18 Weeks

We have hit 18 weeks!  That's four and a half months! 

From today's date, it's 5 months until Little Baby P.'s due date.  We can't believe how fast our pregnancy is going, and we're still very excited about everything that is to come!

In one week, we will find out if Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl! At the beginning of the pregnancy, I thought this moment would never come! Now it's only a week away!

I still think that I'm more excited to see Little Baby P.'s profile and to see how much he or she is moving around than I am about finding out the gender.  That's probably because we are totally fine either way-- whether Little Baby P. is a sweet little girl or sweet little boy. 

We have quite a water baby!  Little Baby P. loves to swim around the womb.  Today our little baby was doing slow motion somersaults.  It was interesting to feel the back and forth movement created by Little Baby P.'s motions.

This Week:
-Little Baby P.'s bones begin ossification-- that means that all of the bones start to harden.
-Little Baby P.'s nerves are making more complex connections.  Myelin, which is a substance that makes nerve connections travel faster, is starting to coat Little Baby P.'s nerves.
-Little Baby P.'s senses (hearing, sight, smell, and taste are developing.
-Tiny teeth have started to form.
-Little Baby P. is still busy gaining fat all over his or her little body.
-The ears are facing forward and Little Baby P. can hear sounds like my heartbeat and talking.
-Little Baby P. weighs between 5 and 7 ounces, and is about 5 and a half inches long.  That's about the size of those large dill pickles that kids are dying to buy at Little League baseball games:

(Photo credit: twistingthespanner.com)

Since Little Baby P. can hear us now, we decided to begin reading children's books after work and right before bed.  We have borrowed some books from family, and have recently bought our very own first children's book entitled "Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site."

(Photo credit: betterworldbooks.com)

This is such a cute book and the pictures are amazing.  I'm sure it will remain one of Little Baby P.'s favorites.

Now if only there was a book entitled "Goodnight Goodnight VA Worksite." :)

My Cravings:

-Root beer. The fact that it's caffeine free and not Sprite makes it very appealing. :)

-Grilled meat (Thankfully, I'm married to a wonderful grill master!)

-Fresh fruit--can't get enough! This week's choices have been pears, kiwis, strawberries, tiny tangerines, red & green apples, and red grapes. Yum yum yum.

-Ice water-- it's gotta have ice! This might be due to the fact that our weather is very warm these days.  Ice water gives Little Baby P. and me that refreshment that we need.

Tonight, Aaron and I are probably going to go on a Target date and add some items to our baby registry.  :)

Thanks so much for your continued prayers.  We are excited to find out the gender of Little Baby P. and share the news with you in one week!  Love, Reba

17 Weeks

We have reached week 17 and we couldn't be happier! :)

Only 2 Weeks to go until we find out if Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl.

A cute stylish girl:

(Photo credit: bjdcollectasy.com)

OR

A hockey playin' little boy:

(Photo credit: kaboodle.com)

We have our guesses, but we are so so anxious to find out for sure! :) 

Little Baby P. is growing as you can see:

 

Akuna, the big brother, is always close by:

Little Baby P. is most active so far on Wednesdays, which is when I feel the little flutter movements the most.  We can't wait for the ultrasound and are very excited to see how much Little Baby P. has changed since our last ultrasound at 7 weeks.

This Week:

-Little Baby P. is busy accumulating fat for his or her little body.  This fat will help keep Little Baby P. cozy as he or she continues to grow.

-Little Baby P.'s weight should increase about 6 times in the next month! Wow!
-Little Baby P. is really practicing sucking and swallowing so that he or she will be a pro eater outside of the womb.
-Fingernails and toenails are beginning to grow, which explains why they will need a trim shortly after birth!
-Little Baby P. weighs about 5 ounces and is over 5 inches long.  That's about the size of a loaded baked potato:

(Photo credit: dreamstime.com)

or a stretched out hand:

(Photo credit: mathisfun.com)

My Craves:

-Ice cream-- On Monday, Aaron took me on a date to get a DQ Blizzard (buy one, get one for 99 cents!)

-Rice

-Salad (with tomatoes!!!) with honey mustard dressing, or Ginger dressing.

-Ice water

We are on a mission this weekend to find baby and children's books so we can start reading to Little Baby P. before bed.  To compensate in the mean time, I've been narrating my day to Little Baby P., but I know that's not as exciting as "Goodnight Moon" or "Baby Dear." :)

We are excited each morning when we wake up, and all throughout the day.  God has surely blessed us and we look forward to the future of blessings to come!  We can't wait to meet our Little Baby P. in just a few short months!  Thank-you for your continued prayers.  Love, Reba

16 Weeks

Yay! We are 4 months along! We're nearly halfway there! 

I was thinking to myself the other day, "Man, I really think I'm showing a lot for someone who's not very far along" and then I thought "Wait a second, I'm four months pregnant and that's nearly halfway-- that's pretty far along!" :)  I know I have many more months to go, but it's fun to realize that everyday gets us closer to meeting Little Baby P.

This week was a monumental one. (Drum roll please).......................................The CRIB is put together! :) I am SO SO excited about this! Aaron was a great Dad-to-Be and put the crib together on Wednesday night after church.  Needless to say, that got me into a cleaning mood and I felt an urgency to make the nursery to actually live up to its name!  So, without further ado, here are some pictures of our Little Baby P.'s future bedroom. 

Here is a picture of our stroller.  The carseat is sitting inside the stroller, which is how it will be when Little Baby P. goes for a stroller ride as a newborn.  

Here are all of Little Baby P.'s clothes and accessories.  Yes, Little Baby P.'s Uncle Andrew bought a teeny-tiny Auburn beanie (and a Florida Gator one as well).  Yes, Little Baby P. will be allowed to wear the Florida Gator beanie in the company of family who are Florida fans. :)  However, the only "red and white" allowed on Little Baby P. must be Detroit Red Wings.  :)  But by looking at the majority of items displayed, Little Baby P. is definitely going to be a little Tiger fan. :)

Here is a picture of the crib that my handy-hubby put together.  The mattress has four place settings so that we can lower it as Little Baby P. grows.  It can also be turned into a toddler bed, and then eventually we can use the back-rail and the front-rail as a Full size headboard and footboard.

Here is a picture of the dresser that Little Baby P.'s teeny clothes will lay in.

Here is the desk that will be repurposed as a changing table for Little Baby P.  Underneath the desk is the carseat base.

I hope you have enjoyed this mini tour of Little Baby P.'s future room.  There is also a queen size bed and a bent-wood rocker in the room.  After all, Little Baby P.'s nursery is doubling as a Guest room.

I am more and more excited everyday as Aaron and I get closer to becoming parents.  I am looking forward to all of the joys and even the not-so-happy moments that come with being a parent.  We cannot wait to meet Little Baby P.!

This Week:

-Little Baby P.'s eyes begin to move slowly, though the eyelids are still fused. The eyes are now locked in their position-- facing forward rather than to the side.

-Little Baby P. can frown and is practicing other facial expressions like squinting and yawning too.

-Little Baby P.'s skin is translucent and wrinkly-- kinda like in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."  As Little Baby P. gets bigger and gains fat, the skin will plump out and not be so wrinkly.

-At the moment, Little Baby P.'s veins are visible through the skin.

-Little Baby P.'s heart is pumping 25 quarts of blood each day. Wow!

-Little Baby P. weighs about 3 ounces, and is roughly 5 inches long.  That's about the length of a tube of mascara:

(Photo credit: arizonafoothillsmagazine.com)

My Cravings:

-Hot tea (I checked with the doctor and he said it's totally fine to have a cup of hot tea in the mornings at work).  I offset the caffeine intake by not having other drinks with caffeine in them on days I drink hot tea.

-I'm in a chocolate mood, but that's probably more related to Easter candy being in the stores now. :) I haven't given in to this craving, and I don't plan to.  I stay satisfied with my Skinny Cow ice cream bars.

-This is not food related, but it's a quirk nonetheless.  Recently, I have hated wearing real shoes.  I feel the need to be in flip flops or sandals so my feet can breathe and so I can see my bright pink toenails.  Our weather is beginning to warm up and I am finding myself reaching for sandals rather than flats every day of the week.

I still haven't really felt a consistent movement from Little Baby P.  I keep waiting to feel fluttering of any kind in my tummy area.  Hopefully I will begin to feel our little baby soon.  I know he or she is moving around a lot during the day, and I am anxious to feel the kicks and dances! :)

Thank-you for your continued prayers.  Remember in three weeks we will find out if Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl. :)  Love, Reba





15 Weeks

We are 15 weeks along! 

This morning we had a doctor's appointment.  Dad came with me since Aaron was at work.  True to his word, the doctor used the doppler to hear Little Baby P.'s heartbeat.  On the first try, Little Baby P.'s precious heartbeat could be heard loud and clear.  The confident "swish-swish" sound made my heart very happy!  It was cool that Dad could be with me and could hear his grandchild's heartbeat.  The doctor was very impressed with the heartbeat and said it is very strong.  Little Baby P.'s heart rate is 155.  This is quite a change from the rate of 141 we heard during our first ultrasound 2 months ago.  Usually baby heart rates in the 140s are indicative of a boy, and heart rates in the 150s are indicative of a girl.  Now that Little Baby P. has crossed through both of those areas, my guesses as to gender are all up in the air now.

(Photo credit: joystiq.com)

After hearing what the heart rate was, I said "Now I don't know if the baby is a boy or a girl!" and the doctor said "Me neither!" 

He could feel where the baby is and said that Little Baby P. is growing at just the right rate.  He is very pleased and is excited for what's to come.  He told me that during the next visit, we will get to have an ultrasound and will find out if Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl. :)  I am very excited for that visit!  I made sure to schedule it in the afternoon so Aaron can come with me as we get our good news.  It will be good news either way.  Aaron and I have no preference as to whether Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl.  It will be so fun to see Little Baby P. kick and dance during the ultrasound. :)

I'm afraid that I am about to get on the Emotional Pregnant Lady Roller-Coaster ride. 

(Photo credit: psychotherapybrownbag.com)

This week I got teary at the ASPCA commercial and tearfully asked Aaron why people abuse animals and why can't it just stop. Even listening to sad stories has recently struck a major cord and it's hard to keep down the tears.  

Each week I gain a little more energy and am able to stay up a little later each night.  I'm still pretty stubborn, though, and when I get tired I refuse to go to the bed until Aaron is ready.  That means I still fall asleep on the couch while Aaron plays a nightly xbox game.

Going to sleep early doesn't really bother me, though, because I know Little Baby P. benefits from rest.

This Week:

-Little Baby P.'s head is resting on the neck instead of on the shoulders.

-Little Baby P. is constantly dancing and I am paying extra close attention to feel any flutters that could be our little baby.  So far, I think I have felt one.  :)  I'm very anxious to feel more!

-Little Baby P. grows eyelashes and eyebrows this week.

-Hair on the head begins to grow.

-Little Baby P. can sense light (though the eyelids are still sealed shut).

-Little Baby P. is practicing sucking and swallowing and is probably hiccuping along the way!  When Little Baby P. gets a little bigger, I will be able to feel the little thump-thumps of the hiccups.

-Little Baby P. weighs about 2 ounces and is 4 inches long.  That's the length of one Kit-Kat finger:

(Photo credit: allwomenstalk.com)

and about the size of an orange:

(Photo credit: wisdia.com)

My Cravings:

-This week I am still on the sour kick.  Our fridge stays stocked in Country Time Lemonade that we mix up every other day or so.

-I made Coffee-Toffee bars this week.  I used decaf instant coffee so I could enjoy a few extra cookies :)

-Poppyseed chicken and broccoli on the side-- Yes, this became a dinner one night this week and it hit the spot, and made great leftovers for the next day's lunch!

Please keep us in your prayers as we continue along our blessed journey.  Thank-you for the prayers so far.  We requested and prayed for a Strong heartbeat for Little Baby P. and God blessed us with that today.  Thank-you for praying for us and we thank-you for the prayers to come!  Love, Reba

14 Weeks

*Sorry for the blog delay... I fell asleep too early last night to write this week's blog* :)

With that being said, I'm actually more energetic than I have been in several weeks.  I can stay up until around 9:00 every night-- what an accomplishment! Last night was the exception... I fell asleep at 8:30. What a fun Friday night, huh?

I have been feeling energetic enough to have some friends over. On Monday, Aaron and I had two of our friends come over for dinner.  That was fun.  Hopefully, I'll be feeling up to doing that sort of thing more often now.

My tummy is big enough that I try to only wear maternity pants now.  I'm still not quite big enough to fully fit into most of my maternity pants (which is frustrating), but I do have three pairs of maternity pants that fit very well and I've been cycling those through my wardrobe selections for the week.  I attempted to wear regular pants on Monday and Tuesday-- which was a decision that left me very uncomfortable at work.  So, I'm back to wearing maternity pants and feel much more comfortable when I do so.

Little Baby P. and I will have a doctor's appointment this upcoming Thursday.  During this visit, the doctor will be able to listen to Little Baby P.'s heartbeat with the doppler device:

(Photo credit: heartbeatdoppler.net)



Dad will accompany me to this appointment since it's in the morning.  I will schedule my other doctors appointments for the afternoon so Aaron can come with me.  Hopefully, our April appointment will be an ultrasound appointment in which we'll find out if Little Baby P. is a boy or a girl. We are very anxious to find out the gender so we can start calling Little Baby P. by name.

This week, Little Baby P. weighs about an ounce and is three and a half inches long, which is nearly the length of a flip-phone:

(Photo credit: motorolaflipphone.net)



Or about the size of a large lemon:

(Photo credit: lemon-buy-back.com)

The "big stuff" (skeletal and organ development) are nearly finished, so Little Baby P. starts a period of rapid brain growth, fat buildup, and other "detail" work.

This Week Little Baby P.:

-Gets fingerprints!  Fingerprints are formed as Little Baby P. swims around the amniotic fluid. 
-The arms are in proportion to the tiny baby body, but the legs are still a little on the short side.
-Meconium (or Little Baby P.'s first poop) is building up in the intestines. 
-Little Baby P.'s nose, lips, and taste buds are formed.
-Lanugo (a fine, soft hair) is covering Little Baby P.'s head.  This will help keep Little Baby P. warm in the womb until he or she gets bigger and has more body fat.
-Little Baby P.'s muscle movements are more controlled and graceful this week.


My Cravings:

-This week I have craved sour things-- I have made lemonade a couple times at the house this week. I bought little cups of Italian Ice for a snack.  Aaron and I have tried nearly all the lemonade flavors that Calypso brand makes.  These flavors include Strawberry lemonade (which is my favorite), Southern Peach lemonade, Ocean Blue lemonade, Black Cherry lemonade, and Pineapple lemonade.  They satisfy my sour craving.

(Photo credit: costco.com)



-This week is the first week that I've wanted to eat ice cream.  I keep my calories in check by choosing the Chocolate Truffle Bar from the Skinny Cow brand.

(Photo credit: iateapie.net)

This week I hope to rearrange our guest room to look more like a guest room/nursery combo.  Hopefully, that means that the crib will get assembled and by next week's blog I can post pictures of our up and coming nursery!

We are still very thankful for all of the prayers! Please keep us in mind as we have a doctor's appointment this upcoming week.  We are praying for a strong healthy heartbeat for our Little Baby P.  Thanks for taking the time to read our blog this week.  Love, Reba