Baby bump & move

Yesterday I had one of the most amazing things to happen thus far in the pregnancy, other than finding out we were expecting. It happened yesterday at work when I felt our little girl move for the first time!

There have been other times that I might have felt a little somethin'-somethin' but I wasn't sure it was anything other than just gas... ;) BUT I know I felt her yesterday while I was sitting at my desk at work. It was about 12 seconds of pure excitement for me! I didn't have to wait to see her on a television screen while having an ultrasound or listening for her heartbeat on a Doppler machine. I could feel her little feet or arms or something moving away inside me like I was her own little jungle gym. Paul and I have already gotten to see her a little crazy & jumping around. It was at our ultrasound to determine if she had Turner's or Down Syndrome...so you would think there would have been a more somber mood but all anyone could here outside the ultrasound room was Paul and I laughing as we watched our little gherkin jumping with her arms flailing about. I guess she was excited about her legs...lol. Paul said "I guess we've got a little soccer player on our hands". :)

Life with baby is totally coming alive in full force! Next step: find a way to share it with my Paulie in a similar way I get to experience her! He so desperately wants to feel her move.

The idea that he wants to be a part of it among other things is so exciting to feel. I guess when you're not expecting, you of course think about how a baby will change both you & your spouses life. BUT when you are pregnant you get to share in the miracle of your pregnancy with your spouse and I've been so wonderfully blessed to have an absolutely amazing man that has been there hand in hand through everything and dying to help & share in each wonderful moment together. I love seeing him rub and talk to 'the belly'. Soooo cute! He's the foreman at our house guiding our big cleanings and reorganization projects. I love it!

Here's a sneak peak at the nursery changes going on...
                                                                         ...many more changes to come!

...so at 5 & 1/2 months I finally feel like a fairy that's gotten her wings! I finally got a little baby bump & I'm really loving it! I finally feel like it's proof to the outside world that our little girl is in there...living it up! Quite literally! 

It's also caused the NEED for maternity pants. My belly has finally pushed its way out of my 'regular' pants. But ohhhh weeee, maternity pants are super comfy! I don't know if I'll ever go back to 'regular' again. ;) 

Halfway Point!!! Lemon to a banana...

I can't believe it but we've made it to the half-way point! We're at 20 weeks of the total 40 weeks that will be needed to 'cook' this little bun in the oven.  

At this point, our little baby girl weighs about 10½ ounces and is roughly 6½ inches long head-to-toe. Just in this trimester alone we've gone (relatively) from a lemon to a now banana. I love all the food references for sizes...cute way to identify with her. 

She is now starting to hear sounds, both from the inside the uterus and on the outside. She can't identify any noises yet, but in time she will soon recognize both Paul and my voice over anyone else’s. She can now be startled by loud or sudden noises (oops) and can hear my heartbeat as well as growling stomach.

...they say it's a good time for lullabies and bedtime stories although I'm still a little timid to read to my own stomach. ;) Paul loves touching the little belly and talking to it though so I don't think it'll be tough to get him to read a story or two. :)  

...I still can't believe that already at the half-way point she is pretty much a fully formed (all fingers, toes, ear bones, skin, genitals, etc.) baby...just iddy biddy! ...but she definitely still needs time to continue to grow, build immunities & have the rest of her little parts form completely inside her safe, warm home for now. Her heartbeat has dropped from a whopping 175 to a still incredibly fast 148 in our most recent doppler scan. My dear friend Misty lovingly refers to our little nugget as helicopter because of the quick heartbeat..lol. :)

...and even though my baby bump is still pretty unnoticeable, looking more like I had a large lunch that a sweet baby girl growing in there, I've already had my belly rubbed by several people. Although I thought I would be put off by the notion of people touching a very self-concious area, it was kind of sweet. It's a loving connection people want to make with me and the little one...and surprisingly not off-putting at all. Although if a stranger comes up to me in the grocery store and touches me I think I might just deck them ;)

Along with the the few extra pounds I've picked up from the pregnancy it's been a pretty smooth ride thus far. Really nothing to complain about with mild nausea which has dissipated in the 2nd trimester and some aversions to food, still no sausage or beans for me PLEASE! A special loving thank you is needed here for Paul who has cooked specific things I though I wanted to eat only to set them down in front of me after slaving away in the kitchen and having me push it away and say 'I can't eat that!' He's been such an amazingly sweet husband listening to every 'I don't feel good' with a sympathetic ear and going out of his way to make sure I'm happy and comfortable. I don't know what I'd do without him. 

I honestly think the hardest part so far has been 'the worry' which after talking with several moms is not something that is going away any time soon. Sounds like it just changes from 'are they developing properly' to 'are they breathing' to 'are they going to break their leg jumping over that' kind of worries. I guess that's why God makes us all little rebels as kids so we can appreciate our parents 1000% fold when we become parents ourselves. ...so in that sense I guess I deserve a little worry...ok a lot of worry! Turning on the gas as a 3-yr old every opportunity I got might come back to bite me ;)

It's been such an amazing experience to share with our friends and family who have been so supportive and excited for us. I think the best reaction we got had to be from Paul's sister Renee who screamed sooo loud over Skype when we told her she scared her own little one. Although our entire family each had very loving/amazing reactions to the news considering everyone thought we were waiting 5 or so years to even try. So much fun to announce it to everyone!

We're constantly getting ready in every facet in our house thinking about safety, the pups and how their lives will be different, getting oodles and oodles of things from friends and family. I have two full tubs of maternity clothes already and we have been lucky enough to get several things we would've had to pay for on our own including a fabulous breast pump, car seat with base, bassinet, boppy, changing pad, etc., etc. It's awesome to be a sister of 4 and the last one to be pregnant...lots of great advice and generosity galore! I love you Jami, Casi & Renee...best sisters a girl could ask for!

...the preparation even got kicked into high gear this last weekend when we picked up our gorgeous baby furniture...a beautiful set that will last us for several years to come! I'll be posting pictures soon once the room is painted and prepped and all the furniture is set up --- thanks to my wonderful hubby!

The beauty of pregnancy cannot be conveyed to you through words...it's really one of those things that you have to experience for yourself, from your husband being so overprotective/sweet/kind/understanding to all the love you feel yourself already taking on just with the idea of the little life inside you. It's been the most amazing thing I've ever experienced and I'm so grateful that it came at a time in our lives that it's an amazingly welcomed/wonderful addition. We are as ready as two people nervous about the adventure we are embarking on could be!!! I often get teary-eyed (yes from the hormonies) but also from the idea that life just seems soo perfect right now. The family we always knew we wanted is half-way home to us in the shape of a sweet innocent little baby girl...and while we are sooo impatient about the journey at times we are definitely living in the moment and relishing in this time! God is good!!!

We're still very excited for our 20-week ultrasound coming up, scheduled to count her fingers & toes and make SURE it's a little pinky and not a little baby bluey. ;) I'm also hoping to feel her moving around soon...I've heard it's an amazing once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. :)

For now that's all on baby...although I could write forever about the process thus far and how excited we are! More ultrasound and nursery pics to come :)