Pics from our Galveston vacation!

Firsts...

The past week has been a week of a few firsts....

First time Ras has enjoyed a beach vacation (in utero that is)...

First time Ras experienced an Astros game (in utero)...

First time I got sick from eating too rich of food (Landry's seafood was momentary bliss then...yuck!)...

First time Ras caught a fish with mommy (again in utero)...

First cry over not having clothes that fit (very hormonal morning apparantly)...

And last but not least....

First time I felt baby move!!!

Yes, it's true...I have been feeling what I am quite positive is little Ras moving for about a week now! I only feel something like once to twice a day and some days I haven't felt anything at all. I have felt it mostly in the same spot over and over on my right side, which is also exactly where the doc always finds the baby's heartbeat on the Dop tone. It is this little flutter/twitching feeling...feels somewhat like gas but uniquely different. It's quite amazing!!! I can't wait until I can feel the baby moving all the time...and even more so until Jay can feel it too!

Needless to say, this week has been quite eventful and exciting for us! And I found out a date was set for my baby shower...July 27th! Some precious women at First Colony will be hosting a baby shower for us...I feel so blessed and can't wait...how fun!

Pics of the week to come later...can't download them onto Jay's work computer which is our only internet access this week!

Although I am actually 15 wks today...here is what was happening with me last week since I never posted it:


Your fetus now measures about 4.1 to 4.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs about 1.75 ounces. Its body is covered by an ultrafine hair, called lanugo, which is usually shed by birth. Eyebrows and hair on the top of the head are beginning to grow and his bones are getting harder. He may even be sucking his thumb by now. Your uterus can probably be felt about three to four inches below your navel.

My Jay

Yesterday Jay and I celebrated 4 years of marriage! Wow...it went by so fast! It must be true that time flies when you are having fun! It is such a blessing to be married to someone you can have fun with and being married to Jay has been a blast! There is never a dull moment with him, we giggle and goof off all the time. I can't wait to see him with our children, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it! He is an awesome husband...and I am convinced he is going to be an amazing dad! Kids love him because he is like one of them but crazier and bigger! But he's not just fun, he is a true servant, has such a tender heart, is so thoughtful and loyal, walks with the utmost integrity, is a wonderful provider and a fierce protector. He actually reminds me a lot of my dad! Funny how that worked out! =) And they both remind me a lot of my heavenly Father...what an awesome tangible example of God's love for His children!

All that to say...I am so blessed and honored to be able to bring a child into the world with Jay...I love him and baby Ras does too!

By the way...

At the prompting of Betho...I have changed the setting so that now you non-bloggers can comment w/o having to create an account! So now there is nothing to hold ya back! =)

2nd Trimester Begins...Woo Hoo!

This week marks the first week of my second trimester! Yeah! I feel like we've hit a big milestone...in actuality we have, the baby's most critical period of development is successfully behind us! At first I was just counting down until the first trimester was over...now what I am looking the most forward to is finding out the sex of the baby. We still have about a month before we can find out! Jay and I both have a strong feeling it's a boy, so does some of my other family...we will see! Although we think it's a boy, we don't have any preference as to what the sex is, we just want a healthy baby.

The majority of my clothes are now officially tight or not fitting! Which is kind of fun but kind of frustrating too...I am still to small for maternity clothes. I borrowed some expanders for my pants from my cousin Shelley and I am hoping those will help bridge the gap...at least in the pants department. Shirts still fit...if they are long enough, b/c of the awkward stage I am in, they have to cover my zippers. Thankfully I have some work clothes that are a size bigger than what I was wearing when I got pregnant and so my tummy fits in those, but they still look big on my legs and behind! It's interesting getting dressed these days! I am ready for the end of this month...a pregnancy book I have says by then my belly will look more pregnant and less like the leftovers of a large lunch!

So here's what's going on with us this week:

Your baby measures about 3.2 to 4.1 inches from crown to rump and weighs almost an ounce. The ears are shifting from the neck to the sides of the head, and the neck is getting longer and chin more prominent. Facial features and unique fingerprints are all there. Your baby is beginning to respond to outside stimuli. If your abdomen is poked, the fetus will try to wriggle away. You're probably wearing maternity clothes - or at least looser fitting ones -- now. Your skin and muscles are starting to stretch to accommodate your growing baby and you may be constipated since pregnancy hormones relax the bowel.

Video of baby and update at 12 wks!

We got to see our precious baby today! As you will see in the video, Ras was moving all around just like last time, but this time we got to actually see fingers, legs, arms, and a profile of the baby's face...Ras looks like a baby now instead of a blurry blob! We also got to hear the amazing swooshing of the heart beat...twice! We heard it once during the ultrasound and then again with a Dop Tone. I've gained 5 pounds so far in the pregnancy, and the doc said she could feel a little bump! I asked her if my bump was due to weight gain or was a legitimate bump...I was getting worried that I am starting to show already! She normalized the bump and said even women who haven't gained yet start getting a little bump around this point and can't close their pants! That's me!!!

I won't have another ultrasound until between 18 and 20 wks, which is when they will do the anatomy scan and tell us the sex of the baby! Can't wait!!! I am 12 wks, going on 13...which by the way is the last week of my first trimester! Woo hoo!

Here's what is taking place with us this week:

Your fully formed fetus, now in about its 11th week of development, measures 2.6 to 3.1 inches from crown to rump and weighs between half an ounce and seven-tenths of an ounce -- about the size of a peach. The head is still disproportionately bigger than the body, but the rest of the body is starting to catch up. In fact, your baby is growing rapidly these days. The face is starting to look more human, with eyes moving closer together. Toes and fingers are clearly separate, and ankles and wrists have formed. External genitalia are becoming visible. Intestines are shifting into their proper place, too. Your uterus is filling your pelvis now and starting to grow upward into your abdomen. It probably feels like a soft, smooth ball. If you haven't put on weight yet because of morning sickness, you'll begin to now as you start to feel better.

Pics of baby 12 wks!

baby's legs!

baby's fingers!

profile of baby's face, right hand sticking up, left hand touching sweet little button nose!

another profile of baby's face, left arm seems to be just behind the face.

pic of the whole babe! left arm touching face, right arm down the side.

Just the sweetest baby in all the world!!!

This week...

Still tired but a little better than last week! Some coworkers of mine pointed out to me that they could see a little baby bump, that was pretty fun! Other than that...no new news!

Here's what's going on with our precious little one this week:

Your baby now measures about 2.5 inches from crown to rump and weighs between three-tenths of an ounce and half an ounce. It is fully formed, from tooth buds to toenails. Your baby's job now is to continue to grow big and strong. With the most critical time in your baby's development behind you, the chance of miscarriage drops considerably after this week. Nausea and energy start to improve but occasional headaches, dizziness and fatigue from hormone changes may be present. If it's your first baby, you still could be wearing loose-fitting clothes, but if you've had other pregnancies, you most likely are back in maternity clothes. The typical weight gain by now is about three to five pounds. Fathers-to-be might also experience pregnancy symptoms, called couvade or "hatching," during the third month and at delivery, including nausea, abdominal pain, appetite changes and weight gain.

Growing belly!

flat belly at 5 wks....
















baby bump starting at almost 12 wks!