Year In Review {2012}

I can't believe today is the last day of 2012, and tomorrow is the start of a brand new year. 2013. It's going to be a BIG year, and I can't wait. Before we dive into all that I hope 2013 will bring, I want to take a look back on 2012. I wrote a "Goodbye 2011" post last year, so I only feel it's appropriate to do something similar this year.

January

ringing in 2012

• I'm not one for typical New Year's Resolutions, but I did make my "2012 To-Do List." While I didn't accomplish every single thing on the list, I don't think I did too bad.
• We celebrated TJ's birthday.
• I made my first king cake for Carnival Season 2012.
• I started training for my second half marathon.
• We painted the man cave downstairs.
• TJ and I had a blast in Super Bowl Village in downtown Indy. We can't wait for Indy to host the Super Bowl again!

February

• The Giants beat the Patriots on our home turf. What a sweet victory. {I can't stand the Pats!}
• We celebrated Mardi Gras.

• I shared a few revelations with you.

March

• I gave you a few reasons why March is the best month!
• I celebrated my 29th birthday.

• We went to Orlando for vacation, including a day at Epcot! {recaps here, here, and here}

the happiest place on Earth!

April

• I spent a good part of the first half of the month studying for my Family Medicine Boards.

• I was so relieved when Boards were over with, and I wasted no time in doing some reading for fun {i.e. The Hunger Games}.
• We decided to take the plunge and go on a European Vacation over the summer! Paris, here we come!
• I shared the BIG NEWS that I was going to be a sports medicine fellow!!!!

May

• I ran my second half marathon and it completely kicked my butt!

• We celebrated Mother's Day with both of our wonderful moms!
• We enjoyed Memorial Day weekend in Cincinnati, complete with a Reds game.
• I discovered whipped cream vodka and lots of different drinks you can make with it!

June

• We celebrated 3 years of wedded bliss! 

• I shared a super-easy, 3 ingredient fruit cobbler recipe.
• I found out that I passed my Family Medicine Boards to become a Board-Certified Family Physician!
• I went to a DMB concert for the millionth time, I graduated from residency, and we left on our 10 day European Vacation!

July

• We traveled to London, Paris, and Normandy! I loved every minute of it and can't wait to go back!!! 

• I made an initial wreath for our door!
• I shared some facts about me.
• We had a fun weekend at Cedar Point riding a bunch of roller coasters.
• We had another great weekend seeing Pitbull in Chicago, visiting TJ's mom, and celebrating my Grandma's birthday.

August

• A got a little bit of fall fever as soon as the calendar changed to August.
• I found the most perfect sign to describe our marriage during football season.
• We went to the Indiana State Fair...definitely a summer tradition.
• I shared my 9 loves in this world.

September

• I learned a lot in my first month of fellowship. 

• Over 3 years later, I decided to do a recap of our honeymoon in Cabo.
• I took my first ballet class in a really long time.
• I hosted my first giveaway!

October

• I started my "A Day in the Life" series and shared why I became a doctor. 

• I spilled my guts and reflected on my miscarriage in the Fall of 2011. Little did you know, but we had just found out we were pregnant again!
• I made a fall wreath for our front door.

November

• Baby S and I did our first race together! You didn't know the big news at the time, but I was so glad I still did the 5K even though I had really wanted to run the half marathon.

• We went to Philadelphia to visit my brother for a long weekend.
• I FINALLY got to spill the beans with our big news!!!

December

• The blog took a turn to all things pregnancy this month...and I'm totally okay with it!
• I wished you all a Merry Christmas and shared our Christmas card with you!
• We managed to surprise our families with a gender reveal on Christmas Eve! Click the link to watch the video...Everyone is so excited to meet our little guy!!!!

2012 has ended on such a high note, and I can't wait to see all that God has in store for us in 2013! Happy New Year!!!!!!

Bumpdate! {16 Weeks!}

16 Weeks

{as of 12.28.12}

How Far Along?

16 weeks...24 weeks or 168 days to go!

Baby S is the size of an avocodo!

Weight Gain?

around 7-8 lbs
{I'm blaming all the Christmas goodies...hopefully I can maintain that for a couple weeks}

Maternity Clothes?

Pants? Yes. Tops? It's a mix. I got a couple new sweaters this week that were on sale. I also got a Gap gift card for Christmas, so I'll be checking out Gap Maternity again for some new stuff!

Exercise?

Still trying to get my butt on the treadmill at least a couple times a week. Easier said than done these days.

Symptoms?

A little heartburn, but that's it!

Sleep?

Great!

Food Cravings?

Nothing in particular...pretty much everything is tasting good these days. And I still can't say no to cheese. :)

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

Nope! 

Gender?

We have a little man on the way! We are so excited! If you haven't checked out our gender reveal video, you can do so here. As far as his name goes, I am set on a name and TJ likes it too, but he's just not ready to commit to it yet. I've started calling him by name though. :) Once we decide, we will share with everyone...I won't be able to wait till June!

Movement?

I think I've felt something {first felt it on Christmas Day}, but I guess I won't know for sure till there's more in the next couple of weeks. It's so exciting {and really kind of strange too!}!

What You Miss?

 Nothing! Overall, I'm feeling great! 

Mood?

So excited! I feel like I can really start planning everything now...I have the glider ordered, the crib ordered, and all the fabric ordered for curtains, the bedskirt, etc. I was out shopping after Christmas and couldn't help myself....I bought a few outfits for little buddy. Baby girl clothes are super cute, but little boy clothes are pretty adorable too!

Best Moment of the Week? 
Christmas was so much fun this year....probably the best Christmas in a long time. My parents were soooo generous {hello Nikon D5100!!}, but most of all, it was so nice to spend time with my parents, brother, TJ's mom, grandma, aunt, sister, and brother-in-law. It was wonderful.

I had my 16 week appointment on December 28, and everything still looks great! Little buddy's heartbeat was 155! Such a sweet sound every time!

before the Colts game yesterday...I can't wait till we can take him to a game next season!

A Letter to Our Little Man

{written 12/22/12}


Hey there Little Guy!

I am so excited to finally call you "our little man!" It was just yesterday that we found out what you are, and we couldn't be more happy. I'm still a little surprised that you actually cooperated with the ultrasound {at first you were sitting with your legs crossed}, but thank you for listening to your mama and starting to dance around my belly! I hope that only means you'll continue to do the same once you're here... :)

In the less than 24 hours that we've known you're a boy, I've already had so many hopes and dreams for you flood my mind. I can't wait to see your precious smile, hear you cry, and see you wiggle. I can't wait to hold you in my arms while you're sleeping and to kiss your forehead. One of the things I am most excited for is to see you with your daddy. I know he'll be the best daddy. I was driving yesterday afternoon and all of the sudden, I got this mental picture of a "mini TJ" sitting on the couch with Daddy watching football, and I couldn't help but get the biggest grin on my face. I know you will love sports {and Notre Dame} just as much as he does!

I love you so much already, Little Man, and can't believe you'll be with us in 6 short months!

All my love,
Your Mama

Surprise!!!!

Christmas came a little early in the Stochel home. In fact, it came in the form of an ultrasound last Friday. I was 15 weeks exactly, and I had some of my friends and co-workers do an ultrasound to see if we could find out what Baby Stochel is! At first, Baby was pretty content just sitting there with its legs crossed, but after pushing around on my belly a bit and after the sugar from lunch started kicking in, Baby was just dancing around in there!

Over the weekend, I had to keep one of the hardest secrets from my family because I wanted to wait till Christmas Eve when my family and TJ's family were gathered at our house for dinner. I made a cake with the appropriate color frosting filling, and we had our moms {Baby's grandmothers} cut the first piece to see if their first grandchild is a boy or a girl!!!! To say they are excited is a bit of an understatement!

{the cake}

Baby Stochel is a.....

{TJ's mom, Sharon, is in red, my mom is wearing the white sweater, my dad is wearing the ivory vest, and my brother is wearing the red sweater}

We are obviously super excited and feeling so blessed!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful day full of family, laughter, good food, and maybe a present or two!

Since it's Christmas, I wanted to share our Christmas card with you! But first, let's take a trip down memory lane!

{2009}

Our first Christmas as a married couple!

{2010}

{2011}

And this year's card! Definitely my favorite so far, although I have a feeling next year will be even better with Baby Stochel too!!!

{front}

{back}

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Bumpdate! {15 Weeks}

15 Weeks!

{as of 12.21.12}

How Far Along?

15 weeks...25 weeks or 175 days to go!

Baby S is the size of an apple!

Weight Gain?

around 6-7 lbs

Maternity Clothes?

It's a mix. I got a couple new maternity sweaters last week that will be nice to wear for the holidays and the rest of the winter. I also found a couple really long sweaters with a bit of sparkle in the junior's section at Kohls {see pink sweater above}. The best part? Those were $9.99 each! 

Exercise?

Trying to walk on the treadmill at least a couple times a week. I need to get into a better routine so that I can keep my weight gain in check! 

Symptoms?

A little nausea in the evenings, but this is becoming pretty rare. {Woohoo!} Some heartburn, but nothing that a couple of Tums won't take care of. My headaches still are not very bad at all, and thankfully, they're usually remedied with a little caffeine and/or a Tylenol. Fatigue is getting better too!

Sleep?

Pretty good. I have to get up at least once per night, but I can go back to sleep pretty quickly. There were a couple nights last week where I only got 6 or 7 hours of sleep, and I definitely paid for it the next day! 

Food Cravings?

Salads, cheese {I don't see that going away anytime soon}, cookie dough {which unfortunately I can't have} :( 

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

Nope! 

Gender?

Soon, soon, soon! I can't wait!!! 

Movement?

Not yet...hoping that it won't be long before I start feeling our little one's flutters! 

What You Miss?

 Nothing! Overall, I'm feeling great! 

Mood?

Happy and excited!! I can't wait to have my family and TJ's family over tonight for Christmas Eve dinner, then Midnight Mass, then celebrating with my mom's side of the family tomorrow! Being pregnant during the holiday's is pretty awesome, although I'm sure the next couple years will be even better celebrating through our little one's eyes! 

Best Moment of the Week? 
Starting to think about the nursery more seriously. I think we've decided on both a glider and the crib, and we'll probably be ordering them this week!! I'll share more details soon!


One more picture before I go...TJ wanted a bump pic too :)

haha!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Christmas Eve Eve {i.e. December 23rd} has always been kind of a big day in my family. When my brother and I were younger, the 23rd was often the day that Santa came to our house and we opened our presents. We always spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Cincinnati with my Grandma, Grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and since we either lived in Michigan or Indiana, that gave our family a morning at home to open our presents. For a long time, I actually believed that Santa made a special trip to our house a couple days early! Either my parents were pretty convincing, or I was pretty gullible!

Now that our families are older and expanding in number, we don't get together on Christmas Eve; we save that for Christmas Day. It has actually worked out nicely since getting married because that gives TJ and me the time to celebrate Christmas with his family on Christmas Eve. I know things will be a little more complicated next year with our little one, especially as we try to establish our own new traditions as a family of three!

Anyways, back to today, Christmas Eve Eve! For quite some time now, on the night of the 23rd, my family has gone to some sort of Christmas show followed by a nice dinner. We don't go to the same show every year, but our favorite is probably the Indiana Repertory Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol. It is such a great story and always so well done...we love it every time we see it! I'm so excited to go see it again tonight and then dine at Harry and Izzy's in downtown Indy where we will stuff ourselves with their world famous shrimp cocktail and steaks.

Harry & Izzy's, 2008

What I really love about Christmas Eve Eve is that it is the kickoff to our Christmas celebrations, and it's just so nice to spend a wonderful evening with my parents, brother, and TJ. 

Do you have any traditions like this? What do you typically do on Christmas Eve Eve?

silence.

Say an extra prayer for all the victims and their families today. And give your loved ones an extra hug and "I love you."

God bless.

Bumpdate! {14 Weeks!}

14 Weeks!

{as of 12.14.12}

How Far Along?

14 weeks, 26 weeks or 182 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a lemon
  
Weight Gain?

Didn't weigh myself this week

Maternity Clothes?

Still a mix, primarily maternity pants with some maternity tops and some regular tops/sweaters

 Exercise?

I've exercised the last two days! This is a good thing!

Symptoms?

I think the nausea may be making its exit. {Thank goodness!} I still have a little bit here and there, but not nearly as bad as before. The heartburn has started, and I even had to make a special trip to CVS just for some Tums. I also think that I may be getting some of my energy back...Hallelujah! 

Sleep?

I'd still prefer to get at least 8 hours to do well the next day. Pre-pregnancy, I typically only got 6-7 hours per night, so this is definitely a change for me.

Food Cravings?

I've been loving the clementines I bought earlier in the week...two of them make for a great snack!

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

Getting better...there's nothing in particular that I can think of, but there are still some things that just don't sound good to me at all.

Gender?

Hopefully in the next couple of weeks! I can't wait! :)

Movement?

I'm hoping that I'll start feeling some flutters in the next couple of weeks!

What You Miss?

Can't think of anything!
  
Mood?

Happy and looking forward to Christmas and spending some quality time with our families.

 Best Moment of the Week?

One of my friends at work listened to the baby's heartbeat last Friday...such a sweet, wonderful sound! Oh, and I definitely feel like the bump "popped" a little bit this week...I think I'm getting closer to actually looking pregnant! Yay!

Bumpdate! {12 and 13 weeks!}

12 Weeks!

{as of 11/30/12}

How Far Along?

12 weeks, 28 weeks or 196 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a lime!

Weight Gain?

Holding steady at 2-3 lbs. I think my weight was the same at my doctor's appointment this week as it was at my 8 week appointment. Glad it hasn't really gone up much yet.

Maternity Clothes?

Some pants, some tops.

Exercise?

Not a lot. Note to self: exercise more!!

Symptoms?

Nausea, and unfortunately some of the other stuff too, thanks to my first migraine I had during this pregnancy. I've been having some tension headaches occasionally in the evenings, but usually they get better with 1 or 2 extra strength Tylenol. Hopefully, my migraines aren't here to stay.

Sleep?

Still loving it!

Food Cravings?

Mac n' cheese, baked Cheetos, pizza {I'm continuing with the cheese trend in case you couldn't tell}

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?
Sometimes it's hard to put my finger on it, but I have to have a taste for something for me to want to eat it.

Gender?

Hoping we'll know in the next month!

Movement?

Not yet!

What You Miss?

With my migraine this past week, I missed being able to take my regular migraine medicine.

Mood?

I think I'll finally be able to relax now that I've had my 12 week appointment and heard the heartbeat with the external doppler monitor. I've made it to the end of the first trimester and everything is okay!
Thanks be to God!!!

Best Moment of the Week?

Hearing that sweet heartbeat. 162 beats per minute :)

I also spilled the beans to the world via Facebook, the blog, and everyone at work. Yay! Finally!

~~~~~~

13 Weeks!

{as of 12/7/12}

How Far Along?

13 weeks, 27 weeks or 189 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a medium shrimp! {I like that one!}

Weight Gain?
Still the same.

Maternity Clothes?

Loving my maternity pants, although I can still wear some of my regular jeans comfortably as long as they're a low enough rise in the front.

 Exercise?

Not good. Oops.

Symptoms?

I was lucky enough to get a 24 hour bug earlier this week complete with chills, body aches, and all the fun GI stuff. It kind of ruined my appetite for a few days.

Sleep?

Yes please!

Food Cravings?

Really liking my baked Cheetos.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

A lot, especially with the viral bug...smells are bothering me more too.

Gender?

I'm thinking we'll try to find out in 3 weeks or so! Not only is my uncle an OB/GYN, but I work with a lot of people that can do ultrasounds and have access to an ultrasound machine, so that means I get to see my baby much more often than normal! :)

Movement?

I really can't wait to feel our little one move!

What You Miss?

Not feeling nauseated and tired all the time.

Mood?

Happy...I love being able to talk about babies and being pregnant with everyone now! No more secrets!

Best Moment of the Week?

We went up to Chicago last weekend to visit my cousin and cousin-in-law...unfortunately, we had to cut our trip short by a day because I wasn't feeling well. Caitlin {my cousin-in-law, due with a baby boy in March} and I went to see the Joffrey Ballet perform The Nutcracker on Saturday night...it was amazing!! I'm so excited that we will have little ones {2nd cousins, I think} that will be so close in age to one another!

Trust.

If you've been reading over the last week or so {and if you're new around here, welcome!}, you may have realized that this blog has taken a turn to all things pregnancy related. This change isn't entirely intentional, but I'm not surprised by it either...this little baby that I'm growing currently consumes not only most of my energy, but most of my thoughts too. Since this little old blog is pretty much about our life happenings, it only makes sense that a lot of my posts for the next 5-6 months will revolve around this pregnancy. And after that? You guessed it, I'll probably be posting about the baby the majority of the time. I like to think of this blog as a way to document our life, and, well, this is our life right now. If you're not crazy about reading about baby bumps and baby gear, I'm sorry. 

I also want to say that with all these pregnancy posts, I have certainly been thinking about any of you reading that are struggling to get pregnant, had a miscarriage, etc. Trust me, I know how hard it is to hear about yet another person getting pregnant, and it's not easy. I've struggled with it for the last year. But it does get better. I hope that some of you can find comfort in the fact that it is possible to get pregnant after a devastating loss, and it's possible for everything to go smoothly too. If you ever have any questions, want to vent, whatever, feel free to email me anytime. Sometimes you just need to talk to someone who has been through it.

Bumpdate! {10 and 11 weeks}

I hate to do a combo post, but since I'm doing these after the fact, it's hard to remember all the little details! I apologize for the lack of bump pictures too...apparently, I was too busy and/or lazy {most likely the latter} to take any pictures those two weeks! I hope to start doing better with the bump pics...especially since there's a little bit of a bump there now! ;)

10 and 11 Weeks!

How Far Along?

10 weeks, 30 weeks or 210 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a kumquat!
{Since I don't really eat kumquats on a regular basis, that also translates to a little over an inch!}

just over 10 weeks old :)

11 weeks, 29 weeks or 203 days to go!
Baby S is the size of a fig!
{also not in my regular diet}

Weight Gain?

Still around 2-3 lbs

Maternity Clothes?

Maternity pants here and there. I've also bought a few maternity tops...obviously I don't need those for the bump yet, but I love how they're so long! {I have a long torso anyways}

Exercise?

Not very good these two weeks, except for running/walking the Drumstick Dash {4.5 miles} on Thanksgiving Day.

Symptoms?

Nausea, mostly in the evenings. Still feeling tired ALL.THE.TIME. I wish I could take an afternoon nap everyday.

Sleep?

Pretty good, just not enough. Only getting up once or twice each night to use the bathroom.

Food Cravings?

Pass the cheese, please.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?
Still not eating much chicken, but I did eat a little turkey on Thanksgiving.

Gender?

Counting down the weeks till we can find out!

Movement?

Can't wait!

What You Miss?

Not much!

Mood?

Mostly happy and excited, but still pretty nervous. I guess this is just the beginning of a lifetime of worrying about my kids.

Best Moment of the Week?

Getting an impromptu ultrasound by my boss's wife...she's an OBGYN that works with the residency program at my hospital. One of the perks of working in the medical field {and in an office with ultrasound machines}! It was so fun to see the baby moving around on the screen!

Definitely the best moment of week 11 was telling my family at Thanksgiving. It is just so fun to see how excited everyone is to have another baby in the family!!!

Bumpdate! {8 and 9 Weeks!}

8 Weeks!

{I think this pic is a little generous due to bloating and the need to pee again}

How Far Along?

8 weeks, 32 weeks or 224 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a kidney bean!

Weight Gain?

Still around 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes?

I finally got a BellaBand, and it's so nice to have my top button unbuttoned, but I don't feel like it stays in place very well. Maybe I'll be looking into some maternity pants soon...

Exercise?

I ended up mostly walking the Monumental 5K with my mom. I really wanted to be running, but I wanted to do what was best for the baby. There will be plenty more races in the future!

Symptoms?

The nausea has kicked in a little more...it's definitely worse at night, both before dinner and then after we eat. It's strange, I am totally fine in the morning!

Sleep?

I can't get enough!

Food Cravings?

Anything with cheese sounds delicious!

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?
No desire to eat chicken right now.

Gender?

Only God knows!

Movement?

Not yet!

What You Miss?

Not much!

Mood?

Anxious - I can't wait for our first appointment. I just need to know that everything is okay!

Best Moment of the Week?

I'm excited for our first appointment, then going to Philly this weekend and finally telling my brother!

~~~~~~

9 Weeks!

On the Rocky steps in Philly

How Far Along?

9 weeks, 31 weeks or 217 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a grape!

Weight Gain?
I haven't weighed myself recently {I don't go by the ones in the doctor's office...they're always too high!}, but my clothes are all fitting fine, except the whole top button thing.

Maternity Clothes?

I actually bought a couple pairs of maternity pants on sale at the Gap while we were in Philly. They are so much more comfortable! My advice for newly pregnant ladies...just take the plunge and buy some pants! I'm much more comfortable, and they don't look like maternity pants at all! {The jeans in the above picture are Long and Lean jeans from the Gap!}

 Exercise?

Nothing structured, but we did a ton of walking in Philly!

Symptoms?

Fatigue, intermittent nausea, peeing every two seconds {at least it feels like it sometimes!}

Sleep?

If only I could get 10+ hours of sleep every night...

Food Cravings?

Still the same...cheesy, unhealthy food sounds best to me.

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

Still not eating any chicken. Some things just don't sound very good to me these days.

Gender?

Only God knows!

Movement?

Nope!

What You Miss?

 Eating any kind of seafood...we went to a seafood restaurant in Philly with a set menu, and I couldn't have 2 of the 5 courses since they served sashimi and swordfish. I was pretty bummed, but I have to remind myself that these little sacrifices are for the best reason ever!

Mood?

 Relieved. Everything went absolutely perfectly at our first appointment! I'm still nervous though...I don't think I'll really be able to relax until I'm out of the first trimester. 

Best Moment of the Week?

Seeing our little one on the ultrasound on November 5 and hearing the precious heartbeat!
Telling my brother that he's going to be an uncle...he's so excited!
Getting out of town for a long weekend was a much needed break!

Another Letter to Our Little One

{written November 5}


To our sweet little peanut,

Today you had your first picture! I can't even begin to express how unbelievable it was to see you on the ultrasound screen, and see your tiny little heart flicker away! Everything looks absolutely perfect {I wouldn't expect anything less from you!}, and Daddy and I are so thankful for that. Even though we've seen you now, I still find it hard to believe that you're actually growing inside me! You truly are a miracle!

We have been very busy lately, my little one. I think in your short existence {only 8 weeks}, you have been to more football games than I went to in my first 18 years! Whether you're a boy or a girl, I think you're going to have to like football to live in our home. ;) I can't wait till you are old enough to sit on the couch with Daddy and I, cheering on the Colts. You probably won't have to wait too long to go to a game...I think Daddy will be more than happy to take you one day. 

All my love,

mama :)

Bumpdate! {6 and 7 Weeks}

6 Weeks!

How Far Along?

6 weeks, 34 weeks or 238 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a lentil bean!

Weight Gain?

I haven't been weighing myself regularly, but I think it's around 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes?

Nope, but I'm thinking I need to look into some of those BellaBands {hello bloating!}

Exercise?

I'm still planning on running/walking a half-marathon on November 3. My doctor's nurse said it was okay to keep running, but advised getting a heart rate monitor and not let my heart rate get above 140. She even said my doctor ran all throughout her last pregnancy last year! Time to get on Amazon and order a HR monitor for my Garmin!

Symptoms?

Fatigue, bloating, peeing a lot. At times, I feel like I'm a little nauseated, but nothing too bad at all. One big symptom that I'm NOT having...headaches! I was so worried that my migraines would get out of control, but I've hardly had anything to complain about! Thank you God!!!

Sleep?

Pretty good, I'm only waking up once or twice to go to the bathroom. I've definitely been going to bed a little earlier than normal...this growing a baby business makes you tired!

Food Cravings?

If it's cheesy or bad for you, it sounds super good to me!

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

Nope, nothing in particular!

Gender?

Only God knows right now!

Movement?

No, but definitely can't wait to feel our little one moving around my belly. :)

What You Miss?

 Brie and feta cheese...I wish these weren't off limits!

Mood?

 Nervous and excited. This is around the time that we lost our baby last year, so I am super paranoid about any little cramp or pain I get. I'm so afraid of losing this precious miracle.

Best Moment of the Week?

Talking with TJ about the baby...I know he's nervous about it all too, but it makes me so excited to think of him as a Daddy in a matter of months. :)

~~~~~~

7 Weeks!

{sorry guys, I didn't take a picture this week...trust me, there was nothing there}

How Far Along?

7 weeks, 33 weeks or 231 days to go!

Baby S is the size of a blueberry!

Weight Gain?

I think holding steady around 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes?

No, but I did order a few dresses from Old Navy this past week. I got a couple maternity maxi dresses for next spring and summer {they were on sale for $15 a piece!} and a sweater dress for this winter. I have found myself feeling more comfortable with the top button of some of my jeans and dress pants unbuttoned...I still need to look into getting a BellaBand.

 Exercise?

I ordered and received my heart rate monitor in the mail. It works great, but I was a little disappointed when I went for a run this past week. Apparently, my heart rate likes to go up pretty quickly once I start running, so instead of getting in an 8 mile run, I only ran 2 and walked about 5 miles. I feel like running is a little bit harder {I get winded quickly}, but I didn't think my heart rate would be so limiting. I'm going to check with my doctor this week about all the running stuff. Until then, I'll continue being good and getting at least 3-4 days of exercise in each week.

Symptoms?

Still feeling tired...especially around 1-4pm. I really wish I could take an afternoon nap everyday! I think the bloating has been a little bit better this week. The nausea has not been bad at all {knock on wood!}. I notice that if I get really hungry, I start to feel sick to my stomach, or sometimes it strikes after I eat, especially if I eat too much.  I'm still okay with my headaches too. I've only needed to take some Tylenol a handful of times. I can't believe I haven't really had a headache in over a month. I am so thankful!

Sleep?

Great! Only needing the ladies' room once or twice a night.

Food Cravings?

McDonalds {had it on Tuesday}, Mac and cheese, pizza...I really need to work on eating more nutritious foods!

Anything Making You Queasy or Sick?

I made a seafood alfredo this week, and the raw seafood {a blend of shrimp, scallops, and calamari from Trader Joe's} did not really agree with me. I had to thaw it out in the colander, and I think the combination of the smell and appearance made me hold my breath and get it in the pan as quickly as I could!

Gender?

Only God knows!

Movement?

Nope!

What You Miss?

 Getting a solid run in...running while pregnant seems to be a lot more difficult!

Oh, and totally not pregnancy related, but I miss our Friday night dates nights...I'm ready for high school football to be over already!

Mood?

 Still feeling very nervous and excited. I feel like I'm jinxing myself by writing this without knowing for sure that everything is going perfectly. Our first appointment and ultrasound on November 5 can't come soon enough!!!

Best Moment of the Week?

My mom and I went shopping and saw some of the cutest outfits at VonMaur. I'm talking about an Adidas tracksuit and UnderArmour onesie and running skirt. Melt my heart!!! My dad has been really sweet, and he asks me how I'm feeling every time I see him. I also found a "Happy Birthday Uncle" card that we're going to give my brother as our way of telling him the good news. We told TJ's aunt this past weekend...I just love seeing everyone's reaction and how excited they are for this new life!


Baby S, you are so loved already!!!

Telling the Family

From the very beginning, this pregnancy felt different from my pregnancy last year. A year ago, I hadn't even told my parents that I was pregnant, and instead, I had to tell them that not only was I pregnant, but that I was miscarrying. It was heartbreaking.

But, this year, I felt different from the get-go. Don't get me wrong, I have worried all day, everyday that I would start cramping and/or bleeding, fearing the worst, but I still wanted to share the news with everyone right away, which was totally different than last year.

So here is how we told everyone...

My Parents

We found out we were pregnant on a Sunday, and we ended up going over to my parents' house for dinner Tuesday night. I don't know why, but I was so nervous to tell them. Obviously I was super excited, but my heart was pounding in the 5-10 minutes we first got there before I told them. We hadn't seen them since our church's Oktoberfest Party on Saturday night, and while we were just talking, I told them that I wanted to show them a picture I had taken. Well, this was the picture...

My mom realized it right away and gave me a huge hug, then we both started tearing up. It took my dad a second before he could read the word "pregnant," then he broke into a huge grin and gave me a big hug too. They were so excited for us, and kind of in shock too...just like we were.

TJ's Mom

We really, really wanted to tell TJ's mom {Sharon} in person, but since we weren't going to see her till after Thanksgiving, we had to tell her over the phone. The Saturday after we found out, as we were on our way to meet up with Tiffany and Matt {see below} for dinner, TJ called his mom. After chatting a bit, he asked her, "How's Grandma doing?" TJ's grandma {his mom's mom} lives up by her, so he typically asks how she's doing. After saying that she was fine, TJ stopped her and asked again, "No, I'm asking you, how's Grandma doing?" She still wasn't getting it, so then TJ said, "No, I mean you, how are you doing?" After a second or two of silence, she said, "Is Emily pregnant?" To which I answered, "Yes!" She was so excited too, and just kept saying how awesome it was.

TJ's Sister and our Brother-in-Law

That same night, we were going out to dinner with TJ's sister, Tiffany, and our brother-in-law, Matt. They had just returned from a trip to Costa Rica, so we spent most of dinner talking about how awesome their trip was. Towards the end of dinner, I said, "well, we kind of have some news," and Tiff started getting a smile on her face. Once I told them that I was pregnant, there were hugs and congratulations. I think the funniest part was when Tiff said to TJ, "You're going to be a dad!"

TJ's Aunt

A week later, we went out to dinner with TJ's aunt, Ann. It was after church, so my parents ended up joining us too. I think we were about halfway through dinner before I told her the news, and, of course, she was ecstatic. This baby is already so loved. :)

My Aunt Denise and Uncle George

Remember this post about the Monumental Marathon? Well, after my dad finished the half, we met up with my aunt Denise {my mom's youngest sister}, uncle George, and cousin Rebekah {also my goddaughter} for lunch. After sitting and talking about the race, I asked them if they wanted to know the real reason for me not running the half...and then I showed them this picture...

They were all really excited for us too, and I think Bekah is really hoping it's a girl. :)

My Brother

We waited until our trip to Philly to tell my brother because I really wanted to tell him in person. It was really hard for my mom to wait that long, but I didn't want to miss his reaction. Since his birthday had been the weekend before, I got a "Happy Birthday Uncle" card for him and signed it "love, Baby S." My mom took a video of him opening the card....priceless.

{please excuse the darkness of the video and my kind of high-pitched voice...I was excited :) }

My Extended Family

Thanksgiving came at the right time in terms of telling everyone. On Thanksgiving day, as we were having appetizers with my family, my aunt Diane was saying how one of my cousins is expecting Baby #3 in July. Well, after she said that, I just had to share that we were expecting #1. :) My aunts started tearing up and everyone was so happy for us. My cousin-in-law, Caitlin, who is due in March, said that she had a dream a couple weeks ago that we were pregnant. There will be a lot of babies in our family next year!!!

My Grandma

Thanksgiving night, we stayed with my Grandma in Cincinnati before driving home the next morning. As we were talking that evening, I asked my Grandma if she was ready to be a great-grandmother again {she already has one great-granddaughter}. She broke out into a big smile and of course said yes! After more hugs, I showed her the ultrasound pictures, and now one of them lives happily on her refrigerator!

It was so fun telling everyone and seeing {or hearing} their reactions. I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like once baby is actually here and they are seeing and holding him or her for the first time!!!!

A Letter to Our Little One

{Written October 16, 2012}


My dearest little one,

It has been about a week since we first saw those two pink lines, and a week to the day that we got confirmation from our doctor of your presence. I'm only 5 and a half weeks along, and you're barely bigger than a sesame seed. It's still hard to believe that you're actually in my belly. It's quite amazing, actually. I thank God every day for you, and pray that He will watch over you and keep you healthy. Your brother or sister left us around this time last year to be with God in heaven, but I'm not ready to share you with God yet. I want you to live a long life on Earth with us before you meet Him. That may be a little selfish, but it's true.

I can't wait to see you in a few short weeks, although I think these may be some of the longest three weeks in our lives. 

Love always,

Your mama

P.S. Your daddy was listening to my stomach tonight and said that you told him you wanted your name to be Geraldine. If you are a baby girl, don't worry, I'll talk him into another name. Trust me, it'll be a lot cuter. ;)

The Day Our Lives Changed Forever

October 7, 2012 was a typical fall Sunday. TJ and I got up, went to 10:30 mass, came home, then rushed downtown for the 1 o'clock Colts game against the Packers. It turned out to be one of the most exciting Colts games in a long time, so we were both pretty pumped up. My aunt and uncle also have season tickets and were at the game as well, so we met up for dinner afterwards. It was great to see them, and I thoroughly enjoyed the half pound burger I ordered. {I can't tell you the last time I've ordered a burger in a restaurant let alone eaten the whole thing!} Trust me, I didn't feel a bit guilty about it later that night!!

After dinner, TJ and I drove home, and I dropped him off so he could watch more football while I ran to Target for a few things. I was taking dinner {the following night} to one of my friends who had just had a baby, so I needed a few ingredients before I got to cooking/baking that evening. Although I wasn't due to start till the following day, I went ahead a bought some pregnancy tests because I just kind of had a feeling. I got home, put away the groceries, got started on the chili and cookies I was making, and then I finally went upstairs and decided to take the test.

Can I just say that even when you're hoping that you're pregnant, taking a pregnancy test is one of the most nerve-wracking things ever. After I was done, I set it on the counter and set the timer on my phone for three minutes. I was going to go do something else and just come back to it, but for some reason I decided to watch it as it went across the screen. I remember thinking, hmmm, that pink line seemed to stop on the left side. I quickly checked the picture to see if that was for the test or control side, and sure enough, it was the test side! It wasn't even a minute, and I saw two pretty pink lines.

Holy crap, I'm actually pregnant!

I walked downstairs, kind of in shock, and told TJ. To say he was surprised was an understatement too. Really? That didn't take long!

Before going to bed that night, I sent out a somewhat cryptic tweet...I couldn't help myself. It had been such a great day.

The next morning, I took a digital test, and that one was positive pretty quickly too! I called my OB/GYN right away at 8 o'clock to make my first appointment {November 5}, and the nurse said I could come in for bloodwork {quantitative HCG and progesterone levels} that day. I didn't get the results back till the following day, but I was so happy to hear that my HCG level was 407 and my progesterone level was 25 {normal progesterone in early pregnancy is 15-20}! I went in two days later for a repeat HCG {that number is supposed to double every 48 hours in the early weeks of pregnancy}, and it was 950! I was sooooo nervous when I got the second call from the OB nurse because it was that second call last year when I found out that the number dropped, and I was miscarrying. Thankfully, that was not the case this year, and so far it looked like we had a healthy baby! God is good!!!

More details on how we told my parents and other family tomorrow!