18 weeks

Time is flying by. I am officially 4 1/2 months today which means I am half-way through my pregnancy. That kind of freaks me out. But it also kind of makes me super duper excited!

So every week I get email updates on the baby's developments and how I should be feeling, looking, blah, blah, blah. Well this week.....

This is from parentsconnet.com:

Your baby's ears are now facing forward and are completely formed so she can actually hear you talking now. You don't need to abandon your potty mouth just yet, but you might want to start thinking about it!

This week is also the beginning of ossification. And while that sounds like some long and involved paperwork you'll have to fill out, it's really a fancy medical term for the hardening of your baby's miniature bones. And that's a good thing.Your baby's nerves are making more and more complex connections. Her sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. A substance called myelin, which makes nerve connections travel faster, is now coating your baby's nerves.

Your baby now weighs between 5 and 7 ounces and is about 5½ inches long—about the size of a pickle from the corner deli. (You're familiar with pickles, right? Your regular accompaniment to a big bowl of ice cream?)

Seriously? Gross. If you know me, you know I am NOT a pickle fan.

But to stay consistent with my other pictures...

This is much better:

Well this is not much better actually. Couldn't they find a better picture of a sweet potato? this looks gross too.

Anyways, happy 18 weeks to me and the baby :)

So What's It Going To Be??

Tomorrow is a big day. Well, hopefully. I'm praying I leave the doctor knowing what we are going to be having. I don't have some gut feeling telling me anything and I haven't had any dreams either. But in the end it won't matter to me. It won't matter to me at all.

Happy 5th Birthday Camille!

Today is Camille's birthday! She turned 5 today! What a big girl. I talked to her on the phone and she said she got lots of hugs from her friends at school and mom brought in Halloween cupcakes. She told me, "when you are four then you turn five" and proceeded to count all the way up to twenty. She's one crazy little girl that has the most energy for someone so small! She makes me laugh everytime I see her. She's having a costume party this saturday. Camille is going to be a buccaneer and all the kids are trick-or-treating too. Happy Birthday Mille Mille!

17 weeks

How far along? 17 weeks, 5 days

Total weight gain/loss: 1 lb maybe?

Maternity clothes? Just got some from Trecia. But I need to definitely purchase some pants. Mine are starting to get tight!

Stretch marks? not yet, and hopefully not getting them (wishful thinking)

Sleep: feels like i never have enough. It's also been really hard for me to sleep on my sides. I start off there but then I wake up in the middle of the night and find myself on my back. makes me so mad.

Best moment this week: It hasn't come yet, but it's going to be Friday because we'll find out what we're having! I'm praying the baby is cooperative and the ultrasound tech can easily see the goods :)

Movement: been feeling flutters and bumps every now and then. I first felt them last Thursday at work. It is such an amazing feeling. I smile everytime it happens.

Food cravings: junk food

Gender: don't know just yet :(

What I miss: an ice cold Coke.

What I’m looking forward to: being able to start shopping for baby things

I feel like there were so many babies I know that were born this week! My cousin Trecia had her baby (Olivia Kristine Greenstreet) on Monday, Our family friend Theresa had her baby girl (Kinsley Clay Witt) on Friday, and my friend Kristan had her baby boy today (Jackson Dale Parker)! Congrats to all these families!

I am at the half-way mark...well short two days but still! It's crazy to think that I'm already here :)

Noah, me and Paxx made a quick trek to Centreville last weekend. I'm sad we were only there for the weekend because there are too many people to see and not enough time. We did manange to squeeze in whatever time we had with as many friends and family as we could see. I was really happy to visit with my cousins and see their new baby, Olivia. She is so cute and so little. It was nice to see Isabella too. She was talking non-stop.

Our friend Shannon is always so nice to have people over at her house so Noah gets to hang out with all his friends. It is always a fun time. This weekend was nice because even Jeremiah was in town. Noah's mom was very excited to see all her babies this weekend.

(noah and his friend Vass)

(I could not get enough of this dog. I was laughing for a good ten minutes after I took this awesome picture! How can you not fall in love with her?)



(The Cruzan siblings all together)

Saturday we went to Noah's old highschool stomping ground to support our niece, Monet at her Cheerleading Competition. Being there made me feel so old. There was a section where all the girls went out on the floor to dance while the judges made their decisions and everyone was doing all these dances to songs I've never heard. High schoolers listen to Miley Cyrus??

(Monet and her team won first place again!)

It was a good weekend overall. Next time we hope to make it a longer stay.

Progress

So alot of progress has been done on our house. We went by last weekend and took some pictures. It's amazing how much has been done in a matter of weeks. We have alittle more than a month left and we are crossing our fingers everything continues to go as planned!

Happy Birthday Olivia!

At 5:45 am this morning Miss Olivia Kristine Greenstreet was born weighing 7lbs 11oz! She must have known I was visiting Virginia this weekend and decided to come on out so I could see her! I was scared because she was supposed to be due later this week. With the whole swine flu scare, they weren't going to allow visitors. So this is perfect timing. I can't wait to meet her. I need all the practice I can get because in 5 months I'll have my own little one. She's so precious in this picture.




Isabella is a big sister now! I remember when she was just born too. Doesn't seem like it was that long ago.


I love me some babies so I can't wait to get to Virginia already!

Noah has been itching for a new addition to our fur family. I'm not sure why since our house is about to get crowded enough with our addition to our human family. He has been trying to convince me that if we get a puppy at Christmas they will be well trained by the time the baby arrives. I'm still debating. It's enough work with just Paxx. If we get another dog it's going to be a small dog. Here are some of the options he's been presenting to me:


He's always loved pugs. I used to think they were so ugly but I've learned to love them. They are so ugly they are cute.

I love boston terriers. If it was up to me, this is what we'd get. Look how cute they are?

We were watching the Eukenuba Dog Show last weekend and came across this breed, Brussells Griffon. It is another one of those dogs that are so ugly they are cute. This doggy looks just like an ewok.

See what I mean??

Anyway, Noah still has sone convincing to do. But he uses his charm against me. I'm such a pushover when it comes to him. Downfall for sure!

Well big baby developments this week:

By the end of this week the baby will double his weight. Right now, they are the size of an avacado. The baby has eyebrows, eyelashes and is even growing toenails!

The doctor said I might start feeling the baby's tiny movements as soon as 16 weeks but says I won't start really feeling them til about 19-20 weeks.

I still can't believe I'm 4 months already!

What do you think I'm having? Honestly, I don't have any strong feelings toward either gender. I'm just excited to find out. Two weeks are going to drag by.

15 Week Appointment

We had a great doctor's appointment yesterday. I was hoping we could find out what we are having but unfortunately it was too early. I usually hate going to the doctor but I love these doctor appointments because I get to see how the baby is doing. Noah saw the baby moving for the first time and everytime we hear the heart beat or see the baby on that screen i still can't believe it. Truly one of the most wonderful feelings ever!

(hello mommy and daddy!)

We have another appointment and u/s in three weeks so we'll have to wait until then to know if the little one will be a boy or a girl.

House Update and Fun in the Park

Last week during lunch I went to check up on the progress of our house. The siding was up and they worked on some of the sheet rock. Noah and I went by on Saturday and they were working on the brick. Here are a couple of pictures we took. The house seems to be coming along. Only a couple more months until move-in!

Sunday we went to Picnic in the Park at Foresyth Park. The weather was awesome and there was a big turn-out. Just a few pictures from that night.

(me, noah, and baby :) )

(seal and michael)

(isa and camille)

I'm Having a Baby. Me. Having. A. BABY!

Ever since my 13 week appointment and the doctor confirmed the baby was doing great I have been reading all kinds of things and researching like crazy. There is just so much that I do not know about having a baby! It worries me that I won't be prepared. I know I am being irrational about most of the worry because I'm sure once the baby gets here I'll be fine. Well I should correct that... At least I'll have help. But those who know the type of person I am knows I am a huge planner/organizer. I like things that are predictable and familiar.

It's been fun learning new information though like what I should eat and things I should do to increase the chances my baby will be smart or when the baby recognizes our voices. I've been reading a book called Baby Bargains and it just helps first time parents know what is really needed and what is a waste. It also compares different brands on all the baby gear out there. It's been really helpful so far. I've also already started researching the do's and don'ts of raising a newborn and how to prepare for them. I even started my own little spreadsheet to keep track of the good tid-bits I find. Yes, I know it's a bit much, but there would be no other way for me to remember all this stuff if I didn't. Plus, I've been forgetting stuff lately I wouldn't forget. I even forgot the date Noah and I got married! I usually don't forget things like that. I blame it on being pregnant of course. I've been using that alot lately. So far it's worked!


I'm technically still 14 weeks (I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow!) Big developments this week (14 weeks): the baby can squint, frown, grimace, pee and possibly suck their thumb! It weighs 1 1/2 ounces and measures 3 1/2 inches (the size of a lemon).



Big Developments for week 15: the baby's legs are growing faster than his/her arms and he/she can now move all thier joints and limps. The baby's eyes are still fused shut but he/she can sense light.



As for me: Most , if not all, my pants don't zip up or button anymore. I bought my first maternity item last week (the BeBand). It's a band to hold your pre-preggo pants up so you don't have to buy maternity clothes just yet. I don't think I would fit into any right now anyway. I have a little baby bump but I just feel fat. I haven't had morning sickness for a week so I'm crossing my fingers it's the end of that. I have also been feeling these little flutters every now and then. I'm sure It's just gas bubbles but it could be the baby moving too.

Stay tuned because Noah and I have a doctor's appointment on Friday and we may be able to find out what we're having!