YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED!!!!!!

After much debate and consideration, you have been named!!!!  Well, we have one boy name and one girl name, so depending on which one you are....you will either be "Blankity Blankity Blank" (Masculine) or "Blankity Blankity Blank" (Feminine)

We are so excited and cannot wait to start calling you by name....only a few more days!!!! 

We've hit 18 weeks!!!

We Have Hit 18 weeks!!!! We are almost halfway there....holy moly!  In the beginning it felt like it was going so slow and now I feel like I'm going to wake up next week and you are going to be here.  It's not an anxious, panic feeling....it's an excited, let's hurry up and get everything ready so you will be here type thing. 

I feel like it's going so much faster because every 2-4 weeks we've been to the doctor, so we're breaking it up into chunks...always counting to the next doctor's appointment.  And, it's the end of August, we are about to find out what you are, it's getting cooler at night, school has started back, my family has already exchanged names for Christmas and we have already bought a few Christmas presents.  WOW! And you will be here anytime after Christmas....scheduled 4 weeks after, but I am determined you will be here sooner! 

They say you are about 10 inches crown to heel and 7 oz., but we will find out your specific measurements on Friday.  Your kicks are getting much stronger, although I am the only one who can still feel them.  Daddy still tries!  He kisses you every night and morning - it melts my heart! 
He cannot wait to feel you kick! 

We are so excited to get to see you on Friday and get lots of pictures of you!  Hopefully you will be active like you always are.  Either way, we cannot wait! 
HAPPY 18TH WEEK, SWEET BABY!!!!

P.S. I promise to put up a baby bump picture soon! 

And The Drug Line Up Is....

I feel like I am about to list the starting players of Panther's Game....but here we go....

1. Prenatal Vitamin
2. DHA
3. Zofran
4. Zantac
5. Two Tylenol 
6. Claritin
7. Benadryl
8. Penicillin
9. Prescription Nasal Spray


Whew!  For someone who is not fond of taking medication, much less when pregnant, I'd say I sure am on a lot of things right now.  Here's the deal....Still pregnant, still have morning sickness, still have killer heartburn!  Now to go over the top of miserable, I have a sinus/head cold and my strep test came back positive.
I'm sorry, sweet little one, I am trying to get us feeling better.  I have rested and slept non-stop.  The other day, we slept for 18 hours (minus medicine times and bathroom breaks).  We have now gone through almost 3 boxes of tissues and I'm drinking hot chocolate in 90+ degree weather because it is the only thing that feels good on my throat. 

You are still moving around and kicking up a storm, so that's comforting to know that you are okay.
On the upside, we find out in FIVE days what you are so I am praying I feel like a million bucks by then. Then our vacation starts where we are devoting a whole week to you - telling everyone what you are, finishing the nursery, going to register, checking out daycares, and I am sure buying you tons of things.  I have been dying to buy you an outfit, but I have done my best to wait until we knew. I am so excited. Last week went pretty fast, so I am hoping this week does too!

I love you so much lovebug and I am sorry I am sick.  I promise I am trying to get better soon for you! 

Feisty Little Thing!

Ohhhh, you already are a feisty little thing!!
Today, I was trying to reach a shelve, and long story short, one fell towards my belly (which was in the way) and the prongs of it jabbed into my belly....(for everyone reading this don't freak out, it wasn't more than a finger pushing hard into my belly)....
However, you immediately started kicking up a storm and did not stop for a few hours. This is by far the longest, and hardest (some a little painful) jabs I have felt from you. Even now, when I put my hand or anything on my belly, you immediately kick at it.
It's adorable, but my, you are angry!!!
I love you to the moon and back, little one!  

Doctor's Visit 8/22

Today we had another doctor's appointment.  It went really well.  You are growing like a weed and in a major growth spurt right now. 

My blood pressure has gone back down, probably because it is my 3rd day straight off work, but we were back down to 130/86.  I will take it!  That was a major relief.

I got more blood taken today - from the last visit when they could not get it all because my veins kept collapsing, but today they got the remaining blood they needed.  They had to go for the hand again, but it was a success on the first try....thank goodness we only had to fill one vial! 

Your heart rate is still right at 154.  It was so precious.  You were kicking and tumbling around so much, the nurse got the rate off the doppler, but we could barely hear your heart beat between all the loud "drum beats".  The nurse even seemed shocked by how active you were....and we were caffeine free at the time.  She said you must be an active morning baby, but you sure are active at night too, so I am thinking you are just an active little baby.  Your kicks are getting stronger, I am just waiting for your daddy to be able to feel them.  Last night he laid his head on my tummy and you were kicking up a storm. 

I was prescribed Zofran for the nauseous and vomiting so hopefully from here on out we will be good to go.  I sure did get some powerful stuff - Zofran is originally for nauseousness in cancer patients going through chemotherapy or radiation.  So, I feel certain it should be able to take care of our issues.  

I did get doctor's notes for work restricting my lifting and a few other things so hopefully the cramping will stop.  Our doctor's office has 5 or 6 doctor's and the one who delivers you will be decided by the one who is on call the day you decide to make your entrance into the world.  Every visit, we meet a different one.  So far we have met 3 and we are 3 for 3.  I am completely satisfied so far so if any of these 3 deliver you, I will be just fine with it.


I am excited because our NEXT appointment is our anatomy scan...I feel like I can count down now.  It is less than two weeks and I can finally say, "NEXT Friday!"  I sure hope these two weeks go by quickly. Not only will we find out if you are a boy or girl, but we get to see you again and get tons of pictures!  Plus, that day is the start of my vacation so daddy and I will have a whole week getting your nursery together, registering for you, checking out day cares and pediatricians, and probably buying tons of cute girl or boy clothes!  

And no worries, your daddy and I hung out with Lindsay and Dakota today and Dakota has decided if you are a girl, you will be called "Princess Sally" and if a boy "Pretty Boy Bob"....don't worry, hopefully those names won't stick! 

We love you so much sweet cheeks!!!  

Pumpkin Candy Corn, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Spice Lattes!!!

Oh man!  After 17 weeks, I....well, we....finally have a craving!  We are dying for pumpkin....pumpkin anything!  We would kill for pumpkin! 

The past few days I have been setting fall decor at work smelling all the yummy candles and thinking about how ready I am for fall. 

Then today, I was laying in bed all afternoon resting and your daddy brought me home a bag of candy corn....and I was talking to him about how my favorite ones are the pumpkins! 

Tonight, I was talking about how ready for fall I was, and your Aunt April mentioned the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks!  Ever since then, my mouth is watering....it's like an itch, I can't scratch.  It is driving me nuts.

However, Starbucks does not let you order them until September 1st...Cousin Sam tried and was rejected....I may have to try with my little ladies and pay big bucks for it.  Until then though, I had to do something so I made daddy go to the grocery store at 9:30 on a rainy night to get me a pumpkin pie. It is one of the frozen ones since that is all that is out yet, but it will have to do.  Now I just have to wait 35 minutes since it is so frozen I could break a window with it.  

At least this craving is a craving I do not mind having...it came just a week or two TOO early! 
Oh well little one, I hope you enjoy this pumpkin we are craving because we are about to have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a good long while! 

Day with Moppy and Poppy!

Today we spent the day with my parents.  We had a late birthday celebration for my birthday. 
We didn't make it to church this morning because you, my little one, kept me up ALL night sick so I was feeling a little under the weather.  The past two nights our "morning sickness" has changed to "midnight sickness" and good grief, you would think I had some boubonic plague.
We did make it to lunch however.  We went to Outback, Walmart and to the movies.  We had a great day. 
Today, we had a very important discussion. It is a known fact that Jimmie, my stepdad, will be called "Poppy" but my mom is not sure what she wants to be called.  So....your daddy suggested "Moppy!"  She is not thrilled, but it may be sticking with her!  :) Any suggestions, little one?
At Walmart, we bought a Prenatal Monitor, like the ones at the doctor, where we can hear your heartbeat.  HOW FUN!  It sounds like a bunch of wild horses galloping.  Precious!  We heard little kicks and punches, too!  Once you get a little bit bigger we will be able to hear you hiccup and other fun things! 
Poppy and Moppy (hehehehe) got to hear your little racing heartbeat, too!  They were thrilled.  How much fun we already have with you.  We cannot wait, because we know this is nothing compared to the fun we will have once you are here. 
We love you to the moon and back!!! 

Your Aunt Shannon Rocks!!!

Thanks to your Aunt Shannon, a mail slicer-opener, a pair of scissors and half a bottle of Lotion, we now have NO ring stuck on a swollen finger.  It is quite swollen from all the pulling, tugging, and forcing off, but wow, WHAT A RELIEF!  Mama was getting a little claustrophobic! There for a hot minute, I was sure that Aunt Shannon was about to pull my knuckle right out of socket....

And, since the wedding ring is now off we decided we could officially do the ring on the string of yarn old wives tale to see what sex you may be.  I just knew it would say girl, but DADADADAUM....it said BOY!  Of course, we are waiting until September 2nd for the ultrasound, but three tries with the string and it said you were definitely a boy all three times.  It never once even tried to spin in a circle.

When you read this later on in life, as a boy or girl, whichever you are, we love you and are completely satisfied with who you are, but if you are a girl, then you will know that old wives tales are not always true! 

Here's a picture for your entertainment....and oh look, you can see your growing living space!  AND, I had safety googles on - you never know what Aunt Shannon would do! :)

We love you so much sugar pie and cannot wait to officially find out what you are! 

Oh and P.S. Thank you so much for the birthday card and present!  I know daddy must have helped you out on this one, but it was perfect! 

My Little Tumbler!!

You sweet thing you....guess what?  I can FEEL you!!! It is the most amazing feeling, even though at first I must admit I was a little weirded out.  For about a week now, I'd feel "something" here, feel "something" there, and wondered if that was you or not. Yesterday, Tuesday 8/9 you were moving around like crazy all day.  I have no clue what in the world you are doing in there, but I feel like you are in gymnastics doing tumble after tumble after tumble.  It is precious and nonstop!  

It was not strong enough to keep me awake last night, but as soon as I was up this morning, there you were again, tumbling (or whatever you are doing in there).  What a perfect early birthday present from you!!!  Thank you!!  Daddy is very excited, but I know he cannot wait to feel you kicking around!

Kick your little heart out...Mommy loves it...and you!

You officially have your own room!

Right now, it has barely anything in it, but you do have a nursery!  YAY!  Your daddy and I spent all last weekend cleaning out our two spare bedrooms - one became an office/playroom and the other Your Room! 

We were originally going to put you in the front room, but now you are in the back where Mookie can protect you!  Hopefully his killing rabbits and birds won't keep you awake. 

We are not repainting it - it is staying "Hot Chocolate", but we promise to decorate it with bright, cute, stimulating colors for you!

Only 3 more weeks until we find out your sex....then we can start decorating! 

We love you little peanut and cannot wait for you to be here in your nursery!