Poll Cues

As you know, Seamus and I decided to keep the sex of our baby a surprise to all, us included.  But it's fun to see what others guess.  So read the list of symptoms below, use your knowledge of OWT (Old Wives Tales), vote on the right side of the page.  Of course we will not know the sex of our baby until he or she decides to join us in May or June, but we will announce the sex when we meet our son our daughter.  :)  By the way... the new background of the blog is not a clue... I just like it.  :)

List of Symptoms:
- Morning sickness (no vomiting but nausea all day) from week 6 to 13.
- Major food aversions during the first trimester (only able to stomach broth for a month).
- Cravings in 1st tri were cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches.
- Current cravings change day to day... sometime sweets (chocolate)... sometimes spicy (thai food).
- Baby seems to be hanging low (low in my belly)
- Though the baby moves around, most of the kicks I feel are on the right, down low.
- hair growing at a normal pace
- shinny head of hair
- clear skin  :)
- cold feet (literally)
- I have the "glow"
- No major mood swings (your welcome Seamus).  I'm generally in a happy mood.  YAY!
- Not "showing" in my face (I don't have a fat face)

And for fun:

I'm happy

As you can tell from my pictures below, I'm obviously pregnant now!  Today I had 3 different people I don't know ask me when my due date is or how far along I am!  I love the attention, what else can I say?  It's great that I'm showing enough baby belly that people aren't afraid to comment or ask anymore!  It's very obvious that I'm not just fat!  Woo hoo!  It was a good day!  :)

Today I also discovered that my jackets are no longer comfortable zipped or buttoned... they're just too tight in the gut region!  I guess I can either wear one of Seamus' rain jackets when it's raining or go find a maternity jacket.  I found a really nice jacket at Gap.com on sale... to buy or not to buy... that is the question.

22 weeks today!

Well, I'm 22 weeks pregnant today!  Woo hoo!

Yesterday we received our car seat - a Graco Snugride - and our stroller - the Baby Jogger City Elite!  I love them both!  I can't wait to have a little baby to go with all the fun new toys we have!  :)

For now I think we'll play with the hippo and the lamb.

21 weeks 5 days

Hi Baby!

Baby Stuff

Here are some pictures of baby things.  This morning I decided to make closet clothes dividers.  Check them out!  If we happen to have a little girl I'll buy some thicker pink or purple ribbon and tie a bow at the bottom to make them more girly!  :)  Of course they're hanging with Seamus' clothes because this closet will soon be the baby's.

While out and about this morning I went to Michaels and found these canvas baskets at 40% off so I bought 6 of them!  They're on the changing table now!  I like them!  :)

I love baby stuff!  Now we just need to empty out the closet and move our "office" to the family room so we can actually make a nursery!  I think I know how I want the nursery set up and can't wait to get to it!  :)

I don't think I posted a picture of the awesome pack n' play my parents gave us for Christmas!  Check it out! I guess you can say I like polka dots!  Hopefully the baby will too!  The pack n' play will go in my room for the first month or two.  When we're ready to move the baby into the crib, the pack n' play can go to grandma's house!  :)  Notice, it has a little napper and changing table built in!

21 weeks

I made it over the hump and now heading to home plate!  21 weeks pregnant and counting.  Seamus and I ordered bum genius cloth diapers this week and they arrived!  I love them!  We have white, 2 shades of green, 2 shades of yellow, and 2 shades of blue.  Our little baby will be styling, boy or girl, in his/her new diapers!  Now I just have to wait 19 weeks to see them on!

Yesterday I hosted Susan's baby shower at my house.  It was a great small gathering of ladies and I believe everyone had a nice time.  Susan's baby girl will never wear an outfit twice!  lol.  I had fun.  I made chocolate fondue with strawberries, bananas and pretzels to dip; caprese (tomato, mozzarella and basil); and put out a Costco dip that is to die for!  I decorated with beautiful pink and red roses.  I can't believe I'll be an aunt within the month!!   YAY!  Check out the "thank you to the host" gift Susan gave me!  I told her that this is not a "thank you gift" this is a "real gift!"  Now I have to send her a thank you card for the thank you gift!  lol...  I love it!  It's the Organic Ergo Baby Carrier!  It's a soft carrier to help you carry the baby in the front, hip, or back and have free hands! 

Torture

I'm torturing one of my students... poor guy! 

This is what he told me this morning when I pulled up a chair next to him to help him with an assignment.  "I can't focus, THAT (cautiously gesturing to my obviously pregnant belly) is disturbing."  haha! 


It's a really good thing I don't take anything my students tell me to heart!  My feelings could have been really hurt!  haha!  I'm torturing him and all I have to do is wear form fitting maternity shirts!  haha.  Love it!

Monthly update: Half Baked!

How far along?: 20 weeks

Total weight gain?: 4 lbs


Maternity clothes?: Yes.  I need more shirts though.  Hmmm... time to go shopping!

Stretch marks?: Nope.

Sleep?: Could be better.  I have a body pillow and my Doc said that I can sleep any way that feels comfortable.  So that means I can sleep on my back if I choose.  But... I still wake up several times to roll over and get comfortable.  I have hip and lower back pain and usually can't wait until 5AM so I can get out of bed.  That saddens me.  All well.

Best moment this week?: I felt the baby kick my hand and saw the little kicks on Monday!  Unfortunately I was at work so Seamus didn't get to experience it with me.  We tried to have him feel the baby kick that evening but the baby wouldn't cooperate. We tried having Seamus feel again on Wednesday and this time he felt 3 strong kicks!  I haven't felt the baby kick that hard before!  It was wonderful! 

Movement?: YES - read above!


Food cravings?: I want ice cream.  I haven't fulfilled that craving yet but it sounds so yummy right now!

Labor signs?: Nope... too early for that to be a good sign.

Belly button in or out?: In.  I'm too early to "pop".  BUT... my belly button is stretched to what seems like as far as it will go!  I have a scar from when I had my gallbladder removed that normally sits in the wrinkle of my belly button.  Well... now I can see the scar and it's stretching.  Crazy!

What I miss?: Having a rushing, feel good pee!  You'd think with the number of times I have to pee in a day, I'd get to have that wonderful feeling of "hhhhhhhhh" when I pee.  Wrong!  Even if my bladder is about to explode... only a trickle of pee comes... it's never a rush.  Boo!

What I'm looking forward to?: Is it bad that I'm looking forward to my "ski week".  Ski week is a week in February where schools are out for break.  We just got back from winter break and I'm ready for another week.  lol.

The baby and I at 20 weeks pregnant:

And a close up:

16 weeks vs. 20 weeks

Soon I'll have to retire the sweater!

We changed our minds

So we changed our  minds about the BOB stroller.  Though we think it's a wonderful stroller we don't like that we can't transform the stroller into a double stroller when we decide on a 2nd child.  So, after taking it for a test drive (one similar at least) we're going with the Baby Jogger City Elite Single Stroller in Red!

It's very similar to the BOB and has everything we liked about the BOB but it has better fabric, reclining system, easier fold system, AND the option to attach a 2nd seat for a toddler.  Oh and we can get it in red.  We like red.  :)  The 2010 model has foam filled tires so we won't have to worry about inflating tires or getting  a flat while on a walk.  It's way cool and we're pleased with the change.

It's a good thing that I like to research baby things to death.  Seamus told me I can't research strollers anymore.  I've changed my mind too many times.  lol.  In my defense, my mind has only changed twice.

Stroller and Carseat

We have decided on getting the Bob Revolution 12" stroller.  We tested it out in a sporting goods store of all places and loved it!  It's a jogging stroller (though we all know I wont be jogging with the baby... hehe).  The front wheel can either be fixed straight for jogging or swivel for everyday use.  The tires are great too!  Were going to buy a car seat adapter for it so our infant car seat can click right in.  Check it out! 

We're happy with this choice but haven't purchased the stroller yet.  We did however go out tonight and buy the infant car seat!  :)  We originally wanted the Chicco keyfit 30 but it's not compatible with BOB so we decided to go with the Graco Snugride 35.  It will hold the baby up to 35lbs and 32" tall.  I'm not really worried about the weight component, more the length.  Check it out!

I know the stroller and the car seat don't match but... it doesn't bother us!  We like both of our choices! Now we just need to wait 5 1/2 months so we can have a baby to go with it!

19 weeks 1 day

I'll post another belly picture on Sunday.  I'll be "half baked"... well the baby will be at 20 weeks pregnant!  Wow... time sure flies! 

I feel the baby move daily!  It's awesome!  It started out that I only felt him/her in the evening after dinner... but now, every time I sit down I feel the baby move!  In fact, he/she is wiggling around right now!  :)  I can't feel the baby on the outside yet but I think the kicks, punches, and headbutts are getting stronger.  Soon enough Daddy will be able to feel the baby move and finally believe me.  Wait....

I'm wrong... the baby was going bonkers a minute ago so I stopped typing and put my hand on my belly.  Bam!  On my right side (well closer to the middle) I felt the baby kick on my hand!  AWESOME!!!!!  Seamus better get ready for some groveling... this is not gas! 

It's official

2010 is here and this is the year we get to welcome our little baby!  YAY!  

I'm feeling the baby kick or punch or headbutt my belly.  Seamus doesn't believe me because the doctor said I probably wont feel the baby move until I'm 20 weeks.  Well... I think I'm feeling the baby practice tae-bo.  I only feel the baby when I'm sitting or lying down but it'll happen periodically through out the day.  :)  This is fun!

Seamus set up the crib today!  YAY!  I helped out a little but he's much faster at these things than I am so I wasn't able to help out very much.  I know we're early in setting it up but we had a choice of looking at a huge box for a few months or our beautiful crib.  We chose crib.  I love it!  I can't wait to find a bed skirt, sheets, and cute blankets for it.