20 Week Highlights

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 20 weeks! (half-way there)

Baby Stats: 

Our baby's sensory development is exploding! HIS brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that HE may be able to hear our voice now, so we shouldn't be shy about reading aloud, talking to HIM, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes us (Hope baby likes Kenny Chesney b/c I had my own little concert while cleaning last week).
Our baby weighs about 11 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.
HIS arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of HIS body now. HIS kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on HIS scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on HIS skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
HE's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for HIS digestive system.
 **info. from www.babycenter.com**

Maternity Clothes: Now that I am off school, it is a lot of gym shorts and t-shirts during the day :) I also just got another box of maternity hand me-downs from my cousin Karey! Thanks to all of you who have let me borrow your clothes! :)

Movement: Still feeling that popcorn pop every once in a while. Mostly it is after I eat and at night. I told the ultrasound tech what I was feeling and she said, "Well the way this baby is moving around in here, you'll REALLY feel it when it gets bigger!"

Sleep: Getting a little harder to find a comfortable position. My legs are becoming restless at night when I try to settle down. My hips and knees are also achy during the night I guess from only sleeping on my sides. I have tried sleeping with a big body pillow and that helps a little.

Symptoms: I can't eat at much for dinner anymore. If I do, my stomach feels really stretched out and uncomfortable!

What I Miss: I already miss my Mom, Dad, Mimi, Sophie and Abby Dog. It was so nice spending time with them on Saturday, but I wish we lived closer than 2 hours away :(

Cravings: SWEETS!!!!!

Best Moment of the Week: The whole weekend-Seeing those blue balloons floating out of the box, spending time with family and friends. Dave and I also had a nice relaxing day on Sunday that was really sweet! I was very emotional on Sunday over everything (from worrying about being able to raise a boy to not having pancakes for dinner) and he was so supportive and sweet. We picked out bedding and discussed paint for the nursery! :)

Here are some pictures from our 20 week ultrasound:

Face shot-kind of creepy looking but he still looks adorable! :) At one point, the tech even pointed to his tongue sticking out!

And my first baby bump shot:

The Big Reveal!

Dave and I went for our big sonogram appointment on Friday June 17th. The big anatomy scan not only identifies the sex of the baby, it also looks at the spine, heart, limbs, etc. to make sure they are all looking healthy. We were both nervous and excited for obvious reasons. I haven't been feeling very "pregnant" because my stomach is still not very big and I don't feel much movement. However, as soon as the ultrasound tech put the wand on my belly and started pushing, it was like I could feel every part of the baby! We told her we did not want to know the sex of the baby and she would need to write it down on a piece of paper for us. So, she made sure not to focus on the nether regions. We never got to see the legs moving around, but she told us it was definitely kicking and we could see the arms moving. Both times we have had sonograms the hand has been up to its mouth! She showed us the spine, arm and leg bones, stomach, umbilical cord, heart chambers, head, face, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something. She said everything looked great, including my placenta, which had moved from it's low-lying position. Whew, we could breathe a sigh of relief!  The baby was facing away from my belly button so it was hard for her to get a good profile shot. She tried tricking the baby to roll over but no such luck. She said the baby's head was up by my belly button. I could not tell that at all, but when she was pushing on it I definitely felt it! She also took the heartbeat, which was 150 bpm, and the weight, about 11 ounces. We were able to admire our baby on the screen for about 30 minutes and then she said, "ok, time to turn your heads". While she checked for our baby's sex, Dave watched my eyes like a hawk. He was determined to make sure I didn't peek! She told us she would make sure she was confident because she was told wrong with her first child! I was worried we wouldn't get a good shot because of the baby's position, but she assured us she knew what it was. While I was in the bathroom, she wrote down the sex on a piece of paper we brought and sealed it in an envelope. By the time I was out, Dave had it hidden in his pocket already. As soon as we got home, the envelope was hidden in the house somewhere under lock and key! I don't think either of us got a good night's sleep that night, we were too anxious and excited!

The next day, Saturday June 18th, we got ready for the big picnic. I used Dave's leftover box from his John Deere cart and wrapped it in pink and blue wrapping paper. I had also picked up a bag of pink and blue balloons and borrowed a helium tank from a friend. About 2 hours before the party, we walked everything over, including the sacred envelope, to our neighbors' house. We had selected them to blow up the balloons for us. Jaime and Brian have become our good friends since living here and we wanted them to help us out with the surprise. They were honored that we would pick them to know what our baby was before anyone else, EVEN US! As soon as we were walking back home I knew Jaime had already opened it and knew! I was beyond excited. The next two hours drug on and I could hardly stand it. Once all of our guests arrived I alerted Jaime that it was time! Brian and Jaime walked the huge box over and we found a place to open it. Everyone gathered around and here is what happened next:

Blue balloons came flying out of the box!!! We were shocked and excited! Although we never really said it out loud, Dave and I were both certain we were going to see pink balloons in that box! As you can tell in the video, everyone was excited and emotional! A baby boy! After things settled a bit and pictures were taken, we had a few gifts to open from the always-prepared new grandmothers, and "Aunt Autumn". We received our first Phillies baby shirt, 2 little boy outfits (yes my mom had a pink and blue bag in the car, just in case), a bib and book from Walt Disney World (Thanks Aunt Kitty and Uncle Bobby), books, a stuffed giraffe, and even the stacking ring toy that Dave and his brothers used to play with for hours. We have no doubt this little boy will be treated like a prince! After all was said and done, the phone calls, and text messaging began. One special friend who could not make it to the party was Crystal, my sister from another mother :). She was having fun at the Kenny Chesney concert and was awaiting our phone call. When she heard the news she appropriately suggested the name Kenny. Another member of the family who couldn't make it was Dave's younger brother Jimmy. He could not get off work but was there with us in spirit! :)
Once everyone settled down it was time for our feast. Those of you who know Dave know what an excellent cook he is! Our baby will have the best homemade baby food around! Aunt Lauri and Cousin Cruz stopped by, giving us a look at life with a 2 and a half year old adorable boy! Uncle Blaine came over too to play cornhole with the guys. The rest of the night consisted of all things baby boy-name choosing, looking at baby bedding online, and choosing grandparent names. Again, not much sleep was had that night, we were all TOO excited, and in disbelief!
Here are some more pictures from the party:

Gigi and Mimi posing with the baby!

Gigi, Pops, and Mimi with Mommy and Daddy :)

Gigi and Grammie wearing blue and pink

Its a Boy!

Gigi, Mimi, Pops, Mommy, Daddy, Grammie, Grandpa and Uncle Mike

Mimi and Sophie STILL alerting her elite social network :)

Out of the mouths of babes...

Just a quick entry to share this precious story...
While at the beach this past Sunday, we were able to spend time with close friends, Eric & Lauri and their ADORABLE son Cruz, age 2. When Dave and I arrived, Lauri reminded Cruz that "Aunt Lindsay has a baby in her belly!" He looked straight at my stomach, pointed, and said "What are you doin' in there?" It was so precious I could have cried!

Last Day of School/18 week update

Today was the last day of school for our students! :) It is always bittersweet to see your class move on at the end of the year but, I honestly didn't think this school year was ever going to end!!!! The last week has really exhausted me: keeping up with overly-excited students, cleaning out cupboards, and packing up my classroom...all in 100 degree heat. While our school does have air conditioning, they turn it off early to save money and we are stuck sweating and smelling stinky kids! Even my carpeting was wet b/c of the humidity....GROSS! After our class party on Thursday and lugging stuff around the classroom I was more than ready to get home and put my feet up. This was the first time the heat really got to me, but I was feeling better after a gatorade and a short nap. I really feel bad complaining about the heat when I know some people have to work OUTSIDE in it, like my husband! I don't know how he does it!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 18 weeks

Baby Stats: 

Head to rump, our baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and weighs almost 7 ounces. Baby is busy flexing his or her arms and legs. Blood vessels are visible through baby's thin skin, and his or her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from the head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around baby's nerves, a process that will continue for a year after baby is born.

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing most of my pre-pregnancy clothes but got another bag of hand me-downs this week to sort through :) Thanks Amy Beitzel!

Movement: Not sure! Today (Friday 10th) I felt what feels like popcorn popping in my stomach on and off. I first noticed it when I finally sat down and rested at school. Then, I felt it again while I was at home typing up class lists. I THINK it is baby but still not quite sure. Yesterday morning I also noticed that one side of my belly was soft while the other side was hard, wondering if baby was laying on one side.

Sleep: still sleeping fine, trying to remember not to lie on my back

Symptoms: can't stand the heat as well as I used to

What I Miss: Today I miss celebrating the Last Day of School with a BIG alcoholic beverage!

Cravings: Blueberry bagels this week

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling movement! (I think) :) Also, hearing from the doctor that my quad screen came back fine!

**exactly 1 week until we see our baby in an ultrasound again, and 1 week 1 day until the big gender reveal!!**

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 17 weeks

Size of Baby: 5inches approx.

Maternity Clothes: Most tops and dresses are too big. I've still been wearing my regular pants/shorts but just using a be-band because I can't zip them all the way. I thought I'd be in FULL blown maternity wear by now!

Movement: Nothing yet :(

Sleep: sleeping fine, except for the 4+ bathroom breaks, luckily I can fall right back to sleep

Symptoms: tired, but finally coming out of that exhaustion stage, and my feet are hurting by the end of the day

What I Miss: Mucinex Nasal decongestant especially during allergy season!!!

Cravings: Anything and Everything, however, it was like this before pregnancy too! :)

Best Moment of the Week: hearing the heartbeat and scheduling our anatomy scan!

June 1st-Telling My Students

I wanted to wait to tell my students until after my appointment on the 31st. Three of them already knew but had kept it quiet. I made a math sheet where they matched the answers to letters and it spelled out "Mrs. W. is having a baby!" (Thanks Liz for the idea!). I had them complete it first thing in the morning, as I couldn't wait any longer! A couple of them yelled out "I knew it!" when they finished. I showed them the 13 week ultrasound and they were in complete awe. Even some of the wildest kids sat there with their jaws to the floor in silence. They have really enjoyed telling all of the other teachers in school (even though most of them already know). I've gotten a dozen homemade cards and of course, the girls think I'm having a girl, and the boys think it is a boy. I only have 5 more days with these little monsters so I'm sure they will be shocked when they see me and my belly in August!

First Post:

I've been trying to find time to start this blog, and now that the school year is finally winding down, I can actually work on it. I've read so many other friends' blogs and have loved them so I apologize if I steal some ideas from you ladies! The main purpose of this blog is to keep friends and family informed on the growth and progress of our little blessing. Here is an overview of what has happened thus far in my pregnancy:

March 4th: Big Fat Positive!
I had been feeling a little off and thought, I'll just take a test to see. I really didn't think I could be pregnant that fast, Dave and I had only been trying since January. Sure enough, the line turned blue IMMEDIATELY! I think we were both in shock at first, in fact, Dave said "Let's just wait the full 2 minutes" but I assured him the line was NOT going to disappear! I took two more tests after that! :) We went out to dinner that night to celebrate and agreed that we wouldn't tell our families or friends until the following Friday. We were already going to visit my family in Elkton the next Friday to celebrate Lexi's birthday! What a perfect time to tell them about this exciting news! We found "Grandparent" frames and a "Great-Grandma" frame for Mimi. I found a cute "baby to be" poem that I printed out to put in the frames.

March 11th: Spreading the News!
I could not get to Elkton fast enough!!!! The entire way up, Dave and I just kept laughing and thinking about how they would react. My side of the family is pretty animated so we knew it would be entertaining! We devised a plan that once we carried our bags to my bedroom we would come back out and hand them the frames because I just couldn't wait ANY longer. When we arrived, there was the normal chaos of dogs barking and chasing, hugs, and kisses. Once everything settled, we went in the bedroom and got the frames. We handed one to Mimi and one to Mom. Mimi was the first one to realize what the frame actually said and when Mom and Dad caught on it was quite a scene, which included crying, laughing, screaming, and jumping for joy. Crystal and Lexi were also visiting so they got in on the action as well.
When we came home on Sunday, we knew Dave's parents would be stopping by our house. We also got them the same frame and were equally excited to share the news with them. They had been away on a mini-vacation and after telling us about the events of their weekend I could hardly wait to bust out the frame. Sure enough, they were just as surprised and excited as our family in Elkton. The rest of the weekend was pretty much baby-talk and everyone still in disbelief. We swore them all to secrecy until I had my first appointment, about a month after that.

March 14th: First speedbump...
Unfortunately after all of our celebrating, I had experienced some spotting and was very worried. I called my new OB/GYN but they could not see me yet b/c I had not been in for my first appointment ( I still don't understand this!). So, I called my old GYN Dr. Tietgens in Elkton. She did not hesitate and asked if I could be there at 11am. This was at 9am and I was two hours away. Needless to say, I had to go in to school to tell my principal that a) I'm pregnant, b) I'm having some complications, and c) my doctor wants to see me and I have to leave now (5 minutes before school starts)! Talk about stressful! Luckily I have a wonderful 2nd grade team who got plans ready for me and took care of everything. That was one of the longest 2 hour rides of my life. Mom met me at the doctor's office and we continued to wait. I got blood work done and got my first ultrasound. During the ultrasound we could see that there was a little heartbeat fluttering away! My blood work also came back fine. Needless to say, we were relieved. I was also disappointed that Dave wasn't there with me to see our first image of our baby, but at least it was there and healthy. Dr. Tietgens sent me for another sonogram 2 weeks later down in Seaford, closer to our house. Dave came with me to that appointment and we got to see Baby Williamson again! We even got to hear the heartbeat, a BEAUTIFUL sound!

First Ultrasound-5 weeks!

Second Ultrasound-8 weeks! I know it looks like two babies but it's NOT!

April 8th: First Appointment
I was excited for the 8th to come for two reasons: my 28th birthday and our first appointment! Dave and I both took the day off and were looking forward to it for weeks. I opened my birthday gifts before we went. My husband is so sweet. He made me a coupon book for a haircut and color, money for new bras (b/c he read I would need them soon), and an oil change. He also bought me a Phillies maternity shirt and tickets for a game on August 27th! He enclosed a paper that explained he got Diamond Club Tickets which include and air-conditioned room, food service at your seat, and extra-wide seats! I had to laugh thinking about what I would look like by then and I will probably be very thankful for those extra-wide seats. Then, we were off to our appointment. I really didn't know anything about the doctor I was seeing. All of my friends down here go to doctors in opposite directions of our house so I just had to choose blindly. They asked a lot of questions and did an examination. I had told her about the spotting I had experienced and she said it could be normal, or it could be a sign of miscarriage (very comforting, huh?). Since it was too early to hear a heartbeat using her doppler, she did a sonogram. Their machine is from at least the 1950s so the picture was much different from the one we had seen at the hospital! But still, we could see the heartbeat! I asked her to print out a picture for us and she replied "You know it doesn't look like much right now, right?" I told her I still wanted a picture. I don't care if it looks like a dot on a screen, that is our BABY! Needless to say, I left the appointment a little disappointed in the doctor. We decided to keep our next appointment though, as it would be with Dr. Cabrera, the other doctor in the practice.

About 10 weeks

A few weeks later, we had to see Dr. Cabrera a little earlier than expected. Again, I had some spotting, however, this was much heavier than before. And again, it happened right before school started, so my team pulled through again for me! We saw Dr. Cabrera mid-morning and he was a breath of fresh air! I just wanted to hug him. He was comforting and reassuring and cheerful. We saw our baby again on a sonogram and this time he pointed out the head and body and printed out pictures without me even asking. He also noticed that my placenta was low-lying, this is what was causing my spotting! Finally, an ANSWER! I was sick of hearing, "its normal, or it might not be". Since then I have had to take it easy in the gym and elsewhere so not to irritate it. He said they would normally not look for a low-lying placenta this early b/c it usually moves by itself by mid-pregnancy. If it doesn't move, it just means I will need to have a c-section and take it really EASY towards the end of my pregnancy.

May 3: 13 week appointment!
At my 13 week appointment we met with Dr. Cabrera again. He said they normally don't do sonograms so often but he wanted to check my placenta. So, we got to see Baby Williamson again! And this time, it looked like a human!!!! It was moving all around and even looked like it was putting its hands up to its mouth! My placenta had also moved a tad which was good news!

Finally looks like a real baby! :)

May 31: 17 weeks!
We couldn't meet with Dr. Cabrera this day, but I thought I'd give the other doctor a second chance. She was again short and to the point. However, we didn't have to wait long to be seen and we got to hear the heartbeat for the first time in months! It was a strong 155 bpm and our baby is sitting pretty low because she had a hard time finding it at first. We also scheduled our next appointment for July 5th and our BIG ULTRASOUND for the anatomy scan on June 17th! I am both extremely excited for the anatomy scan and nervous as well. We will get to find out the sex of the baby and they will also be checking the heart, limbs, and all of the other important stuff. I just pray everything looks perfect and healthy! I am excited we will get to see a really clear picture of the baby as well because our appointment is at the Mears Center which has MUCH better equipment than our doctor's office. Although the technician will see the sex of the baby on the 17th, we are not finding out until the 18th. We are going to have the tech write it down and put it in the envelope and then have both families over for a BBQ the next day. That way we can all find out together and have it be a little bit of a surprise! I told my Mom I wish we could have a Breakfast BBQ so I don't have to wait all day!!!!