30 Weeks Part 1

*This blog was started on Monday, January 2nd.  As I was writing it I got a phone call from my mom telling me that my grandfather had passed away.  I was unable to continue writing it as much as I wanted to.  I spent time last week back home with my family and we had the funeral for my grandpa.  It is weird for me to think about how I now only have 1 grandparent remaining and that our child will (God-willing) only meet her and not the others. I realize that we were very blessed to have had our grandparents for as long as we did and I am thankful for each of them in my life.  And so I'll do my best to continue the blog......some of it was lost so I am having to rewrite.

So Tuesday (January 3rd)  marks 30 weeks into our pregnancy. It has certainly been an interesting adventure.
I thought I would take time now to reflect and recap on our journey so far as we prepare to meet our little one.  I wish that I had of done a better job recording milestones for this little one but you live and learn.

On July 7th, 2012  we took our first (and only) home pregnancy test.  I was only 2 days late but I knew something was up. I am normally like clock work - at most one day off so something was up.  I could just feel it. So we bought the test the night before and I was up early to pee on that stick.  I remember the time between doing my business and  looking at the result as a time of an outer body experience.  Even standing there looking at the test was weird. I felt like I was 100 feet above looking at Tom and I seeing the results.  Tom's reaction was great.  I think he was VERY surprised. He walked quickly from the bathroom and I chased him down half laughing and half crying.  It was a great day and we both felt so blessed.  We told both of our families by the Monday (something to do with me not drinking alcohol seem to be a reason to tell people).

My pregnancy started off good. I had dry eyes for a few weeks (even before we took the test) which apparently is a symptom because of changing hormones (who knew!).  Around week 6 though things started to change and I started to get nauseous. This lasted until about week 9.  I was so blah feeling and wanted to sleep all the time. I longed for food with taste but it was all gross. Many times I would begin cooking and stop because the smell was too much - chicken and rice are two culprits. 

Thankfully the nausea passed. Unfortunately, around week 12 or so nausea's friend vomiting made a visit. Weeks 12-15 were marked by trips to the bathroom to empty my stomach.  Mostly tomato based foods, salsa and tomato sauce, were what made me feel sick. However sugar was also a horrible one.  I had these candies, Preggo Pops, which are meant to stop morning sickness. For me they only encouraged it - many times it would stop the feeling of nausea but within minutes I would see meals again.  Thankfully as August came to an end so to did my morning sickness.

 

Here is the bump at 13 weeks and 5 days. 

   

Christmas Celebrations

Christmas weekend has come and gone. One thing for sure is it was different.

This was our first married Christmas and what will be our only Christmas without kids. It's so exciting to think about that. Christmas eve was interesting. My husband was working so I was home alone all day with Bauer. It was weird to not have preparations to do or anything. I tried to nap since we were going to midnight Mass but it didn't work very well. So midnight Mass was hard to get through. It was a joyful celebration of the birth of our Saviour. After Mass I managed to stay awake till 2:00 as we went back to the in-laws with family and friends.

Unfortunately that night Bauer came down with something and I was up at 3:30am and 5:50am with him. He had the runs and it was super bad! I felt so bad for him. So all day we worried about him and tried to figure out what we could do to help him. A little dinner of rice and ground beef seemed to help!

We were blessed to spend time with my husbands family Christmas day. We were also blessed greatly by my in-laws with amazing gifts! We were my expecting all that we got. We received: an iPod dock, Tim Hortons seasonal mugs, gift card for a maternity clothing store and for Home Depot. We were also surprised after all the presents were opened with a baby stocking for out little one. Inside the stocking was an I owe you for a crib from Nanna and Poppa. We were so shocked and overwhelmed to received this. This is the crib and furniture set we're thinking of getting. We would get it in espresso finish. http://storkcraftdirect.com/baby-products/convertible-cribs/tuscany-4-in-1-stages-crib/

Our goal for 2012 is to have our basement done by February 1 so that our new crib has a room to go in for our baby. Here's hoping it all goes according to plan!

Maximum Capacity

Holy cannoli!! Today I feel like there is no way my belly can expand anymore. Maximum capacity has been reached! Our little one must be growing like crazy because I feel so stretched! I have no idea how I will grow for 13 more weeks! I know it will happen but it makes me very nervous and worried about stretch marks! I have none so far but I feel like they will come. (hopefully not!)

Here's a picture from today. It's not the best. I took it afterwork so ignore my long johns under my pants. Regular shirts don't stay down anymore over le bump! My winter coat also fails to keep the bottom of le bump warm because it sticks out.

Christmas decorating!

So we finally got our tree up last night and I'm so excited! We had to wait until we got our baby gate in because we needed to protect the tree from Bauer. It's so exciting to set up our first tree together!

The highlight of the night was opening up the tree box and discovering that they still do make the trees that you have to hook each branch in individually. I thought those trees were no more and never would have thought to see what type it was. Anyways we survived and in many ways it was easier to make look alive then the food up trees since no branches were falling down on us.

Here is our tree with our little Bauer sleeping in front. He was exhausted yesterday!

Responsibility

Sometimes I wonder how our lives will change when our baby arrives. I think most expectant parents do. For however many years you have been responsible for yourself and now that's changing. When Tom and I met that changed too. Life was no longer about what I wanted but about what we wanted and what worked for us. When we were married this May it became more evident. Together we had to survive. We no longer needed to rely on our parents to help us out. We were all each other needed. For so long I always turned to my parents and now I turn entirely to him.

I am scared to be a parent. I am nervous to have another being rely on Tom and I for life. It is nerve wracking! I know we'll be fine and be great parents but thinking about it is overwhelming.

Having Bauer has shown me how great we are together taking care of something. Bauer relies on us to take care of him and we have for two weeks. We work together in making sure his needs are met - he's taken out for exercise or bathroom trips, fed, and supervised so he doesn't get into mischief. If one of us is tired or not feeling well the other steps up. It makes me very optimistic for our teamwork when the baby arrives!

Here's our little Bauer again!

23 weeks and counting

So 23 weeks and 5 days in and we feel great! Here I am at 23 weeks and 3 days. Just a little update for today.

Meet Bauer

This is our adorable 10 week old Chocolate Lab! After years of saying we wouldn't get a dog we finally broke down and got one after someone tried to break into our house. He's been amazing so far. Last night he slept through the night! Amazing! I slept beside him on the kitchen floor but that does not take away how amazing it is that on his third night here he slept! He's only had 2 accidents in total and those were on his first night here so that's to be expected.

We are excited for this addition to our family and can't wait to learn more about him and to discover his personality.