Avocado {16 weeks!}

Today our baby Bird is about the size of an avocado. As I wait for each monthly doctor's appointment in such anticipation the days seem to move slowly BUT in reality the weeks truly are flying by! It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that I was taking pregnancy test after pregnancy test to confirm our dream was now reality! In just a few more weeks we'll be half-way through.

I'm feeling great with the exception of dizziness and being so tired after working all day. Shopping this past weekend wore me out! Shopping has never worn me out; I'm usually good to go allll day and night when it comes to buying things. :)  Overall, the past 16 weeks have been flawless and easy (crossing fingers and praying this continues). About 8 more days and I get to hear the little one's heartbeat again!

Time to shop {maternity style}

This past weekend my favorite guy took me shopping. I'm past the point of trying to use a hair tie to keep my pants together and the bella band isn't working as well as I had hoped. We decided to go to Motherhood to find a few things. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was a little surprised to find a simple tee to accommodate a growing belly could be $30. Say, what? We picked up a few things that I thought were cute but I think I'll online shop for some deals to get me through the rest of this warm weather. Paired with some basics my mom bought me last week, I think I'm in okay shape for now.

After shopping we topped of the day with dinner and a movie. We went to see the final Harry Potter movie, which I loved. I am debating on reading the series now that I have seen the movies. J.K. Rowling is so incredible to me. The fact that she had this story or idea in her head and it has built over the years to a world wide loved story is so inspiring. If you haven't watched Harry Potter or read the books I suggest you do, it's a fun series.

Drum roll, please {belly pictures}

About 24 more days until we find out if baby Bird is a boy or a girl. Time is moving quickly but also feels like it is dragging to get to this point. We are still struggling with settling on the perfect girls name, we just can't seem to agree right now. The boys name has been decided since we were just dating and we both still really like the name so there is no problem there. Billy thinks the baby is a boy since we can't seem to agree on a girls name. I think this baby is a girl, we'll see...

I decided it's probably time to document a belly picture. Here's my 8 week picture and my 14.5 week (today) picture. I probably should have edited these photos first...I guess I'll just post the all natural side of me. :)

 8 weeks

14.5 weeks

Check up {a strong 145 heartbeat}

Today we are 13 weeks, 6 days in our 2nd trimester. Time is moving quickly and for that I am thankful! A few days ago, July 8, Billy and I headed to the doctors office again for another check up. I must say waiting a month between checking on our baby Bird is. not. easy.! We saw a new doctor to the practice and really liked her. When it was time to hear the heartbeat she was moving the Doppler around on my belly. She would say, "do you hear him, he's right here" and continued to call the baby a "him"... hmmmm, I might need to rethink all these girl dress purchases I've been making! We are more than ready to find out what we are having but it looks like we will have to wait until August 12th (or around that time). Our next appointment is August 5th but that is about a week shy of them allowing us to do the u/s to find out the baby's sex. So until then, we will try to wait patiently for the next month.

Other news in the Bird house of recent is Oliver is such a momma's boy lately! I really think he knows or can sense something is going on with me. He's so sweet but that hair shedding is becoming more frustrating as we think of bringing a baby home. I must find a solution, maybe give him a summer cut (all year long) and vacuum daily? I have no idea but we'll figure it out.  I'm starting to seriously outgrow my pants. The hair tie solution is working for now with long shirts but I think it's almost time to give it up and find comfy clothes. I'm not really showing yet, just a bump, enough to stop the zipper from moving to the top.  My appetite is back so that means I'm cooking again, I know my man is excited about that! :) 

And I can't post without a picture of some sort. Here's one Billy took as we waited for the Doctor to come in the room so we could hear our sweet baby! :)

First trimester update {a little of how we are passing the time}

Today my baby app on the iPhone tells me I have 191 days to go (is that all!?). Time is passing quickly but 191 days (I realize this is a very approximate number) seems like a lifetime away before I can meet my little Bird.

Billy and I enjoy a love of traveling, even if it's a quick weekend getaway we definitely go when we can. While I am days away from entering my second trimester (yay!) I wanted to document a little of what we have been up to during the first trimester. Aside from morning sickness the past 3 months have been pretty great. Oh and due to being so tired my laundry room is screaming come in here and get these clothes cleaned and folded. I figured if I rest at all, now is the time. :)

 ATL Bound

 Stone Mountain, GA

 Top of the Rock - Stone Mountain

 Cable car ride up, it was soo hot!

 Cheezin' in front of SM

The last picture is a beach day for the July 4th weekend. We love the beach and can't wait to take little Bird next summer! As for baby bump pictures, I have taken one at 8 weeks and another at 12 weeks (this week is 12-13 wks). I will upload eventually but there is not much to see at the moment but a little bloated and not so flat tummy.

Food cravings recently: mashed potatoes, green beans, yogurt, banana's, peanut butter, french fries, orange juice and lots of milk. I usually do not drink milk so we are going through it more than usual. I have not been able to eat/stomach the thought of or smell sausage. Ickk! I always want Subway and I'm not supposed to eat lunch meat unless heated (who wants a hot sub? not me). My energy is slowly coming back and at the end of the week we will enter the 2nd trimester and go to our 2nd appointment with our new Doctor. I cannot help but count down the weeks/days until Christmas vacation because I will be off and ready for baby Bird. So, I have approximately 23 weeks left of work. :) Don't judge me for counting down, you would too! :)

I'm so thankful for a pretty smooth (so far) pregnancy and a wonderful husband who has more than picked up his fare share of house duties when I wasn't feeling so great. I cannot end this post without saying that I recently felt my first tummy butterflies, I KNOW it was the baby. Some would say it was gas but nope, this was defintiely flutters and it has happend a few times since. So exciting! God has been so good to us!