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!