Grounded For Life at 19 Weeks

Yep, you read that title right. She's been officially grounded at only 19 weeks! We really enjoyed our 'big' ultrasound this week. We learned so much about Little Girl and how she's growing.

BUT, when the doctor went to double check the girl status, this naughty Little Girl decided to give us the 'money shot' and show off her goods! That's right...spread eagle, wide open legs, here I am! I saw the picture, looked at Dan, and, without hesitation said "We're homeschooling". He didn't disagree. The picture is seriously so wrong, Dan has it locked up! I can, without a doubt, assure you... it IS a girl!!!

Here are few more polite shots!

That's a nice strong spine! The 'hole' just above her spine your seeing is her stomach. Yes, I asked the doctor what that hole was. I learn so much at these appointments!

Baby Skeletor! This is frightening, but at least we know she's got good bones!

LITTLE GIRL STATS

• Official Due Date has been set at June 23rd. This makes her 19 weeks a cookin'.
• She's still a mover. Non-stop, constant moving. I don't feel much, turns out my placenta is essentially right between her and my belly button 'padding' me. So, until she's stronger I won't really feel anything.
• She's growing and measuring perfectly normal for her 'age'
• She's got all the right parts...perfect brain, pumping heart, nice little stomach and bladder which means kidneys too! All the fingers and toes, 2 eyes, a nose and 2 lips, and all her bones seem to be strong and growing correctly.
  
• Her room is making progress. It's looking we're headed toward chocolate brown, khaki and a little light pink. I know pink! The mom gave in! ;) But only to a little!
  
• She shall remain nameless! Even if we wanted to share the name, we have nothing to share! Man, naming a kid is hard! We just can't decide on anything and nothing 'sounds' like our daughter's name. Good thing we've got a few months, this is going to come down to the wire, I know it!
  

MAMA STATS

• I'm feeling great! I forgot my meds the other day and had no issues. I attempted to go day 2 without them, but felt nauseous when I got to campus and luckily had a pill in my purse. Always good to carry your drugs on you!
• In the last 2 weeks I have gained ZERO pounds! I see the doctor again in 2 more weeks and hopefully I'll have gained a little something otherwise I'm afraid I'll be in trouble. ;) I am still not back to my original starting weight.
• I have started back to work teaching and am very happy to have a schedule and something to keep me moving and organized. It makes me tired, but I'd rather be tired than sick!

DADDY STATS

• Dan has come to grips with the whole idea of a girl. Well, or he was after that last ultrasound! ;)
• He and Jake have settled nicely into their new shift. It's not really a new shift since they've worked it before, but it's new to this year. Life is much more peaceful!
• Still no weight gain for Dan. I'm hoping for a few sympathy pounds, but when you run 6 miles a day it's hard to pack them on. ;)
  

All in all, life is moving along and feeling quite normal. We're getting excited about the fun things we have coming up...completing the room, showers, attempting to name her! Focusing on those fun things help us not focus on the scary things. And boy are there a lot! We've talked a ton about how she will fit in with the animals and how their lives will change. We're trying to change our habits now like closing the baby room door so they can learn now not to go in. Progress is being made folks!!!!

18 Weeks

Life this week has drastically changed. We knew it would and thankfully prepared ourselves mentally before the big reveal. This little creature inside me went from anonymous to girl! All in a second! We knew this would happen boy or girl. All of a sudden the identity attached to this little baby made us feel, think and act so different.

I'm not sure how to answer the question "How are you guys doing?" Of course, we're fine, but definitely adjusting to the words she, her and girl. We both say baby or it then have correct ourselves!

A few questions I can answer....

• No we have not decided on a name! We just found out it's a girl, one step at a time people! For now we put anything we like or think we like on a list and don't think too hard about it.

• If and when we do decide on a name we will not be sharing it. Sorry to disappoint! I know everyone wants to know because they want to know just who this little person is going to be, but it's not happening so don't push it. You'll just end up with a ticket to nowhere

• We have decided her 'working title' is Little Girl. That's what she is after all! It's got a nice ring to it... "How's Little Girl today" (She's fine if you wanted to know. A little hungry for a poptart)

• We also have no ideas as to what her room will look like. As mentioned in a previous post she's taking my closet room and I'm not exactly thrilled. Now that it's a girl maybe I'll just leave the clothes and start her off on the right foot?! All I know is it absolutely cannot be saturated in pink! And, Babies R Us will not be allowed to throw up in there. It will be neutral, simple, functional and fit in with the rest of our house. Don't feel bad for her! When she can help pay the mortgage she can change whatever she likes in this house.

• Another not happening...more children. I'm not sure why people feel the need to ask this when I haven't even had this one yet. And this one, might I remind you, was never intended on to begin with. We're going to be content with what we have been given and go from there. We have no desire to be the Duggars so don't try and convince us otherwise. If you do I will just head to the shelter and get another animal. So there! ;)

Did I just kill a bunch of awkward birds with one stone there???!! On to better news...



LITTLE GIRL STATS

• This week she will grow to the size of a dinner fork! We love dinner!
  

• Her weight will get up to 6-7 ounces. This is about 3 large eggs. I don't love eggs. Her dad's gonna take this one. Uh, I shiver thinking about eggs.

• She likes to move it move it! I can't feel anything yet. Then again I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.
• The uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in their correct resting places
• Hopefully they work, the ears have now reached the perfect spot on the side of her head.

MAMA STATS

• I continue to feel great as long as I am on the meds
• I am oh so close to my original starting weight
• I can still fit in my regular clothes. I liked things looser to begin with so my wardrobe hasn't changed much. The only thing I've stopped wearing is jeans. Way to claustrophobic.
  
• I am trying to get myself excited about having a girl by thinking about all the great things I get to share with her. I still wonder if I am actually pregnant so it's slow going, but going.
  

DADDY STATS

• Dan golfed and went for a plane ride to Tahoe with a friend today. His life has really been affected by this pregnancy. Insert throat clearing and snickers here.
• He got new golf shoes
• This week there's not much that's happened in Dan's life. Although living with me isn't always easy, pregnant me can't be any sort of fun. Luckily for him he's been able to keep his recreational schedule. I'm just fine with this. I'll let Little Girl turn his world upside down, I done enough for now. ;)
• As far as his thoughts on a girl. Yes, he wanted a boy and he's not shy about saying it. After a day of thinking and processing he concluded (as I knew he would) that he cannot wait to meet her and knows that the second he sees her he will not be able to imagine life without her. Of course, girls things still scare him, like the dreaded wedding, but we realize for every scary girl thing there's a scary boy thing.

COMMENTS...Please comment!! I wonder if anyone reads this or if I'm just writing this for my own mental health. Which is fine too! But, I'd love everyone's thoughts, advice, jokes or snide remarks! Ok, don't be too snide! haha! I fixed the settings so you should be able to comment, if not email me!

IT'S A GIRL!!!

There's a bunch of pink balloons on our ceiling....wonder why??!! We feel so lucky to have been able to announce and celebrate the upcoming arrival of our Little Girl in such a fun way! We are still in shock, I guess we really did think it was a boy! Dan was boy all the way and I kept saying I wasn't sure. I really wasn't but when I saw all that pink I realized how much Dan had talked about a boy! Girl barely crossed my mind! Most of you have asked how Dan is, he is fine! He is actually quite excited and knows the second he sees her his life is over. And his saving account! ;)

Opening the box! What an intense moment! I don't think we realized how freaked out we would be in that moment just before the balloons came out!

OH MY GOSH! We just looked at each other and had no idea what to even say!
Do we laugh? Do we cry? How about both!!

I remember asking Dan if he was okay. Of course he was, but I felt like at any moment either one of us could pass out! Anticipation, adrenaline, surprise then a little fear and shock. Heart attack waiting to happen!

In case you were wondering, this is the proper way to hold a baby. ;) This is Hudson. He is going to marry Little Girl. This is as close as they could get for their first picture together! Poor guy, looking at me like who are you and why are you holding me like this?!

Future in-laws???
The McClerkin and Grauman Families!

Olivia and I-Team Pink!

Drew vs. Olivia
And, Round 1 goes to...Auntie Olivia!!!

We are so thankful to have been able to share this special moment with so many friends and family. Looking out into the crowd and seeing everyone really makes us feel special. There was so much love in the room that night!

Week 17 in 3D!

17 Weeks have come and gone...maybe! My doctor would not commit to the new due date just yet and would like to wait 2 more weeks until I have yet another ultrasound!

So I guess all I really know is this....
1. I'm pregnant
2. It's Dan's baby
3. There is only 1 baby
4. It will be born sometime in 2011
And those are real, hard facts folks.

We did a 3D appointment this week! It was so fun! We highly recommend Baby's Debut in Galt. Thanks Andie for the suggestion!

Here is Bambino in 3D! Kind of scary and well, let's just say it...ugly. But it's got a lot of growing left do so so we won't go judging just yet. For now we're going with "Awe! Look how cute with it's hands up by it's face!" No baby has ever done that before you know. Ours is the first.


Back to 2D here. I must say I prefer the 2D. I like to see all the bones, the brain and the heart pumping. Doesn't look like such a little alien here.
BABY STATS

• Bambino is the size of a turnip from head to butt. Or about 5ish-7ish inches total.
  
• Weight comes in at 5 oz. Same as a baseball in case you we're wondering.
• We've confirmed all 8 fingers and 2 thumbs, 2 arms, 2 legs, and it looks like all the toes. They are too small and this little bugger doesn't hold still.
• It is not a hermaphrodite. That's right. I said it. You know you we're all worried about it when you were pregnant. The sex has been confirmed and will be revealed on Sunday! More on that below!
  

MAMA STATS

• The RX got refilled today so mama is happy! The non-puking streak continues.
• I'm feeling pretty good overall, almost normal. Whatever that is.
• I've started gaining weight again. Not so fun, but necessary.
  
• I start back to work next week and could not be happier. A schedule and routine! Hooray!

DADDY STATS

• Dan golfed 5 days in a row this week.
• Make that 6. He's going tomorrow.
• He's still rooting for a boy.

So, the big reveal!
Yes, we have found out if we're having a boy or a girl! The thing is, we just don't know yet! We closed our eyes when the tech determined the sex, she wrote it inside a card, sealed it up and now it's hidden in the house out of Dan's reach just waiting to be opened!

On Sunday we will have our little Gender Reveal Party, or Baby Sex Party as Dan calls it once I explained there is a difference between sex and gender and that we're actually revealing the sex not the gender, but gender just sounds more appropriate...I digress....Anyways, it should be a fun event!

I'm very excited to see Dan's face when it all goes down. He really, really wants a boy. I don't seem to have feelings either way still. I'm sure it will be eventful regardless of the results. I am very much looking forward to saying he or she instead of it!

Comment Confusion

If you have tried to leave a comment I apologize! I apparently had the wrong settings for comments. This has been fixed, so comment away! Remember, you may think I'm joking, but this will be the kid's baby book. All comments will be included! ;)

Coming Soon.... 17 week update with pictures AND the poll results!

Vote!

All right kids! Take a good look at Baby G over there on the right and cast your vote...Boy or Girl??!!

16 weeks

It's pretty crazy to sit back and realize that I've been pregnant for 4 months! I reluctantly admit that it has gone by fast. Those days when I was so sick seemed like an eternity, but now that most of that is past me (Please, God let truly it be over!) it seems like we're just moving right along!

The 16th week bring lots of excitement! This is the week we will find out if we're having a boy or a girl! Any guesses?? Dan is so adamant about a boy, so naturally I think it's a girl. And, I just found the most adorable chandelier online that needs a little girls room. So for the sake of the chandelier, I want a girl ;) Otherwise I really don't have an opinion.

BABY STATS

• Bambino's got a growth spurt coming up! This week we're going to double up on weight and add inches to height.
• Current weight is about 3-4 ounces, height is 4-5 inches
• It's a dolla dolla bill y'all! Translation: The baby is the size of a dollar bill. Or, an avocado for those who prefer a food reference.
• The pattern of it's scalp begins this week. Let's all hope it's not like it's father's widows peak! Love ya Dan!
  
• We've got toenails, a pumping heart, eye and ears in their correct places, and a head that's not so, well, alien-ish.
  

MAMA STATS

• I have been feeling much better overall. I did try to stop the medication but woke up ready to puke and ran for those pills. I hate to keep taking them, but I hate puking more. Refills please doctor!
• Sleeping kind of sucks. I was always a side sleeper but of course, the baby book says you cannot sleep on your back and all of a sudden that's the only way I'm comfortable! I've tried all the pillows and just haven't quite found my comfort zone. So far the most comfortable position is to have Jersey lay next to me! She's way better than any pillow ;)
• I started prenatal yoga this week and I'm in love. I actually had my best sleep the night after and feel much more energized. I learned a lot of great stretches I can do at home between classes. It felt good to be active and not pass out!
• I have lost my brain somewhere along the way. I start to do something and forget, I walk in the kitchen to grab my keys and forget why I walked in there...it's getting old. And I'm tired of having to go to the store 3 times in a row.
• If you know I'm pregnant, you can tell. If you don't know me, I probably just look a little chubby. It's kind of annoying, but great at the same time. I can hide it well to avoid being touched by everyone when I leave the house. My ridiculously long torso leads the doctor to believe I will not be as big as I think. Or fear.
  
• All in all, I'm felling good! Gearing up for going back to teaching. I'm looking forward to having a regular schedule back to help me stay organized. These days with no work leave me lost and wandering aimlessly accomplishing nothing.
  
• And, I really want to go to Disneyland. Just thought I'd throw that in here. Oh, and buy stock in Dr. Pepper. I'm currently causing a huge rise in their sales ;)
  

DADDY STATS

• Dan is off graveyard! Yeah! He is very happy to be back to his regular shift and our house is settling back into it's regular schedule. He is much happier and more pleasant to be around now that he is sleeping regularly.
• He is VERY excited to find out if we're having a boy or a girl! I mean, VERY! He's holding strong to a boy, and when I mention a girl he gets quiet and shakes his head. ;) Finding out is going to be so fun!!!!
• He's maintaining his fatherly duties quite well I must say. The cat box stays clean! It's officially become a part of his routine now.

Since there is no human bambino picture this week, you get to see the animal bambinos! They are all back to normal since I am feeling well again. Although, poor Jersey has put on a few pounds of sympathy weight!

SILVIO

I should have known better than to leave a pile of laundry out. Not that it matters. If I put it behind closed doors he'll just open the door and go in anyways. He apparently pays the mortgage here.



STELLA

Typical Stella. If she's not in a sink, she's on the couch.
In her world those are the only two options that exist.


JAKE

Oh, this dog. He is doing well at following my commands to NOT follow me everywhere. He's happy to be back on his regular shift too, he now goes back to three meals a day!


JERSEY

Do you seriously have to take my picture?

If I don't look, maybe she'll stop

Fine, take it. But I'm only looking half way.

Such a pretty girl with her new haircut! She's had the worst adjustment to my new way of life. we're just now getting back to our normal walks, which she is SO happy about! I gotta give it to her though. She never complained and stuck by my side. I just love her!

FAITH

Faith is quite possibly the best and easiest animal on this earth.
She was so happy to see the sun yesterday and enjoy the grass, and an apple slice.