18 Weeks and It's A.........

Boy!!!

We're having another sweet baby boy. Isaac was convinced we were having a girl. And when we took a peak on Mon, I thought it was a girl too, but got a good look today and saw that it was definitely a boy.

For now, the name is Judah, but we don't have a middle name. We have it narrowed down, but luckily we have plenty of time.

How far along: 18 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Last appt, we, the total gain was 3 lbs.

Maternity clothes: For the most part, I'm in all maternity and was super excited that Motherhood at Macy's was having a wonderful sale this week!

Stretch marks: None so far.

Best moment this week: Watching Curtis with my parents and finding out this sweet Little Bug is a boy.

Miss anything: I actually miss salads. I just do not have a taste at all for anything green, but I miss healthy stuff.

Movement: I think I've felt a few kicks, but nothing consistent yet. 

Food cravings: I've craved wings lately. Isaac was so sweet to take me Buffalo Wild Wings last week so I could fulfill that.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Dog food and cleaning out the fridge.

Have you started to show yet: Oh yes, and people in public are asking about it so I must really be showing.

Gender: He's a BOY!!!

Labor Signs: None 

Symptoms: I still get headaches pretty often and some nausea and vomitting. But most days I feel pretty good.

Belly button in or out: In but probably not for long..

Wedding rings on or off: on

Happy or Moody most of the time: I've been pretty happy most of the time. Especially now that I'm feeling better

Looking forward to: Going to Colorado and seeing all of our family and watching Curtis with them :)

18 weeks and Christmas Pictures

So we had our anatomy ultrasound today and found out what we're having. We're waiting to share with everyone until we see Isaac's family later this week, so we'll announce then what we're having :)

So other than gender, baby stuff is going well. I am finally feeling better, for the most part. I've still been throwing up, but it's not an entire day thing anymore. I can eat normal food again, drink coffee, which is incredibly important. I missed my coffee. I have my energy back. I've been able to go for walks with Curtis and Baxter. Pretty much, as much as a pregnant person can feel, I feel back to my old self.

This past week, my parents came to visit which was so fun. I love watching Curtis with our family. It didn't take him very long to warm up to them, thankfully and when he did it was so cute. He had fun entertaining mom with falling into the couch and trying to walk. Dad loved rocking Curtis in Grandma's chair, so much that he rocked him to sleep, more than once. It always makes my heart happy to see Curtis with our family. Which makes me look forward to tomorrow and the next week when we get to introduce Curtis to all of Isaac's siblings. It will be so fun watching him with his cousin's seeing him with his Aunts and Uncles and seeing him have so much fun with Nana and Nono. 

Since we're not announcing the gender of Little Bug today, here's a few Christmas pictures of Curtis. These may be some of my favorite's that I've taken.

Happy Thanksgiving and 15 Weeks

Today was a different Thanksgiving than we've had before. One thing I've learned with a husband in the Navy, is that we don't always get to celebrate holidays on the actual holiday and that's where we are this Thanksgiving. But nonetheless, it has been a wonderful day. Curtis let me sleep till almost 7. Isaac came home midmorning and spent a few minutes with us before going up to bed. Curtis and I watched the Thanksgiving Parade, which I hope becomes a tradition cause I really enjoyed it. We skyped with both Isaac's family and my family. And now, Isaac and I get to enjoy a few hours without Curtis since he goes to bed so early. It's not been a normal holiday, but it has been wonderful. I got some snuggle time with my little man, which never happens cause he is not a snuggler anymore. I got to talk to my Grandma and she got to see Curtis' smiling face. And I got to spend the afternoon with the 2 people I love most. And bonus, I have not been too nauseous today thanks to Zofran. It has been a lovely day.

We do get to actually celebrate on Saturday, which I am looking so forward to. We always do holidays with some friends who moved up here with Isaac from Charleston. They have 2 little ones as well, so it should be a fun, loud, and crazy afternoon/night of eating and celebrating.

How far along: 15weeks

Total weight gain/loss:I'm still not able to always eat a lot, and never actually finish breakfast, so I'm not really sure if I've gained, but I find out next week at my 16 wks appt.

Maternity clothes:I'm pretty much just in maternity clothes. I finally do have some more pants, b/c I was wearing and washing the same pair for almost a month.

Stretch marks: None so far.

Best moment this week: Snuggling with Curtis after his nap time today

Miss anything: Coffee, Although I think I may try to drink some this week since I am beginning to feel better.

Movement:I keep expecting any day now to feel some little flutters.

Food cravings: Steak and pizza. I could eat steak all the time if we could afford it.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still a lot of stuff makes me queasy, but it's not as bad. Random smells, having a baby still in diapers is not easy, especially since we do cloth diapers and I have to clean the diapers. Running pregnancy tests at the clinic is not easy. Feeding Baxter is hard when Isaac isn't here.

Have you started to show yet: I feel like I've been showing for a while, but it could have just still been Curtis, but I do definitely have a little bump.

Gender: Hopefully we find out in December

Labor Signs: None 

Symptoms: Nausea/vomitting and fatigue are the most noticeable, but I do get bad headaches, probably from dehyration, as well.

Belly button in or out: In for now.

Wedding rings on or off: on

Happy or Moody most of the time:I think I'm happy most of the time, but I am exhausted so the happy is probably understated.

Looking forward to: Dinner Saturday night and celebrating with friends

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Boy!!

At 7:20 tonight, my baby boy will officially be a year old. The closer we've gotten to his birthday in the last couple of days, the more I've thought about last year. That last OB appointment when no one suspected I would go in to labor the next day. That last day at the CPC, where I'd apparently been contracting the whole day. Making dinner rolls in preparation to have friends over the next night. Calling Isaac, scared to death, not knowing what to do. Our wonderful friend, Michael, driving me to the hospital. Being told I was dilated and the nurses trying to stop the labor and contractions. Being admitted and realizing much sooner than anticipated, Curtis would be joining our world. The contractions. The wonderful epidural. The pushing. The forceps. The sweet little cry of our baby boy and getting to briefly hold him before he was whisked away to the Observation Nursery. It was a whirlwind and I was so thankful the whole process was over. Little did I know, the hard part was only about the start. 

I've taken care of kids and been around kids my whole adult life. I had no clue what I was getting in to by being a Mom. This has been the most challenging, frustrating, sleep deprived , joy-fulled, wonderful, happiest time of my life. Our little one is not an "easy" baby. He doesn't sleep. Meal time can be very frustrating. Weaning has not been very easy. But any of you who have been around him for any amount of time also know how completely adorable he is. He has the brightest, happiest smile of any child I've ever met. That smile just makes my heart melt every time. He giggles so loud when he's playing and wrestling with Isaac. He flirts with every pretty girl he sees. He's so independent and such a busy body, always wanting to know what's going on with everyone around him. Yes, this past year has been a huge challenge, but I would never trade it for anything. God has shown me so much about myself, and so much about what it mean to really love, no matter what. I am so thankful for our little boy and excited to see how much he will grow and learn and come into his personality in the next year!!

We see both of these faces a lot lately. Curtis has learned to stick out his tongue in the past few weeks and the little round lipped face, that's how he talks a lot :)

Some Very Exciting News... :)

Yep! Curtis is going to be a big brother!! Our new Little Bug will hopefully join our family mid May, not follow in their brother's footsteps and come early April :)

We are super excited to be adding to our little family and looking forward to where this adventure takes our family. The past few weeks have been rough with dealing with normal pregnancy symptoms that I pray go away with the start of my 2nd trimester, although I am not counting on that as they lasted completely through the 2nd with Curtis. Isaac has been super dad and super husband these last several weeks, taking care of me, doing dishes, taking care of Curtis, washing poop diapers since they usually make me want to throw up, helping with dinner, getting up with Curtis at night and letting me nap during the day. I tell him all the time, he wins the Husband of the Year award because I just don't know what I'd do without his support. I am so incredibly thankful for it.

How far along: 11weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Since I'm nursing and pregnant and constantly nauseous, I've actually lost weight. It seems almost impossible to keep up my needed calorie intake, so right now, I'm eating whatever I can, although a lot of time, it's just a few bites...unless it's bread or cheese.

Maternity clothes: I started wearing maternity pants around 6 or 7 weeks, and it was the best decision ever. So much more comfy :)

Stretch marks: None so far.

Best moment this week: It's only Tue, but probably going to be going to look for a new dog today....that story will come later

Miss anything: Coffee, I'm back to not being able to drink it, be around it, wash coffee dishes, roast the beans, I can't do anything with coffee. I can't wait till that changes.

Movement: None so far, but I'm hoping since this is my 2nd, it won't be too long.

Food cravings: Steak and pizza. I could eat steak all the time if we could afford it.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Everything makes me queasy. Luckily I have an amazing doctor who hooked me up :)

Have you started to show yet: I feel like I've been showing for a while, but it could have just still been Curtis, but I do definitely have a little bump.

Gender: Hopefully we find out in December

Labor Signs: None 

Symptoms: I have every typical symtpom.

Belly button in or out: In for now.

Wedding rings on or off: I'on

Happy or Moody most of the time: Isaac will say I'm a little more moody, but I think I'm still pretty happy, just exhausted all the time.

Looking forward to: The CPC banquest, kind of a date night, wonderful food, and getting encouraged for another year of volunteering :)

Curtis' First Birthday Party

This past weekend we went to NC to celebrate Curtis' first birthday with our family. It was a busy weekend, as always, but it was such a perfect weekend. The whole day was filled with family and friends. We had a little party around lunch time, complete with cake. He was so cute and gentle with the cake, unlike so many other 1yr olds I've seen. He didn't smash it or dig his face in to it like I thought he would. But he did enjoy the icing while my brave husband held him. It was pretty cute. Later in the day, my Aunt Bec Bec and Uncle Chuck came to visit. It was there first time meeting Curtis. It was so great to see them. And so fun watching Curtis interact with them. I love watching Curtis with my family. Sometimes it takes him a little while to warm up, but once he does, he is so funny to watch. To top off the day, Juan, Brenna and Prudence came by. Curtis was already down for the night and I was waking up from my nightly nap, but it was so great to see them. It was the perfect end to such a wonderful day.

I know we probably won't be able to celebrate every birthday with our families, but it was wonderful to celebrate Curtis' first with mine. To be able to share it with my Grandma, parent's, brother and sister-in-law and nieces, it just made the day so special.

In about 2 weeks, we get to celebrate his actual birthday, which I am looking forward to!

11 Months

So I'm a little late with this post. This past week has been crazy. Curtis had his first little virus this week. Thur, in the wee hours of the morning, he ran a super high temp and then all Thur, he was just pitiful. He refused to take a nap most of the morning. I would nurse him, he'd fall asleep, I'd unlatch him and he'd start screaming and we'd start the process all over again. I was so incredibly thankful when Isaac came home from duty and put him to sleep so I could take a nap. We took him to the dr and she said it was just a virus, so for that, we're thankful. And he seems to be feeling better, although he's still fussy and taking very long naps, the latter I am thankful for.

Other than that, We've been pretty good around here. I can't believe it's less than a month now till my little man turns 1. This year has completely flown by. Everyone told me it would, but it's crazy how right they were. Curtis is growing up so much. He's babbling like he's trying to talk and will have a whole conversation with you. It seems like he has so much to say, I can't wait till all those little babbles turn in to words. We're working on weaning, which has been pretty hard because, so far, he's started refusing most foods that I try and feed him. And until he eats food, I still have to nurse. But Hopefully in the next few weeks he'll start to get it and enjoy food.

Next month will be his birthday post!!