May 19, 2009 - 16 Week Update

What a week of surprises!! The greatest part of week 16 has been the super exciting news that Aunt Heather and Uncle Jason are now ENGAGED!!!!! WAHOOOO!!! We are all so thrilled! It really will be the world's busiest, yet most amazing year for our family! So much shopping to do!! I think that "Sweet Pea" has felt the excitement in the air recently and has taken to gymnastics as a hobby. I have felt more movement this past week than ever before!! Sometimes it feels like little flutters, while other times the movement feels more like little jabs here and there. So maybe gymnastics just isn't enough to keep the little one occupied so he/she took up karate on the side also! He/she does have nearly 160 more days to float around, I guess I can see how boredom could set in! This weekend was the second time the baby "bump" has made an appearance on the beach. Only this time, the "bump" was truly out in full force. I felt the baby like crazy as I sat in the sun! The bright light triggered lots of wiggles!! This week my lemon cravings have hit full force. Lemon flavored everything has been really spectacular! I have especially loved just actual lemons! Weird....I know. Pink lemonade has also been a big hit. I have found that nearly every time I have a pink lemonade drink I feel little bubble like sensations that (from what I've read in our vast library of baby books) seem to be the baby hiccuping. It's so very amazing. Garrett, God bless him, has been out late at night to get me a coconut slushy and this past weekend, covered most of the state of South Carolina in search of maternity shorts! There's a special place in Heaven for all fathers! Hopefully the special place in Heaven for moms also has all you can drink lemonade and pickles.

Congratulations Heather and Jason! We Love You! xox

Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender. The baby is about the size of an avocado this week!

May 12, 2009 - 15 Week Update

It's official, the weeks are beginning to roll on by! In the beginning, our trip down pregnancy lane seemed to be at a tip toe pace. I'd look for any signs of a belly in the mirror everyday even though I actually lost some weight at first, fight off horrible food aversions, (meat, meat, any kind of meat mostly!) and any signs of a baby just seemed to me a million years away. Now...the belly most certainly growing...although I tend to push the little belly that I have way out so everyone can see it :-), the baby is fluttering, (insert an excited giggle here) my appetite has come back to town along with it a whole 4 pounds that I am super proud of, and with all of the baby catalogues coming in the mail - it's a daily itch to start painting, shopping, planning, shopping, decorating, shopping. If only we knew WHO was hanging out in there! The good news is, we only have about four more weeks to go until our next ultrasound! This past week we have been reading baby name books...beginning to end to help discover the "perfect" name. I never dreamed it would be so difficult! Hopefully our indecisiveness will subside before the baby is here! I have a feeling that a baby named, "Sweet Pea" would not survive the playground or become the next President of the United States...yep....with that thought...back to the books!!


P.S. Hellooooo frozen lemonade!

























Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now out measure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements. The baby is the size of an orange this week!

May 5, 2009 - 14 Week Update

Happy Cinco De Mayo To Us! This past week has been one of the greatest weeks so far! On May 5th we had a routine doctor's appointment and although we were disappointed that we didn't have an ultrasound we had something much more exciting happen! Our doctor used the little Doppler machine to find the baby's heartbeat for us and just when she pushed down on the lower left side of my belly to hear the heartbeat more clearly (155 beats per minute strong!), a big "thump" jabbed me on the right side of my belly! I was sooo scared because I didn't have any idea what the in the world happened that I jumped up on the table and the machine went flying. In the meantime, Garrett was as white as a ghost in the chair beside me because he saw my belly jump! lol I said, "what in the world was that?" and the doctor laughed as she said, "that was your baby getting upset with me pushing him or her around!". My jaw hit the floor. I didn't think I'd be feeling anything for several more weeks so I certainly wasn't expecting a karate kick from the inside! We were so excited that we could barely stand it! Our doctor warned us that I probably wouldn't be feeling kicks like that again for a little while longer. She thought the only reason I felt it so strongly was because she was pushing down so hard on my belly. It was the most incredible feeling ever and I just can't wait until it happens again. Since then, I've felt little things here and there but from what I've read it just might be the baby having the hiccups! I LOVE IT! :-) We'll always remember Cinco De Mayo '09 when our little Mexican jumping bean made himself/herself known!

I had no idea how many followers we had for our little blog until this past week! I know that Uncle Jason's family has just recently started to read and we're so excited to share! It's so exciting to know that so many people are following our special story! I'm glad so many of you thought he pickle picture was cute. I'll have to keep posting pictures of the current cravings of each week. So far...still pickles! lol This past weekend Garrett took me to my first Nascar race in Darlington, SC. I thought for sure the loud roaring engines of the race cars would surely provoke Sweet Pea to do some moving around for us! As it turns out, I think the baby is so used to spending every day all day in a busy preschool room that not even a Nascar race phases him/her. Oh well. We had a great time! Even though I absolutely loved my ultra hick experience, I don't think we'll be using the names, Jr., Dale, Gordon, or Ricky Bobby as name choices for those of you who are curious! :-)

The picture for week 14 was taken on my very first Mother-to-Be Mother's Day! It was such a very special day for both of us. As always, Garrett made a special day even more special. He surprised me with a beautiful engraved jewelry box and bracelet. The front of the heart on the bracelet says, "Sweet Pea" and the back side of the heart is engraved, "Mommy's first Mother's Day 5-10-09". Of course I cried, are you kidding!? They are two gifts that I'll treasure forever. I also had a bunch of special cards from very special ladies come in the mail along with some very special surprises! We are so blessed!

Yes, the belly is still growing, slowly but surely! God bless elastic! My Victoria Secret swimsuit catalogue came in this past week and I just had to laugh. I think I'll be passing on that this summer! I tossed it in the trash along with my empty candy wrappers and an empty pickle jar! :-) Stay tuned for next week's adventure!

Thanks for all of your love!

Love,

Dee and Sweet Pea

xox

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth. The baby is about the size of a lemon this week!

April 28, 2009 - 13 Week Update

Goodbye skinny jeans and hellooo elastic! God bless maternity pants! I have finally broke down and started to wear the super cute maternity capris that I have found. They are still a little big but I have been folding them down to make them work for now! They have made such a difference for my little bump! I could go on forever about them...lucky for you I'll stop here! :-) This week started the intense growing pains in both my belly and lower back. Other than that I've really started to feel so very wonderful! Even a little less exhausted! Wahoo! The baby is now able to hear/feel my voice so I've been making a very special point to talk to the baby even more now! Garrett can't wait until he/she can hear his voice too! We have a little bit longer to go before that happens. Until then, Garrett talks to the baby anyways and we just pretend! :-) I always thought that craving pickles was a pregnancy cliche and that it wasn't necessarily true....oh cont rare! Even from the very beginning sour things have always settled my stomach. Now that I'm feeling great and starting to be more hungry, pickles just taste sooooo super amazing. Especially the "bread and butter" kind. If you were to open my fridge right now you'd realize just how serious I am! :-) Exhibit A....

Told you! Like maternity pants, I could type about pickles for an eternity so moving right along....

We have about 7 more weeks before we are able to find out just who my little sidekick is! We're so excited that we can barely stand it! It truly is amazing how life as we know it has already changed. Each day we pray that this child will not only know how much we have loved him/her before we had ever seen their face. We love reading the guesses! We were surprised to see how many of you think that there is a girl on the way! For future guessers...I would appreciate any weight guess of 7lbs or less....if you truly love me, you'll understand! :-)

Lots of Love,

Dee and Sweet Pea

xox

Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.) The baby is about the size of a peach this week!