Merry Christmas! 37 weeks

Merry Christmas! Mandy officially made it to term :) No more worries for a preemie baby now. Now if only we could just count on our dogs to look at the camera for family photos, life would be peachy keen... But I suppose this is how it's going to be from this point forward. Bring on the awkward family photos :)

36 weeks

So what do you do at 36 weeks? Get super, super impatient. I can't say that I'm totally shocked he's still cooking, but really, I'm pretty impressed. Our little kiddo is nestled nice and snug and doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast, but in the meantime, Mike and I are finishing up preparing the house, cleaning, and enjoying the holidays. There isn't much new going on around here, other than some serious shoveling due to all this beautiful snow! If there's one thing I'm super happy about, it's that we'll be having a White Christmas this year- no doubt about it! Now if only it wouldn't be so darn cold. But I guess you can't have everything, right?

Something I can honestly say I won't miss once I'm no longer pregnant: rolling over in bed. No one tells you that when you turn over, get up, sit down, stand up, every movement is like defying gravity *cue Wicked.* I can't even remember the last time I didn't grunt, groan, or make a sound comparable to a 3-legged moose stuck in a bog while trying to get out of bed. This whole "cute little bump"thing is definitely not what it used to be, I'll say that much.

But in other news- nursery is very, very close to being done! I'll probably still be tweaking it long after Baby arrives, but in the meantime, here are photos of our little one's soon to be room!

The view when you walk in- it's a mix of forest and Winnie the Pooh themed :) And his little treehouse (which I realize now I didn't take a full-on photo of) in the right-hand corner with the little lantern.

 A shot of his little crib! Mike hasn't made his nightstand yet, but he'll have a little red side-table and tree-stump. Which I'm super excited for :) Yes, we decided on the name Jack for our little man! Jackson Robert, to be exact (Robert after Mike's dad).

And a beanstalk (because every Jack needs one of these) to keep track of his height as he grows! I painted this on the back of his closet door- which is chalkboard paint on the other side for some fun once he's older.

35 weeks along and 35 days left :)

35 weeks!

Some good news for us: we have our hospital bag packed! We got all our little ducks in a row and decided to kick it into high gear finally. The house is clean, the baby's room is anxiously awaiting his arrival, bags are packed and our basement freezer is FULL of yummy meal and crockpot recipes for the weeks following babies birth. We're starting to feel slightly more prepared for Baby's arrival!

Here's what went into our hospital bag (yes, there's really just one!):

For Mommy & Daddy:

• Wallet: And don't forget your ID and insurance card, just in case :)
• Camera AND batteries/charge cord: Seriously. You have no idea how many people forget. Don't be one of them.
• Birth plan: You definitely don't need one! The biggest thing about birth plans: you need to remain flexible and realistic, and understand a birth plan is simply way of communicating preferences to your hospital staff. It should never be seen as the be-all-end-all for decision-making. Birth plans won't be followed in the even of an emergency, so always stay flexible and remember: it's meant as a guide, not a law, for your healthcare team.
• Your POA or Living Will: Got it? Bring it. Things happen, and regardless of the fact that it's the most depressing thing ever, it's a good resource to have on file so your loved ones don't need to go crazy over what you wanted in the event (heaven forbid) all hell breaks loose. Some hospitals have social workers on staff to make these with you, but your best bet is going to your state's government website, printing a copy, filling it out, and having it signed by two witnesses (it's free). Bring a copy (not the original) with you to L&D.
• Prescription (if necessary) or Contact information for Breastpump Provider: If you're getting a breastpump from your insurance (insurance plans are now required to cover electric breast pumps under the new healthcare act), don't forget to keep the number handy on who to call when you deliver so you or a family member can pick up your breast pump for you from the DME provider on your way home from the hospital.
• Mesh panties and pads: The world will tell you they are amazing, and they are. But my personal preference: Depends. They stay on better and don't leak when you reposition (and you will bleed- a lot. It's uncomfortable, awkward, and feels gross). And Depends don't show through going-home pants the way the massive pads do.
• Tums: Your tummy and throat will thank you just to have some on hand if you need them quick and the orders aren't in. As for other meds, you will most likely have standing orders for ibuprofen, tylenol, hydrocodone, witch hazel (Tucks for hemmorhoids), and stool softeners for constipation. You will also likely be offered the flu vaccine and Tdap, among other vaccines, if you are not up to date. Baby will also be expected to be given the Hepatitis B vaccine prior to leaving the hospital, unless you refuse it. The hospital will also have Lanolin cream on hand for you, as well as every other breastfeeding supply known to man.
• Shoes: Non-slip socks and non-slip slippers so you can walk if you want to through the hallways to get contractions moving if you're having a vaginal delivery. If you're having a c-section: warm socks. OR's and recovery rooms can get VERY cold! And do NOT forget flip-flops for the shower. Tell daddy to bring his too. Your feet will thank you.
• Hygiene: I bought the little travel sizes of my favorite shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, etc. They WILL have all these for you at the hospital, but think about it: you just pushed a baby out and you're stinky, sweaty, and sore. Who wants to use that crummy cheap stuff they give you? Treat yourself a little after you deliver and enjoy that wonderful first post-baby shower in the hospital. It might be the last semi-quiet one in you get in a while ;)
• Books & magazines. Labor can take forever, is not unbearable the WHOLE time, and you might actually get bored waiting for your contractions to get going. Get a favorite book- one that's NOT about babies! Give yourself some last-minute "you" time before baby arrives. You might not get many opportunities for joy-reading romance or mystery novels in the next few weeks, but you will have plenty of opportunities to read about baby rashes and different colored poops. 
• Your iPod/iPhone. Most hospitals nowadays have docks for these in the rooms so you can blast your favorite Jimmi Hendrix songs while pushing, or listen to some calming relaxation music instead. Don't forget the charger too, just in case the dock isn't there :)
• Comfortable clothing in layers: A great thing to remember about hospital rooms: thermostats are pointless. If you set it at 70F, it will either be 55F with the vents blowing or 95F and the heater smelling like burnt. A set of cotton PJ's is your best bet as they are warm yet let your skin breathe. If you're hot, you can always just change into a gown...or go naked, if that's how you roll.
• Robe: Hospitals have robes and gowns galore, but let me tell you- they're ugly as heck. If you've got a favorite snuggly robe, bring it along so you can walk the hallways in something less atrocious and more comfortable than a giant blue sheet of a robe that's 6 sizes too big :)
• Pillows! I can't stress this enough if you will be delivering in a large hospital. Often, hospital pillows 1) suck, 2) are few and far between, and 3) are gross. Bring your favorite pillow or two, and just bring an old *colored* pillowcase so it isn't mistaken for a hospital pillow by housekeeping.
• Blankets: You don't have to, but let me tell you- it's lovely to have your favorite soft fuzzy blanket at your side to snuggle up in with baby and daddy.
• Button-up shirt(s) are the best. I am bringing a pair of button-up cotton PJ's so baby has "easy access" and I don't have to bare it all or feel exposed when family is visiting and I'm breastfeeding.
• Nursing bras: just one's enough. Your milk may or may not show up before you leave the hospital but if it does, you'll be happy you have some comfy bras to wear. Ones I always recommend to my patients: Target. They're ridiculously soft, give you some support, and yet are functional with some extra room for sensitive breasts before and after feedings.
• Tea: I'm personally a big tea lover, so I'm bringing my favorite nursing/lactation support tea along for my own comfort as the only teas they typically have at hospitals are earl greys or lemon. You can also bring your own favorite snacks or drinks along, but just something to make you feel relaxed is a great start- in my opinion :) Also bringing raspberry leaf tea (which is great during pregnancy to prep your body for labor too) is a great supplement for getting your uterus back to where it was before baby.
• Change for vending machines/cafeteria: So Daddy can go get a late-night snack for you from the cafeteria or machine if you need it :)
• Parking: If your hospital provided you your parking pass in advance, don't forget to keep it in the car! I HIGHLY suggest driving to your hospital a month ahead of your due date, with hubby or whoever will be with you, to figure out where and how to park (or figuring out valet), and making your way up to L&D just so you aren't scrambling or adding extra stress to your life the day you go into labor. 

For Baby:

• Carseat: Well, this one won't fit in the bag :) But don't forget it! A good idea is also to make sure you have a carseat that fits in your car easily and snuggly, and also to have it's install checked by your local fire department. Something we also did: we  put Medical Alert stickers on our baby's carseat with information on his name, ours, contact info, Dr & hospital info, blood type, allergies, etc. It's a great thing to have available if (heaven forbid) a paramedic ever needs to know it!
• Going home outfit: Remember, dress & bundle accordingly. Bring layers. Hospitals provide onesies, shirts, diapers, nooks, brushes, combs, washcloths, the works. You don't need to bring those. Another big one: remember that baby WILL have their umbilical cord yet that will be drying, and putting baby in a 2-piece outfit (pants) can irritate their sensitive little bellybutton area. One-piece going home outfits are many times more comfy for baby's ride home.
• Swaddle/blanket(s):  ESPECIALLY if you have a pet. Wrap that baby up all nice and cozy and bring that blanket home early so your dogs/cats get a sniff of baby before you bring baby home. Otherwise, the hospital will also have 5 million swaddles and blankets on hand for you, but who doesn't like to snuggle their baby up in their very first blankie?
• Baby Book (footprints & signatures/notes from MD's and RN's): 95% of people forget this one too. The hospital can always send you home with ink pads, but it's amazing to see those little prints in your book that first big day :)

34 weeks

From our family to yours, happiest of holidays! We hope you all had a delicious Thanksgiving filled with food, fun, and family and lots of memories. Seeing as Mike and I are nearing the end of our 9 month trek here, we have incredible things to be thankful for this year :) Every day Baby gets a little bigger, kicks a little harder, and the thought of him arriving is a little (or a lot) bit sweeter. Our house is filled with books and toys and precious things for our coming addition, and each day we get a little closer to being "finished" making our house a home, for both us and for baby. We've had so much fun these last couple months and can not wait to snuggle Baby to bits!

This Thanksgiving we spent a little time with both our families and also decided to be "those crazies" who try to snag a deal when the Black Friday (Thursday) doors opened at 8pm at some stores. And, despite my being the size of the Titanic, we did manage to get the items we wanted! I got a Cuisinart food processor to make our own baby food (among other delicious things), the highchair we've been eyeing up, and a Cricut bundle, and we also snagged a new vacuum (which is AMAZING!), Mike got some bits for his router and a bunch of Bond movies, and we managed to finish up all our Christmas shopping (and are really excited about the gifts we found people, which is the best feeling ever!). So despite being 33 weeks pregnant and exhausted, we are super excited to have gotten things we wanted and needed. And no, we didn't stay up all night- not this year :)

Only 6 more days of clinical practicum left for this girl and then hopefully it's just smooth sailing from here til baby shows up! I've got plenty of crafts and sewing projects piled high in the craft room yet for baby, which I'm crossing my fingers I'll get done before he arrives. I scored some amazing deals on baby fleece for crib rail covers and a changing pad, some muslin(gauze) for swaddles, waterproof fabrics for wet bags for our cloth diapers, and some amazingly fun print remnants for homemade toys :) so I am VERY excited to be done with school for a bit and have some fun back on the sewing machine instead! This whole studying and paper-writing thing is definitely super lame compared to cute baby prepping.

So the big news this week? Baby's almost in the clear as far as health goes! After 34 weeks, typically babies are able to breath on their own with fewer interventions (if any) and generally do well if born at this point. Of course, we'd love for him to stay cooking a little longer (i.e. like, after I'm done with school) but at least we've got some reassurance now that he's got some good chances even if he did show up early :) As of now, he's pretty much just working on that surfactant (aka, lung lube) and filling out those cute chubby cheeks before he makes his appearance!

33 weeks of big.

As promised, here is my wonderful, massive self just shy of 33 weeks. It's definitely getting harder to walk now, I fall asleep around 7:30pm or 8pm every night (unless it's Monday and I have to watch Castle), and my "pregnancy brain" is literally driving me up the wall and down again. But, our little guy is almost here and we are sooo super super excited to meet him!

So what's on our agenda in the coming weeks? Cleaning. A hundred million hours of cleaning- which gets old, when you have the harriest sheddiest dog on earth (Riley) and every time you sweep, vacuum or mop, he goes and sheds another coat. Luckily, we finally found the most amazing groomer ever who knows how to properly blow-out our guys' coat, leaving them with beautiful, shiny, less hair. And letting me let them up on the bed a little more often (though they pretty much spend their days there while Mike and I are at work... Sneaky dogs).

We are very much enjoying getting ready for the holidays though :) shopping and decorating is almost complete and baby's almost here! 

Baby Fank dropped at 32 weeks!

So I skipped 30 weeks and jumped straight to 32. Which according to our doctor, might now actually be more like 34 weeks. This past weekend, I began feeling A LOT of pressure from baby, and began having shooting pains in some pretty unfortunate areas... not sciatica. Being the type that isn't keen on freaking out about every little thing, and seeing as I was able to pick up baby's heart rate just fine and he was still practicing his daily routine of somersaults and cartwheels, I decided to wait to speak with her until my appointment yesterday. Good news: his somersaults paid off and he is officially head-down! Bad news: turns out Mommy's instinct is, in fact, correct. Baby Fank apparently decided to head south this past week and is now settled comfortably into a 0 station, and conveniently onto a nerve (or a few). This is the "drop" so many mom's refer to, medically termed "lightening." Lightening for many moms occurs around or after the 36th week of pregnancy.

Fetal station refers to the location of the baby's head in relation to the mother's pelvis. Typically, at 32 weeks, a health professional will refer to a cervix and baby's position as CTH (closed, thick and high- the "high" referring to -4 or above). But, Baby Fank being the instigator that he is, decided to skip this part and start his journey early. Good news: it typically makes laboring a little shorter and easier. Bad news: it makes for a pretty uncomfortable end to the pregnancy when a baby drops this early, and it can mean baby's coming a lot sooner. Hence, my doctor decided now's a good time to chill out and get a belly-support band to keep this kiddo in line. Literally.

So, last night Mike and I headed on down to our local Destination Maternity/Pea in the Pod/Motherhood Maternity store (seriously, there's 3 in one? Which one is it!?) to get a belly band. All the girls there (and there were A LOT of them as there was prenatal yoga going on) raved about The Ultimate Maternity Belt. The owners of the store were very adamant about me trying it one before I did get it, so together, they and Mike strapped me on in and told me to take it for a "15 minute test drive around the store", no joke. And let me tell you- the thing WORKS. And what's even more awesome? There was a BOGO sale going on so they gave me a postpartum tummy tucker along with it to keep my stuff in line post-baby. No complaints here! Here's hoping this seat belt-like contraption helps keep this little man stationary for at least 5 more weeks when I'm term (Christmas Day, to be exact). "Do not open until Christmas" has never been more appropriate.

So what's on the agenda for this coming week? Packing our diaper & hospital bags, finishing the nursery, and cleaning. And washing lots, and lots, of baby clothes. Once our diaper & hospital bags are packed, I'll be writing a post on the needs and do-not needs of packing for the hospital. Working in labor & delivery has definitely taught me to pack light and pack smart. So look forward to an extra post sometime this week :) Oh, and once I'm not in my pajamas anymore, a 32-week bump picture, too!

28 weeks

We're 28 weeks and how time has flown :) our little peanut is becoming more and more active by the day (and bigger and bigger by the day, too!). The nursery's almost done, the house is almost put back together, school is going well and I'm just a few short weeks away from graduation, and Mike is loving his job. Life is good.

Looking back, it seems like just yesterday I came out of that bathroom with a pee-stick in my hand and a big dopey grin on my face, and Mike's eyes lit up all stupid-like. And now we have a little baby on the way, not just our little blob anymore. He has tiny little hands, little footprints, and is blinking his eyes and listening to us sing him lullabies every night (our favorite: "Godspeed" by the Dixie Chicks). Mike is a particularly good lullaby-singer, probably from all the practice he got when we first brought Cooper home :)

So what are we doing these days? Taking it one day at a time, really. This past weekend my mom threw us a beautiful fall-themed shower, with pumpkin cupcakes and hot apple cider and enough food to feed five thousand. We got a super cute bedding set, a rock n' play, baby clothes galore, Packer attire, toys and books and breastfeeding supplies, diapers and so much more. And, my amazing friends from nursing school were also kind enough to throw me another little baby shower where they gave us the most adorable whale bathtub ever, filled with a million things bathtime. SO cute. And we still have one more shower to go from Mike's side too! We're anxiously anticipating the holidays, as this year we have a few extra things to be thankful for, of course, and one of those things just happens to be scheduled to come and bless us shortly after the holidays. And what better gift could we possibly have ever hoped for this holiday season?

26 weeks

26 weeks

One week away from the third trimester, and I can NOT believe where the time went! I can't believe we're on our final stretch before getting to finally meet our little pumpkin! We are SO excited! Lately it's getting harder and harder to stay focused on school and work, and becoming easier to focus on what little crafty thing I can make, sew, or paint next for Baby or what meals to freeze for my crockpot/freezer meal endeavor. It's also becoming harder to sleep for more than 20 minutes at a time... nothing to do with my tummy (yet), but rather, this little boy's kicks every night starting around 9pm and lasting until 2 or 3am. Really, honey? Really? We're going to start this already?

I suppose I can't complain though, this little boy reminds me every few minutes that he's there, alive and well. It's gotten to the point now that Mike can feel him when we're snuggling, and he'll talk to him and try to calm him down for me. And believe it or not, it works. Mike's going to be a very good Daddy, I can see it already. He's a professional baby-whisperer and our little one hasn't even arrived yet. Here's hoping his techniques continue long after our sweet little guy arrives, since that baby-whispering will come in handy those first few months. At least for me :)

Speaking of Mike's baby whispering skills... it looks like we are definitely going to need them. Our little boy is already very quickly developing an personality (attitude), as was stated by our doctor, sonographer, and very obviously, Mike and myself. Last week, Mike and I had to stop in at the hospital for one last ultrasound to get some pictures of the little guy's heart, as he tends not to cooperate well when in the spotlight. And, once again, he did not want to cooperate. He was sucking (and by sucking, I mean pretty much consuming) his thumb to the point at which I was 99% confident if he didn't already have his Daddy's thumb-nubs, he will by the time he's born. The sonographer had to push and jab on my tummy for a good 10-15 minutes again just to get him to move his arm to see his heart. And what does he do when he finally lets go of that thumb for the sonographer? Why, he simply resorts to his other thumb. Down comes one hand, and up goes the other, straight to his lips. All caught on camera. Yes, my 26 week-old already is quite aware of his own self. The sonographer was very impressed. I simply saw it as a warning. I can see where this is going already... he's going to be just like his Daddy. Boy am I going to have my hands full!

So what else is new? Bathroom's done! Well, not the walls... we still need to finish caulking and painting... but Mike amazingly, as usual, replaced the plumbing and fixed the shower valves, soldered the pipes, installed the new shower, surround, soaker tub, and flooring, installed all new insulation (including inside the tub so my baths will stay nice and warm!) and made it functional and wonderful, and I can finally shower again in my own bathroom! And the best part: we saved WAY more money than we spent, thanks to a bunch of sales and Mike's amazing DIY abilities. Not to mention, what material science engineer doesn't like knocking down walls, taking things apart, and soldering pipes together? :) So Mike got some fun out of it, too. Oh, and the soaker tub... a thousand times better than the old 14" baby blue steel tub that said on the bottom of it was installed May 27, 1953. Clearly it was time for an upgrade.

On our agenda for these next few weeks? 

• Planning our "baby-moon"
• Mike's last hunting trip before the kiddo arrives
• Collecting foods to make our freezer meals (because our chest freezer we recently bought is a total dream!)
• Finishing up Christmas shopping

Notice how there isn't any house stuff on there? Notice how that's all FUN stuff? That's because we're DONE! Well, certainly not done done, but we are done with our "home improvement" projects that we set out to finish prior to our Baby's arrival. Kitchen, bath, laundry, and baby room: we did it! And it feels SO good to not have to think about that now. I'm not even mention our planned projects for next year, simply because they're just cosmetic and simple, and so not necessary to think about now :) The joys of accomplishment! Next week we hit the third trimester. And I can not wait!

Birthdays & Beehives

Yesterday, for my birthday, we had our ducts cleaned. As those of you who are married probably have already realized, general improvements to the quality of your life/living situation are often times some of he best presents you could possibly ask for. So when Mike asked me this year "Is there anything in particular you want for your birthday?" My response was, "Yes! LET'S GET THE DUCTS CLEANED!" Yes, folks, my life is that stimulating. Keep your pants on.

Now, that certainly didn't stop Mike from being the sweetheart that he is, and waking up early to buy me flowers and have the house decorated and balloons waiting in the kitchen for my birthday. It also didn't stop him from buying me the shoes I'd been dying for (don't get too excited- they were just a pair of b.o.c. clogs that are super comfy) and taking me out to dinner at The Melting Pot. But let's face it: the little perks of married life are those things that add quality and contentment, and just a general feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction, to the every day. So, that's what we did. We had our ducts cleaned. 

Let me start out by saying, our decision to have our ducts cleaned was the result of some very important factors:

• Our house is 60+ years old
• We have two dogs, one of whom refuses to keep his coat on.
• We have a baby coming.
• We started having a LOT of dust build-up.
• We've been doing a LOT of remodeling, and some of the ducts were getting noticeably dirtier.

That being said, we decided this had to get done. Notice how I didn't mention reasons concerning any beehives in there? Yes, I said beehives. That's because when making this decision, we weren't aware that there was a massive, 12" by 15" beehive hiding in the air supply duct of our master bedroom, about 3 feet below the vent. I was informed of this, and shown it, by the workers as they went through our home. Their response: "Yeah, seeing a hive that big in a supply vent... that's a first." Oh good! Glad I could add some uniqueness to your day! 

Granted, the bees were long gone and the hive was very obviously years old (alas, all the honey was gone), but the presence of said massive hive explains why our bedroom refused to warm up in the winters and cool down in the summers.Good to know, right? Even better to know AFTER it's been removed. Glad I never looked down that air vent before... I probably would've had a mild stroke. Thank goodness we had this done before our little boy arrives.

So now that that's over, what else is new? Well, for starters, I started gaining weight. My doctor is VERY happy about that. I've officially hit 12 pounds up- a far cry from the 50+ I was terrified of. So far, I'm doing alright, and our little one is doing an excellent job of staying on track too. As some of you might know, Mike was slightly chunky, and I'm not exactly keen on the idea of pushing out a 9+ pound baby, so I've been very much so attempting to prevent that from happening by eating healthy and staying active.

Otherwise, things are relatively decent around here. We are on the verge of finishing the master bathroom and my basement laundry & sewing/crafting area. What a beauty it will be to shower in my own bathroom again! It's a good thing I'm not pregnant or anything, or this would be even more inconvenient... oh wait.

24 weeks down, 16 to go!

bad picture... but, 24 week bump!

The semester's begun, Mike and I have become ridiculously busy, and of course, I missed the 22 week post and now am 24 weeks. But apparently not much has changed between 22 and 24 weeks, seeing as I lost weight again and have now managed to gain a total of 3 lbs for this entire pregnancy. Yes. I'm 6 months pregnant, and I've gained 3 lbs. No, it does not look like 3 lbs. I look like I've gained WAY more. But I haven't had to suffer any stretch marks yet, and that's definitely a major blessing. This little boy has been very kind to me thus far, I must say, other than the most absurd kicking attacks ever right when I'm going to bed.

Life is starting to settle into a routine for us again, which has helped take some of the stress away. Our friends and family have been completely wonderful, too, to say the least. A couple weeks ago, our amazing friends Rebecca & Paul came over, and Paul was sweet enough to bring me a big bouquet of "mommy-to-be" sunflowers! Seriously, could we ask for sweeter people in our lives? 

This last week, we finally got the chest freezer we've been meaning to get forever. We decided to take some of the stress off of the first few weeks after baby arrives, and make freezer dinner & crockpot meals ahead of time so there's one less thing for us to think about during the first 6 weeks of our little guy's life (seriously, who wants to cook right after baby's born?!). There's so many pinterest recipes out there I don't know how we're going to pick which ones to make! We're also excited to have the best freezer to make our own baby food next year. We'll just have to experiment once he's here and eating baby food and find out what this little guy likes before we make too much :)

It's a...

BOY!

We are so ridiculously happy, excited, overjoyed, and super surprised to announce... It's a BOY! 

Watch Us Find Out by Clicking Here!

Blue frosting!

We still are trying to convince ourselves now that it's real, but our little pumpkin is a boy! Most of you already knew we were hoping for a boy first (mainly because we love the idea of an oldest brother to the rest of our little ones) but of course we would have been so happy either way. For some reason, I was absolutely convinced it was a girl from the beginning, even though I'd hoped for a boy first, while everyone else (literally, everyone) was convinced it was a boy. So when I bit into the cupcake and saw that blue frosting, my eyes were pretty big (understatement of the year) and literally filled with tears of happiness and total shock. I couldn't (still can't!) believe we have a little boy on the way! I'm pretty sure someone caught the wide-eyed look I got on camera :) Mike of course jumped up and down with happiness and keep saying "It's a BOY!?!?" with crumbs and frosting spewing out his mouth over and over, and I managed to throw frosting at myself when I jumped with happiness, so it was quite a fun surprise. He is SO excited he's going to have a little guy to take sailing and hunting and camping and fishing and all the manly things men must do. I'll be honest, I'm excited I get to stay the only girl of this household for a little while longer too :) I'll probably eat my words once I get peed on a couple times, have to pull bugs out of his ear or come home to our little guy and the two dogs doused in mud. But for now, I am very VERY much so looking forward to this new adventure in being mommy to two crazy dogs and a little trouble-maker (and we all know that's exactly what he'll be). We both feel so incredibly blessed and surrounded by an incredible amount of love. 

Getting ready for cupcakes!

For anyone who does plan to find out the gender of a baby in their future prior to birth, now speaking from experience Mike and I both would say we HIGHLY recommend doing a Gender Reveal party! We knew the idea of a gender reveal party was a fairly new development (only in the last few years or so), so we decided to try it. And we had such a fun time and it was so wonderful to find out such an exciting part of our future while surrounded by our family and friends. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with us! Each one of you made us feel so special yesterday, we truly are grateful our little boy will be coming into a world of family and friends who so obviously care and love us dearly us. We could not ask for a more amazing group of family and friends. We know many of our family members couldn't make it and we missed every single one of you there, but just know you were in our hearts all day and we couldn't wait to tell you and send our hugs and thank you's for all your support from far away :)

Now for the exciting part- planning and decorating and getting to refer to him as a "he" and no longer "Baby" or "It"! Holy beans, this baby suddenly has turned from a little stranger who kicks me every 5 minutes throughout the night into a little boy we get to dream about and soon meet, and who we're now hypothesizing to become a national soccer star by the time he's 5 years old! Watch out Target and Babies R Us baby aisles! (Or more accurately... watch out Mandy's wallet!). Here's a photo from our 3D ultrasound at 19ish weeks that we got because he wasn't cooperating, hehe :) Look at his little nose and lips!

Halfway!

20 weeks along!

20 weeks, we're halfway there! This week we had our gender ultrasound, so now my Mom and Mike's mom know whether we are having a little boy or little girl! And it is absolutely KILLING us to not know... Only 6 more days, but seriously, it's painful to walk into our sweet little nursery and know Oma & Opa and Grandma know, but not us. Ugh, WHY did we do this to ourselves?! Oh well, the suspense will make it that much more fun and exciting when we do get to find out :)

I did manage to gain a pound this week, finally, right before losing it again. Granted, I'm certainly not going to complain about not gaining weight- I'm perfectly fine with expanding and staying right where I am as long as baby's ok (which he/she is- measuring a big ole 10oz on the ultrasound day! right on schedule). Though I definitely am WAY bigger. Maternity jeans are seriously my new best friend. I went to town sewing some stretch fabric into the sides of my uniform scrubs for when my tummy refuses to cooperate any longer, but for now I'm doing ok *fingers crossed.* I figured spending the $6 for nice stretch fabric versus paying $23 per top for new scrub tops I'm going to only wear one more semester was dopey. Once again, my sewing machine saved the day!

At the ultrasound this week we saw Baby was lying transverse- as he/she was at 12 weeks. And Baby has also made it blatantly obvious that he/she has no intent on moving anytime soon. The sonographer basically had me do a mixture of the macarena mixed with the hokey-pokey to try to get this little one to flip for the camera, but alas, this Baby is determined to remain a side sleeper for the time being. Transverse position is not a problem, and actually is very common, prior to 30 weeks. Chances are baby will be bouncing around in there until then; however at 30 weeks, if baby remains transverse, chances are I'm going to have to get down with the macarena/hokey-pokey again. Or mostly just some specialized yoga.

This week we put up the window drapes in the nursery and Mike put the crib together (it's so cute!) just because we couldn't wait any longer. I mean, it was just sitting in there taunting us... we couldn't help it! And 

This week I found a little questionnaire in my mommy-to-be inbox that I figured would be fun to record some of the stuff that we're feeling right now.

What I really miss: Strongbow. Honestly, now that fall is coming hard cider is ALL I can think about. And everyone is drinking it whenever we go out. Ugh. Looks like it's going to be lots of sparkling cider this fall for this girl!

What I don't miss: Well, in short, trying to not get pregnant. 

What I really enjoy: Having two men follow me around Petco with our dog food bags since I can't carry them :) it's fun to experience chivalry from strangers in an era during which it has pretty much become non-existent.

What I really don't enjoy: The fear of waking up one day with pool noodles for ankles. So far so good.

What I'm most excited for: Our gender reveal party this weekend! We're going to find out if baby's going to be a boy or a girl!

What I'm not excited for:  Bundling up... I wonder if there will be any job postings for a Michelin Man impersonator...

Food I'm craving these days: Water. Is that a craving? I feel like  I could drink a gallon and still feel dehydrated.

Food  I can't handle these days: Nothing, I eat anything. I'm the most boring pregnant girl ever.

Any problems: Headaches. Bad, baaaad headaches. My only complaint (other than losing half my wardrobe).

Something that has surprised me: How nice it is to always feel like I have a little comrade tagging along wherever I go. That, and how freaking strong this little one's legs are. My poor left side :(

Something that has exceeded my expectations: My amazing husband. Mike is without a doubt going to be the most wonderful Daddy ever :) and he never ceases to totally spoil me rotten and shower me with hugs and kisses and foot rubs and flowers and chips and milk.