Bumpdate: Week 9

How Far Along: Nine weeks and around five days (I think?)

Total Weight Gain: I will go to the doctor next week and have an "official" measurement, but according to our bathroom scales I've gained a pound back!

Maternity Clothes: No maternity clothes yet, although I do see the need for some change in my work clothes. The clothes I wear to work our typically tailored and this is causing a bit of a problem! I also wear high waisted belts to work a lot and yesterday, the belt I had on over a dress was just the little snap kind. I was sitting in a meeting and took a big breath and POP!! Belt just shot right off!

Gender: Still no idea... but I'm getting pretty ready to know so I can start buying baby things!

Movement: Brandon's birthday was this week and after dinner we snuck into his clinic and had a little ultrasound. (Best perk of hubby being a resident EVER!) I couldn't believe how much the little guy/girl had grown!! We were just sitting there staring at it and all of the sudden its little arms started moving and legs started kicking! Obviously, I still couldn't feel anything but it was incredible to see! We videoed it with our iPhone and I can't stop watching it!

Sleep: I just want to sleep around the clock!!

What I Miss: Still food... How many weeks have I been saying this? I'm so hungry and I so miss all the yummy things I used to eat, but none of them sound good!

What I'm Looking Forward To: Excited about our appointment next Monday! For some reason, going to a doctor (other than Brandon) makes it feel a little more real. Next week I'm also flying to St. Louis to visit my bestest friend Sheridan and I'm kind of ridiculously excited about that! I had planned the trip to tell her in person, but there were a few extenuating circumstances that left me with no choice but to call her and tell her... so now instead of a big surprise, we're going to spend the weekend celebrating!!

Cravings: I still don't know that I have any cravings. I'm eating a LOT of potatoes - baked, mashed, fries, pretty much any form - but it's not because I'm dying for a potato, it's just because they are one of the few things that are safe to eat without getting sick.

Aversions: In addition to the never ending hatred of meat - blueberry bagels, orange juice and strawberries were sadly added to the list this week.

Other Crazy Symptoms: Still nothing crazy that I know of... well, that's a lie, but this isn't crazy to most people, just me... If for some reason you're a dude and your reading this, you might want to stop here. It isn't anything gross, it's just a little awkward... Up until a few weeks ago I could still wear my first bikini from middle school. I never need to buy a new sports bra and I could legitimately wear a training bra from the girls department. I am a huge advocated for the extra padding push up bra at Victoria Secret and it's alright with me, I'm not the least bit embarrassed. My chest is small but so is my waist, it's something I'm willing to live with! But in the last month, I've started to "blossom!" (That's such an awkward word and I find it hilarious!!) I've legitimately filled out my 32A and it's awesome! Ha! Sorry for over sharing, but if you were in my shoes, you'd be excited too.

Daddy Update: Brandon is still plugging along, picking up all the slack his sleepy wife is leaving. He was so cute on his birthday - he just told me all he wanted was to go see his baby. Melt my heart!

Best Moment of the Week: Definitely the ultrasound. Each one gets me more and more excited!

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

Bumpdate: Week 8

How Far Along: 8 weeks (Somehow failed to take a picture this week.)

Total Weight Gain: Last week the doctor's scales said I had gained three pounds. This week my appetite has been much more scarce and I've been sick more often than any other week... So, I lost those three pounds. Total: 0 lbs gained thus far.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but you won't catch me sitting for long in jeans with the button buttoned. Brandon thinks it's hilarious when I whisper to him, "Remind me when I get up from here to button my pants."

Gender: My mother made the official announcement this week that it's a girl, she's just sure of it... which probably jinxed it and it'll be a boy! I still do not have a feeling that leads me to think one way or another.

Movement: Nothing yet.

Sleep: Wanting it non-stop!

What I Miss: Food. I wish a steak sounded good... or chicken! I can't remember the last time I ate chicken! Right now I'm pretty much living on potatoes. I really am ready to have my appetite back and for food to sound good again.

What I'm Looking Forward To: I'm so ready for Baby King to be public knowledge!! We still have a few more people to tell and then we're going to open the flood gates! Hopefully, it'll be facebook official by Week 10.

Cravings: Not anything really. Cheetos. I really like Cheetos and I'm typically not a Cheetos fan. Other than that, nothing sounds too good.

Aversions: Same as always, meat. The only exception being Arby's Roast Beef sandwiches. Random things have also pushed me over the edge lately - orange juice, which I typically drink a glass of every morning, is out. Strawberries, earlier I was putting away a couple of pints a week, out. Sadly, my palette is getting smaller instead of larger!

Other Crazy Symptoms: Nothing too crazy this week, thankfully!

Daddy Update: Brandon is just taking such good care of me/us. I have stopped cooking because the smell gets me and I'm not hungry. I have stopped cleaning because I'm exhausted all the time. I have stopped doing laundry because I walk in the door, put on sweats and get in bed. I have stopped attempting to put up any of the seven Christmas trees... the list goes on and on and on. My precious husband has picked up all my slack. He cooks, he cleans, he does laundry... I am so incredibly grateful.

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

The Worst Kept Secret

Under normal circumstances, I am a very good secret keeper. I'm incredibly tight lipped - lock it up and throw away the key - but when it came to Baby King I couldn't shut my mouth! 

Telling Daddy:
So Brandon was coming home from being on night call the morning I realized that I was pregnant. I got up that morning and took a pregnancy test, feeling quite confident that there was no way I was pregnant. Turns out, I was wrong. I took the test and INSTANTLY the line showed up bright and bold. I honestly didn't really react. I just kind of stared at it and thought "no way." So I decided to hop in the shower, get ready and perform another test. (The whole time checking the original test every ten seconds as though it was going to change... It didn't.) The second test, again, instantly two bright lines. Wow. I couldn't get my head around it... I just didn't feel pregnant. 

Brandon came home and hopped straight in bed, I wasn't really even tempted to tell him because I wanted to do something more special then just hand him a pregnancy test... especially if I would have to wake him up, tell him and then turn around and leave for work. That didn't sound the least bit fun to me. So I waited...

I spent the day wracking my brain thinking of how to tell him. Long story short, I ended up doing a little secret crafting in my office. After work, I wrapped up my little project and we headed off to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Paseo Grill. I told Brandon that one of his presents came in and I wanted to give it to him early so that he could enjoy it all through the holidays. I handed him the gift and he happily obliged (He hates all my Christmas rules - no peeking, cheating, opening early, etc). He opened the box to find a little crown made of lace. He was a bit confused, but then I told him there was more in the box. He dug around until he felt something hard... He stopped digging, looked up at me and as soon as he saw my gigantic grin, he knew... We're having a baby! It was the most precious, genuinely happy, utterly shocked face I've ever seen. 

Telling the Grandparents:
We couldn't control our excitement through the holidays so we spilled the beans to our families on Christmas! We didn't do anything too extravagant, just wrapped a framed picture of the ultrasound and had them open it as their last gift. It was so much fun watching their reactions! Brandon's parents were so sweet and excited, but nothing compared to my parents' faces - complete shock!! Absolutely hilarious! 

Grandma Karen

 Grandpa Larry

 My parents - Still accepting grandparent name suggestions

In true Mama Shawna fashion, we told her she was getting a grand baby

and an hour later she comes out of the attic with a crib!! 

She bought it a few years ago because "you don't run across pretty antique cribs everyday!"

Be Blessed!

Raegan

Bumpdate: Week 7

How Far Along:  7 weeks and counting

Total Weight Gain: I had a doctor's appointment this week and according to their scales I've gained three pounds. I'm blaming it on my jeans, boots and jacket!

Maternity Clothes: Not yet...

Gender: Brandon says boy. My mom thinks girl. My mother-in-law hopes its a girl. I have no clue.

Movement: It's going to be a while.

Sleep: Yes. Sleepy? Yes. Sleeping non-stop? Yes. Naps? Yes. Falling asleep in awkward places? Yes. Falling asleep constantly? Yes. Sleeping through the night? Not even close! Go figure.

What I Miss: Eating without being completely grossed out. 

What I'm Looking Forward To: Surviving the first trimester and getting a little of my energy and appetite back.

Cravings: I'm not craving a thing. But I am eating a lot of Arby's roast beef sandwiches, Bagel Bites, Saltine crackers and chocolate almond milkshakes from Braums. That's really about all I can force myself to eat.

Aversions: I really didn't get "aversions" before this. I thought a pregnancy aversion was just food you weren't interested in - wrong! Currently, the sight, smell, thought of any type of meat or poultry literally gives me chills and instant nausea (SUPER odd as I am typically a very heavy meat eater). Unfortunately, everything kind of makes me nauseous - commercials advertising food, driving by a fast food restaurant, seeing Brandon eat food, anything that smells strong... You couldn't pay me to go in a grocery store. 

Other Crazy Symptoms: I hear this is normal, but it's crazy to me... Sometime during this week I grew in the area below my head and above my stomach. Umm, that hasn't happened to me EVER! And it's awesome.

Daddy Update: Daddy has been an absolute champ this week! I went back to work today and came home to a clean house, spotless kitchen, emptied dishwasher and folded laundry! I had a week and a half off for Christmas and I slept through the entire thing... our house was a wreck! Brandon has been so very sweet - he's brought me crackers, he's gone to the grocery store, he's handled pretty much everything (including a very whiney wife) and he's just smiled the entire time. I am so, so, so blessed.

Best Moment of the Week: We got to tell our families!! We had intended to wait until around 9-10 weeks but we couldn't pass up the chance to surprise everyone on Christmas. We wrapped sweet little frames with our itty bitty baby's ultrasound picture and let our parents open them as their very last present. It was so fun to see excited faces and I'm quite positive this will be one of our most memorable Christmases. I videoed my parents finding out and I'm going to do my best to upload it, as they were pretty darn cute and completely shocked. Definitely a fun week!

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

Bumpdate: Week 6

How Far Along: 6 weeks and 5 days

Total Weight Gain: 0 lbs

Maternity Clothes: None so far however I feel like all my clothes are tight (I'm thinking it's just in my head but maybe not?)

Gender: No clue.

Movement: None unless you could the massive amount of stomach growling...

Sleep: Soooo sleepy! My eyes pop open right at about 5:30 to 6am but my body wants to sleep for at least another hour or so.

What I Miss: Randomly this week I've been missing chili cheese coneys from Sonic... My doctor said no hot dogs which usually wouldn't be any big deal because I'm not a huge fan, but of course, now that I know I can't have it I realllllly want one.

What I'm Looking Forward To: This week is Christmas and that means we get to tell our families!! I cannot wait to tell my parents...

Cravings: No super strong cravings. I'm just hungry pretty much all the time. I've been eating a lot of chicken noodle soup as I haven't been feeling as well as I did last week. And fruit! Bananas, apples, pineapple - I've been putting those away like its my job.

Aversions: The aversions have definitely arrived. Spice rubbed pork tenderloin. It literally pains me to type the words I'm so grossed out by it. I made this last week when my college girlfriends all got together for dinner and about one bite in, I was entirely over it. Brandon, on the other hand, loved it and decided we should make it for Christmas with his dad. So out house has now smelt like it twice, I've had to look at it twice and every time I open the fridge I make sure not to look at the left overs. I could lose my lunch just thinking about it. Ewwww.

Other Crazy Symptoms: About two seconds after I realize I'm starting to get hungry, I start feeling absolutely terrible. I have yet to actually throw up from this pregnancy (I might have thrown up earlier this week but it had to do with my ridiculous gag reflex caused by food textures and eating something that felt cold and squishy) but I've come disgustingly close multiple times. It is pretty much my goal in life to keep some food in my stomach at all times so that I don't ever feel hungry.

Daddy Update: The sound of the little heartbeat made it much more real. Brandon also learned the hard way that Doctor Daddy isn't very fun. Trying to comfort me while knowing the odds and all the things that can go wrong left him in a difficult position. From now on we are going to try our best (and by "our" I mean "my") to only consult Brandon on daddy issues and leave the doctoring up to Dr. Moore. 

Best Moment of the Week: There were two really good moments this week. The first one came after being scared so it was more of a relief than a happy time. I had some spotting this week which made me a little nervous and just in case you aren't aware of what "a little nervous" can turn into when combined with pregnancy hormones, let me sum it up for you - completely paranoid psycho crying female. I called our doctor and he very sweetly met us on a morning his clinic was closed and did an ultrasound. It turned out that everything was just fine (still not sure what caused the bleeding) and we got to see Baby King for the first time! "Tiny" is an understatement! His/her little heart beat was the very best sound I've ever heard! I didn't cry or really even react at all because honestly I was just completely overwhelmed with relief. I just laid there, holding Brandon's hand and listened. The fact that the little bitty teeny-tiny dot on the screen was our baby and it had a heart that was beating just like it was supposed to was absolutely amazing. God is so good to us.

This week we got to tell my cousins - Casey, Lyndsey, Levi & Callie. They stopped by our house on their way to the Sullivan Family Christmas Concert and it was just too perfect of an opportunity to pass up! Everyone was standing in our kitchen and I asked if they could keep a secret. It took a little bit but we finally determined that they were safe to tell... I sat the picture of our little ultrasound on the counter and their faces were absolutely priceless! It is such a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by people who you know are so genuinely happy for you that they literally are smiling from ear to ear and hugs and high fives are being passed out like candy. This little miracle is already loved so very much! 

Baby King's 1st Picture!!

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

1 Samuel 1:27-28