week 9

Best Moment: Telling Evan’s parents, of course! Thanks to crazy winter weather on the passes, we almost didn’t make it to Winthrop, but alas, one small detour in Cle Elum later, we were able to spread the good word. What a great feeling to turn someone from mom to grandma! I’m feeling much better, now that both sets of grandparents know. It just seemed cruel to keep it from them. Cruel and extremely difficult! We were also able to tell two of our dear friends, Tiffany and Kellen, with whom we were wine tasting in Chelan. There really is no way to “fake” wine taste all day without arousing some suspicion. Needless to say, they were overjoyed and excited that our lil’ sodi and their 4 month old Audrey will grow up to be good buds!

Symptoms: Can I get a hand for consistency? Still catering to my two bffs:  nausea and exhaustion. They’ve definitely overstayed their welcome, but as I’ve said before, I know both are good signs that our little babe is growing and growing. In fact, this week, my resident is the size of a green olive. Who can be upset with a green olive? Not I.

Cravings/Aversions: My cravings seem to be evolving. Not into a more sophisticated palate as I would appreciate, but instead it’s gone in the direction of the juice aisle.  I’ve since introduced cranberry juice into my beverage repertoire. Straight cranberry- not mixed with any fancy fruits, no reduced sugar, but straight cranberry juice (just another little lesson Evan has learned) brings me so much joy! If only I was that easy to please all the time. My fun aversion this week has been mixed nuts. It’s actually cracking me up, because how often is one exposed to mixed nuts? Apparently for me, just enough.  Evan included them on his list of needs from the grocery store the other day and I literally ran down the aisle, grabbed the first bag I could see and kept on my way. Those little guys seem to be playing a mean little trick on me.

What I Miss: Being in Chelan for the weekend definitely got my mouth watering for a glass of my favorite Benson Syrah. There’s something comforting about a big glass of red wine that would be a nice leveler for the rollercoaster of emotions. Oh well…we’ll meet again in a few months.

What I Can't Wait For: My first official OB appointment is next Friday and I’m really looking forward to meeting my doctor and learning about the game plan for the next 7 months.

Milestones: Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape (or green olive, per my app) — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

for the record

Before I get too far into this blog, I must give credit where credit is due. The whole "Best Moment/ Cravings/Aversions/Symptoms/etc." list is a complete rip off from a friend who recently gave birth to her first child. I so enjoyed reading her blog on a regular basis and loved how she "sectioned" off the pieces of pregnancy. Once I began feeling pregnant, I knew I had to steal the labels from her and use them to tell my own little story. So thank you Kiersten for the inspiration!

week 8

Best Moment: Calling it a tie between telling my family and telling Auntie Dana. I thought I was being so sneaky by inviting my family up on Sunday for a family dinner because I wanted to see Erin’s baby bump. Unfortunately, my family is a lot smarter than I give them credit for sometimes, and they were on to me from the get-go. Once everyone had arrived and we were all lounging around the living room, we had Kirby share the exciting news. Out he came wearing a toddler tee (more like cape) that said Big Brother  full of pride and excitement! Within in seconds everyone put the pieces together and tears began to flow. It was such a special moment, filled with so much love and pure happiness! One of those moments in life that you live for, that make it all worthwhile. After the initial shock dissipated, we excitedly talked about how great it was going to be that lil’ Step and lil’ Sodi were going to be so close in age (about 5 months) and how grandma and grandpa have their work cut out for them the next year or so! And because both Nick and Erin, and Evan and I have decided we won’t find out the gender beforehand, we’re all in for two big surprises this year.

The second best moment came the following day when was I finally ready to tell my dear friend Dana. Since our very first day at Gonzaga, we have shared everything together and this was another milestone to add to the list. After a disappointing attempt to have Trophy cupcakes customize a red velvet cupcake for me (thanks for nothing, Trophy) I improvised and doodled the word “auntie” across the cupcake myself- voila. Once at her place, I could hardly stand it. I quickly plated the little treat and slid it in front of her and waited for it to click. A few seconds later, it did and we were both in tears. It’s truly incredible sharing good news, especially with those we love the most. How often do we have really wonderful news that we get to share? Not often, but it’s an unsurpassed feeling when we do. The following day, Dana sent both Evan and I this:

“Oh my goodness-- I woke up this morning and the first thing that popped in my head was this quote:
"Dear Baby, I hope someday somebody wants to hold you for 20 minutes straight and that's all they do. They don't pull away. They don't look at your face. They don't try to kiss you. All they do is wrap you up in their arms and hold on tight, without an ounce of selfishness to it" , The Waitress
....because all I can think about is how wonderful it is that you two are going to be Parents! I can't wait to say this to your sweet little baby!”

We are so lucky.

Our little babe is so lucky.

What a fabulous beginning.

Symptoms: Nothing new in this camp. Nausea and exhaustion are still as prevalent as ever, but I’m constantly reminding myself that they are signs of a healthy, flourishing baby developing inside me. On a positive note, I have noticed my nails are getting stronger!

Cravings/Aversions: Again, nothing new. Still enjoying my OJ and saltines. Still avoiding meat, and anything else that turns me off at first sight or smell.

What I Miss: While abstaining from alcohol hasn’t been an issue in the slightest, this weekend is our annual Red Wine & Chocolate trip to Chelan, and I anticipate a few pangs of longing for Benson Syrah. Aside from that, I do miss feeling “good” and eating like a normal person- particularly balanced meals. I fear the mom guilt is already setting in, as I feel horrible that I’m not able to provide the little bee with all the nutrients it needs due to my ever-growing list of food aversions.

What I Can't Wait For: Telling Pete and Deb! Let the spreading of good news continue!

Milestones: First official “nurse” visit has been completed. This morning I met with my doctor’s nurse who did a thorough health intake and sent me on my way with a stack of reading materials. And to be perfectly honest, there is a part of me that is completely terrified to read them! What if I forget something? What if I don’t like what I read? What if they tell me I can’t have potatoes?! Of course I’m excited to educate myself and Evan and on this whole process, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous about what my body is about to endure. I’m aware all of this is completely normal, but this IS my first rodeo…

bumble bee

We had our first ultrasound this morning and what an experience it was! After finally being seen half an hour after our scheduled time (with a full bladder nonetheless), we were finally able to get a tiny glimpse of our little bumble bee. The first few minutes the sonographer was dead quiet and I found myself a bit panicked and blurting out "do you see anything in there?!" Finally she hovered over a tiny little object (that looked just like a bumble bee) and finally proclaimed that what we were seeing was our baby! Our.baby. OUR BABY!! We were even lucky enough to see the heartbeat, which is the most incredible thing, in and of itself. The fetus is only the size of a kidney bean and yet, it's little heart was beating at a strong 150 beats per minute. I'm still not quite sure how that's even possible, but who I am to question it? We also caught a glimpse of the teenie tiny umbilical cord that is starting to develop. The sonographer confirmed that I'm approximately 7 weeks/6 days along which confirms our September babe thoughts.
Evan and I were on cloud 9 and completely overcome with love and joy for the little babe. It amazes me that we're at the tip of the iceberg and the coming 9 months will only bring more of the same. I can only shake my head in pure wonder and amazement and soak up every bit of this marvelous journey.

week 7

Best Moment: 2.6.12 doctor appointment. It almost didn’t happen and I would have been devastated! My doctor called in sick, but thankfully, another female doctor in the office was able to squeeze me in. She officially confirmed that I am in fact, with child and most likely 7-8 weeks along! 7-8 weeks took me by complete surprise as Evan and I thought maybe 4 weeks. “Oh no!” she said. "It registered almost immediately" (with their test) indicating a high level of pregnancy hormones. Dr. Brown said “little Junior is due around September 24^th.” Those words…little junior, for one reason or another, made it feel a bit more real. The only thing that would have made it better was if Evan was there. Evan and I have been fumbling through to the “totally and utterly shocked” phase, and this was a little kick we needed.  I have an ultrasound scheduled for Friday 2.10 (and imagine that will quickly surpass this as my best moment) where we’ll get a better idea of timing. Regardless, it's looking like a September baby…

Symptoms: COMPLETE exhaustion. I’ve always erred on the side of "sleepy" throughout my entire life, and thought I knew what it meant to be tired. Was I ever wrong! The past week or so I’ve been shuffling through life. Eyes half open, literally doing what I can to make it through the work day and whatever other commitments I have, just so I can curl up and fall into a deep slumber once I’m home. It seemed to have happened out of the blue and is the main reason I felt compelled to take a test in the first place- well that and the teenage boy breakout my body has been losing a battle to. In addition to the exhaustion has been a low hum of nausea. All day, everyday there is a static reminder of the little babe developing inside me. I've been lucky enough not to vomit, but some days it's truly a miracle I don't. 

Cravings/Aversions: I’m not going to count my potato skins craving, because in all honesty, I’ve craved those ever since that fateful day my mom and I ordered up a plate at Red Robin, circa 1990. No real cravings, but I’ve noticed a growing affinity for OJ. Aversions, I’ve got plenty! Granted, I’m not fully aware of my aversions until say, someone casually mentions ribs (gag) or chicken tacos (ick). Or I catch a scent floating through the air. Even if I don’t know what to attribute the particular smell to, I know I don’t want anything to do with it. I’m finding saltines and any other bland carb to be a new bff of mine, along with sparkling water, ginger ale and of course, OJ.

What I Miss: Being honest with my friends and family! I hate the little white lies I keep find myself telling. "As a personal challenge, I'm taking a month off from drinking" or "My period is horrible, I can't go.." etc.etc. Counting down the days until this Sunday when we’ve agreed to let the Steppan clan behind the curtain. Then a few short days later, we’ll tell Pete and Deb in Winthrop, in person. Everyone else will learn after these first 12 weeks. There’s so much I want to talk to EVERYONE about and so many questions to ask my mama friends, that I simply cannot wait.

What I Can't Wait For: 2.10 ultrasound. Although we won’t hear the heartbeat, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure what we'll actually see, but regardless, I know it's going to be one of many milestones to come.

Milestones: Friday’s ultrasound, of course

positive

                                               two pink lines + digital pregnancy reading=

one excited, pregnant mama & 

 

                                                                 one excited daddy

                                                                    family in the making