Baby is a HE!

So the big news came in today, and little baby is a BOY!!!

It was so amazing seeing him on the ultrasound today. It was kind of like seeing him on there for the first time! My appointment was right after class today at 1:30. Chris (David's mom) and Laura A (roommate) came with me to the doctor's, we got a little bite to eat beforehand and then went in!

The sonogram technician went through and looked at head, the brain, each little limb, the heart, the abdomen, and finally, the genitals! And sure enough, there was a little wiener, baby is a boy! It was so awesome to be able to see little fingers and toes, a beating heart, a nose, a mouth....nothing like the first 5 week ultrasound I had when all I could see was a little speck! Brought tears to my eyes to be seeing my little guy in there. Surprisingly, we caught him at a good time, he was napping! (or at least trying to until we started poking around!) Very unusual for him as he is such a mover and a shaker! I was afraid he would be kicking and jumping so much that we wouldn't be able to see anything! He did "look" at us a couple of times which was cool, and I think he may have been sucking on his thumb or waving haha. I don't really care what it was, it was just so amazing to see!

Afterwards, I went in to see the doctor. Turns out I have only gained about 5 pounds since my 1st appt! Lucky me, all my weight gain went to my stomach and probably a little to my face...I feel like my cheeks are a little rounder than usual. hmmmm.
All the excitement and the rise in blood pressure gave me a huge headache and so now I'm in bed blogging about how excited I am!!

Here are some great pics from today:


Here we've got a face! You can see a perfect facial profile..nose, lips, chin..a little neck and then the chest!In this picture his foot was flat against my stomach. Look at those adorable little toes!!

Full body shot! Laying on his back with his little legs up in the air! Just straight chillin...

I love him so much & I can't wait to meet him sometime around August 11th!! <3

Week 20!

Today starts week 20! I am officially halfway through my pregnancy! So crazy how fast this is all going. Not really too much to say about this week; the weather was gorgeous and therefore had a very positive effect on my mood :) My parents are awesome & got me train tickets to go home for Easter! First time going home since December, it feels like it's been forever. However, the amount of work I have to get done between now and then is gargantuan; not to mention I have hardly any time to get it all done considering I work everyday, have class from 10-5 today and tomorrow, and have training next Saturday, all day long. :( Ugh. I can't wait for this next week and a half to be OVER!

Things I am super super excited about: Monday I get to finally find out the sex of the baby! Either way I'll be super happy, all I want is a healthy baby! I'm crossing my fingers that baby stays still long enough for us to accurately determine what's going on between those legs. I've heard stories where parents are told one gender and then in delivery, the doctor is like "surprise, you are actually having a boy, not a girl!" or vice versa. I love surprises but I don't know how I feel about that..

Back home, my parents have been packing up a couple of the bedrooms and will be repainting them/getting new furniture. The larger of the two rooms will be mine & baby's for the first couple of months. As soon as I find out the gender I'm going to be picking some awesome color themes for the room and figuring out how I want to decorate/organize the room with the furniture I'll have. This is making me so anxious to go home and see how its all coming along! I've been trolling Ikea, Pottery Barn and other random store sites to find cute decoration ideas and relatively inexpensive furniture...aka I've been really distracted and should instead be doing my homework & writing my 30 page senior research paper!



While I was in the south of France, I went to the Sanary market (Sanary sur Mer, on the water, absolutely beautiful place - See pic above.) and walked around in the little streets. I came across the most adorable baby store and absolutely could not resist buying a few baby clothes items :D They would probably (definitely) look better on a little boy, but a girl could get away with wearing them. They are so typically French, I had to get them. There's a hat, 3 shirts, and a little sweater/jacket. Soo cute!



How far along: 20 weeks!
Total weight gain: Not totally sure, I think maybe about 5-7 pounds.
Maternity clothes?: Yup. Went to Target to get some shirts/tank tops as all of mine were turning into belly shirts; no bueno.
Stretch marks?: Nothing, woo! Still using the Almond Oil from L'Occitaine and need to order the anti-stretch mark Mustela cream that everyone raves about.
Belly button, in or out?: Flat flat flat.
Sleep: Sleeping great! Still going to bed at like 9pm every night, like a grandma.
Cravings: Tuna and red meat. Especially the tuna. So weird.
Showing yet?: 100% showing and it doesnt look like a food baby/beer belly anymore. Definitely looks like I'm preggers!
Happy or Moody?: Happy!
Movement: So much movement! This kid is so active! Last night I had a hard time falling asleep baby was kicking so much.
Best moment this week: The amazing weather DC has been having. Practically 80 degrees everyday!
Things I miss: France, my family, not having homework, etc. So ready for summer.
Gender: We'll find out for sure MONDAY!!!
Looking forward to: Finding out if Baby is a girl or a boy!!!
Due Date: August 11th


Now, here are some updates in Baby's life:

How your baby's growing:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery). (- gross!)

This is a pic I found on Babycenter. com that shows that baby looks like at 20 weeks! Crazy to think that just a couple of months ago, baby didn't even look human!

Week 19

Back from Spring Break in France and the weather in DC is beautiful! This is making me really anxious for graduation and SUMMER! Only 44 days until classes are over and finals start, but those should be over pretty quickly too. Then the parents come down and watch me graduate...finally.

Anyways, while I was gone, week 18 came and went, now today starts week 19. Here are the updates in my life:

How far along: 19 weeks!
Total weight gain: No idea...will find out at the next doctor's appointment, but it shouldn't be too much. (hopefully)
Maternity clothes?: Wear them practically everyday, although I tried out the hairband trick with normal jeans and that works well too!
Stretch marks?: Nada! All the oil and cream i slather on is doing its job
Belly button, in or out?: Flat...sigh
Sleep: Finally back in my own bed and sleep is amazing although i need to be propped up and surrounded by tons of pillows.
Cravings: nothing in particular...
Showing yet?: definitely. there is no more hiding it!
Happy or Moody?: Happy!
Movement: Baby kicked for the first time yesterday! And kicked and punched alll day long.
Best moment this week: Just being in France...I miss it so much!
Things I miss: My family :( I haven't my Dad and brother since December and I saw my mom last month, but it feels like it was ages ago.
Gender: Possibly a boy...finding out for sure at the end of March!
Looking forward to: Finding out if Baby is a girl or a boy!!!
Due Date: August 11th

Side notes: Apparently I developed anemia which happens to a lot of women during pregnancy, but it totally SUCKS. Always tired, dizzy/fainting spells etc. Ive been eating lentils and meat like its my job. Cannot wait to get to the doc to find out which and how much of iron supplements I can take or else its gonna be a really long road..

Updates in baby's life:

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom about the size of a large tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Week 17

Woo! Week 17 starts today. Only...160 more days to go! I'm almost halfway there, crazy how fast this is going even though it feels so slow. In the last week, I have written 6 papers in addition to other homework and non-school work related things. My brain is ready to shut off for 2 weeks. Thank God I'm leaving for France tomorrow!! One of the moms I baby sit for wished me a Bon Voyage before adding that this would be the last time I fly all alone on a plane...the next time I do I'll have a little mini-me with me! (Although, technically I'm not alone as baby is already there...weird to think about).

Here is my weekly update:

How far along: 17 weeks!
Total weight gain: about 2 lbs
Maternity clothes?: Yep, and i LOVE them! That band around the pants waist is amazing. I suggest non-pregnant women get them for days like Thanksgiving. Your food babies will thank you.
Stretch marks?: No, thank God!
Belly button, in or out?: Uhm...in, but it looks like it will pop out any day now. gross.
Sleep: I've been going to be at like 830 every night for the past 3 months. It's been amazing.
Cravings: STEAK! All I can think about is eating an amazing, juicy, flavorful steak.
Showing yet?: the bump is getting bigger...!
Happy or Moody?: Happy!
Movement: Definitely feel the bubbles, but nothing too crazy.
Best moment this week: Today. It's Friday, last day of work, and not only is it the weekend, Im going on vacation for 2 weeks!
Things I miss: My parents and brother :( Its Manou's birthday today (he's a teenager now!) and I wish I was there with them to celebrate.
Gender: Possibly a boy...finding out for sure at the end of March!
Looking forward to: Finding out if Baby is a girl or a boy!

Week 17 Baby updates:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now, about as much as a turnip, and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.