19 Weeks Wednesday

Well today marks 19 weeks for me and our baby boy and nothing much to report! We got a few things for the baby in Maryland which was exciting. My favorite was actually something intended for Connor. Dan and Marisol got him this hat, but it wouldn't fit his little head. So silly, but so cute...

I'm still off on Christmas vacation and so enjoying the family time and holiday gluttony. So far we've done Christmases 1, 2 and 3 and we're off to Boone tomorrow for number 4. Christmas recaps to come. Also, I can't wait for the 20 week belly shot next week.

It's a Boy!!

Yay! The news is finally public. Our anatomy ultrasound last Wednesday revealed Baby O is a little boy and we couldn't be more thrilled. I have a lot of respect for people who wait to find out the sex. It was hard to wait to 18 weeks - I can't imagine waiting another 22 weeks! Now I can officially start planning for the nursery and registry.

Money shot - embarrassing for teenage Baby O, but I can't help myself...

We told my family I was pregnant in person, so I really wanted to make the gender reveal fun for Jimmy's family. Both sides of the family have Christmas traditions that I could easily adapt, so that's what we did. 

Jimmy's Mom's House/Mom, Kelly, Spencer &  Kevin Reveal

Martha's tradition is hiding a pickle ornament for us "kids" to claw at each other to find. The person who finds the pickle, gets an extra gift. For our spin on her game, we hid an ornament that said "It's a Boy". I  kind of think Martha cheated and knew where it was because she mysteriously dropped bottom left awfully fast...

Jimmy's Dad's House/Dad, Marisol & O'Connor Extended Family Reveal

The O'Connor tradition consists of a big dinner and the "Grab Bag" game, aka Dirty Santa, White Elephant, etc. It's always a hoot with all the aunts, uncles and cousins. Well for a twist, we wrapped up an envelope containing the baby's gender with one of our gifts from the $5 bin at Walmart - the movie Babe. I secretly pointed out "the" package to Kevin, Kelly and Spencer, so they could let someone else open it and make the big reveal. Well, the game lasted so long that Kevin forgot which one "the" package was - thankfully he made quite a production out of it for everyone.

18 Weeks - 1 Day Late

Yesterday marked my 18th week AND the anatomy ultrasound! We're surprising Jimmy's family with the gender tonight and tomorrow night, so I must keep it a "blog" secret for the moment.

I can say, however, that mom and baby O are both super healthy. It's such a relief to know that everything looked good in the ultrasound. Now we hunker down and think positive thoughts for a great rest of the pregnancy, safe delivery and wailing baby!

Below are a few iPhone pics - 3D face shot and little footsies. We're in love...

17 Weeks Wednesday

This last week has been an exciting one to say the least. I woke up Monday feeling more achey and sore in my lower belly than I had been. I thought, "things" (ligaments, muscles, etc) must just be starting to stretch more rapidly. No biggie.

Then early Tuesday morning, maybe around 5:30am, I was laying in bed unable to fall back asleep when I felt the baby move for the first time. It was so unbelievably magical - a feeling like nothing before. Just a quick flutter.  The rest of Tuesday morning I didn't feel anything, but when I was on my lunch break sitting in my car at a traffic light listening to Christmas music, I felt the baby again. This time it felt like a "goldfish swimming inside my belly", as one mommy described it in a forum I read. Now I long everyday for few minutes of peace and quiet to tune in to the subtle movements. Sometimes I picture him/her dancing like this inside my womb to make me smile. Explains the heightened flutters when I'm listening to music.

Other new developments - I'm not as physically strong as I once was. Coincidence? Nah. It has to be pregnancy related. Trying to do yoga tonight I could barely hold the poses. Granted I was never good at yoga before, but that was more related to flexibility. Oh well. I guess I just have to modify moving forward...

CAN NOT WAIT until next Wednesday. Fingers crossed for a healthy and precocious baby so we get a good report and a sex reveal.

Deck the Halls

It's no secret that I absolutely love the holidays. I listen to non-stop Christmas music, watch the Christmas movie classics multiple times each and I love to decorate and wrap presents. Can't believe this is our last Christmas just the two of us. This time next year we'll be + a 7 month old :)

Below are some pictures of our decorations this year...

Swapped our yellow paisley accent pillows

Little gift from Ali - Love the two tone

Handpainted "Joy" I picked up in the mountains in October

Garland and lights up the back staircase

I have an affinity for colored lights on trees

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday preparations as much as I am. Tomorrow it's some outlet shopping with my mom.

16 Week Belly (1 date late)

Not much to show for, but trust me, there's something growing in there. My lower belly is hard, even harder than it was when I was in shape, and my regular pants zipped all the way up are getting more and more uncomfortable. I have no doubts I will need Kelly's be band to make it through the gluttony of Christmas. This is seriously so fun. I look in the mirror constantly - ask Jimmy. Happy Little Friday!

CB Thanksgiving & Mom Gets a Year Younger

This past weekend Jimmy and I hosted a Heintzelman Thanksgiving in CB. I took off work on Friday to help prepare for the big meal Friday evening. My dad and I met Ali and my mom out for breakfast, we went for a beach walk and then we came back to my house to start cooking. Food was on the table when Jimmy got home. Per usual, everything was delicious!

After dinner we quickly cleaned up and walked to "downtown" CB to watch the Christmas parade. It's pretty silly. Along with typical parade floats, there are just average cars decorated with lights and even average cars NOT decorated with lights. We think the latter were just ol' grannies stuck "in traffic" on their way to the grocery store.

Awesome reindeer truck

Festive float

Saturday my dad and Ali helped Jimmy and I decorate our tree (pics to come!) and then we went over to my mom's to watch the CB flotilla. If the parade is silly, the flotilla is just down right lame.  There were maybe 7 boats spaced 10 minutes apart, most of which weren't even that well decorated. Oh well! We'll know next year not to get excited...or to go to Wrightsville Beach the weekend before to see their more reputable flotilla. We then ended the evening with dinner at Indochine. Of all the times my dad has been here, he'd never been there so we thought it was about time. 

Last, but certainly not least, Sunday - my mom's birthday - was spent picking up our house a little and then it was over to my mom's to help her decorate her tree and cook her dinner. My mom's friend got her a really nice bottle of pinot noir. That was the first time I have pined for a glass of wine in my pregnancy so far. You're beyond worth it, baby...

Not a great pic, but dinner and company was great! Jimmy and I apparently felt the need to represent our alma mater on the left side of the table.

I love how she does the red, white and silver on her tree...

Happy Happy Birthday Momma! We love you!

Just a sweet pic of Malloy to end this post. He loves to sit on my lap in this chair, but I had never seen him just crawl up there to sit by himself before. Look at that perm on top of this head!

Maryland Thanksgiving

Very late posting on our Thanksgiving in Maryland. It was a fun filled long weekend complete with lots of good food, Connor!, extended family time and more. A lot of the pictures to follow are borrowed from family - thanks Amy, Kelly & Debi.

We got into town Wednesday afternoon and I spent the evening with Marisol learning how to cook her family's famous Arroz con Pollo - delicious! Thursday morning Marsiol, Jessica and I got up to meet Jamie, Austin, Jen and a bunch of Marisol's friends for the Turkey Trot 5K in Frederick, MD. The race was following by a delicious brunch including (virgin) bloody mary's and mimosas at Nina's. Thanks Jamie and Jen for running with my pregnant butt!

When we got back to Dan and Marisol's place my favorite little man, Connor, was there. How cute is his outfit?

I quickly showered and all the siblings piled in Kelly's minivan to go to the Shouse family Thanksgiving.  It was so good to see everyone and the food was amazing!

Looks like I'm holding on and won't let go of Connor

All the cousins

Oh look it's me holding Connor again :)

Friday was the O'Connor family Thanksgiving and, as always, everything was great and it was so nice to catch up with our loved ones.

Austin gearing up for Turkey Bowl

2011 Turkey Bowl

Cooking up a storm

Wearing the onesie I got him

Saturday we went to Riva to spend the day and night with Martha and Ron. We went to downtown Annapolis for window shopping and an impromptu pub crawl. We ended the evening with dinner at Kevin's favorite - Outback Steakhouse.

Can't wait to see everyone again over Christmas.

15 Weeks Wednesday

I'm running around getting ready for Thanksgiving number 3 with my family this weekend and realized that I hadn't posted pics from MD last weekend or celebrated my 15th week yet!

So here's to 15 weeks! Belly shot next week to ring in 16 weeks or, in pre-pregnant or math challenged people terms, 4 months!

Thanksgiving pics to come soon too!

14 Weeks Wednesday

Celebrating the end of my 14th week on my way to Maryland for Thanksgiving with the O'Connor and Shouse families. Can't wait to see everyone!!

Otherwise nothing new to report. Still feeling great, just tired. Oh and a sore tailbone. I really hope my luck in not getting morning sickness, doesn't come back to bite me in the form of 3 trimesters of exhaustion :) Symptoms could definitely be worse though - reading, sleeping, napping - just following doctors orders!! Really, couldn't be happier!

About 2.5 hours away from Dan and Marisol's - so far minimal traffic. Knock on wood :)

Boy or Girl?

So we went to our second prenatal appointment today and so far, so good. Checking out with the receptionist, we had to make the decision of whether to schedule our anatomy ultrasound a week earlier or a week later than the recommended (by our practice) 19 weeks. The ultrasound tech is out my whole 19th week - how dare she! Our predicament - waiting until 20 weeks means waiting until the first of January and not celebrating our baby boy or girl over Christmas. So.... we're going for it and (hopefully) finding out the sex a week early on Dec. 21st.

So, which way am I leaning? I've had dreams about a baby boy, but for some reason, I think we're having a girl. On two separate occasions, my mom and Ali both told me they thought girl too. I have different, but equal, desires for boy and girl, so I'm going to be ecstatic either way. Jimmy's on the same page.

Please let us know what you think baby will be by casting your vote in our poll at the top of the page. Remember what you chose because I'd like to get some Team Boy/Team Girl action going somehow to include friends and family on the excitement of the next couple weeks.

BOY
Despite being without make-up and my hair brushed, I think I look "good" with a baby boy in my arms. Between Henry, my adorable nephew, Connor, and my new little buddy in CA, Wyatt, I'm a softy for baby boys. I'd love for the oldest child to be a big brother like Colin and Jimmy.

Baby and photo - Borrowed from Lindsey

GIRL

Who doesn't love a baby girl? So fun to dress as a baby and do girly things with as a young lady. Characteristically less rambunctious than little boys. It definitely seems to be the year or years of "the boy", but I do have one little girl love - Miss Lucy in CA. 

Lucy visiting CB - July 2010

13 Weeks Wednesday...

...doesn't mean much except that I haven't posted first trimester belly pictures yet. While thin, I kind of have a baby bump shaped lower belly anyways??

5 weeks and "tanner" for me. Excuse my sloppy butt sweatpants.

12 weeks - up close, totally different angle, "self portrait". For the shots that count, I'll make sure Jimmy takes them and we're consistent on the angle, etc.

I've noticed just in the last day or so, that I'm looking "softer". It's so funny the tricks my mind plays on me. I know I'm preggers and I know I'm exercising and eating fairly normal, yet I find myself doubting whether the start of a gut is really the baby. Very fun and exciting to see my body change. The 16 week picture should be interesting!

New Meaning to the phrase "Mom Jeans"

My first time trying on maternity jeans...A very sweet co-worker of mine had a hand-me-down pair that didn't fit her, so she graciously offered them to me. The verdict: Ick. Let's just say I refuse to let my butt and thighs fill out these suckers. The pockets come halfway down the back of my leg. And yes, I just took a picture of my butt and posted it on the internet.

When the time comes, I vow to get a cute, normal rump shaped pair of maternity jeans!

Babypalooza

I spent the weekend in Durham, NC with best friends from college, Lindsey and Catherine. We stayed up until 1am each night chatting, something only made possible by my 2nd trimester status. We ate good.  Catherine and I both thoroughly enjoyed playing with and cuddling with Lindsey and Nick's adorable son, Henry. It was an all around wonderful weekend!

Saturday we had some of Lindsey's friends and some of Catherine's friends over to Lindsey's house for "babypalooza". There were three babies under the age of one and three pregnant women: me at 12 weeks, Margaret at 27 weeks and Elizabeth at 38 weeks. There were birth stories and tons of advice shared. I soaked it up like a sponge.

Sans Baby Henry - He was napping

As always, thanks Lindsey & Nick for being such gracious hosts - I think chocolate chip pancakes are on my new craving list.

Long Awaited

I started this blog in late 2009 by recapping the wonderful honeymoon that followed our rendition of a fairytale wedding, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't this post, over two years later, that I've been most excited about. In fact, as anyone who knows me even remotely well can vouch, I've dreamed about and longed for this news since I was four years old - the age when my mom and dad gave me a real-life baby doll, my sister, Alex. Lucky for me, thanks to his family-centered upbringing and the wonderful man that he is, Jimmy shared the same dream for our future. That's right folks....

JIMMY AND I ARE EXPECTING A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at the little legs on the left

I'm due May 23rd, making me just over 12 weeks. Hope you enjoy the following recap on our (secretive) last couple months.

Happy Anniversary to Us
The weekend of September 16th marked our two year anniversary and the beginning of our pregnancy test window. What better place to kill two birds with one stone than beautiful Charleston, SC. On Saturday, September 17th, at about 9am our world changed for the great when we got the idiot-proof, digital "positive".  I might have shed a quick tear, but for the most part, we were both instantly gleaming.

Labradoodle Rodeo
It's recommended you wait until the end of the first trimester to share the pregnancy news, but I'm the world's worst liar and we were just too excited to keep it a secret any longer, so news was shared prematurely with immediate family. With Jimmy's family being in MD and us unable to wait until Thanksgiving to tell them, Jimmy used the riddle, "What's one inch long and hyper-active?" (see below) I was still at the doctors when he talked to everyone, but I know there was lots of excitement when they came up with the correct answer. Follow-up calls and texts expressing their love and support were so appreciated. For the Heintzelman family, it was some stackable baskets with a note that said, "It's time to bring out your grandma toys" for my mom, an "I'm going to be a big brother" bandana on Malloy for my dad and Ali, and a call to Colin in AZ. My mom has been collecting "grandma toys" for years, so she instantly got what the reference meant. The reveal was not so smooth, however, with my dad and Ali. Malloy, the high strung labradoodle, was supposed to calmly prance up to my dad and Ali and sit very nicely with his back to them so they would take notice of this bandana. Instead, we ended up having to chase him around the kitchen, wrangle him to sitting position and hold him down just long enough for them to read the bandana. All and all, they were fun reveals!

Excuse the wrinkles - post wrangle shot

One Inch Long and "Hyper-Active"
We went to our first doctor's appointment on October 18th at which point I was 9 weeks along. The warm jelly, the ultrasound wand, the appearance of our baby on the screen - it was even more special than I thought it would be. The most exciting part though was seeing him/her moving around and seeing and hearing a strong heartbeat. The technician was actually surprised to hear that I didn't have any caffeine before our visit because the baby was so active. I think her exact words were, "wow, that's a hyper active fetus." Hence, Jimmy's riddle mentioned above. Oh geez. He/she is going to be a little Jimmy or Kelly!

PEEEAANUT BUTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mom (that's me!) has had an amazingly smooth first trimester. No morning sickness, heartburn, dizziness - nothing. Just really, really unusually tired. Monday-Friday I stay busy at work, usually just have a sinking spell at around 4ish, and then try to rally for exercise and dinner before it's off to bed. I am then dead to the world for 8+ hours, only waking momentarily to sleepwalk to the bathroom...about 10 times a night. Saturday and Sunday, I get out and about and then take a long nap. It's been absolute bliss. I'd like to say that I'm not having cravings, but that would be a lie. I am loving some peanut butter, so much so that Jimmy likes to impersonate me groaning like a cross between Frankenstein and Cookie Monster, "Peeeeaaannnuttt Butter." I enjoy my daily dose with apple slices and then all is well with the world. I also like chocolate milk which I have in the form of hot chocolate with whipped cream on special occasions, but nightly in the form of chocolate soy milk. I am loving all kinds of fruit. I only stomach veggies for me and the baby. I can only choke down minimal meat at this point - I hear meat is a fairly common pregnancy dislike. Lastly, I LIKE savory sides like mac and cheese and comfort foods like pizza. Better keep up the exercise and hope that I return to a healthier palette soon.

This is an extremely long post and I can't share ALL of details at one time, so more to come - including belly(less) pictures - in future posts.

Love,
The happiest me ever

So Excited!

Working from Utica, NY for the day

Pretty "up north" scenery and a good deli...oh and had a good meeting for work.

Farmers Market with my Mama

Jimmy was busy with homework today, so I decided to go to the Farmers Market with my mom. I then took advantage of being downtown and took her by the Cotton Exchange, Castle Branch's old office locale, and had lunch at The Basics.

Oldie, but Goodie

Out with Jenny and Brittany for Brittany's birthday at one of my favorite spots downtown, Circa 1922. I haven't been there since my birthday over 2 years ago.

P.S. I am blogging with the Blogger app on my new iPhone. How does it look?

Work Weekend

This weekend was a quick trip to D.C for a tradeshow. Pretty cool venture when you get to fly on the company plane.

I loved being in the city for some crisp Fall weather and good eats. We had a wonderful dinner at Bodega Spanish Tapas and Lounge in the heart of Georgetown. Highly recommend!

Jimmy, on the other hand, spent the weekend in Charlotte with Kevin and Matt for guy time and the Redskins v. Panthers game on Sunday. They all had a blast despite the Redskins loss.