

"[Pregnancy] is wonderful. You do get that pregnant mush-brain...you know what it's like? It's like getting stoned." ~Kate Hudson

It's official. I'm losing my mind. Call it pregnancy brain or mommy brain or momnesia or just plain craziness or whatever you'd like but I am officially nuts. Friends at work lovingly call me Olivia now, after a friend of ours that used to work with us. She got pregnant and all the sudden her brain couldn't process anything anymore. Even the simplest of tasks became a game of remembering what she was actually trying to do and how to do it. It was as if she had literally lost her mind. We always thought it was really funny. Well, it's not so funny now that it's me! There really is no explanation. Perhaps all my energy is going towards nurturing and growing this little life that not much is left to stimulate my brain?

Perfect example #1: Last night Kevin asked me a question, a very simple question. I remember staring blankly at him trying to process what he had just said. It was literally 2 minutes before a word even slipped from my mouth that wasn't "umm?" or "uhh??" He was staring at me, I was staring at him. Awkward silence. He might as well have asked in Japanese because it was all foreign to me. In response, he just smiled and laughed to himself, asked again and we went on our merry way. BAM! Pregnancy brain.

Perfect example #2: Last weekend Kevin and I spent 20 minutes of our lives returning soda cans. I was pretty excited about the $9 in bottle return vouchers. So excited, apparently, that I put them in my back pocket as we picked up the usual paper towels and granola bars. Once we made it back to the register, I went digging for those vouchers. Yep, pregnancy brain got me again. They were NOWHERE to be found. And, like a couple fools, we back-tracked every aisle and every shelf we'd visited to find those vouchers. I was determined to get them back. Well, no such luck. Kevin went to pay and I went to sit in the table area to wait for him and cry it out. Yes, I literally cried over $9 worth of bottle returns. In the grand scheme of things is $9 really going to alter my life? No. But did it seem like it at the time? Yes. BAM! Pregnancy brain.

Test results.

I don't know what it is...maybe the fact that I've never broken a bone or even needed a stitch, but hospitals give me anxiety. The smell, the sick people, the food. It's just one big building full of anxiety. And let's not even talk about the fact that I'll be there in 6 months for an undetermined amount of time to deliver. I'm blissfully unaware right now. But anyway, I digress...So, naturally, when I saw that my doctor's office was calling the other day, my heart skipped a beat. I forgot they were going to call with the results of my pre-screening. The first thing I heard out of Nurse Claudia's voice (my doctor's primary nurse) was "I have great news" and the anxiety lessened for the time being. Apparently I tested above the normal average so all is good with baby. He or she is growing at the correct rate and passing tests with flying colors. I just knew Kevin's baby would be smart, even in utero :) Although those tests don't detect 100% of problems and they can be wrong, it makes me worry a little bit less.

I went back and forth between even having the testing done in the first place. It didn't seem to make sense considering I wouldn't go past the pre-screening no matter what the results were. An amniocentesis can cause a miscarriage. No thank you. And let me just put it out there, whatever you believe about pro-life or pro-choice is your opinion. I don't preach and I don't judge. For me personally, I know I could never have an abortion. It's not in the cards for me to terminate a pregnancy if there was a higher or even sky-rocketing chance that my baby would be born with down syndrome or spina bifida or any other developmental disorder. It is Kevin and my firm belief that we'll take what we can get. Whether it's a boy, a girl, perfectly healthy or one that needs constant care, it's still our baby and we'll love it forever. So, we decided on a compromise. I'll do the pre-screening but not one test more, no matter the results. He said the pre-screening was going to make him worry a little less and he thought it was valuable. After it's all said and done, I wouldn't necessarily say I'm happy I did it but I am happy it made Kevin less anxious. It's all about give and take, right? Learning to roll with the punches, I suppose. All part of growing up and growing into the parents we want to be. So for now, we're going to praise God for the positive results of the test and trust that He's guiding this pregnancy in the direction it's meant to be heading. His plan is perfect.

Say "Hello" to Shellac

One of the amazing gifts I have gained from being pregnant so far is very healthy and strong nails. They had been looking a little drab and I had been thinking of getting some kind of treatment to spruce things up. So, yesterday, my cousin and I treated ourselves to a little nail love. I got my first shellac manicure and, ladies, I am in love. I have been looking down at my fire engine red nails all day! It's just ULTRA shiny and is supposedly going to stay that way for atleast 2 weeks. It was about twice as spendy as a typical manicure ($30) but worth it from what I can tell. Next time, I'll get my toes shellac-ed up too! Treating myself to mani's and pedi's is definitely something I am going to get used to over the next 6 months. Hopefully, I can make myself justify spending the money. Thankfully, it is husband-approved as he loves when my nails are looking good :)

We're excited. We are!

At our last ultrasound, I said "wow...so the baby's still in there, huh?" and the nurse show me a look of shock. I thought for sure my uterus would be empty. I didn't feel anything so it seemed to be a big joke. After the appointment, my mom even said "were you guys more excited about this at your last ultrasound?" because we weren't grinning from ear to ear. It's just so surreal still. So, let me clarify: I am excited about the baby but it's hard to believe it's there. Even with photos to reinforce the idea, I forget. I think being pregnant is going to be easier (and more fun!) once I can start to see and feel the little munchkin. Right now, the baby is kind of a distant thought most of the time. I am excited to be a mother, but the side effects of pregnancy take away little bits of that excitement every day. Once I can start feeling baby move or see baby pop out my tummy a bit, it will be more exciting. And it will seem more real. The baby is amazing, and wanted, and loved, but it's still crazy-freaking weird! As far as the excitement factor, we are excited. Maybe we're just a little quieter about it than others.

This is not my favorite.

Although I am doing better now at 13 weeks, I have old blog posts that I wrote back before I could actually publish them, before people knew the BIG news. Lately, I have been slowly publishing them. Some are depressing, some are just straight complaining, but I feel it's important to document all stages of my pregnancy. So, even though I am feeling much better now, I have been jotting these words as part of my journey. I compiled a few days worth from back in May just to get them out on the table. Enjoy?

More exciting things to come, I promise.

*************

written on 5/4



1. When will this exhaustion be over? I find myself daydreaming of my bed all day, every day at work.
2. When will I stop feeling nauseous from sun-up to sun-down? My weight has to stop going down at some point, right?
3. When will I be able to stomach chicken again? Doc says I need protein but just thinking of eating or touching meat makes my stomach churn.
4. When will I be able to take a hot bath again? These lukewarm baths are less than mediocre.

Although I love this precious little baby that seems to be sucking the life out of me, I can't say that I love being pregnant....yet. Honestly, it's really no fun at all. Basically one big list of all the things you can't do. All of those women that love being pregnant must A) not get morning (all day) sickness and/or B) forget about morning (all day) sickness and/or C) not work. Doc says at the 12-13 week mark, I should start having more energy, not be as exhausted and feel less nauseous. Here's hoping!

*************

written 5/9

CAUTION: Complaining ahead. Don't say I didn't warn you.



If I had a magic lantern, I would rub it three times to make a wish. I'd wish for a cleaning service to come take care of my house. Neither Kevin nor I have had the energy to clean lately which really doesn't bode well with my super-sensitive pregnancy nose. Everything smells horrible to me. And I mean everything! I refuse to even open the fridge. Who knows if it really smells or if it's just my nose that can smell things beyond the realm of normal. Kevin doesn't like me to use cleaning products because of the chemicals (kinda paranoid, kinda cute) so he insists on doing any of the cleaning that requires the use of bleach, Comet, 409, soft scrub, etc. This is all fine and dandy except he doesn't feel like cleaning either. We're both just too tired. My insomnia is definitely affecting him - when I wake up in the middle of the night, he does too with a "you doing alright, babe? anything I can do?" I just tell him to go back to sleep as I crawl my way to the couch and flip on the tv. It's very sweet of him to be concerned, but I feel guilty that my situation is affecting him in a negative way. Oh my my, magic lantern, what I would give for an entire week off work. Or an entire 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Or to just quit working until my nausea and insomnia are more under control.

I have been writing a lot of this stuff in my pregnancy journal so the next time I get the brilliant idea to expand our family, I can look back at what it was really like those first few months. I know Baby G will be worth it, but right now, I'm feeling pretty under the weather. In this moment, it's hard to see past this.

**************

written 5/12



This first trimester has proved difficult for both Kevin and myself. Since I feel ill almost every second of every day, Kevin feels the affect of that in my mood and my desire to just be left alone. It's been hard because even though we have a king size bed, most nights I keep him awake. Along with the nausea and the exhaustion, I gained insomnia. YAY! I have no problem falling asleep but I wake up in the middle of the night EVERY. NIGHT. It usually happens between 3 and 4 am. I usually don't fall back asleep until right before I have to wake up for work at 7am. It's horrible. I feel guilty because it affects Kevin also. He shouldn't have to be tired all day at work just because I couldn't sleep. So, he and I take turns sleeping on the couch. That way, he gets a good nights rest either way. I know this will only last for a short while longer, but I miss sleeping next to my husband. There's nobody to steal the covers from! And, even worse, nobody to keep me warm. I love you, little baby, but I am ready for the second trimester to begin. Hopefully it will be a little bit kinder.

Baby G looks a lot like Charlie Brown

We had our second ultrasound today. Had some pre-screening done to determine my risk of baby having developmental problems/fetal defects/chromosomal abnormalities such as down syndrome. During the screening they measure two hormones in the mother's blood, scan and measure the nuchal translucency thickness (at the base of baby's head/neck), assess the nose bone and the blood flow through baby's heart. So, to make a long story short, I had to drink about an ocean of water, try not to pee while the ultrasound tech pressed on my bladder, endure the finger pricking to draw blood and leave a urine sample. Needless to say, it was SUPER FUN :) But, hearing little baby G's heartbeat at 157 BPM made it all worth it.

*Although I am happy I don't have to drink an ocean before my next appt - I have 7 weeks to prepare myself to do it again. It was torture, especially at 7.30am! Now, if it was Diet Coke, that'd be a different story haha.

Kevin came along and so did Grandma Barbara. It was a fun appointment! Baby looks good. No tail anymore. Confirmed 2 hands, 2 legs and one prominent nose bone :) The next check-up is scheduled for June 28. There won't be an ultrasound so it won't be as fun, but 4 weeks after that we'll find out the sex (hopefully). And now, the moment you've all been waiting for....2 new photos of Baby G:


Doesn't Baby G look like Charlie Brown in the above photo?

If you look closely to the top of baby's nose bone, you'll see a little hand. Baby G was definitely fist-pumping for his mama!

"MASSIVE"

written 5/3/11

we saw the baby today, May 3rd. keyword: baby, not babies. we saw the head, the little arm buds and the leg buds. we saw what's left of his/her tail (can't wait for that to go away). the most perfect little peanut complete with a two hands, two feet, a head, a torso and a strong, albeit small, heart fluttering at 160 beats per minute. it was a really surreal experience. makes it seem so much more real. so that's the little thing that's making me feel so nauseated every day. hello, embryo, nice to meet you. i told kevin i didn't cry, but i definitely teared up. it's amazing to think that we created a whole other being. his first response: "did you see the size of that brain? MASSIVE." that's his way of saying our baby will be smart like him. let's just hope, even if it does have a massive brain, it doesn't have a massive head. that won't be as much fun for the mama. wow, i'm a mama. surreal. i love this little embryo more than i ever thought i could. i'm so lucky that i get to experience this special bond, even if it does come with massive boobs, nausea, the *occasional cranky or irrational moments* and other unmentionable changes.

*our next ultrasound is June 9th*

This is what I was feeling back in April:

written 4/26

I've heard people say "you don't know what tired is until you have a newborn" but I assure you, I'm on my way. I've never been more tired in my life. Taking a shower makes me exhausted. Walking to get the mail? Exhausted. Grocery shopping? Forgetaboutit. Last week, I even crawled under my desk at work in a desperate attempt to get a few minutes of shut eye on my break. Yesterday, I got off work at 4.30 and slept until 7.30, ate a little bit, then went back to bed at 10pm. I still woke up exhausted. I'm sure it also doesn't help that I wake up multiple times per night/early morning to pee. I literally don't think I'm even drinking as much water as I'm expelling. The little babe sure it taking alot out of me, but this too shall pass.

I feel nauseous during every minute of every day. I swear I can even feel it gurgling around in my stomach when I'm sleeping. Thankfully, there haven't been many puking episodes which is good. Nobody likes to puke. Hopefully this will only last for a couple more weeks. Water and sips of ginger ale tend to help, but it never totally goes away. Delightful.

I've been dropping weight like crazy...without even trying! I associate this weight loss with the fact that my nausea makes food look absolutely unappealing. Even the thought of some of my favorite foods (including the little vices like McDonald's french fries). I try to take a few bites of something every couple of hours (mostly fruit and dry cereal) but overall, my caloric intake has totally dropped. I wake up every morning to step on the scale and see that number go down, down, down. If only it'd always been this easy.

Pills. I hate taking pills. It doesn't help that I now have to take one folic acid daily and a redonkulously huge prenatal vitamin. It's not my favorite, but I do it. Baby needs it and what baby needs, baby gets.

Overall, these side effects of pregnancy stink but it will be all worth it in the end. I just keep telling myself that THIS TOO SHALL PASS. Not sure if it's true, but I am tricking myself into believing it.

Stop, drop and cover.

written 4/22

If, in the next 8 months or so, you find me cooped up under my desk at work, please don't fret. I'm not losing it. And,nooooo, I am not practicing stop, drop & cover for an earthquake. I am merely trying to get a cat nap in. Honestly, I have never been so tired in my life! Eat breakfast then fall asleep. Eat a heavy lunch then fall asleep. 3pm rolls around and I'm nodding off at my desk! And honestly, yes. Today, I did crawl under my desk at work (during my break) and take a short cat nap. I am not ashamed. I was desperate! I knew that if I tried to nap in my car for 15 minutes, I would fall asleep and my coworkers would think it was funny (and consequently probably let me sleep all afternoon). I couldn't let myself wake up at 7.30pm in my car in the parking lot wondering where the rest of my afternoon went! So, if you see me napping or "hiding" please refrain from taking pictures (Shannan and Mahala!) and just let the poor pregnant woman sleep. Like I've been saying all along, baby gets what baby wants.

Bananas, Apples and Pineapple...Oh my!

written 4/20/11

If you are what you eat, I'm having a watermelon. Or a pineapple (ouch!). Or maybe an apple?? I'll explain...

I am a reckless, produce-crazed maniac. It's like I just can't get enough fruits and green veggies. Pure craziness! I went to the store for a couple pieces of chicken and a cucumber. I then walked out with 8 apples, 8 plums, 5 oranges, 2 heads of lettuce, 2 cucumbers, 4 ears of corn, a half-pound of fresh green beans annnnnnd those 2 chicken breasts. My husband looked at me as if I'd just escaped from the looney bin but was proud that everything was so healthy. As if all that goodness wasn't enough to jam-up our fridge, after the gym Lindsi and I returned to the same store and I left with a watermelon, a pineapple, a bunch of bananas (which I normally despise by the way) and strawberries. This is nuts!! I have never been so into fresh food in my life. I have even been shopping at New Seasons for more of the organic produce. Yes, it's not budget friendly but Baby G is worth it! They say your body craves what it needs. So...about $40 later, I'm glad what my body is saying I need is healthy food! Baby gets what baby wants :)

Our little secret.

written 4/11/11

Dear Baby G,

Last night your papa and I realized that you were on the way. You should have seen his face - it was all full of shock and awe. I was so nervous, I couldn't even read the stick. He had to do it. I swear his eyes tripled in size. After staring at it for a good 30 seconds, he said "I think you're definitely pregnant" and we stared at each other with wide-eyes and wildly-beating hearts. Immediately, a 2nd stick was in order. It turned into a pink plus sign basically the moment I touched the box :) It is finally real. We are expecting! We have wanted you for a really long time. It's just a shock to find out you're actually going to make your appearance in 30-some weeks and instantly transform us from newlyweds to a family. We welcome this change with open arms and shaky hands. This is a good time for you to learn that every change in life comes with a good mix of anticipation and anxiety. We are nervous about the unknown, but marvel at the fact that we are going to be parents. You are so special. We talk about you all the time, our little secret. We love you even more.

Love,

Your mama

Back-tracking

With child.
Knocked up.
Bun in the oven.
Preggers.
Expecting.
In the family way.
On stork watch.

Yes, whatever the term, the result is the same. As if you didn't get that with the last post, Kevin and I are expecting our first baby December 15, 2011!

I have been journaling my journey so far. Many back-tracked posts to come. I will be sure to include the original pen date so people know what experiences happened when.

It hasn't all been sparkles and sunshine so far, but I know this is an adventure we will never forget!