An Overdue Post

So I have been all but absent in the blogosphere. Sorry about that. It's been a busy month and a half. After Matt's winter semester, we were able to go to Oregon to visit my family, have a baby shower, then drive my car (and a bunch of my stuff that was still at home) back to Richmond. It was a quick trip but it was wonderful! I loved seeing my family and not being sick like I was during Christmas with morning sickness. My mom and sister Carrie threw me the shower and many of my wonderful friends came to celebrate little William Timothy.

This is me and just a few of the guests. Carrie did the best she could considering her broken foot and I'm so grateful to have any pictures of the party at all.
Everyone was so generous, and my mom and Carrie worked so hard to make the shower a success, and it was. They even made me a beautiful quilt in the colors of the nursery (yellow and grey).

I am now officially in my third trimester! I'm 29 1/2 weeks today. I had a doctor's appointment and everything is going great. Apparently I've lost a pound since the last appointment but it's nothing to be concerned about. Overall I've gained 11 pounds and the doctor told me that was great. This is a picture of me last week at 28 weeks.

In other news, pretty soon we will be getting to work updating the kitchen and bathrooms in the townhouse my in-laws invested in. I've been doing a lot of work on that lately and it's been nice to exercise my design brain muscles again. Welp, that's all I have for now. I'll try to be better about updating, but if not, I blame pregnancy brain.

22 1/2 Weeks!

Well folks, we're almost at 23 weeks! I can hardly believe it! Karen, my mother-in-law, says she always breathes a sigh of relief when her girls hit 23 weeks in their pregnancies because then the baby is considered viable outside of the womb. Luckily, in only a couple more days I will be there. I'm feeling pretty good for the most parts. I have days when I'm not feeling the greatest, but at least it's not constant like it was during my first trimester. In case any of you remember, I had to go in to get another ultrasound so they could get more pictures of his heart since he was folding his arms and being so reverent when I had gone in before. He has gotten bigger and has been moving more so they were able to get all the shots they needed. Thank goodness! Not that I don't love getting to see my little one on the screen, but it's a little tedious going in three times. He was trying to stick his fist in his mouth which was pretty cute, I must say. I'm also growing more accustomed to his schedule. He's pretty consistent as to the times during each day when he's moving around. Unfortunately, it's typically when Matt is at school. Sometimes he'll be moving around a bit in the evening so I'll try to be aware enough so that I can get Matt's hand on my ever expanding belly. If he's lucky, the little guy will cooperate enough to at least give a couple of taps that Matt can feel.

I'm starting to show more and more. I think my uterus is growing vertically more than horizontally at this point. Don't get me wrong, I can totally tell I'm pregnant, but depending on what I wear, sometimes it's not as obvious to other people so I just worry I'm looking pudgy in my midsection. But I'm sure that soon it will be blatantly obvious that I am pregnant and not just gaining weight.

21 1/2 Weeks

In other news, we are going to Oregon on Cinco de Mayo because Matt has a break in between semesters. We really got gypped when we went for Christmas since I was so sick so I'm excited to at least have a few days with my family there. My wonderful mom and sister, Carrie, are throwing me a baby shower while we're there for which I'm insanely grateful. Another reason for the Oregon trip is to drive my car back to Richmond. I'm not really a fan of road trips, but since it's basically going to cost the same as it would if we were to ship my car and we get the added benefit of seeing my family and getting to pack my car full of my possessions that have been left in Oregon since we got married, we felt like this was the best way to do it. So yes, while I would much rather fly across the country than drive, I'd rather be in the car with Matt if he were to get into some terrible accident and have us die together than be left alone. I know this sounds macabre, but it's true. Anyway, the whole point is that I'm VERY excited to get to see my family. 

I'm having lots of fun planning the baby's room, too. Soon, I'll post some pictures of items we have purchased and inspiration photos and the like so you can all see what I'm thinking. Until then, you can take a look at my Pinterest account here. 

Gender Reveal!

Well, it's official, we're having a......



BOY!!!



We couldn't be more thrilled. Not that we were going to be disappointed either way, but it's just nice to know for sure. I thought Matt would spontaneously combust this morning, he was so filled to the brim with excitement! It was adorable. It was also his first time seeing the baby in person since he wasn't able to be at my first ultrasound. I loved seeing him in awe of our baby's little movements. I actually have to go back tomorrow so that they can hopefully get a better view of the heart, not that anything is wrong, but our little boy had his arms crossed and over his chest so they couldn't get a really clear view. We had some views but I guess they weren't extensive enough or something. So that settles it, this summer I will have three new nephews and a son (all within about a month and a half of each other)! I guess the boys have it this year! And for your viewing pleasure, here is a profile view of our little boy:

Also, he is in the 50th percentile for size which I'm very happy with - the less I have to push out, the better. The doctor also said I was doing really well, all my vitals and tests were good, and that's always nice to hear. Since my first appointment, I've gained about two pounds which is a little inaccurate since I think I lost weight after my first appointment there, so I've probably gained a little more, but I think I'm in the healthy range. Anyway, we are so grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received. Thank you all for your sweet comments and words of encouragement! Trust that I read and truly take to heart all of your kindnesses.

Spring Break and Impending Gender Discovery

So it's been a few weeks, but after being gone for a week it kind of threw off my flow. Not that I'm very consistent at blogging but I don't want to leave anyone in the lurch (since I know you all are on the edge of your seat to hear about my life).

We had a wonderful spring break filled with sand, sun, and lots of food. Isn't eating what cruises are for? That and having the waves lull you to sleep at night? We went with Matt's parents and it was so much fun. My favorite parts were sleeping so soundly, not having to think about what to feed myself (seriously, it's exhausting to have to think of and then fix something to eat so frequently), spending time with Bill and Karen, and most of all, being able to spend so much time with Matt without school constantly looming over our heads. Here are a few pictures of our trip.

Karen and Bill - Dinner the first night

Matt and me- Dinner the first night

Formal night

Formal night

We had no idea the salad would be this big! I think it could have fed a small country.

Beach in Nassau, Bahamas

Shaved Ice- It was delicious

Second formal night

Second formal night

Dinner at David's Steakhouse

Dinner at David's Steakhouse

Now that's what I call Cheesecake!

So that was some highlights of the cruise. I recommend going on one if you haven't, and if you have. Now on to pregnancy news. I'm 19 weeks, so I'm nearing the halfway point. I'm starting to feel pregnant in a "I am feeling really fat" kind of way. I also think I'm carrying low because I'm just now starting to show. Since I'm naturally curvy, I think that  made it take longer for me to start showing, that and it's my first pregnancy. My sister, Carrie, who is pregnant with her fifth said that after the first, your abs tend to give up trying to pretend you're not pregnant, no matter how thin you were to begin with. I think being 5'-9" also helps. Here's a picture I took today:

I think I have felt the baby move a couple times. It was like a couple little thumps in my belly, but it was so soft it was practically unrecognizable. I'm also experiencing serious desires to nest and start buying things for the baby's room. I've only bought a couple things, but soon it will be much easier to plan because on Wednesday morning....

WE FIND OUT THE BABY'S GENDER!!!!

Can you tell we're excited? I don't think I have ever seen Matt so excited (except maybe before we got married). He's seriously like a kid in a candy store. Earlier this evening he was looking at VCU and BYU infant merchandise. Often he'll get this look of unadulterated joy and excitement on his face and remind me that we are finding out so soon (as if I could forget). I can honestly say we will be equally thrilled no matter what the gender is. Matt is convinced it's a girl. I have absolutely no idea. Whenever he asks me what I think the baby is, I just tell him that I'm pretty sure it's human. If not, there will be some serious confusion.

Do any of my faithful followers have premonitions or hunches as to what the gender will be? We will certainly keep you posted!

Happy Leap Day!

Well, I figured I should write today since this day only comes but once every four years. Also, it's been a couple weeks since I last wrote and the next couple will probably be pretty busy for us as well. For Matt's birthday this year, I got tickets for us to go and see the Lion King which is being performed in Richmond. That's what we will be doing this Friday night, after which we will be driving up to Matt's parents because the next day Matt's cousin, Michael, is having an open house for his recent marriage there. Unfortunately, we will have to leave that same night after the open house because I have to be back on Sunday to do Singing Time in Primary. I'm pretty certain I'll be exhausted after the weekend but hopefully I'll be able to catch up because the next week is spring break for Matt! So during spring break we are going on a cruise out of Baltimore as a babymoon/first anniversary celebration. We are so excited to go, I'm a huge advocate of cruises as vacations, especially if one of your goals is to relax.

I'm officially in the second trimester of my pregnancy, thank the heavens. I'm 15 weeks as of Sunday and while I'm still tired a lot of the time, I'm feeling so much better. I've been able to go to the gym more and even go to the store all by myself. I had a doctor's appointment at the beginning of the week and got to hear the baby's heartbeat. They found it right away with the Doppler and baby's heart rate was 160 bpm. It's pretty surreal to hear a second heart beat coming out of your body. In a month we will find out the baby's gender and we can't wait. The doctor said my vitals were good and that I've gained 0.8 pounds so far. I still don't really think I'm obviously showing but the weight on the scale is increasing so there's something afoot.

15 Weeks Along

For comparison, here is the picture at 13 weeks.

Honestly, it's hard for me to not freak out about the weight gaining thing. I was pretty chubby all growing up and have had bouts as an adult as well so I'm sensitive to the issue. Gaining weight was one of the things I was most worried about when I thought about getting pregnant. I know it sounds so vain, but I remember so clearly what it felt like to be overweight and it's something that really gets in your head and stays with you into adulthood. So even though I know logically that I'm supposed to gain weight, it's hard not to have a mini panic attack when I step on the scale and find that I weigh more than the last time. Especially since for the first three months there was a distinct decline in the number on the scale.

On to happier things. My appetite is returning, though with the acid reflux and indigestion, the portions I eat are smaller than they used to be. One thing that I've really enjoyed, and have had a couple times is...

Yep, a cherry Icee with a soft pretzel and fake cheese a la Target. I don't know what it is, but it's just so satisfying. It really reminds me of being a kid, too. I would love to go to Target with my mom and get an Icee while we were shopping. I also have fond memories of being at the mall with my mom and getting a soft pretzel with cheese dip. I guess growing a child has made me nostalgic for certain foods I ate as a child. Anyway, I hope everyone is having a delightful Leap Day!

Some *little* Big News

So I have kind of disappeared from the blogosphere for the past couple of months, but with good reason. In the middle of December Matt and I found out that we were going to be parents! We were really excited (and terrified) when we found out. I had been really tired and nauseous for a couple weeks before taking the test but I also got a sinus infection and was on antibiotics so I thought maybe that was contributing to the nausea. I didn't really want to get my hopes up but I think some part of me knew. We found out the week before Christmas when we were staying with Matt's parents and so they knew right away but we wanted to wait to tell my family when we flew to Oregon the next week. We were already aware at this point that Matt's younger sister, Kara, was expecting, but on Christmas morning we also found out that Matt's oldest sister, Ashby, was also expecting. Then when we went to Oregon to see my family we found out my sister, Carrie, is also pregnant. Carrie and Ashby are due about a day apart. I'm due a couple weeks later. So there will be four babies that I'm related to born within a month and a half of each other. I know, crazy!

My official due date is August 20, 2012. So today I'm 13 weeks. Thankfully. This brings us to the reason I've been so out of it lately. Once I hit about 5 1/2 weeks, I started feeling super sick all the time. Unfortunately, this started when we got to Oregon on Christmas. I spent most of the week in bed which really put a cramp in the plans I had for what to do while we were there. Thankfully I have a very understanding family who was just glad that I was home. But that was the start to the next eight weeks of basically feeling like death all the time. Every pregnancy is different so it's impossible to know ahead of time what it is going to be like for you and what it will be like for others who are pregnant at the same time as you. For me it meant basically being in bed and not being able to do anything without dry heaving or throwing up (TMI?). Though I was hungry pretty often, nothing ever sounded appetizing so eating became a serious chore. The thought of sweets made me want to hurl which meant that I didn't have any of the delicious treats during the holidays. I guess it helped me to not gain extra holiday weight. And the whole not being able to eat thing has ironically helped me to weigh less now than I did before I was pregnant (or even when I got married).

I always had these grandiose ideas of how I would experience pregnancy and how I would try to be fit and exercise daily and eat well. Let's just say that showering became exercise for me because by the time I was done, it was game over for the day. I have to say, though, I am very blessed to have good friends in Richmond. One of which has continually gone out of her way to check up on me, bring us meals, treats, and bread, and visit me while I have practically not left the apartment since returning from Christmas break. Those little acts of kindness and concern often brought me to tears because I'm so used to being able to take care of myself that asking for and being offered help has been a tender mercy.

At 11 Weeks- I couldn't believe how clear this picture
was. I mean, I can see the nose.

Thankfully, during the past week I have started to feel more like myself, I've been able to clean and cook some meals and do a little baking. It's pathetic how much of an accomplishment that feels to me now, but just being able to stand up for any length of time feels miraculous. Though I'm not completely back to feeling human, the little glimpses I've had this week have really bolstered my hope. My mom told me that she had been really worried about me since there are some women who are ill their whole pregnancy, including my dad's mom. I had never been told this but apparently, she was terribly sick with both of her pregnancies. She was so sick with my dad (the youngest) that they encouraged her to abort him. She nearly died from having him and once she had the doctors told her that she could absolutely not have any more because she would die from it. It really made me appreciate her, the grandmother who died a few years before I was born. Anyway, it really relieved my mom to hear I had been having some good days because it's always been a concern for her that one of her daughters would take after our paternal grandmother.

Matt and I love how you can see the little hands and feet!

So as of now, I don't think I really look that pregnant even though the baby is the size of a peach. I can still fit into my old clothes (some even better than before), though I usually end up in sweats or pajamas. Matt and I can't wait until the end of March when we find out what gender the baby is! Matt gets so excited when talking about having a baby, he especially is excited for the little fingers and toes. At this point, I'm just grateful to be getting out of the first trimester and crossing my fingers that the second will be the "honeymoon trimester," as I've heard it termed. But here are a couple of pictures of me at 13 weeks. Nothing glamorous, I just wanted to be able to track the belly.

Sorry, it's a little blurry

Crafting Fun

Recently I decided that I wanted to get back into crafting. So I have a couple of projects I would love to show. Take into consideration that my photography skills leave something to be desired.

First I made a bulletin board/white board of sorts. Since I'm currently having a love affair with Pinterest, there are tons of ideas floating around that I want to copy recreate.

To make the cork portion, I cut down the tiles to the size of frames that I bought. I took a stencil and painted a border on two of the sides and let it dry. Since I was doing a four frame set, I did this again. Make sure that the glass is no longer in the frame, otherwise you can't actually use the cork as a bulletin board.

To make the "white boards" I took fabric swatches that I had lying around and wrapped them around the backing of the frame, as if I were upholstering a chair seat. Using hot glue, I secured the fabric to the board. Then I put it back in the frame making sure that the glass was on the fabric since the glass is the part you write on with dry-erase markers. 

Original frames

Completed white board frame

This is how the whole thing looks on the wall.

All in all, I was pretty pleased with how it turned out. It was also a pretty quick and simple project. Just as a tip, make sure that the fabric is light enough so that you can see what you write on the glass.