Weeks 14-16

Fruit/Veggie: 

Week 14 - Lemon, Week 15 - Naval Orange, Week 16 - Avocado

Best Moment of the Weeks:

My favorite moment in recent weeks has been starting to research and go look at baby furniture and gear. We've looked at cribs, bedding, strollers, car seats, you name it. It has been quite fun!

Gender:

We find out this weekend!! Praying baby cooperates on Friday morning. CANNOT WAIT!!

Movement:

I do think that I've felt some movements now. They are little flutters every once in awhile and started right around week 16.

Food Cravings:

Nothing major over the last few weeks though my appetite has come back which is nice. I still like sweets more than salty. I guess the main things I am eating/drinking consistently would be milk (I probably go through a gallon a week, maybe slightly less but its a lot), frozen waffles with peanut butter, and Dr. Pepper. Maybe I'll actually gain some weight now. As of my 16 week appointment I had lost a pound (which doc was not concerned about) so have been trying to eat more protein.

What I miss:

Sushi lately. We have a work party coming up that is at a Sushi restaurant so I'll just have the cooked things but I do miss raw Salmon Nigiri.

Sleep:

Good recently after I bought the Boppy pregnancy pillow. It is much better for me than the Snoogle as it is not as thick and comes apart in 3 pieces so I can adjust it how I like best. Still having back pain though if I sleep on my back so I have to be careful of that and standing for too long.

What I'm looking forward to:

Finding out the gender!

Symptoms: Really nothing to speak of. I will remain grateful and hope it continues!

Dub's moments: Around week 14 he was into researching baby monitors and informed me that we will need a new wireless router because with certain wireless baby monitors the signal can be disrupted or not strong enough if your router is not up to speed. He was very concerned about this and I loved it!

Weeks 1-13

I'm going to start doing weekly updates in this fun pregnancy journal template along with weekly bump (well maybe a food bump right now) pictures.

Week 12 no real bump yet

 Week 13 though this bump looks a lot bigger, I think maybe I'd just eaten a lot that day! :)

Fruit/Veggie:

Week 12 - Plum, Week 13 - Peach

Best Moment of the Week:

Well since this is the first post of this kind I'll do the best moments since finding out we're pregnant. First was finding out! Then hearing the tiny heartbeat at the very first ultrasound at about 6 weeks with Jonathan there, telling our families, telling our friends, sending out announcements, starting to buy gender neutral baby items, seeing the high tech first trimester screen ultrasound and the baby do a literal somersault! I could go on, so many fun moments!

Gender:

Don't know. We should find out March 15.

Movement:

Don't think I've felt anything yet. I have had some flutters leading up to this point but it is more like a twitch and I think it is just the muscles expanding since I know the baby is so small.

Food Cravings:

In the early weeks I had more food aversions than cravings. I didn't really want to eat that much especially salty things. I liked lemonade, chocolate milkshakes, peanut butter, cereal (still do), Quiznos turkey ranch and swiss sub (heated thoroughly), and pad thai. In more recent weeks I've been more open to foods and have had small cravings for Asian food, milk, orange juice, bread (lots of carbs like Olive Garden breadsticks).

What I miss:

Cold sandwiches like Roast Beef from Subway. Oh I crave that so much. Goat Cheese, blue cheese, brie and wine.

Sleep:

Pretty good so far. I have to get up in the middle of the night several times, I am having lower back pain when I wake up that quickly goes away. I've tried the Snoogle pregnancy pillow but so far I don't like it. Its too big for me or something and makes my neck and back hurt. Maybe later it will help.

What I'm looking forward to:

Having a bump and having my parents come to town for the gender reveal and seeing that ultrasound in about a month.

Symptoms:

I've really had an easy pregnancy so far. Not really any morning sickness except a couple mornings and evenings of very light nausea and food aversions in the 7-10 week range I think brought on by either getting too hungry or car sickness. I used to wake up very early and be starving and have to go eat breakfast around 6 am or else I felt a little sick. The only true thing so far is that I had a dentist appointment this week and whereas I normally pass with flying colors, they said I have a little "pregnancy gingivitis" which is nothing serious but I do have to take extra care of my teeth.

Dub's moments: This week while at lunch Sunday afternoon Jonathan suggested we go look at carseats at Babies R Us for this specific RECARO car seat he likes. They didn't have it at the store but I think they carry it online. Since he is very into cars he has been very into these car seats that are made by a racecar seat manufacturer and are apparently very high quality (theoretically he could even have car seats made for his car and a matching car seat! haha not going to happen but he likes the idea). It is so much fun to have him excited about little things like this. I think we'll have to get one of these car seats just because of that. They are pretty neat.

Baby on Board!

Going to try to keep up the blogging during this pregnancy, so here goes!

 We're expecting a baby in August 2013!! We could not be more excited! We don't know the gender yet but should be finding out mid March. I'm about 14 weeks along now and feeling great!

Here is the announcement we used to tell the world the news. It was designed by my good friend and Sophomore college roommate Shannan Pfeifer who owns the business Artfully Composed.

9/16 - A wonderful day

Well I have certainly been gone awhile from here. It is mainly due to work. However, yesterday was September 15th and that means my busiest time of the year (I'm a tax accountant in case you didn't know) is over. As I took Bruiser outside this morning I felt the seriously cooler air and just breathed a sigh of relief. It felt new and fresh like today.

So what's new since the last time I posted...well:

• Baylor football has started


• We found the most wonderful Sunday School class that we are very involved in


• We officially joined our church which felt like finally planting firm roots in our town


• We joined a gym which to say the least has tremendously helped with my sanity during work and the stress of this summer and...the biggest and best news of all...

• My wonderful husband got a job!!!

I am so proud of him.

So here's to a spectacular fall. The season is changing, out with one tough season in our life (not to mention in our country right now, still praying for those affected by the wildfires. My problems pale in comparison to losing everything), and in with a brand new one! Bring on the rain and cooler weather because we are ready for some renewing!

I needed this today

I just read one of Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond's latest blogs and felt like it was so timely and I needed to hear that today.

Here is the link to it:


http://thepioneerwoman.com/blog/2011/06/storms/

She lives in a ranch in the middle of no where Oklahoma and blogs about her life. This particular entry was about storms. Something we particularly need all over Texas right about now for some rain. She writes of how they are a necessary and most of the time good thing for ranchers to water their crops.

Then she uses them as a metaphor for having faith and that they remind her that God's provision over our lives is constant and unshakeable.


We are going through a "storm" of sorts in our life right now with Jonathan's recent job loss. But I am reminded that God's will is sovereign and that this storm will serve a greater purpose to strengthen us and "water" our marriage so to speak.


I have faith that God will provide for all our needs and will provide an opportunity for Jonathan that far exceeds our expectations.


Some scriptures come to mind:


For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to propsper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11




Consider it pure joy my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverence. Perseverence must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. - James 1:2-4

Houston Zoo

A few weekends ago we went to the Houston Zoo. Neither of us had been to this zoo in recent memory, so we thought it was time given that we live so close.

While the zoo isn't the nicest we've been to (and it looks like they are doing some work so that was encouraging), it was the perfect day to be outside, just beautiful weather, not too crowded, and we got there are opening so were done by lunchtime. Here are a few of the pictures I remembered to take in the midst of being in awe of these amazing animals!


A little overcast, but this is the park outside the zoo that is a shot down Montrose. I loved this view, and you can paddle boat out here or have a picnic. It was so nice!



Beautiful florals everywhere at the zoo. A Fleur-de-lis, of course a favorite of mine!

The Cheetah and I match.

Jonathan the Great. Oh this was just too funny when we realized the lion at the zoo is actually named Jonathan. There are posters all around about him. Perfect.

The sweet baby Giraffe. I guess this picture doesn't have perspective of how small he/she is compared to the adults, but I just loved the way he stood, so sweet!

This one smiled for the camera!

The Resting Longhorns.

More babies! The baby elephant was the most curious, active, and adorable creature!! We watched this baby and mama for awhile!

It was so much fun! And not very expsensive either. If you're in the area, you should definitely go! You can do it in half a day, we saw absolutely everything (though I didn't take pictures of it all because I was so busy seeing it all!)

Fun day!

Things I'm Loving Thursday

1. Tax - Ok so I don't LOVE taxes, but I do love when I file my return this time of year (yes I'm a tax accountant and wait til the last minute to do my own...strange isn't it?) and get a big ole refund. I filed ours online tonight and refund is on the way for direct deposit! Some might say it is better to be accurate in your withholding so you don't pay more than what you owe during the year (time value of money), but me, I don't like to chance it and with as many things as I have to think about, the possibility of paying taxes myself after doing them for other people/companies for a year is not in the least bit appealing.

Also it's April 15 tomorrow which marks and end of my "technical" busy season, but let's be honest these days it's always busy season, just not ridiculous.

I'm also loving about tax...a particular new part of my job. I'm getting into learning about and finding "green" incentives, tax credits etc. for companies and it's really fun! Again, strange I know.

2. My new earrings! Oh they're just so pretty. Dub surprised me and bought me these on our trip to Chicago last weekend. Just looking for every opportunity to wear them. They're massive though so it has to be special occasions.

3. Little weekend adventures

We have done something fun the past couple of weekends (probably because it feels like spring) and have a few more things planned coming up. I really like having things to look forward to and doing at least one out of the house thing each weekend.

Recent adventures have been:

- The Houston Zoo

- Chicago

Upcoming adventures:

- A facial

- Good friends' Wedding!

- The Thompson's coming to visit (including visits to a new Tex Mex Restaurant El Real owned by a friend's dad)

- Disney World! Ok so that one will be a weekend plus 3 workdays, but still!!