Clara and Everett

Clara and Everett

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

 
Week 19


Week 19 is great. I should be holding a mango but I dropped the ball on the fruit comparison this week. She is around 6.5 inches and 10 oz. Her movements have changed from a tickle feeling to bigger stronger movements. My belly feels pretty solid from my uterus growing in size. We have our 20 week ultrasound on June 5th and I'm always very anxious to see how she is doing. I get nervous about her state and developments and my visits have been putting me at ease so I'm ready to go hear and see her progress. I'm in quite an in between stage in size right now. My maternity clothes are too big and baggy and my regular clothes are too small. I still just look like I'm eating too many donuts and do not really have a pregnant belly shape. I do not have any cravings and still don't eat much more than usual. My acid reflux is my biggest issue these days and I cut myself off after an early dinner at around 5-6 so I can attempt to sleep without issues. I could eat my own arm off in the morning and tend to need the most food from breakfast to lunch. I have allowed myself to eat more sweets than usual, and even keep some "junk food" in the house and probably shouldn't since I'm not necessarily craving it but I've found I have much more self control when I'm pregnant with her in mind and Andre is enjoying some treats as he has a bigger sweet tooth than I! Our favorite dessert is Pillsbury "ready to bake" chocolate chip cookies! I toss 4 into the toaster oven for us and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Yum!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Butterfly Garden


 

 
 

 

 
These are the "before" pictures. We are terrible about remembering to take true before pictures. The side of the house here was just grass. That's really all that was in our backyard when we moved in, the rest was us. I remembered to take some in progress pictures. The bottom one won't let me make it big. I told Andre we have a butterfly garden at work and I love it and want one. In my mind I'm envisioning planting 10 plants somewhere over here and letting them flourish. Andre has much more grand ideas and takes my small ones and blows them up. So we ended up killing all the grass on the side of the house, adding pavers starting at our driveway, planting the butterfly plants, mulch and then some! It was two days of 8am-7pm work Memorial Day weekend just in time for our family gathering for the holiday on Monday. Andre found that we were actually on track which never happens so he adds some to our plate just to keep it interesting. The "extras" will be the plants you see on the side of the house in the final pictures. He walks into Lowes, picks out a handful of random plants, asks me to pick some and then just makes it look so perfect somehow! He has a vision I do not have and makes me love our home even more! I was lucky and got a 5 hour break on Sunday for his cousin, Selene's bridal shower. Andre on the other hand, stayed hard at work to make sure it was done! Thanks love!
 
 
AFTER!
 
 



Sunday, May 19, 2013

18 Weeks

The app says my uterus is about the size of a cantaloupe, baby Feger is about 5.5 inches long and weighs about five ounces. They compared her to a sweet potato, not the best for a picture but it has the word sweet in it and it'll be a nice side dish this week. I'm feeling good still, enjoying it while it lasts, as moms around me remind me how uncomfortable I'll be before I know it. My only issue is acid reflux which was an issue before pregnancy so I'm managing quite well. I still say a big thank you each morning I have energy and no morning sickness, I have not forgotten how rotten that time period was and am very thankful to be over that!

I can feel her "quickening" they call it, or tickling me on a regular basis now. She is more squirmy some days than others which of course makes me nervous when I don't feel anything. I don't let myself think too much into it, she's still quite small. Also, there is enough going on to keep me distracted. We have 12 days of school left however I am doing trainings for a few weeks right when we get out of school. The countdown makes it easier to go to work each day. I'm looping with my kids to fourth grade and am excited to stay with them next year, it's fun to share this experience with them.

Here is Mrs. Feger's class at our field trip to the Thresher's game last Wednesday. It was fun and HOT!  My 14 boys and 4 girls were very good! The girls are THRILLED I'm having a girl since they're so outnumbered, I reminded them she wouldn't be a student in our class. I wish I could bring her along, they'd all take such good care of her! I let them play a guessing game when I announced I was pregnant, all I said was I had an announcement. They all thought it was something about them so I had to narrow their thinking by giving them a clue, it was about me. Their first guess was that I was looping, they've been begging me all year. I knew I was looping with them but I couldn't tell them that yet so that was fun to keep. After many guesses, one of my boys, Jorge, was so polite and said he thinks I could be pregnant. He is very observant and said he noticed my "little" belly he called it, popping out of my dress. He hugs me all day too and said he thought he noticed a difference in how hard I hugged him. Then I let them guess the sex and suggest names, very interesting and some I really like. They are having fun with it and extra excited now that they know I'll be with them again next year!


We had a busy weekend of household chores and our friends Dave and Julie's wedding. Andre and I are also planting a butterfly garden on the side of the house so we got the plants for that project. We have one at my school and it's so beautiful. I love the butterflies they attract and watching the process. With Andre's green thumb he makes all my dreams possible! Pictures to come once we get it established.

 
Sweet potato baby!
 

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day! (17 weeks)

My first Mother's Day as a "kind of mom" was great. I'm still nervous about something going wrong so I walked ever so lightly throughout the day being very thankful for the position I was in. Mother's Day is usually partially sad since Andre and I both miss our moms dearly! We missed them the same but we both had an extra pep in our step and I'm thinking and hoping the distraction of being parents (in this case, almost parents) will forever have a positive twist on Mother's Day.

We went down to my Dad's for the day, I haven't seen him since I found out I was pregnant. Andre and I drove down for the day and relaxed in the pool. Tiger made a nice steak dinner and we headed home.

The food the "what to expect" app compared the little princess to last week at 17 weeks was a turnip. Yikes. Not cute and I wouldn't eat it after so I decided to just hold a pretty flower in honor of Mother's Day instead.

 
We went to register at "Babies R Us" and we've never been so confused. We thought we'd be there for an our or two and ended up needing five. We had to leave to grab something to eat it took so long. There are so many choices and so many things that are new that I don't remember from babysitting. I was most comfortable in the baby section when I was 11 babysitting my niece Kylie than I am now as an almost mom at 30. Thankfully we have many wonderful, helpful resources.
 
Corrie got me a Mother's Day present and gave it to me early at our volleyball game on Thursday. It is the cutest little outfit and Andre and I just stare at it trying to imagine our little one inside it and it it's mind blowing.
 


So cute! So tiny!
 
 

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Showered already!

Aunt Kristin is excited! We have received a handful of exciting packages from her since she found out we were expecting. The picture below shows all the goodies. From teething rings, little outfits/socks, bibs and towels, to coupons and diapers, she is filling the dresser we have yet to get! The newborn diapers are so tiny looking at them makes it become a reality for a moment. Thanks Kristin!

 
Meg, the little girl I tutor on Tuesdays is so excited for me and so sweet. She got these gender neutral animals that are very soft and rattle before we found out girl/boy and they are perfect!
 
 

 
She's already spoiled and she's not even here yet! :)

Monday, May 6, 2013

It's A Girl!

Today was probably one of the neatest days of our lives. It started last night when I couldn't sleep. I felt like it was Christmas, yes, I still get that excited for Christmas. It was also hard to sleep because I was hot since Andre didn't turn the air on before bed as much as usual since it got a little cooler out last night, I managed to marry my father. The good news is when I told him at 3:30 I couldn't sleep he cranked it and rubbed my back.

This morning at work I felt her kicking and/or squirming very clearly for the first time. I had felt flutters before that but this morning was the first experience with strong punches and kicks. It happened all morning. I rushed out of work anxious to find out, unable to get the grin off my face. On my way to pick up Andre from work I found myself in tears. I was wishing I could share these moments with my mom. I smiled big through them knowing she's watching from above.

Our little one decided to nap this afternoon during her performance time. Her little legs were in the way of the important parts so it took a little bit and "another way" and our technician informed us it was a girl and she is 100% sure, so we're trusting her. We were both thrilled and it all seems very real, even more than usual. I thought I would mail something cute to my family but I should have known myself better. Andre and I were both texting and calling as many people as we could so anxious to spread the word. If I haven't called yet, I will!!! We went to grab dinner and went on a quick shopping spree and are both tuckered out.

Some Baby Shots:

You can see her spine great, along with her little hand at the top.

I can't get this one big for some reason. If you click on it I think it should enlarge. She is trying to get her hand in her mouth it appears.

Here is short clip the technician took:

 
I can't get these next two videos to upload so here's what's to come...
 
Here is the video Andre took of the sound of the heartbeat during the ultrasound:

I met with the doctor after and she used a smaller instrument to hear the heartbeat for herself. I thought Andre was taking a picture at first: (TO BE ADDED!!)

Andre and I decided it would be fun to go pick out a gift for our little one now that we know it's a girl. They are so fun to shop for. Andre fell in love with a dress. She won't fit in it until she is two but we only went to Marshals and our 0-3 month outfits were limited. I picked out a mini teddy bear and blanket since those were my two favorite things since the start!





 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

4 Months!!

I can't believe the time has gone this fast! I'm happy about it, happy still to be out of the first trimester. If I can get my acid reflux under control I will feel like a million bucks! I go to the doctor again tomorrow so I'll ask if they can recommend something to help. I had the issue before so now it's just enhanced and a constant pain. I'm feeling great other than that. I'm still sleeping on my belly, I sleep best on my stomach so I'm happy that I'm still comfortable. I have read that the baby grows lots in the next few weeks so I think I can kiss that goodbye soon. I don't have any cravings. I eat pretty normal now that my sniffer isn't out of control and the thought of food doesn't make me want to, well, you know. I used to have to snack more to avoid the nausea but I am back to about three squares a day with a snack or two here and there, at work I need something at 10ish to get me to lunch. I bring a snack for my kids now too since I feel guilty eating in front of those that don't bring their own. I'm not eating any more calories, I can have 300 more but I think I did that before I was pregnant, I like to eat! I miss non-pasteurized cheese the most, just as much as a good sailor j. and diet but of course it's more than worth the time away. Andre has a glass of wine sometimes and drinks when we are hanging in a social scene and I'm a little jealous for a minute but doing just fine without. I think me not drinking has helped his health too and our budget when we dine out!

 
I'm holding an avocado this time, it blends with my favorite plant in our yard, the hibiscus. It says that it is the produce closest to the baby's size now, 5 in. and 3-5 oz. I think I got too large of an orange last week and too small of an avocado this week, it's smaller than the orange from last week and I can assure you my stomach is not smaller. Apparently the little nugget can hear me now, so I'll try and reprimand my students and Andre less and sing my favorite country songs in tune! So cool! I can't wait for it to be big enough to move about so Andre can feel the fun!
 
 
Andre hard at work...

This morning was one of my favorite in a long time. We slept in until 8:30 and enjoyed a nice slow morning. We both worked a long day yesterday, him outside and me inside. I spent time putting the rooms back together (I've been going through closets!) and cleaning the house. It's been a while since the dust rag was used. I went and got an iced coffee and the Sunday paper and we sat outside in the beautiful weather enjoying the paradise of our backyard. Enjoyed breakfast and some paddle ball along with a little lottery winnings. I got us each a $1 scratch of selected by the wonderful Indian cashier at the gas station where I got my paper and I thought I lost. Thankfully Andre scratched his after me and read his directions aloud and I realized while listening to him I won $40! Andre's been trying to get the birds to venture into our yard more but the squirrels seem to enjoy the feeders more. Here is one INSIDE this little blue feeder, I haven't a clue how it shrinks itself enough to fit inside the little hole. I guess they are like Shalimar and just look bigger because of their fur.

 
You can see the one on top of the fence. He climbs down and sits on top and the one inside hands him some seeds. Adorable. I love the nature in our yard. We have many birds, our favorites are the blue birds and cardinals. The little bunnies are irresistible! We had mallards for a while and loved them at first, then they pooped on our deck too much so we had to scare them off!
 
Aunt Barb wanted to see the updates in the backyard so here are a few.
 
 
 



My feet up while Andre maintains! ;) Thanks my love. Oh, and thanks for the bunions Great Aunt Cecil!

A day away from 4 months!


So for those of you that didn't see our house when we bought it imagine nothing in the back yard and a big ugly screen over the pool. A lot has changed, a lot of our sweat and time in this back yard to get it how we want it. We both have many more ideas to add! I'm really bad about taking before pictures. I know I have some so I'll try and dig back and find some.



 
 
 
 
 
15 Weeks

Here is week 15. I'm feeling much better, my energy levels are back for the most part and afternoon naps are less necessary however still nice. I'm milking it as long as I can since Andre lets me, I am sure it won't last forever so I'll take it while it does. I think I'm feeling the little one inside from time to time, when I lay down most. I love it, it gets me excited and makes it all feel real. Clothes are getting snug. I have about three pair of jeans I can fit into and a few pair of pants for work. I'm glad it's warm and time for dresses, they are much more comfortable. My app "What to Expect" indicates s/he is about 4.5 inches and about the size of an orange.



Saturday, May 4, 2013

Finished Guest Room

The bulk of the guest room is now complete. We have accessories/decorations we'll be adding eventually when we find what we like for rugs, lamps and decorations. We've been searching around and when you look hard knowing what you actually want you can never find it.

We slept in the room as you can see Shalimar is still enjoying the new space. I'm reminded why we have a king bed. Andre's 6'3'' legs and knees aren't cozy in my back and sides. Even sleeping pencil style on the edge he finds a way to take up as much space as I allow and then some. Shalimar manages to find space somehow. We'll stick to our bedroom in our king! The house is ready for visitors again!!!

 
 
 
 
 
Our "office" is all set up with printer and laptop ready. There is a small comfortable bench below the bottom shelf to sit on that also stores our office supplies. 
 


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Volleyball

Andre, Steven, Darren and I started another volleyball season. Darren is jumping the gun with his healing Achilles tendon and I wasn't sure playing pregnant and not feeling 100% was a great idea but we've been doing pretty good considering. We won our first game and lost in the third by two points last game. Tiffany came with the boys and took video to prove the old men and the pregnant lady were really doing it! ;) Here is proof! Thanks Tiffy! I got pictures, let's see if I can pull off a video! The best part is hearing Tyler in the background saying, "Da-da!"