~17 Weeks!~

 I decided to start using one of these questionnaire type formats to better keep track of how I’m feeling/changes/etc.

How far along: 17 weeks, 2 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I’m not exactly sure how much weight I’ve gained thus far because I’m using my parents scale which I’ve always thought takes some weight off of you, but I think I’ve put on 10-11 lbs total

Maternity clothes: loving my maternity jeans and started using the pony tail holder rig on my other pants – I’m not big enough yet to use the fabric panel/belly band contraption yet.  Wearing maternity t-shirts and lots of maxi dresses and workout clothes at the moment as well!

Stretch marks: Nope! Trying to remember to use lotions/creams to keep these away!

 

Sleep: Not great :/  I hate sleeping on my side, but I’m starting to get a little more used to it.  However, between waking up to pee and allergies from the pollen, sleep hasn’t been awesome these past few weeks.

Best moment last week: Getting to spend time with old friends in Wilmington and new friends Thursday night (who are also pregnant, so getting to compare experiences with someone else who will unashamedly order dessert with me!)

Movement: Not yet…. I can’t wait for this!

Food cravings: Still sweets/Ice Cream

Gender: Don't know yet – see below for predictions!

Labor signs: Zilch, thank goodness.

Belly button - in or out? In… I hope it stays there a while.

What I miss: Sushi – we ate at Cowfish Thursday and while the Burgushi was delish, I wanted a tuna roll badly…  also, wine natch.

What I am looking forward to: Finding out if we’re having a boy or girl and feeling the little one move

J

 

Gender predictions:

We could go have an extra ultrasound any time to determine if Baby A is a boy or girl, but our next appointment isn’t until May 10^th, so we’re just waiting until then…  which is hard.  I don’t really believe a lot of the old wives tales, but according to them…

1.The Chinese Gender Calculator

This calculates based on your Chinese lunar age during pregnancy (which says I’m 29 – ummm why are we adding two years to our age?) and the Chinese lunar month that you conceived.  Anyway, it’s says ~ boy

http://www.babycenter.com/chinese-gender-predictor - link if you're interested!

2. Dreams: 

I haven’t had any either way so far, but Patrick said he had a dream that we’re having a girl

3. Craving sweet (girl) or savory (boy)

 Both as I’m just eating everything in sight… but more sweet, so girl.

4. If the baby’s father puts on weight during pregnancy (it's a boy)

 Nope, but he’s physically incapable of gaining weight (which is the most unfair thing in the entire world btw)  still… supposedly that means ~ girl.

5. You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy.

 Pretty much none! ~  boy

6. Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute

 Higher every time ~ girl

7.  You are having headaches it's a boy.  

When I first gave up caffeine yes, but not anymore ~ girl

8. You are moodier than usual during pregnancy you are having a girl

ummmm I don’t really think I’m any moodier – I’m emotional anyway so kinda hard to tell? Patrick says no, and he’s usually the one dealing with my moodiness, lol.. so I say ~ boy

9. How are you carrying?

I’m carrying a little high I think which is girl, but all in front (not to the side yet) so boy... tie I guess.

10. Body clues – supposedly if you’re having a girl, you’ll end up having breakouts because she is “stealing your beauty” ha!

Thankfully, my skin hasn’t broken out yet, so boy!

11. Baking soda experiment:  Pour baking soda in the toilet or in a cup after peeing in it – If the mixture fizzles, it's a boy. If it doesn't, you've got yourself a girl!

Weird I know, but in the name of “scientific research” I tried it – it fizzled, so boy I guess!

 

Equal number of boy and girl predictions = I guess we'll just have to wait a little longer to find out!

Other than that, we went to start looking at registry items today.  I don’t know if everyone feels like this, but I felt so overwhelmed.  I mean, Buy Buy Baby is exactly like Bed Bath and Beyond so a HUGE store full of floor to ceiling products of absolutely everything you would ever need and everything you never knew you needed for baby.  It’s so exciting, and I loved looking at everything, but debating between the numerous car seats, strollers, monitors… you want the safest, most reliable, best product for your future little one, but it’s hard to decipher what is worth the extra money that you also like the look of, etc.  Whew!  But I feel like we got a lot of the big items figured out at least.  We’re waiting until we find out the gender to pick out everything else.  Even though I’m not planning on going all pink or blue, it’s amazing how things can look slightly feminine or masculine – I’m not really sure why certain elephants and giraffes look like they’d go with a boy verses a girl, but I swear, they do!  So that’s to be continued!

 

 

 

 

~There's no place like home~

It is so great to be home J

We’ll have been here two weeks on Friday and I am just so incredibly happy to be back!  The first weekend we went to Charlotte to meet the movers/go to a doctor’s appointment/ and see friends and I can’t describe the feeling of driving down the streets and walking in Freedom Park with the knowledge that we’ll get to live there again.  I loved Austin, I really did, it’s just that being back and allowing yourself to realize that you’re here to stay is such a great feeling.

This past weekend, we had the 5^th Annual Brenda Agnew Memorial Golf Tournament.  Could not have wished for a more beautiful day!  The women of the Bethanny Society at Patrick’s church in High Point do such an amazing job every year of putting this tournament together and it’s always such a great day catching up with everyone and celebrating the memory of Patrick’s mom.  Notice I didn’t mention anything about playing golf… I played the first year and upon that disaster of a performance decided my time was better spent socializing. ;)  Although, my Dad and three friends played and got last place for which they were rewarded with four bottles of wine, so I’m thinking that next year when I’m able to drink wine again, I should maybe go it – I’ll take last place and wine over winning and golf gear any day!

Baby A update:  We went and heard the heartbeat last week – 164 bpm.  He or she was still moving around a lot J  At our next appointment we have an anatomy ultrasound and get to find out if it’s a boy or girl!  I can’t wait to find out… I’m thinking boy, Patrick kind of thinks girl (but I think he’s just saying that to not get his hopes up for a boy, ha!)

I FINALLY have a bump, which I’m really excited about! 

 

I still just look like I have a stomach now in some clothes, but at least now it’s obvious to people who know me that there’s a baby in there, I haven’t just been letting myself go ;)  I am still craving ice cream pretty much every day, but I keep telling myself that the calories I’m saving by not drinking equal it out! 

Speaking of not drinking – there are an amazing amount of non-alcoholic beers/wines out there for anyone who's currently pregnant/for future reference.  The beer is okay, I’ve had a few different types of alcohol free champagne that are actually pretty good (especially if you make a faux-mimosa, I mean, you really can’t tell!) BUT non-alcoholic cabernet… NOT good.  Actually, it’s awful.  Doesn’t even smell like the real thing.  Don't bother trying it - just eat ice cream instead ;)

What a difference a month makes!  This is 12 weeks compared to today (I’ll be 16 weeks tomorrow) 

 

Last, an update on our first baby J  Sadie is turning two tomorrow!  Can’t believe the amount of joy this girl has brought into our lives.  Definitely a blessing!

when we first got our girl:

 

 

compared to now, so grown up!

 

 

 

Until next time!  xoxo :)

Last Blog from Austin...

didn't get a chance to upload this post yesterday :)

It’s moving day!  While the movers are packing up the truck, thought I’d take the time to write a quick blog update since I haven’t had time the past week or so.

First of all…. This being our 5^th move in 5 years (an apartment, condo, house, two houses in Austin, and now back to CLT) I consider myself somewhat of a pro.  However…. I have never had to pack up a house without a little glass of wine while doing so, not been able to drink caffeine to keep me motivated, and definitely haven’t had morning sickness start on the day of the move.  Moving is pretty bad all the time.  Moving while pregnant… let’s just say it doesn’t exactly make it easier!

What does though is having parents in town to help!  My mom and dad had planned to come to Austin for my birthday/Easter weekend and my Catholic Confirmation before we even planned on moving, so it was fantastic (for us at least!) that they were here to help us pack up some boxes last weekend as well!  Soooo thankful for them!  We didn’t work the whole time though! 

 

 

A beautiful day for wine tasting, a picnic lunch, and shopping in Fredericksburg!  Spent the most time/$$ in an adorable store that was all for dogs… shocking I know ;)  they even had dog Bo-Jangles treats!

 

Our church in Austin where I was confirmed as a Catholic at Easter Vigil last Saturday night.  The most beautiful mass I’ve ever attended.  It’s a long service (two and a half hours!) but so symbolic, moving, and just incredibly special.

 

Baby A update:  I definitely have a little bump you can see in certain clothes now (which I’m pretty sure was made much larger by all of the great food we had this weekend!)  Currently, Patrick is making fun of me for purchasing a fetal heart monitor.  I don’t care one bit though because this is the best purchase I’ve made J  For $30 on Amazon, I can use this device to hear my baby’s heartbeat as often as I want at home (which may or may not be used every day currently…)  It’s a small machine with headphones attached that you put a gel on the bottom of and move over your stomach until you find the heartbeat.  The baby isn’t really moving around yet, so once I found it the first time, I knew where to place it going forward.  The hardest part about being pregnant for me thus far has been not “feeling” pregnant… I wasn’t showing, hadn’t felt nauseous (until today) and obviously the baby isn’t big enough to move yet.  Since you only get ultrasounds once a month in the beginning, I was just worrying all the time about knowing that the baby was still there, heart beating, etc.  This has been a lifesaver!  

I can’t wait to go next week in Charlotte for my next appointment.  Patrick will get to come with me too, which I’m really excited for since he was out of town and didn’t get to come to the first ultrasound.

Time to finish packing up the car and hit the road… We’ll be driving the next three days to North Carolina!!! Next blog update will be from the East Coast J

Until then!  xoxo