The countdown begins...

As of today we only have 10 weeks left until our little Micah J. is scheduled to arrive. I am officially 30 weeks along! In some ways it's all still very surreal. My doctor's appointments are now every 2 weeks and starting at 36 weeks I'll go every week until I pop.  I'm so thankful that I have a husband who has come to every appointment so far with me. He's already a good daddy-o!

The doctor was very pleased with all my numbers.  Her words were, "Your heart rate, your gestational diabetes results, your weight gain thus far and the baby's heart beat are all beautiful. You win the best pregnant woman award for the day." It was good to hear that everything is going as well as it could to this point. Micah is positioned where she should be (head down) and my belly measurement was average. My tailbone pain has started flaring up again and the doc said that could get worse as I encroach upon full-term. I will whimper uncontrollably when it slips out. Mike's stopped reacting urgently and asking me if I was okay each time knowing exactly what it is now. The PUPPPS rash has been unbelievably calm the last few weeks. I feel like I need to say that in a whisper in case my skin hears me. :)

Micah's kicks and punches are getting stronger.  I can actually see my belly move and watch lumps appear throughout the day. We took an adult/infant CPR and choking class this week and I was more enthralled with watching my belly move than the details of the class. It may have been a little A.D.D. kicking in at that point as well. We are taking a Beyond Birth class this Saturday morning to learn how to care for her as well as get a tour of the labor/delivery unit at NKC Hospital. My parents plan to take a grandparents class too just to brush up on their skills since they are watching her two days a week once I go back to work.  The other three days she'll be at the Montessori school my sister works at that one of my mom's good friend's now owns. Although I have a great babysitting situation, I'm sure going back to work isn't going to be easy!

Other fun pregnancy side effects that I've been experiencing are as follows; light spots on my cheeks, intense calf cramps in the morning, continued "airyness" (as I like to call it), bloody noses, leaky nipples (yes-I've already started lactating), breakouts on my back and neck, dark line down the center of my belly, and an inability to form intelligent sentences at times (pregnancy brain). Fun fact that I just learned - women have multiple holes in each nipple. In fact, we have holes galore on those suckers! My "hole" life I thought we only had 1 little opening where the milk would gently flow out in a nice solid stream. Heck no! It's comes out like a shower head! Who knew? I felt like superwoman when I discovered this phenomenon and immediately had to show Mike. He wasn't as impressed as I. So far so good on stretch marks.  I haven't been the best at putting on cream/oils because in the end I feel like it's majority hereditary so why bother? My dad said mom only had them on her hips and I have them there already from growing, so I won't care if I just acquire more in that general area.

The nursery is 80% done but I don't plan to post any pictures until it's fully complete. Renee, Marsha, my dad, sister and Mike have all played different parts in bringing my vision to life and I can honestly say that it has turned out better than I ever expected.  I think Micah is going to LOVE her room! I know I do. We are still awaiting the arrival of one dresser and I need to wash her sheets and all of the clothes I have for her thus far. I can't wait to put them all away in her closet and organize them in her drawers. It's the little things!

I received the cutest shower invitation this week to my baby shower! I remember when my shower seemed so far away and here we are only three weeks out from it. I'm so lucky to have such good friends who are so good at throwing showers. We're all old pros at showers at this point!  I actually just went to St. Louis for the weekend over Labor Day to throw a shower for my dear friend, Leslie. It was a good time! They also had their annual flip cup tourney that same weekend so Mike came in and we stayed Sunday night so we could attend. Mike and I joked that it was our babymoon since we don't have plans to go anywhere else.

Micah Baby in 3D!

I woke up early yesterday just like I did as a child on Christmas morning. I couldn't help but smile as I was getting ready just thinking about what we were about the experience. Mike and I have literally referred to Micah for so many years before she ever existed and there are still times that I pinch myself over the fact that she is actually going to be here in 13 weeks! We are about to finally see this little angel that we somehow knew would be in our lives someday. I feel so blessed and thankful at this time in my life. What an incredible year this has been. Yesterday was our 6 month anniversary. I purposely scheduled the 3D ultrasound for that day as a little gift to ourselves. (We also went to a nice dinner and a movie that evening to celebrate!)

I ate waffles and orange juice for breakfast. Then before I walked out the door I grabbed two mini chocolate donuts and another glass of orange juice with a bottled water. I was doing everything I could to get her up and alert for her shining moment. We picked my parents up that morning and Mike's mom met us there. I was a little nervous walking in that we wouldn't be able to see much due to my anterior placenta. I read on their website that the placement of the placenta can really effect the quality of pictures that you get.

We walked into this really nice boutique in Kansas and the backroom was basically a mini movie theatre with a huge screen, two couches and a bed for me to lay on. I loved the feel of the room and knew right away it was going to be a good experience. The music that was playing when we walked in captured our attention. It was Nat King Cole and his daughter singing "Unforgettable" which has meaning to our family. Then the Kenny Loggins song "How Sweet It Is" came on that my sister and dad did their father/daughter dance to at her wedding, which just topped it off. I am a big believer in signs and I couldn't help but think that is was my mom's way of saying she was there. I hope I feel her presence more and more as I become a mother.

Once the tech started the ultrasound we could tell Micah needed to be moved into a better position so she had me lay on my side to get her to move around the placenta so we could see her face. Her head was down and her feet were up towards my ribs. She said that she should stay that way until I deliver but as we know she can also turn at any given moment and become breech. As the tech pushed on my stomach it was cool watching her react to what was going on outside the womb.

She moved into place pretty quickly and as soon as I saw her I thought "holy lips!" She has really full, nicely shaped lips. Her nose was distorted the whole time so we couldn't really tell what it looked like. It appeared to be much larger than I expected. We were all laughing because in the pictures she totally looks like a little sista with her full lips and nose. Ha! The tech explained to us that her nose will look nothing like this and it's the only feature that doesn't come in clearly because of it's shape. The next feature that I noticed right away were her cheeks. She definitely without a doubt has mama's mammoth cheeks. Papa couldn't help but laugh since I inherited those beauties from him. I guess those squeezable cheek genes are strong!

The tech checked for her lady parts and confirmed that she is indeed a girl! Her little legs were crossed at her ankles and at one point she spread her long toes out really far and we thought we saw a gap between her big toe and second toe, yet another trait from mom. It was so neat to watch her open her mouth, practice inhaling, rub her eyes, kick her feet, etc. My favorite part was when the tech would hold the wand still and we'd just all watch her movements. I'm still in awe of this 3D technology. Both grandmas swore they saw a dimple! I didn't get a glimpse of it but I'd love it if they were right.

My gut says that she has Mike's lips (only fuller), chin and nose with my cheeks and feet. The tech said she had a really nice face shape and that her features were well proportioned (she probably says that to everybody but it made me feel good). Her eyes were always kind of blurry but the tech said she opened them a few times. I'll take her word for it.

I like the idea of writing down all of our feature descriptions/guesses so we can compare when she's actually here and see what was right and what was way off.  We looked at Mike and my newborn pictures when we got home and neither of us really look like ourselves until we're a few months old. Babies just change so much so who knows who she will look like in the end, but for now it's fun to guess! Without seeing her eye shape, my guess is that she will look mostly like Mike in the end. Many of my friends look like their dads, including myself, so I think Micah will be the same way.

Overall it was a good experience! I'm glad our parents were able to be there with us. The tech said that we got some really good pictures, considering the location of my placenta, so I was happy. The pictures honestly don't do it a bit of justice but the DVD is really neat! It gives you a much better idea of what she may look like than the still shots.

I've attached a few of the best pictures below so you get the idea. I wish I could post the whole DVD.

Showing off her flexibility



Sweet little face



Arm and fingers are all there!

You can see the cord over her right shoulder

Making a funny face

Big yawn with those big lips!

Eye rub

Good cheek shot!

26 Week Happenings

 Mike finally got to meet my favorite doc, Dr. Spell, at our 25 week check-up last week! It was great to see her and catch-up. I just love her energy and she's truly a calming force. She looked at everything and it all checked out fine. Micah's heart rate and my weight gain are normal. She said my belly was measuring a little small but that's probably because she was laying breach across my belly as opposed to all curled up. Dr. Spell also informed us that my placenta is on the outside of my belly versus behind the baby. This is determined by where the egg decides to implant in the uterus. The risk to this fact is that my placenta is more exposed and so the threat of it being hit or bumped is greater. She told me to steer clear of car wrecks, intense exercise (no prob), falling down and any other activities that may affect my stomach area. I guess if the placenta is damaged then the pregnancy fails because it's the life line to everything. Kinda scary but I'm not too worried about it. Apparently I won't be able to feel Micah kick as strongly due to the placenta placement. It's like having a pillow over her so all her movements are muffled in the middle of my belly. Dr. Spell said that I would still be able to feel her on the top, sides and underneath though.  I always have the best luck feeling her on my sides so far. Renee was able to feel her last night for the first time. It was a special Nannie moment. :)

I signed up for a prenatal yoga class last week. I thought it would be good to take some time out to relax my brain and also stretch a little again. I have to admit that I get a little nervous during class that I may pass gas or something embarrassing while we're in complete silence holding our warrior pose or transitioning to a down dog. It's become increasing harder to hold in the toots lately. I make myself feel better by remembering that the other 4 women in the class are probably all experiencing the same issue so there's no need to fret. Regardless, it wouldn't be an ideal experience. My sis started a Pilates ImX class a few weeks ago and I plan to join her a few months after Micah is here. It's supposed to really whip your bootie into shape and I have a feeling I'll need it when it's all said and done. Judging by how sore my sister is, I think it's safe to say it's not going to be easy! No pain no gain!

Mike and I are counting down the days until we get to see Micah's face on the 3D ultrasound screen this Friday. I'm SO excited for the whole experience. I've been with my friends before and it's so unreal! I only have a 4 day work week this week because I decided I wouldn't want to go to work after the ultrasound at 10am. I'm planning on drinking some caffeine or eating some chocolate that morning so she's moving and grooving for us! I'll post the best pics of the bunch on here next weekend.

The PUPPPS rash has come back but the itch isn't as intense this time. I can still get through the day without any meds or reapplying oatmeal lotion so that's good. In the morning and at night are when the itch attacks so poor Mike has walked in to our room on multiple occasions as I'm sprawled out across the bed in my birthday suit letting the fan blow on me and itching myself vigorously. He just laughs. I don't find it quite as amusing.  

I have the sugar test at my 28 week appointment coming up. I'm crossing my fingers that I won't have gestational diabetes. I still want to be able to eat freely for the next 14 weeks! Ahhhh...only 14 weeks left!

THANK YOU MIKEY!

WARNING - A gaggy, mushy, "you have to be kidding me" post is about to explode from my heart onto this blog. Read at your own risk. I would say it's a pregnancy side effect but I really do feel all of these things on a regular basis and just felt the need to express them.

When I woke up this morning I felt compelled to dedicate a post to my lovely hubby. I want him to know just how much I appreciate ALL that he has been doing for me emotionally and physically during our pregnancy. I've always known that he would be so good to me during this time in our lives because he's simply a good person but I want him to know that there is literally not a day that goes by that I don't thank God for blessing me with a partner as wonderful as he.

At the risk of exposing just how lazy I am right now, I'd like to list all of the things that I notice him doing all on his own and without complaint so I remember just how good I had it:
-Having dinner on the table on the week nights when I come home from work (I do the shopping/meal planning and he does the cooking...that counts for something, right?) :)
-Cleaning up the kitchen and doing all the dishes afterwards (even though he cooked).
-Emptying the dishwasher multiple times a week.
-Playing with and/or walking our dog every night (yet another good dad sign).
-Getting up at 5:00am to take our dog outside when he starts whining every morning.
-Picking up the smelly dog poop in the yard every Tuesday before the trash man comes.
-Gathering all the trash in the house and setting it out on the curb (along with the recycle tub) every week.
-Putting up with my constant budgeting, savings and financial planning conversations.
-Getting things for me once I've already sat down and don't feel like getting back up (drink, napkin, etc).
-Encouraging me to express my emotion and to release my stress to him in such an incredibly selfless way.
-Feeling deep compassion for me when the rash flares up and loving me extra on those weeks.
-Trusting me completely with the life of our child and never questioning a decision I've made thus far.
-Coming with me to every single doctor's appointment just so he can hear Micah's heart beat.
-Patiently watching my "reality shows" with me until I get tired and he can turn it to Sports Center.
-Being understanding about my increasingly intense nesting to-do lists and helping in any way he can.
-Consisting telling me how cute he thinks I am and how I don't even look pregnant until you see my belly.
-Watering my beloved potted plants (there are many) every day, sometimes twice a day.
-Bringing me unsolicited breakfasts in bed just the way I like it (Eggo waffles - light on the syrup, bagel - light on the peanut butter, toaster strudels - light on the icing...all with a half glass of milk to top it off).
-Being just as excited as I am to take a picture of my growing belly every Thursday night.
-Best of all: Lightly tickling me every single night until I fall asleep because he knows I love it so dang much!

Thank you Mikey for just being you. I can never pay you back for all that you have done and are to me on a daily basis. I try and show you every chance I can just how much I appreciate it. I hope that you feel my immense gratitude every day.

I've never loved anyone the way that I love you.
I love you more than cinnamon rolls - Jilly

Long time no post!

I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated this! I've been quite the blog slacker lately. We've had lots of social events going on between birthdays, baby/bridal showers. weddings, etc. It's been fun but Mike and I are both anxious to take the next 3 weekends and get some baby prep stuff done around here!

Warning: This post is probably going to be a long one so brace yourself!

We recently went to register at Babies R Us and Target. Mike insisted on going with me for the BRU run despite the fact that I told him it would take 3-4 hours at least and he probably won't enjoy it too much. He wanted to be there to help me pick out the big stuff. I thought it was sweet but I knew he'd regret it after 30 minutes. My sis went with us for part of it and it was nice to have her there since she has so much experience with babies, due to her profession. We had fun! Of course I had lists galore of recommendations from my friends. It was super helpful to have those but it still took a while to pick everything out. It made me SO EXCITED to meet Micah! It's so crazy that she will be in the infant carrier that we picked out in 3-3.5 months!! Ahhhh! Mike fell asleep in the glider section at BRU for about 20 minutes while I wrapped up the last few items on my list. I just had to laugh at how low his tolerance was for the detail of registering! I guess my nesting instinct started kicking in and I was a machine running around that place trying to get the best stuff for our little girl. Needless to say we were both exhausted afterwards. My thighs literally hurt from being on my feet that long and my brain was on overload! Mike came home and took a nap afterwards (men!). 

Now that registering is checked off the list it's time to move on to the nursery.

I've been brainstorming, planning and ordering stuff for Micah's nursery for weeks now. We have decided to do her room in a light gray/white and accent with lavender. The theme of the room is whales because we wanted to tie in something from our honeymoon. We went whale watching on the last day of our trip to Hawaii and little did we know that Micah was already underway at the time. Mike and I also thought it would be a good idea to keep the room as neutral as we can so we can use it for the next child and move Micah into a big girl room. Plus my mom did my nursery in whales so I liked the idea of including the idea that she had used for her first daughter.  When it comes to decorating I know exactly what I want and I always have a vision but I just need help getting there...that's where Marsha and Renee come in! Let's just call them my nursery dream makers. I have shared my vision with them in great detail and they have jumped right into painting the nursery. It already looks fantastic! I'll upload pictures as we go to you can see the progress.  Renee, Megan and I ordered all of Micah's baby furniture a few weeks ago from USA Baby out in Kansas. We got her a crib, mattress, two dressers and a glider. The furniture should all be delivered in the next couple of weeks. Although we've done some of the big stuff I feel like we've only scratched the surface of what all needs to be done before her arrival. I know these next few months are going to fly by! 

The border is unveiled!

Papa and Nannie team work!

On a work note: My boss and close friend Laura officially gave her resignation to our VP last week. Although I knew it was coming it was still a sad reality. Her twins were born at 26 weeks at the end of March so she and her husband have been on the roller coaster ride of having two babies in the NICU this entire spring/summer. I'm happy to report that after a long ride and a few bumps both babies are doing amazing! Anna has been home for a few weeks now and Reed is set to come home very soon. She hasn't been able to work the last 4.5 months and doesn't see how she can come back in September with the reality of the care taking of special needs twins setting in. I completely understand her decision and would do the exact same thing if the roles were reversed but I miss her dearly. After she resigned I met with our VP and she informed me that I'd be covering both her role and mine indefinitely. It doesn't sound like there's a plan to hire Laura's replacement before or after my maternity leave. Although it's not the best timing in the world to add another layer of stress into my life (busiest part of the year/beginning in my third trimester), I'm trying my hardest to make the best of the situation and stay positive. Everything happens for a reason, right? You take what life throws at you and decide the kind of attitude you want to have about it, instead of letting it decide for you. I have my moments where I get very overwhelmed with all that is going on with my personal and professional life but then I remember the miracle in my belly and I'm reminded that my family is all that really matters in this world and everything else is secondary!

Whose bump is bigger?



Lisa's baby shower - she's due the week after me!



Brooke, me and Rain enjoying the shower



Placks rehearsal dinner night

Dancing with Micah at the Placks reception

Health update:

We have our 24/25 week appointment this Wednesday with my favorite doctor in the practice (Dr. Angela Spell) and I made an appointment for a 3D ultrasound in 3 weeks on Friday, August 26th (our 6 month anniversary). We can't wait to see the features on her face, count all her fingers/toes and watch her move around for an hour! We've invited both set of parents to come along for the 3D ultrasound so they can share in that moment with us.

For some reason I keep thinking that I am going to go into labor a little early. If I had to bet right now I'd say at least 2 weeks early but then again I was totally convinced that I was having a boy so I don't trust my intuitions as much these days. My mom was 3 weeks early with me (5.1 lbs) and 2 weeks early with Megan (6.1 lbs) so I'm hoping I take after her.  I've gained a total of 16 pounds so far. I figure that's not too bad for being over half way done but then again my appetite increases with each passing week so we'll see where I end up in November. My goal is between 30-40 pounds total. I've been experiencing bloody noses most mornings and I can tell my ankles are starting to swell already. My dad said mom had lots of water weight during her pregnancies so I guess it's going to be the same for me. Oh the joys of being knocked up! 

Micah has been kicking up a storm the last few days. I felt her for the first time at 19 weeks and each day that goes by the movements get more powerful and I'm loving it!  She tends to move more right after I eat and likes to really practice her dance moves when I'm going to bed. She is a night owl like her parents! I've been trying to get Mike to feel her flutters the last few weeks but he didn't have any luck until this week. One night this week I was laying on my right side and she was moving a ton so I grabbed Mike's hand really quick and placed it on the spot. He would smile ear to ear each time she did it and was in amazement that there was actually a real kid in there. Ha! It was a moment that I will never forget with my baby daddy. This morning was the first time she actually woke me up with her kicks. It was the coolest thing!

The dreaded rash has not come back full blown (knock on wood) this month. The last cycle I had was pretty brutal so maybe it's taking a breakout break for a while (God willing). I have it a little bit on my chest, behind my legs and under my belly/arms but nothing like it was and so far I haven't had to do anything to treat it. I just itch it a couple of times a day and then it dies back down. Who knows what's going on with this dang thing. I stopped trying to figure it out and I'm just grateful that PUPPPS is pooped out for now.

Whew....as promised that was a long one. Until next time...



Big Girls DO Cry

I've been noticing lately that my emotions have been on high alert. I've become more sappy than usual (if that's possible) and even the slightest thought can bring me to tears.

Here are a few moments that have done just that lately:
-The car commercial where the little 5 year old girl is in the drivers seat and the dad hands her the keys through the window while telling her all the "rules of the road." Then is flashes back to the girl and she's really a 16 year old but to her daddy it doesn't feel that way. That will be Mike and I in 16+ years with Micah and it hit me hard how much you have to let your worry be as a parent and allow them to experience new things no matter how scary it is for YOU! I tear up every time I see it.
-The Pampers commercial they over-play on TLC about how every baby no matter what the circumstance was meant to be here and they roll through many different images of all types of babies. Hits me hard each time!
-The song by Coldplay called "Fix You" that Javier Colon sang on The Voice a few weeks ago. It makes me think about how I will feel as Micah walks through the trials and tribulations of this life. I want her to know that I'll always be here for her and I will do all that I can as her mother to provide the support that she needs no matter what, just as my MomR did for me. So I told Mike that I'm going to sing this to her from day one as I rock her to sleep. I downloaded it on to my iPod so I could memorize the words and of course the next day as I'm driving into work the flood works start as it begins to play over my radio. I honestly felt a little insane when I realized that I seriously couldn't stop myself from crying. Ha! Geez!

Here are the words to that song.  You have to hear the Javier Colon version to get the true tender feeling!

When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down on your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down on your face
And on your face I...

Tears stream down on your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down on your face
And on your face I...

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

I've also noticed that I've been more protective of Mike. He's been having car trouble lately and my mind will irrationally spin out of control with all these horrible thoughts that could possibly happen to him on the highway as he drives with this broken vehicle. I can't imagine my life without him in it. After all this time and all that we've been through, I'm truly still in awe of the man that he is and how perfect he is for me. (I am seriously wiping tears as I write this now! Are you kidding me?) He is going to be the BEST dad that I know and I haven't even seen him as one yet. I am just so confident in the kind of father he will be to Micah and the true partner that I have in him as my husband. I am one lucky lady. WE are two lucky ladies I should say. :)

A tiny little kick!

Last night I was laying in bed with my hands on my stomach and I felt her kick on the left side of my lower belly! It was the sweetest feeling in the world. It was just a gentle little flick from the inside. I told Mike right away and he shot up out of bed to try and feel it for himself. He sat there with his hand on the spot for a few minutes but he couldn't feel it, although I could still feel her moving around a bit. What a neat moment. I will never forget it. It made me SO excited to start feeling her more and more. Now that I know what it feels like, I'll hopefully be able to detect it again. I really am enjoying this whole being pregnant thing. What a true miracle!

Three little lines

On June 30th at 9:30am Mike and I walked into the doctor's office with excited stomachs and curious smiles on our faces. We could not WAIT to finally find out the sex of our baby. It seriously felt like Christmas morning as a kid all over again. From the moment that I found out I was pregnant with this child I thought it was going to be a girl and Mike felt that way as well. Then the PUPPPS thing happened and we started thinking a little boy just might be in there after all.

I went to Seattle for a meeting for work the Monday and Tuesday before our appointment and there and back on the plane all I could think about was all the reasons why it was going to be a boy. I told everyone who asked that week that I would be SHOCKED if it was a girl. I guess I should've stuck to my gut feeling because it turns out that we are having a little lady! Micah Janee is the first precious baby to join our family. When the sonographer said she saw three little lines I knew right away what that meant but still needed immediate confirmation. I couldn't believe my ears. Mike was speechless at first and then asked where she saw the three lines. Haha! She pulled a fast one on us! Leave it up to my little girl to send us mixed signals. I can already tell she's gonna be a handful!

I'm so glad that Mike video taped the whole experience so we can show Micah someday. It was so fun to watch her little body wiggle across the screen. The sonographer said she was very active. I guess the chocolate I ate before the appointment paid off! Thanks for the pointer Em.

They checked every major organ, counted her fingers/toes and measured many different parts. Everything checked out great and they said she is healthy.  So far so good! That was the best news of the day!

Hi Mom and Dad

She's a fighter already!

Sucking on her hands

Bottom of her feet/bootie - her lady parts

We left the appointment and immediately called Mike's family. They were all surprised by the girl news as well considering that the Simpson side only has 2 girl cousins that are spread 30+ years apart.  All the rest are boys. This baby will be the first granddaughter for Mike's parents and the 20th great-grandchild for Mike's grandparents. We sat in the parking lot at Macon Park (near the tree there that is dedicated to my mom) and called/texted our friends too. It was so fun to share the news with the people we love the most.  We meet my parents and sis for lunch at Chappell's in Northtowne at 11:15 and I had made little signs that announced the sex to give to them. (I had a boy version ready to go too just in case). They were totally surprised by the girl news as well. My dad was the only one who still thought it was a girl, even after the PUPPPS. He was trying hard to hide how excited he was that it was a girl but I could see right through it! He wanted a granddaughter and I'm happy that we were able to give that to him.

Megan and I left lunch and went shopping!!! I can already tell that it's going to be addicting. Girl stuff is just so dang cute. We went to Lauren Alexandra's, Baby Gap, Old Navy and Target. Baby Gap was having an incredible sale so we went a little crazy there, to say the least. We came back and laid all of her new clothes out in her room to assess what we got. I left it all laid out and I peek in there daily. It makes me smile!

The damage

That evening I invited my high school friends over for a reveal party. It's a tradition that we've done with each of their first children. I had them cut into a cake that either had pink or blue filling inside. It was really special to share that moment with them. Now with Micah joining the kid crew it will be four girls and three boys.

More belly pics...

P.S. My PUPPPS has returned. It seems as though it's going to follow a pattern for the next 20+ weeks. It starts out on my chest and then slowly moves to other areas of my body over a two week period. Hopefully this cycle includes the one week disappearance. I was up from 4-5am last night scratching my tail off.  Looks like it's time to bring out all my weapons again. For three days now I've had extremely sore calves and lord knows it ain't from exercising! Renee bought me a prenatal massage so I went today. It hurt so badly when she was rubbing on my calves that it took all that I had to not whimper in pain. Pathetic, I know - but true. You should see me walk down the stairs. It's not a pretty sight! Hopefully that will come and go as well.

Just another small price to pay for our Micah Janee.

Rash Smash

I've been waiting to hear back from the doctor on the biopsy they took of my rash last week before I posted again. The dermatologists office just called and confirmed that it is indeed PUPPPS. I almost wasn't expecting this news because my rash has almost completely gone away now. It's the weirdest thing but I'm not complaining. I tried some of those home remedies for a while and they seemed to help but then my doctor asked me to stop them until we knew for sure what it was. So I did and the rash just gradually kept disappearing. I haven't had any itching episodes, problems sleeping or had to take any medicine for almost a week now. It's a miracle! I'm not quite sure what to think now.

The doctor said it could be one of those things that "comes and goes" throughout my pregnancy. I'm just thankful for the "goes" part. At least I have the hope of little breaks here and there instead of having it the remainder of my pregnancy and beyond. So Mike and I are celebrating it's disappearance on a daily basis!

We are now 9 days away from finding out the sex (not that I'm counting)! I had myself convinced that we were having a girl since the rash was going away and the PUPPPS 70% boy statistic wasn't in my mind anymore but now it seems that the boy notion is back in full swing. I can't wait to just know an answer because it's nearly impossible not to speculate during this time. Although I realize there is no way of really knowing, it's still fun to guess.

I'll be 18 weeks this Thursday and I keep anticipating the feeling of little kicks someday soon. I've heard it can still be a while before I do but I swear I feel little tingles here and there that I don't normally feel. I like to pretend it's little feet and hands going to town in my belly.

Well...here's to the rash no longer showing it's face. I hope it doesn't have the guts to return. I'm not afraid to use my campfire smelling soap, V8 juice 2x a day, vitamin C and oatmeal lotion weapons again! PUPPPS who? That's what I thought.

The Itchy and Scratchy Pregnancy!

It all started a few weeks ago with a small rash on the side of my right breast about the size of a quarter that itched like crazy. A couple of weeks go by and it's not going away so I start putting some cream on it. Over the next week it only expanded into the size of a sand dollar. Then last Friday I wake up with a rash on my upper thighs that itches worse than the original spot. By the end of the weekend I was COVERED in these red raised dots on my feet, knees, thighs, bootie, around my waist, breasts, hands and arms. I went to see both my dermatologist and family physician on Monday/Tuesday with no real answers other than it may be an allergic reaction to something and they wrote me a prescription for a topical cream. After one night and day of using this cream it wasn't making a bit of difference on the rate of spreadage and the itch was only intensifying!

I mention my new found rash to both Emily and Brooke R.  They both immediately said, "It may be PUPPPS!" Say what? Apparently there is a rare rash that effects 1% of pregnant woman that feels similar to having poison oak/chicken pox. There is no cure and it lasts throughout your pregnancy until 2 weeks AFTER you deliver.  This is all daunting news considering I have 24 weeks yet to go at this point! I tried not to panic and did some research.  Everything I read points to this PUPPPS condition. Guess I better get used to this new blotchy look and incessant itch!

I found some natural home remedies on babycenter.com and bought a bunch of different products that are supposed to really help. Most woman who get this rash only breakout around week 35 of their pregnancy but in some cases it can be earlier, like in my case. Boo! I came home last night and took a lukewarm baking soda bath, scrubbed myself with Grandpa's Pine Tar soap, moisturized my skin with oatmeal lotion, took a vitamin C pill, lathered on as much A&D ointment as I possibly could and went downstairs to drink a V8 juice. All of these are on the list of miracle treatments. We'll see if this works...cross your fingers for me!

Mike has been great about it and feels so bad for me. We can only laugh at how horrible I look and how badly it itches. I wake him up in the middle of the night with my itching antics. I took a Benadryl Tuesday night in order to sleep and as soon as it wore off, I woke up! I really don't want to become dependant on Benadryl and it's not ideal to take any oral medication regularly. So much for an easy breezy pregnancy!

We went to our 16 week check-up today and the doc suspects that it's PUPPPS but wanted to check my liver enzymes first and suggested I visit the dermatologist again in order to get a biopsy done on Monday. These pics don't really do it justice but I had to document this lovely thing somehow.

The 16 week check-up went great! The heart rate was 153.  We made an appointment for a 19 week sonogram on June 30th at 9:30am. This is when they will check the development of all the vital organs, bones, etc. Hopefully the baby will cooperate and we'll also be able to find out the SEX! Apparently 70% of the woman who develop the PUPPPS rash have male fetuses in them.  Some research has shown that it's a chemical reaction to the male hormones/cells inside a female body that comes out in the form of a rash. So now the pee test AND this rash point to a BOY! Cade David may just be the little peanut in my belly.  Although 30% of PUPPPS moms do have girls! Guess we'll find out in three weeks!

P.S. I wore maternity jeans for the first time this week and all I can say is, "Once you go band, you never go back."


15 Weeks



Some love from Daddy

 P.S.S. Someone I hadn't seen in a while saw me in the elevator at work this week, look down at my stomach and asked if I was pregnant. I'd like to think he wouldn't have taken the risk of asking without being pretty sure of the answer, so I guess that means I've officially popped out! I love having a belly full of precious cargo.

16 Week 



Life as we know it!

Lately Mike and I have started thinking of all the things that will be changing in our lives in the next 6 months. Therefore we've been sleeping in extra long and taking naps at noon on the weekends, just because we can. We are going out to eat for most meals on the weekends while we don't have to prep a diaper bag, coordinate around feedings and worry about any infant outbursts that may happen during dinner. I only make 3 dinners per week after work but in the coming years I'm sure leftovers won't cut it on the other days for a kiddo. At this point in my life I do laundry once every 4-5 weeks (seriously). That'll have to change once spit-up, blowouts, etc arrive in our daily lives. Mike has graciously offered to do the baby laundry for us but I can't put that all on him, although he does do laundry every 3 days so it would make sense for him to take it over. ;) We currently don't combine our laundry for many reasons. I run all kinds of random errands on a whim while I don't have to lug in a heavy baby carrier and pray he/she stays asleep while I rush through the store. I'm a little worried about the whole baby carrier thing considering my arm strength is nothing short of lousy.  I try my best to plan ahead and only go to Target once every other month and the grocery store once every two weeks. I have a feeling I'll be frequenting those places much more once I'm a mom.  We are going to the movies as much as possible (even on week nights) before our nights are packed with dinners, baths, laundry, feedings and going to bed early. I'm not trying to be negative but rather realistic because one thing is for sure, life as we know it is going to change... dramatically!

The reality is that we'll still nap sometimes when the baby is sleeping, we'll laugh when the loud infant outbursts at restaurants/stores happen (and they will), the laundry will get done eventually, my arm muscles will adjust as needed, I will embrace more trips to Target/grocery store and we'll still go see movies on date nights. I'm sure it won't be as overwhelming as I think it will be but one of my theories in life is to prepare for the worst so you are pleasantly surprised in the end. It won't be that hectic, right?? I know a lot of it is your frame of mind as a parent and if you're flexible/laid back than your baby will feed off of that energy and go with the flow more often than not (positive thinking). I'm sure the first few months will be rocky but we'll get into a groove soon enough. No matter what, it will all be worth it to me.

Although becoming parents is going to be a change beyond what we can prepare for mentally or physically, we both feel really blessed to have lived the "single life" for the last 10+ years to the fullest. We've graduated college, built stable careers, owned our own homes, traveled many places, made many memories with great friends and spent lots of quality time with our families. We are more than ready for the next phase in our life but yet we're trying to cherish these last few months as just Mike and Jill.

I went out and bought maternity clothes this past week. Why so early you ask? Well...my pants officially won't button (comfortably) any longer. I read recently that you are supposed to gain between 1-5 pounds during your first trimester. Although I technically gained 4 pounds total, it doesn't feel like it! I tried the whole rubber band trick for a couple of weeks but it wasn't cutting it once I sat down. The maternity jeans I bought are so comfy that I'm tempted to wear them now. I'm not sure when I'm supposed to make the transition into maternity pants but I'm thinking there is no better time than now.  Thanks to LeAnn, Raina, Kari, Brooke and Laura for lending me some of their maternity clothes. I appreciate it! I've quickly realized that fashion will not be a priority for the remaining months of my pregnancy. I'm all about comfort baby!

13 weeks

Boone is excited about the baby!

14 weeks

13 weeks and counting...

So I am officially on the last week of my first trimester with 27 weeks left to go! It's hard to believe that the beginning of my second trimester is just around the corner. Time went by so slow the first few weeks but it's starting to pick-up now.  Maybe it's because my to-do list keeps growing and the time frame I have left to do it in keeps shrinking. I know it'll all get done eventually. I've been focusing on house projects that need to be done such as; yard re-mulched, flowers planted, wedding album made, etc. I'm trying to get all the daunting stuff (like organizing night stand drawers or cleaning out the closet) done now so I can focus on the nursery and such once the 20 week mark hits.

I was talking to LeAnn today about how the reality of being a parent has just begun to hit me this week. Being a mother has been one of my main goals in life ever since I can remember AND it's also the most important thing I will ever do (scary!) so I don't want to take the responsibility lightly.

Renee recently gave me the first of many journals to read that she kept from the time she became our mother until now. It highlights the good, the bad and the ugly of parenthood. Let's just say that reading it is probably what made the reality of this whole thing fall on me this week. I'm not as worried about the newborn/toddler stage as I am the adolescent/teen/college years when you "lose" your child temporarily. I think that's more with girls rather than boys (from what I hear) but nonetheless it didn't sound like a fun time in my parents' lives. I had no idea the emotional turmoil I put them through.  I was so oblivious to it (selfish). I think I'm leaning towards hoping for a boy this week. ;)

Question: Where do you find the balance of being someone your child can come to with anything and yet still be an authoritative parent? My parents both found that sweet spot with us and I want to know how to get there. After talking to my friend Kelli at work today I was reminded that so much of who your child is going to be in the end is out of your control.  All you can do is be the best parent you can be (which doesn't mean perfection) and hope that some of what you have instilled in them will stick.

I think the most important thing that my parents did and still do is lead by example. I know without a doubt that I learned more by watching what my parents DID versus what they told me to do. Hmmmm?

My dad often says, "Life is simple-don't make it complicated." Maybe this whole raising a child thing is simple too and I'm just over thinking it! I feel better already.

What I've learned so far about being a parent:
-As a mom you won't ever have enough time to do everything or be everything so as soon as you accept that reality, the better off you'll be. (Teacher=LeAnn)
-Be the kind of mom that works for YOU and just bring your kids along for the ride. (Teacher=Kelli)
-You will sacrifice on a daily basis for your child but it's all worth it. (Teacher=Kari)

12 Week Appointment

We went to our 12 week appointment this morning and everything went great! We were able to hear the little peanut's heartbeat. It was at 168bpm, which is apparently high but normal for this early in the pregnancy. We also heard him/her "kick" and "punch" a few times, according to the doctor. It was pretty dang cool. I could listen to his/her movements all day. It's so crazy that I can't feel a thing although it's obviously moving around in there.

Our next 16 week appointment is on June 9th.  At that point we'll make an ultrasound appointment for between 18-20 weeks to find out the sex. So I guess at the end of June/beginning of July we will know! We both want to find out so we're already counting down the days until that's possible.  I feel pretty strongly that it's a girl. I have from the beginning. I am breaking out badly and craving sweets, which I hear are signs of a girl. On the other hand, I am pretty chill emotionally (so far) and I haven't really been sick much, which are supposedly signs of a boy.  Who knows?!?! I'm also craving Mexican food like no other.

Our first picture as a couple since we found out we were prego at Rudy's Mexican restaurant:

We took a IntelliGender test yesterday morning.  It's basically a pee test that indicates boy if your pee turns green and girl if it turns orange when mixed with these crystal like substances in a plastic bottle. As you can see below, mine was so dark green it was almost looked black.  So the result was boy! It made me think of all the wonderful things about having a boy.  It just confirmed for me that I really truly honestly don't care what sex it is....I just want a healthy baby. It was a fun little exercise.

Gender Test

We have already decided for sure on a girl name- Micah Janee (in honor of my two moms-half Janet/half Renee).  We have literally talked about Micah since we started dating 7+ years ago so it's a must because of it's history.  Right now the front runner for the boy is Cade David (after his dad/brother). That one could always change as we get closer but we already refer to him as "Cader Tater" or "Tater" for short. You know how I love my nicknames!


12 WEEKS



We're having a baby!

Mike and I are happy to be starting a new chapter of our lives! We found out just under a month after our wedding that we are expecting a baby. We couldn't be more thrilled that our honeymoon was a successful one and that our unexpected souvenir will be bringing us a lifetime of adventures!

Little did I know that some afternoon delight and an amazing dinner at Mama's Fish House in Maui would quite possibly make me a "mama" myself.


Us at Mama's Fish House on March 3rd, 2011

This blog is meant to document the details of our pregnancy and all the wonderful memories to follow. We want our little one to someday read about just how excited we were for his/her arrival and more.

I am 11.5 weeks! Our bundle is due to arrive on Thanksgiving Day, which is November 24th this year.  I've only had two days of sickness so far and the only consistent symptom I'm experiencing is tailbone pain. Weird I know... but true. It feels like my tailbone is bruised and/or broken.  Somedays are worse than others. No matter what, it's all worth it! I'll endure whatever I need to for our mini-us. Another pregnancy side effect = my boobs growing at a rapid rate. I love it! Big boobies-yes please!

The actual test I took at 6:30am (I was getting up to potty-which I never used to do) on the morning of Friday, March 25th.

Who knew two lines could mean so much?

8 week ultrasound



8 week close-up

 My belly is swollen but I'm not sure if it's just my pooch or a baby bump. We'll pretend it's the latter. :)

7 WEEKS

8 WEEKS

9 WEEKS

10 WEEKS

11 WEEKS