25 weeks...105 days to go!

Today was our last appointment with Dr. Crenshaw. Since we received word from Grace Pointe Church of Christ that they had agreed to be our sponsoring congregation, we have been making small steps towards moving to Montgomery, Alabama. We heard the heartbeat again today...148. The baby seems to be getting stronger, or at least that's what it feels like. Brett had bought us a monitor to hear the baby's heartbeat at home. It's basically an electronically amplified stethoscope. However, I'm not sure the baby likes it. Whenever I push the stethoscope shaped device onto my tummy, the baby tends to kick/push at the device. It's actually quite funny to watch. We leave for Israel on Sunday and the doctor gave us the o.k., as long as I promised to behave. This baby is destined to be a world traveler.

20 weeks

Well...we've reached the half way mark of 20 weeks. The baby is moving more and more. Brett has now felt and seen the baby move in my tummy. I think it's safe to say that I've reached the point where it is obvious I'm pregnant...no more questions.

The Ultrasound

The Doctor told us today that everything looks perfect. Praise God! We watched our baby's little heart beat and got a great view of it's spine. We have pictures and video to cherish. Last night I not only felt the baby move, but I watched my tummy move. Brett has also been able to feel the baby push...not just a "thump" on the wall of my tummy. He is still in awe.

Moving Right Along

Last night, Brett was able to feel the baby move for the first time. I have been questioning the feelings for almost 2 weeks now...trying to determine what was indigestion or possibly baby movement. After recognizing a consistent thumping feeling, I was ready to admit that, yes, I have felt the baby moving. Last night, we were reading on the internet what happens during the 19th week of pregancy when we read that the baby is tumbling around. I felt a "thump" and let Brett place his hand on my belly where I had felt it. A few seconds later he said, "I felt it!" It was an exciting moment for both of us.

I realize that I look like I lost weight...trust me, I haven't. What I have done is moved into maternity clothes for 95% of my wardrobe. The white tank I have on in this picture is a maternity one, giving me more room, yet making my belly look smaller. We went to the doctor this morning and were able to hear the baby's heartbeat. 150 beats per minute!

Next Appointment

Our next doctor's appointment will be May 25th.

Maternity Clothes

I gave in this week. It started on Saturday. We were getting ready to go to a wedding (which we ended up not going to) and I was having difficulty finding something to wear. Brett was trying to help me and was beginning to understand my frustration of being limited on clothes. We finally decided on a skirt and a maternity top(thanks to Brett's sister, Amy). Then, since we didn't go to the wedding, I decided I would wear it to church the next day. On Monday, I wore a maternity tank with an unbutton shirt and maternity pants...I was SO comfortable. It was really nice to not feel constricted all day. Even though a few of the shirts still look too big for now...it's nice to have more options to choose from in the morning.

13 weeks

Goodbye first trimester, hello second. Now, I know you're wondering why I'm wearing the same clothes as our 8 weeks picture...well, I wanted it to be easier to tell how my tummy had changed (plus, it's not the same pants). If possible, I may have all future pictures with me in a white tank. So, here we are...13 weeks. I'm down to the drawstring and elastic waistbands only. Needless to say, I'm doing more laundry these days. The pants I have on in this picture are usually quite loose and sit lower on my hips. They are now pulled tight, even with the extra give in the stretchy material. It can be frustrating in the morning getting dressed...I don't fit into the maternity clothes yet, but my choices of regular clothes are dwindling quickly. We went to the doctor on April 22nd. We were hoping to hear the baby's heartbeat, but the sound of my placenta was covering the heartbeat. So, we look forward to our next visit when Dr. Crenshaw promised we'd hear the heartbeat for sure.

8 weeks

At eight weeks, we had our first doctor's visit. After several tests/exams, we were told that my uterus was very "plump." We shot Dr. Creshaw a confused look, and he confirmed that a plump uterus was a good thing and exactly as it should be. I can tell (and Brett can too) that my waist is thickening. Sometimes, it's hard to keep drawstring pants up on my hips because there's no hips for them to sit on...it's just straight down.

The Test

I am never "late". I am either early or right on time...31 day cycle. As of day 33, Brett still wanted to wait another day or two. Wednesday, March 9th at about 5:30 in the morning, we ventured into the bathroom to take THE TEST. As many of you know, peeing in the stick in just the right spot can be a little tricky...especially if it's your first attempt. The instructions tell you that after you've done that, put the cap on and lay the stick on a flat surface for up to 5 minutes. Well, we didn't even have time to get the cap on and we already had our two pink lines. Brett still wanted to "make sure" so we took another test that night after church...same story, 2 pink lines before the cap was one. We had plan to leave for Colorado (Spring Break) that Saturday, via Nashville and his family. We realized we had an opportunity to tell our families in person, but if we waited we didn't know when we would see Brett's family next. So, that night (Wednesday) we told my parents and then on Friday, told Brett's. Everyone was excited and surprised....as were we. When people ask us if this was planned, I typically respond, "Well, yes and no." We knew we had a window of about 3 months that IF we got pregnant, we could be sure the baby would be born in the States before leaving for language school (Lord willing) after the first of the year. We decided we wouldn't worry about being careful during those three months and just see what happened. Well, the first month the Lord blessed us with a gift. The gift of life that only He can give.