Half Time!

WOW - Doug & I are half way to meeting our little one!  Holy Moly...where is the time going?!?!?!

At 20 weeks, Wolfie has grown to the length of a banana.

















At this point in my pregnancy, I've gained about 8 lbs.  I've been working out 5 times a week and have continued to eat healthy (with the occasional cookie :)  Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with my workouts the whole time, just taking it down a notch or so when I start getting bigger (and less coordinated!)  It makes me feel really good to have people tell me that I don't look 20 weeks!  But, I always remember that I have 20 MORE to go - and who knows what's still to come! 

It's so cool to feel Wolfgang kickin' and movin' in the evenings.  I'm looking forward to the day that Doug can feel him/her.  On Wednesday, after Doug and I ate lunch, I could feel Wolfie moving around, and I lifted my shirt, and could see my belly moving (not huge movements, but could still see it!).  I tried to get Doug's attention, but by the time he was looking, our little one stopped.  Apparently Wolfie doesn't think that Daddy should have the pleasure of feeling him/her move yet.  But, hopefully soon. 

I also have to say that I love when Doug puts his hand on and rubs my tummy.  It's a great feeling of bonding for the THREE :) of us.  I get so excited when thinking about Doug being a Daddy.  He's going to be amazing!  I'm so blessed to be married to such a strong, hard working, hilarious, humble yet confident, man!  I hope that if Wolfgang is a boy, he is just like his daddy!  (that's my hope that for any boys we may have in the future.)

p.s.  Only 4 more days until the big ultrasound!

Please tell me...

What is wrong with people?!  I love when people ask me how things are going with the pregnancy.  Usually following that question is "do you know what you're having?"  or "are you going to find out what you're having?"  I answer that we don't know yet (by this time next week we'll know!), but we do plan on finding out.  Tell my why a few people think it's appropriate to tell you that it takes all the fun out of it, and is more exciting to wait!  How do I respond to that in a nice way?  Seriously, why do you ask me that if you're not going to like my answer?  I've had about 5 people say this to me.  Well GUESS WHAT PEOPLE:  It's gonna be a surprise to us whether we find out at 20 weeks or at 40 weeks when Wolfie is born!  So, to those people who try to ruin my fun...I guess you'll just have to wait until the baby is born to find out what Wolfgang is - since it's apparently "more fun that way".  :)

19 week pictures

It's amazes me how much my belly can change in just a week!  Little Wolfie is growing, and I have the tummy to prove it! :)

I can't wait to find out what this little one will be!  Oh My - only 9 more days!  I hope they fly by...then, I'd like time to slow down some.  This pregnancy seems to be going by so fast!

It's a Woman's Prerogative...

...To Change Her Mind!!  And I'm so very good at it!  I would just like to thank my darling hubby right now for putting up with me the past few months - and the many months to come.  Every time I tell Doug that I've decided on what furniture, bedding, highchair, nursery decor, etc. I want, he just nods and smiles at me knowing that in about 3 days I'll walk back in to announce that I've decided on something totally different!  And it happens every time :)  I am so very lucky to have a husband who will let me make the decisions on things like decorating the nursery (and our house) and picking out the furniture I want.  I'm so glad that he is interested in it, but will let me basically have the final say.  I don't think I could take having a husband who wanted to put his two cents in on things like this.  I know not everyone feels this way, and I say to each their own.  BUT, I'm sure glad that I can have things my way, and not have to compromise on it :)  hehe.

Back to the things that I've changed my mind on...

1. Furniture.  I started out wanting a set from JC Penney that I've loved for a million years!  Now, I've decided to go with a completely different set (although, it is still from JC Penney.)
2. Baby Bedding.  I have gone from wanting something neutral, to wanting something more gender specific and I have no idea why.
3. Nursery Color.  Like I said before, I wanted to just do neutral walls.  Then after looking at some of the more gender specific bedding, I've decided I want to jazz it up a bit and add some bright colors!  Not really me at all!  I'm not talking about crazy, in your face bright.  But definitely not what I had planned on doing.

I guess we'll see in the weeks to come if any of this will change, again!  Also, let me just say one more time that I love my husband, and I thank him for humoring me each time I tell him "I've finally decided!" :)

It's the little things...or the first big purchase! :)

I can't believe I'm almost halfway through this pregnancy!  That's so crazy to me!  Time is going way too fast!  It would be wonderful I could slow it down just a bit.

At 19 weeks today, our little Wolfgang is the size of a large heirloom tomato.  Babycenter says that some research suggests that Wolfie may be able to now hear my voice.  So, get ready little one...because momma's gonna sing to ya!  Haha, poor baby!  But really, I have found myself talking to my stomach when I'm at home and in the car.  And, since baby can hear me, I believe I'll start reading to my belly also.  Maybe we can get dad in on the reading action too! 

Our little one is just growin' like a weed in my belly! :)

A couple of days ago, Doug & I made our first big purchase for Wolfie.  I am kind of a nut (thanks to Doug) about Consumer Reports.  It's been one of my favorite websites to get product information on all things baby.  They have info on cribs, car seats, strollers, high chairs, etc.  The best part is, they have ratings for all price ranges.  One thing that I wanted to be sure to get that was really safe, is a car seat.  I have always had this fear or getting in a car wreck.  And, since I've been pregnant, have had 2 very vivid dreams about me driving by myself in both the xterra and vette.  In both dreams I had very bad car crashes.  I woke up just right after the crash scared and crying.  Now I know that doesn't mean that I'm going to be in a wreck, BUT - it didn't do anything to help my fear! 

The carseat that Consumer Reports had as their top rated is one I had been looking at for a while because on every website, it had wonderful reviews.  It was in our price range, and "Babies R Us" had it in stock.  So, off to Joplin we went to get our first big item!  We ended up getting the carseat and the matching stroller.  I am so excited about it! 

When Doug & I got home that night at 9:30, I was so ready to take everything out of the boxes and get it together (the stroller).  Doug was a great hubby and put it together for me (even though he wanted to wait to do it).  I'm very pleased with the whole travel system, and know that it'll be great for at least one more little Stefan (maybe more if it doesn't expire). 

New in the boxes :)

It's orange and gray.  Gender Neutral so we'll get plenty of use for little ones to come.

The carseat in the stroller

18 week pictures

 Well, here we are - 18 weeks!  Almost halfway there!

One thing that I'm currently hating - the fact that my belly button is no longer a cute "inny"...it is now on it's way to becoming a not so pretty "outty".  I told this to Doug the other day and he told me he heard that sometimes women's belly buttons stay "out" after having a baby.  And, like a big doof, I believed him!  I was just a tad freaked out by this.  The look of horror on my face was enough to have him tell me that he was just kidding!  Ha freakin' Ha!  He's lucky I didn't punch him! :)

Only 16 more days!!

My Mind is Everywhere

18 weeks today!  Wolfgang is now about the size of a bell pepper.  Baby is busy flexing little arms and legs - movements that I'm finally feeling when I sit still!  :)

Now, on to other business:

1. My baby bump has finally appeared!  It was noticed on Monday by someone I work with, and I have to say that when she told me she could see my bump it made my day!
2. I love being pregnant!  I know that by the end of this pregnancy I'll be so ready to have this little one and to have my thin self back, BUT I just love bakin' this baby! :)  I love being able to feel my little thumper in the evenings, and knowing that Doug & I created this baby is such an awesome feeling!
3. Crazy dreams...I had a dream in the beginning of this pregnancy about going to walmart and getting ingredients to make pancakes.  The next morning I HAD TO HAVE PANCAKES!  haha!  A couple of weeks ago I had a dream that Doug & I were at the hospital and I had the baby.  The baby really had nothing to do with the dream other than when we were leaving the hospital, they gave us a baby dolphin to take home - a gift for all new mothers.  Now, I have no idea what the baby looked like and I didn't take care of it in my dream, I was taking care of this baby dolphin.  WHAT?
4. I enjoy shopping for maternity pants just because I like when the cashier asks if they are for me :) 
5. And this is something that I've been thinking a lot about.  God knows our baby.  He knows his or her life!  He had this planned for us.  I hope that Doug & I will raise this child to be a great man or woman of God.  Such an amazing responsibility, but one that I look forward to.

Stay tuned for 18 week belly pictures!

Here's a pic of Doug and myself (and my baby bump) on my birthday.