April 26, 2011 - Week 21

The pregnancy is now officially over half way done – we are working on the downhill slope! Everything is going well. This past week I have been a little more tired than I have been. I still have really bad heartburn from time to time (it’s KILLER). Tums does seem to help some so I carry a container of Tums around in my purse. My fingers appear to be a little swollen already because it is getting harder to put my wedding ring on in the mornings. I may have to invest in a bigger size fake wedding ring for awhile! I think I’ll feel naked without a ring on so will have to get something :)

I still haven’t felt any consistent movement. I’m sure some things I am feeling is the baby (especially in the evenings) but I am not completely sure. It might be another week or two before I know for sure (at least that is what I have been told).

Our baby girl is about the size of a banana and probably weighs around 12.7 oz. So far I do not have any stretch marks, which I am thrilled about. Hopefully this will continue to be the case. Baby is swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid each day. This is for hydration and nutrition but also helps Baby Girl practice swallowing and digesting. It is interesting that the taste of this fluid is different each day depending on what I have eaten. Therefore, I guess I need to start eating healthier and incorporate some vegetables into my daily diet. However, Baby still gets most nutrients from me through the placenta. Baby is sleeping pretty much like a newborn baby, around 12 to 14 hours a day. When she is not sleeping there is still room in the womb for her to twist and turn and do somersaults. She better have lots of fun now because those walls may feel like they are starting to cave in on her and be too small before long!

We have slowly started preparing for our baby girl. Bryan and his mom got the crib and nightstand put together this past weekend. The glider and ottoman are set up and half-way sprayed with Scotch Gard. I ran out of Scotch Gard so we have to get another bottle so Bryan can finish. Bryan also worked on the dresser to try and fix the board that was coming up so when we repaint the dresser it won’t show any imperfections. I still have so much to do but I plan to do some every weekend so hopefully pretty soon I will be feeling better and more prepared. My goal is to have everything ready early (as early as possible) because I might turn into a nut if it isn’t done and I go into labor early! Bryan completely understands this so that is good – nobody wants a nut in their household!! I’ve got to be organized and ready as much as possible and then things will be in good shape for all of us!

Baby Girl's Crib

 Working Hard to Get the Crib Set Up Properly

Bryan and I scheduled one last trip together before our baby girl’s arrival. It is nothing too fancy but will still be fun. We plan on going to the coast for a week to hang out, relax, hit the waves, shop, and do some fishing. Hopefully, mom and dad are going to join us. It will be great even if I don’t do much. Just to get away and enjoy will be so nice! I’m already looking forward to June! Then when we return I will be counting down the day when we get to meet our baby girl and looking forward to spending time bonding with our baby!  I'm already completely head over heals in LOVE!!

The Easter Bunny did not forget about our little girl. We got a package in the mail from Grandmomma and Granddaddy (my parents) that had three adorable Carter outfits in it. They are so precious and have ruffles across the tush—so cute!

Baby Girl's First Easter Card

Three Outfits for Easter!

 I LOVE the cute bottoms and feet!!

All I can say in the below 21 week photos are OMG I'm LARGE!

Head Shot, April 26, 2011

 There is no denying I have a bump!

 Baby Girl is GROWING!  My gut says she is going to be born big and healthy :)

 Wow!

Another Side Shot

 

One Big Tummy :)

 Our Baby Girl on April 26, 2011 at 21 Weeks

 I'm Almost Too Embarrassed To Post Such a GIGANTIC STOMACH!  My future holds LOTS of diets and I hate diets!!

April 19, 2011 - Week 20

This week is a milestone – the halfway point of our pregnancy! I honestly cannot believe it. It feels like just yesterday we found out we were expecting. It is amazing how fast the days, weeks, and months are flying by. I know this will always be the case because I hear every mom say how fast their little one is growing up!

I’m so excited we only have 20 more weeks to meet our little girl. I just can’t wait! We still have lots of work to do (everything really)! Our little girl needs to keep on cooking too so she will come into this world big and healthy! I’m getting more and more anxious and scared about the whole delivery process, but it is just something that we women must do :)

Baby weighs about 10 and a half ounces and is about six and a half inches from crown to rump and 10 inches from head to heel. Our baby girl is about the size of a small cantaloupe. She is now growing so much each week that it is just crazy…I’m sure my stomach will be getting lots bigger very quickly (and I’m already BIG)! However, all that matters is Baby Girl is growing, getting stronger, and is healthy!!

I still have no complaints. I think I just have the pregnancy aches that most women get. I still have the back and side pains, morning gags, and a few stomach pains here and there (usually in the evenings). Even if I was sick in bed for my entire pregnancy I couldn’t complain much because our baby is growing in my stomach and that is just awesome! I love her so much already it is unbelievable. Being uncomfortable doesn’t even concern me because I just keep thinking about our little girl and how much I am going to spoil her rotten (and daddy is going to spoil her even more than me I am sure)!!

I had my FIVE-MONTH CHECKUP (WOW!) Wednesday, April 20th. Everything went well; my blood pressure was normal. Baby Girl’s heartbeat was a strong 149. I have gained 11 pounds to date (sigh) but they didn’t say anything about it and from everything I read that is right on track. I go back again in four weeks on May 18th. They did tell me to start getting organized and preparing for the baby before I get too big and before summer arrives. They told me to work on the room and stuff, register at the hospital and take the hospital tour, and to make sure a baby shower is scheduled early (they don’t recommend having it the last month at all)!! Basically, they told me to start getting with it and get some stuff done in the next ten weeks because I’m going to be miserable the last ten weeks!!  I just can't wait!?!


20 Week Head Shot...Mid-Point!

 Getting Big at 20 Weeks

 20 Week Bump

 Big Belly; 20 Weeks

 Baby Girl is Growing at 20 Weeks

 Half-Way Through the Pregnancy!

 Our Baby, 20 Weeks

 Front Shot at 20 Weeks (BIG, BIG Stomach)!!

 20 Weeks

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April 12, 2011 - Week 19

Our baby girl’s sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Baby girl’s hair is beginning to sprout and grow. She also is getting her first taste of anti-wrinkle cream. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on the skin to prevent it from wrinkling in my amniotic fluid. If this ‘cheesy’ coating didn’t form our baby girl would be all wrinkled when she is born, like she soaked in the bath tub way to long!

There hasn’t been a lot of changes since week 18. I am feeling pretty good and do have some energy to get things done that needs to be done. Now that we know we are having a little girl I have started thinking about the baby’s room and different ideas, BUT haven’t done any shopping yet besides the couple of big furniture items from last week (crib, glider/ottoman, and table). I’m so ready to buy some tutu’s and hair bows!! I’m already ready to have the baby room all put together – I like to have things done as early as possible! However, I know this isn’t going to get done for a few months!!

I still don’t think I have felt Baby move yet, even though the sonograms show her moving around a bunch. I should start feeling her move any day now. I really don’t know what to expect so hopefully I will notice it pretty quickly. I can’t wait to feel her move around. Knowing she is moving and is okay will be a great feeling!

I can’t believe we are in week 19 of the pregnancy. My how times fly’s by! Here is Baby Girl growing!!

Head shot, Week 19

 Week 19

 Week 19

 Growing Tummy, Week 19

 Baby Girl, Week 19

 Our Baby, Week 19

 Big Belly, Week 19

April 7, 2011 - Anatomy Sonogram Appointment

We had the anatomy sonogram on April 7, 2011 (Thursday). All measurements looked good and they don’t have any concerns at all at this point. This is GREAT news!! They checked the head, feet, toes, arms, fingers, heart, lips, liver, etc. and everything looked good. We also found out that we are having a LITTLE GIRL!!!

I was so excited and just lit up with joy! It was an AWESOME moment!! Bryan and Eva came to the appointment too so it was just a moment I will never forget! I wanted (a) a healthy baby, but if I got to pick what I was having I would have picked a little girl so it was just a PERFECT day! I have always envisioned a really girly, girl with dresses, bows, tutus, purses, and shoes! We may be having a tomboy but until she can express her opinion she will be dressed up in all the fun fu-fu girly stuff! I’m just so excited!! I was in shock so it didn’t really hit me for a while but I am just filled with 110 percent love and happiness!

Our baby girl weighs about 9 oz. and had a heartbeat of 161. When they examined her heart they said it is currently about the size of my small finger nail. Isn’t that AMAZING! She is a stubborn girl, that is for sure! She didn’t cooperate very well this time. At past sonogram appointments she didn’t cooperate well either so she already has a reputation with the sonogram tech of being stubborn! I LOVE IT!!!

We had to schedule another sonogram in one month (at 22 weeks) so they can look at the heart and everything again just to make sure they don’t see any problems, but they are pretty confident everything looks great and we have a healthy, stubborn baby girl!! I am in love – I don’t know how else to explain it but my heart melts at the thought of our little girl!

Feet Picture from April 7, 2011

 Head Shot, April 7, 2011

It's a GIRL!!!

The sonogram pictures aren't the best this time and can you guess why?  Because our little girl is stubborn and gave the technician a hard time so she couldn't really get any good pictures.  Hopefully in a month when we go back she is able to get some better pictures for us!

April 5, 2011 - Week 18

Baby is about the size of a sweet potato and weighs approximately 6.7 oz. The bones in Baby are starting to harden too so he/she is getting stronger and stronger each day. Our baby should be able to yawn now when he/she is tired.

I am feeling pretty well these days. I have started to have heartburn really bad again and in the morning, when I first wake up I start gagging and can’t stop. Fun times! However, after I start moving around for a few minutes I feel fine and am okay for the rest of the day. I do still have side pain in the evenings which is very uncomfortable at times but overall I still can’t complain. I have a pretty good amount of energy again. I am still just so excited that the joy outweighs any sickness or being uncomfortable!!

I ordered the crib on Tuesday (April 5th) and can’t wait for it to come in. I am hoping it turns out perfect. The color is Espresso and I ordered it from JC Penny’s. I looked around for months and kept going back to this crib so I know I like it. When it went on sale I couldn’t resist ordering it! I hope it stands up to all the good reviews it has gotten and doesn’t disappoint me!

I also got a little table to go besides the rocker and glider. It is the dark wood also so I hope it matches the crib well.  I didn't get this from JC Penny's, but I am hoping the colors are a close enough match.

I ordered the rocker and glider on Thursday (4/7/2011) too! These gliders got such great reviews and it was just what I was looking for. I wanted a chair that didn’t look like a nursery chair so I could continue to use it throughout the house for years to come! I can’t wait for it to be delivered. I opted for the Sage color instead of blur or pink since green will work better in other rooms besides the nursery for future use!

Week 18 belly pictures! To me, I look HUGE!!

Week 18 Head Shot

 Wow, right!?! My tummy is BIG!

 Week 18 Side Shot

 Another Belly Picture, Week 18

 This shirt hides the belly pretty well!

 Our Baby, Week 18

 Sonogram Picture of a Foot from 4/7/2011 at 18 Weeks