Say Cheese!

Ok... there was no way I could wait until next week's post to put up the pictures.  Take a look below for a peek at our favorites!

7 down 33 to go...

We are now entering lucky week #7!  What is lucky about it has yet to be determined, but I am being optimistic that this week will be fantastic as last week had a few bumps.  Fatigue and nausea are setting in which made for a really fun mix at work and at home.  I don't know who I feel worse for, my boss or husband!

This week did have a lot of highs though.  First up, the gifts!  This baby is already loved and you can tell by the overwhelming generosity that our family is showering on Baby O in the form of gifts.  Each gift this week was super special and I love that I can share them here with you all if not the world just quite yet.  Baby O got a special delivery from Aunt Megan this week.  

The onesie declares I love my doula.  For those of you who don't know, a doula is a labor coach.  Megan, as a healthcare professional, has graciously volunteered to be my doula and answer all crazy questions and research the quality of the hospital we have chosen.  I don't know if she realizes what she has signed up for.  HA!

Second was Baby O's first book.  Of course it came from my mom the librarian, but the selection was my favorite thing.  My mom has always been a Kevin fan, but now that he has started the grandchild train rolling she may just like him even more.  She was worried that all the gifts were for the baby or myself and was worried that Kevin was left out... hence his new reading material.  He is practicing for reading to Baby O already.

Last was a gift from Aunt Sarah who is already preparing for our family vacation next year by getting Baby O his/her first beach towel.  We tried to get Bella to model it but she was less than interested.  I am sure Baby O will be a much cuter dolphin, but don't tell Bella.

Aside from the special gifts, we got the opportunity to spend some time with some special people as well.  Sarah and Travis made a big dinner for Kevin and I, my Mom and Dad and even Grandma stopped by.  It is nice that even though we don't live in Springfield it is only a short drive to a free dinner.  :)  Dinner turned into a sleepover as we prepped for our first open house at 1427 W. Lindberg - big thanks to Travis and Sarah White for putting us up.  The house is officially on the market and we have our fingers crossed that we can get it sold in the next couple of months.  If anyone is interested in a great 3 bed 2 bath home, let me know!

Finally, we had a friend take some photos over the weekend to announce Baby O to the world after we enter the "safe zone."  Hopefully we will have some to share next week because what he showed me today was awesome! Onto the FAQ's.

Are you feeling sick?:  It is not too bad, but it is setting in.

Are you sleeping?: Nope.  Apparently Baby O is going to be an insomniac because the good lord is already preparing me to survive sans sleep.

What was the best moment this week?:  As silly as it sounds, symptoms setting in makes this all seem a bit more real, so that was almost kind of nice.

Do you miss anything?: I missed sushi this week.  I would have about smacked someone for a Sams roll from Sushi House this week... that almost happened.

Any cravings yet?:  Apparently sushi - see above.

Do you want to know if Baby O is a boy or a girl?:  Yes.  Kevin and I actually talked today about announcing a full name when we announce sex so that we can stop saying Baby O. 

Any other symptoms?:  Tired has taken on a whole new meaning this week.  Also, my nausea is not as easily curbed with small meals, but I am hoping that does not get worse.

Mood lately?:  A little up and down this week, but we will blame it on workload, not Baby O.  :)

What are you looking forward to?:  Looking forward to finding out if Baby O is a he or a she so that we can start doing some shopping.

Have a great week everyone!

And It Begins!

As we enter week 6 of this pregnancy I can't decide if it is a good or bad thing to have found out we were expecting so early. While it was nice to have confirmation so that I could be sure to cut out all the fun I meant bad things like coffee and beer... I miss beer more than coffee but I was sure that would be the other way around... I am hating the waiting until we get to go back to the doctor in another five weeks. A part of me feels crazy for even telling anyone yet because there is still so much time until we are in the so called "safe zone."  The other part of me knows I would never have made it to WK 12 without telling our family and closest friends and is surprised quite honestly that I haven't shouted it to the whole world yet.  Either way, our inner circle is informed now including the Ools who judging by the screaming through the receiver were more than a little excited to learn that they will be grandparents!

Now that everyone knows, let the cute baby item collecting  begin!  We will of course have some time until we learn if it is a boy or a girl - although Aunt Sarah and the Chinese gender predictor have both already declared Baby O female - but the clothes collecting has begun.  I mentioned last week getting the rookie onesie from Busch Stadium, and now, upon Travis and Sarah's return from their honeymoon at Disneyworld we have a great Winnie The Pooh outfit featuring Tigger, complete with Tigger booties.  Both excellent choices.  While the women in the family collect clothes, the men prepare in their own ways.  My dad has declared this beard his last in an effort to keep from scratching baby O when they snuggle, and Kevin has started doing chores around the house without being asked... this is a big deal.  Let's hope that lasts post delivery!

In other news, I have decided to address some of the commonly asked questions weekly as we go through this journey.  I will update as we go and things become relevant as I don't think we need to address whether I am wearing maternity clothes or seeing stretch marks quite yet. :)

Are you feeling sick?:  Not yet.  Everything I have seen says this should start setting in now so I am keeping my fingers crossed!

Are you sleeping?: Not through the night.  For some reason even before a baby is sleeping on your bladder the urge to go has already set in.

What was the best moment this week?:  Getting to hear the Ool's reaction to the big news was pretty great.

Do you miss anything?: I miss being able to eat without worrying if there is anything in my meal that may be bad for Baby O... you think if you cut out coffee and sushi you are good, but the list goes on and on!

Any cravings yet?:  No more than usual... I have always liked to eat.

Do you want to know if Baby O is a boy or a girl?:  Yes.  Anyone who knows me knows that I will need to know the gender so that I can make a master plan. 

Any other symptoms?:  Lots of cramping and strange stomach pains.  Luckily the nurse explained all of these at the doctor last week so I have not let my worry get the best of me yet.  Other than that, a little nausea if I don't eat regularly.

Mood lately?:  Pretty normal, but I have never been a crier and for some reason almost anything can make me tear up a little. 

What are you looking forward to?:  Right now just counting down to WK 11 so we can hear the heartbeat and officially announce our sweet Baby O's arrival to the world.

A Big Week & A Big Reveal

Week 5 of this pregnancy came with many milestones and memories.  Not only did I get to visit the Doctor's office this week, but I got to be a part of my baby brother's big day!  First thing's first... the wedding.   Due to a late drop, Kevin was added to the wedding party, which I greatly appreciated because it made for some great matching photos. :)  The whole day was beautiful as was the bride.  The whole family was there and the party could not have been  better.  Good food, good drinks - so I was told... I am officially off the bottle as you can imagine - and good music made this evening unforgettable.  Congrats Travis and Sarah!

Now onto the other exciting event this week, the doctor!  After a long talk about what Baby O is going to cost us, I got to visit with nurse Gene.  She was awesome and informative and made me feel like my crazy questions about lunch meat and Cesar dressing are not so crazy. Blood was drawn and tests were run and they determined that I am fairly boring.  Of course boring in the baby making world is a good thing and I won't need any more attention until week 11.  It is a long time to wait, but there will be a reward. Our next visit to Parkhill Women's Clinic will also mark the first time we get to hear Baby O's heartbeat.  I can hardly believe that in 6 short weeks we will have solid evidence that Kevin and I are about to upgrade to a party of three. 

 As if the wedding and visit to see the doctor was not enough, we did get an opportunity to tell my side of the family about our exciting news.  They were of course surprised, excited and a bit teary eyed - yes you mom.  And, since we went to the Cardinal's game, we were able to procure Baby O's first official gift, a baby sized Rookie t-shirt  with the birds on the bat!   Next up, the Ools.  Kevin thought Father's Day would be the perfect opportunity to share the news so their special gift is officially on it's way that will more than likely catch them completely off guard.   I can't wait to hear their reaction and start the countdown to WK 11.  

Four Weeks... And Four Tests Later

While Kevin was confident after the first test... I was still suspect.  Four tests (and three brands - I had to be sure) later, I would say I am a bit more confident.  While still very cautions, we are only 4 weeks pregnant, I am excited that I was able to get an appointment with Dr. Bailey next week.  This man, who I have not met, but will be the first to meet Baby O, comes highly recommended.  I will go next week to get blood tests done and they will make sure everything is progressing nicely.  Hopefully this will make me feel a little more at ease.

Now that the news has sunk in, it is time to plan how to tell the world.  Up first, our parents.  They don't know it yet, but they are about to get the best Father's Day gifts ever!  I have already purchased frames that have Grandpa engraved on the front and can't wait for our Dad's to unwrap them and realize that next Father's day there will be one more person to celebrate them.  After that we will let our siblings know then we will take it easy until we get closer to the magic 12 week mark.

Not much to report, no real symptoms yet.  I keep telling Kevin it feels like a circus in my stomach as my body preps to become home to Baby O.  Other than that, I have not lost any energy yet and no nauseousness to report... I won't mind if that stays the case throughout!  Right now my biggest concern is how our current baby, Bella, is going to handle a tiny invader.  She has gotten used to having all of the attention and she is going to be a real pain once that fades a bit.

That's all for now.  Can't wait to tell you all the big news so you can start reading through these posts!

Seriously?

Seriously?  That is what Kevin said to me when I burst into the bedroom with the test that had the two telling pink lines.  Of course that was followed by the biggest grin I have ever seen and a long hug as we both let it sink in.  I don't know what we expected to happen... we had been "trying" and if the test had read negative I would have been disappointed, so why the sudden panic?  It felt like we just got a major promotion.  Sure there are perks, but could we handle it?  We are about to find out!

It will still be weeks, months even until we tell everyone about our big news and our awesome new addition - yes, Kevin is confident that Baby O is going to be awesome, even though we just found out.  Knowing that we wanted to get past the first couple of months before we made the announcement, I figured we could file it all here so that everyone, ok mostly Lynn, get's  to stay in the loop.  :)I want to start posting on this blog weekly in an effort to keep friends and family who can't be near us informed of what is going on so they can share in this special experience... That and I have always been a little judgmental of those who deem it appropriate to put pictures of their ultrasounds or pregnancy tests on their facebook pages so I figured that I would put it all down here so that those who wanted to see can, and those who just happen to be scrolling down their facebook walls will be spared.

Finally, let me thank in advance any of our friends and family who may take a minute to stop by our blog.  I am sure that your love and support will become more important than ever.  This baby is going to be blessed with two parents who are sure to be crazy about him/her because we are lucky enough to be crazy about each other.  When we throw all of your guys' love into the mix, this kid is going to be set!