Almost 7 Months

I was checking the calendar today after a conversation with a senior about graduation when I realized that there are only 65 days left of the school year. And I still can't believe not only how quickly this school year has flown by but how quickly and easily (knock on wood) this pregnancy has been. I truly have been blessed to have no morning sickness, no "side effects" to being pregnant. Nothing other than a growing appetite and a growing belly. Gifts from friends have trickled in. Momma Marcia sent us a box of wonderful things that make it all the more real that soon our little boy will be here.

We are still discussing names. People ask me how the "preparations" are coming along and oddly we've done nothing. We're waiting to move so perhaps once that move happens and we actually have room for the baby we'll start making preparations. Suppose we should buy a crib and stuff soon but I don't want to buy stuff and then have to move it. Better to only move it once right!

6 Months

So I reached six months prego last Wednesday. Or 24 weeks how ever you want to look at it since it seems pregnancy/early years of a child's life is measured in weeks/months, not any other length of time. We have another doctors appointment this Thursday with Dr. Holland. It's hard to believe that it's been 4 weeks since we found out we're having a little boy. We've tossed around a few ideas for names. Tyler really wants to keep the T.T. tradition with names. Like Torin, or Tyson, or Trevor (we don't actually like any of those names it's just examples). The only thing we have decided on is the middle name... will be Baby Ski Jerry Thomas. Now we just have to come up with a first name. I'm more of a unique name type of person more so than a classic name type. I want a name that can be long or short like William/Will. But we have yet to find the perfect name that fits our baby and our family.

My boss has forced me to reduce my hours at work because he was concerned about the hours that I was putting in. Which I am truly blessed to have a boss that cares about and looks after the well being of his employees. I have always had a flexible schedule but after he sat me down in my office and talked about my health and the health of my baby I feel like I've been given permission to go home early when I'm exhausted or not feeling well. So now I can come in when I feel like it or leave early when I need to as long as my work load is being done and I'm passing some things off and sharing responsibility.

We haven't bought anything for the baby yet because we're waiting to get moved before buying stuff. That way when we move we don't have to move all that stuff with us. Hopefully we'll get moved sometime soon so we can unpack and get settled and begin to try to put together some type of nursery. We won't be able to paint or really decorate the room because there is the chance that we will have to move again next June so the crib set will be the expressive part of the nursery!

The "Big" Ultrasound

We finally were able to make the point in our pregnancy where we got to actually spend some time in the Ultrasound room. This was our 3rd ultrasound of the pregnancy, due to some pretty frequent and substantial cramping in the first 8 weeks, the doc gave us an ultrasound then just to show that there was something there. The next ultrasound was because we couldn't find the heart beat, so to calm my nerves we again got to see the ultrasound at 13 weeks. The baby was healthy and looked normal to the doctor. There were 4 chambers to the heart, separation of the left and right parts to the brain, no signs of a cleft lip/pallet, and no major other physical ailments to be seen (knowing of course this does not guarantee a 100% healthy baby.)

Having the ultrasound made the pregnancy so much more real to me. Besides my growing waste line and some fatigue I have had no other side effects or changes as a result of the pregnancy. So actually seeing the baby move its jaw, and appear to be moving it's hand to it's mouth made the lil' thing seem so much more human. Griff and Tyler came along to the appointment and Griff was pretty excited (even though he was trying to act all tough about it). We are happy and excited about the gender of the baby, as it's what I expected it to be all along. Griff was so excited he came straight home and posted it on his face book, which I had to log on and take off because we're waiting for Tylers mother to get a package we put together for her, since it's her first time being a grandmother we wanted to try to make the reveling of the gender special for her.

I can feel the baby moving now, which I must say is the oddest sensation in the world and sometimes catches me off guard when I'm working with a student. Now that we know what we're having I feel like I can start to prepare so much better. Tyler bought a changing table from a coast guard friend and we're planning on getting the crib soon. Slowly things will fall into place. Now we're just waiting to be able to move into a house so we can actually have a room to put the baby into. Hopefully things fall into place sooner rather than later!

Halfway Point

Well, I made it... to the half way point that is. Sage told me yesterday that this is the fastest pregnancy ever and all I could think about was putting into perspective with the school year. I mean yeah we're almost into the 2nd semester already, pretty soon it will be summer. I'm doing amazing with work, not being over exhausted or effected at all by the pregnancy at all, other than being extremely scatter brained, forgetful, and more emotional then normal. Which that part is the hardest for me, choking back tears when working with a kid doesn't really help the counseling process but maybe it's got perks that weren't included in my counselor training. We find out a week from tomorrow what we're having hopefully so we can start planning... names, clothes, baby showers... all the fun once in a life time when it's your first baby experiences (will be my last baby by the way!).

3rd Doctors Appointment

So we had our third doctors appointment on January 4th. It was a very uneventful appointment. Tyler is underway so it was just me that went to the appointment. The doctor let me listen to the heart beat through the Doppler and we talked about if we wanted to do testing to check for abnormalities in the fetus. I also set an appointment for the 21st of January to do our 20 week ultrasound (although I'll be 21 weeks at that point). Hopefully the baby will be immodest enough to show up what the gender is.

So for now just continuing to put on weight. I've gained 6 pounds since my first appointment but 9 pounds since the end of August. The doc says I'm right on track for weight gain and that I should gain 10 more pounds by the end of the pregnancy. Of course I'm not excited about the weight gain but it'll just be more to take care of once the baby is born.

Cravings

I have been able to go my entire pregnancy so far without any cravings but for the past two weeks I have been craving Capt Crunch and everything I eat made me want to vomit so today I finally broke down. I was doing the weekly grocery shop and I did it... I bought a bag of Captain Crunch and man oh man it was SOOOO good!

The Second Doctors Appointment

We still haven't received an offical due date from our doctor. I think part of this is because it was pretty busy in the office when we went. We have another doctors appointment on Wednesday the 25th. I should be in my second trimester now. So hopefully this exhaustion should pass and I keep reading that I should start having more energy. Tyler and I have talked a little bit about names but not much yet. I've also looked at some nursery stuff and have been looking for a Detroit Lions onsie to bring the baby home in from the hospital!

I still have not had any morning sickness which is awesome because my job has not been affected at all by this prenancy thus far. I'm hoping it stays that way the entire pregnancy.