14 weeks

I am still cruising along.  I still feel like I am in limbo until we find out the baby's sex.  I did finally decide on a crib.  I have realized that people have lots of advice about everything baby-related.  We decided on a traditional, gender-neutral white iron crib.  I fell in love with a wood Jenny Lind crib but after being told by multiple people that children like to chew on their cribs, I decided that wood was out.  I don't want to spend money on something that will be ruined and you can't really chew on iron (if you would like to keep all of your teeth).

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How far along: 14 weeks, 6 days
Total weight gain/loss:  Gain all the way!  I haven't weighed myself but I had to purchase belly bands to help my pants situation.
Maternity clothes:  I have worn a few maternity items but more for comfort than necessity.  I am still wearing all my old clothes for the most part.
Stretch marks: None but I am taking precautions.
Sleep: I am sleeping but I have had some pretty crazy nightmares.
Best moment this week: Getting to spend some time with our family and friends.
Movement: I thought I felt something this morning, but I now think that I may be crazy,
Food cravings: The usual although a lobster roll sounds amazing.
Gender: We are still patiently waiting.
Labor signs: None.
Belly in or out: In.
What I miss: I miss being able to eat what I want.  I mean, I pretty much eat what I am hungry for but sometimes all a girl wants is a turkey sandwich or some goat cheese and people scare you about eating these things.
What I am looking forward to: Going to Houston and shopping for baby stuff.
Weekly wisdom: People who tell you that you get all this energy in your second trimester and feel better than you ever have are, quite frankly, full of shit.  I am still tired and desperately seeking this illusive energy.
Milestones: I am officially well into my second trimester.

happy memorial day

happy memorial day!

I am so proud to be from a family full of veterans.  My grandfathers served in World War II and the Korean War.  My grandmother was a WAVE during World War II.  Both of my parents are veterans and I have aunt, uncles, and cousins who have served our country.  People do not realize how much not only they sacrifice but their families as well.  I am so thankful for all our men and women serving and hope everyone takes time to say thank you.

13 weeks

We are cruising right along in this pregnancy.  I have started to have acid reflux and headaches.  I usually get about two to three headaches a day, which has not been the most fun experience.  I really must say that I applaud women who work full-time while pregnant.  I have been spoiled by napping whenever I chose and the days I work have been tough.  I feel dehydrated all day and my legs hurt.  I am so thankful that I am getting to experience this pregnancy from the comfort of home.

How far along: 13 weeks, 6 days
Total weight gain/loss:  I finally bit the bullet and I have gained about 4 pounds.  Taking into consideration all of the junk I have been eating, this is not so bad.
Maternity clothes: I am still in my regular clothes.  I did wear a pair of maternity shorts this week because I needed a red pair to go with my outfit.  They were ridiculously comfortable and I am not ashamed.
Stretch marks: Nothing new to report.
Sleep:  We are really good friends.  I do wake up throughout the night to go to the bathroom or because of my crazy dreams.
Best moment this week: Meeting our new OB.  He was so nice and I feel much more comfortable with him.  I'm glad I decided to make the switch.  We also got to see the baby and he said everything looked great.
Movement: Nothing.
Food cravings: Waffles or pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and milk duds.  
Gender: We should know by the end of next month.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out: In, thank the Lord.
What I miss: I haven't missed anything really this week.  I do feel like I have been pregnant forever.
What I am looking forward to: Going to Houston.
Weekly Wisdom: Trust your gut.  If you don't like your doctor or agree with their treatment plan, make a change.  It's about what is best for you not them.
Milestones: Our first OB appointment.

fill in the blank friday

The weekend is here!  I'm not sure why I'm so excited since I picked up a shift at work tomorrow and my plans for Sunday are to get the old guest room emptied out.  Maybe it's because I have been working at my husband's office so I appreciate the weekend a little more.  All I know is that it is here and I am going to take care of some business.  You can find this weeks blanks at the little things we do.

1.  Something that is very near and dear to my heart is,   my husband.  I think I like him even more now that we are having a baby, which sounds weird but is true.  He is the best and works super hard so that I can stay at home, which is amaze-balls.

2.      Everyday   is good cause to celebrate .

3.  The most fun I ever had was    my senior year of college.  I went out with a bang.

4.  True friends are   the ones who don't judge you for your opinions and you can go months without talking to but feel like you saw each other yesterday.

5. Something that makes me terribly happy is       my family, friends, traveling, and shopping.  Apparently there are lots of things that make me happy.

6. A good way to spend a sunny day is    on a patio with friends and some cold beverages.  Ideally the patio would be the Chimy's patio.

7.  My favorite celebratory food is   fried chicken and mashed potatoes.  It is my favorite meal but something I couldn't eat daily or even weekly.

12 weeks

This week has been smooth sailing.  I have felt good (other than being tired and the occasional headache) and have been trying to stay active.  I did get to celebrate my first Mother's Day which was fun even though I did have to work for a little bit.  I am ready for our doctor's appointment next week and hoping that he will set the date for our next sonogram so we can finally know what we are having.  All in all, this pregnancy has been boring so far and for that I am thankful.  

How far along: 12 weeks, 6 days
Total weight gain/loss:  I still haven't weighed myself.  I am definitely starting to show though.
Maternity clothes: I've bought a couple pairs of shorts, a shirt and a dress but I am still wearing all my pre-pregnancy clothes.
Stretch marks: Nothing new to report.
Sleep: I've been sleeping more and can actually sleep past 7 am.  I did wake up this morning with a horrible backache.
Best moment this week: I know people in high places so I got to have an impromptu abdominal ultrasound.  The baby looked perfect and even sucked its thumb.  I think it may have had the hiccups too.
Movement: He/She was moving like crazy in the ultrasound but I still can't feel anything.
Food cravings: I still love sweets.  Green bean casserole has also been sounding very good.
Gender: We should know by the end of next month.
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out: In, thank the Lord.
What I miss: I miss not worrying about anything.  I feel like I worry all the time and I don't think that will change anytime soon.
What I am looking forward to: Our doctors appointment next week and a baby moon in July.
Weekly Wisdom: You are not as fat as you feel like you are.  I tell myself this daily.
Milestones: I got to celebrate my first Mother's Day!  I am all about any holiday that requires gift giving.  I got flowers and strawberries from my sweet parents and Daniel got me a Little Giraffe gift set.  They make the best blankets and apparently I am really putting out the tired vibe.  I also got a card from my best friend (and fellow preggo) Meghan.

My Mother's Day gift from my parents

fill in the blank friday

The weekend is here and I for one am loving the gloomy weather we are having.  It makes me feel a little less guilty about my nap schedule.  I had big plans to tackle the clutter in one of our spare rooms, but it looks like I will be flying solo.  My husband is working all weekend and I get to work on Sunday.  There might not be much progress made.  Here are this week's blank from the little things we do.  

1.  On a scale from 1-10 the frequency with which I get sick is,   a three.  I wasn't really sick at all this past winter so I am thinking my years of hard labor at the hospital have finally paid off.

2.   The last time I felt sick was   probably when I had my cyst removed in October.  I felt super run down.  I thought I may be getting sick earlier in the week but I am feeling much better now.

3.  The worst part about being sick is     the absolute desire to do nothing       because     who is going to cross tasks off my many to do lists if I am down for the count?  One of my fears about life with Baby Brown is getting sick and being absolutely helpless because there's a baby that needs me.

4. When I am sick I like to be taken care of by   being waited on hand and foot.  I really am a superb patient but I do enjoy being taken care of.

5. Something I do to keep myself healthy is    washing my hands and taking vitamins.  I also try to do some for of physical activity to help boost my immune system.

6. A secret remedy that I use when I'm sick is to    drinking fluids and resting.  I've realized that the more you fight being sick, the longer you are sick.  If I just go with it, I usually feel better much more quickly.

7.  One thing that always makes me feel better when I'm sick is   chicken broth, crackers, and Sprite.  I never want chicken broth when I am healthy, but when I am sick it's all I want.  That and mashed potatoes.

The newest member of the family

I've been talking about my love of list making a lot recently.  This obsession also extends to wish lists.  I have a home wish list, a gift wish list, a list of ideas of gifts for different people, and so on.  One item that has been on my home wish list since we got married is a Dyson vacuum.

There are certain home items that people feel like they have to have but often wonder does the price justify the value.  The perfect example is a Kitchenaid mixer.  What girl doesn't dream of owning one of these bad boys?  They are super fancy and their price reflects it, so you have to wonder are if they worth it.  The answer to the Kitchenaid debate is a resounding yes.  I love mine.  It makes cooking and baking a hundred times easier.  You can walk away from your mixing and carry out other tasks.  They are a dream.

The Dyson vacuum cleaner also falls into this category.  They are totally the Rolls Royce of the vacuum world and I have always wanted one, but I didn't know if I could justify the price.  It's crazy that I can spend four figures on a handbag without even blinking an eye but mid-three figures on a vacuum is a serious moral dilemma.  Priorities.

My husband racks up a lot of points on his credit card at work which comes in quite handy.  We had been talking a lot of about finally getting a new vacuum because ours was a piece.  He traded in some points for two Target gift cards, but I still couldn't commit.  Then I decided to just take a gander and figure out what we wanted.  Lo and behold, Target had all their Dysons for 20% off.  Talk about signs from above.  We had enough in gift cards to get the DC41 Animal so I bought it and the waiting game began.

My new vacuum arrived today and I am a believer.  Everything you hear and read about them is true!  We decided to vacuum a sisal rug first, which I thought was a poor decision because how much can a sisal rug seriously hold onto.  The answer?  A canister full of dirt and pet hair.  I was so ashamed.  I thought I was living in a palace of clean, but dirt has been hiding everywhere.

Brown family MVP 2012

I have vacuumed everything I can get my hands on.  I would have vacuumed our dogs, but we didn't get the pet attachment.  I am in shock (and still very embarrassed) by how much this modern miracle sucks up.

The moral of this story is if you are debating whether or not to splurge on a Dyson, do it.  They are worth saving for.  I see the light and will never go back.  Who knew getting a new vacuum could be so exciting?

My pregnancy so far + 11 weeks

We found out that I was pregnant very early on.  It's not so much a surprise when you've taken medication and given yourself a shot to ovulate.  I thought I was pregnant but Daniel told me I was crazy. Then I refused to take a pregnancy test because ignorance really was bliss.  I got a positive and immediately called our doctor angel, Dr. Reshef.  His nurse ordered labs which confirmed that I was pregnant.  I did have to be put on progesterone because my levels didn't increase like they wanted.  If you have a history of miscarriages, it might be something to try if you haven't.  The pharmacy I got my medication from called it the hottest ticket in town.

We then had our first of two sonograms.  The first was at 6 weeks.  We saw the little speck of nothing and got to hear the heartbeat, which was crazy.  I cried, Daniel cried, we all cried.  It is the craziest feeling to know that there is something in your gut with a heartbeat.  We had another sonogram at almost 9 weeks.  The baby looked perfect and more like a baby.  The heartbeat was 183 and it was nice to have some reassurance before we went on vacation.

That has really been it so far.  We have another appointment coming up and are looking forward to seeing how the baby has changed.  I am also bursting at the seams to shop.  I am feening to begin making lists and start another remodel, which is funny because my daily devotional book has really been focusing on teaching me that I do not have to be in control and constantly making lists.  I am not even kidding.

Now onto what is happening now.  What better way to chronicle all the ups and downs of pregnancy than through my blog?  I found this questionnaire on another blog and thought it was a great way to organize all my thoughts.  On a side note, I really hate doing the solo picture thing.  I also meant to post this yesterday but it got late and I was tired.

How far along?  11 weeks, 6 days
Total weight gain/loss?  I have no idea.  I'm sure that I've gained but I can still button all my pants, so I think that is a good sign.  I was working out 6 days a week before I got pregnant and watching what I ate, so I am letting myself enjoy food for a while.

Maternity clothes?  Negative.  Getting dressed can be an ordeal though.

Stretch marks? Not any new ones.  Whomp whomp.  I have invested in a cream and an oil and have been applying them regularly.

Sleep?  I would love to sleep all day every day.  At the beginning of the week I was waking up early and going to bed early but I have regained my ability to sleep until 10.  I do toss and turn all night and worry about sleeping flat on my back.

Best moment last week? Committing to changing my OB.  I had a lengthy history with my former OB/Gyn that included a missed 18cm cyst (maybe that's why I couldn't get pregnant?).  I went back and forth but finally decided to go to a new doctor and I have been much more at peace since making the decision.

Movement?  Nothing yet.

Food cravings?  Meat makes me want to gag.  I am obsessed with chocolate milkshakes.  Have you tried Sonic's?  They are so off the chain that the only way to describe them is off the chain.  I also am really into side dishes like macaroni and mashed potatoes.  I am a bag of Cheetos away from having the next Britney Spears.

Gender?  It's too early but I will be looking into all the old wives' tales soon to see if there is a pattern.

Labor signs? None.

Belly button in/out? In.

What I miss: Having energy.  I am done for the day by 6pm and I feel really guilty about not making dinner.  It's hard to plan dinner when nothing sounds good except for milkshakes.  I would have also loved a margarita in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

What I am looking forward to: My next doctor's appointment on the 22nd.  

Milestones: We finally spilled the beans!  It wasn't so much a secret in our small town (or my dad's office) but it is nice to have it out in the open.

Spring cleaning

My husband loves a lot of things about me, obviously, but I have to imagine that one thing he does not love is my affinity for list making.  I make lists about everything.  My newest list is a list of all the around-the-house projects we need to do but have been putting off.  There is a greater sense of urgency now that our whole world is going to be turned upside down in November.  So I have a list of all the projects we need to get done and every month he gets to pick one and then we do our best to get it done.

A month ago or so we decided to tackle our basement.  Our house used to belong to my husband's grandparents and there were lots of "treasures" that used to belong to them that still lived in the basement.  I'm talking old engines, wires, a birdcage, a boot, and lots of other crap (because this is the nicest word I could think of to describe it).

This is how terrible it looked before we cleaned

Years worth of trash

During our cleaning, I found a bunch of old baby food jars.  I had seen on Pinterest where someone took old jars and put paint in each, so they had paint handy for touch-ups.  I thought this was genius.  When I saw the baby food jars, I immediately decided to make my own touch-up jars.

The expiration dates on the jars went all the way back to the 1920s, so they were a little dirty.  I sanitized them in the dishwasher and was ready for business.

The jars pre-sanitizaiton

Then we filled each jar with paint and labeled them by room.  This was a little tedious and a lot messy.

We labeled each jar with the room where the paint was used

The colorful finished product

I give this project two thumbs up and think it was the worth the time and effort.  I used to stare at spots that needed paint and think that I would get around to fixing them one day.  It is so much easier and I have put almost all of the jars to use.  And on that note, I need to go touch up the paint in the guest bathroom.

BIG news

Before I share all my blogs about Spain, I thought I should share some big news.  This news will definitely make some of the things we did in Spain make more sense and I want to be able to tell my stories without having to edit.  It has been hard to blog when the biggest thing going on in our lives has been a secret.

We are having a baby!

Some people know that we have been trying to get pregnant for almost two years.  It has been a long, long journey but we are so happy that we finally have our happy ending/beginning.   I will share all our infertility trials in another blog and if anyone is going through something similar, please do not hesitate to ask me anything.  I was blessed to have two people (three if you count Giuliana Rancic) in my life who had gone through the same thing and they were so helpful.   

Baby Brown is due November 21st and we will be finding out if we're having a boy or girl as soon as possible.  I hate surprises and love to plan, so I feel like this piece of information is all that stands between me and plan-a-palooza.  

We are feeling abundantly blessed and are so thankful to all our friends and family who kept us in their prayers.  We are beyond excited even though it doesn't seem real.  I've had two sonograms already, the silver lining of having a hard time getting pregnant, and everything looks great.  

I am definitely planning on blogging my weekly progress and cravings (sweets and more sweets, but please keep meat far away from me).  It should definitely be interesting!    

fill in the blank friday

It's Friday!  This week has been a little nuts.  The husband has been beyond busy at work and his parents decided to leave town the day after we got back from Spain.  No comment.  We have been playing catch up all week but I think we may actually be close to catching up.  I also started my last two classes for my BS in Respiratory Care.  I am officially done August 14 and I cannot wait!  Here are this weeks fill in the blanks brought to you by the little things we do.

1.  My bedtime routine includes,  washing my face, taking out my contacts, and brushing my teeth.  Then I usually Facebook for a while and watch TV.  My bed time is getting earlier and earlier these days.

2.   I am   constantly planning events and activities for this year.  I love to plan and it helps me feel in control.  Sometimes these plans don't work out but I get a lot of joy from doing it.  There is so much happening this year!

3.  I can't stand   mushrooms    because   the texture makes me sick to my stomach.

4. My idea of relaxation would be   laying on the beach somewhere with an alcoholic beverage.

5. If I had an extra $50, I would    go buy the pet grooming attachment for the Dyson vacuum I bought (for 20% off) yesterday.  I am over dog hair.

6. The best thing about a bloggy friend is    they are so encouraging.  I love all the sweet comments I get from people who read my blog.

7.  A recipe I've been dying to try is  pretty much any dessert recipe.  I am also really wanting to try the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon roll recipe but it sounds time consuming and I'm a little afraid I might become an addict.