Early Birthday Weekend

This weekend was a good one - everyone was in town and my parents organized an early BBQ birthday dinner (my favorite) with a beautiful birthday cake for dessert. I don't remember the last time I spent my birthday with the whole family, so it was special! We also got to take a family portrait, which is rare.

I love them

Thank you Mommy and Daddy for such a nice weekend and thank you sibs for being there!

Valentine's Day 2013

I got a surprise at work on Thursday - instead of the lobby receptionist calling me down to pick up delivered flowers, my valentine delivered them himself! Such a sweet surprise since I know how busy Robert is at work - I never would have expected it.

Robert made reservations at a new-to-us restaurant called Portola Kitchen and it did not disappoint - we will be going back again. This Valentine's Day was extra special and I can't wait until next year when we can celebrate the holiday as a little family. 
 
Thank you Robert for a wonderful day and night! Can't believe this is our 8th Valentine's Day together - I look forward to many more!

16 Weeks (4 Months)

How far along? 16 weeks 
Size: Avocado
Maternity clothes? I purchased a couple of shirts last weekend. Loving how long and comfortable they are.  
Symptoms: Nothing this week - feeling really good.
Sleep: Same as last week. Sleeping well with the occasional wake up on my back, but the Snoogle helps roll me back on my side. Robert's been snuggling my Snoogle lately...we're going to have to do something about that...
Best moment this week: There are a few. We picked up a couple of small decor items for the nursery last weekend which was really fun. I had dinner with a group of girlfriends on Tuesday. It was nice to catch up with the ladies and talk all things pregnancy related. Oh, and Valentine's Day - Robert is on point with the special holidays!

Worst moment of the week: Sadly, we lost Robert's cousin on Tuesday morning after a long battle with brain cancer. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family right now during such a difficult time.
Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss anything? Not at the moment
Movement: Nothing since my strange tap last week. I think in the next few weeks I will start feeling her/him.
Food cravings: I still like sweets. After making a batch of valentines day rice crispy treats <that were gone in two days, Robert helped> I made another batch with the leftover marshmallows and cereal. What is going on?
Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really - I gave up on spinach and started eating mixed greens. Salads are back!
Have you started to show yet: Yes - though I am much smaller in the mornings than in the afternoons. Here is a snapshot of each month I have been pregnant so far. It will be fun to look back on these one day.

My Gender prediction: Well, now I am kind of on the fence. I started thinking a lot of what-if's and thinking maybe girl. But this whole time I've thought it was a boy, so I just don't know what to think.
Labor signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Really in
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy (and pretty sappy, sorry Robert!)

Friday (early) morning, yawn

Looking forward to: Feeling the baby move. Since I don't feel very many symptoms these days, it will be fun to feel the baby play around in there. Also looking forward to seeing family this weekend - can't wait to see my nieces and nephew! They grow too fast.

Baby A, size of an avocado

What's the baby up to? 
Your baby hears external voices, sleeps and dreams. He/She has learned to breathe. This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest, inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid. More developed facial muscles may lead to various expressions, such as squinting and frowning.The baby can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault (weee).

Weekend (+ Monday)

I won wife points

Roberts other family

Indian lunch date

I turn around and see this

Cats don't need baths. You will pay for this.

Ah, better

Baby loves Mondays, yikes

Recipe here

15 Weeks

How far along? 15 weeks
Size: Naval orange
Maternity clothes? Nothing new, just the same two pairs of pants - although I haven't really needed to wear them since I use my Belly Bands and I am starting to wear more dresses. Robert would tell you I have no butt so as soon as I sit down I get saggy drawers.
Symptoms: Nothing! This week was pretty uneventful.
Sleep: Still using my Snoogle and trying to stay on my side throughout the night. When I first got my Snoogle that was really easy, but now I wake up a few times throughout the night and realize I am on my back.
Best moment this week: Monthly Paxti's date night with my main squeeze. Also, we had our 14 week appointment on Monday which was pretty quick. We heard a squirmy baby and a healthy heartbeat . The doctor mentioned the baby was hanging out over on the right side. Now I always wonder where he/she is in there!

He is in heaven

Worst moment of the week: It's been a pretty good week, so nothing to complain about :)
Have you told family and friends: Yes
Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach
Movement: I don't think so. I felt an unfamiliar tap earlier in the week, but it's still really early so it's hard to know what it was.
Food cravings: None
Anything making you queasy or sick: Still struggling with spinach salads.
Have you started to show yet: Yep - it fluctuates though. Last Tuesday was the biggest I've seen it, but since then it's been pretty small. Here is 15 weeks versus 10 weeks - I can tell the baby is moving up.

15 weeks

10 weeks

My Gender prediction: I had a dream last night we were having an ultrasound and the tech announced it was a girl. I was all alone and had no one to celebrate with. So strange! Still feeling like its a boy though.
Labor signs: No
Belly Button in or out? Really in. Kind of creepy.
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Very happy
Looking forward to: We scheduled our anatomy scan, so we will confirm the baby's sex in the middle of March. Even though we want to keep things gender-neutral, I think it will make registering a little easier. The gender neutral items still tend to lean either more boyish or girlish.

Baby A, size of a naval orange

What's the baby up to? 
Your baby's legs have grown longer than the arms and the body is now longer than the head. The bones and muscles are continuing to grow. He or she can move its arms and make a fist. You may begin to feel fluttering movements as baby kicks, twists and turns (!!). 
The ears are nearly in position, and the three tiny bones in his middle ear have begun to harden. By the end of the week, the roof of your baby's mouth will be completely formed. The fetus has an adult's taste buds and may be able to savor the mother's meals (hope he/she likes green juice).

Lately

Meet Beans, the baby Vizsla

We hung out. Everyone else watched the Superbowl.

Humping Robert for the 128973984th time

Baby's R Us gift bag..

So small!

Robert thought he spotted his CEO

14 Weeks

How far along? 14 weeks 1 day
Size: Lemon
Maternity clothes? A couple of new dresses for a wedding in May. Nothing new for day to day wear though - still wearing belly bands over my jeans which is working fine.
Symptoms: I am starting to feel (what I think is) round ligament pain. At this point the baby is making his way upward, so I think it's the pulling and stretching I am feeling.  
Sleep: Good, thanks to my Snoogle. I caught Robert watching TV with it the other day, hah! Lying on my back for extended periods of time can get uncomfortable so I am happy to have that huge pillow.
Best moment this week: I got my energy back and can stay up past 10pm. Also, I have been cleaning up around the house which I am loving. I feel a purge coming on - like, this weekend (I'd happily skip any super bowl party...). Can't wait to throw stuff away and organize everything. 
Worst moment of the week: The work week dragged on forever.
Have you told family and friends: Yes!
Miss anything? Nope.
Movement: I can't feel anything yet.
Food cravings: Thursday night I was craving sushi (I don't eat raw fish anyway, so I can still go out to sushi and eat normally). We don't have a cheap and good sushi place across the street like we did in SF, so our sushi consumption has been non-existent these days.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing in particular, but I did have a couple days of nausea earlier on in the week. Not sure what that was about.
Have you started to show yet: On Tuesday I seemed to have popped. I was sitting at my desk all day at work staring down and rubbing this foreign bump. It really does fluctuate though because yesterday I felt smaller than I've felt all week. Weird.

My Gender prediction: I don't think my prediction will change at this point: boy. In fact, I am so confident, I surprised Robert at work with a coffee from our unborn son. Creepy? Probably.
Labor signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Our doctor appointment on Monday - I have a million questions for the doctor.

Baby A, size of a lemon

What's the baby up to?
Your baby now is peeing into the amniotic fluid round itself (hmm) as well as making breathing movements (aw). With the effect of hormones, the boys now have a prostate gland. For girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen into the pelvis. During this week of pregnancy the cheekbones are visible and the head and eyebrow hair develops (eyebrows!).