"20 Week" Doc Appt: The Big One!

I can tell you right away that you aren't going to find out the sex of our baby in this blog post. So if that's what you're here for you mind as well stop reading! We're not telling until Christmas!

We had our 20 week appointment yesterday and before I forget everything I wanted to write it down. The appointment went great, we got to see our little munchkin again, for Chris it was the first time since Baby was a smudge on the screen, so that was pretty cool to see Baby's development. We got to see all the details, bones, heart, brain, spine, hands, feet and of course the money shot! Funny story about that to come! Baby was moving and grooving in there and the nurse was surprised that I haven't really felt any movement yet besides a couple flutters. Then she noticed my placenta is sitting on the front half of my stomach and more than likely acting as extra padding (like I don't have enough) for baby's kicks. She's interested to hear how often I feel the baby once they get stronger because Baby was not sitting still at all. Our little peanut did give me one good swift kick that took Chris a little by surprise, but again, I didn't feel it.

Any who, Baby is doing well and healthy. Our little peanut weighs 10oz and has a heart rate of 154bpm.

Here are some pictures from today, the 3d one is actually much better than it's showing here, the scan didn't turn out the greatest.

Yummy Fingers!

I wish this picture turned out better, you can see Baby's cute little button of a nose!

19 Weeks +

Two days until we find out what we're having!! We are beyond excited! I can tell you who is not too excited, the family, because we are keeping it a secret until Christmas so we can hide little ornaments on their Christmas tree's and have them search for the answer. A week and 3 days of keeping the secret, we can do this :) I still continue to think we've got a sweet boy on board, but I also think all the daddy's girl-"sayers" are getting to me. Every time I've talked about the baby this past week I've caught myself saying "she".

Everything else has been good. My cough only becomes an issue now right after I eat and usually goes away pretty quickly, so I think the medication is helping out. As annoying as it is, I can live with this if it sticks around for the long haul. Sleeping at night has increasingly become more uncomfortable. My back has been hurting when I sleep on my side so I spend the night flipping from one side to another. I also keep finding myself waking up on my back which can cause the blood flow to the baby to be cut off. It's mostly only an issue when you're bigger like 28 weeks and on, but it's never too early to start. If using a pillow under my one side doesn't help I may have to try some wedges.  More stuff in bed at night...great!

People are also starting to comment more on my belly as it gets bigger. No major belly grabbers yet except for our mom's.  I had an evening event for work the other day at our local wine bar.  I wasn't wearing an outfit that really showed off my bump but the hot chocolate and water gave me away. A lot of my clients were finding out for the first time. That's super weird, not only having your work know but now all the clients you visit as well.  But on the list of weird things pregnancy brings, that's pretty low.

19 Weeks on the dot, almost halfway!

Good News... Nothing Serious...

Good News... I'm not dying!

After calling the dog's vet this morning to have her "cough" checked out via phone call they thought maybe she had Kennel Cough.  I started freaking out a bit as Kennel Cough can be passed to humans with weakened immune systems (i.e. pregnant women). My co-workers were making fun of me and saying I should only start worrying when my tail starts wagging and I'm drinking from a bowl! Funnies ladies my co-workers. As it turns out Lola's cough is just allergies and is nothing to worry about.

I then proceeded to my doctor to see about my cough that I've had for about three weeks now. I first thought it was the start of a cold, but the cold never came. Then I thought maybe it was a sore throat, but again no sore throat ever came. Then I thought the dog gave me Kennel Cough and I was dying! I'm not dying, that's the good news.

The not so great news, but not bad news, was that the doctors really couldn't figure out what is wrong with me. I don't have a fever, my blood pressure, oxygen levels, and heart rate are all fine. No unusual sounds in my lungs, no heart irregularities, everything else is great.  They did not want to do any chest x-rays just yet because there are no signs that would warrant the risk of getting x-rays with our baby on board. They think I may have Silent Acid Reflux, basically heartburn, but without the heartburn. Instead the acid comes up, doesn't burn but still leaves me congested, which causes the cough.  So I've been advised to go easy on acidic foods and they prescribed me some baby safe acid reflux medication to try out for the next month. If things persist in the next two weeks they'll do chest x-rays and other lab work to find out what's wrong.


It's all good though, baby is safe and growing well!

18 Weeks +

Things are moving and grooving around this house. I think I'm feeling our little one just a little bit. It's still hard to tell, but I'm becoming more aware. "We" meaning Chris is in the process of switching the office to the opposite room so the old office can be the nursery. We've got nothing to put in it, but it's progress :)

As for me, I've had a cough for the past week and it's increasingly getting more annoying. I don't have normal cold symptoms and from anything I've read it actually might be a different form of heart burn. I plan on giving the doctor a call because I don't sleep very well to begin with...and then you toss in a couple coughing fits and it's all over! Otherwise...everything is great :)

New Christmas fabric for December! Happy Holidays!

Bam! Beautiful!

I am a victim of home decor catalogs. Love them! Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, Restoration Hardware, West Elm....the list goes on and on. These catalogs are especially fun at the holiday time, they also have especially expensive stuff inside! I've come to realize every now and then, if it's exactly the right piece and I can't find a replacement anywhere cheaper I can spring for a piece right from the catalog. Other times, this time is an example, this are so ridiculously it blows my mind!

Case in point....
I can across this idea for a fireplace mantel display in Ballard Designs, love it!

We use to leave the existing painting up there all year round because when it was put with Christmas decor it still looked Christmas. This past year we found a new painting and no matter what we do nothing about it is ever going to say Christmas. So these mirrors were the perfect idea! I thought to myself, maybe I can swing this one....the price....$229...FOR TWO. See that's where they get you..."oh look at this wonderful display, you need three mirrors, and we sell them in sets of two!" I can hear their evil laughs~!

Right then and there I set my sights on finding them cheaper or making my own! Here was Ballard Designs description of the finish....

"... light verdigris finish achieved by hand applying layers of paint in a meticulous eight-step process...."

Really!?! A meticulous eight-step process!? Well guess what Ballard Designs...I did it in three!

No need to adjust your screens or call your eye doctor, you're seeing this correctly! Almost the exact same mirrors at Target for $25/each.

It was all pretty simple from there. Pick out the colors of paint that would match our decor better. Cover the mirror part with paper bags and away we go on my not-so-meticulous three-step process!

I forgot to mention I had a trial run before starting. (From Left to Right: Too much paint, Not Enough Crackle, Epic Fail!)

Step 1
Spray Paint Entire Frame with Base Color

Step 2
Paint Acrylic Top Color on Outside Frame Only

Step 3
Apply Crackle Finish for a Weathered Look

Bam! Beautiful! 

After all was said and done... between the purchase of the mirrors, paint (already had paint brushes), wreath and garland/ribbon...I saved just under $300 by doing it myself and by no means did I need to have any talent to do this. Talk about paying for convenience! Don't do it people!

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

The Good:
I have been so lucky as to have an easy peezy lemon squeezy pregnancy so far.

The Bad:
I haven't felt our little munchkin kick yet and I'm dying too! I've had moments where I've thought maybe that was it, but since I have nothing to compare it to I can't be sure. I've also had some more wicked dreams consisting of futuristic hospitals that morph into mental facilities that I must escape from, and I did...via hot air balloon from a race car track! I know what your all thinking and go ahead, laugh it up! Also during that dream I did not get a glimpse of my baby, just two other friends having babies. I shared with Autumn the other day she had a boy and was skipping around the hospital holding the naked boy up like Simba from the Lion King. Now that I think of it, that doesn't seem too out of place for a mental facility, looks like I'll have company there! Also joining me will be our friend Amber who has a handsome boy and lovely little girl already and in the dream she had another little girl. She was rather calm about it though, must have only been visiting Autumn and I in the nut house!

So my dreams continue to be about multiple babies. The latest was my sister-in-law Jacki giving birth once a week for three weeks straight! The first was their little Ella, the second was also a girl with bright blonde hair, and the third was yet another girl with strawberry blonde hair that was long and faded into bright blonde hair with brown tips on the end. Yup....not weird at all! I had to text her and apologize for mentally putting her through labor for three weeks straight!

Lastly,

The Ugly:
Quite literally! If this acne doesn't let up soon I'm going to lose it! Not a big fan! Another thing that can go away any time now, the crazy mad itching! Seriously, I lotion/oil every day! I'm looking like a fool with my hands constantly scratching god knows what! 

Day 30: That's All Folks

Well this month had a lot of ups and downs. Thank you to all for reading along! I'm grateful for all our readers, however large or small that following is!