Week 15: Doctor's Visit and Christmas Fun

We had our 15 week visit yesterday (Monday, Dec. 27). It went great! I was in and out in an hour... Gotta love when that happens! Dr. Johnson was able to find the baby's heartbeat very quickly... and it's still beating away like crazy. It was in the 160's. She still seems to think that it's a girl b/c of the rapid heartbeat. We'll know for sure in 3 short weeks! Dr. Johnson said she is very happy with my weight gain... at least someone is. :( I've gained 8 pounds so far. I'm not crazy about this because I feel like I'm gaining too quickly but she said it's great. She told me she would like for me to gain 35-40 pounds total! I couldn't help but look at her crazy....but doctor knows best, right? I would also like to note that I feel it's a little unfair that I had to go for my appointment the Monday after Christmas weekend.... I mean who didn't gain a few extra pounds? Haha! Speaking of Christmas, we had a great one! The baby even got a few gifts. My mom bought the baby it's first Bible and a silver rattle. Aunt Jill and Uncle Aubrey bought baby a picture frame for the nursery.
This week I'm finally going shopping for maternity clothes. I can't put it off anymore! I need a good pair of jeans and some work clothes that actually fit. I'm really not excited about this becasue the options are slim to none for cute, good fitting maternity clothes. Oh well!


Baby's size: The baby is the size of an APPLE! About 4 inches in length and weighs 2 1/2 ounces.
Eating habits/cravings: Nothing interesting... I'm loving pizza but who doesn't?
Mood/Energy: Honestly, I'm feeling great! Michael would probably say that I'm a little extra emotional than normal... haha. There is one problem that hit this past week and is infamous about this time in pregnancy... I won't go into details but let's just say it's no fun... and it could very possibly be contributing to an extra pound or two in me. Ugh!
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is January 17. We finally get to find out if it's a boy or girl! WE. CAN'T. WAIT! They will also check all the organs to make sure everything is developing properly. We're praying that everything is A-OK!
Major development this week: She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

Week 14: Be truly glad; There is wondeful JOY ahead! I Peter 1:6

This week is going to be a great one! And every week thereafter. I've been very, very busy lately! With the Holiday Season here and being out of town for weddings and work events the whole month of December... I haven't had much time to think! But just the past few days, I've had time to slow down and really appreciate all the great things that are going on in my life.
I have the most wonderful husband ever and I know he is going to make the greatest dad. I just love him so much. I'm so happy that we get to share all of this... and that we will be a mommy and daddy in less than 6 months.
I also had the chance to see one of my dearest friends get married this past weekend. It was one of the sweetest wedding ceremonies I've ever had the opportunity to be a part of. Becasue of that, I also got to spend some much needed quality time with far away friends! :)
But most of all, I am so excited and grateful that I get to be a MOM. This whole pregnancy thing hasn't been so pretty for me and I've been really hesitant to truly let it all soak in. But just these past few days, it is starting to become very real. I get very emotional thinking about this sweet baby growing inside of me. Each week, I read the updates and am amazed at what's going on so early. But today, I stopped and thought about where this all started.  At week 4, we found out we were pregnant.  I can remember us standing in our kitchen pouring poppy seeds into our hands because that was the size of our baby And now, to think that it is the size of a lemon. It is such a miracle.

I found this Bible verse a few weeks ago. I read it a lot because it reminds me that this pregnancy is preparing us for something much greater.
I Peter 1:6
Be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead.



Baby's size: The baby is the size of a LEMON! About 3 1/2 inches in length and weighs 1 1/2 ounces. This baby has done some growing since last week!
Eating habits/cravings: Everyone keeps asking what I'm craving... and my answer is nothing! I want something different everyday and usually once I eat something I don't want it for a long, long time. I don't really know what I want until I get hungry. And once hunger sets in, it goes from hungry to ravenous in about 2.2 seconds. :)
Mood/Energy: Feeling like myself again besides being sick all the time. I get over morning sickness and a sinus infection sets in! Thank you suppressed immune system. :( I did have a couple of more dizzy spells this past week but nothing too serious.
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is December 27. We will be 15weeks, 1 day. We will then go back at 18 weeks (3rd week in January) for our mid-pregnancy ultra sound. They will tell us what gender the baby is!! They will also check the brain, heart, liver, bladder, spinal cord, etc for anything that looks out of the ordinary. We're praying that everything is A-OK!
Major development this week: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.
His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Week 13! Hello Second Trimester!

Well, it depends on who you ask! Some say week 13 is second trimester and some say it's week14.For the sake of relief, I'm going to say it's week 13. And if you really think about it... it's the completion of 13 weeks.. and the beginning of the 14th week. I know, I know... I'm getting too technical. Anyways, second trimester, here we come! I'm really looking forward to being LESS sick and having MORE energy! I really can't wait to find out what we're having so that I can actually start shopping for this sweet baby and thinking about a nursery!



Baby's size: The baby is the size of a PEACH! That's right, a GEORGIA peach! :) Almost 3 inches in length and weighs nearly an ounce.
Eating habits/cravings: Nothing interesting... not nearly as hungry as I once was. Pretty much back to one breakfast in the morning.Thank You!  I'm at the point where nothing really sounds appetizing so I just eat to make it through the day.
Mood/Energy: Still have lots of energy... as long as I sleep well that night. I have started feeling very faint and having dizzy spells when standing for too long. I plan on talking to my doctor about this in a couple of weeks, but all the research I've done says that it's pretty normal during this time of pregnancy.The blood flow in your body starts to go more towards the baby around 12 weeks.
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is December 27. We will be 15weeks, 1 day. We will then go back at 18 weeks (3rd week in January) to find out the sex of the baby. :)
Major development this week: Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries.

12 weeks! GIRLS vs. BOYS

The big discussion this week... NAMES! But not just names, GIRL NAMES! :) Since we've been to the doctor last week, we can't stop thinking that there's a good chance, there's a baby girl growing in my belly. Ya know, with that heart rate in the 170's, even the doctor said it's probably a girl! So, of course, we do not agree on girl names. Don't get me wrong...we like some of the same names but when it comes to naming your child, you shouldn't just "like" the name. Here's the dilemma: I have a girl name picked out that I absolutely love and Michael just flat out doesn't like it. Sad Face, I know. :( So I guess, you all want to know the name, right? Hmmm.... well, it... is.... GEORGIA. I know... he's crazy for not liking it, right? I love this name for a couple of reasons... 1)It's not the most common baby name in the last decade or hopefully the next decade to come. 2) It reminds me of the south 3) George, as a last name, is a long-time family name.
Michael's reason for not liking it: 1) It's a state.
We went to a wedding over the weekend and we were able to see some of our old college friends that we rarely get to see! :) When we were leaving they were saying bye to Baby Georgia! Sounds to me as if she's already named.
On a better note, if it's a boy, we already have a name picked that we love and agree on! :)


Baby's size: The baby is the size of a LIME - just over 2 inches!
Eating habits/cravings: Nothing too crazy this week... starting to balance out I think. Good food tastes better, bad food tastes worse. Although, as I write this, I am eating Salt & Vinegar potato chips.
Mood/Energy: High level of energy most of the time. If I try to do too much, I'll get exhausted but that's pretty normal.
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is December 27. We will be 15weeks, 1 day. We will then go back at 18 weeks (3rd week in January) to find out the sex of the baby. :)
Major development this week: The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.
Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long and weighs half an ounce.
Baby pump picture: Next week

Oh Finally! 11 weeks is here and I can spill the beans!

I know, I know... I skipped last week (week 10)! So sorry, but I do have a good excuse! It's called the stomach virus! YUCK! Good news though, I'm all better and actually starting to feel a little normal again! Today, I went for my 11 week check up and met my new doctor, Dr. Emily Johnson. I had to transfer over to her because my gynecologist isn't delivering babies anymore. Anyways, Dr. Johnson was great! She was able to find the baby's heartbeat on the tummy right away with a Doppler machine... heart rate was in 170's! Whew this is already one busy little baby! Can't wait to meet him/her!  Speaking of him/her... lately, a lot of people have been predicting whether we're having a boy or girl! Most think that it's a boy, but I'm still betting it's a girl! Especially after that super high heart rate. We truly don't care either way, all we ask for is a healthy, happy baby.


Baby's size: The baby is the size of a FIG - just over 1 1/2 inches!
Eating habits/cravings: This past week my favorite thing was peppermint chocolate flavored anything... like the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake from Chick-fil-a... and the Peppermint Mocha Latte from Starbucks! I was also really craving sushi... probably b/c I'm not supposed to have it. We went to Little Tokyo... no need to worry, I ordered all cooked rolls. Not as good as my usual spicy tuna rolls but still delicious. Oh and I did send Michael on his first pregnant run to the grocery store on a Tuesday night at 7 for a pepperoni pizza hot pocket! haha it was sooo good! Sweet guy :)
Mood/Energy: Feeling great! The stomach virus was no fun but only lasted a couple of days. I have energy back for the most part, although I'm still procrastinating a bit on certain tasks. For example, our Christmas tree is up but without a single ornament or light on it... and we may not send Christmas cards this year b/c I haven't picked one. Sad, I know! This is not like me at all but oh well... I'll get back to myself one day.
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is December 27. We will be 15weeks, 1 day. We will then go back at 18 weeks (3rd week in January) to find out the sex of the baby. :)
Major development this week: Your baby is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden. She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.
Baby pump picture: Not yet :) But I have gained 4 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.

We are so excited to finally be able to share the news with everyone! For those of you who were keeping the secret, thank you so much!
I know yall will be disappointed but I'm a little grateful, I can't think of any crazy, emotional stories to share this week.

Week 9! These weeks are creeping by!

Here we are at week 9! Some people may be thinking... Already? And I'm thinking... That's it? Everyone talks about how fast this time will go by, but I am not feeling that yet. Maybe it's because we are still in that nervous, waiting period where we aren't comfortable telling EVERYBODY yet... or maybe it's becasue this is the not so fun part while I'm tired and sick all the time and just feel a little chubbier than usual... or maybe it's the anticipation and excitement of it all! Whatever it is, I feel like the weeks are creeping by very slowly. My main point in saying all this is because in 7 months, I know I'll be saying "Where did all the time go?" And I want to remember all these feelings from the very beginning.

Baby's size: GRAPE; almost a full inch; weighs just a fraction of an ounce
Eating habits/cravings: Still pretty hungry in the mornings... I eat about 4 times before lunch. After I eat lunch, I'm usually good until dinner time. It's not even that I'm hungry, I just have to eat something every hour to keep the nausea away. Things that were delicious this week: Beagle Bagel chicken salad on honey whole wheat bagel... this was the #1 spot hitter of the week. Also, I loooove chicken fingers and french fries. If I'm not hungry for anything else, I can count on this to get me through.
Mood/Energy: This past week was the worst yet as far as nausea and vomiting but things are looking up b/c I've been feeling better over the weekend. I'm still very tired but I've actually started to get things done again. YAY!
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is November 29. We will be 11 weeks, 1 day.
Major development this week: She or he is starting to look more and more human. All the essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form - as do his or her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. They eyes are fully formed, but the eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. Your baby has tiny earlobes, and the mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, he or she is poised for rapid weight gain.
Baby pump picture: This might be coming soon b/c I have a feeling mama will be showing any week now. Right now I'm in the not-so-pretty stage of "gaining a few pounds so none of my clothes fit right" but not quite to the "Are you pregnant?" stage.
Funny emotional moment of the week: On Saturday morning, Michael was naming different foods to see what I wanted for breakfast... Pancakes, hashbrowns, oatmeal, he went on and on. None of those things sounded great. In fact, they all sounded terrible! And so, I told him the thought of those foods was making me sick. A little later that morning, he made a joke about one of our neighbors and so, I told him again, he was making me sick. He then went on to say to me (his pregnant, emotional wife): "Everything makes you sick!" I immediately started to cry, uncontrollably, like a b-a-b-y. It hurt my feelings so bad. This is the moment that I realized I was not myself. Normally, this would not have bothered me... I probably would have made a joke back and gave him a nice soft punch. But not that day and probably not for the next 7 months. :) As I was crying, I told him that I know I'm miserable to be around and that I'm not fun anymore and nothing like the person that he fell in love with. Poor guy felt so bad... and then I felt bad because this wasn't his fault... Needless to say, it's very funny now. Just thought we'd share that with yall.

We're having a baby!!

Yes! That's right... we are having a baby! Our due date is June 19 so we are exactly 8 weeks today! Michael and I are so excited that it's hard to put our feelings into words. We have known since week 4 so it's been very hard to keep this secret! And it's not over yet. :( I can't wait to be able to tell everyone... only a few more weeks and we'll start spreading the news!  Our friends and family that already know have been so amazing and supportive.  If you're reading this, this includes you so Thank You for everything! I've always known that in your toughest times, you find out how much your friends and family really love you. But this has reminded me that in the happiest times, those same people can truly amaze you with  their love and genuine excitement!

We heard the baby's heartbeat on Monday, November 1.  This is a moment we will never forget... this is the moment when it all sets in and becomes totally real! All the anxiety and wonder cleared during that moment and we were filled with joy. For those already-parents out there, you know what I'm referring to... for those who aren't, you have something wonderful to look forward to. We love this baby so much already!
We thought now would be a great time to start a blog to keep everyone updated on the pregnancy process. We... um, I will try to post at least once a week. I know most of you won't be interested in it that often but it's a good way for me to capture everything that's going on. 

Every week, I will include the following things.
Baby's size: RASBERRY; just over 1/2 an inch
Eating habits/cravings: Starving and very nauseated in morning. Protein usually does the trick.... specifically, Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit is my life saver for now! Not very hungry at night. Hamburgers, cereal, frozen yogurt. YUM!
Mood/Energy: Exhausted can not explain this feeling! I've also been very emotional. I tear up over the simplest things. One day this week, I cried 3 times by lunch time. Once over one of my favorite songs I've heard a million times; another over a sweet text message my cousin sent me; and another over the thought of not loving my dog and cat as much when this baby comes. It makes me want to cry just thinking about it right now.
Things to look forward to: Our next visit is November 29. We will be 11 weeks, 1 day.
Major development this week: Your baby will now have eyes, although his eyelids will be closed over them. He will also have arms that bend at the elbows, legs that bend at the knees, and his toes will be forming.
Baby pump picture: to come... maybe! :)

I would like to give Michael a lot of credit! He has been wonderful and supportive. He even told me he would trade bodies with me for a day... only if that could really happen! ha ha
One last thing, we are trying to come up with a nickname for Baby Mitchell until we have a real name... any suggestions?