Lucky Ducky

Tonight as we were kneeling for prayers, Jolie said she wanted to kneel by the baby. So she knelt down and nuzzled right up to my belly. James was kneeling on the rocking chair but immediately upon hearing this zipped right down by us too. He said he didn't want the baby to think he didn't love it. :) 

So daddy said the prayer, and I had both kids with their little bodies and heads smashed right up against my belly. :) It was so, so precious. This baby is quite lucky to be loved so much already!

What the what?!!

Holy moly! Give a girl a panic attack!! This morning I was lying in bed (on my back, with a full bladder I think- as i hadn't officially gotten up), and felt my uterus ball up all hard. It was kind of cool, really, as I could tell exactly how big it is and its location- neither of which I'd really known before. I thought nothing of it and went about my day.

But then it happened again, and again. Tonight I was bathing the kids (a super quick bath), and when I got up I felt strange. I sat in the kids' rocking chair and took a few deep breaths. Then I noticed that my uterus was all hard and contracted again. I told Derek about it and said that he should get started (Pirate Party!) with the kids; I needed to rock my baby for a minute. :) Nothing scary, really, just needing a breather.

But then tonight (well, it's about 1:30 now) I felt it again! But this time it kind of hurt in my cervix region. And that terrified me. I was praying at the time, which worked out, as I just started praying even more fervently- asking God to keep this baby in me, to help my body relax and be a good and safe home for him/her, and (as always) to continue to bless this sweet baby to grow and develop so that he/she might be physically and mentally developed and strong. Oh, baby... Please stay in and be strong! I don't want you out until December!

I did a quick google search and found that Braxton Hocks contractions CAN happen this early (and sound quite a but like what I'm experiencing). Note: I'm now thirteen weeks. Most people just don't notice them until much later. Phew!

Now to relax... And convince my widdo baby that CANDY, not babies, should be in the hard ball stage! :)

Twelve Weeks

Cravings: The Official Verdict

This.

This is what I've been (and currently am) craving. I could eat this every. single. day. And for the most part, I have been. Bread with fresh cheese and tomato. Some s&p, and that's it! Today's lunch was baguette slices topped with pesto, fresh mozza, and a perfectly-ripe, seasonal tomato. Mmm. So good. 

This baby has good taste, turns out. We should get along perfectly. :)

The Beating of a Heart

I had my 12-week appointment a few days ago, and I got to hear my little one's heartbeat for the first time via Doppler. The nurse tried first, way down by my public bone. She did find the heartbeat, but it was mixed in with mine and somewhat hard to distinguish. She was confident of it, but I was less so.

So when Dr. F came in and asked if I had any concerns, I told him, "just that I didn't get a good listen to the heartbeat." He told me that they wanted me to leave feeling reassured, so lets just try again! And he ran and got the Doppler and gave it another go. ((Love him!))

This time, he tried further up. And it took a second to find it still. But when he found it, it was nice and strong! Mama was at last reassured. :) Huge sigh. 

Pregnancy is so disconcerting because it's all so dang mysterious! You don't know that anything's wrong until it's too late- and mostly you just know nothing! Nine months is a long time to be in the dark. Hopefully I'll start feeling the baby move consistently in the near future, and I'll be able to rely on that. Until then, I will listen and re-listen to this silly clip and try to think happy thoughts. 

Baby, I cannot wait to meet you!

PS. The heart rate was in the 150s, the nurse said. And my weight... well, it almost was! :)

148.2

Eleven Weeks & Inspiration Art

I forgot to take a photo! Oops! So here's one Polly took then... It doesn't show my belly, but it'll have to suffice. :) Summerfest fun! 

Also, speaking of Summerfest, I bought my first piece of Summerfest art while Polly and I were there! It's going to be for the nursery! My inspiration piece, so to speak. It had all of the right colors and the perfect "vibe." I just couldn't pass it by! And the amazing artist let me have it for less than half of the asking price! Amazing! I seriously was pee-my-pants excited! 

Note: The colors aren't showing up quite right, but you get the idea. Bright and chic and beautiful. Hooray for gorgeous (and unique!) art!

Surprise Somersauts

I felt the baby move tonight! 

I was playing World of Warcraft with Derek, and I was using the laptop- which meant I was kind of slouched down on the bed. I kept telling him that that position, laying back like that, put the baby on an organ or something. For some reason it made me feel like I couldn't breathe...no, more like my heart was racing. 

This thought/convo made me perk up, because that was exactly how I described it the first time I felt James move. So I was curious. I closed my eyes, and I just relaxed and focused on feeling. And sure enough! While it was certainly not the kind of movement that I could feel from the outside, there was definite fluttering that I could feel from the inside!! 

:) Hi, baby!!

It felt like little flutters but also like little flip-flip-flips, like the baby was doing somersaults! 

What a happy, special milestone! I hadn't expected it this soon, and the surprise made it all the more exciting! Oh happy day!

Happy 8 Years to Us!

I just had the best weekend ever! No joke. Our (8 yr!) anniversary was on Tuesday, but I had to work, etc, so we celebrated it this weekend instead. 

The kids slept over at their cousins' house (thank you, Shawn & Mindy!), and Derek and I had the whole evening/night/morning to ourselves! 

First, Derek took me shopping- I really wanted/needed a new outfit that fit mypregnant  body and made me feel beautiful. We were successful. 

Then we ate dinner at an amazing little local Italian ristorante (Le Nonne) and spent a good 2-3 hours eating and relaxing al fresco. It was romantic and peaceful and wonderful. 

After dinner, we drove around and looked at old, historical houses in the area (looove that) and dreamed. Then we switched gears a bit and hit up a 3D showing of Star Trek: Into Darkness. So fun! Great flick. And finally, around midnight, we came home. 

This morning, we slept in til 11. Uninterrupted sleep... so nice. Then when we had our precious babies back, we all went out for brunch at an awesome local brunch place (Herm's Inn). We'd never been there but had heard lots of great things about it. And they did not disappoint. Delicious food in a spectacular environment. I very seriously want to design my someday house to copy! Industrial chic eclectic. perfection. 

And as for our sweet children: well. It was so sweet to be reunited; you'd think we'd been apart for weeks. There was lots of snuggling involved between bites. :) I had so much fun with Derek, having time as just the two of us. But dang, I missed my babies! It melted my heart to realize the feeling was mutual. 

Amazing weekend, right?! Sooo much happiness in just a few days! And now it's naptime. Sacred naptime. :) My gosh, my life is great!

Ten Weeks

I'm technically eleven weeks now (hooray for progress!), but this was me yesterday. At still just ten. :)

Flood Gates

Last night after I got home from work I was craving a burger and fries. It was like 10:30pm at this point. But Derek loves me (and has a soft spot for fast food), so he ran to Carl's Jr for me! I told him to get the biggest burger they've got (haha), and he did. They also have fry sauce. Mm. Anyway, we split the meal... and threw on a movie. We watched Star Trek. Aaaaaaand I totally sobbed through the first twenty minutes! Geez! 

The other day, I went in to help James wake up and find the potty (He wakes up screaming sometimes and not understanding that he just needs to pee. :( Poor kid.). And after (re-)tucking the kiddos in and smooching their sleeping heads goodnight, I came out and absolutely bawled because I just love them so much!!

Haha. Oye. I'm a hormonal person as a general rule, but I think it's safe to say that this pregnancy is making me just a tad bit emotional! :)

I thought the nurse was joking.

I had the strangest dream. Went into labor. Blacked out. Woke up wanting my baby and was given FOUR! Somehow they had escaped the ultrasound?! I was so happy but incredibly baffled. How to care for (and pay for) four new kiddos?! But they were beautiful. 

Three boys and a girl. And (hilarious), two of the babies were absolutely black; one was undeniably Asian. They were biologically Derek's (and mine)... recessive genes?! I was so in love. But waking up to only one bun in the oven is just a bit of a relief! :) 

Sunday Sunday Sunday

I love Sundays, and I love church! I realized today why I've had such a hard time feeling sick on Sundays in particular -- thus missing far too much church as of late. I just enjoy Saturdays too much and burn out!!

I didn't feel sick AT ALL yesterday, so I went and went and went. Lazy morning, delicious sandwich lunch at Great Harvest, a trip to Anderson Seed, naps... ahh, naps... playing outside, planting our "garden," a fabulous and fresh dinner, bedtime for kiddos and gaming with the bestie (Derek). 

It was fabulous, like my body was my own! Then as a punishment from said body (which I have since remembered has been given over as a host body and is no longer mine), I was up all night with a migraine.  Boo. Pregnancy makes me weak sauce.

That, coupled with the kids strangely sleeping in past church start time.... We missed church. Again. Boo.  I did, however, spend most of the day sleeping.  So I apparently needed the down day. Still.  Next Sunday, we are totally going.  I hope.