It's a.......

If you know me at all you know there will be a long winded story before any information is revealed. If you somehow missed the gigantic announcement on Facebook and/or Instagram, go ahead and scroll down a little bit now.

OK! Now that we got that out of the way, here is how we came to find out the sex of our baby.

The day before we left for our Disney trip, I was 15 weeks 4 days pregnant.  We'd decided to do an elective ultrasound at a private business to see if we could find out what we're having.  I followed directions and drank some orange juice on the way down I-95. Also,  I was SO NERVOUS.  I was more nervous than I am for the dentist office and flying in an airplane...combined. 

We got to Sneek-a-Peek early, but we were able to be seen thank goodness!  And wouldn't you know... Baby Gish was sleeping and did NOT want to move.  I have since learned that a) morning appointments are better and b) Pepsi works better than OJ. 

After some poking, prodding, jumping jacks, a trip to the bathroom, and laying on my side, we FINALLY got the baby to flip over.  And I'll be honest with you when I tell you it looked like a giant blob and I have NO idea how u/s techs are able to see ANYTHING.

It was only a quick glimpse, but our tech Keri said she thought she knew what it was and wanted to try to get another look.  We were on pins and needles. My heart was racing.  After a really long time, she explained that she thought she knew what it was and asked if we would trust her because we really only got one good picture.  Joey said "You're killing me, what is it?!".  And she smiled and said...


"It's a girl!"

My reaction was pretty funny, of course I burst into tears and clamped my hand over my mouth. I wanted a girl so badly and I was so sure it was going to be a boy!  My next reaction was to look at Joey and say "I'm sorry!". Hahaha.  Keri then went on to show us examples of girls and boys from other ultrasounds, and showed us on ours where the anatomy was.  Our appointment had gone WAY over the 20 alotted minutes and I was so shocked when she told us to come back after our trip (for free) so we could get more pictures.  It goes without saying that I would highly recommend this business to anyone in NOVA or beyond.  She rocks.

By this time we'd decided against a "reveal" party.  Neither of us deal well with suspense and Joey was not wild about my "Pirate or Princess?" Party idea..... (major bummer.) (He also didn't like the idea of tying blue or pink balloons to the Min Pins and sending them running through the crowd...)  So we got on the phone and called our family and a few friends.

Then we spent an awesome week in Disney where I accidentally bought a lot of pink baby stuff.

The following week, I was 16 weeks 4 days pregnant when I went back to Keri for a morning appointment, after downing half a can of Pepsi.  Evidently this did the trick, because the first picture we have from that day was the crotch.  I asked her if it was still a girl because I'd bought a lot of Disney Princess attire.  And sure enough, it was still a girl!

After this, I was super excited to have confirmation (because of course u/s techs can be wrong).  So we called some more friends but decided we'd wait until the 20 week ultrasound JUST IN CASE.

Everything was fine until about a week beforehand when I started to worry again.  What if it was all wrong? What if it is really a boy? What will I do with all this girly stuff?

Week 20 arrived and I found myself again on the table with a wand on my belly.  I told the tech we'd been told the sex already but we wanted to confirm.  We got a great shot of the crotch again (more Pepsi...) and he asked me if we'd been told it was a girl.... because it is!

That was good enough for me.  I think it's pretty safe to say that it's officially a GIRL!

Also, for those that are wondering, of course Joey wanted a boy (what guy doesn't?).  But he is in no way disappointed, and actually told me that he had a feeling it was a girl all along.  He joked that I am on the hook for a 2nd, but I told him let's see how this one goes first ;)

Next up: Nursery Ideas, Names, and my 20 week update :)

~SG

Week 19

This weekend we headed down to VA Beach so Joey and some friends could run the Shamrock Half Marathon. It is such a great event.  We had a pretty relaxing trip which I appreciated.  We came back to a random mid-March snow storm, which was NOT appreciated. 

Luckily the snow did not prevent me from my second pre-natal massage.  This one went much better than the last- I had the head masseuse who used a reclining table and no heat (i.e. I had nothing to sit there and worry about). I'm planning to contine these massages once per month, because they help with obvious things like aches and pains but also with anxiety which, as you know, I'm prone to.

I also did some more cleaning out of the baby's room. It is a very overwhelming task as there is so much junk in there!! The basic ideas are coming together and we are going to pick up the crib this weekend. A friend ever so generously offered the crib from her FIL's house that her daughter used only a few times. It's still brand new, so, why the heck not?

And now for your regularly scheduled programming. Oh and btw I have ideas for other posts but they have to wait until our big reveal next week.

Date: March 18, 2014

How far along? 19w1d (Baby is the size of an heirloom tomato)

How is Mama doing? Doing well. No complaints.

Weight Gain:   -.5? (The point is, I  have yet to gain actual weight. and I'm worrying about it because WHY WOULDNT I? Normal people would be excited about this but I'm sitting here waiting for my scale to show an actual pound gained. Like I said last week, I want to punch myself sometimes.)

Sex of the baby: We get to triple check this coming Monday, then we'll be out of the closet!

Movement:   Little movements here and there-although sometimes I'm not convinced that it's actually the baby.  I can't feel anything on the outside yet.  OH and somewhat TMI but I just remembered that I can feel when the baby is kicking my cervix. It hurts. And I'm guessing it will only hurt more as the baby gets bigger. Yay.

Maternity Clothes? If Winter would just go ahead and END, then I can get into this whole stash of spring/summer maternity clothes....

Pregnancy Fitness:  I did better this week. Not great, but better.  I did my workout video (once) and I did a ton of walking down in VA Beach. I also carried my friend's 2 year old which counts as lifting...

Symptoms: Skin is definitely breaking out- I need to go get some actual facewash and stop using Irish Spring.  I also had my first bout of heartburn IN MY LIFE the other night. Although I'm pretty sure it can be contributed to eating a chocolate chip-walnut cookie in bed while laying down... Some tums and some fluffed pillows took care of that one right away. Fun fact though- they say this week the baby is starting to grow hair! Perhaps that's why the heartburn?? Also some hip pain at the beginning of the week that was rather unpleasant but seems to have stopped.

Belly Button:  Same same. Something I thought I'd mention is my linea nigra has definitely shown up.  It has actually been there since the beginning.  I think I can thank my Italian heritage/more melanin for that one.  It's not hurting anybody and it's not very dark at all. Just a nice, long line up my belly and it's starting to creep past my belly button! Weird!

Stretchmarks?  Thanks for the reminder to order more belli oil!

Cravings? I feel like I need to be eating better.  Eating a well balanced diet has never been on the top of my priority list (it's on there...just not on the top!). But since day 1 of pregnancy I've been worrying and obsessing over whether I'm eating well enough for my baby.  This is further complicated by the fact that I am still not interested in meat. I make sure to eat fruit every day, and some kind of calcium like milk or yogurt, and I TRY to eat veggies. And the other day I ate a candy bar and felt horrible about it afterwards. To answer the original question, last night I was thinking that a salad with fresh tomatoes and Catalina dressing would taste good. Is that a craving? We need to go grocery shopping!

Sleep:   I've been more tired lately than I had been in the past few weeks. My guess is that the baby is growing.  I took several naps this weekend which were definitely needed. 

Looking Forward To:  20 week sonogram in less than a week. I can't believe how the weeks are flying by!

What I miss: I'm starting to miss wine.  Not really miss it, but as we get sneak peeks of spring weather, I know it's not going to be long before we are all going to the wineries again. And I'll be sipping lemonade instead of merlot. Sigh.

Doc/Chloe:  Still getting my bathroom escorts.  Both dogs are so confused when I re-route them as they try to walk across my stomach.  I'm getting much better at protecting myself but sometimes someone lands on my stomach and then I freak out for a few minutes.

Weekly wisdom: Take naps! Sleep in! Everyone will tell you that it's the last time you'll get to do these things, ever, and you can just roll your eyes and tell them that you aren't stupid and you knew that when you signed up. But really, enjoy your sleep. Growing a human is exhausting!

Pic:

Week 18

Fun things happening all around! We get several days in the 60 degree range this week! I'm so excited about that. Also, I have started the beginning stages of working on the baby's room. 

I was chatting with a co-worker earlier in the week and she casually mentioned that it's a good idea to have everything ready somewhere in the 7th month because you don't know how things will go.  She has a good point, and yes I do realize that newborns need nothing more than a bassinet, diapers, and a boob.  But it was kind of a wake up call, too.  I'm 4.5 months pregnant and I've been flitting around complaining about "where is my bump?" and worrying about something happening or going wrong, and I haven't been focusing on the reality: we're having a baby. So after, a small freakout ("I don't know anything about babies!"), I decided to get my rear in gear and the first step is cleaning out the room and getting it ready.

I started throwing things away and moving things to the basement (like 2 tubs of wedding stuff...what I will ever do with them I don't know). I found our room keys from our honeymoon, the contents of my Red Rockers notebook, 3 unopened packages of stickers (woohoo!), old race bibs-some unused thanks to too much wine the night before, a bag of old clothes to donate which I will be adding to, and Doc's very first collar. It was so tiny!

But enough about that... here's your weekly stats!

Date: March 10, 2014

How far along? 18w (Baby is the size of a bell pepper)

How is Mama doing? Still doing really well.  Because of my anxious personality, I'm having a hard time appreciating the fact that I'm having a smooth/easy pregnancy and instead I'm worrying about "what it all means".  Seriously. I want to punch myself in the face sometimes.

Weight Gain:   +2.5

Sex of the baby: I'm assuming somebody will out us before we get to make our grand announcement. I just want to get my eyes on that little butt one more time at our 20 week u/s in 2 weeks.

Movement:   I can feel little flutters here and there but nothing constant yet.  I whipped out the doppler (did I tell you I rented a doppler?) a couple times in the last week just to ease my mind.  It's a handy thing to have but I don't want to bother the baby too much so I'm trying not to check more than once or twice in a week.  According to "What to Expect", it's normal to feel movement and then not feel movement for a while at this stage. The baby is still pretty small.

Maternity Clothes? My gigantic order from Old Navy arrived this weekend and I'm officially set (for the time being...).  I still can't wear any of the empire waist shirts because it looks awkward. But I have some great, longer sweaters/shirts that look nice for work so I'm pretty excited about that.  I'm modeling one below.

Pregnancy Fitness:  Umm... heh heh... let's skip this question for this week, shall we?  I promise to do better next week.

Symptoms: My skin has started to break out a bit more on my face.  Nothing too crazy.  Also I noticed about 5 pimples on my back.... ew.  I never had any bacne even when I was a teenager.  So I can definitely say this is pregnancy-related.

Belly Button:  Still an innie!

Stretchmarks?  No new ones, although I noticed an old one that is starting to bother me. I don't think it has changed at all but I think since I am looking for them it's bugging me. I need to order more Belli Oil.

Cravings? Still waiting on those cheese curls, Laura! No real cravings although the food aversions kind of came back this week. Nothing like the first tri because I can force myself to eat almost anything, but I'm just not interested in eating things like meat and vegetables.  Fruit, yogurt, cereal, and anything sweet is fine.  So breakfast and lunch are usually good. Dinner time is a bit challenging.

Sleep:   I'm trying to start working on not sleeping on my stomach. And it's hard.  I'm basically flipping over from side to side all night.  I'm also dealing with a fat Miniature Pinscher who likes to share pillows- although apparently she got tired of my crap last night and moved to the crate.  Let's hope this becomes a thing.

Looking Forward To:  Planning the nursery with my girlfriends, our 20 week sono, NICE WEATHER (come on, Spring!), upcoming little getaway to VA Beach. I think that's enough for now.

What I miss: Being able to shop in any old store.  Not everyone sells maternity clothes :(

Doc/Chloe: I realized this week that Doc has taken it upon himself to escort me to the bathroom in the middle of the night- every.single.time.  I didn't realize this until recently, but one night where I had like 3 bathroom trips (drank a liiiitttle too much water before bed) I noticed that each time he would dutifully jump out of bed, follow me to the bathroom, wait by the door while I did my business, and then look over his shoulder and wait for me to turn off the light before leading me back to bed. 

Weekly wisdom: I got nothing this week.

Pics:
I took my weekly first-thing-in-the-morning pic in my pj's. But I wanted to illustrate how much more my bump is accentuated when I put on clothes.  So you get two pictures this week.  Also, by the end of the day, it's much bigger.  It's mostly bloat/water, but it's still fun.  It has really started to grow over the past week!

Boy or Girl?

There are so many old wives tales (OWTs) out there that say they can tell whether you are having a girl or a boy waaay before an ultrasound can pick up on it.

I'm lucky with the technology available I was able to find out so early... but I wanted to look at what I should be having based on OWTs.

Below is completely stolen from a friend (with permission), but I think it is a good way of looking at each myth, and the answers are obviously mine.

So, if it's in Pink it means according to that particular myth, I should be having a girl. And if it's Blue, it means according to that particular myth, I should be having a boy.  Orange means I didn't try it or it doesn't apply.  At the end I'll add them all up!


Heart Rate: If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy.

 

Shape of Belly:

If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it's a boy.

-I don't really have a belly yet.

Shape of Mom’s Face: When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl. If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy.

Mayan Tale:
The Mayan tale adds the mothers age at conception and the year of conception. If the result is an even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number than a boy is on the way! (29 + 2013= 2042)

Drano Test:
The drano test combines a tablespoon of Drano and urine together. If the mixture turns green, it’s a girl. If it turns blue, it’s a boy. -From what I read, not only is this bogus, it is also dangerous.

Acne:
If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl. It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones.

Cravings:
People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl.

Smell of Garlic:
If a pregnant woman eats a clove of garlic and the smell does not come out of her pores, it’s a girl. If the smell seeps out of her pores, it’s a boy. -I am not eating a clove of garlic... are you people crazy?!

History of Parent’s Kids: You can find out the sex by going off of your parent’s kids and the order. If you are the first born, you will have what your mother had but starting with her second child. If you are the middle child, you will have what she said, but starting with the third child. If you are the last child, you will have what your mother had in the exact order.

Legs:
If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl.

Moodiness and a Little Pecker: If you are really moody, you are having a girl since you have another extra girl hormones in you. Your pregnancy will make you smile and be more happy if you are having a boy because there’s a little penis inside you.  (Really?!)

Bread:
If you eat the ends of bread, it's a boy. If you eat the middle of the loaf, it's a girl.

Chinese Gender Chart:
http://content.thebump.com/sitelets/chinese-gender-chart/
The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%. It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived. (29 and November)

Mom’s Beauty:
Basically you are having a girl if your beauty disappears during pregnancy. It is said that the girl “steals” the mother’s beauty. If you think that pregnancy has never made you look more beautiful, you might just be having a little boy.

Dream of Sex of Baby: If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl. If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy. Dreams show the opposite of what you are having.

Clumsy vs. Graceful: If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl. If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy.

Side You Most Rest On: If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy. If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl.

Dad's Weight Gain: If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it's a girl. If he doesn't gain weight, you're having a boy.

Breast Test:
If a pregnant woman’s left breast is larger than the right breast, she’s having a girl. If the right breast is larger, it’s a boy.
-I think they are the same?

What Do You Think?:
71% of the time, the mom-to-be knows what she is having.

Morning Sickness:
If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy. If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl.

Protein:
When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy.

Feet:
Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant? If so, you just might be having a boy. If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl.

Hair on Legs:
If the hair on your legs has been growing at record speeds, you might be having a boy.

Hands are Dry:
If your hands are constantly dry, it’s a boy.

Nose:
Do you feel like your nose is growing and getting wider? If so, you might be having a boy.

Headaches:
If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.

Baby Names:
It is said that when you can only think of specific names for a boy or a girl, you will have that particular baby.

So, what's the verdict?
According to all of the OWTs and Myths, overall, I got more answers for: BOY.

Are they right?

You'll find out soon! (If you already know, don't spoil the surprise!)

~SG

Weeks 16 and 17

Sorry I'm not sorry I was in Disney World last Monday and therefore did not get around to doing a 16 week blog update.  Lucky (or not so lucky) for you, I did take a quick picture before heading off to the pool.  So you can see how much I have still not changed.  It's starting to get weird.  Here I am 17 weeks pregnant and I look like I ate a really big lunch.  Or, to strangers, I look completely normal.  All of my symptoms have pretty much calmed down, and it's a little freaky.  I know the baby is in there because I just saw it, heard it's heartbeat, etc. and I think I might be feeling it move, a little.  But for the most part, I'm still in crazy denial about what is going to happen in 23 weeks.

Disney World while pregnant was pretty good. Traveling in the 2nd Trimester is recommended/encouraged. Flying was no problem- I was able to avoid the xray machine thing and walk through a simple metal detector.  The flight coming into Washington was like a roller coaster but the babe just went along for the ride.  The biggest issues I ran into were extreme exhaustion and finding every bathroom in Disney World (twice).  While I was there, I definitely started to notice when the baby was sitting on my bladder.  Constant pressure, resulting in bathroom trips every 20 minutes, is not comfortable at any time.  Add in my nervousness and anxiety about having to go to the bathroom and it becomes pretty uncomfortable.  By the end of the trip, I had finally figured out what worked best in terms of both consuming liquids and not being completely tired- going out in the morning, relaxing in the afternoon, and going to bed right after dinner.  And all the walking was probably SO good for me- no hip pain! I worried about how hydrated I was, but my u/s when we got home showed plenty of amniotic fluid (more in this later!).

Drinking Around the World... yep, that's a giant water!

Date: March 3, 2014

How far along? 17w (Baby is the size of an onion)

How is Mama doing? Now that I'm home, I'm feeling much better. We've had an unexpected 4 day weekend, so we've been doing a lot of relaxing.

Weight Gain:   According to my scale, I'm back down -.5.  According to the doctor, I gained 5 pounds.  I'm getting pretty annoyed with the lackadaisical manner in which I'm weighed at the Dr office.  In December, they incorrectly recorded my weight by +10 pounds, and refuse to fix it in my records.  Now, they just sludge the little weight over and don't even wait for the thing to balance before making their recording.  I know that likely they will not say anything to me about my weight, as I'm definitely on the low end of the scale when it comes to weight gain, but I am keeping track on my own at home just in case they do.

Sex of the baby: We know what we are having :) We're not quite ready to announce quite yet although if you ask me nicely in private maybe I'll tell you.  I just feel weird announcing when I don't even have a bump...  We had an amazing experience with our elective ultrasound.  The baby was being super uncooperative the Friday before we left for Disney.  We finally got it to flip over and got a nice crotch shot before we left for our trip, but the awesome lady told us to come back when we got back so we could get some more pictures.  So we've had it confirmed now, twice.

Movement:  I've felt a few flutters here and there, although sometimes I'm really not sure if it's the baby, the metamucil moving things along, or my heart beating in my stomach (the weirdest feeling).

Maternity Clothes? Definitely wearing maternity pants/shorts/etc.  Regular pants are fine in the morning but by the end of the day they are too uncomfortable.  I am on the search for maternity shirts that don't look like maternity shirts at the moment.

Pregnancy Fitness:  Miles.  I walked MILES in Disney and it was great.

Symptoms: They have really calmed down.  I know I am extremely lucky.  But I can't help but feel anxious. Maybe that in itself is a symptom.  Ahhh! Somebody take google away.

Belly Button: My stomach itself (we're not counting sides, hips, etc) is still ridiculously flat.  I've always been proud of this.  I know its' days are numbered...

Stretchmarks? Nope

Cravings? Not really craving anything still.  I'm not usually able to eat a lot at one time.  I don't know how some pregnant women can just put food away from day 1.  We ate at a buffet in WDW and I couldn't even finish one plate.  I do, however, snack quite a bit.  I eat small meals and snacks quite often, but a lot of food at once just makes me feel sick.

OH I just thought of a "craving".  I really wanted some Herr's Cheese Curls from Philadelphia and they don't sell them here in VA.  I tried ordering online but Joey said I wasn't allowed because they come in cases only and we don't have room in the pantry for 42 bags of cheese curls...... maybe my sister will hook a preggo up??

Sleep:   Waking up for ~2-3 hours per night.  Pregnancy insomnia.  The struggle is real.

Looking Forward To:  Our 20 week ultrasound and starting to plan the baby's room!

What I miss: Feeling pretty.  I know this is totally vain but this is my blog! I don't feel very pretty anymore.  Even when I've done my hair and makeup.  It is what it is, but I thought I'd share.

Doc/Chloe: They are really tired of us being home.  I think they want us to go back to work.

Weekly wisdom: Don't push yourself too hard.  Take naps.  Lay by the pool (where applicable). Take deep breaths. Relax.

Other:  I think I've said enough!

16 weeks, post shower, pre-pool at Wilderness Lodge

17 weeks, you love my shorts, I don't know what I'm doing with my head

15 Weeks

Sorry this is a little late... yikes. Starting them late already.
We had a great 3 day weekend, got lots of relaxing done as well as lots of laundry. We're getting excited for Disney!

Date: Feb 18, 2014

How far along? 15w 1d (Baby is the size of an apple)

How is Mama doing? Feeling pretty good.  Enough so that every time someone asks me how I'm feeling I kind of get annoyed. I'm feeling pretty normal.  The stabbing pain largely went away after getting that prenatal massage (looks like I'll be going back for more!) and the only real issue I had this week was some really bad tummy cramps from not drinking enough water/eating enough fiber (to put it in a nice way).

Weight Gain:   Weighed myself last night which is not my usual time of day, but according to the scale I gained 2.5 pounds in a week.  I'm going to guess that 1-1.5 of that is water/food/clothing but since I'm too lazy to do it again, we'll just say that I'm up +.5 (i was -2 last week).

Sex of the baby: We're going to sneak a peek in the very near future to see if we can tell the sex of the baby early via elective ultrasound. No big announcements will be made until the official 20 week ultrasound at the end of March. Get your votes in!

Movement:  Still haven't felt any movement.

Maternity Clothes? Still wearing a mix.  At home, I'm wearing mostly Joey's shorts and tee shirts.  All my workout stuff is too tight around the waist and I like the baggy tee shirts because they are more comfortable.  I rocked Kappa Sig shorts like it was my job all day Sunday and Monday.

Pregnancy Fitness:  This week I did some treadmill walking and some halftime dancing- My college dance team does an alumni performance every year at homecoming. I figured one last year wouldn't hurt.  It was a great workout and showed me how far I can push myself cardio-wise. I've been kind of a weenie about "hurting the baby" but this showed me that I am capable of doing far more...as soon as I can walk again ;) 

Symptoms: Dehydration/headaches/stomach cramps.  All because I'm having some trouble staying hydrated.  I feel like I am drinking a ton of water but I'm not drinking enough, apparently.

Belly Button: Still looks like your average belly button.

Stretchmarks? No new ones. I was thinking last night they'll probably wait to show up until like week 39 when I just don't care anymore.

Cravings? Not craving anything. I will take this opportunity to share that I ordered pizza for us the other night and somehow missed that it said "BBQ" for sauce.  BBQ sauce on a pizza, while it sounds like it might be a weird pregnancy craving, is actually disgusting.

Sleep:   Still the same, just waking up to go to the bathroom. Still able to sleep on my stomach, which is nice.

Looking Forward To:  Our sneak peek u/s!

What I miss: Being fun.  I am no fun anymore. I hope the funness comes back :(

Doc/Chloe: are super excited that Grandma Davis is here visiting for a couple of days! (She's staying at the Gish Hotel for a work meeting.)

Weekly wisdom: Drink more water!!!

Other: I thought I should mention that I already had my glucose test.  I have a family history of diabetes so I had to do the test at 13 weeks instead of 28 (oh but don't worry, I get to do it again!).  In all honesty, the "fruit punch" tasted pretty good.... and I passed!

This week's picture below. Looks like a beer belly... not a baby :(

14 Week Bumpdate

I took this survey from several Mom-bloggers I follow and picked out my favorite questions to answer. I actually started doing this survey the day I found out.... My answers were alot like "Don't feel any different. Um.. none. Nothing. Nothing." SO I decided to wait a few more weeks to start doing them again. THEN the exhaustion kicked in. And here we are at 14 weeks. So without further ado...

Date: Feb 10, 2014

How far along? 14w 0d (Baby is the size of a lemon)

How is Mama doing? Feeling so much better lately. Energy is definitely back, as is my appetite. Two things that were missing for a really long time and I wondered if I'd ever want to leave my house ever again. New this week is some sciatic/nerve pain that pretty much feels like I'm being stabbed in the a$$. Good times.

Weight Gain: Since we're being perfectly honest here, I'll admit that I was +10 before I even GOT pregnant. I am going to blame this partially on going off BCP but also partially on drinking alot of wine because "I'm not going to be able to drink for a while!". That said, though, due to my severe lack of appetite/interest in eating ANYTHING during the first trimester, I'm actually still down -2. I'm ok with that. I know it will alllll come back.

Sex of the baby: [The original survey said "Gender". There is actually a difference between sex and gender. The sex refers to the reproductive parts on the baby- which is what I believe we are talking about here.] Anyway- I have no idea. I have tried to have motherly instinct but I got nothing. As (I think) is common with most couples, I'd love a baby girl and Joey would love a baby boy. So while we will be thrilled with a healthy baby, one of us will be extra thrilled ;)

Movement: Haven't felt anything yet.

Maternity Clothes? My friend/coworker gave me 2 huge bags of maternity clothes which I welcomed with open arms. My pants are starting to feel a little tight so I'm quickly running out of options for work. She gave me 3 Bella Bands which have saved my life as well as basically a whole new wardrobe. I won't have to start from scratch, THANK GOODNESS. So, with all this new stuff, I'm basically wearing a mix. I feel a little silly since I don't have a bump to speak of, but it's all about being comfortable!

Pregnancy Fitness: My original goal was to work out in some way 3 times per week. I've been doing a good job at maybe once per week. This needs to change. I have been pretty good about doing prenatal yoga, and I think I need to add a short walk/run and some light strength training. 

Symptoms: As I said above, the new symptom this week is the pain in the butt. I booked myself a prenatal massage for tomorrow (too soon? I don't care) and I believe this is the literal kick in the a$$ I need to get myself moving again. Now that I have the energy, I don't have an excuse.

Belly Button: I have a belly button. 

Stretchmarks? I prefer the term “zebra stripes". No new stretch marks at this time. I've been using Belli oil for a while now.

Cravings? Haven't had any cravings at all. Sometimes I'll see something on TV and go "that looks good" but I really haven't craved anything. I've been interested in sugary cereal and fruit snacks lately.

Sleep: I generally wake up to go to the bathroom and then I'm stuck awake for about 2 hours every night. This is further complicated by the fact that I'm now sleeping with a pillow in between my legs to try to help my hips.

Looking Forward To: Baby's first trip to Disney World (in utero).... in 2 weeks!
(Fun Fact: I also visited Disney World in utero.)

What I miss: Wawa turkey hoagies.

Doc/Chloe: They both are interested in snuggling up to my belly lately, but I don't know if that means they know or just that they are cold because Joey keeps the fan on at night...

Weekly wisdom: Try not to worry about everything. I had a sudden realization earlier this week while I was googling my 4th thing for the day. In the end, our bodies know what to do. We just need to fuel them properly and make sure not to do anything too crazy. Worrying won't help anything.

Aaaand since my belly hasn't changed all that much in the past 2 weeks, I'm posting the 12 week photo since I look much cuter than I do in the 14 week photo that I took this morning...
Note: You will not always get a bare belly pic so don't get too excited.

 

That's all for now :)

~SG

Start Spreadin' the News....

Well hello there.
I've taken a few months off from the blog because I've been busy growing a baby.

Yes, you read that correctly.

With a little bit of faith, trust and pixie dust, a new baby will be joining our family in August.

Joey and I are excited, scared, all those normal emotions.  We're still getting used to the idea of a little miniature person joining us on all future Disney trips.

We decided to go public after our 12 week sonogram, which was met with a TON of well wishes, love, advice, and general awesomeness that we will never forget. 

I decided to get back to the blog so I could answer some of the Frequently Asked Questions we've been getting.  So here goes:

You're pregnant?  Was this on purpose?
Yes. If you've ever met me you'll know that I like to plan things and write itineraries. For fun.  Yes. This was planned.

OMG when are you due?
August 11th.  And hopefully this baby will follow in my footsteps, as I was one of the 5% born on my actual due date.  Talk about being a planner...

Have you been sick?
Don't be mad peeps, but no. I really wasn't.  Exhausted? Yes. Food aversions? The worst. Barfing? Proud to say the last time I puked it was after a night of too much wine.  And no, it was not during my pregnancy...  This is not to say my first tri was a piece of cake.  Weeks 7-9 were probably the worst.

Wait.... how far a long are you?
14 weeks today.  Baby is the size of a lemon.

But I SWORE I saw you drinking at your brother's wedding/Christmas/the company holiday party/etc.
But did you....really?

Are you going to find out the sex of the baby?
Duh. ASAP. 

Are you going to do weekly bumpdates?
I'd like to! Hopefully I can remember to do them every week.... First one coming right up!


Any other questions? Let me know. Also I am still taking unsolicited advice. For now.

Picture of a Picture.... 12 weeks 4 days

Merry Christmas!

I hope each of you had a very merry Christmas and are on your way to a fabulous new year!!!

We kicked off the holiday season this year with a visit to ICE! at the Gaylord National Hotel.  We've been in past years, but this year they set it up differently and completely oversold the tickets.  We waited in line for AN HOUR AND A HALF for a 10 minute walk-through exhibit.  None of us were very happy :( Also, it was raining outside and you had to walk through the rain to get to the actual attraction and because it was 9 degrees in there, the rain froze immediately upon entry.  We made the best of it though, and snapped a few shots:

A Love and Ryan, our next Disney Trip Victims (come on, FEB!)

Aren't we cute? (and COLD)

Joey's homemade Ugly Christmas Sweater.

TAXI!!!

 We also got to participate in several events such as work holiday parties (4, so far), Joey's Mom's annual Christmas Shopping Spree for needy families, and my favorite event- my book club meeting for December.  We each brought a book from our shelf or the store and wrapped it up and we did a White Elephant exchange for new books!  IT WAS SO FUN.  I ended up with a Disney World Mystery book.......... so obviously I'm pretty happy :)

Christmas eve we headed down the street to Joey's Parents (I'll be seeing my parents in a week for ALEX AND CORINNE'S WEDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) where we opened gifts and consumed adult beverages.  The "gift of the night" was Joey's gift to Jason- a blow gun.  Basically blow darts, and it came with everything from rubber practice darts to wood skewers to metal pointy blades that would absolutely maim/kill a Min Pin on contact.

Of course, the guys HAD to test it out. In the house.

Nobody got hurt thankfully.

Christmas morning, Joey and I opened gifts under our tree.  I snapped the below shot trying to be artistic but instead I captured a huge orb.  Joey says it's the light coming through the window but I'm not so sure.  I wonder who was sharing Christmas with us?

The Pins really enjoyed their presents- we actually caught Doc under the tree a few days before Christmas playing with his new ball.  Still in the wrapping and everything.  Hilarious how he managed to find the gift with his name on it.  Maybe he can read?? ;)

After opening gifts and watching the Disney Christmas Parade we headed down the street again where there was more blow gun action (and some roof action, when they were told to take it outside and a dart ended up in the gutter) and some delcious feasting!

We had a great Christmas.  Joey got a new watch (if you remember what happened to the last one) and I got a new iPad which I'm pretty excited about playing with!! I got to talk to my family and we will be seeing them VERY SOON at my brother's wedding.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!!

Feelin' Frosty

Brrrr!!! The winter weather has arrived and I have to say, I was much happier posted up in the bar drinking cocktails under the palm trees Old Key West Resort...

But now that we're back from Disney and Thanksgiving is over and Winter has arrived (and bringing the holidays with it!), the trees are covered in ice, there's snow on the ground too cold for little Min Pin paws, and we even had a rare power outage :(

Today I just wanted to write a quick Ode to Grandmother Willow- you may remember her from other posts like this one.  The old woman has made it through countless storms including hurricanes.  But apparently the ice was a little more than she can handle:

Poor thing.
We'll be working hard to see if we can save her at all.  Either way, I'm looking forward to some great evenings around the fire pit this winter :)

Hope you are all staying warm and cozy.  Bonus points if you live somewhere where it's always warm and cozy.

~SG