Week 9
Baby H is the size of a green olive. 

                                                                     9 weeks, 4 days

Baby H is only the size of a green olive, but he or she already has distinct fingers and toes, and can bend his/her elbows and knees!
                                

How far along? 9 weeks

Maternity clothes? are taking over my closet, and I love it. I went thrifting with Maggie yesterday and she took me to some goldmines. It's been a while since I hunted through thrift stores, but I found some great pieces. For $35 dollars I got three dresses, a warm long sweater for fall, six tops, and a little onesie set for Baby H. Awesome!  

Stretch marks? Nope.

Sleep: I'm still sleeping through the night. Eventually, I'll have to buy a body pillow and stop sleeping on my back, but I'm treasuring the comfort of stretching out in bed until then.

Best moment this week: Signing up for our baby registry at Babies R US. Gabe and I had a blast picking out Baby H's furniture and gifts. Choosing decorations, clothes, baby furniture, and strollers makes the baby's arrival seem all the more real. In just seven short months, we'll be bringing home Lorelai or Max!  

Scariest Moment of the week: Yesterday night was pretty terrifying. Gabe was at work and I started spotting around 9 pm. I didn't have any cramping or pain, but I called my OB right away and they told me to go to the emergency room. Thankfully, Gabe was closing with another manager, so he was able to come home right away to take me in. I spent the time it took him to get home praying and talking to the baby, telling it how much we love it. My positive thinking was partly to help calm myself also, because I was incredibly shaken up. Fortunately, it didn't take long for Gabe to get me to the ER. The hospital staff was so kind and thorough, which I really appreciated. After an IV, a series of tests, some waiting, and an ultrasound, my doctor determined everything is fine with me and little Max or Lorelai! Gabe and I are both so grateful and relieved! During the ultrasound, we were able to see our little bean's strong heartbeat (168 bpm), and we got to hear it this time as well! Tears of joy flooded my eyes as I heard the healthy, repetitive thump of Baby H's heartbeat. He or she is active, and was moving his/her little arms and legs all around during the ultrasound. Dance party anyone? The baby is developing well, and my due date was adjusted to October 27th. We're just so thankful that the baby is healthy. I'm determined that the next time I go to that ER will be at the end of October, and I will be delivering our little one!  

Miss Anything? Running

Movement: Little Max or Lorelai is moving all around, but I won't be able to feel it for another 6 weeks or so.

Food cravings:  Sweets- Funfetti cupcakes, almond cookies, fruit snacks, mango

Anything making you queasy or sick: No. 

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Fatigue, night sweats, bloating, tender breasts, spotting (only one day). 

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. It is such a relief to know Little Baby H is healthy and happy!

Looking forward to: Seeing the doctor again this week to confirm everything is okay. 

Week 8 continued...
Baby H is the size of a raspberry.

     We had our first ultrasound on the 19th. The baby is strong and healthy, and measured exactly 8 weeks, instead of 9 like we expected. Nonetheless, Little Baby H has a strong heartbeat of 170 bpm, and is developing normally. It was amazing to see our little bean for the first time! Gabe and I shared some happy tears at the image of tiny L or M (we've picked our names already)! It is amazing to know we've made a life together and that our baby is healthy. Baby H's tentative due date is October 29th, 2015! 

Little Baby H- 8 weeks, 0 days. The black area is where the baby's brain is developing.

3D image of our little one. Check out his or her little arm and leg buds! 

Our baby announcement!

                                
How far along? 8 weeks

Maternity clothes? Yes! Even at this early stage, I'm pretty much limited to maternity bottoms, loose skirts, and roomy tops now. I've gained two pounds, but none of my clothes fit! More preggo wear is in my future!

Stretch marks? No. 

Sleep: I'm sleeping through the night pretty well, except for occasional night sweats. No complaints!

Best moment this week: Meeting our little bean for the first time! Our ultrasound and exam both went very well. Little Baby H is healthy and happy in there! See above for ultrasound pics! Also, posting our pregnancy announcement. Our friends and family have flooded us with warm wishes and we're so thankful for their support.

Miss Anything? Coffee, Iced Coffee, Iced Caramel Macchiatos, etc...

Movement: Baby H is starting to make little movements, but I won't be able to feel them for about two more months.

Food cravings:  Avocado, coffee ice cream, cinnamon rolls

Anything making you queasy or sick: Just allergies

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Fatigue, swollen/tender breasts, frequent trips to the loo...

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy. Gabe and I fall more in love with each other and our little bean every day!

Looking forward to: Spring Break! Ten days of rest, sleeping in, and quality time with my Mr.; what could be more relaxing?

Week 8

Baby H is the size of a raspberry.

8 weeks, 5 days 

Baby H is the size of a raspberry, but he or she is already active and can already make small movements in my womb!

Andrea's bridal shower this weekend- with my favorite ladies!

Jazzy is going to have a little cousin to play with soon!

7 month baby bump simulator, or one surreal aspect of trying on maternity clothes this weekend. 

How far along? 8 weeks

Maternity clothes? Yes! While we were in Jacksonville this weekend, my parents took us shopping for maternity and baby clothes at Town Center. My mom got me a few cute outfits for work, and I am so excited to have clothes that fit properly. Gabe and I were equally amused by some of the crazy contraptions maternity stores call clothing and accessories. We were both a little giddy when I tried on the 7 month baby belly (it helps you see how the clothes will fit as the baby grows). Trying on the belly definitely gave me chills, just knowing that in five months or so our little baby will have grown so much! Gabe snapped this pic while I was trying on dresses. I wonder how big my belly will actually be in five months... 

Stretch marks? No, but I've started using Palmer's Belly Cream almost daily. 

Sleep: Sleep is a challenge now. My allergies are in full swing (hello pollen!) and I can barely breath, so I find myself waking up frequently. I've also found that I get hot extremely easily now, which means Gabe and I finally agree that the comforter is for winter only. Naps are still a daily requirement. 

Best moment this week: One of the best moments of the week was Andrea's shower. Andrea's shower turned out so well! Everyone had a great time, and Andrea really loved everything Jackie and I put together. Seeing her happiness made the event a success in my book! Gabe and I are already looking forward to her wedding in May!

    Maternity shopping was also a really neat experience. It was a little crazy to see the variety of fit options, nursing bras, belly bands and so on, but it was really special to share with Gabe and my parents. The best part about the whole experience was that it makes little Baby H even more real to us. Nesting is in full swing! My mom and dad are so excited to be grandparents; they can't wait to have their first grandchild! They are already making a list of things they want to buy for the baby (Baby H is going to be a little spoiled!). While we were out, they bought Baby H some adorable little outfits too. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, Mommy and Baby H will be in style (Daddy already looks handsome all the time :-)). 

Miss Anything? Hot Tea

Movement: None

Food cravings:  Coconut, tropical flavors, fresh salsas, and pineapple

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really. Unrelated- Pollen! I've gone through 3 boxes of Kleenex in the past two days.

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Extreme fatigue, bloating, enlarged breasts. It is high time for a new bra. I switched to sleeping on my left side and the indigestion problems have stopped- win!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: So happy! Gabe and I are ready to meet our little raspberry at my appointment Thursday. It's amazing to be so in love. I'm so thankful for all our blessings!

Looking forward to: My appointment Thursday. Only two days to go! Gabe and I are so excited to see the baby at my first ultrasound. I will also be so relieved to hear the doctor say that our little baby is growing perfectly. We are confident our little one is growing strong, but it will be so nice to know for sure. I recently read that a mother's optimism directly effects the health of her pregnancy, so I am cheering our little one on with notes everyday. I hope he or she will enjoy reading them later in life! 

Week 7

Baby H is the size of a blueberry.

How far along? 7 weeks

Maternity clothes? The weather this week has been gorgeous, so I broke out my high-waisted spring dresses. Though I have only gained two pounds, the bellyband is in full swing. Seriously, the zipper on my pants will not even meet anymore. I've definitely been surprised by how quickly my body has started changing and, shall we say, expanding...

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: Thankfully, I'm still sleeping through the night. Naps are a regular part of my life now and I have a new appreciation for the bliss that is napping after work. How do people not like naps?!

Best moment this week: Date night with my fantastic husband :-) Tasty burgers at green Truck Pub, fries, and their amazing dijon hit the craving spot. It was raining out, so we cozied up at the bar and ordered up two plates of goodness. While we waited for our order, Gabe and I discussed baby announcements, which we will be making next week! I love how a simple night out together can bring us both so much joy!

Miss Anything? Painting my nails

Movement: None

Food cravings:  Burgers, spaghetti and meat sauce, savory goodness of all kinds.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Ham, also known as the yuck which half my students bring for lunch everyday.

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Fatigue, bloating, enlarged breasts, occasional gas/hiccups/burping, nausea 

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Still happy! As my appointment approaches, I've been feeling a bit nervous too. I just want to know everything is fine with little baby H, and that he or she is totally healthy!

Looking forward to: This weekend in Jacksonville. Gabe has the Gate River Run, and I'm throwing Andrea's bridal shower. I hope everything goes as planned and that her shower turns out as pretty as the one she threw for me! Hopefully we'll get to spend the rest of the weekend relaxing with our friends and family. We also decided to do our baby announcement after my appointment next week, so I am really looking forward to sharing our wonderful news with everyone. We're just so excited about our little one that we can't keep my pregnancy a secret anymore! 

Week 6 

Baby H is the size of a Pea

6 weeks exactly

Baby H is the size of a sweet pea

Sweet Theory Donuts- Apple Pie and Blueberry Maple

Best friends and ... future best friends, all in one picture!

 

Baby H's first onesies!

How far along? 6 weeks

Maternity clothes? Leggings, still. I tried to wear my cords this week and the hairband trick failed me, or at least it was not created for pre-k teachers. Every time I bent down to tie shoes or help the kiddos with something, I could feel my zipper slipping. Overall, I spent half the day checking to make sure the zipper was closed and the other half unzipping it to pee every 30 minutes. How are there not more comedies about pregnancy? Good thing I have a stockpile of leggings and lots of cute dresses to wear over them!

Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I've been having crazy dreams, but I'm sleeping through the night. This is a nice change from last week.

Best moment this week: A breakfast double date at Cool Moose Cafe with my bestie Lauren and her husband Andrew. They are also expecting, which means our little babies are bound to be future best friends! Lauren and Andrew are definitely some of the people we miss the most from Jville. It was great to get together and talk for a couple of hours. Did I mention the chicken and waffles? They might just be the best I've ever had. Eventually, we headed outside and took some pictures. How often is it that best friends are preggo at the same time? As Lauren and I took a selfie, Andrew pointed out that there are really four people in the picture. Seriously! It still seems a little surreal that we are expecting and I love every little reminder of it. Gabe and I also had a great time looking at Baby things this weekend. We even bought Baby H's first onesies!

Miss Anything? Real cheese. At one time I thought I would be eating tasty goat cheese brownies all through my pregnancy. Alas, many of my favorite cheeses, and more importantly, my favorite brownies, are off the shopping list.

Movement: None

Food cravings:  Cherry Italian Ice. Thanks to our trip to Jax, my Sweet Theory craving was finally satisfied. I'm actually glad we don't live near this bakery since the donuts were just as good as I remembered.

Anything making you queasy or sick: lunch meat

Gender: Unknown

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: This week I've been very tired. My chest is starting to change a little and I feel like I'm busting out already, but from what I've heard this is just the beginning. I've definitely started having to pee more often, which is pretty comical to all the people I work with. No morning sickness yet, just a little nausea here and there.

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! I fall more in love with Gabe and little Baby H each day.

Looking forward to: Spring break. Also, St. Patrick's Day, our next school holiday. Basically, I plan to sleep all day, sip hot cocoa, and marathon watch Gilmore Girls. I feel relaxed just thinking about it! Only 12 days to go...