Friday: 11 weeks update and belly pic

Ok, so I am really ready to start acting like this is real.  I want this baby to know he/she is just as special as our twins and we are waiting their arrival with just as much anticipation.  So without further ado:

 

Our baby is about the size of a lime.  1.6" long.

I might compare the pregnancies for a while.  I find it interesting.

How far along: 11 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: gained 2 pounds (not including the "leftover" weight from the twins)
Maternity clothes: I don't really know, last time yes I was in maternity pants and most of my regular tops.  This time it is summer and I have been wearing stretchy dresses.  So, no maternity clothes yet.   But my sister-in-law just stocked me up with a TON of tops!! Thanks Kristy!

Stretch marks: none that weren't there before the pregnancy!

Sleep:  Still peeing about 3 times a night (one less than with the twins), not able to sleep on my tummy at all, I am alternating between my back and sides and snuggling with a blanket in between my legs (with the twins I still was stomach sleeping).

Best moment this week:   Rubbing this growing belly 

Gender: Last time at this time I was thinking boys and was right.  This time I am thinking a girl, but I really don't care either way!  BE HEALTHY BABY!

Belly button in or out?: In but getting a tad wider
Craving: No cravings due to a stomach bug earlier this week, just glad to be able to eat anything....though nothing sounds good right now
What I miss:  the naive old me that didn't know things cold go horribly wrong.

That I am looking forward to: We have so many wonderful trips planed already to keep us occupied during this pregnancy, then prenatal classes, holidays and then the baby will be here.  At least this is what I hope happens~!

Milestones: No big ones this week, just happy to be a week closer to meeting this little one.

Ok so with out further ado:  THE BELLY SHOT!!!  Check out what an extra 10 pounds and a second pregnancy will do to your body!

welcome, 100, 101 and 102!

Wow this blog went from 99 followers to 102 in about 4 hours!  Welcome and thanks for reading!  You all make me feel so special! 

a simply sweet blog

If you like to look at sleeping babies and want to see a very creative mama check out http://milasdaydreams.blogspot.com/

Let me know if you liked it!!  I think my favorite was the one titled "UP" though I am sure Chris would love the Rocker one!

So cute...Christie don't you think she looks a little like Camryn?

ETA: Check it out, I have 99 followers!!!  Who will be number 100???  Thank you all for caring enough to read my ramblings!!!

1st OB apt today and 10 wk belly pic

So, Chris and I piled in our cars today and headed to the doctor's office.  We knew in advance that we should be hearing the heartbeat so there was some excitement and some apprehensiveness too.  After being thoroughly, examined my Dr brought out the doppler and began looking for lil spark's heartbeat.  She forewarned us that it might take a few minutes at this stage of gestation.  At first she was talking to us and looking....then she became more focused and started moving to different locations on my belly......she searched......and moved around some more......and then after 5 minutes of this she said, well I am not going to let you leave without hearing the heartbeat, lets get you an ultrasound.  At this point, I was gripping Chris' hand with death grip.  All those emotions from our "other" ultrasound kept creeping back into my heart.  I don't like ultrasounds, even though out of the 5 only one has been bad it was so bad and changed my life.  I just can't live through that again.

So, I threw on my clothes to then be lead to a waiting room with babies and largely pregnant women.  Chris did his best to distract me asking me random questions about work.  Thankfully, they called us back to the room in about 2 minutes that felt like 10 and I popped up on the table and the tech found the heartbeat right away.  That was a beautiful flicker and then the music to our ears' whoosh whoosh whoosh!!  171 beats per minute, and tears of pure joy!  She took a measurement and our lil spark is right on track exactly 10 weeks!!!  Thank the Lord for this baby.  So, here is lil spark again!  This time you can see the arm and a leg with a bent knee!!! I know it is just a blob, but it is so beautiful.  I wish the print out quality was as good as seeing it on the screen, much more detail there! 

 

Ok so here is sparkle from the outside, really should I be showing this early?

ok so i've got to introduce you to one more person!

Lil Spark!

Lil Spark is due February 18th and we would appreciate any prayers you can send our way.  It was a big relief to find out that there is only one little baby with one strong heartbeat growing in there right now.  We love our twins and would have loved to have those twins, but another set of twins would not have replaced them and this time we just want to be a normal, simple, healthy pregnancy.

Show us your life: Single Guys

Immediately, my mind said Matt K.  Girls beware this guy is a keeper.
Meet Matt: currently of Charleston, WV

I can't begin to describe how awesome this guy is!  Matt is as fun as that precious smile.  I met Matt through my husband.  They were fraternity brothers, Lambda Chi Alpha and also played music together in a band.

If you don't like fraternities then don't read any further, but keep in mind that Matt is not your typical fraternity guy.  He exclusively dated one girl through college, proving that he is commited when the girl is right, obviously she was right for forever!  He was the president of LXA and is still an active alumni.  Currently, he is living in Charleston, WV after just finishing grad school in Athens, OH and is working in sales for a radio station.  Did I mention that he has also lived in Greensboro NC (where we all went to UNCG together) and Brunswick, GA.  This guy seriously needs a the right girl to ground him to one location.  But no matter where he ends up he makes friends quickly and for life!

 

You might see this face once or twice if you ever meet him, he is always thinking up a fun new project, road  trips and outrageous schemes.  One included a 5' x 10' one food deep hole in my backyard, so that when we did the 75' long slip-n-slide that we wouldn't hurt ourselves in the shrubs, but instead splash into a muddy pool.  Dang I wish I could have found a picture of that! 

But, I did find our New Year's Eve tradition, cooking breakfast at 3am!  Yes, that's me shoving grits in my mouth! YUM! 

This guy is also a gentleman, his mama raised him right!  When he spends the night at our house he always leaves a little surprise, homemade lasagna, a case of some brew and strips the sheets from the bed putting them in the laundry room (what guy do you know that does that!?!).  

I can't mention Matt without mentioning his dog Roscoe.

I could keep going on and on because he is just THAT great of a guy.  

I will be giving him the link to this post so ladies bring it on!

ETA: I can't remember his exact age, but late 20's not quite 30!  

Thanks to Kelly's Corner for hosting such a wonderful event:  Click here for original blog

  

meet my new IRL friend!

the tale of two woman destined to become friends during the most difficult times:

This is Ashely.  Isn't she gorgeous?










We met online when we were both going through infertility and the common bond lead to finding out we had more in common than we would ever have dreamed.  It all started on the old trouble trying to conceive chat board, then we began reading each others blogs.  This was over 2 years ago.  Ashley was wicked excited when we announced we were having twins and continued to be a supportive friend, eventually we swapped emails and then we were really in trouble.  Who knew it would lead to this friendship we have today.  The emails led to text messages and then one day Ashely asked if it would be ok if she called me.  Thus started our once a week phone calls on our commutes home.  That first phone conversation was a whirl wind and I ended up sitting in my car in the drive way for an extra 30 minutes!

A couple of months later we realized that we would be within 2 hours driving distance of one another and we HAD to get together!  It couldn't have worked out more perfect that Charlotte was on their way to the beach and just so happened that it was on our way to the beach too! So.....

Here we are at Sticky Fingers, Ashely's husband's favorite restaurant that Chris and I had never been too!!  We ate great food, talked none stop and overall just had a great evening!  Our darling hubbies hit it off too!  Not that we were worried!

The picture with us all together was blurry, but that just means we have to get together again......and I just BOOKED FLIGHTS TO BOSTON for the end of August!!!!!!

Ash and Pat we are wicked excited and can't wait to see yall again!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ETA:  If you want to check out Ashley here is her lovely blog:  MAGMC