15 Weeks!

Today's date: Wednesday, January 26, 2011

How far along: 15 weeks

Sex: Unknown.

Maternity clothes: No, but I love my VS leggings!

Sleep: Have been sleeping pretty well the past few nights...just getting up to pee around 3:30am, but that's become the norm!

Best moment(s) of the week: Had a great weekend at home with my mom, dad, younger brother and Molly!  Had some great mom-made meals, dad took us cross country skiing, watched some DVR'd episodes of Ellen, hit up Buy Buy Baby, Hobby Lobby & Crate and Barrel.  Fun Fun Fun!

Movement: Can't feel it yet.

Food cravings/aversions: I swear I'm not craving anything yet...but vinegar-y things always taste really good - pickles, salad dressings, asian salad I made last night...

Morning sickness: Let bygones be bygones!

Symptoms: Nothing new to report.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out:  Definitely still in.

What I miss: Nothing really.

What I'm looking forward to: Next baby appointment is on Monday.  I don't think anything super exciting is happening at this appointment, but another appointment down means progress!

Size and growth of our baby: Baby is now the size of an APPLE!

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces. 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. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

14 Weeks!

Hello second trimester!  Glad to be here!!

Today's date: Wednesday, January 19, 2011

How far along: 14 - officially in my second trimester!  yay!

Sex: Unknown.  We'll find out at the end of February - I've got the countdown going!

Maternity clothes: Everything pretty much still fits, but I've been wearing these great leggings that I got at Victoria's Secret pretty much every day for the past week.  I love them so much I ordered three pairs :)

Sleep: Still waking up to go pee but have been sleeping SO much better the past few nights, since Brad installed a 'whole-house-humidifier' that attaches directly to the furnace.  I can totally tell a difference!  I can breathe at night!

Best moment(s) of the week: Got to catch up on the phone with a long distance friend :) 

Movement: Can't feel it yet.

Food cravings/aversions: Not craving anything, really.  Does that kick in at a certain point?

Morning sickness: Have been feeling really great the past few days, although I'm still pretty tired most of the time.  I have a feelings that's how I'm going to feel indefinitely from this point on...ha!

Symptoms: I found my first stretch mark and literally gasped out loud when I saw it.  Its on my all-of-the-sudden-size-C-boobs.  Ugh.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out:  Definitely still in.

What I miss: Having energy!

What I'm looking forward to: Going home-home tomorrow!  Going to be such a fun weekend!!  Home-made dinner by Mom, cross country skiing with Molly and Daddio, and some serious shopping with Molls!

Size and growth of our baby: Baby is now the size of a LEMON!

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 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 pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

13 Weeks!

Today's date: Wednesday, January 12, 2011

How far along: 13 weeks - last week of first trimester!

Sex: Unknown...I have a feelings its a boy, though. 

Maternity clothes: Still wearing yoga pants a lot, but I did put on a pair of jeans the other day and they still buttoned, although I have some other pairs that won't button, so I have to use the ol' hair tie trick.

Sleep: Have been waking up at 4:30am for the past week to go pee and always have trouble falling back asleep.

Best moment(s) of the week: Last Thursday we had our first ultrasound and got to actually see our little baby.  Totally amazing and it made it so much more real because now I can picture him or her :)

Movement: Can't feel it yet.

Food cravings/aversions: Still nothing too serious but I noticed that I've been craving salty more than sweet.

Morning sickness: Have been feeling really good the past couple days.  Hopefully I'm in the clear now!

Symptoms: Still get pretty tired mid-day but other than that, I don't think I'm having any other symptoms, other than some serious gasiness.  Sorry guys...just trying to be honest!

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out:  Definitely still in.

What I miss: Being able to paint.  I guess I could get a mask, but that still makes me nervous.

What I'm looking forward to: Seeing Molly next weekend!!

Size and growth of our baby: Baby is now the size of a PEACH!

Baby is approaching normal proportions, with its head now only one third the size of its body. And intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy.  Fingerprints have formed o baby's tiny fingertips, veins and organs are clearly visible through its still-thin skin.  Baby is forming teeth and vocal cords although they are nonfunctional. If we're having a girl, she now has more than two million eggs in her ovaries!  Our baby is almost 3 inches long and weighs nearly an ounce.

Ultimate To-Do List

Being inspired by a long time friend, and playing to my Type-A-I-love-lists personality, I thought it would help me feel less whelmed and more organized if I wrote down everything we need/want to do to our house.  Whether its something that needs to happen immediately, or 3 years down the road, I listed it.  Right now, the list is definitely overwhelming to look at, but I have to keep in mind that we've only been in the house for going on four months and we've already tackled quite a bit.  Some of the projects we've done I didn't bother listing, but I might go back and add them to help us mentally feel like we've been productive in the past three months.

So you don't think I'm lying, here's a quick glimpse of one of the very first things we did...the basement shower.  Why the basement shower first, you might ask?  I'll save that explanation for another post!

Pittsburgh Potty - Before

Pittsburgh Potty {shower} - After

Anyway...without further ado...here is my ultimate to-do list {Brad hates lists and probably won't ever look at this}:

Dining Room:
Tear down wallpaper
Patch holes/water damaged spots
Paint
New light fixture
Replace outlets
Replace outlet covers
Buy a rug
Fix window framing on front windows
Put up blinds
Paint table
Buy two bookshelf units to flank small window: here
Lay new hardwood floors
Hang some artwork

Living Room:
Tear down wallpaper
Patch holes
Paint
Remove fireplace grate
Clean out fireplace
Get gas fireplace insert
Replace vent covers
Patch holes above mirror
New light fixture
Replace outlets
Replace outlet covers
Patch cracked grout on fireplace
Get new rug
Get new TV stand
Get new couch
Get new end/coffee tables
Fix window framing on front window
Put up blinds
Lay new hardwood floors
Tidy up the mantle

Foyer:
Tear down wallpaper
Patch holes/water damaged spots
Paint
Replace light fixture
Get new door
Paint inside of closet
Install closet organization system
Find a piece of furniture for foyer nook
Hang some sort of artwork
Lay new hardwood floors

Hallways/Stairs
Replace outlets
Replace outlet covers
Replace vent covers
Replace light fixtures (2)
Paint hallways + stairway
Lay new hardwood floors (downstairs hallway)
Get carpet installed (stairs + upstairs hallway)
Paint inside of linen closet
Install better org. system in linen closet
Hang picture collage up stairs
Take down curtains on stair window

Downstairs Bedroom/Office:Decide on design direction (office?  spare bedroom? man room?  all of the above?)
Clean out/organize
Paint?
Replace outlets
Replace outlet covers
Replace vent cover
Paint inside of closet
Install better org system in closet
Lay new hardwood floors
Buy queen sleeper sofa: here
Buy three bookshelves: here
Buy small(er) TV
Find tall dresser/media stand for TV (or put it on one of the bookshelves, if it will fit)
New light fixture (ceiling fan?)
Hang new blinds
Buy new rug

Kitchen:
Tear down wallpaper
Paint brick
Strip white paint from window trim
Remove land-line phone line or get a land-line phone
Lay new hardwood floors
Replace oulets/switches
Replace outlet covers
Replace light fixtures
Decide on cabinets + install
Decide on counter tops + install
Get new faucet
Get new sink
Install garbage disposal
Hang microwave above stove
Sell old fridge
Move new fridge from dining room into kitchen

Upstairs Full Bath:
Completely gut : )

Nursery:
Decide on paint color
Paint
New light fixture
Hang new blinds (+ curtains?)
Install carpet
Closet org system
Buy furniture (crib, rocker, dresser & bookshelf of some sort)
Buy bedding...and about a million other things...

Master Bedroom:
Patch holes/cracks
Paint
Take down curtains
Hang new blinds
Replace light fixture
Install carpet
Paint closet
Install closet org system
Hang new blinds in closet
Install light in closet
Get new bedside tables

Hall Closet:
Paint
Install closet org system
Replace light fixture

Outside:
Cut down three trees on the side of the house (this winter, please)
Re-landscape (front, sides, back)
Replace front porch
Finish cutting back tree in front
Put up a fence
Move garage (not for awhile)
Build small deck
Brick/stone sidewalk?
Get new siding
Replace shutters + add shutters to side/back windows
Replace light fixtures by front door
Get new house numbers
Retaining wall in front
Turn well-shed into tractor shed

Porch:
Rip up carpet
Install some type of flooring
Get new door
Replace light switch/outlets
Replace outlet covers
Replace light fixture
Take down blinds
Paint trim
Paint walls (wainscotting?)
Find cute porch furniture
Find some sort of storage (dresser, storage bench, bookshelf, etc)
Shoe storage?
Hang S hook and mail bin w/ key hooks
Hang artwork
Call locksmith to get skeleton key made for basement door
Sell/Donate round table
Move metal shelves to garage or basement

Here's to having a lot to do!

xoxo,
meghan

Squirrel or Baby?

As some of my friends/acquaintances started getting pregnant and posting their ultrasound pictures on Facebook, I vowed that I wouldn't ever do that.  Not sure why, exactly, but maybe because it seems like something too personal to post for the world to see. 

Why are you posting it here, you might ask?  Well, you all are my closest friends and family, so I'm glad to share : )

{Please note that this is a really bad picture of a picture that I took with my iPhone in really poor lighting.}

It still kind of looks like a blob, but if you stand upside down, squint really hard, turn you head ninety degrees you might be able to make out that there is, in fact, a baby in there : ) Its only a little over 2 inches from head to rump (55mm)...so teeny tiny!

Our first ultrasound was yesterday morning.  Brad was late and almost missed the whole appointment,  but luckily he got to sneak it right at the end.  It was so amazing actually seeing a baby in my belly!  The ultrasound technician was trying to get a good measurement of it, but the baby was kind of laying on its side which apparently doesn't make for a very accurate measurement.  So, she had to tilt me upside down a tad and then poked and jiggled my abdomen until the baby started to move and cooperate.  What an exciting moment to see it actually squirm around! 

It definitely feels even more real now! 

xoxo,
meghan

Two Little Mittens!

I love Crate & Barrel and I love all of their fun little kitchen gadgets/accessories so when I stumbled upon these, I couldn't resist.

These days, I love anything in the shape of a mitten because, of course, it reminds me of Michigan - a place filled with people that I still miss dearly.

Anyone guess what they are?  They're pancake molds!  We don't really eat pancakes all too often, but when we do, we'll be tapping into our Michigan roots : )  I might be able to use them as cookie cutters too!

The other thing that I'm pretty excited about are my new Toast Tongs!  Do you have these?  If not...its a must have!  I will never burn my fingers again trying to get my toast out of the toaster!

Life is good with fun {and useful} kitchen gadgets!

xoxo,
meghan

12 Weeks!

Today's date: Wednesday, January 5, 2011 (Happy New Year!)

How far along: 12 weeks/3 months

Sex: Unknown...but anxiously awaiting that 20 week appointment!!

Maternity clothes: Still haven't busted out anything maternity, but that's probably because I've been wearing black stretchy pants almost every day!

Sleep: Eh.

Best moment(s) of the week: Oh my gosh.  We heard the heartbeat yesterday.  Amazing.  Breathtaking.  Emotional.  Unbelievable.  One of the most amazing things I've ever experienced.  173bpm strong!

Movement: Can't feel anything...baby is still too small but apparently baby has reflexes now and if I prod my abdomen, it would squirm in response!

Food cravings/aversions: Still nothing too serious.

Morning sickness: Have been having a little queasiness again, when my stomach is empty.

Symptoms: Soooo tired again.

Labor signs: Way too soon.

Belly button in or out:  Definitely still in.

What I miss: Since my last update, I found out that I CAN eat feta cheese, as long as its made with pasteurized milk!  Woowoo!

What I'm looking forward to: First ultrasound tomorrow!!  Hopefully everything looks good!

Size and growth of our baby: Baby is now the size of a LIME!

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

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

I couldn't resist!

This past weekend, our friends Andrew and Natasha came up from Charleston, West Virginia to celebrate our last baby-less New Years Eve with us.  We've spent a couple NYE's together in the past and no matter what we do, we always have a nice time.  This year, we laid pretty low and just hung out here ate some good pizza, the boys drank man drinks and we sipped on sparkling cider that Natasha brought : )

Anyway, the next day we headed down to Shadyside to hit up Anthropolgie while the boys stayed back and went to Lowe's {to get supplies to later hang cabinets in the kitchen}.  Natasha got some really cute, colorful things for her kitchen and I was so happy when I came across some of my favorite lettered hooks that were half off!  This is where the I-couldn't-resist comes in...I bought three of them (well, actually Natasha bought them for me as a sneaky Christmas gift).  One S, which is obviously pretty practical, but I couldn't resist buying a C and a J.  Why those two letters, you ask?

Because those are the first initials of the two names we have picked out, for a girl and boy, respectively!  I'm probably jumping the gun, but I couldn't resist and hopefully I can use the other letter down the road.

I'll leave you with a picture of my trusty photography assistant in his new favorite spot : )

xoxo,
meghan

teeny, tiny, super fast...heartbeat!

Today was my second baby appointment and while I was excited, I was also a little nervous!  I knew that this was the appointment that we would be able to hear the heartbeat, but what if we couldn't hear it?  What if the nurse couldn't find it?  Oh, the thoughts that go through my mind!!

It was funny because after going over my charts and asking me a few questions, and before even mentioning the word "heartbeat" she asked me how lucky I was feeling today.  Knowing what she was implying I responded with a big smile on my face "Really lucky!"  She then replied with a friendly but accusing look, as if she knew my nervous tendancies, "Ok, but are you going to be nervous if we don't hear anything?  You're still a touch early to hear the heartbeat."  Of course I said I wouldn't be nervous (slight lie).  Then I looked at Brad who was covering his mouth and laughing because of all people, he knows how nervous I get about even the littlest things.  We all kind of giggled and she went to get her magic wand.

Its safe to say that there's definitely a baby growing inside my belly and we definitely heard the 173bpm heartbeat.  Brad compared it to the sound of Moose panting after a good run.  Ha!

It was such a surreal moment.  I wanted to laugh, cry and burst at the seams with happiness.  There's really a baby growing inside of me!  eeee!

On another baby related note, I'm going to start my monthly belly pictures on Wednesday, which marks my 12th week.  I can't believe I'm almost out of my first trimester!

On a non-baby related note, we decided that we're going to redo our kitchen on the cheap, to tie us over until we have more time/savings to knock down walls, pick out fancy cabinets and counters, etc.  But, we have a pretty good plan and we're excited to finally have a more functional kitchen.

Here are the realtor befores - before we even moved in...

white stove is gone.  new stove took its place.

I'll be sure to post pictures as we make progress...should be a fun project!

xoxo,
meghan