Changes

You may (or may not) have noticed that the ticker jumped a few days. When we went to the doctor yesterday, we found out that my due date changed and they never told us. It's now June 6. I'm guessing they changed it after the NT screening in December, but just never mentioned it to us. Anyway, things are moving along well, but I still need to gain more weight. Bring on the pasta, bread, potatoes, etc. Maybe that will help!

Fun purchases

Here's the stuff we bought at the Just Between Friends consignment sale last night.

Retail value: $45

We paid: $15

These were just too cute!!

Total paid: $3.50

Retail value: $100

We paid: $30

Retail value: $15
We paid: $7

The Exersaucer could use a good cleaning, but overall, everything is in really good shape!

Newest picture!

See below for the newest picture of our little one. I've labeled them to make them easier to understand.

Our little alien!

Jeans

I really didn't realize how much I would miss my jeans until I put on a pair this morning. You see, this is the first time since January 1 that I've been able to wear jeans! The pair I bought at Old Navy still doesn't fit me (if they don't fit by the end of February, I'm taking them back...why hold on to something that still doesn't fit?). The pairs that Cara lent me are really a little short, but at least they almost fit me in the waist. (They have belt loops so at least I can make them fit!)


Six weeks without jeans? Never again!

50,000

My car turned 50 today! On the way to work (in the 30-minute-delay backup), my car "turned over" 50,000 miles. All in less than two and a half years. Wow!

Cara and I picked out the fabric for the bedding today! She and her mom make baby stuff and offered to make mine. So, the three of us (and Cara's son Jackson) went today to find fabric. The ties for the bumper and the trim where needed will be some kind of black & white fabric to go with the ribbon on our sign.

This microdot chenille will be the inside of the bumper (closest to the baby) and one side of the blanket.

This cotton fabric will be the outside of the bumper (facing the room), a liner for the baskets for the changing table and one side of the blanket.

This sheer will be an overlay on the bedskirt. Cara & her mom are going to find a solid olive cotton fabric that matches the microdot chenille for under this fabric. The solid fabric will also be a liner for the baskets for the changing table.

It was a fun day picking out what will be our baby's home for the next couple years. Yea!!

And we're growing...

I've been asked why no belly shots recently. Well, I decided to take them on the same day as my doctor appointments so there wouldn't be so many. (I had comments about that early on.) Because of the funeral last week, my appointment was pushed to this week. So, for all those who want to see, here I am. (Oh, and you'll only have to wait three weeks for a new belly shot this next time. So, never fear!)

When Dr. Jarrett tried to listen to the heart with the Doppler, the baby kept kicking her and hiding. Yes, she found the heartbeat of the umbilical cord and the placenta, but she was trying to get right over the heart and the baby wouldn't let her. It was pretty funny! She kept looking and Phillip and saying, "Do you see what your child is doing? Are you ready for this?" So, she used the sonogram to see the heart. We could see a hand and the eyes and legs and rib cage (and heart, of course)! She pointed out the liver, but I never really saw that.

And, in case you're wondering, you can't get enough potassium from bananas to raise your level high enough to prevent leg cramps. Apparently you'd have to be a monkey to eat enough!

First dinner party of the year

Our first dinner party of the year went well. Phillip and I decided to have two elders and their wives over each month because we really don't know any of them. Saturday night the Browns and the Greens joined us for dinner. Everything turned out great, except the rolls. Recently, I've had trouble with this one recipe of rolls that I've never had trouble with. Maybe the water is just too hot. Anyway, the cracker crumb chicken, disgusting potatoes*, Swiss vegetable medley and upside down chocolate pudding were delicious!! And, we enjoyed spending time with our elders and getting to know them a little bit.

The plan is to have two couples per month and at that rate, we'll cover all of them before the baby comes!

*aka Disgustingly Rich Potatoes

Sad news

My granddaddy's brother, Wayne Smith, passed away yesterday. While he was in his 90s, death is never easy. Granddaddy had two brothers and Grandmommy had two sisters, so for years, there were six of them. Granddaddy is the last one surviving. I know this will be hard on him, but I also know he's strong and can make it. After all, he has two new great-grandbabies to look forward to this summer!

Pray for him (and Wayne's wife Charlesta and their daughters Karen & Kathy) when you get a chance.

You're probably going to look at this and think, "She has lost her mind!" But, I think if you've been pregnant, you will understand.

Today I feel pregnant, more than I have this first 19 weeks. Obviously, I've been pregnant for a while now and even mentally, I've sort of felt that. But, today, I physically feel it! I feel like I'm about to explode. (I feel that way most nights, but not usually during the day.) I'm walking slower because I just feel, well, like I'm about to explode. I know, if you've been pregnant, you're thinking, "Just wait!" I know worse is coming, but this is how I feel now. So there!

Two more

Each of the last two weeks (before today), I had gained one pound, for a total of two pounds. Today, when I weighed, I had gained two more! So, I'm up four pounds since I last posted, right on track. Yea!!!! (Overall, I'm up six pounds since the very beginning.)

Sidenote: I need to clarify the pounds issue. My doctor was comparing my pre-pregnancy (at home, in the morning, just out of the shower) weight to my current (at the doctor's office--scales measure the exact same as home, by the way--in the afternoon, with clothes). So, according to her calculations, I had gained five pounds. According to reality, I had only gained two pounds at my last visit.

Pretty cool!

Something pretty cool happened last Tuesday, but I didn't post about it because I just wasn't sure. But, I started feeling the baby move! That first time, I was sitting on the couch, after walking, eating my ice cream and I felt three taps coming from inside me. It was a "what was that?" kind of thing. But since then, on and off, I've felt some little kicks and movement. It is the coolest thing. I can't wait (or can I?) for it to be stronger so Phillip can feel it too!

Fun stuff

I've been meaning to post these pictures all week, but I've been too busy to get out the camera! Last weekend, while with Phillip's parents, we went to San Angelo and looked at some antique stores. We found this sign that will be perfect for the nursery!



Also last weekend, we went shopping with my parents and bought the baby book--"The Big Story of Little Me"!

Today was a busy day. Phillip and I went to Babies R Us to register! We picked out all kinds of fun stuff, mostly the big ticket items, because, honestly, I don't really care what blankets, onesies & socks people buy for us! We did add a few things once we got home, but we had a good time.

Thanks to my good friend, Cara, we have a glider and ottoman. Today we also picked out paint for the changing table that matched the glider.

16 Weeks

We went to the doctor again today. We finally got to hear the heartbeat! It was so cool! However, Dr. Jarrett was not very happy with my weight gain so far...5 pounds! She said I'm about 10 pounds behind so I need to gain at least 4 pounds in the next 4 weeks. I've never had to gain or lose weight before so this may be tough, but it's worth it! (If you had a hard time gaining weight while pregnant and have any tips, I'm open to suggestions!)

I was told last night that it had been a while since I posted. And it's true. I didn't realize how long it had been! However, there really hasn't been too much going on. My parents are in town so we've been spending a lot of time with family and starting new traditions. After watching The Nativity Story last night, Phillip and I decided we want that to be part of our Christmas tradition with our children. I guess we need to get a copy of our own for next year!

And it's done!

The party was a success. We had 15 people, which is more than last year, but it was too late last night to think about counting how many we had last year. We have leftovers of all the good stuff...oh wait, that's everything! Anyway, on to the rest of the busy week, where someone else gets to do all the work and I can just enjoy it!

Busy, busy, busy

This past weekend was busy. Not terribly busy, but busy enough. Friday night, Phillip cooked hamburger & sausage for me so I could make stuff when I got home. We made the sausage balls together (that was fun!), then I spent another hour or so in the kitchen making sausage dip, hamburger dip, and crab dip. Fortunately, all together, it only took about 2 hours to get all that done.

Saturday morning, we went and picked up Jenni to meet my parents for brunch at Waffle House before the Abilene High/Hebron football game. What a game!!! It was a 20-yard line to 20-yard line game. So, Abilene High will play Pflugerville at Texas Stadium on Saturday...I don't think we'll make this one, but I'm sure it will be a great game! Then after we got home, I made zucchini bread.

Yesterday, I worked for about four and a half hours without a break. (Yes, I know I should have taken a break and put my feet up, but I didn't even realize that much time had passed!) But, I got the banana bread, almond tea and strawberry bread made, after a few phone calls to Mom & Jenni! (No party planning is complete without them!) I also got the table set and ready for Tuesday night.

Tonight we have a school board meeting at which Phillip will receive his Apple Corps award. Then we're on to Jenni's Christmas party for what usually amounts to a preview of our own party! While not all the food is the same, much of it is! After all, we grew up in the same family and have the same holiday favorites!

Wednesday is church, Thursday is Life Group (with a white elephant gift exchange). Then, Friday my office is having a Christmas party at the Gaylord Texan! I am really excited about this because I've never been there and I hear we're having a great meal.

Saturday, Phillip and Jenni are going car shopping because her car is literally wearing out. It's time! So, I'll be at home wrapping presents (maybe buying a few on the way home!), ironing, cleaning up from the week. Hmmm....I might even put my feet up and rest!

Test results--GREAT news!!!

I'm not 100% sure what "before the test" means, but I guess it's just factoring in my age, race, etc., and the baby's age. And, I guess "after the test" also factors in the amount of fluid at the base of the neck (from the ultrasound) and the blood results.

Before the test, our risk of Downs syndrome was 1 in 590. After the test, our risk is 1 in 3,500.
Before the test, our risk of Trisomy 18 was 1 in 2,000. After the test, our risk is 1 in 10,000.

It would appear, then, that we have a healthy baby!!!!

It was bound to happen and it finally has. I have a cold. Being sick is bad enough, but knowing that there's probably not much you can do about it is worse. (No, I haven't checked with my doctor about any medicines, but I don't normally take anything for colds because they don't last too long anyway.) But, I can say that Tylenol works wonders for the aches that a cold brings!

Here's the picture we got on Friday.