18 Weeks

Along:  18 Weeks.  Bump is growing!

Size of Baby:  Baby B is 5.5 inches long and about 5 ounces, about the size of a chicken breast.  Baby B can now hiccup and yawn (how cute!).  He/she also now has fingerprints on fingertips and toes.   

Wight Gain/Loss:  Still about 3 pounds.  I don't weigh myself until I go to my appointments.  It's just not worth stressing about.  I exercise regularly and eat well, that's what's important.  I fit into all of my regular clothes except right where the pants button, so I know any weight I've gained has gone right where it should!

Gender:  Our gut feeling is still that it is a girl.  Everyone seems to have the same feeling.  Not one person we know has said they think it's a boy!  Two more weeks until we find out!

Sleep:  Sleep has still been great!  I'm starting to notice the tummy buldge more when I'm sleeping now and have to change positions to be more comfortable.  I'm still sleeping straight through the night!

What I Miss:  Nothing!  Okay, honestly, I miss the occasional glass of wine.  Jimmy and I go to wineries at least once a month... obviously we haven't been in several months now. 

Cravings:  Still craving sweets.  Pop Tarts especially... oh my goodness, they are delicious!  As soon as my students go to P.E./Music in the mornings those Pop Tarts come out!    

Symptoms:  The past two weeks have been pretty good.  As my stomach is growing my ligaments are stretching, so I'm feeling more and more ligament pain in my lower abdomen.  Sometimes it's a sharp pain when I sneeze/cough, sometimes its a dull pain that lasts for hours.  Other than that, I really can't complain.  I feel so lucky that I've had such an easy pregnancy so far.  

Best Moment this Week:    Getting the nursery ready!  My awesome Dad and amazing husband put the chair rail up in the nursery this weekend.  It looks SO good!!!  I'm so excited to paint the bottom half pink/blue.  Here are some pictures of what it looks like right now...  More pictures to come when it's finished and the furniture is all positioned.

Another cute moment... we got our first article of baby clothing!  My best friend sent us a little onsie.  Isn't it adorable?!  Thanks so much Aunt Molly and Uncle Revel!!!

The BIC stands for Barrier Island Center.  Molly and Revel live on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Love to all!

Judi and Jimmy

16 Weeks

Along:  16 weeks.  I think you can definitely see a baby bump in this picture now!  Of course, if you don't know I'm pregnant it still just looks like belly fat.  

Size of Baby:  Baby B is the size of an avocado!  He/she weights 4-5 ounces and is 4.5 inches long.  Muscles are getting stronger, they eyes are now complete with eye brows and eye lashes.  He/she can sense light now.  If you shine a flashlight on the belly the baby will move away from the light.    

Wight Gain/Loss:  I have gained 3 pounds.  Not too shabby... for now!  It's all in my belly so far too, which I'm pretty happy about.  My pants are definitely snug now.  I've bought a few maternity t-shirts from Target that can be worn starting now until I'm 9 months.  They are the nice stretchy material that grow with you.

Gender:  At the 16 week appointment the doctor asked us "Do you want to know what it is?"  He says it's a girl based on the heart beat.  4 more weeks until we find out for sure!  We have a girl name picked out, but are still struggling with a boy name.

Sleep:  Sleep has been great.  I sleep about 9 hours a night and don't wake up once.  I'm soaking this up while it lasts!

What I Miss:  The past couple weeks I haven't missed anything.  I think I'm in this 'sweet spot' of pregnancy where I'm not too big yet where normal day to day things become uncomfortable, but I'm passed the morning sickness/extreme exhaustion part of the first trimester.  Overall, I've been very lucky to have such an easy pregnancy so far.  Let's hope that it continues that way!

Cravings:  I've definitely been craving the sweets.  Cake, cookies, candy, and ice cream.  Almost everyday I'm craving one of those things!  

Symptoms:  The past two weeks have really been nice.  I haven't had any bad symptoms.  The only thing is that my uterus is beginning to stretch and grow, so I'm having some ligament pain in my lower abdomen, especially in the mornings.  

Best Moment this Week:  Best moment this week was our 16 week appointment.  We got to hear the heart beat again and this time it was even louder and stronger than last time.  Each time I hear the heart beat it just reassures me that Baby B is healthy and doing well.  It is SUCH a sweet sound.  


Another really cool moment this week also had to do with our 16 week appointment... The doctor we met with is the same doctor that delivered me!  He actually said I'm not the first to tell him that!  He talked a little while about how much everything has changed in the past 25 years in the area and how he really knew he was 'getting old' when things like this were happening!  He is a really calm, patient doctor.  My mom and dad had great things to say about him and my delivery, as well as one of my friends at work (he delivered her daughter).  If he happens to be the one to deliver Baby B I would be very happy!  


Another milestone... we bought all the nursery furniture!  We looked at many sets and finally settled on one from Babies R Us.  We bought the crib and dresser (already had the glider).  It's very well made and solid wood.  The dresser was very heavy, my Dad and Jimmy had a tough time getting it upstairs!  We're planning on doing some painting and putting up a chair rail in the nursery before Jimmy puts together the crib.  I'll post some pictures once that gets going.  


While Jimmy was taking my 16 week picture this morning Lola was showing off for the camera...

Isn't she CUTE!?!?

Love to all!


Judi and Jimmy

14 Weeks

14 weeks!

(That's my belt, not a baby bump sticking out - hah!)

Along:  14 weeks.  Still just a small bump.  I think you can tell in the picture that it's a little bigger than the 12 week bump.  Unfortunately, I'm still at that middle stage where you can't tell I'm pregnant, just looks like I'm gaining weight in the belly!  My clothes are a little snug, but I'm still wearing my normal clothes and things are fitting pretty well.  I haven't had to do the hair tie/rubber band trick yet.    :)

Size of Baby:  Baby B is the size of a lemon!

Wight Gain/Loss:  I have not weighed myself since my 12 week appointment.  My clothes are still fitting fine, so if I've gained any it's probably only a couple pounds.

Gender:  Our gut still says girl.  We had an ultrasound at 13 1/2 weeks and the heartbeat was 165 beats per minute.  If the old wives tale is true, then girl it is.  :)  Looks like we will be finding out the gender right around Valentine's Day!

Sleep:  My Dad and Momma T got us a mattress cover made of down feathers for Christmas and I'm in LOVE!  I have gotten the best sleep in months since I've put that thing on!  I'm now sleeping the whole night and only occasionally getting up to use the restroom.  AND I'm sleeping 8-9 hours a night again!  Woo hoo!

What I Miss:  I have to say, again, I miss the occasional drink with friends and family.  It's not like I drink a lot, but when you are surrounded by friends and family on Christmas and New Years and everyone is enjoying a glass of wine, mimosa, or a margarita... I just wish I could join in!  During New Years Eve Jimmy bought me a virgin drink, so at least I felt like I was part of the gang!

Cravings:  The past week I've been craving ice cream.  I haven't had any other strong cravings the past two weeks.  Probably too much stuff going on to really focus on cravings.  We have been SO busy! 

Symptoms:  The food aversions have subsided a little.  Even still, when I just think about eating a certain food my stomach lurches!  I'm still a little tired, but I'm definitely past the really tired phase.  I can make it through the day without passing out now.  The only new symptom I've noticed is the moodiness.  I've definitely been more emotional the past couple weeks.  I'm usually pretty even keel, so I'm a little embarressed of myself after these episodes!  Oh well, I'm not sure there is anything I can do.  I just hope everyone is patient with me!

Best Moment this Week:  We had an ultrasound at 13 1/2 weeks (actually, on our 2 year anniversary, what a wonderful present!).  The ultrasound is called the First Trimester Screening and was to check for Downs Syndrome and Trisomy 13 and 18, three chromosomal disorders.  They measure the thickness of the neck and the nasal bone.  Baby B passed with flying colors!  They look for the neck to be less at 3 mm thick and Baby B's was 1.7 mm.  They also acompany this test with blood work to check the protiens your body is making.  The test results showed that Baby B has a 1 in 10,000 chance of having any of these chromosome disorders.  This is the lowest chance possible!  1 in 1,000 is considered low risk and 'good.'  Needless to say we were very happy to hear this news.  While we were there we were able to hear the heartbeat again.  It is the sweetest sound I've ever heard and my heart melts every time I hear it!  Once again the heart beat was 165 beats per minute.  Check out the picture and how much Baby B has changed since the 8 week ultrasound!

It looks as though he/she is sucking its thumb!

Happy New Year and love to all!

-Judi and Jimmy

Telling the Greenfields

Jimmy and I met my mom for lunch recently to share the big news with her.  I also got her a little gift.  It is a decorative wall hanging that says "Nana" on it.  (That is what she is being called.)  As soon as she opened it I could tell she was a little perplexed... so I said "I'm pregnant!!!"  She was very excited to hear the news!  We spent the next hour of lunch talking about symptoms, names, and all things pregnancy/baby.  Jimmy was excited to show her the picture of the ultrasound on his phone!  It was so nice to catch up with her.  Unfortunately, Andy wasn't able to join us for lunch because he had a conference call.  I wanted to make sure he heard it from me first, so I texted him right after lunch.  He was also super excited... "CONGRATULATIONS!!!! So happy for you guys!"  Was his response!

Love,
Judi and Jimmy

12 Weeks!

Barely a bump!

Along:  12 weeks.  I can notice a small bump, but no one else can.  Before I could always suck it in if I had some pooch.  I can't suck in this pooch!  Luckily all my clothes still fit just fine.  :)

Size of Baby:  Baby B is the size of a lime!

Wight Gain/Loss:  I had my 12 week appointment on Friday and I have lost 5 pounds since my 8 week appointment.  Not sure why since I haven't really had much morning sickness.

Gender:  Our gut says girl.  The heartbeat was 169 beats per minute at 8 weeks and on Friday it was 174 beats per minute at 12 weeks.  If the old wives tale is true, then girl it is.  :)

Sleep:  I no longer can get a full night sleep.  I have always been such a hard sleeper and defniitely not a morning person.  I used to be able to sleep 10 hours a night without getting up once.  As soon as I got pregnant I began getting up nightly to pee and can only sleep about 6-7 hours a night.  I'm also waking up earlier and I'm wide awake!  I'm also more tired during the day and take a couple naps a week.  I guess it's my body preparing me for the first few months of having a child.  :)

What I Miss:  WINE!  Thanksgiving was hard... I could smell the aroma of tastey wine all around me but couldn't sip.  I'm looking forward to the day I can enjoy a glass of pinot again!

Cravings:  I've been craving hamburgers, tacos, and rice.  Jimmy is loving that he gets to go pick up 5 Guys, hah!  I've also been craving water and orange juice. 

Symptoms:  Everyone asks about nausea, I'm am VERY fortunate in this area of pregnancy symptoms.  I was nauseas for a couple weeks (week 6-8) but I never threw up.  I haven't been nauseas for several weeks now and I'm loving it!  I've also had some food aversions.  I cannot eat certain foods I used to eat allll the time.  Just the taste or smell makes my stomach lurch!  Yogurt and bananas are just a few...  Overall, I've been very lucky.  I haven't had any very strong symptoms.  Everything has been pretty mild.  Let's hope the rest of the pregnancy goes just as easily.  :)

Best Moment this Week:  Hearing Baby B's heart beat was the most magical moment of our lives!  I was so nervous to see if we'd be able to hear it at our 12 week appointment.  Sure enough, we did.  Our doctor said it is loud and very strong!  She actually said it was uncommon to hear it that strong at 12 weeks.  Of course, I cried when I heard it!  I cannot even express the joy we felt upon hearing that little 'thump, thump.'  It was absolutely amazing!  Jimmy and I both agree that was the most amazing moment of our lives!  I'm tearing up just thinking about it!  Or maybe it's the hormones!  Haha!

Another amazing moment this past week was sharing the news with all our friends and family.  We waited until we heard the heart beat before we wanted to share with everyone... so as soon as we heard it on Friday, we were shouting it from the rooftops, WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The response Jimmy and I got from our friends and family moved me to tears.  Everyone was SO excited for us.  Everyone calling and texting us to tell us how happy and excited they were was amazing.  I've never felt such support and joy from everyone around us.  It just makes me realize how lucky we are to have such amazing friends and family.  It made this time in our lives even MORE joyful, which I wasn't sure could even happen!  God has surely blessed us with amazing people in our lives!

Love to all!

-Judi and Jimmy

 

Telling the Blankenships

Just as we did for my parents, we bought a picture frame and wrapped it up as a present for Jimmy's parents as well.  We were meeting them in Richmond on Thanksgiving and decided to tell them then.  It was important to us to share the news with them in person... so it was now, or wait another several weeks for Christmas.  We were just too excited to wait any longer!

It was a little tricky to just tell Jim and Cindy and not let the other family know what was going on (we wanted to wait until 12 weeks to tell everyone else).  We managed to pull them out to the car where we gave them the present.   They were a little confused, "What is this...?"  "It's not Christmas yet..."  Jimmy had to tell them, "Just open it!"  As soon as they did we got to say... "We're expecting!!!"  I've never seen Jim smile so big!  It was so wonderful to see such joy in them.  They are very excited for the new addition!!!

Love,
Judi and Jimmy

Telling the Clems

Jimmy and I wanted to make it special when we told our parents of the big news.  We shopped around and found a really cute picture frame for my parents and for his parents.  My parents brought over Chinese one evening and we thought it was the perfect time to share with them.  I handed them the picture frame (all wrapped up as a present!).  Of course, they were suspicious right away... My Dad, "What is this...?"  Tari, "What's going on?"  I had to tell them... "Just open it!"  Once they opened it they knew right away!  My Dad and Tari were ecstatic!

I have to say I have the most amazing parents.  They were completely overjoyed.  My Dad and Tari are already planning a nursery at their house.  They've even shown me all the nursery items on Amazon they have picked out!  It's going to be a barn theme (fitting, right?).  Best of all, they have already committed to watching the baby every Friday night so Jimmy and I can go on a date each week!  And that wasn't even our idea... they are that eager to have a little babe around.  It makes me tear up every time I think of how wonderful they have been and will be.  I just love them so much and their support and joy mean more to us than we could ever ask for!

Love,
Judi and Jimmy