Half-way there {20 weeks!}

Picture from this morning, 8.25.11, 20 wks

It's the half-way mark and time is passing quickly! Baby Bird, sweet baby GIRL, is about the size of a small cantaloupe and weighs in at about 10.5 oz. The past two weeks I have felt more movement though it's still subtle. At this point I've felt her kick once for certain and possibly two times. She is still so small I question myself a lot on what I really felt. I'm feeling good but get achy during my work days from sitting so much. I enjoy the weekends more because I'm moving and my body actually feels better when I'm up and down opposed to always moving or always sitting. No real cravings that are constant just day to day preferences.

This weekend the crib comes in and Mom and Pop (Yaya and Papa) are bringing it to the house on Saturday. I think seeing the crib is going to make everything so real. I know seeing my growing belly is making this pregnancy real but having a crib in our house is just another step closer to reality that we have a little girl coming in January!

Billy and I are almost certain on the baby's name, about 98% there... Once we're 100% and I'm ready to embroider items (that sets everything in stone, ya know) then I'll document here. :)

And...here's a picture of 'my view' when sitting down lately. I'm definitely growing which means she is too! :)

The BIG Day {Boy or Girl}

Last Thursday we began our weekend with the scheduled gender ultrasound. I was so nervous and excited about finally finding out about our baby. At about 11:15 on August 18 we were in the dark room looking at our baby on the large televison screen in front of us. The tech was measuring the baby to get all the important information down for our Doctor. She asked if we wanted to find out what we were having and we said, YES! In a matter of minutes after her moving my belly around to get the baby to move she typed on the screen....GIRL. I was in shock because I was expecting to hear her say what the baby was, not type it. I had tears streaming down my face and totally forgot to look over at Billy to see his expression. I just knew in my heart it was a girl and finally to have someone tell me it was a girl...and more importantly a healthy baby girl, I was over the moon. Pure perfection. I think Billy was still in shock. :)

Driving to Doctors appointment

Waiting on Doctor to review the u/s with us

After our appointment we had lunch and then drove over to Avondale again to purchase the UGA bloomers I saw a couple weeks ago in one of the stores. We may be having a baby girl but she certainly will be decked out in her Daddys favorite team so they can cheer on the Bulldogs together properly next Fall. :) Next stop was Edgewood Bakery to pick out some cupcakes. I asked them if they could fill the center with some pink icing so when family had a bite, they would see what we were having. They were definitley yummy and we enjoyed them with each set of our parents (the grandparents) who were excited and shocked about our girl news.

PINK

They were shocked. Mom had surgery 2 days prior so she wasn't feeling well.

Jordan and Oana were with us on Skype

The day was so special because Billy and I saw our little girl, spent the afternoon by ourselves with our little secret dreaming about the future and preparing to share the news with family. I'm so thankful God chose us to be parents and we already love our baby girl SO much! Today I'm 19.6 weeks and about 2 days shy of my mid-pregnancy. I don't want to rush the coming months, there is a lot going on with the Fall and Holidays on the horizon but sure do count down the weeks until January is here!

Feeling like Christmas {the day is alllllmost here}

Today is the very last day of uncertainty of whether we are pregnant with a baby boy or baby girl. Tomorrow at 11AM Billy and I have our gender ultrasound. I feel like I’ve waited years for this even though it’s only been since May. I’m savoring the last moments of the unknown because once we know it’s time to plan, purchase and decorate.

Today we are 19 weeks. Baby Bird is the size of a large tomato measuring in about 6 inches long. In the past week I've felt the baby move at least once a day, usually at night. When I sneeze I usually get a rumble or a kick. I wish I could make myself sneeze more, ha! Feeling the baby ever so slightly is so wonderful. I'm looking forward to the weeks ahead when Billy will be able to feel from the outside.

I cannot wait to see him/her tomorrow and get a glimpse of lil' one moving around again. Our last ultrasound was week 9 so it’s been 10 long weeks without seeing my sweet baby. :)  I am not sure I’ll be able to sleep tonight. It feels like Christmas Eve!

Fun Friday {Week 17}

This past Friday morning Billy and I headed to the doctor. Each doctor’s appointment gets my nerves going and I cannot eat breakfast or sit still until the appointment is over. It is such anticipation to hear what the Doctor has to say after 4 long weeks. More importantly, awaiting the moment to hear the baby’s heartbeat once again. Baby Bird’s heartbeat this time was 135. I asked the Doctor if the old wives tales are true (lower the heartbeat=boy, higher heartbeat=girl) and she said no. She said the baby was most likely sleeping and if I walked around the office for a little bit and came back to check the rate, it would go up. We’ll see! I received a good report, have gained 7lbs total so far and we scheduled the gender ultrasound appointment! August 18, 2011 is the BIG DAY! Billy still believes this sweet baby is a boy and will be shocked but thrilled if it’s a girl. I still believe it’s a girl and will be totally shocked BUT elated if it’s a boy. So…next Thursday one of us is guaranteed to be in a bit of shock. :)

After our appointment we headed to Avondale/Riverside area where I used to live back in my single days. Ha. The shops are adorable and I thought it would be nice to finally EAT. I was so hungry and The Fox Diner sounded like the perfect spot. We had a big breakfast, talked about our exciting morning and planed out the rest of our day together. We Birds do love a good plan. After eating we went to a few of the shops, not knowing if this baby is a boy or girl saved my sweet husbands wallet. I wanted to purchase everything baby related that I saw!

Big breakfast goodness @ the Fox

Current Stats:

Size of baby this week – Onion

Bump – definitely showing
Weight gain – 7lbs

Food craving – none (I feel jipped I don’t have a weird food craving! No pickles and ice-cream combos going on here)

Days until gender u/s – 10!

Days remaining until we meet baby Bird – approx 156

And of course, a picture of my favorite boy! He has been so sweet and protective over me lately. He is definitely aware of the changes. I keep telling him he's going to be a big brother soon but I get this look...

Crib Love {spindle obsessed}

On Mother’s Day when Billy and I shared our exciting news with “Yaya and Papa” we jumped the gun a bit and decided to browse for cribs online. Instantly, I found a line of baby furniture that was love at first sight. Having detail on the crib and carved spindles were so important to me. I’m not sure why but I just love-love the look of spindles. We decided upon Young America, they make some really beautiful pieces.

Another big deciding factor was being able to use the crib with either a boy or a girl.  We'd like to use it for future children (Lord willing). I knew the white option was out… there was no way I wanted it to be too “pretty” incase we are blessed with a bouncing baby boy. Mom and I decided to look at the color options and the chili pepper red struck me, I loved it. I wasn’t too sure though because it’s so bold. Really bold. But I didn’t want to go down the normal “green and blue or green and pink” route (no offense to those who love those color schemes, I just was not envisioning it in our nursery).

Finally, Mom and I had an afternoon of decorating talks and had a plan of décor for either sex.  I’m so excited to say…my dream crib is on order!  I can totally envision this red crib in a boy’s room and my more-than-creative-momma has really great ideas for this pop of color if we’re having a baby girl. Annnnd, because I have the smartest little growing Bird in my belly, s(he) wanted me to give a shout out to the grandparents for the splurge…

Thank you, “yaya and papa” for my bed! I cannot wait to slumber in it this winter. From what mom tells me, it'll be the coolest crib on the block. :) 
Love, your favorite little Bird