20 weeks...Halfway there!

So since I am about to fly down to Florida...I decided to hold off on posting my pic for this week.  A bit of a surprise for all the folks I'll be seeing very shortly!

I am halfway through my pregnancy!  I can't believe how fast it has gone.  As many of you know by now, we are expecting a little boy in January.  We have also decided his name...

Leo Kipling Weaver

We are both very happy with our choice and can't wait to welcome little Leo into the world.  

Now, I'm not going to leave all of you nice people out there without any pictures.  Without further ado, here is our LW...

This was the first picture announcing to us he was a boy!  We had to have the tech explain where "everything" was.

 This one we could tell a little easier.
IT'S A BOY!!

Aww...his feet!  I wish it was a better picture but I still love those little toes.

He looked at us in this picture...a lil' creepy. :-)

But than he started yelling at us!!  AGHHH!  I am a little scared of my little boy in this picture. LOL

 For the last one...this is a bit closer up of his profile again.  I like that he has his chin tucked closer to his chest in this one.  I am so excited to meet him!

See you in Florida!

19 weeks

At the Astoria Column on Saturday to escape the heat wave in Hillsboro.

Today is the day before I find out the gender! In addition, in just a little over a week I will be heading down to Tampa for a couple of weeks of friends, family, and baby showers!  I can't wait for either event!

For the east coasters... you will have to beware that my appointment isn't until 4:15 pm my time so by the time my hour to an hour and a half appointment is over... you will have been waiting all day :-(  I'm sorry about that.  If you are on the call list, I apologize in advance for the late-night call and for the rest of the curious people (who are still important... I just don't have the strength to call EVERYBODY). I will be posting on Facebook and most likely my blog that night so stand by to find out the gender!!

I've been thinking about all the planning, research and other details that seem to keep cropping up during my pregnancy and I thought many people would like to know what types of things Evan and I have been considering.  This also might be useful as I know I have several friends who are considering TTC or are already started.  I am planning on writing about the stuff that I didn't realize would play such a large part of my pregnant world even though I have been through my sisters' pregnancies and some friends' as well. 

Topic #1-  Eating Healthy

I haven't found this TOO difficult but it does seem incredibly difficult to eat all the vegetables I am supposed to eat everyday. I like to think I am doing okay with this.  

Topic #2- The Do's and Don'ts 

This seems to include everything from foods to avoid to physical positions to avoid. Such as, crossing your legs... this can cut of your blood supply and result in varicose veins or worse!  Also, you should put your legs at a higher level than your head for about 5 mins a day BUT you can't lay on your back.  Has anyone here tried to elevate their feet above their head while lying on your side??  It isn't easy or comfortable!  Apparently there are even new schools of thought coming out that say to NEVER tuck your pelvis under you...which is what so much of yoga is and prenatal yoga is supposed to be great for you!  I don't know what to think anymore...

Topic #3- Names

What should we call the baby?? Evan and I didn't have too much trouble with this but it still takes a good deal of your time thinking about it, investigating possible contenders, and agreeing on it!  

Topic #4- Birthing Options

This has been more my decision than Evan's since I will be the one going through it but I want Evan to be comfortable with whatever I choose too so his opinion still matters.  After researching all the options out there it seems very overwhelming at times to really imagine the whole thing!  I didn't have a hard time choosing my ideal birth plan but picking and choosing second and third options (in case of a non-perfect scenario) has been hard.  I can only imagine trying to make these decisions without ever having seen information on them and while experiencing some of the greatest pain in your life...yeah like that is going to be a well thought out decision!

Topic #5- Products to Buy

Our registry took a LONG time to research and choose all those things that we "think" will get so much use.  I spent two straight weeks researching cloth diapers alone and I am talking about every unplanned minute was spent at the computer!    Apparently, all of these things depend on your baby's physical size and shape and their personality (which of course is impossible to determine at this stage).  At least that is what I got from all the contradicting reviews...

Topic #6-What will we do for money?

LOL!  This one has got to be one of the top topics.  It seems like every conversation about after the baby arrives comes back to that but I think it will all turn out fine. :-)

Topic #7- Parenting

Get ready for lots of conversations about what to do with the unruly teenager that is about to pop out.  Haha... just kidding.  But in all reality, Evan and I do discuss everything from when our child is an infant to what extracurriculars we will put them in to what we will do about our sullen teenager.  I think in most of our scenarios we are projecting our own experiences onto the kid, which should be a kick to our parents who actually had to deal with us.

That is really all I can think of right now.  I'm exhausted and ready to sleep.  This baby has been growing the past few days and my skin feels really tight on the sides of my stomach.  I can't wait till tomorrow to see our little one again!  

18 Weeks

I'm not a big fan of this picture but when you take a picture of yourself, in the middle of the night, because you forgot to do it earlier you have to settle.  

I am 18 weeks and a day!  I have started my second session of prenatal yoga (they are in 6 week increments) and I am still really enjoying it.  As for the LO... doing great from what I can tell.  I have felt him or her so often this week I often expect to be able to feel it from the outside.  Even just a moment ago, when I started typing this post, the LO was tap, tap, tapping on my belly.  The most active times are in the morning after I have had something to eat and a little before I go to bed.  I occasionally get a few kicks midday but not nearly as often.  

Some of you may not know yet but Evan and I have made the decision to cloth diaper our baby.  While this will be more work then disposables it will also be far more cost effective and environmentally healthy.  I feel blessed to have a husband that has embraced it wholeheartedly since I often hear that women don't want to try it because their significant other refuses to help with the extra work or something equally frustrating.   

On another note...9 more days until we find out the gender! I figured it was time to see what everyone else thinks we are having...vote below!

What will the Weaver baby be?

• Boy
• Girl

Poll Widget.org

View Results

17 weeks

I can't believe I'm already 17 weeks!  The time seems to be flying by...  I felt the baby again a few times the past week.  Much harder then the first times but still pretty light.  I love the feeling though and I can't wait until it is more regular.   

Since I just wrote there isn't too much to tell. So I thought I would share an early pregnancy (emotion) story with you all.  I am friends with many of you on Facebook so you probably saw what I think of as the beginning of this story.  Shortly after I found out I was pregnant I saw two birds making a nest on a light fixture on the bottom floor of our apartments.  I couldn't help but think about how they were preparing for their own LOs and how Evan and I would soon be doing similar preparations.  About a week later I discovered that someone (most likely the apartment complex people) had removed the nest!  I was devastated and I hoped the two birds would be able to rebuild somewhere safer.  For the next few weeks, I continuously saw the birds sit on the light at night, cuddled up next to each other for warmth and safety.  Eventually I would only see one bird there so I got suspicious and went to check the area near the light.  Underneath the second story on a cross beam they had built a new nest!  I was so happy and one of the birds would always be sitting in the nest so I guessed there were eggs in there.  I would check every once in while to make sure the nest was still there and it always was!  At the beginning of July, just as I was becoming more sure of my LO we got a notice that the apartment complex would be pressure washing the outside of the apartments (which for us meant needing to close all our windows and keeping them closed for two days while the work was being completed).  I was a little concerned about the birds and their nest but I didn't think the front doors and underneath the porches would be cleaned...

The first day of pressure washing was fine they only spent about 25 minutes on our building.  I was able to open the windows again and let in the nicer, cooler air. I even ran downstairs and checked to see if the nest was still there and it was. Once washed our building was not supposed to be touched again. So I rested easy...until the next morning (when I had woken up at 6:00 am and could not fall back to sleep). At 8:00 am, I had a man step onto my porch (3 stories up) from the roof and ask that I close my sliding glass door so that they could wash the windows and siding.  Besides being weird, I was annoyed that we were being inconvenienced again (btw, this was the week it was in the 90s the entire time and we have no ac) I closed my window and for the next 3 hours was forced to sit in stifling heat wondering when it would ever stop.  On top of that, they were also pressure washing our front door and the stairs and all of that.  When I realized what they were doing I really started to freak out because I thought about the birds and since there was a pile of bird poo directly under the nest that they would definitely be cleaning that area too.  I knew the birds had eggs so if the nest was destroyed, the eggs would be too.  My heart was broken as I felt sure the nest and eggs would be destroyed by the heartless water pressure men.  I prayed, I ranted, I yelled at Evan when he would try to reassure me.  I thought about going out there and begging them to leave the nest alone but then worried if I brought attention to it that they would definitely destroy it.  I was so conflicted and eventually sat down on the couch and started to cry...then to bawl. Evan tried to comfort me the best he could with hugs.  After about 20 minutes of that I put on some shoes and ran downstairs.  I could tell by the water on the doors and the walls that the washers had indeed been there...  My relief and happiness were immediate as I looked under the porch at the beam.  I dashed back up the stairs with a big smile across my face.  A long torturous morning but it ended happily.    Two weeks ago I saw the 2 babies hanging out in the nest. SO cute! The babies have already left the nest but still hang around and the parents sleep on the light while the babies I assume are in the nest (I didn't want to disturb them).  With my own pregnancy I can't help but feel connected to this little bird family and I am so happy they were successful at raising their babies.   
     

16 Weeks

I think I have "popped" as some people term the sudden noticeable bump that seems to appear overnight.  The picture above was taken on Saturday July 28th I just haven't been posting due to other pressing matters.   My bump is more noticeable to other people but I also notice it when I lean over something.  It feels like there is a rock or some rather unmovable thing located in my lower abdomen.  The hard places are getting higher and higher though and, I believe, aren't far below my bellybutton.  I love my baby bump!  

Baby shower planning is underway. Teresa Schaaf is planning my Tampa shower (with some help from my mom and Sarah Morse) and my mother-in-law (Charlene) is planning the Deland shower!  I am very excited about both events!  Something I think I looked forward to even more than my wedding showers which were both wonderful and amazing experiences. :-)

 A huge THANK YOU to all the wonderful ladies involved!

I went to an appointment this week (week 16) and FINALLY got to hear the heartbeat.  155 bpm!  The high when still in normal range is 160 bpm so it was definitely up there.  I am counting down the days until August 21st... why you may ask? Well for those who don't already know we will find out the gender on August 21st!  I am so excited to find out what we are having.  I have always really wanted a girl (and still want to have one eventually) but I am also excited about the prospect of having a son.  I know (from my nephews) that sons can be delightful too. 18 days to go!!!

I am impatiently filling those 18 days with a few different activities...  I have recently signed up to be a substitute with Hillsboro School District which is great since I really needed a job.  I am also beginning work on my longer 3 year teaching certification (the one I got when I came here was only 18 months).  I have a few tests to take so I scheduled my first one for the end of September.  I would like to have them done with before the LO arrives.  This next certification will last 3 years and is renewable so I won't have to worry about it for awhile.  I also managed to get signed up for a free class called Online Teaching 101.  The Hillsboro SD is starting more online schooling options so they are offering the course.  I will start that next week and hopefully it will lead to some at-home teaching options for me!

My trip to Florida will begin on August 29th and will end on September 9th.I am very excited to see everyone!