Happy New Year!

Things I am looking forward to in 2010: (Too many to count really)

1.) Number one and most exciting: Meeting our baby in late April/ early May! We can't believe we are only 4 months away from meeting you baby! We already love you so much and can't wait!
2.) Learning to become a family of three, adjusting to being parents and all of the "firsts" that we will have with our child in 2010.
3.) Maternity leave! Three months off during the perfect months in Colorado May, June, and July! Yay! I can't wait to take long walks in the park with our new angel! Vinny is excited about the walks too! Also, gardening, summer evenings, yay!
4.) All of the holidays with our child. Can't wait!
5.) All of the wonderful trips to introduce our newest member of the family that we will be taking-including NY, Philadelphia, TX and maybe more!

We have had a great year and I can't wait to start this new year, it could be the most memorable yet!

The Nursery

Here are some updated photos of the nursery. We got our nursery glider and I love it. It is so comfortable and soft :) Still need items on the walls and a tiny table next to the glider :). Also, still need to get baskets for the changing table and our nursery bedding. Take a look! The pictures don't really do it justice.

Christmas Decor

Here are some pics of my Christmas Decor on ths inside of the house :) I will post pictures of the Christmas lights soon!

Thanksgiving (a little late)

Here are some pics from Thanksgiving in Houston. We had a great time! I have been out of town AGAIN for work in Delaware part of this week and so I am finally catching up :) Happy Holidays!

Pregnancy Survey

How far along? Almost 20 weeks

How big is Baby? About 11 oz. (As big as a banana by week 20, they say)

Total weight gain/ loss? About 5 lbs gained.

Maternity clothes? Yes, a necessity obviously if you have seen the belly in the photos :)

Stretch marks? No, thank goodness. Let's hope it stays that way.

Sleep? I require about 10 hours per night. With the cold that I am still battling, I have been waking up 3 times every night.

Best Moment this Week? Seeing Baby Albano on screen for an hour and finding out that everything so far looks normal.

Movement? Yes, especially when laying down. I think I should feel more in the coming days. :)

Cravings? I really like ice cream, popsicles, still love fruit, no real new cravings lately.

Gender? Anyone's guess. It is in a drawer in an envelope in our home. :)

Belly button in/ or out? In still. Thank goodness.

What I am looking forward to? Meeting Baby Albano in May and kissing those cute toes I saw on screen on tuesday.

Five Fingers

A cute baby hand (and I think some bent legs) :)

Baby Legs :)

Cute little legs from above.

More ultrasound

This is the view from above--top of the head and legs curled up together.

Ultrasound!

Here is the side profile. :) Cutie.

20 week Ultrasound

I just got back from a business trip to Delaware and Philadelphia. What an exhausting trip! Glad to be home! We had our 20 week ultrasound this afternoon. It was so fun to watch the baby for so long--we got to stare at our little girl or guy for an hour! :) We of course didn't find out the sex, but asked that it be placed on a piece of paper inside an envelope (which is now in our drawer). The dr. said the baby was very cooperative in showing his or her gender and she is quite sure of what she wrote. :) We will open this after the baby is born...but will tempt ourselves until that day knowing it is in our home. :)

Everything looked normal and healthy and on-track. Baby Albano was active but didn't allow a lot of side profile shots. I guess he or she may be shy (or scared of ultrasound waves). We saw fingers and toes (all looked to be normal), a "beautiful" spine per the doctor, cute little knees and feet, etc. I will post some pics tomorrow. Hope all is well. We are surviving the arctic temps here in Denver--hoping it will warm up soon. I think currently the temp is 0 degrees at 5:14 pm. Seriously, what the hell.

Update

Thought I would update everyone on the pregnancy. We are almost into our 20th week of pregnancy! We have our big ultrasound next tuesday--although, we aren't finding out what we are having, but it will be so fun to see the baby again onscreen. :) I have been feeling pretty good, aside from a cold that I have been battling. You never realize how nice over the counter medications are until you can no longer take them due to pregnancy :) We are moving along quite well as far as preparations for baby. We got our crib mattress, diapers, wipes, more adorable clothes (thanks Ellen and Dom!), etc. The nursery is almost fully functioning. Newest cravings include: mint chocolate chip ice cream :) Mmmmm I love it.

We will post pictures of thanksgiving and the ultrasound soon! We had a great time in Texas with family over the break! Love to all!

As Thanksgiving Approaches...

I realize how much I have to be thankful for. I am SO thankful for this beautiful baby in my tummy and for my ridiculously wonderful husband. Who would have thought you could have a soulmate who understood EVERYTHING about you. and who is SO excited to meet his child that he can barely see straight. I am so thankful for my fantastic friends and my wonderful parents who love me so much. I am so thankful this baby will have two sets of amazing grandparents to love and spoil him or her. I am so thankful for my brilliant and adorable doggy Vincent. I am so thankful for my sister, and my wonderful grandparents, including the one in heaven who I feel is watching me everyday. I am so thankful for my parents in-law, who love and support us everyday. As the holiday approaches, I can't believe how much I have to be thankful for.

What to Expect in Week 18

I can't believe we are less than three weeks away from being 20 weeks along and are almost halfway done! :) This baby is growing a lot. I am feeling much better and only get sick in the morning now. My appetite has returned, and maternity clothes are now a must as the belly gets bigger. We spent the weekend trying to find some decent maternity clothes. The nursery is coming along. Brandon finished the crown moulding and the light fixture. We also finished our Christmas decor a little early this year. I will post pictures soon. In the meantime, here is an update on our little one:

Head to rump, the baby is about 5 1/2 inches long and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born.

Nursery Progress

With my wonderful family's help (Thanks Mom, Dad & Meg), we got the changing table put together (Thank you Grandpa Dominick and Ellie-Bubbie) and also got the crown moulding and chandelier hung today. The moulding still needs to be painted (It is primed) and the extra cord and chain on the chandelier still needs to be cut off (it is wrapped around the top for now), but we made great progress. My dad and husband even put a dimmer on the chandelier. The chandelier is precious-I love it. The moulding looks awesome. Thanks everyone for your help! We couldn't have done it without you.

Update

Just wanted to update everyone as to the pregnancy (and all things baby). Everything is going very well-no problems and the baby is very healthy so far. The nursery is coming along great. I will post pictures later on today or tomorrow, as today we are putting up the chandelier and crown moulding with my parents help. Thanks mom and dad! I am excited to make some progress. We put together the crib last weekend and got an excellent deal on a changing table. Now, we only need the glider and a small table to go with it for the lamp. I found the imfamous snowman bedding and it is precious. My adorable niece Kayelyn will be breaking it in for the baby when she comes in December-so we will need atleast a semi-functional nursery.

We toured St. Joseph's Hospital, Rose Medical Center and Mountain Midwifery Center this weekend. We really liked all three and now just need to make our decision on where I will deliver.

On the morning sickness front, things are going a bit better. Depends on the day. I feel much better in the mornings and I am usually exhausted and in bed by 8 pm. I can eat pretty normal food throughout the day until evening hits when all I want is honey bunches of oats. :) I am excited to begin feeling the baby move-although as I laid in bed the other day I did feel a little flutter, and think maybe I have already had an introduction to my sweet baby's kicks.

We are beginning to get the house atleast semi-ready for Christmas, because with my low energy levels, it may take several weeks LOL. This includes a white 4 foot Christmas tree for the baby's room, which I will put up today after the renovations are complete.

Hope everyone is well. Love, Becky

Week 16: What to Expect

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he is about the size of an avocado, 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. Many women feel the baby move this week.

Our snow baby!

I have always wanted Christmas bedding for my future baby. Well, today is the day I am going to make it happen. I woke up with the goal to find cute Christmas bedding and look what I found! this snowman bedding at PB Kids (quilt and crib sheet--not sure about the bumper) will join my collection of baby items today whether I can get it in store or have to order it online. :) We will find out when the mall opens. :)

What to Expect: Week 15

Our growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces, about the size of an apple. He is busy moving amniotic fluid through his nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in his lungs begin to develop. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all of his joints and limbs. The baby can sense light and is even forming taste buds!

Snow Snow Snow

Here are some pictures of the snow we have gotten over the last few days. As of last night, it still hadn't stopped. The weather is supposed to improve this weekend for Halloween!

Snow Day!

Denver has been in the midst of a snow storm, with accumulations being measured in feet not inches :) Most things are closed today and we are working from home. Everyone is safe and warm. Vinny is very happy to have us both home again today. The snow is absolutely beautiful and getting us all ready for the holiday season. Baby Albano is enjoying things too because his mommy gets to work from bed :)

Update: Nursery

We are starting the nursery this week. We have the room cleared out and Brandon will begin painting today. Wish I could help! Our crib will be delivered in about a week! Early I know, but I am so excited to see it. Thank you mom, grandma & Meg :) Here is a link: http://www.rhbabyandchild.com/rhbc/catalog/category/category_sub_w_products.jsp?categoryId=rhbc_cat101070&navAction=jump&link=link=ci_rowan_cribs&cm_re=CI-_-CategoryImage-_-RowanCribs

We are painting the room Silver Sage from Restoration Hardware. http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1048015&navCount=1

Brandon will put white crown moulding up and we are installing a chandelier in the middle of the room. If the baby is a boy, hopefully he can appreciate the pretty chandelier anyway because his mommy likes it :)

Will update as soon as we make more progress.

Week 14

This week's big developments: The baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. In other news: the baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches, about the size of a lemon and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells.

Happy Birthday Missy!

To the best Sister (and mom to my beautiful nieces) that I know. Hope you have a great day! I love you.

12 Week Ultrasound

We had our 12 week ulstraound today. Everything looked good so far and the baby was super active! It was so cool to see our little Baby Albano moving around so much. Heartbeat was 167. Take your guesses as to the gender! We still aren't sure :) I guess we will find out May 2, 2010.

Our Little Peach

As the first trimester comes to an end, the baby is about the size of a peach. Fingerprints have formed on the baby's tiny fingertips, his veins and organs are clearly visible through his still-thin skin, and his body is starting to catch up with his head — which makes up just a third of his body size now. The baby is three inches long.

Update: Our ultrasound was moved to Monday of this coming week. We should have those pictures up soon! I am feeling a bit sick again, yesterday was a rough day. Still craving mostly fruit and smoothies (love Jamba Juice). I have also been more EXHAUSTED lately than even before. I am hoping as the end of the first trimester nears, the symptoms will decrease. In the meantime, we are starting to get ready for baby's arrival here at the Albano house and are SO excited! We can't wait to see our little baby on that ultrasound screen tomorrow. I have a trial starting tuesday, so let's hope this baby lets mom have some energy atleast through thursday. :)

Holiday Baby!

One of the most exciting things about having kids is sharing holidays with the kids as they grow. Brandon and I LOVE holidays. I couldn't resist the Babies R Us Holiday section for our little Baby Albano's first holidays in 2010. I especially LOVE the santa suit.

Heartbeat.

Yesterday, we got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time. I am not sure there has ever been a sweeter sound to Brandon and I's ears. :) On friday, we get to do the 12 week ultrasound. We are so excited. This time our baby should look more like a baby and less like a peanut! We will post pictures soon!

What to Expect: Week 12

By now, the baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements so he can eat someday, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells. Soon, the first trimester will be over!

Developments...

Well, for those of you who are wondering about any pregnancy developments, I thought I would update you. I am starting to feel a bit better and my appetite has increased slightly. I still eat A LOT of fruit (especially watermelon and apples), love claussen pickles (although that isn't much of a change from before I was pregnant), and really love the croissant turkey cranberry sandwich from Racine's Restaurant. :) I have also been eating a lot of cream of wheat.

I do not particularly like italian food, mexican food, or chinese food right now except for very particular things.

I am not showing really at all yet and still wearing my normal clothes. We have our next doctors appointment on October 12 and our next ultrasound October 23. We are excited to see the baby again onscreen. Also, just so you know, we are not going to be finding out what we are having (we want a delivery surprise).

I am still EXHAUSTED and not a huge fan of restaurants or the food network! I am able to go to some restaurants, but am pretty picky about which ones because several restaurants that I have always loved make me queasy just thinking about them. I am hoping to get some energy back soon as I am falling behind on housework! We are trying to use this weekend to get caught up.

Hope all is well with everyone. We are very excited that we are soon approaching the end of the first trimester and are closer to meeting our little Baby A!

-Becky

What to Expect: Week 11

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. His hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under his gums, and some of his bones are beginning to harden. He's already busy kicking and stretching, and his tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as his body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

The Cutest Baby Stuff

Grandpa Dominick and Grandma Ellie (Ellie-Bubbie) bought the baby the CUTEST baby items from Restoration Hardware Baby. Thank you! They bought us a Moses Basket (and stand-not pictured), wash cloths, towel, toy giraffe and cow. They also got us the most adorable cow mobile. This is one spoiled baby!

Labor Day Weekend (A Little Late)

We went to Vail and had a great time. We had fondue, ate at a lot of great places (thank goodness this trip was before I started hating everything except watermelon), and stayed at a great hotel. I even saw Ryan Sutter (from the Bachelorette) at his firehouse. :)