19 week Update

How are you feeling?
I imagine anyone who has EVER been pregnant knows that above all other questions that are asked in the 6 or so months after you announce that you are pregnant- that phrase is the most often asked. So, to answer...the 2nd trimester is 100% better than the 1st (you know this from a couple of posts ago), I have my bad days of course, but all in all, one word sums it up...BLESSED.

We are right smack dab in the middle of our 19th week and according to thebump.com & Whattoexpect.com (my holy grails), little guy is the size of a mango. I am starting to feel little flutters of my little Mango but am SO looking forward to a nice big kick...one that Chad can feel too. Until then, I am content with the little jabs I occasionally feel that let me know the little guy is practicing his back flips.


The 2nd trimester has come with an appetite & I am trying to eat healthy but still have an issue with chicken unless it is in some sort of nugget form or Chick-fil-A. I know, funny right? I have always loved Chick-Fil-A, but now I REALLY LOVE IT. I love everything about it- the people that work there, the sandwiches, the nuggets, the milkshakes, the fact that they are closed on Sundays & most of all, when they say "Thank you for choosing THIS Chick-Fil-A". If Chick-Fil-A was a person, Chad may have something to worry about.



I have started back on steak (sorry Chick Fil A cows)& actually can handle balanced meals now rather than all carbs. Things are looking up...and I am getting fat:) The belly is definitely growing. No joke- I feel like it grows by the minute. According to the dr., I am right on track & everything is great (as I eat an enormous service of rice for lunch (oops:)).

Next Steps- We have a dr's appt Friday. This is a big one. We get to see the little guy & they will take a bunch of measurements to chart his growth as well as confirm that everything is "normal". Following that, at 20 weeks we will celebrate our half way point! Nursery planning will begin & I am sure I will continue to grow.

To sum it up though, I am so blessed & thank God for this gift every day, even with the occasional mood swing & the bloated belly:)

A Wink and A Smile

A post from Dad...

From the time Meredith and I began sharing the great news that she had a bun in the oven, I began to notice a common theme among current parents. Their conveyance of congratulations was quickly followed with "it is the hardest but most rewarding thing you will ever do." This seemed to make sense, but then I detected a slight non-verbal que that made me think. The wry wink and the sly smile given as they uttered this logical statement made me think there was something illogical about the whole situation. I never try to kid myself into thinking something of this magnitude is exactly like I picture it, but I also pride myself on my reflective capacity. I feel that I am a good observer and am able to drawn upon the situations of others to narrow the gap between my mental perception and reality.

I could detail the great parental influence I had growing up and how I feel that will translate into my own style of parenthood, but instead I will turn to a more potent source of influence: TV. Yes, as a child of the late 80's and early 90's, I had two of the greatest fatherhood role models any boy could ask for: Cliff Huxtable and Al Bundy. Ok, maybe one is more what to do and the other is what not to do, but they are both influential nonetheless. The point is that if these two can do it, then why not me. No matter if the little guy turns out to be the fun-loving Theo or the, well, Bud, I will be sure to summon the knowledge I gained from staring absentmindly into the television set as the Huxtables and Bundys lived out their fictional lives.


Another source of inspiration to which I can use to hone my fatherhood skills is my limited exposure to real-life kids. From nephews and nieces to children and siblings of friends, I have gained a small amount of experience that should prove useful. Be it changing a diaper or two or witnessing the exuberence that a 5 year-old can display upon receiving his first bike, I know that there will be plenty of waves in parenthood. Relentless and unpredictable as the may be, I can only hope to surf the crest and avoid the undercurrent as much as possible.

As I continue to talk to parents, they can continue to give advice, and as B-Day approaches, I will increasinly realize parenthood is a club that you only really understand once you join. And I cannot wait to join. Perhaps someday I can look at some stary-eyed father-to-be and tell him it is the hardest thing he will do, but also the most rewarding; with a wry wink and a sly smile of course.

Pickles & Ice Cream- Hold the Pickles, Please

As I sail into my 18th week of pregnancy, I am loving the 2nd trimester. I remember reading "What To Expect" during those first few months thinking that the constant nausea, the bloat, and the feeling that I could fall asleep anywhere anytime, would never end.

It ended.

As I type those words, I have a permagrin. I have worn that permagrin for the last couple of weeks. What a gift this 2nd trimester is. The bloat of the belly, the first feelings of the little guy moving around, and while my worry hasn't halted, there are times when I feel better than I ever have, and it is then that I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Yes, this is ridiculously cheesy & cliche, but there is no greater miracle and the fact that I get to be a part of this grand story makes my heart pitter patter.

The other great thing about the 2nd trimester...the fact that I don't have the guilt that usually comes along with ice cream:)

Blast from the Past & Did I mention I'm pregnant?

So, In my first post I mentioned a "growing" family...If you have anything to do with Chad or myself, you know that "growing" means the little addition that we are expecting in September. We are so excited, nervous, and feel so blessed to have this little man in our lives already!!! Oh right, did I say we found out Baby is a BOY!!!

Anyway, the reason I am posting twice today is to share something that I had written with the intention of posting back when I was still questioning whether we blog or not. I wanted to get an early read on our feelings for the little tyke if he ever happens to come across this. Here it is. It's from late January when the little guy was still an it & I hadn't even been to the doctor yet.


1/30/10
Dear Baby,
We have known of you for about 15 days. Isn't that crazy? You are the size of a poppyseed, but our hearts are already full of love for you. We can't wait to see pictures of you, we can't wait to hold you in our arms, we can't wait for your giggles. In the meantime, you have some growing to do. So, for nostalgia's sake, here's the story of how you graduated from an idea to a real baby in my belly!

When you meet me (mom), you will probably find out that patience is not one of my strengths. This flows into every aspect of our lives, including you! Your dad & I found out we were pregnant for you on January 16 at around 6 am. This was a Saturday. We are not early risers. Again, your mother is impatient. This was the first day our tests would show the 99% accurate result. So, that being said, we didn't believe it after just one test. Four tests later, it began to sink in. We were going to be your mom & dad! I will never forget the feeling of the smile on my face & the smile on your dad's.
So, thank you so much for all of the joy you have already brought us. We will try our best to do the same for you.
With loads of love,
Mom

Deep Breath- Blog #1

Huge step, starting a blog. No Joke...
I seriously have had this on my to do list since BEFORE the 1st of the year. Pathetic, I know.
Well, in my opinion, my hesitation is responsible & it shows that I have thought this through. See, if you know me very well, you know there are two distinct sides of me. First side- extroverted, up for fun, spontaneous, maybe even a free spirit. On the other hand, I do have a side that leans to the more controlled & controlling. I will find myself making lists just to cross off jobs, planning our vacations and weekends to the minute, & pretty hesistant to try anything new until I have researched so much about it that it is no longer new. Yes, I know it sounds crazy.
What does this have to do with a blog, you ask? ALOT.
So, for my fun-loving, spontaneous side, I say why not...I've got a lot going on that I would love to share with the people I love. But then, my controlling, super duper list maker, scared of the thought of screwing up side says DON'T YOU DARE! When you start a blog, you put yourself out there. Even if it is just for your friends & family. It still is up for judging & that scares the CRAP out of me.

So, please be gentle. Feel free to judge, but know I am judging you too & take this for what its worth...a totally inexperienced, Type A (but sometimes B) personality trying to make the world a little bit better for my growing family & my fantastic friends (Not all of this is through a blog, but if you smile occasionally, I did my job).