Our Last Christmas

My friend Hilary posted a blog not long ago about her "First Christmas" - something I am still rejoicing over! While she was preparing to celebrate her first, everyone around us kept telling us to enjoy our "Last Christmas" - last Christmas without kids, that is. As if we don't normally enjoy Christmas or something. So, I tried with all my might to "enjoy it" for what it was, but everything inside me, both literally and figuratively, kept jumping forward to next Christmas and how wonderful it will be with our baby boy. In the end, I can safely say I did thoroughly enjoy our "last Christmas" complete with all the hopes and wishes it brought for next Christmas.

Thank you to everyone for making our Christmas so wonderful this year. It was truly amazing and we are so blessed to have such a beautiful and generous family.

22 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

At 11 inches and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

21 Weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know his better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

He is very busy moving around and swallowing amniotic fluid. You most likely have felt your baby move by this time and have realized that he is not necessarily on the same schedule that you are. As your baby swallows amniotic fluid, his digestive tract is continuing to mature. Your baby is also receiving some of the caloric intake from the amniotic fluid.

Home Sweet Home

It's official!!! We now have the keys to our very first house!! We couldn't be more excited or relieved. It's been a long, arduous process, but with a very sweet ending: home-sweet-home. Not just another apartment, but OUR place, where we can do whatever we want without hearing dogs trample above us, fight for a parking spot at night, or settle for out-of-date appliances. Now, that's what I call sweet.

Of course, you can't be a home owner without visiting a big-box home improvement store, right? So, immediately after we closed, we headed back to the house and made a list of things we needed. Because the list included re-keying all the locks, Jamie stayed behind to man the house while I drove up the street to Lowe's. After finding the light bulbs, caulk, air filters and getting the locks re-keyed, I headed back home. As the doors opened to the parking lot, I was awestruck by the biggest, brightest, full, double rainbow I've ever seen. I still can't describe how perfect this rainbow was. I know, it sounds too good to be true. But I stood there, locks in hand, in awe of the gift God had just given me. ...yet another confirmation that this is where we exactly where God wants us. And, that is sweeter than anything else. Here are pics taken from my phone. Sorry for the low quality - I'm hoping to get a nice new phone for Christmas... hint, hint Jamie.

Half Way There!

20 weeks!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system.

Our sweet boy is becoming more active each day! He's kicking and flipping around all the time, especially early in the morning. I told Jamie it's like I have an internal alarm clock! I don't mind though. I like feeling the little guy bounce around - it lets me know everything's ok. He also kicks if I eat anything cold, like ice cream, or warm, like hot chocolate. The best part is that Jamie has felt him move, too. I can't wait for the rest of the family to feel him kick!

Call Me Mrs. Clause

While riding home from church last Sunday, I realized that I have quite a few things in common with ol' St. Nick. The whole conversation started when I began to hold my belly as we hit a few bumps in the road. It went something like this...

Jamie: "Is he kicking?"
Me: "No, my belly is just jiggling..."
Jamie: "Oh, like a barrel full of pudding?"
Me: "Uh, well, sort of..."
Me: "...it's more like a bowl full of jelly!"
(Laughter)
Me: "Yeah, I'm just like Santa, both of our bellies jiggle like a bowl full of jelly!!"
More laughter, then driving for a little bit more...
A few minutes later...
Me: "You know... I actually have quite a few things in common with Santa."

And that's how the list began. So, here they are... all my similarities with Santa:

- A belly that jiggles like a bowl full of jelly
- An insane & totally unhealthy love for cookies and milk
- Rosy red cheeks, thanks to the new mommy glow, also known as hot flashes.
- I am now responsible for at least one elf... no, not Jamie, haha!
- I'm pretty sure I'll need a magical sleigh equipped with flying reindeer to haul me around by the time May gets here.
- I have been making a list and checking it twice!

So, there you have it! Maybe I'm Santa in disguise?! You never know! :)

You know you're pregnant when...

So, confession #1: I almost ate a whole bag of chocolate covered Sweet Sixteen donuts this morning. Like, I ate 10 out of 16. And, yes, the fake chocolate frosting was wonderful. ...just typing about them is making me want to go buy another bag...

19 Weeks!

How your baby's growing:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that he may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to him, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. (***OK, Time out! The doctor said 10 ounces at 18 weeks was normal! Looks like Cancan is an overachiever just like his mama and daddy... and he likes to eat, too!)

His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid. (Pickling... we'll have none of that, I tell you. Talk about gross!)

How your life's changing:
Think you're big now? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come. (Oh, great...) As a result, you may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even an occasional brief, stabbing pain on one or both sides — especially when you shift position or at the end of an active day. Most likely, this is round ligament pain. The ligaments that support your uterus are stretching to accommodate its increasing weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but call your practitioner if the pain continues even when you're resting or becomes severe.

You may be noticing some skin changes, too. Are the palms of your hands red? (Nope, not yet...) Nothing to worry about — it's from the extra estrogen. You may also have patches of darkened skin caused by a temporary increase in pigment. When these darker patches appear on your upper lip, cheeks, and forehead, they're called chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." (Yippee! Red palms and dark patches! Just what I wanted for Christmas! haha)

Packing

With the re-inspection scheduled for Monday and the closing a little over a week away, the packing has finally begun. I'm so thankful Jamie will be in town this time! For the past two moves, he's been traveling, leaving me to pack up our whole apartment! He made a comment last night saying how most of our stuff was already packed up... little does he know, it grows. I can't wait to see the look on his face when we're finally done. You know, that look of utter amazement paired with total exhaustion? Then, we have the actual move... :) But it's worth it! In a week and a half, we'll have the keys to our new house!

It's a Boy!!!

Here are this pictures from our ultrasound today! Yep, it's a boy!!! And he's very healthy, happy and active!!! During the ultrasound, we saw him rolling around, kicking and even chewing! According to his measurements, he weighs about 10 ounces and has a healthy, strong heart that's beating 148 times per minute! We are very happy and relieved that everything is in the normal range. Please keep praying that things continue to go smoothly as we await the arrival of our little boy in May.

It was a close race, but the poll results are in! Out of 22 votes, 13 of you voted for a girl and the other 9 voted for a boy! Congrats to the nine voters who got it right! For those of you who were rooting for a girl, there's still a small chance. Ultrasounds are only 80% accurate in predicting these things! :)

Be sure to click on the pictures to enlarge them.

-- This is the first 3-D view of his face and hand. That big fuzzy mass on the right is the placenta.




-- Side shot of his face. The placenta is covering part of his face in this picture.




-- Here you can see a little smile! Doesn't he look content?!





-- Another view of his face, with a hand over the left side and the placenta covering the right side.



-- And, here's the money shot! Yep, this is a clear view of his little bottom.




-- 2-D profile pic - look at that cute little nose!




-- Cute baby!




-- That's his hand covering his face. He played with his hands and feet the whole time we were taking measurements!



-- And, lastly, he's waving - see all 5 fingers! (This is a view from the top looking down, the same view you'll have when you cradle him in your arms!)

18 Weeks!!

How your baby's growing:

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born.



Only two days until we find out if this little bell pepper is a boy or girl!!!
Don't forget to vote!!!

17 weeks!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

It's silly how much you can love a little sweating turnip! :)

Next week, we'll find out if it's a little girl turnip or a little boy turnip!! If you haven't voted, now's your chance!

Moving Wisdom

With another move quickly approaching, I thought I'd share some of the wisdom I've learned over the years. After all, I have moved once a year, sometimes twice a year, for the past seven years.

1. Always help your friends. You will need their help. Especially when it involves lugging a washing machine down 3 flights of stairs.
2. Always label. And label well. You will forget where you put that oven mit.
3. Always keep up with your laundry and dishes in the weeks before a move. Trust me, you don't want to pack up dirty clothes. There's a chance you'll forget which tub they're in (see #2).
4. Never ignore the weight of a box. It may be small but it can weigh upwards of 40 pounds... if you pack it full of books or dishes.
5. Always utilize towels and blankets to wrap breakables. This way you're filling precious box space with things that need to be moved, not things like packing peanuts that you'll just throw out when you get to the new place.
6. Always wait until after you move to purchase new things for your new home.
7. Never underestimate how much junk you have. It multiplies as you pack. Trust me.
8. Always be prepared - with a hand truck and a utility dolly, no matter how much it costs to rent them. It's worth it.
9. Always start the purge early. If you forgot you had it, you don't need to move it.
10. Always have a game plan. Know how you're going to pack the truck and do not deviate from the plan, no matter how much advice you get. This will make things move quicker, something that will please everyone.
11. Pack an overnight bag with a change of clothes, your toothbrush, toothpaste and soap. Put it in your car - this part is key.
12. Dust off that air mattress - After moving everything you own, you are not gonna feel like setting up your bed.

Remembering all this is tough, I'll admit. For past 3 years, our moves have looked a little more like this:

16 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Negotiating

Things were going so smoothly... too smoothly apparently. Suddenly, out of no where, we are dealing with an antagonistic listing agent who blatantly misrepresents her sellers and is sabotaging our plans! Yes. I'm not exaggerating.

I'm done playing nice. We're under contract, people. You have agreed to sell us your house. We have agreed to buy your house. Are you really going to let repairs disrupt the process? Come on. It's called negotiating. We request X repairs... you counter with half of X repairs. End of story. Done.

Will this ever be over? Will we ever get our keys?

Inspection update

So, inspections went well and we now have a $395 binder that includes all the faults of our new home.
How lucky are we?!

In all seriousness, the inspector found only minor fixes, so we are very relieved! We've got the HVAC inspector coming out on Monday, which is also when our Radon canister test results will be available.

Now, we just have to see if the sellers are willing to fix everything we asked for...

Stay tuned!

Go, go, gadget... checkbook!

So, after searching for 4 months, we've finally found the right house. Our house. It IS true that you know the minute you walk in that it's the right house. Knowing it was THE ONE, we put in an offer, reading every word of the offer to purchase before signing it, wrote a chunky check for earnest money to show we were serious, entered into negotiations lasting 3 days and, finally, went under contract. We've gone to the bank, been approved for the loan, ordered and paid for the appraisal, too.

But tomorrow begins the next step of our home-buying journey: the inspections. Expensive, yes. Daunting, I know. Between the general home inspection, the termite inspection and the radon inspection, I'm wondering if we shouldn't be hiring an inspector to inspect the inspections. Oh, wait... that's us.

So, Mr. Checkbook, be prepared because you're getting a work out tomorrow. And don't think it's going to let up anytime soon. This is just the beginning of your go-go-gadget-ness. Over the next 20 years, you'll need to bend and stretch in unimaginable ways, performing magical feats of flexible greatness. Because, you see, we're also having a baby.

15 Weeks!

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds.

Appointment update:
I know I've been remiss in not posting about our last doctor's appointment. It hasn't been on purpose... just that there isn't really anything to tell. It was our first "hey-how-are-you-doing" kind of visit. No bloodwork, no ultrasound, nothing. I did, however, have my first encounter with a medical student. UNC is a well-known teaching hospital, so it was only a matter of time before Biff-the-doctor-wannabe and Bippy-the-almost-nurse came into play. All in all, it went well. She wasn't too nervous and she did let me hear the heartbeat for the first time, so I'll give her bonus points for that. We'll see if I continue to enjoy the Biff and Bippy visits as the appointments become more thorough...

14 Weeks!

How your baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little boxer's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

State Fair 2008

As some of you may have noticed in my current craves, I had a great time at the State Fair last Sunday! You see, the State Fair is home to endless booths of wonderfully-bad-for-you-goodness, served up in under 60 seconds, giving you plenty of time to sample the next fare in line. I'm convinced the State Fair is a pregnant woman's heaven. I mean, where else can you get fried twinkies, ice cream, pickles, corn dogs and cotton candy? Mmmmm, I'm smiling just thinking about it. Too bad the fair only comes around once a year!

Here are pics of Mama, me and Jamie making our way through the crowds last Sunday:

See my baby belly!

Quote Book: Huh?!

Jamie, attempting to tell me he wanted some "super chocolate peanut butter chunk" ice cream: Yeah, I want some of that super, chocolate, peanut buff chutter... (insane laughter breaks out)

Me: Did you just say buff chutter?

Jamie: Why, yes I did.

Me, recounting my awful bout of morning sickness last week: ...No, I think I buff chuttered the other morning. (More insane laughter)

We both laughed until we did the silly squeaky laugh that happens when you're trying to breathe mid-laugh. Good stuff.

Just say it out loud... buff - chutter ... yeah, you laughed, I know it.

My apologies if this doesn't translate well over the blogosphere. It was really, really hilarious at the time. :)

13 weeks!

Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

CanCan looks something like this:(This ultrasound example is courtesy of babycenter.com and is not actually little Cancan).

Recipe for a Happy Mama

2 slices of honey wheat bread
2 slices BBQ chicken breast
2 slices of Honey Ham
1 slice Muenster cheese
two big fat slices of tomato
Kosher dill Pickles
Mayo on both sides
Salt & Pepper to taste

Yep, it's a sandwich, the ingredients for which cost $17.42 at Target on my way home tonight. But, this wasn't just any sandwich. This is the sandwich I've been fantasizing about since 11:25am, when my coworker unpacked her lunch, and proceeded to enjoy a similar spread as I sat and worked, stomach growling, waiting for a more reasonable time to eat lunch.

You see, if I ate lunch when I actually started getting hungry, I'd be chowing down at 10:00am every day. Do you know how long the rest of your day feels when you eat lunch at 10:00am?!?! Very, very long.

So, I waited until 12:30pm, proceeded to Arby's thinking I could get a delicious market fresh sandwich to curb my craving. But, no, it couldn't be that easy. Arby's was out of the sandwich I wanted, so I settled for a chicken club and fries, which, of course tasted terrible, as everything does, until you feed a craving.

But, not to worry, at 7:35pm tonight, after cheerful banter with the deli guy and a mad dash around the grocery aisles, I had my sandwich. My glorious sandwich. And, now, I am one happy mama.

12 weeks!

Our new due date of May 4 means we now begin a new week each Monday. So, welcome to 12 weeks everyone! The morning sickness seems to have passed and my appetite feels somewhat normal again. The intense smells still get to me, but at least things are beginning to taste good again. Can you believe I almost ate a whole box of mac and cheese in one sitting?! Me either :) But boy was it good! But, not to worry, I'm eating plenty of fruits and veggies, too!

How your baby's growing:

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

11 weeks!

How your baby's growing: Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccuping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

On all the websites, there is always a second half to the weekly updates... one I don't usually share from, because quite frankly they tend to scare the crap out of me sometimes! Not to mention it's usually pretty gross! It's the half that describes all the changes that are either going on in my body, or those I can gleefully look forward to. This week's was quite comical though, so I'm sharing...

How your life's changing:If you're like most women, you're feeling a bit more energetic now and your nausea may be starting to wane. Unfortunately, you may also be suffering from constipation (caused by hormonal changes, which can slow digestion) and heartburn (hormones again, relaxing the valve between your stomach and esophagus). Just remember, all this discomfort is for a good cause.

Don't worry if nausea has made it impossible for you to eat a wide variety of healthy foods or if you haven't put on much weight yet (most women gain just 2 to 5 pounds during the first trimester). Your appetite will likely return soon, and you'll start to gain about a pound a week.

Did you read that?! A pound a week?! See, that's one of those things that scares the crap out of me...

10 weeks! (we're 1/4 of the way there!)

How your baby's growing:

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.

In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Doctor's orders...

Today's doctor's appointment went very well. Baby Cancan is growing so big! The ultrasound was just a bed-side ultrasound today, so no printed pictures unfortunately :( but I can tell you there are two arms and two legs! And we saw them move! Cancan kicked and wiggled several times for us on the monitor - as if to say "hey mom and dad!!!! i know you're looking at me!!!" With the kicks I saw, I think we may have a little soccer player, or jazz dancer, on our hands here! Seeing him/her move was amazing. Cancan's still a little top heavy, with his/her head almost as big as his/her body, but you know what that means... big head = big brain. We've got a smart one, too! I can also tell you that Cancan is super cute... looking very much like a real baby now, instead of a gummy bear, like last time.

All of the bloodwork from our last visit (all 5 viles of it) came back normal and, so far, I've gained a whopping 3.4 pounds. With everything I've been eating, I was shocked! But again, we're right on target. And, just so you all can update your calendars... Our new official due date is May 4!

Baby CanCan has a friend!

I got the best news today! My college roommate, bridesmaid, and very, very good friend Melissa is pregnant, too! I am so happy to have someone to swap stories and advice with!

While our kids probably won't grow up together, as we live 2 hours apart, they could go to college together!!! And, if I know Melissa, her kids will go to Carolina. And, of course, my kids will be slightly, persistently nudged toward Tarheel territory as well. ... and, guess what?! if we both have boys, or both have girls, they could be roomies, too!!

Ok, ok, I know I'm getting ahead of myself here... but you have to admit, it would be pretty cool.

A huge congrats to Melissa and Mike!!! We are so happy for you!!!

Comments Make the World Go 'Round

Hello? Hello?

Anyone out there?

You whoooo?

Anyone out there in magical internet land?

.... if you're out there we'd love to hear from you ....

Pssst... don't be afraid, just use the comments link at the bottom of each post to let us know you were here. Tell us what you think of the posts... anything. ...The blogosphere is kind of lonely when you're talking to yourself...

9 weeks!

How your baby's growing:

Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

Extendo-belts & Safety pins

So, I'm not really "showing" yet. As in, if you didn't know I was pregnant, you probably wouldn't know... You might just think I was a little chunky. But I know. And all my pants know, too. My jeans, my dress slacks, my skirts, anything with a waistband, they all know, and they are getting tired of being cinched and pinned and lassoed with my new found friend, the extendo-belt. Sure, it has a cute name like bella belly belt or something like that, but it's really just a clever snappy thing that corrals your two closest belt loops and cinches the un-buttonable. But what about those pants that don't have belt loops, you ask? This is where the almighty safety pin comes into play. One, two, sometimes three or more are needed to ensure a smooth-appearing waistband... add a long top to cover those shiny give-aways and voila! maternity-shmaternity. Who needs maternity clothes?!

There's just one problem... yesterday, the unthinkable happened. My beloved casual-but still dressy enough for work-comfortable-black pants not only refused to button.... they wouldn't even zip up! This can't happen at only 9 weeks!!! What's gonna happen at 20 weeks... or even worse... 40?!?!?! Guess I should start cutting back on the Bojangles french fries and boiled peanuts...

Embryology 101: 8 weeks

As we turn the corner on 8 weeks, we mark the end of the embryo stage and the beginning of the fetal stage according to this site (which is crazy cool if you're interested in human development). Right now, we're at stage 23 in the chart above. Baby CanCan (as we've loving dubbed him/her over the past week) is beginning to look less like an alien and more like the cute baby we'll welcome in 7 months, which is very exciting!

Our next doctor's appointment is slated for Oct 9th. By then, we'll be approaching 10 weeks, which will make the ultrasound very interesting, as we should be able to see more of tiny CanCan's features! Here's to ten fingers and ten toes!!!!

Quote Book

After trying on several different pairs of pants, Allison decides she wants to break out into song...
(To the tune of "Deep and Wide")

"Fat and wide, fat and wide
There's a baby growing deep inside.
Fat and wide, fat and wide
My butt is growing fat and wide."

(Applause)

When are the next America Idol try-outs? I think we have a serious contender here.

7 weeks!

The big news this week: Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

If you could see inside the womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

Quote Book

Allison: "Ahhh! It's a snake!!!"
Jamie: "Move....!"
Allison: "Where are you going?!"
Jamie: "To get my SWORD."
Allison: "You are not gonna be the crazy neighbor with the sword!!"
Jamie: "Then what are we gonna use to kill it?!"
Allison: "I don't know, but you're not running around out here with a stinking sword!"

We instead decided to use the hand saw. Crisis averted, 8 unknowing neighbors saved from the wrath of a not-so-happy-'cause-he-was-being-chopped-in-half-pilot-snake. Thanks to my wonderful hubby for saving the world tonight.

6 Weeks and counting!

After my first week of morning sickness, I have to say it is all worth it!!! Today we got to see the baby!!!! This morning the doctor was able to find the fetal pole and it was breathtaking to see the tiny heart fluttering on the ultrasound monitor. The little one's heart is beating at 113 beats per minute, which is normal for this stage. The rate will increase to around 150 as the weeks progress and then slow a bit as we get closer to the due date. According to the crown-to-rump measurements today, we are actually about 6 weeks along instead of the original time we had figured of 7 weeks. We also confirmed that we are not having twins, thankfully there's only one baby in there! They have not moved the due date yet, because it is still too early to really tell, but if they do, it may put us closer to a Mother's Day baby!!! (For those of you who don't know, I was born on Mother's Day!)

I stand amazed that God would trust us with such an important role and we are both humbled at the thought of all that is going on and everything we must prepare for. Please continue to pray for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby boy or girl!!! And an extra prayer for the morning sickness to subside would be greatly appreciated - haha. :)

6 weeks

How your baby's growing: This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. You'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil bean.

He's gonna kick my ask!

This video makes us laugh every time! Apparently, there's a monster in the movie who's gonna come out of the tv... And this little girl is prepared, come what may.

Quote Book

We've decided to spice up the blog with a few quotes from our crazy, silly, serious, hectic, and blessed daily life. Here are a few to start:

While watching the Chinese gymnasts prepare to follow the US team's stellar uneven bar performance:
Jamie: "Wow, they are small!"
Allison: "Yeah. They're wee little tiny people" (laughter)
Jamie: "Oh, now they're all lining up and getting ready to go!"
Allison, dead serious: "I bet their wee little tiny people hearts are racing..."

In the car today, after almost hitting a girl who was too busy texting to look both ways in the Kohl's parking lot:
Jamie: "Girl, that's how you get rolled up on a hood..."

While looking at the very first house on our Realtor's tour:
Realtor: "Well, golly, there is tile every where."
Jamie: "Ugh. wow. That's a lot of tile"
(Silence in awe of the floor-to-ceiling mismatched tile)
Allison: "Huh. That's interesting."
(More wandering through the kitchen)
Allison: "Is that a Hello Kitty tile?!?!"
Realtor: "Well, yes... (pause) ...it certainly looks that way."
Allison: "Yep, that's a Hello Kitty tile... How much are they asking?!?!"

Exiting the dressing room wearing a pair of newly hemmed jeans:
Allison: "They're too short!"
Jamie: "Wow."
Allison: "Well, thanks honey. I love you too."

In DC, enjoying the air conditioning on the metro:
Jamie: "We should just ride the metro back and forth all night."
Allison: "What? Like the homeless people?"

Cocktail Cure

Of course I would get sick on vacation. Yep, I've been fighting off a cold/fever/sore throat since Monday, which has made touring super gigantic museums a little like finding your way through a dense fog at night with a bunch of loud, yelling children. But, alas! I have found my cure! And for the past hour I've felt better than I have all week. Thank God for CVS and the "cocktail" mixture of over-the-counter drugs that are doing the trick, which include 12-hour Sudafed, Zicam rapid-release tablets, Tylenol and Hall's lemon-honey cough drops, chased with all the OJ and H2O I can get my hands on. At this rate, I should be back into true patriotic-tourist-mode in no time!

It's Official!

Beginning Monday, July 28th, I will be working with Family Health International along with Jamie! My new job will involve supporting several writers within the Applied Research Department. This means I'll be assisting those responsible for publishing the results of FHI's research initiatives and grants in brochures, reports, etc. Although it will be a bit of a deviation from my previous career path, I am looking forward to helping further FHI's undeniably well-intentioned goals, not to mention knowing that I am advancing a greater good, not just the bottom line.

A little bit about FHI:

Formed in 1971, Family Health International (FHI) is among the largest and most established nonprofit organizations active in international public health with a mission to improve lives worldwide through research, education, and services in family health.

FHI manages research and field activities in more than 70 countries to meet the public health needs of some of the world's most vulnerable people.

FHI works with a wide variety of partners including governmental and nongovernmental organizations, research institutions, community groups, and the private sector.
(taken from the fhi.org website)

Still curious? Visit www.fhi.org for more information.

Homemade Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or strips
1 can of chicken broth
10 chicken bouillon cubes
1 pkg cream cheese (8 oz)
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of medium salsa
1 small can of premade enchilada sauce
10-12 small, soft corn tortillas
onion powder
salt & pepper
1 8x13" glass baking dish

Prepare Chicken.
Place chicken in crockpot, sprinkle onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Pour can of broth over chicken. Add 3-4 bouillon cubes. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Once chicken is cooked, remove and shred by hand. Reserve broth for use in cheese sauce.

Prepare Cheese Sauce.
In a blender, mix reserved broth, cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, flour, salsa, 1 cup mexican cheese, and 6 bouillon cubes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until creamy. Transfer sauce to medium sized saucepan and heat sauce over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. When sauce has thickened, remove from heat.
**Need more heat? Replace medium salsa with 1/3 cup of hot salsa.

Assemble Enchiladas.
First, cover the bottom of your baking dish with 1/2 cup of cheese sauce. Warm tortillas in microwave for 20 seconds to make them more pliable. Laying each tortilla flat, spoon one tablespoon of cheese sauce over entire inside of tortilla. Next, layer mozzerella and chicken. Roll up and place seam-side down into baking dish. Fill the baking dish completely with enchiladas to help prevent them from unrolling while baking. Pour remaining cheese sauce over assembled enchiladas and sprinkle remaining mexican cheese on top. Bake at 375 uncovered for 20 minutes.
**Short on time? Layer cheese sauce, chicken and tortillas like lasagna. Not as pretty, but just as good.

Remove from oven, drizzle premade enchilada sauce on top to taste. Serve with refried beans, Lipton's Taco Rice or salad. Serves 4-6.

Playa Guiones, Nosara, Costa Rica

Pura Vida!

Pics from Costa Rica

Arriving in Costa Rica.

Playa Guiones (Guiones Beach) in Nosara, Costa Rica.

Hope, Caitlen and me on our way to the village of Nosara.

On our way to dinner at Giardino Tropicale.
Who knew you could find fabulous Italian pasta
and wood-fired pizza in Costa Rica?

The view from our open-air restaurant table at Giardino Tropicale.

More coming soon...

Adventures in Costa Rica!

So far the trip has been FANTASTIC!!! Our schedule is as follows: get up, hit the beach, hit the pool, eat lunch, back to the beach, then lay in the hammocks - take a nap, then dinner and maybe the pool again. This is what I call VACATION!!! This morning we switched up our schedule to go zipping through the jungle on a canopy tour. WOW. Never in my life did I think I´d be doing something to crazy! Here´s a pic of us suited up in our gear. We´re so cute, aren´t we?! Haha. Great times, though, and breathtaking views.

A Tale of Two Weeks

I know. I know. I've been a slacker by ignoring the blog for a couple of weeks now. While last week was one big, stressful blur, here are a few highlights:
- extended job offer #1 to explore options #2 and #3
- ate most of the junk in our jammed-full freezer!
- decided I would not be going with Jamie to DC this time :(
- scheduled more interviews
- rethought my career choice
- got a total of -5 hours of sleep
- vacuumed every room in the house
- celebrated my sister's 21st birthday (in spirit)
- took Jamie to the airport
- finally used our Olive Garden gift card!! yummm

Good news, though. This week is looking much better:
- hoping to get job offer #2
- can't wait for Jamie to come home on Wednesday!
- need to get packed for Costa Rica!
- planning to take in a fireworks extravaganza in UNC's Kenan Stadium!
- leaving Saturday at 11:22am for some much needed pura vida in Costa Rica!!!

To the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the twelfth day of Summer,
my job hunt took from me
Twelve trips a-driving,
Eleven notes a-thanking,
Ten hours talking,
Nine face-to-faces,
Eight hours daily,
Seven sites a-searching,
Six trips to Raleigh,
Five tanks of gas,
Four weeks of waiting,
Three ballpoint pens,
Two parking meters,
And a writing test in a corner suite.

*I know, technically, it's not the twelfth day of Summer yet. But with temperatures in the upper 100s, it sure feels like it.

In honor of our Moms

I think it only fitting to use the blog to pay tribute to our moms, without whom, we might not know how to make our beds or wash dishes or fold laundry and we certainly wouldn't be the successful adults we are today. From both of us, thank you and we love you!

For Jamie and I, this pretty much encapsulates our entire childhood. Yep, over 20 years in under 3 minutes:



Dad's understand how important moms are too! See here:

I am now able to rent cars...

Well, that's what the waiter at The Melting Pot pointed out last night as we ate our way to pure fondue gluttony. Of all the things he could have said in relation to my 25th birthday, he chose to comment on my car-renting abilities. Funny stuff. Anyways, here are some pics from dinner last night. I have to admit, it was the best birthday dinner ever :)

I have a great husband, y'all.

Reston and Responsibility

Hello again. As many of you know, Jamie is out of town again (*sigh*). He's training in Reston, VA for something... he'd probably kill me if he knew I didn't remember... but oh well. It's called Citrix, or Cisco, or Crisco or something... Anyways, I have a little soap box speech today, so bear with me.

We were supposed to be maintaining this blog together, but as you can see, I'm the only one posting. I will admit that I do enjoy it, so I'm not too terribly upset about it. However, I thought you might like to see what Jamie has been doing while I've been keeping you all updated on our many adventures. Yes, he got another toy... it's called Guitar Hero, and yes, it's another video game.

Without further ado, I present my husband, the rock star:



I think it's only fair that I get a new toy too, right? I'm thinking a pair of Manolo Blahniks. ;)

Love,
Allison

A New York City Minute

Well, I'm back home from a whirlwind, 72-hour trip to NYC for training at the company headquarters for Adspace. Training was great and my new job looks like it has some great potential. During my stay, the company put me up in their corporate apartment. By NYC standards, the apartment was huge. By my NC standards, it was tiny! Not that I'm complaining... the apartment had everything I needed and was super close to the office. Guess I'm just used to backyards and driveways. However, the apartment did have one thing you won't find in North Carolina...

This amazing view:

I will have to admit, I felt very city-chic waking up to this every morning :)

Love,
Allison

Couples who play together, stay together

Thanks to Mama, we FINALLY got a Wii!!! Last night, we had to pry that little white wireless game controller from each other's hands as we took turns punching, swinging and flinging our way towards the TV until late into the night. (For those who may be a wii-bit confused... each Wii comes with pre-loaded games, including boxing, bowling, baseball, tennis and golf.)

In case you were wondering, Jamie is great at all the games... Me on the other hand, well, I'm good at bowling (I even beat Jamie!) and boxing (my opponents were all KO by the end of the first round!). Tennis is a different story... I feel like I'm swatting invisible bees. But, I'm positive that with diligent practice, I'll be beating Anna Kournikova in no time!

Here are videos of us playing, albeit however haphazardly, our beloved Wii.

Love,
Allison