21 weeks

I didn't get a 20 week photo; my apologies. Hubby was uncooperative that week and I just wasn't feeling the self-portraits.

We had our Christmas photo session today so I was already gussied up and thought that there just wasn't going to be a better day to capture my 21 week shot this week. So Trey was more than willing to take today's picture. {Can you sense the sarcasm?} He griped and complained all week about how I was ruining his weekend and that he couldn't golf or watch TV or do this or do that; yadda, yadda, yadda. In addition to the photo session, I drug him to Pottery Barn Kids to complete our last baby registry. He loved that. {More sarcasm}. My punishment was standing around Gander Mountain as he just browsed at camo raingear (which he already has) for nearly 2 hours. He's hardcore.

So, here we are at 21 weeks:



Hopefully I'll have more to post tomorrow as we are going to the Renessaisance Festival. Good times and lots to see!

The Snoogle

Last weekend I went to Tyler to visit my sister and hang out with some friends...and while we were there we went shopping in Canton. Ok, ok. We made the trip up there that particular weekend first for Canton and the hanging out was just a bonus. We did our shopping on Saturday and then on Sunday, Danielle and her friend Lindsey took me to Babies R Us to help me get my first registry going, as they are the resident "baby stuff" experts. Lindsey also gave me this way cool "snoogle" pillow to allow for comfortable sleeping for pregnant women. I must say - WOW. I love it. Trey tries to steal it from me on a regular basis.

The Snoogle:



Canton was a bit disappointing; it was WAY too crowded, with too many dogs and I just didn't get near the shopping done that I was hoping, but we had fun anyway. The registering was only partially successful because Target was being ridiculous and uncooperative, so we only got to finish at Babies R Us. The good news is that I was able to get Trey to actually participate in the 2 remaining registries at home: Target and Pottery Barn Kids. Shocking. I know. That being said, ALL 3 registries are complete! YAY. I'm so relieved.

Gender Reveal

After dealing with ALL the fits today...

everyone came over for elk steaks, baked potatoes, salad, rolls, AND colorfully centered chocolate chip cookies (that I slaved all day making) for the gender reveal! It was quite exciting. I've never seen everyone eat so quickly.

The most important news we received today was that everything they could tell from an ultrasound looks GREAT! We were so relieved.


(There was a pink and a blue balloon tied up on the picture here, they just aren't visible) Trey is scooping ice cream to go with the special cookies.



BLUE!!

All boy:

sweet profile:

Trey does this; crossing the legs at the feet, ALL THE TIME:

Montana Hunt

On October 18th Trey left on a 26 hour car ride with his dad to head up to Billings, MT for a father/son hunt that they've had planned for a year and a half. They were set out on a quest to fill the elk and mule deer tags that they each had as well as the bear tag that Trey had. (Trey was under strict orders {from me} to return with a bear so that we could have newborn photos taken on a bear skin rug.)

*roadside Wyoming during the drive*

The first day they rode in (which was on horseback through the mountains, in 25* and snowing) they situated into camp. Next morning, they woke up to "teen temps" and Trey left out on foot while Bill left out on horseback. Bill shot a mule deer about an hour after first light. Success! Trey walked up the West Fork and over Dry Burris and shot an elk at 650 yards. Yes folks, that's 650!! Needless to say, the work started. It was a 12 mile hike round trip to and from camp to where it crashed. And it took 3 trips of 2 people carrying uhhh, "parts". This was about the equivalent of 2 days.
*base camp*

*West Fork*

*Dry Burris*

By day 3 (of the hunt), it HAD warmed up a bit, BUT it was raining now. So Trey decided he was going to camp out at the cook tent with rifle leaned up against the tree and binoculars in hand, "glassing" the area. If his mule deer or bear walked by, it was done for, but that was the extent of his hunting for the day.

Day 4 and 5 were cold, snowy and windy and were unsuccessful for all. Yeah, that's right. I didn't get my bearskin rug. Instead, I got a GIANT 6x6 elk. One that's classified by most standards a trophy for the mountain variety.

18 weeks

Why doesn't anyone ever warn you of the cramping? The only time I was told you could experience cramping was if it was accompanied by blood and that most likely meant you were miscarrying. No one warned me that it's COMPLETELY NORMAL to experience cramping all throughout, and that it's just stretching of the stomach muscles and ligaments as your tummy is growing to accomodate baby. I experience this about once every 2-3 weeks, for the better part of a day. (I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty miserable.) Although I felt it pretty much ALL day this past Thursday, Friday AND Monday. I guess baby had a growth spurt. Not to worry, there was no blood.

Next week, Wednesday to be exact, we find out if Baby C is a boy or a girl!! FINALLY! I just can't handle not doing anything about it anymore. Just sitting back and doing nothing is driving me nuts. I can't wait to find out.

It's strange how my belly looks so much smaller from the side than it does from the front. Not so flattering...at least not in pictures. But I don't care :)))

17 weeks

I had another OB check up this week. Everything is still good; with momma and baby. We heard the heartbeat, but couldn't get an acutal count of it because baby was so active, it wouldn't be still long enough to get one to read! Is this a sign of things to come? eeee.

My doctor is apparently going to be picky about my weight. I've gained a total of 8 pounds in 17 weeks. He says this is where I should be. BUT, I took a significant jump in the last 4 weeks so I need to watch what I eat going forward so as not to gain too much. "I don't want to see you go into a downward spiral," he says. "You should be sure to eat lots of salad and veggies, while staying away from too many fruits, juices and sugar." I wanted to knock his fool head off. Are you kidding?! That's ALL I want to eat! Granted, I do HAPPEN to eat salads quite often. And drink a lot of water. But still, I don't want to hear that. Esp. since the nurse just got done telling my urine came back good (again) and my BP was good (again). I know he has my best interest at heart, but sheesh, cut me SOME slack!

Some tidbits:
The appointment we've all been waiting for is just around the corner; November 2!!

Trey's dad has agreed to build all of our nursery furniture! This makes me soooo excited! :))

and now for my 17 week pic:

16 weeks

I'm at 16 weeks now. So far everything is still pretty uneventful. I've not had any nausea still. {still a good thing} I'm thinking I'm probably in the clear for this. My energy is starting to come back; however, I tend to use it up as soon as I get it, putting me right back to exhausted :/ I HAVE had a few bloody noses, which is apparently pretty common in pregnancy, especially early on.

My craving so far has been milk. I don't like white milk, so I don't drink it plain; but I'll have it with cereal, or lately...chocolate milk -- and lots of it. What? It's good for me and baby, you say? Well, yes it is. But, I'm a stone former. So, it's not THAT good for me. I have to be careful with this. It can be very bad in my case. I REALLY don't want kidney stones again. So, of course, this would be my craving. UGH. I guess it could be worse. I'm trying to also drink plenty of water. I just tend to get the desire to drink LOTS of water right before bed. Oh bother.

OH, I almost forgot!! -- I've been starting to feel movement this past week. Come to realize it's the same stuff I've been feeling since I was about 10 weeks along. It's just becoming a lot more frequent. I knew when I first starting to {very} randomly feel it that it was stuff I had never felt before, but I wasn't ready to say it was Baby. Now I know that's what it was (and is). I guess I knew my body better than I thought. But Tuesday night I was lying on the couch watching TV with my hand resting on my belly and I felt a movement that was so strong that I felt (and saw out of my peripheal vision) my hand move. It was just the one time, but it was incredible!

Here are some pictures of 16 weeks. I finally got some good ones!!
Trey took this one last night; I guess "the bump" actually looks smaller in it because of the angle?:


I took these earlier in the week: