36 Weeks! The Nursery. & So, It turns into a monster?!

I'm 3 days shy of 36 weeks. Holy MOLY! 31 days until my due date. Yes, 31 days....

Shyt! Just. Got. REAL!

Well..it's been real for a long minute now but considering we found out we were pregnant when Sprouty was like 10mins old...{You know how us lesbians start POAS <peeing on a stick> as SOON as sperm meets egg lol}....But yeah, You get the point.

This baby. Has to come out of. ME. My Vagin.a or tummy cut. Like...He has to come out of my body one way or the other in 31 days, give or take........JESUS BE AN EPIDURAL!!!!!

Why am I so amped today you might be thinking...? Well let's just say I watched a BabyCenter birth video. Whyyyyyyyy did I do that?! I have to many thoughts....thoughts of, How the hell does "it" get SO big....I mean, I was traumatized by those huge lips.... the opening....Howwwwwwwww doesssssss that happen?!?

*Faints*

My wife had a c-section so I didn't experience the whole baby coming out thing.  They cut my babygirl out and I never saw what my wife's lady parts could do. I never saw it turn into a monster. Wait, I never saw her lady parts during the whole process now that I think about it. Mannnnn...it's mind-blowing how "it" can go from regular and cute to a BIG HUGE MONSTER!!!!!!! OMG!

*Faints.......again*

.......well, there's no turning back now and he has to come out. Lord be with me! My next OB appointment is on 06-10-14. I will have the GBS test done and maybe a cervical check. Fun. <sarcasm font>

On a brighter note, the nursery is done, our maternity photo-shoot is done & the bags are all packed. So we are officially on "just waiting for baby" watch. Yiipeee! Here are a few pics of our nursery. Baby Boy & His Big sister will be sharing a room. I can't WAIT for her to meet her little Brother. Ahhhhhhhh!

 

 

That's all for now.........pray for me ya'll :-)

Countdown Journal - Day 36

New Ailment - Pregnancy Carpal Tunnel
Old Ailment - Pregnancy Congestion

36 Days til Due Date.


Over the weekend I noticed my right hand was falling asleep. Well, just three fingers on my right hand, my thumb...ring finger & index. It was especially bad when I slept on my right side. Then I noticed, it can't just be a matter of "falling asleep" because they are always numb and tingly! Even when I know my hand is in a position where it's getting blood flow.

I went in for my 35 week appointment yesterday and mentioned it to my OB {after my wife told me she experienced it too and she already diagnosed me lol} & she says it's pregnancy carpal tunnel caused by the extra fluid. Ugh! Add yet another chronic "the only cure is delivery" ailment to my list, along with the pregnancy rhinitis (congestion). Just wonderful <sarcasm font>. My wife let me use one of her braces and that did help last night. I washed my hair this morning and my fingers were numb making it difficult.

Baby Boy N is still really active. He's moving around a lot but I can tell he's much bigger and probably running out of space. I feel his hiccups down reallllly low. I'm praying he stays in position and doesn't flip around. My OB scheduled me for my GBS test for 06-10-14. She will also do an internal check and give me an order for an ultrasound to check his weight.

In 15 days he will be full term. I just can't wrap my head around that! FIFTEEN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm feeling tired and ready to have him. The congestion is really starting to beat me down these days. Sometimes I feel like I'm not getting enough oxygen. It hurts to get up, get in the car, get out the car, sit up.........basically anything that involves movement of any kind. My feet hurt, my ankles hurt from all the extra weight. I can't walk far or do anything too strenuous. I'm just tired. Thank GOD above for my wife...she's been a true blessing during this journey. She rubs my feet and always asks if there's anything she can do to help me. Thank you Lord for her. I've fought a good fight...while I want him to be a healthy baby needing no medical assistance after birth....I've had enough of pregnancy and I'm ready to meet him.

 

Dear Baby Boy:

 

After June 12th , 2014 you will be fully baked. So, feel free to come anytime after that.

 

Thanks,

Mama

Introducing Baby Boy N!

 

On May 14th, 2014 we went for our private 3D ultrasound session! My wife, Baby C and a few family members and close friends had the opportunity to share this special moment. It was awesome! I was exactly 32 weeks 6 days. I wasn't sure if we would be able to get pictures of his face because some of the suggestions I read said that between 28-31 weeks was the best time. So needless to say we were pushing it. lol

 

Part of our package was a CD of the session, printed 3D and black & white images. We saw him smiling, opening his mouth, sucking his thumb (side-ways), and even crying/frowning!!!!!! OMG! I couldn't believe it! Technology is so amazing I tell ya.

 

This session made everything seem so damn real. Most people say it "hits" them after the babyshower but for me it was seeing our son on that huge flat screen monitor. To see him crying and not be able to hold him almost made me want to tell the tech to stop the session! lol Like, he was right there! On the screen. Chubby cheeks, long fingers and everything. Oh, and this time he made SURE we knew he was a boy. Spread eagle for all to see lol My wife bought a heartbeat bear. We had one from Baby C and it was only fitting to complete the set with one pink bear and one blue one. His heartbeat was fast! She said 165bpm. It's never been that high! So of course I called the OB the next morning to inquire and find out if I should be concerned. I was told it's perfectly fine.

 

Sidebar: My mom placed her hand on my stomach and he moved and kicked. She was like "Oh wooooow!" I'm glad she got that opportunity. It was a precious small moment between her and I while waiting to go into the ultrasound room. It's a huge step for her and I because with me not being "girly" and her not being really "expressive" we don't have too many memories like that. In fact, my pregnancy/labor/birthing will probably be the only time. lol I'm cool with that tho.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Look at those LIPS! So adorable! That little nose and those lips melt my heart. My wife & I think he's gonna look like Baby C. We think our donor just has strong genes. Time will tell. I can't believe how plump he's looking. At first I said he would probably weigh around 6lbs....my wife has said the same as Baby C (7lbs 13oz) or a little bigger, like 8lbs.  Either way....41 days and counting. We are so ready to meet this little Guy! I'm 34 weeks 1 day. Yay! Oh, I got my whooping cough shot yesterday and thank God I have no soreness at all! Life is Grand.

 

 

---------------------------------------------

 

Surprise Shower @ Work!

 

 

Well, my coworkers really got me good yesterday! They threw me a surprise Baby Shower. It really touched me. I was totally not expecting them to go all out like they did. How awesome?! I'm truly blessed. We received lots of cute clothes, toys and cash/giftcards for Baby Boy N. I couldn't wait to get home so my wife could go thru everything. lol We are all set! Now we just wait out the next 41 days for the BIG MOMENT!

 

 

I had to snap a pic of the food & delicious cupcakes! Yum! They even did the Monster's Inc theme. I was really touched and had to step out for a moment because I knew I was gonna cry. Which I did..........

 

Here's a recap pic. This has been an amazing journey.

 

 

Countdown Journal - Day 44

I decided to document these last few days because I want to attempt to capture as much of this journey as I can.

 

The previous posts have been more about me sharing with others but my countdown journal will be more about me documenting what's happening in my body & progress til the big day! Therefore, the only way folks will even know that I've posted these is to check in. I will not be sharing these via my usual sources.

 

 

Day 44:

 

I've had horrible gas today! For the past two days my stomach has been feeling kinda weird. Not like pain but just weird. I had several braxton hicks contractions the other night. They weren't painful but a few times I had to hold my breath just a little. Baby Boy is down reallllly low. So much so when he moves I feel it not only in my lower belly but on top of my thighs. lol Yeah, my stomach is resting on my damn thighs when I sit down. Smh....lol

 

I told my wife I don't think he's gonna hold out until our due date (07-03). I think he's gonna come sometime between now and 38 weeks. I'm praying he stays put until at least full-term which is 06-12 (37 weeks). I will be 34 weeks this Thursday. We are praying for a Cancer sign but I'm thinking he just might be a Gemini. Please hold out til after 06-22nd little baby! lol BUT....I know your birthday has already been determined so it's all good. We love you so much already.

 

We still need to finish the letters for the nursery, finish packing my lounge clothes in the hospital bag and finish cleaning the nursery. The carseat is already installed, the double stroller is already put together, our birth plan is already in place. So I guess we are all set for now.

When things Change.....Plus Glucose test and Such!

I went for my much dreaded glucose test on April 12th. I had so much anxiety over keeping the liquid down. As I was registered, the lab tech handed me the bottle of liquid. I went straight to panic mode! Me: "Wait. Ummm Miss, can I have the orange flavor?" {EVERYONE told me this was the best flavor to stomach}....

Her: "We don't have that one here."

Me: *Look of Horror*

 

So...I had to suck it up, twist the cap...and down the fruit punch flavored drink. I totally expected the absolute worst! BUT......It was actually good! LOL! I was thirsty so that made it even better!

Me: "Oh okay this is GOOD!"

Lab Tech: "See don't judge a book by its cover!" lol

In the end...I waited the required hour and then got the blood draw. I received my results today and I passed with a wonderful score of 114!!!!! Thank God!

 

  

 

I've reached another milestone, 28 weeks! Well....I'm officially 28 weeks 5 days to be exact. Here is my bare belly. Thank you Lord! It's more rounded, solid and hard now. Still no stretch-marks. Yayyyy! {other than the ones I already had from losing weight}

I can remember posting about how "great" I was feeling and how sometimes I "forgot" that I was pregnant. Well, things have changed. Totally. I have learned to accept each new day for what it brings. I have my good days and then I have my not so good days. And that's okay. I know I've gained a ton of weight and groaning while doing anything that involves me moving has become common place. And that's okay. Things change and as my pregnancy progresses & I just have to accept that and deal. I keep everything in perspective and that helps me to get through. Oh, I can now see the baby moving around in my belly...totally weird and cool! He's so active. My wife said he's way more active in the womb than Baby C was. Keep on movin' son..it's gives your Mama peace & comfort! :-)

 

We have cleaned out the house (nesting times a million)...donated all unused & unwanted items, had our bathroom renovated, rearranged our bedroom, will have brand new windows installed in the next 3 weeks and completed our baby shower registry! Wheeew! These two mommies have been focused! The shower is set for May 4th, 2014.

 

That's all for now. Thanks for all the encouragement, advice, prayers, love & light sent during my journey. You all have NO idea how much it means to me. Congrats on all the BFP's for March and April! I'm so happy for you ladies. It's a blessing.

 

 

Mama C~

 

Whoa. 3rd TRIMESTER!!! Now I know.....

Days LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!


Today I officially entered the 3rd trimester. So thankful beyond words. So far, this has truly been the most humbling, emotional, sacrificial & rewarding journey I've ever experienced. I went from a self-sufficient, physical/strong, energetic woman.....to a woman who can't even put on shoes without groaning. A woman who can't lift more than 30lbs. A woman who is almost always out of breath and tired. I depend on my wife a lot these days and I honestly don't think I could have done this without her by my side.

I've learned so much about myself these past few months. I learned how to totally surrender control over life. While I'm still a work in progress in that area...getting pregnant & staying pregnant has taught me just how not in control we really are.

I have a human being living in my body. One who moves constantly and makes his presence known giving me comfort and peace. At this time, I have him all to myself. We share special moments that I don't have to share with anyone, including my wife. The thought of him being inside me and having him with me at all times during this precious journey brings me to tears every time I think about it.

I mean, I never actually thought I would go through with it. But I did...and there is no greater joy than growing a baby. I'm the only one who knows his every move right now. I'm the only one who knows when he has the hiccups. I'm the only one who knows when he doesn't like me in certain positions. ME! Right now it's just him & I and I will forever cherish these intimate precious moments. I can be selfish with him right now. I can play with him in my belly. I can talk to him. I know when I drink something cold he will respond. I can just love up on him from the inside and he is connected to my body and soul for the next 91 days, give or take. I know I will be glad to meet him & share him with my wife, his sister and the rest of the world....but truth be told, I'm cherishing these last few days & I will be sad when it's all over.

Now I know what my wife was talking about. Now it all makes sense. When she carried our daughter, they too shared these moments, just the two of them. She told me about how precious this time was for her and Baby C but I could never really understand what she meant until I traveled this road for myself. She always wanted me to carry. She would always say, " I just really want you to experience it all." Well, now I know and there are no words to describe just how thankful I am for her encouraging me to carry our 2nd child. Now I know. Now I know..........Thank you Sweetpea.

I'm scheduled to have my glucose test in the next week. Please send me positive energy, prayers & light that I pass with flying colors! Still praying for those BFP's for you ladies still waiting and congrats to all who have received theirs already!!

 

25 Weeks & Feeling Every Second Of It

We've reached viability!!! I'm 25 weeks today & I'm so thankful to be here. I do not take this amazing milestone for granted.

 

{Here's where I get transparent for a second}

 

I must admit, I'm slowing down. A lot. I feel very pregnant and it's really real now. My hips hurt. I now have to wear medical scrubs and a polo shirt to work because none of my clothes fit anymore, well my work clothes don't. I have a waddle. My face is filling out. My stomach is in my throat most days & it causes me extreme discomfort. I sometimes feel like my fatigue is coming back just a little. I can't help out at home or at work like I really want to because I get winded so easy and I don't want to put the baby in harms way by doing too much. It's harder to pick my daughter up now...I hate picking stuff up off the floor that I've dropped {it just takes so much effort}....I just feel BIGGER and SLOWER.

All while, when I tell people how far along I am, I get the...."Oh just WAIT, you ain't seen nothin' yet! You're gonna blow up and it's gonna get worse!"

 

SHUT THE F*^% UP!!!!!!!!!!! {Is what I want to say but instead I just smile and shake my head}

 

As a pregnant not-so-femme woman, being pregnant makes me feel vulnerable. It makes me feel like I'm delicate & fragile. I'm not used to feeling like this. I'm not used to LOOKING like this. I mean, I knew I would change, my body would morph....but I don't think you're ever really prepared for just how much you do change in so many ways. Sometimes I feel like crying when I think about just how different I am right now. Other days I'm not phased at all by it.

 

But............. I have to say, I would do it all over again to be exactly where I am. Pains & all. Fatness & all. I would do it again in a heartbeat for us to complete our family. Even with the discomfort and temporary pains {and it really is temporary}, I have an amazing wife who rubs my tired feet & takes awesome care of me, a baby growing inside of me who is healthy and very active, a great job where I can take it easy & take the day off if need be, a wonderful family support system who are so thrilled & excited about this little boy, friends who are just blessings all around to me and my family, a 1 year old precious daughter who gives me crazy kisses and is the joy of my life!! I can't complain with the many blessings surrounding me right now. I can be honest about how I'm feeling on a daily basis but I really can't complain. I'm blessed.

 

With each passing day...with each passing week...I don't for one second take for granted that this little boy is still safe & secure in my womb. I would deal with any amount of discomfort to keep HIM inside and safe. Period. As my wife often says, my only charge right now is to "bake this baby." Weight gain, pains, limited wardrobe etc....it's all for the greater good, our son.

My next goal is 28 weeks. The 3rd trimester.

 

Meditation

 

This journey is not a race.

Surrender the desire to want to control the path & final destination.

Just do what you can...& stay healthy.

 

 

 

 

Update: Anatomy Scan - Spine Views. I've reached 22 weeks!!!!!

Our Little "Thinker!"

 

 

--Hand under chin thinking about how super it's gonna be to have two mommies! ;-)

 

On Friday Feb. 7th, 2014 my wife & I went in for the much anticipated anatomy scan. I was hella nervous. I mean, THIS is the biggie. The scan where things not caught on earlier prenatal imaging & genetic testing can be detected. Before heading into the imaging center we just said a little prayer for our son. That's really all you can do.

 

Baby Boy "N" was rolled up into a complete ball! BUT with his legs crossed. At a certain point the tech told me to get up and move around in hopes to get him to stretch out a bit. Needless to say I did jumping-jacks, fake yoga etc in an attempt to get him to cooperate. Nadda! I'm so glad we weren't banking on the anatomy scan to find out the sex because we would have been disappointed. lol She did see "the money shot" at some point but it was for a quick few seconds. lol I was more concerned with his health. I prayed everything would be okay with him in terms of his organs, heart & overall health. That's all I really cared about forreal.

 

With the exception of his complete spine shots she did manage to get all the pictures & measurements she needed {Thank God}. So, we had to go back on Tuesday 02-27 for follow-up scans of his spine. Due to his position the first time the tech was unable to get all the structures of the spine she needed. The tech we had Tuesday seemed more seasoned and she was thorough! The follow-up appointment took longer than I expected. I consumed a bag of skittles and some sweet tea and praaaayed this little boy would cooperate! Laying sooo flat, WITH a full bladder, WITH aching HIPS, WITH her probing was painful! But...in the end she did manage to get every image she needed and afterwards congratulated us on our baby. Whewww! Thank God...again! It was wonderful to get another look at Sprouty! I could actually feel his kicks this time as she was scanning...it was kinda cool. He is measuring TWO WEEKS AHEAD! Yikes! I had the first scan full anatomy scan done at 19 weeks 1 day and he was measuring at 21 weeks! She didn't do dating measurments this time..she only focused on his spine, my fluid levels and my cervical length.

 

 

Here are some other cool pics of our little Sir:

 

 

FEET! lol

Halloween Frontal View! Boooooooo

Super Serious...Leave me alone Profile. lol

 

While my belly isn't that big yet....{At least I don't think so...lol} I feel so blessed to have made it to 22 weeks. I mean 22 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is so GREAT! I do have to mention that I feel like I'm starting to slow down a bit. I take a little longer to do things I used to fly thru. It's an adjustment. My wife always tells me how great I'm doing...to be 6 months. -sidebar- The 6 months thingy depends on what calculation you use. lol Somedays I do feel like I'm doing well...other days I just take a deep sigh and say, "Lord give me STRENGTH!" lol We went thru all of Baby C's clothes and picked out all the gender neutral items for Sprouty. We have a nice little stash of sleepers, onesies, socks, bibs & equipment. My wife has also made a few cloth diapers for him too. YAY! We plan on doing our Babyshower registry in about 2 weeks. I want to wait until I'm 24 weeks to do that.

 

Update: My wife felt Baby N kick for the first time the morning I turned 21 weeks. It was so awesome for her to finally get to experience him from the outside. I think it becomes more real to everyone once you start feeling those kicks. I feel him all the time now and it does ease my mind. Some of his kicks are really low. Ouch! I don't think he likes when I prop up on my back or lay on my back...he kicks like crazy until I change positions. lol I just pray over my belly and tell him to stay PUT at least until the end of June.

 

That's all for now. I hope everyone is doing well & I'm still praying for those BFP's!

 

Meditation

 

God knows the end...just focus on being healthy.

Don't let worry steal your joy. Instead, Pray.

Don't get so caught up in the end result that you lose sight of the daily journey.

Gender Reveal *LOTS of pictures* IT'S A ...........!!!!

 

 

 

 

(This will be a picture heavy Post so I hope you enjoy!)........ 

 

 IT'S A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

I'm so excited and thankful! We are blessed to finally have a SON! As you all know, I've said from the very beginning that I felt this was a little boy. While I was unsure at times based on some of my cravings (oranges) I just kinda internally knew this was a boy. My wife & I are just so thankful and excited about welcoming our little Prince into the family. We know just how blessed we are to have one of each. This is a picture from our elective gender ultrasound.

 

For those of you who have followed my blog...the u/s did in fact MATCH the results of the Maternit21 genetics test done at 11 weeks 1 day. lol So my results were indeed accurate. I'm still happy we decided to have the u/s anyway..........

 

-SideBar- My aunt thought the HUGE looking leg was his "weeter." lol MA'AM!!!!!............Needless to say I told her his "weeter" is actually the little thingy underneath with the word "boy" under it. lol Forgive her ya'll she hasn't seen an ultrasound in moons so she gets a pass. Smh

 

 

 

So, in July we will welcome Baby Boy "N" and our family will be complete. Four will indeed complete our set. We love him so much already and can't wait to meet him. Here are a few other pics from the elective gender scan we had 3 days before the party.....

 

 

Baby Boy "N" (Formerly known as Sprouty) with the cord hanging on the side of his face and his legs up.

 

 

Sprouty with his hand covering his face......Awwwww! lol

Now for our Gender Reveal Party!

 

We cut up two bags of confetti..one pink & one blue. We sent both bags along with a sealed envelop that contained the genetics test results (which indicated the sex of the baby) and the potty shot from the elective ultrasound. We instructed the "balloon lady" (Ms. Liz) at Party City to open the envelope and fill our balloon with the confetti that matched the sex.... and to throw the other bag away. I could tell she was excited. She told me that her sister had recently did a gender reveal via youtub.e for their family.

Confetti & Gender Reveal Balloons! (Sorry this is so grainy) My wife and I each had pins in our hands ready to POP the all black balloon which contained the confetti. My wife is actually holding Baby C in her arms and I'm on the other side in the black sweater and white shirt. Again...sorry this pic is so blurry. It was taken from a screen shot of a video. But at least you get the visual....

 

 

 

"He or She...What Will It BEE!?" We used the chalkboard from our daycare room and put this decorative poster on it. We simply cut out polka-dot paper squares & little bees, attached some ribbon and 'BOOM' Cool Gender Reveal sign.

Then, at our home, in front of about 40+ family members and close friends we shared our very special moment after dinner. We POPPED the ballon & the floor was covered with BLUE confetti!!!!!! Everyone began to scream and cheer SO LOUDLY I could hear my ears ringing! Needless to say, I LOST it! I started jumping up & down and crying with my hands covering my face!!

In that moment, I was positive of one thing, God really does give us the desires of our hearts when it is according to His Will. In that moment, I felt like I had given my wife something that no one else ever could, a son. In that moment, I felt joy, love and full of gratitude. I am making my daughter a big sister! I will be blessed to raise a daughter and a son. I'm just so thankful.............

 

Here are a few other pictures from our reveal.

 

 My wife made these AHMAZING Cupcakes (from scratch) with cream cheese icing. They were EVERYTHING! Damn I married well! ;-)
We cut out little circles from poster board and glued little "bees" on them as our cupcake accents. Thanks to Pinterest, we were able to make all of our decorations! It came together really nicely I think. I know my wife was impressed with my crafting skilllzzz! Ha!

 

<----We made these little bags & filled them with Life Saver mints for our guests. They each read, "What Will It Bee?" & "Thank you?"

 

<--------We also made this little center-piece (which is actually a picture holder)...it listed my symptoms, cravings & a picture of Baby Boy N. It was really kinda cool how it all came together with such little money spent on the decorations. We just used our creative minds & put our crafting to work! It's funny because I hardly had any real symptoms per se. So, I think once we started looking at the stmptoms & "old wives tales" - How I was carying, low....no morning sickness, good mood, dreams and chinese lunar chart...I think we all kinda knew it would be a boy.

 

                                            

 

 

 

This picture is the recap. As you can see we had a blast! I'm so thankful we didn't find out sprouty's se.x until the party. There were a couple of "close calls" where the beans were almost spilled before our party but I'm so glad everything turned out perfect!

 

In the end #TEAMBOY came out victorious. I think only 3-4 people pegged me to be carrying a girl. EVERYONE at the party was #TEAMBOY except 2 oddballs. Teeeheee.

 

About Me Update:

 

 I started feeling Sprouty move around at 17 weeks 3 days and I'm feeling him more now. No real kicks, just rolling & flutters. That was exactly THREE days after my post about "movement." lol....I also started to suffer from extreme nasal congestion at 18 weeks 3 days and it lasted for about 3 days. Come to find out I had rhinitis of pregnancy, which is common, and I was miserable! One of my wonderful FCL group members told me about a product that was literally a miracle! I was so thankful to be able to breathe thru my nose again, I actually told her, " I LOVE YOU!" Hahahaha! I was SUFFERING ya'll! I'm so appreciative when folks share valuable information so I feel I MUST do the same for someone else.....So if you're reading this and you're also suffering from unbearable congestion due to pregnancy hormones...go get some Vicks 'Sinex' 12 hour decongestant ultra fine mist! You will be so glad you did!!!  It saved me and I could finally breathe thru my nose and SLEEP again!

 

We go in for my anatomy scan tomorrow...I will be 19 weeks 1 day. I cannot wait!! My wife & I are just so excited to see him again! So, I would really appreciate LOTS of prayers, love, light & positive energy for our little guy that he passes with flying colors.

 

Thanks so much for following my journey thus far. It does mean a lot.

 

Be Peace.



15 Weeks 0 Days! Gender Reveal Party!

As of today I am 15 weeks exactly! Wow. I really cannot believe it. I'm still doing very well and just so thankful. I'm starting to look obviously pregnant and embracing every moment of it. The one thing I'm happy about as well is my face isn't "looking" pregnant. lol Vain I know but....the "pregnant nose" was something I teased folks about. lol You know the red pregnant nose....it's the look where people don't have to see anything below your neck to know you're expecting! Hahahaha....I can laugh because my wife had it. I know I'm speaking too soon but if I do get it....I will indeed laugh at myself!

 

Oh, I'm thankful for a close friend who I can run to when I'm having concerns about my expanding plumping body. She has gone thru the whole pregnancy experience as a "far from femme" mom and has helped me a great deal. My latest issue is my boxers. They are getting really uncomfortable around the lower portion of my stomach. I asked her what my next step was a she gave me a few suggestions. Even sent me a pic of some from her personal collection lol....I'm finding that there are certain aspects of me being pregnant that my wife won't understand, fully. I mean we are both women...but mentally, emotionally & physically I'm experiencing pregnancy from a different lens. So, it's nice to have an outside resource that understands first hand. Thanks T!

 

We have set the date for our big gender reveal party! {For those of you who want to get technical se.x reveal party. Yes, I know they are not the same. No, we won't be calling our party a baby se.x reveal. Yes, gender reveal just sounds better and less perverted.}

It's scheduled for Feb. 1st! I will be 18 weeks 2days!!! We've decided to do the balloon pop since we did the cake with Baby C. I'm actually starting to look forward to knowing if Sprouty is a Boy or a Girl. I guess since I'm getting bigger and I know the baby can now hear sounds.....It would just be nice to start calling him or her by their name. Oh, and maybe buying a few things. I'm also excited about sharing this moment with our family and friends. We have a strict NO GIFT policy. We just want folks to come eat & enjoy this precious time.

 

 

How Far Along? 15 weeks today! Yippee!

Total Weight Gain: I got on the scale this morning and I was up another 2lbs. It's all good tho. 

Maternity Clothes: Nope. I need to get a few more pairs of pants for work but I'm just buying the next size up.

Symptoms: Still no morning sickness. My energy is coming back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank GOD!

Stretch Marks: No more than I already had on my stomach.

Belly Button In/Out: Nothing yet. Still in.

Sleep: Great and all the time.

Best Moment Last Week: Thinking that I might have felt Sprouty move. The jury is still out on that one.

What I Miss: Being active. Beer. 

What I’m looking forward to: Feeling Sprouty move without a doubt. Our next ultrasound. Our gender reveal party.

Food Cravings: Salads, pineapples, apple sauce and oranges! Especially oranges! Salads make the belly soooo happy.

Food Aversions: I'm still cautious about eggs but I don't really have any aversions at this point. 

Gender: Team Green……for now……can’t wait to find out! I've said this from the moment I found out I was pregnant....I think this is a BOY!

Movement: None ;-(

My Concerns or Questions: None at the moment. Just the usual "is my baby okay and how can I KEEP her/him okay" stuff.

Goals for the week: NOT stress over feeling Sprouty move. 

 

Meditation:

 

It's okay to be excited. You should be.

God knows how this will all end...trust His process.

Let worry NOT be your first reaction/response. Instead, pray.

God has heard your prayers & does grant the desires of our heart.

 

 

 

 

13 weeks 1 Day! Skull Theory Gender Preditions?! Whaaat?!

 

 

I'm telling you....surfing the web will uncover some crazy things about pregnancy! lol I learn something new allllll the time. Well, last week I stumbled across something called the "Skull Theory" as it relates to gender predictions. Skull theory?!? Never heard of it! Well, according to the "Resident Google fetal Development Scholars" aka BabyCenter chicks (hehehe) you can predict the gender based on the skull structure.

 

 

Sooooooooooooo.............armed with this intriguing piece of information I did a pic-stitch of Baby C's NT scan (Baby C is a girl for those who do not know) and Sprouty's. lol {Sprouty top - Baby C bottom}. Any Skull Theory Specialist in da house wanna take a guess at it? If i were to guess, I would have predicted Boy for Baby C and Girl for Sprouty. lol Of course I would have guessed wrong so I think I will leave this one A-Lone! lol Now, Baby C's NT was done at 12 weeks 1 day and Sprouty's was done at 11 weeks 1 day (but Sprouty was measuring 12 weeks 5 days) not sure if that makes a difference but it's worth mentioning. What do ya'll think? I think this would be a good thread for my secret group :-)

 

 

How Far Along? 13 weeks 1 day!

Total Weight Gain: The Last time I built up the courage to check I was up 5lbs. So based on my weight BEFORE I got pregnant I'm going to say up 8-9-10ishlbs. At this point I'm just trying to not deny myself BUT be mindful that I have a long way to go before I'm due. Slow Ya roll Nell :-)

Maternity Clothes: Nope. But I'm noticing my boxers are leaving visible marks across the lower region of my belly. Not cool. Still wearing my regular clothes thet just don't fit/hang the same way they used to.

Symptoms: Same as last week ---Heartburn. Exhaustion. But still no morning sickness. Last night my wife thinks I had my first Braxton Hicks. I had a tightening across my stomach and once she had me drink some water and lay down on my left side it went away. It didn't hurt it was just a very weird and uncomfortable feeling.

Stretch Marks: No more than I already had on my stomach.

Belly Button In/Out: Nothing yet. Still in.

Sleep: Great and all the time.

Best Moment Last Week: Getting good news about my MaterniT21 genetic test results and hitting the oh so wonderful 12 weeks! That call from the genetics counselor meant everything to me! It was an amazing moment.

What I Miss: Being active, not requiring as much sleep & Bud Ice Beer. Well, all kinds of Beer. 

What I’m looking forward to: Feeling the baby move. Hitting 13 weeks I'm on pins and needles as to when I'm going to experience that awesome moment! My 18-20 week BIG ultrasound.

Food Cravings: Same ---Salads, pineapples, apple sauce and oranges! Salads make the belly soooo happy. Here lately I've also been craving Mexican food!

Food Aversions: Although I still can't eat them scrambled I did eat a fried egg. But eggs are still a bleh for me. Ick!

Gender: **Confession - I hit 12 weeks and all of a sudden it really doesn't matter what se.x Sprouty is. I realllllly just want to take a healthy full term baby home** ------Team Green……for now……But internally I feel like this is a calm, cool and very chill BOY! 
  
Movement: None

My Concerns or Questions:  I guess it would be cervical issues. I've read stories (I know I know I shouldn't be reading anything at this point) but reading things about early cervical shortening and dilation I just wonder if there are any signs or things I should be looking out for in the coming weeks.

Goals for the week: Have more se.x, Maintain my healthy diet & don't stress over when I will feel the baby move.

Now that I've reached my focus goal of 13 weeks I will now re-shift to focus to 20 weeks! As I've stated in previous blog posts focusing on 40 weeks is too overwhelming for me so I have to focus on incremental goals. 20 weeks! The half way mark, Feb. 13th, 2014!!!!!! My coworkers officially know I'm pregnant so that too is a heavy burden lifted off my shoulders. Plus I'm appreciating the little gestures of HELP I'm getting since no one wants me lifting or doing too much :-)


I hope you all are having a peaceful, loving & blessed holiday season! Until Next time.....

Meditation:

Surrender.

You cannot control the outcome of life or death so instead of worry, opt to Pray.

Your body was created for this so trust it & Trust God.