20 Weeks!

How far along: 20. Freaking. Weeks.
Weight gain: Up 7 lbs
How big is baby: The length of a large banana, 6.5 inches crown to rump and 10.5 ounces
Maternity clothes: Totally loving how comfortable my maternity jeans are, but also still wearing my regular jeans with a Bella Band or a rubber band.  I'm starting to wonder if it is a subconscious effort to see how long I can squeeze into them? ;)
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: I hesitate to say that it's better than ever because I'm afraid that I will curse myself.  I'm sure the next 20 weeks will not be as great as the first 20 were, but so far it's excellent.
Best moment this week: The BEST moment by far was the news of Peter and Rachel's engagement.  Other awesome moments have included painting the nursery (post on that later) and hanging the adorable little clothes that my mom and Rachel have bought for our little guy in his closet.  Every time I walk by and see them, I feel more and more like his mom :)  We also got our results from the last few ultrasounds (genetic screening and anatomy screening) and learned that everything looks healthy and as it should!  Always such a great feeling :)
Movement: Still unsure....I think so, but nothing where I have been able to say, "YES - that was the baby moving".
Food Cravings: BTL's (black tea lemonades) and thanks to my friend Shauna, I'm totally into chicken burgers this week :)
Labor Signs: No
Belly button in or out: Still in, but it's starting to look weird...LOL.
What I miss: Being able to really push myself hard while working out.  It is definitely something that I took for granted when I actually was able to "go for it".  Now, when I get a little too tired or a little too winded, I know I need to slow it down.
What I'm looking forward to: Greg's birthday is this weekend and I'm looking forward to spending the day celebrating with him!  I also am getting back into hot yoga - I even took my first class in months this week!  Next Wednesday, I start teaching 1 class a week at Hot Yoga of Mill Creek and I'm SO excited to be back with all of my students there!

Mow



Lately, we have been finding Maxwell in the oddest places.  Cats get so weird as they get older...

Gourmet Home Cooking with Brenna and Noah

Last night, Brenna and Noah were nice enough to invite us over to Noah's house for a delicious dinner!  Brenna and I tend to schedule our "dates" several weeks out (being the busy and important ladies we are), and we are always very much looking forward to our dinners when the time finally arrives.

Brenna has developed some amazing cooking skills over the past few years, and she has shared how much she enjoys finding and trying new recipes.  (Brenna - get that blog started ASAP please)!

For dinner, she made BBQ chicken pizza, chicken cobb salad pizza and a dessert of fresh strawberries and greek yogurt.  It was wonderful to catch up with them over a great meal!

Already looking forward to next time!

Pizza in progress

Yum!

Me and Brenna

Noah and Greg

Easter Brunch - and Baby I's first Easter Basket :)

On Sunday, Greg and I joined my parents at their house for a delicious Easter Brunch!  It was fun to spend time with them and to talk about all things baby now that we know we will be having a little boy!  (PS - the name is not going to be a secret - Greg and I are just trying to settle on what we will call him - we are about 90% there)!  My mom put together the most adorable Easter basket for us/the baby.  I wish I had taken a picture of what the basket looked like before I started taking things out.  I tried to recreate how it looked, but didn't do a spectacular job:



In the basket was the following:

* A digital thermometer for the baby (one that you just press against their temple that does not require any kind of "probing"...nice)!

* A copy of "Pat the Bunny"

* 2 adorable onesee's - with matching hats and bibs

* A couple pairs of socks

* A blanket

* Chocolate :)

* A couple of my more "gender neutral" outfits from when I was a baby

* My little brown stuffed bunny - a toy I have had since I was born.  Me and the bunny were inseparable.  I even had pictures taken at Yuen Lui when I was 3 or 4 with him!  (I will try to dig up a copy of that picture to upload onto here - it's pretty comical).

Thanks mom for already being such a wonderful Grandmother!  He is so lucky :)

Bling Bling! Rachel and Peter are Engaged!!

On Easter Morning, I woke up to some of the happiest news ever!  I saw my phone light up at 8:01 am, and saw the following picture:

Peter proposed to Rachel on Easter!  I immediately re-woke Greg, (Maxwell had let us know it was time for breakfast about 30 minutes prior but we were trying to ignore him) to share the fantastic news!  We are SO thrilled for them both, and I for one cannot wait to get started in planning all of the details over the next year!  Bridal showers, bachelorette parties, wedding dress selection - oh my!  I don't think I have been this excited since my own engagement!

Oh, and a super-exciting side note: I have been honored with being chosen the Matron of Honor!  (It sounds like such an "old" title, but in Rachel's words I need to "own it") :)  Her friend Jenni will be the Maid of Honor.  I think that we (all of Rachel's amazing girlfriends, sisters, sisters-in-law-to-be, mom and MIL) will make a great team in ensuring that the next year is an incredibly special and memorable time for her! 

I honestly could not be happier for Rachel and Peter - they make a perfect match!

Gift from Aunt BFF (Rachel)!

We have been so fortunate to have already received so many gifts from our friends and family!  I wish that I had taken pictures and blogged about each and every thoughtful gift.  We have been given books, toys, Steeler pacifiers, baby necessities, and priceless advice from so many people in our lives.

Last night, Rachel stopped by to give us our first official "baby boy" outfits!  I honestly almost cried, (and I have been the MOST unemotional pregnant woman - at least in the crying sense - ever).  The fact that she has been so excited about this baby since before he was even a thought means the world to us.  She and I joke about it being "our baby", as she is ready to play such a huge roll in his life.  He will be so incredibly lucky to have her (and all of my awesome girlfriends) to be there for him :) 

Check out the adorable clothes she picked out.  I cannot stop picturing him wearing this stuff later this year!

Baby BOY!

My assumptions were correct!  I KNEW I saw something at the 13 week ultrasound, but as we got closer and closer to our appointment yesterday, I started to second guess myself!  Yesterday was one of the most exciting days I've ever experienced.  I was so anxious to get to my appointment, that Greg and I arrived 20 minutes early just to sit in the parking lot and wait some more.  I was so happy when they called us back.  I asked the tech to do everything she could to avoid telling us the gender as we were waiting for my mom to meet us after work!  We watched her take measurements of the head, the spine, the arms, etc.  When my mom got there I let her know that as soon as she wanted to check out the goods, we were ready!

The woman definitely saw that it was a boy before we did!  The angle that he was sitting in (or squirming in) was not the best - but she was able to confirm that it was a little boy!  We are so happy and excited and cannot wait to meet him!  Now, if only we could agree on a name... :)

The little guy

Cute little arm!

I honestly cannot figure out exactly what we are looking at here

...but apparently this was the determining shot!