20 weeks photo (July 20, 2010)

Here's a photo from my 20th week (again a couple of weeks late, sorry!)

I'll post a 22 week update soon and also a post about our trip back to WI!

(way late) re-cap of 18 weeks - July 6-13, 2010

So I'm posting this a month late - in true Christina fashion ;) But I really want to write about week 18 of my pregnancy because it was such a monumental week!

Here's a belly shot at 18 weeks.


Week 18 marked the first time I felt baby movements. They were mostly occasional, very light pops and or light tummy growling feelings. I wasn't sure at first if they were really the baby moving or just flukes, but it happened often enough that I was finally convinced it was baby!

Week 18 also marked our "BIG Ultra Sound"....This should be the last ultra sound we'll have and it checks for all sorts of developmental info: baby's size, are there 10 fingers/toes, bones of the legs arms, stomach cavity, are all 4 chambers of the heart ok, it looks at the spine, the brain, the baby's gender and even more I'm sure I'm forgetting. We were in the ultrasound for about 45 minutes and it was SO amazing. Our little peanut no longer looks like a peanut but a real baby! We saw the baby move his legs, reach up with his little hand and more. We were in awe of all the things we could see and I had silent tears running down my face for most of the exam. When it was all over, Steve literally put his hand over his heart and let out a huge sigh. It's funny how much you worry about your child from the very beginning. I'm told it never ends! ;)

Here is a picture of the baby.


The other big part of the ultra sound is of course finding out the baby's sex. We knew early on that we wanted to know (well, at least I did and Steve was open for whatever!). We also knew that we wanted to make finding out as special as possible, so we had did NOT find out at the doctor's office. We had the ultra sound tech tell us to turn away during the gender revealing portion and then she sealed a picture in an envelope for us. The next day (July 10) we took the envelope to the park and had a picnic breakfast so we could open the envelope in private. This was the money shot, ha ha!! (think looking up from inside the toilet) We're having a BOY!


I had not had any "gut instincts" of whether the baby was a girl or boy, but Steve had been convinced for awhile that it was a boy. Here's how that went down! Steve and I went to see The Eagles play a few months ago (yes we were the youngest people there, ha!). They started playing the song "Boys of Summer" and Steve instantly turned to me with a premonition of sorts and said "I know what it is! It's totally a boy! I remember listening to this song, driving down the road with my dad and I just know it's a boy - plus your dad has never had a boy to do 'boy things' with!". From that moment he has been convinced and even referred to the baby as "our son" a few times! Well, he was right and I'll always remember his first "daddy instinct". So excited that we're going to be parents to a little guy :)

July visit from my family

My mom, dad and sister just came out to visit for a week and we had a great time! It was so nice to have them here and I immediately put them to work! (ha ha, but seriously I did!) I had them go shopping with us to give some input on cribs, rockers, strollers, dressers, etc. They were a great help and trekked all over town with us. Steve and I had narrowed things down a lot but my parent's input helped us finalize some decisions. It's really overwhelming how many decisions there are to be made when preparing for a baby. I've been researching a ton, but anyway... By the end of the week, I had ordered my crib and bought a dresser for the baby room from IKEA which my dad so lovingly assembled.

But we didn't just work! We played too of course! We spent 3 days at an awesome townhome visiting Mt. Hood. We hiked and visited Timberline lodge a few times for clam chowder & hot chocolate (it was cool up on the mountain!) and Ashley, Steve & my dad went white water rafting one day. The girls went for pedicures to celebrate Ashley's birthday. We had an awesome time and as always it was tough to say goodbye. Here is a link to some of our photos from the trip! Good times!

CLICK HERE TO LINK TO PICTURES

17 weeks

Ok, so I know it's been a month. Sorry, really - but nothing worth writing about has been going on! I anticipate more posts as the pregnancy progresses and over the summer with all our trips and family/friend visits.

I heart summer - so glad it's here!! finally!! This was a record-breaking cold, wet spring for Portland and summer is still dragging it's heels a bit but overall the weather is finally nice. We're getting ready for my parents and sister to come visit next week and I'm hoping it warms up a bit as they seem to think Portland is never warm ;)

I'm 17 weeks pregnant today - wow - it's crazy to even write that! In some ways time has flown and in other ways it has crept. I've been in my 2nd trimester for a few weeks now and am just starting to get more energy. Enough energy that nesting is in full effect! I'm watching craigslist for used items and buying some things when I find deals (I'm an internet deals stalker if you didn't know!). And the biggest thing is that Steve and I spent all last weekend clearing out my office which will be the baby's room. There was SO. much. stuff!! Of course this also meant that we needed to organize Steve's office to make room for my stuff and clean out our storage closet to make room for more storage... Here are some pictures of what will be the baby's room. It's a blank slate now but we plan to paint later this summer and start some of the decorating. I thought about taking a picture of it as my office but couldn't bring myself to photograph the clutter. (oh and if anyone in pdx wants a full mattress and box spring let me know! they're a bit old and firm but free!)



I also went for my 16 week appointment last week. Little sprout's heartbeat is still at the high end of normal. (160 beats/min now) We go back soon to see the baby again and find out if it's a boy or girl. Steve feels pretty sure it's a boy. I have no clue but can't wait to find out!!

Ok, and here's the one thing you've all been waiting for I know (ha!) the debut photo of my baby bump taken today at exactly 17 weeks :)


And fun facts about the baby now:

• he/she is about 5 inches long
• weighs as much as a bar of soap
• is storing fat
• is beginning to get hair over his/her whole body
• he/she can hear now! (hope he/she is ok with my super loud Glee sing-alongs in the car!)
  

12 week appointment

So I went for my 12 week appointment today and it was a HUGE relief! I got to HEAR the heartbeat for the first time. We were able to see it flickering on the ultrasound at 8 weeks but the baby was too small to hear the heartbeat. Now at 12 weeks it is big enough for us to hear the heartbeat with a doppler. Baby is still dancin' in there with a really strong heartbeat of 180 beats/minute. (That's on the high end but great!) Yippee!!!

Welcome Baby Autumn Rose!

Hooray!! Steve's brother Kevin & his wife Jill just had a baby girl and we are proud aunt & uncle again :) Isn't she precious! Can't wait to get back to Wisconsin to meet her!


And check out the baby quilt I've been working on for her. It's almost finished - I still need to tie it, but it's my first quilt and I'm quite proud :)

12 weeks

Wow! I can't believe I'm almost at the end of my first trimester. In all honesty everything is still so surreal. I can't help but wonder "is there really a baby in there?!" I know I haven't posted in awhile - this is sort of intentional because I don't want to "jinx" anything and also because there isn't that much to say. I've still avoided morning sickness for the most part. I've had about half a dozen moments of fleeting nausea in the last month - usually in the morning - brushing my teeth or driving into work. But it passes quickly and it's really more of an overall icky-ness than feeling pukey.

I still haven't told anyone at work though I think some of my colleagues can tell. :) I'm having to wear looser tops and have actually been asked outright if I'm pregnant by 2 people already, and a student asked me today out of the blue "Mrs. Schabow do you want to have a child or something?" "um, why yes I do...someday soon maybe..." ha ha! She wouldn't have asked that if she wasn't suspicious so I guess I'm not hiding it well, ha! I'm planning to come clean after my appointment this Thursday and I can't wait to finally be "out"!

Here are some fun baby facts for now, At 12 weeks:

• the baby is the size of a PLUM
• eyes and ears are in place
• baby is able to swallow
  
• fingernails are forming
• most body structures are now formed and baby enters the "maintenance stage"
  

Pretty awesome, huh?!!

I head to the doctor on Thursday, so I'll update again then if there is any interesting news!