This week has already been a crazy one, and it's only Wednesday! Yesterday I had a follow up appointment regarding my (the baby's?) placenta being too close to my cervix. A month ago they told me to not be concerned at this point because I had time to let it move up. So they booked an appointment for me four weeks later to see how much it has moved. Well, yesterday was four weeks later and it hadn't moved one bit! That kind of bothered me but again, they weren't too concerned at this point. They scheduled yet another ultrasound in six weeks and we will see where we're at then. On the plus side, I've been having a ton of ultrasounds so the silver lining is definitely that I get to see my baby lots :) 

My 21st week of pregnancy was a pretty great one. We finally got started on our nursery which made me so much more excited for everything. We painted the walls and we put together our crib, which was so much easier than I thought. I was like prepping for some all day event and I think it literally took us 15-20 minutes. So I guess that's good because I don't even think there was a need for one curse word! Therefore, crib building was a positive event. So anyways, every time I walk by that room, I smile because it is all just so exciting! :)

So in honor of this week's activities, here is the weekly photo!

20 weeks was probably the saddest week of my life. My grandpa passed away and everyone was so taken back by this news. He is/was one of my favorite people and was just the cutest thing. That week was hard for a lot of reasons, but pregnancy-wise, it was difficult because I was on my feet a LOT! My back started to kill me that week and now unfortunately has not gotten any better. It didn't help that I completely missed my chiropractor appointment and haven't been back since...oops! 

I thought it was only fitting to honor my grandpy in my 20 week pic so here it is...

My 18th week was a little crazy because that was the week we found out the gender of baby N! I didn't take an official chalkboard pic because I was way overwhelmed with life, but here is a pic from the day we found out we were having a cute little boy :)

Friday, March 29 we FINALLY were able to find out if this little babe was a tiny girl or boy. Our day started out a little crazy because I had this big elaborate plan in my head as to how I wanted to find out the sex so I had to make sure everything was perfect. I saw this idea for a gender reveal on Pinterest where the couple would open up a box of either pink or blue balloons and that's how they would find out what they're having. I thought it was a super cute idea but of course more work goes into than one initially thinks. I knew as soon as our doctor appointment was over Jef and I would be just dying to know if this baby was a boy or girl so I had to think of a way where we could find out asap. So ahead of time, I purchased a few bags of pink and blue balloons, as well as a helium tank and ribbon. The morning of our appointment I inflated both colors and put them in a huge garbage bag and shoved them in the back of our car. During the appointment, I told the tech we didn't (but we did) want to know the sex right away, so if she could just write it down and stick it in an envelope, that would be great. So she did. As soon as I got to my cousin's house, who by the way is the best photog in America, I gave her the envelope and she went in another room to open it up, pick the correct bundle of balloons, and shove them in a big old trunk. Jef and Nat then hauled out the 60 lb trunk to the field near by where we counted to three anddddddd.....opened the trunk to find out we are having a BOY!!!!!

And of course Nat snapped these cool pics to document the moment...

My 17th week was like my favorite week of life. It started out in the beautiful Florida Keys and ended up with us knowing even more about this little baby growing inside of me. I feel like I definitely have popped within these last few weeks so that I finally look like I'm actually pregnant rather than just awkwardly large. I feel great and am ready to start prepping for this new addition!!!

So as I'm settling into my second trimester I am definitely feeling better. My nausea has subsided and I'm not as tired as I was. I am however in desperate need of a vaca, so thank god we are heading to The Keys in a week! We will be gone for about 10 days so I am just so excited I can't even stand it. Not only do we have a long vacation mid-month, but the day after we return, we have our big anatomy scan appointment where we are going to find out baby's sex!!! I am SO SO excited for this. I am literally obsessing over if this baby is a boy or a girl. Last night I had a dream it was a girl, but the night before I had a dream it was a boy. I don't care what we have, I just want to know! I feel like it will help make this seem a little more real because we will be able to assign a gender to that tiny human growing inside of me and then we can start talking about names and decorating the nursery, oh and shopping!!! So I just cannot wait :) 

As I'm in my 14th week, I finally feel like I have a legitimate bump. Not just one caused by bloating but by the baby :)

So there is no 13 week chalkboard (fail) because life has been way too crazy. We moved into our new apartment at the end of January and we have been settling in nicely, until we discovered something called "The Silverfish Bug." Google it. It's absolutely terrifying. And they are everywhere. They crawl all over the walls in the living room, hallway, and our bedroom and are just about the creepiest looking thing ever. At first I was like okay, it's just a bug, stop being dramatic. But THEN one night, I woke up to some creepy crawly feeling, went to go itch my arm and pulled something off of me. Want to take a guess what it was? That's right, a silverfish. So we have been staying at my parents ever since. I'm so peeved about it because I just feel like so creeped out, not only are they all over the walls, but in my bed? On me? And as I read more about them, they are considered legitimate household pests, because they eat through food in the pantry, as well as clothing. What the f! So we have been going back and fourth with our management company on how to solve this problem. But until then...hey mom and dad!

In other pregnancy news, I have developed a crazy crazy crazy itch. It's the most bizarre thing ever. I am like itchy all the time, all over my body, and it gets worse at nighttime. I asked my dr. and she really didn't know what the cause was because she thought it was too early to develop pregnancy rash so she sent me to the derm. Although she was super nice, she really didn't know what the cause was either. She said it could be the mass amount of crazy hormones that are pumping through my body right now, and agreed it was too early for pregnancy rash, but did say it has to start sometime. So I go back and see her in a week to get some more answers.

Woohoo 13 weeks!

Our twelfth week of pregnancy may have been the best one yet. On Monday we found out that Jef was offered an amazing new job that has great benefits for us and the baby. We couldn't be more excited about it. Then on Friday we had our First Trimester Screening where they combined the results of an ultrasound and blood work to test our risk for certain chromosomal defects. During the ultrasound, they explained the fluid on the back of the baby's neck should measure 3 cm or less and our baby's was 1.7 cm! So we were super excited. The tech also kept saying how great everything looked and how healthy the baby seemed to be. We are still waiting on the results of our blood work but we won't get those back for at least a week. This ultrasound was the best one yet because our baby finally looks human! The second she put the probe up to my belly, you immediately saw the baby kick and squirm and move it's arms and hands. It was the most amazing moment ever. Just to know that's OUR baby and it's living inside of me is so crazy. 

We also saw the heartbeat at a quick 184 bpm. I'm looking forward to our normal 12 week appt (which will actually be in our 13 week due to our schedule) so that we can finally hear the heartbeat! I'm also dying to know the gender, even though it's most likely too early to tell. I really don't care what we have, because eventually I'd like to have at least one of each, but I just want to know! That way I can finally do some shopping and get started on the nursery. 

And so, my 12 week pic...it's in black and white because I really didn't match the board in any shape or form so that really bothered me.

So here I am at 11 weeks pregnant...cannot believe it. Every day it's sinking in more and more than I actually have a little tiny baby growing inside of me. This week I thought I was feeling better because a lot of my nausea has subsided however these past few days I have been blessed with killer headaches and some sort of weird gross feeling that I believe is either heartburn or acid reflux. Joy! But, I'm keeping my eye on the prize. 

In other news we had our anatomy scan scheduled for April 2, which is when we would find out the gender of Baby N, but the doctor's office called today saying the doctor will not be in on April 2, so could we reschedule to March 29, and I was like OH YEAH WE CAN! It seems like an eternity to wait but I know it will come up quick, especially because we have a 10 day vaca to the Florida Keys between now and then to look forward to. So as I daydream about the sun and sandy beaches, I'll leave you with this little tropical vacation inspired board!

TEN weeks! I feel like it's crazy how fast these last few weeks have gone. Every Sunday I get so pumped to hit a new week in my pregnancy. Everything with the baby and my body is changing so quickly and I love it. Well, I don't love that my jeans don't fit comfortably, or that my boobs are currently larger than my head, but I love knowing this little human inside of me is actually becoming a real baby. 

This past week we had to decide whether or not we wanted to do the first trimester screening. This is a blood test combined with an ultrasound that identifies the risk of a few chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18. Part of me was like, why stress about something you aren't able to change or prevent? But then the other part of me wants to stay educated and up-to-date on everything going on with the baby. So I scheduled the appointment for the middle of February and we will pray that everything goes well. 

In other news, this is the week when normal people start to show, so I'm pretty pumped to get to this point because I've been showing for like 4 weeks. I finally feel like my bump is because my uterus is actually getting bigger and the baby is becoming a human rather than an accumulation of all bloating and the puppy chow I've been eating. 

And so...my 10 week chalkboard...

I'm a week or so behind in blogging so I tonight I'm recapping my 9th week of pregnancy. I was pretty excited to learn my baby was as big as a green olive. As soon as I thought about green olives, I thought about martinis, which made me think of vodka, which made me remember how much I miss lemon drops...and margaritas...and 7 & 7's. I've never been a huge drinker but I definitely enjoy a few casual drinks on the weekends, during fun events, or a crazy night out every once and awhile. That being said, I didn't think not drinking during my pregnancy would be that big of a deal. Boy was I wrong. I am struggling. Like big time. I don't know if it's because I know I can't have it, or if I really just miss all of the tastiness, but my lord. Jef is really less than helpful because he claims he is now drinking for two. So I'm coping by sippin' on my little homemade concoction of Diet 7Up with a splash of Simply Raspberry Lemonade...so bomb!
It reminds me of a little spritzer, minus the spritz. 

So this week's chalkboard is inspired by my longing for a little deliciousness. 

We finally got internet the other day so now I can catch up on my blogging on this chilly Saturday afternoon. This week was a busy one. We finished moving, we are trying to get settled in, and we had our first official doctor appointment! The appointment was reallllly long, but super informative. We chatted about family medical history, I got a nice little pelvic exam, got swabbed for some STD's and gave like 8 giant vials of blood. SO FUN! But, it was all worth it because we also got another ultrasound so we were able to stare at our cute little baby and take home a new pic for the fridge. It was pretty cool because not only did we see our baby's heartbeat, but I thought the little blob on the screen actually looked like a miniature baby, which made this whole process even more real. Our doctor said everything looked great, and the baby had a healthy heart beat, which I want to say was 168??? Shoot, I should have written that shit down. She also confirmed our due date, which is the same as my originally calculated date of September 2, 2013! She said she's estimating somewhere between the 2nd and 5th of September actually. We decided we are rooting for like any day after the 2nd because our doctor is on vaca for Labor Day Weekend. Which makes me panic. So I'm trying not to think about that possibility. So anyways, here is our 8.5 week sonogram. The baby is on the left, head down, tiny feet up, and the yolk sac is on the right, which I believe will be absorbed into the umbilical cord shortly. 

7 weeks was a pretty exciting week for us. We decided we needed to find a house or apartment that would be able to comfortably accommodate a family of three. After much thought, we agreed buying a house this year just wasn't in the cards for us. There have been a lot of changes in these past few months so we thought the process of looking for and paying for a house (and all of its fun, hidden costs) would be too much right now. So we actually found a really cute two bedroom, two bathroom apartment right down the road from our old one in our favorite little town. Only catch is that they weren't able to hold the apartment for us, so we had to be out of our old apartment and in our new one by the end of the week...yikes. So we packed up, recruited the help of our great fam and slowly moved down the road in the freezing Wisconsin weather!

The moving process was terrible. I hated every second of it. I was so tired and couldn't be helpful because every time I lifted a box Jef would yell at me to put it down. It was really inconvenient. But knew it was for a good reason, to protect this cute little babe! Speaking of which, the baby is growing like crazy each week. It's so fun to read all of my pregnancy books and scroll through my iPhone Apps to learn about everything that's happening this week with the baby and I. This week, The baby is the size of a blueberry! Considering we started at the size of a poppy seed, that's pretty exciting. 

And so...the terribly blurry 7 week bump pic

Okay so last Saturday, I woke up and all of the sudden...I popped. Now I have always had a little pouch that sticks out at the bottom of my stomach. But that could always be sucked in or concealed if need be. This however, this cannot be sucked in or concealed. Like it's out there for the entire world to see. Which is just so weird to me because I have been eating a lot healthier than in the past and I (so far) have not had any cravings or felt the need to binge on junk food? And I love junk food. So here I am, at 6 weeks, wondering what the hell is going on with my body!?...I have three theories. 

1. I'm further along than I think I am. If that were the case I would be pretty bummed out because I did not take care of my body like I should have. I was def consuming a fair share of alcohol (it twas the season), I wasn't eating healthy enough or taking prenatal vitamins, and I totally did not sleeping enough. 

2. Twins? Oh Lord, can you imagine? 

3. This is just the way I carry. Which I feel is definitely possible because everyone is different and every pregnancy is different, but this just seems a little too different to me, but who knows! Maybe I am just going to be huge. 

And so, here I am at 6 weeks...?

On this week's to do list, we needed to head to the doctor to confirm the pregnancy. First off, I was so excited to walk into my gyno's office and not get violated with a freaky metal object, but instead to simply pee in a cup. After the excitement wore off, I became so anxious to hear from the nurse with our results. She called us into the room and said, "You're Pregnant!" I was like, "OH YEAH!" Best feeling ever. She gave us a due date of September 2nd, which is super funny to me because September 2nd is totally Labor Day! Even though I'm sure I won't actually give birth on the 2nd, I'm still really getting a kick out of that. 

So all in all, we are super pumped to kick off this New Year. We are sure 2013 will be the best yet. 

So Sunday evening, while feeling terribly run down, especially dramatic and emotionally crazy, we headed to dinner and a movie with my fam (Our Christmas Eve Eve Tradition). I LOVE dinner and I LOVE movies. Yet something just wasn't right. After eating a small portion of my salad, I felt like I just polished off a 72 oz. steak. Literally felt like I was going to vom. As I was trying to talk myself out of puking, I realized how ridiculously tired I was. Like debating not even making through a 7 o'clock movie tired. After a few minutes of thinking I'd be doomed with the flu for Christmas, I remembered I was supposed to get my period that day, and I didn't. So I made Jef stop quick at Walgreen's so I could grab a Pregnancy Test. That night, I started experiencing the most stereotypical period cramps one could get, so I told Jef, and myself, that there was no way I could be pregnant because I knew what these cramps meant Mother Nature had in store for me.

The next morning I woke up at 7:30 because I just had to pee sooo bad. But then I remembered about the tests I bought the night before. There was still no period to be found, so I thought, what the hell? So I grabbed one of the sticks, peed on it, and walked away for a few minutes. As I returned, I peeked at the test...the word PREGNANT was sitting on the screen. I literally couldn't believe it. I started to tear up as my future life flashed before my eyes. I was PREGNANT!!!

I sat by myself on our cozy couch staring at our Christmas Tree while I let it all soak in. I was going to be a mom! Jef was going to be a dad! We were finally starting that family we had both talked about so many times. I couldn't wait to tell Jef, all I wanted to do was run into our bedroom, shake him uncontrollably til he woke, and then tell him the news!!! But then I remembered all of the cute ways you could tell your husband you were pregnant. Should I go find a shirt that says something tacky like Number 1 Dad? Or should I run to the local bookstore to find a cute book? Or should I be annoying and go buy a bunch of blue and pink balloons and shove them all in a box and confuse the shit out of him? 

Then as I thought long and hard, I laid my eyes on my chalkboard I made for our Christmas Attire Gone Wrong (But so Right) Party. I then thought how fun it would be to wrap that sucker up and give it to Jef for Christmas. So I quick grabbed my chalk and went to town on the board before he woke up. I then wrapped it in like three obnoxious layers of cheap wrapping paper that kept ripping and hid it behind the tree. 

After he woke up, I told him I had a Christmas Present that he should open early. He of course was super pumped to do me the favor and open it asap. As he ripped the paper off, he SLOWLY read the words on the board. Then he sat there and processed for the longest three seconds of my life, and then yelled, "No way!!!" followed by, "Are you joking?" No, Jef, I am not joking, we are having a baby. He then made me take another test and then got really excited and insisted we tell everyone. As I tried to explain to him that I was literally only four weeks pregnant and it was just too soon to announce our news, he was adamant he call his best friend. How do you say no to a guy that's so cute and excited? 

And so...my first baby chalkboard