1st Belly Shot - Almost 16 Weeks

I present to you the first shots of the growing bump:



Keep in mind that this is after consuming melt-in-your-mouth lasagna from Penne Pomodoro, so there's likely an added layer of food / gas that's embedded in the pooch. I'm officially 16 weeks today, and these were taken on Friday night (yes, dinner then belly shots at home - watch out for us wild party animals!!!!) I guess at some point in the near future I really am going to have to start thinking about getting some maternity clothes...

I'm gettin' phat

Phat with a p-h that stands for pregnant homegirl. Whew my pants are gettin' tight. Only certain pairs though. Some I can still wear regularly, mostly my hipsters. Otherwise, I've resorted to the rubber band method (around the button and through the loop) or the belly band. Which by the way - I was totally jazzed about the belly band, but if I wear it folded down the way the packaging displays in the "hold my unbuttoned pants up stage," then it gets rather uncomfortable. Instead I choose to wear it in one layer all the way up to my boobs. I mean - just in case you're wondering...

I'm almost 15 weeks and haven't told work yet. I plan to on Monday, November 30 after my 16 weeks appt, although if these people are as smart as they say they are then they HAVE to know that I have a bun in the oven. We had a Thanksgiving spread last week, and after I went through the line there was not a single place left on my plate. Really - I piled that thing sky high and ate every bit of it, plus dessert complimented by an additional afternoon graze around 3:00. And I haven't been very sleuthful about researching cribs, strollers, etc. on the internet. It's difficult to minimize the screen quickly when someone approaches behind while I'm mesmerized by the 10 bajillion options for baby gear that exist. Am not looking forward to registering...

I have made some progress though. While we will likely be finding out boy or girl, my practical nature overrides any desire I have to create a gender themed room. We will be selecting neutral bedding, decor, etc. that can be re-used for baby #2 when the time comes. I have it narrowed down to these 2:

If it's a boy -

If it's a girl -
You're thinking - well why have boy or girl choices if you're going for gender neutral? BECAUSE...right now future baby room is painted navy blue and I think that animal theme goes better with blue. Yes, we could re-paint, but that's way too much trouble if it's not a girl. Either set can be spiced up with pink or blue accents, which is my ultimate plan in the long run.

This weekend we plan to look for furniture. I'm finding it quite difficult to locate what I'm looking for online, so maybe an in-person run through at several local shops will reveal the magic set. We'll seeeeeeeeee...

I hate ATT

Today I am in a crabby mood, at this moment specifically, likely resulting from the fact that the internet on my computer is not working and I just spent the last 45 minutes on the phone with ATT so they could basically do NOTHING to fix the problem. Do you know how much I hate ATT and how long I have hated them for?? This goes back to the days of trying to change my cell phone number to Dallas digits a couple years ago. It ended 2 hours later with me in tears, yelling at the support lady that their service is ridiculous and a waste of my time and CANCEL MY CONTRACT!!! She did, only for me to be added to K's ATT contract as an additional line.

This whole thing is my fault really. K was out of town one week and my bro was in town. He had a friend from college over, and I was fixing my signature dinner: king ranch chicken, queso, and brownies. In the midst of cooking it all, the doorbell rang and it happened to be 2 young ladies selling ATT U-Verse. I have tried many a time to recall what exactly was going through my mind when I spontaneously said yes and spent an hour with the front door open filling out paperwork, etc. I DO know that it started with me asking for a quote only, and then went downhill from there.

Since we've gotten it, we've been nothing but completely, utterly, 100% unhappy with the service. Tech support has disclosed to us that our neighborhood did not have the capacity to handle such technology at the time, only they failed to disclose that information to us until after they spent 8 STINKIN' HOURS installing the cables, etc.

Yet we have stuck with the service (WHY????) and now my dang internet is broken. This post is a complete waste, and I fully acknowledge that, but I'm pregnant and in a bad mood today and it's my blog and I can write about whatever I want to write about. I know you don't believe me, but ask K - I have been so pleasant, not moody, and very easy to deal with throughout the past 3 months. Really!! It's just today - I think because I want sushi and can't have it, and I'm also sulking about the fact that I need to eat more vegetables but don't want to. As a form of rebellion I had a pizza pocket for dinner and will have cake and ice cream for dessert. TAKE THAT vegetables and ATT!!!!

Ha - I'm a mess. Perhaps tonight I should do the prenatal yoga DVD that I checked out from the library approximately 6 weeks ago and have been renewing ever since, thinking I'll get around to doing it one of these days. Surely some good breathing techniques and stretching will bring relaxation...

...Okay maybe - but only if I'm not too full from the aforementioned cake and ice cream...

Mini Baby Moon

K and I decided to take a spontaneous mini baby moon this weekend to Fredericksburg, TX. I have to say that not being able to travel is one of the things that I'm most worried about post baby. I know it will still be possible, but much more difficult. We have made a conscious effort during the past 2 years of our marriage to travel as much as possible, which has been absolutely amazing, yet I'm still not quite ready to throw in the towel on our worldly expeditions...

So on Saturday afternoon we booked a last minute trip to TX Hill Country and stayed in a charming B&B right off Main Street called Chardonnay Hideaway. It was absolutely perfect with a small kitchenette, great bathroom, and shabby chic decor:




We did a lot of exploring up and down Main Street, stopping in at shops and bakeries along the way. One day we went to Enchanted Rock. It was so wonderful just being outside. I will say that it is much more difficult to breathe when walking up a steep incline with a baby inside you. We had to take a few more breaks than normal, but I still made it to the top, down and around the park on a 2.5 mile or so hike.


My favorite part was sitting at the very top. The views were spectacular and the changing leaves added so much beauty. With nothing but the breeze blowing, it was such a silent, peaceful, and restful moment...




We were also lucky enough to catch my aunt and uncle for a Mexican dinner. I hadn't seen either of them in years, and they were available on a whim to meet with us. It made me think of family gatherings at my Grandma's house reminiscing about stories in the past...


We have 1 more day left to recharge given tomorrow is Veterans Day. Oh how I love working at a bank...

Babies, babies, babies!!!!

So I haven't posted in quite some time, mostly because our lives have recently been spent relishing in a new piece of news that we've kept a secret up until this point. The time to share this news has finally arrived - we're expecting!!!!!!!

We found out the morning of September 11. I took a pregnancy test a week prior because we went to Houston for Labor Day. I knew that mom would want to have margs and play photo hunt, and I knew that we were going to the Astros game and would likely have a couple beers, so if it came back positive obviously would’ve refrained from partaking in alcoholic beverages. Well the test came back negative. On Saturday I started having cramps, coupled with a feeling of oh my gosh I think I’m going to throw up. But it was very slight, not severe, and fleeting so I shrugged it off. Everything I’ve read as it relates to early pregnancy symptoms (cravings, sore boobs, moodiness, etc.), I hadn’t felt any of that. I guess my hCG wasn’t high enough to pick up on test #1 (e.p.t.), because the morning of 9/11 it took all of about 2 seconds for a blue plus sign to pop up onto the plastic indicator.

I have to say, it was a pretty anti-climactic moment. Not that we weren't excited, but for those that know me know that I am so not a morning person. Plus, I think we both just oddly knew that the test was going to come back positive. The night before we were watching TV and K looked at me during a commercial break and said, "I think you're pregnant." I said, "Yeah, me too." That morning we shared a "Yay we're pregnant" hug and then went to work like any other normal day....

Since then I've had 2 doctors appointments - the first at 8 weeks where we got our first sonogram, and then 2nd at 12 weeks when we heard the heartbeat. Both were miraculous. I'm certain at this point that the baby has grown a little bit, but for now my only frame of reference is our initial picture, which live on screen admittedly looked like a flashing peanut:


I'm right at 13 weeks today, and my due date is May 18. I have had NO morning sickness (knock on wood - am likely jinxing myself for an unbearable 9th month), no food aversions, and no moodiness (much to Kevin's surprise yet pleasure). I've been much more tired and my lower back hurts if I walk long distances, but otherwise I can't complain.

Everyone has been really supportive, both friends and family. I know that being a Mom is going to be hard, and having a baby will greatly change our lives, yet it's something that we're both excited about and in much anticipation of. In the meantime I pray for a healthy baby, for a son or daughter who will know the Lord and be called by Him, and for a teachable heart when it comes to parenting that I might follow God’s guidance and direction as a Mom.