Week 16

What Fruit are you? Avocado

Due date:  9.11.14

How far along:  16 Weeks!

Next appointment:  20 weeks, half way point!

Gender:  we're hoping for a girl confirmation

Total weight gain/loss:  5 pounds

Exercise: Now that the weather is going to start cooperating, thats the plan.

Stretch marks:A few, very little so far.

Swelling: None

Maternity clothes:  well into them for sure

Belly button:  In. 

Sleep: Finally getting good sleep minus the fact that the baby is standing right on Tiff's bladder causing her to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. 

Food cravings:  Honey and still hating chicken.

Symptoms:  Some heartburn this week, Tums have her friend

Movement:  No flutters yet, but we got to see the little one kicking around

What I She misses:  hot dogs big time!

What I She's loving:  the weather... or is this question related to the pregnancy?

What I She's looking forward to:  20 week anatomy exam, gender confirmation and all the good stuff on baby's health!

Best moment this week: it's been a rough week.

News: Milestones:  Words of wisdom: Our friends had their baby boy this morning. His name is Eli and he'll likely be our baby's friend...

A little humor at the doctor's office.

It's been an week!

And by that I mean a terrible two weeks... Just as Tiff is getting over her stomach bug, she catches some weird virus with flu like symptoms. This little treat included sniffling, sneezing, coughing, sour throat, anyway, the works. We kept hoping she'd eventually get over it and though last Saturday was what seemed the best day yet, it proved the opposite.

We went out to enjoy the 70 degree weather, rode around with the top down, and overall trying to get all of spring in one siting. Later in the day, we were planning on seeing a movie when Tiff started to feel bad. We attempted to have dinner but with no luck, she ended up getting sick and we went home. Hoping she'd get over it by sleeping it off (we should know in pregnancy this simply doesn't work this way) the next day was worse yet. She could barely eat and drink without throwing up. We called the nurse and she recommended more fluids and rest... this didnt help.

Monday, she felt a little better in the morning and quickly turned to worse throughout the day. We ended up in the ER because she was clearly dehydrated. Thankfully that was not an awful experience as it was pretty empty and we were seen quickly. She did get some fluids and a few tests and they were all good.

I'm happy to report that she is feeling much better and hopefully continue to move out of this cold season and welcome the warm weather in good spirits!

Week 15

What Fruit are you? Apple

Due date:  9.11.14

How far along:  15 Weeks, 2nd Trimester

Next appointment:  16 weeks. 

Gender:  we're hoping for a girl confirmation

Total weight gain/loss:  5 pounds

Exercise: none this week; trying to get over a cold. 

Stretch marks:No

Swelling: None

Maternity clothes:  Yes, looking forward to spring clothes

Belly button:  In. 

Sleep: somewhat better, cant sleep on the stomach, mostly on the side and using the body pillow and my arm or whatever she can find. 

Food cravings:  Strawberries, Captain Crunch Cereal and Grilled Cheese sandwiches. 

Symptoms:  No more morning sickness!! 

Movement:  Sitting at Olive Garden, Tiff felt a flutter and we think its the baby moving!

What I She misses:  feeling healthy and not having a cold!

What I She's loving:  Getting actual sleep

What I She's looking forward to:  Our appointment next week and hoping we get another ultrasound and consequently seeing jelly bean. Spring!

Best moment this week: Spending quality time with the family!

News: Milestones:  Words of wisdom: It's getting very real, Tiff is showing and I'm loving every minute of it. I also cant believe that we are 4 weeks from the halfway point! It sounds surreal when I say that we'll get to meet our baby in 6 months!

A few gifts and baby things

People say that with your first baby you tend to buy more and try more new things. I guess this is true for us because it seems like every time we go out we end up grabbing a quick onesie, or a small toy here and there for Jellybean.

We may not have bought the entire baby section at Target but we have picked out a few things we want to get and since gear is my department, here are my must haves:

Baby Stroller:

Baby Jogger Elite Mini GT or Elite:this stroller will take jellybean and I through many runs and races!

Mamaroo: 

Carseat: 

Keyfit 30. Great reviews...my only concern is what happens after the infant is no longer an infant? you sell it and get a toddler?

Baby Bjorn:

just because I want to hang out with baby hands free.

We have also received some really sweet things from friends and family. Our good friends got us this gift for the baby to start documenting our journey:

Thanks Gwen & Adam!

Survey Time: Week 14

An old friend recommended these as a way to keep things moving along and being to look back at the end of the journey. I'll try to complete these as often as possible or as we see major milestones. Normally the actual pregnant one completes these, but seeing as its my blog, I'll do them for her.  Here is the first:

What Fruit are you? Peach

Due date:  9.11.14

How far along:  14 Weeks, 2nd Trimester

Next appointment:  16 weeks. 

Gender:  We'll know for sure at the 20 week appointment

Total weight gain/loss:  Not sure. Prob. lost some with the morning sickness + stomach bug. 

Exercise: short walks, one step at a time. 

Stretch marks:No

Swelling: None

Maternity clothes:  Yes, a few dresses and stretchy pants. 

Belly button:  In. 

Sleep: We take it one hour at a time. 

Food cravings:  Pizza Hut Breadsticks + toast an apple butter + strawberries and whip cream

Symptoms:  All of them?

Movement:  None yet that can be felt. 

What I She misses:  Sleep, lunch meat, a steak not cooked to charcoal, hot dogs

What I She's loving:  The attention, I hope. 

What I She's looking forward to:  A solid night's sleep. 

Best moment this week: Stomach bug went away and hoping it will stay that way. C'mon second trimester honeymoon.

News: Milestones:  Words of wisdom: We have arrived at the second trimester! 

And we keep going.

Enter week 14 on a very happy note. Tiff is finally over the stomach bug and she is feeling much better. The lesson learned being, stay away from anyone inhibiting any signs of sickness.

We went to dinner with friends who are 38 weeks pregnant this week and enjoyed a nice dinner, fun conversations about what's about to happen with our lives and we got to talking about baby names. They are keeping their baby boy's name a secret until he's born (smart choice). While we have been more open about our choices.

I remember being younger, Tiff and I have been together for about 12 years, and we've always had this idea in our head of what we would name a boy or a girl. Fast forward to actually bringing a human into the world and we cant seem to agree on.a.single.name. We had about 4 choices for boy names and about 2 for girls because all my favorite choices were quickly vetoed by the one carrying the baby, or as our insurance calls her, the primary care parent. What do they call me you ask? The Secondary Care parent- I resent this a little.
But I digress, we finally found a name for a girl that we both like and it sounds good in both English and Spanish, a heavy consideration these days...Win. Win.

Side Note: we recently read an article about how parents choose their children's name in three categories, 1. normal, average safe names= george, william 2. somewhere in the middle between normal and modern= Ayden, Seth and 3. The creative, hopefully-your-kid-is-as-cool-as-their-name type= winter. 

This is relevant as we realized that we didn't want to burden our child with a name that they would hate, or be too common or a target for being made fun. We realize that they will probably not like their name at some point in their life anyway; this is what you get kid. hope you like it.

You know how they say that hormones are crazy elevated when pregnant? Well, let me tell you that Tiff has mastered the art of getting her food at a restaurant quickly by giving a single look after ordering. It's been great, I've learned to smile- a lot and think before speaking- a lot.

Note to our baby: Kid, I love seeing your mom and waking up next to her every day. I have watched your mom transform in 14 weeks into a mom, she talks to you and holds her little belly with the most care and love. You have changed our lives entirely. Everyday, you remind us of your presence and we simply cant wait to meet you in 6 short months.  I cant wait to share with you everything we know, but most of all, I cant wait for you to complete our family. By the way, here is your mom at 14 weeks:

Week 13.5- belly bumps and belly aches

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Enter week 13, and Tiff is magically no longer ridden with morning sickness, light headedness, and well, vomit. She is finally regaining her energy and starting to overall feel a little more human.

Things they don't tell you about being pregnant, your body's defenses against viruses suck. Tiff, the healthiest human I've possibly ever met, caught some nasty stomach virus. This is really terrible, just when the poor girl started to feel good, she gets knocked down with stomach aches.

It was my birthday on friday, we were supposed to go to NYC to watch Aladdin on Broadway, but with Tiff not feeling great, we decided to cancel it. We spent it instead with takeout and Coldstone cake that Tiff, sick and all,  went out to get it so I would feel like it was my birthday. I got a winner. Its amazing to me how she will still think about me even though she's feeling as she puts it "like a foot."  I have so much admiration for women in general after just seeing my wife go through so much in three months. It could always be worse though, we have read about other women who have it worse, and for this, we are thankful that the symptoms she has had have not driven her to the hospital or at risk in anyway.

Even through all of this, as Tiff is head down in the toilet, she's thankful for our baby and the miracle that is growing inside her. She is giving it her all and keeping her head up. God is good.

It hasn't been all too bad. As we approach week 14 this week, we have a bump! To be honest, we've been having a growing bump. She started to show pretty early, but it seemed like this week was the magic week. See below:

Not actually week 12 

 



In other news, We spent this weekend resting and checking out our registry. I have been trying to keep Tiff distracted and happy. It's the least that she deservers after how she's been feeling. I'll make a post soon about some of the baby things we have been looking into.

We are ready for spring. It's going to mark the second trimester and it could not be more symbolic or perfect. I see lots of long walks with the dogs ahead of us, healthy smoothies and mommy yoga. ( I just have to convince tiff of the last two).

My goal this trimester, now that she's starting to feel better, is to help her with a healthy diet, help her as much as possible with regular duties around the house and make sure she knows that she looks beautiful and amazing.

What an amazing time in our life. I cant believe that in 6 months I'll get to meet our baby.

Baby update:
According to our pregnancy apps, Jellybean should be almost 3 inches in length and .80 oz in weight. Keep growing little buddy.

Week 12, Announcement

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It feels good to have the first trimester behind us. We kept busy, dealt with every day morning all day sickness and literary kept the faith. At our 12 week appointment we went in as usual, not knowing what to expect, but none the less excited because this meant another milestone in our baby's life had been reached.

We went in to the midwive's office with a list of questions on hand, proudly wearing our we-are-new-at-this badge. We knew this appointment would be longer than usual due to all the routine testing they have to do, but the ultimate price, after drawing some blood and doing a not so fun exam, would be getting to hear jellybean's heartbeat through a doppler.

Fast forward through the exams and it's time to hear the heartbeat. It takes two people to try with the doppler but there is no sign of this magical sound, other than Tiff's own heart. They assured us that it's fairly normal this early in the pregnancy (I am ready to start hearing this late... in the pregnancy); but we are not so sure we want to just take their word for it. Thankfully our midwives are great and one of the reasons we chose them was because they are so good with people. They took us to the sonographer to locate this hiding baby and appease our alarmed minds.

The sonographer recognized us from our 8th week appointment; Terry, started with an ultrasound but was not able to get the baby clearly due to a fibroid blocking the view... go us. Once she switched to a different method, she was immediately able to see jellybean. We were so amazed! At 8 weeks, we could barely see a bean, a small, miracle-filled bean. At 12 weeks, jellybean is moving around, we were able to see the fingers, the mouth, the feet. It was the most rewarding experience. We never thought we could feel so much so quickly.

Meet Jelly Bean

Terry did take a very educated guess at the sex and we are so happy with her guess. She said she was 98% sure it was a girl! A GIRL! Though we know there is a chance that she could be wrong, we are no less happy with the results. We will get official confirmation at the 20 week appointment in April when we go in for the anatomy scan. In the meantime, this was us:

On a good note, Tiff has started to feel much better this week and as we enter the 13th week, we continue to see her bump grow and become more and more excited about the arrival of our baby in September.




Here are a few of our initial announcements: