Halfway and Big News!

As of Christmas Day, I am 20 weeks pregnant, which means I'm halfway to meeting our sweet baby!

This week, Baby Holt is the size of a cantaloupe.



"Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!"

And, the biggest news of all...we found out on Monday that we're having a BOY!

My belly at 20 weeks (Christmas Day!):

Week 19

Baby Holt is the size of a mango. Doesn't that sound cuter and sweeter than a sweet potato or an onion?



"Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature."

We had our BIG ultrasound yesterday and we have a healthy baby! Everything is looking good and baby's growth is right on schedule. Baby Holt currently weighs a whopping 11 ounces! We do have to go for a follow up ultrasound on January 19. We have a wiggly baby and the ultrasound tech was unable to get good photos of the heart chambers the the lip and nose area.

Much to the dismay of our families, we've decided to keep the sex (and the nursery!) under wraps until the baby is born. Sorry Mom and Dad and Phil and Brenda! However, it's only 20 weeks to wait to find out what your grandchild will be.

18 Weeks!

Time is really starting to fly! Baby Holt is the size of a sweet potato. The picture looks a little alien-like, though.



"Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon."

I haven't felt any movement yet, but I'm waiting until I feel that first flutter or maybe even the first kick. My belly has really started to grow:



Anyone want to make guesses on whether Baby Holt is a boy or a girl? Take the poll to the right!

The Kitchen Project

We started our kitchen project in August when our new granite countertops were installed. It took about another 3-4 weeks to finish up the backsplash and I haven't had a chance to take new pictures until now!

Just as a reminder, here is our kitchen before:

Drumroll please......the kitchen now! We added new granite countertops in Oura Brazil granite with a triple waterfall edge, a new sink and faucet, beadboard backsplash and undercabinet lighting.

Close up of the backsplash and Ryan added under cabinet lighting himself:

Edge profile:



Looking out from the kitchen peninsula:



It brightened up our entire kitchen and we couldn't be happier with the outcome!

My Christmas Wish List

Since Christmas is a time for wishes, here is my list. :) Some are definitely more attainable than others:

1. The three books remaining in the Twilight series: New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn. Yes, you can call me a preteen for loving these books!








2. An UsWeekly subscription. Ours has run out and since it's over $50/yr, we have voted to skip the renewal. But, I really miss my weekly celebrity gossip!

3. A digital SLR camera. With the baby on the way, I think it would be great to have a new camera. Another thing Ryan says no to, as he has bought me too many cameras in our 11 years together. For the record, he has bought me 2. One for my college graduation and one for my 30th birthday. The others were "family purchases" after he lost our digital camera while traveling in Europe.

4. Gap/Old Navy gift cards for maternity clothes. Kind of boring, but I need maternity clothes and these are the most reasonable stores to shop at for maternity wear.

5. A new Sonicare toothbrush. My beloved Sonicare has died and my teeth miss their ultra-fresh feeling after brushing!

6. Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter lotion for my growing baby belly!



7. Classic Short Uggs in chocolate. I know some people hate Uggs, but they are seriously warm and comfortable for Indiana winters! (Oh, and I wear a size 9!).




8. Fuzzy Pink slippers. I have had my old slippers for 8 years now and it's time for a new pair! I'd like them to be machine washable if possible.

9. 2 of these Rattan Chairs from ZGallerie. They will be perfect for my home office!



10. A king size bed. I love this Martha Stewart bed! I can't find pricing online, so I need to go to a store and find out how much this baby will cost. It's gorgeous and would be perfect with the Tempurpedic mattress I found on Overstock.com.



A girl can dream, right?

17 Weeks

I can't believe how quickly time is passing. I'm 17 weeks today and in just over 2 weeks, we will know whether we are having a boy or a girl!

At 17 weeks, Baby Holt is the size of an onion. Could there be a worse description? Ugh!



"Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints."

My 17 week photo...no makeup and pjs, but at least you can see the belly growing!

It's Christmastime at Our House!

I have been such a bad blogger lately and it is one of my New Year's Resolutions to get better at it. I have so much to update!

Anyway, the most exciting (at least for this time of year!)...our house is decorated for Christmas! We have 5 trees in our house (one in each room of the main floor).

This is our main tree in the family room with all of our sentimental ornaments that we received as gifts or bought during our travels:

This tree is in our office and is visible from the outside of our house. The office wall color is green, so the tree is all green, blue and turquoise. I love it!

Dining room tree, decorated in blue and silver:

And, last but not least, the kitchen trees decorated in brown and gold. Yes, those are feathers on top of the trees!

Our Colts wreath hanging inside the front door:

The dining room table ready for holiday dinners:

The foyer wine bar right as you walk in the front door:


I still need to take photos of the mantle and outdoors, but those will have to wait for another day!

16 Weeks and My 3rd Appointment

I have been a bad blogger lately. Ever since we returned from our vacation, I feel like time is flying. We only had three days of work and then it was the long Thanksgiving weekend. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner with the in-laws at their home and then spent the rest of the weekend finishing Ryan's foyer project and then decorating our house for Christmas! We were so busy I forgot to do my 16 week update and now I'm almost 17 weeks!

Anyway, here goes! At 16 weeks, Baby Holt is about the size of an avocado.

"Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender."

It blows me away that Baby can hear us now. I just can't wait to feel him or her move. It can happen any day now!

I'm feeling great! My energy is back, I'm not having any bouts of sickness and I have very few food aversions. The only things I still cannot stomach are coffee and soda. I guess neither of those are bad things!

I am quickly growing out of my clothes. I still only have 2 pairs of work maternity pants and very few maternity shirts. Ryan doesn't want me to spend any money, but it is soon to be inevitable. I am going to need new clothes soon!

People that know I am pregnant can tell that I'm showing, but I haven't received any comments from strangers yet. Most people that find out I'm nearly 17 weeks pregnant don't believe me! It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm ready to show for real! :)

My third appointment was today. Ryan couldn't make it because he had meetings at work, but I got to hear Baby's heartrate (166 bpm) and had my general checkup with the doc. Everything is looking good and measuring right on track. I also had the AFP testing done today to see if Baby has any developmental disabilities like spina bifida or Downs.

The best part of today's appointment---the BIG ultrasound is scheduled! So, we'll know the baby's sex right before Christmas. The question is whether we will share the news with our families when we find out or wait to reveal it to them on Christmas Day. Hrmmm.... For what it's worth, I'm convinced that we are having a girl. We'll see if my guess is right in about 2.5 weeks!

My 16 week photo:

14 and 15 weeks!

Since we were on vacation, I didn't have a chance to post either my 14 or 15 week updates. Last week, Baby Holt was the size of a lemon in Week 14.



"Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth."

Me, at 14 weeks:


Now, in Week 15, Baby Holt is the size of a navel orange. That doesn't seem much bigger to me, but oh well. It's still an improvement, right?



"Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements."

I'm feeling pretty good, especially after weighing myself upon return from our vacation. Since it felt like all I did was eat the entire time, I'm pretty excited that I didn't gain too much weight. The vacation was fabulous and I'll update with a new picture as soon as we unload them all from the camera!

I also finished my Baby Bargains book, so I am ready to start making some lists and getting items ready to register. We should know the baby's sex in just 5 more weeks!

Me & Baby at 15 weeks:

Happy 5th Anniversary to Us!

I cannot believe how quickly time has passed, but today is our 5th anniversary! Happy Anniversary Ryan! I love you.

Baby Blog

The secret is officially out to everyone. We are having our first baby and he or she is due to arrive in mid-May. Since we found out about the pregnancy, I have been keeping a baby blog. Until now, the baby blog has been kept mostly to close friends and family, but now that the secret is out, I can share it with everyone!

You can check out the baby's updates at http://babyholt.blogspot.com/. I must say that I've been much better about updating that blog than this one. I will get better, I promise!

An Essential for Midwest Winters

A new coat! It's actually not a maternity coat, but with it's nicely placed top buttons, it should cover my soon-to-be expanding bump throughout the winter. And, this color just makes me smile! I haven't even mentioned the best part...it was 50% off! Not bad for a $45 coat that should be warm enough to make it through the Indiana winter and one that isn't sooo maternity that I won't be able to wear it again. Score for me!

13 Weeks

Today, Baby Holt is the size of a peach! I don't know about you, but that seems pretty big to me. I know he or she has a lot of growing to do, but still. Baby has come a long way since being the size of an appleseed.



"Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)"

I am overall feeling pretty good. I'm still exhausted, but I'll take being tired over feeling nauseated any day. Our next appointment isn't for another 4 weeks, but I'm guessing Baby Holt is going to be doing a lot of growing in the next 4 weeks. But, that also means that we will be finding out the sex in 8 weeks. How exciting! At the end of this week, I will be out of month 3 and today, I'm officially into my second trimester.

Since we got to hear the heartbeat yesterday, I made my first baby-related purchase today. A sleeveless sleep sack for baby. I bought it in white, so it's gender neutral, but it's still adorable.

We Have a Heartbeat!

My second doctor's appointment was today and we got to hear Baby Holt's heartbeat. He or she has a strong one at 176 bpm! Other than that, the appointment was pretty uneventful. Weight, urine sample, blood pressure and that's about it.

According to the old wives' tales, a fast heartbeat means that it's a girl. I guess we shall see! :)

History.

It's crazy to think that our baby will be born at a time in America where history is being made. He or she will born into a country that has voted to make a change and show our future generations how much different life can and will be. I'm excited for our country and I'm excited for our baby!

Living History

As a Barack Obama supporter, I am thrilled with not only the outcome of the election, but also the fact that my very own Indiana voted BLUE! Regardless of whether you like Obama or voted for him, I hope you can join me in congratulating him on the race he ran, the fact that more people voted in this election than any other election in recent history and that the world is celebrating with us today.

I have high hopes for the future of our country and everyone will be watching to see if Obama can deliver. I believe he will.

Baby Holt Made His/Her First Trip to the Polls!

When I voted today! :)

And, now Baby Holt gets to enjoy this Obama cupcake, courtesy of Holly!



Go Barack!

VOTE!

Ryan and I went to vote early this morning and only had to wait 1.5 hours. Not too bad in my opinion! Afterwards, we went out for breakfast.

My coworker, Holly, brought in these cute Obama cupcakes to work today:



Now, I'm anxious for the work day to be over so I can go home, put on my PJs and watch the election returns. I just hope I can make it up late enough to see the winner! Go Barack! :)

Happy Halloween!

It's strange to believe that this is our last Halloween without kids and next year will be Baby Holt's first Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Happy Halloween!

We don't have much planned for Halloween this year. We went to a party for my work last night and we'll be passing out candy to our hundreds of trick-or-treaters tonight.



Happy Halloween!




photo from corbis.com

Week 12

This week, Baby Holt is the size of a plum!

"As you move into the second trimester, baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed."

I can't believe I'm almost out of the first trimester. It's crazy how fast, but slow time seems to be going. I am feeling much better. Very little sickness, unless I don't eat. I'm starting to gain weight, though. I had go buy 2 pairs of work maternity pants this past weekend because my work clothes are getting tight. I guess it's time for the baby to start really growing and gaining weight.

Baby's First Gift!

A cute IU onesie from Aunt Jaime and Uncle Reggie! Thanks guys! :)

11 Weeks

This week, Baby Holt is the size of a lime. That sounds way cuter than a prune!



"Your fetus currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future."

I'm feeling pretty good and quickly growing out of my clothes! I can't believe I'm down to just a few pairs of pants that I can wear comfortably. I don't really want to have to buy maternity clothes so soon, so I'm hoping I can hold out for a few more weeks!

The best thing about this week...I just got back from a prenatal massage and pedicure. It was fabulous!

Week 10

Finally in double digits! Baby Holt is now the size of a prune.


"With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)"

I feel like I have turned a major corner in the last few days. I think (knock on wood) that my morning sickness is nearly gone. I also woke up this morning not feeling quite as bloated as I have been. I still have sensitivity to smells (someone makes this nutty-smelling coffee every morning at work and it gives me a headache!) and major food aversions, but I'm not having to eat every few hours just to keep myself from feeling nauseated. I'm also getting more and more energy each day. I am still exhausted by 10pm, but at least I no longer feel like I need to nap throughout the day or feel as though I'm living through some kind of fog.

I'm anxious for the next doctor's appointment because I can't wait to hear Baby Holt's little heartbeat. Once we hear that, I think I'll feel better about spreading the news to the world. We're still keeping it to family and close friends for now.

My belly at 10 weeks, no baby yet, still bloat!:

Fun Baby Facts

From Babiesonline.com:

Fun Baby Holt Birthday Facts

Your baby's birthstone will be Emerald (Love, Success)
Your baby's Astrological Sign will be Taurus
Your baby's Flower is Lily of the Valley or Hawthorn (Yellow, Red and Green)
Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The Ox
This time next year your baby will be 22 Weeks Old!
Your baby will start kindergarten in 2014, be old enough to drive a car in 2025, finish high school in 2027, and will graduate from college with the class of 2031, give or take a year.

Football Weekend, Here We Come!

Like every other weekend of an IU home game, we will be heading to Bloomington. Ryan likes going to the games much better this year because now he has a designated driver! However, it is supposed to be 83 and sunny in Bloomington tomorrow. That sounds all good and well, but our seats are in the hot blazing sun all afternoon and I'm really not looking forward to being hot. Nausea and sweating do not mix well together!

Sunday, we are taking our first trip to the brand new Lucas Oil Stadium to watch our beloved Colts! I'm excited for this game, mostly because our seats are AMAZING! We won them at a charity auction several weeks ago and it should be fun. Let's hope the Colts can win their first game in this brand new $720 million dollar stadium!

9 weeks

Baby Holt is the size of a green olive!

"Your little embryo has now officially graduated to fetus-hood. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!"

I am officially at the beginning of the third month of pregnancy! My symptoms are still the same...constant nausea, strong food aversions and exhaustion. The nurse said that it's all completely normal and hopefully that means a healthy pregnancy. I would like to get some energy back soon!

First Appointment

My first appointment was yesterday and Ryan went with me. The entire appointment was with the nurse practitioner and she went through my symptoms, family and medical history and answered all of my questions. She gave us a ton of information to look through and about 35 days' worth of free prenatal vitamin samples.

She examined my uterus and found that I'm right where I should be (8-9 weeks). She gave me a due date of May 16, but I think I'll keep the May 14 day. I've kind of grown attached to it. Besides, that could change drastically throughout the pregnancy.

They took about 4 vials of blood to test me for everything and anything and 2 urine samples. I'll be going to the doctor once a month for a while. At the next appointment, we're supposed to hear the heartbeat!

I'm totally late, but I've been tagged!

I've been tagged by hopeful #1 at Happy Hopefuls to list 8 random things about me. Here goes...

1. I've lived in Hawaii and Germany. My dad was in the Army while I was growing up and we got to live in these amazing places. It really gave me the love for travel!

2. Although I claim to be from Indiana, I was actually born in Davenport, Iowa.

3. I have 2 tattoos. One on my right foot and the other on my left hip.

4. My husband and I first met when we were 19!

5. I have the most random taste in music. My iPod playlists have been known to span the likes of Poison to Norah Jones to Britney Spears, all within a few songs of each other.

6. I work in a practice with all women. Not a single man in our office! It's a terrific group and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Surprisingly enough, even though we are all chicks, we have very little drama.

7. I am the only person in my family that does not have an '8' in my birthday. My dad was born on the 8th, my Mom on the 18th and my brother on the 28th.

8. We're expecting our first baby in May 2009! The biggest reason why I have sucked at blogging lately. My mind has been consumed elsewhere!

8 weeks

It's hard to believe I'm almost out of Month 2! Baby Holt is now the size of a raspberry.



"Your baby is growing like mad, putting on about a millimeter every day and continuing to straighten out in the trunk. Though you can't feel it yet, baby is moving those little arms, legs and (now only slightly) webbed fingers and toes like crazy."

I don't want to jinx myself, but I've actually been feeling better. Maybe the morning sickness is almost gone. Tuesday night I felt so well that I ran several errands and decorated our front porch for fall. I even ventured away from my trusty toasted PB&J sandwiches into some other food. It was kind of nice to eat an adult meal. My first appointment is now in less than a week and I'm ready to hear that everything is okay and on track. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Weekend Recap

I made it through the weekend without having to break the big news! It was surprising to both of us, but when you have so many people drinking around you, no one even noticed (or no one said a word) when I didn't have a single drink!

The weekend was fun...it was nice to see everyone, but I was exhausted by Saturday night, so I didn't make it out to the bars. It was probably a good thing anyway.

We went to brunch on Sunday and then drove home, only to spend the rest of Sunday afternoon on the couch. I took a nap and we caught up on some TV shows. It was perfect!

Ryan is out of town this week in LA and I'm gearing up to spend my entire weekend doing Junior League stuff. I just hope I don't feel awful the entire time!

7 Weeks

Baby Holt is now the size of a blueberry! Time seems to be going slowly, but flying at the same time. Our little embryo will be a fetus in 2 short weeks!



"Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- is growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place."

We told Ryan's parents last night. It was supposed to be a total surprise, but it was a little obvious when I wasn't feeling well at dinner. Of course, they are thrilled! I also called my brother, Jessica and Aunt Susan to share the news last night. Once Ryan tells Reggie at lunch today, all of our close family members will know our exciting news. It's really great to finally share it with them!

I'm still feeling awful. Early mornings and evenings are the worst for me. I am constantly nauseated and just exhausted.