Presents

A few weeks ago, I mentioned some things that I wanted for my birthday. I basically got 2/3 from Luke. He told me to get some more maternity clothes, so I still might end up with the 3rd! But, they are actually different from what I had said I wanted =) I went to get the shoes I loved, but saw another pair. And they felt SO much better too.

{the shoes}



{the skinny jeans/pants}

I love the shoes, and I love the pants! I have tried to wear the jeans once, but they are still a bit big on my thighs and butt--which was the FIRST place to grow and get stretch marks with Landon! So, at 19 weeks and a few days, I am still in regular jeans and wearing t-shirts. I tried on my maternity jeans from Landon, and they just looked ridiculous. So do my regular shirts with my regular jeans. UGH But as Luke keeps telling me, I'd rather be in this position than way big.

I thought my last 3 mile run might have been last week, but did another one yesterday. I'm doing at least 2 of them a week, and trying for a 3rd. It just depends on when I get to the Y because of babysitting & subbing. Sometimes all of the treadmills are full. And I'm still doing 2 days of some other type of cardio. We will see how much longer it lasts!

I also have been seeing the baby move a bit today! I started feeling her right before 18 weeks, but after the ultrasound she has seriously been felt so much more. Maybe she got tired of being pushed on for half an hour! (I never felt these tiny movements with Landon becasuse the placenta was on top. I didn't even feel any movements until around 22 weeks.) Maybe Luke will get to see/feel her when he gets home today.I've felt her completely roll around; I think that is the most awkward feeling.And I feel random little punches. I'm going to drink a MASSIVE cup of orange juice before the ultrasound on the 5th, and hopefully we will see some good movement.

Life is SO exciting!

We had the routine triple screen blood test during my 3rd baby Dr. visit, and the spina bifida marker came back high. Most often the tests DO come back positive for downs or SB, and are not correct. My Dr. had assured me already  that I might get a call with the results, and not to worry AT ALL because there is usually another reason. I had heard many stories of downs coming back, but didn't know anyone who had SB come back. I knew it all would be OK if something was wrong, but we needed an ultra sound to determine, and get surgeries set up if needed after the birth.

The head & belly both measured perfect--they are indicators of SB--and the spine looked great as well as the feet! They did notice bright white coloring in the bowel--which indicates blood. This means that most likely the results came back from bleeding I had early in pregnancy ( which was the reason for ultrasound at week 10). The baby's stomach is not mature enough to digest it, but it will later on.

The rest of the body measured great as well. They had a hard time seeing the heart because the baby was laying face DOWN curled up the entire time. This also meant we never got a good face shot. AND not only was the baby face down, but the legs were crossed too =) This made it difficult to see the gender as well. Since we were in there looking around, why not find out if it's a girl or a boy? We were able to see the 3 white lines a few quick times, along with her flexing her bicep, sucking her thumb ( Elyssa LOVED that), and her cute little modest legs crossed at the ankles. The radiologist did come in to check the heart, and it all looked fine once they got a good view. There was a detection of a '2 vessel chord' which has to do with the umbilical chord  having less vessels or arteries. The radiologist said the baby still gets the blood flow they need, but it gives you a small percentage of down syndrome. Since my blood came back OK, that most likely won't be the case. It also gives you a small percentage of the baby having birth defects, but since everything measured well, he thinks that will all be OK too. I didn't go see my Dr after the visit, and he hasn't called back with any other news, so it seems that everything is good. We do go back on October 5th ( 20 week visit) for the full ultrasound and then a Dr. visit. They will measure everything again, and hopefully we will get a good face shot, and some good 3d pictures. My Dr. has said that we will check at one point for low fluid again, so we will most likely have another US towards the end, but I'm not sure if the 2 chord warrants more monitoring or not. I'm beginning to think there is no such thing as a 'normal' pregnancy! But we will go through whatever it takes to get a baby here, and safely!

With it being in the 90's still last week towards the end of September, we were beginning to wonder what the temperatures will be in Gatlinburg when we go on the 8th. 2 years ago, when I was pregnant with Landon, it was in the high 80's, and last year it was chilly! It looks to be getting cooler FINALLY! Now, if only I had clothes that fit =( My maternity clothes look 'massive'--as Luke assured me last night. And my regular clothes fit ok, until I sit down and have to unbutton my pants, and all my shirts fit weird. Maybe I will grow some in the next 2 weeks, and get to try out some cute Autumn maternity clothes!

Oh, the baby's name is Lucy!

I love how when I texted people to say it was a girl, they told me congrats on Lucy. I guess I've said it enough in the past few years for people to catch on =) So, it seems that I will NOT be making a quilt for the baby bedding, since we fell in love with the bedding in the last blog. YAY, it's all so exciting!

*The best muffin I've ever had*

We went to DD this morning, and I ate WAY too much! I have done so well not eating too much so far during this pregnancy( 17.5weeks, and gained 3 lbs so far). SO, I overate a little today. But I did stay at the gym a little longer tonight to make up for it..... a little =) I didn't realize how many calories I really ate, until I just looked it up. I mean, just the muffin would have been fine(using up my 300 extra for the day), but Luke tortured me and asked me if I wanted a donut after. Seriously I have had no appetite so far, but no I wake up STARVING every morning. And around 10 PM every night, I am starving again. I have a feeling the weight will be a little more when I got back for the 20 week visit!

Half-way= 20 weeks.

20 week visit= October 5th!

First is the ultrasound to measure all the body parts & organs to make sure the baby is healthy and growing correctly. And on a side note, we also get to {hopefully} see if we will have another crazy, boy or a baby girl! After the US, we head over to my Dr. to do the normal-- pee in a cup,check weight,check blood pressure, and have a 2 minute appointment. The pre-natal appointments are always SO short. I love counting down the weeks, and then it's over in 2 minutes, unless I have questions. My Dr. would sit in as long as we needed or wanted to talk. Everything has been normal so far, so they have been quick!

We do have names for a boy or girl, and a bedding picked out for a girl. We had planned on me making the quilt/comforter for either the boy or girl, and we had been several times looking at fabrics. But I saw one I absolutely LOVED, showed it to Luke, and he agreed.

It. Is. Beautiful.



outside of bumper



bed skirt



 

sheet and bumper



If it is a boy,we still plan on me making a valance and comforter, and we will match some sheets and bumpers.

* Just listening *

Here are two songs that I really enjoy listening to right now!

   

Labor day weekend =)

This weekend was spent away from Luke because he had to work. And yes, retail stores are open on Labor Day, so he worked Monday too. But, it's alright because tomorrow and Thursday when everyone is getting ready for work, he will be sleeping in, and we will enjoy family time for 2 days!

We headed to Louisville Friday afternoon, so we could head to the UL UK game Saturday with the family. No, Louisville didn't win. But it was actually a great game to watch, and there were a lot of improvements from the hole Krapthorpe left the program in. It will be a long season, and a while to rebuild, but it definitely looked better in the 2nd half!

I'm not quite sure how it's possible to sleep through half of a college football game! But this is how Landon spent his first college game--out of the womb. This game 2 years ago, Landon was in my belly at about 6 months!

After the game, we headed down to the farm. We swam at the swimming area at the lake Sunday after church, ate lunch, laid out, napped, and headed back to swim at some one's house off their docks in the evening. Sunday was great. Monday morning we ate breakfast, hung out in the front yard while Elyssa and Landon played in the sprinkler and splash pad. We headed back to the dock to swim for a few hours. Landon had a great time, but after a while started yelling and crying BYE BYE, so we headed back to eat lunch, pack, and head home.