As it stands right now, wednesday was definitely one of the best days of my life. That was the day of our long awaited ultrasound! I was SO nervous! I don’t know why….I guess because I’m the type of person who worries about everything! I was afraid that they were going to find something wrong with the baby. It was so incredible to actually be able to (kind of!) see the little person that’s always kicking me. The baby is healthy, which is what I cared about the most. It’s quite the little wiggle-worm though. The technician had no problem seeing what he needed to see but when he’d try to actually capture an image it usually turned out to be a blur of an arm or leg. He was able to get some though, so that was good.  He saved the gender for last. He explained to us what we were seeing: “Baby’s laying on it’s tummy. Here’s one leg and here’s the other leg. And here’s it’s butt….”

It’s a BOY folks! We saw that for ourselves very plainly. I’m glad he let us get a definite look….at least he cooperated for that! He’s also a big boy….they actually moved my due date up….which doesn’t surprise me. Babies are definitely good sized in my family. I was ten days early when I was born and I was still 8 pounds 13 ounces! We are THRILLED to be having a boy. David was grinning from ear to ear….he SO wanted a boy to carry on his last name. I wanted a boy too, but we have so many girls on both sides I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Boys are definitely a novelty!

After we left the hospital, I was grinning from ear to ear. We wanted to tell our families in person, so my mom picked us up after work and took us up to Lake Stevens where we met up with my grandma, sister, David’s mom and sister, and Nina and Eva at Ixtapa. I printed off copies of one of the ultrasound pictures (they gave us a disc) and put them in a frame. Then I wrote in a card: “Congratulations, you’re going to have a grandson!” I tried really hard to find “grandson” frames but they didn’t have any ANYWHERE (I have no idea why….) so I had to improvise with the card idea. Both our moms opened their cards at the same time….and then chaos ensued! They both started crying and everyone was squealing. Everyone jumped up and was hugging….it was just like something you would see on tv. It was perfect. Everyone really wanted a boy apparently!

David’s dad was at work, but he didn’t want David to tell him over the phone. We had him read the card when he got home too. Before he even read the card, he said he had his suspicions because of how David was acting (he was still grinning from ear to ear). He’s pretty excited to have a grandson too. David’s dad is ALL about the grandkids, it’s awesome!

I registered for boy bedding (monkey themed of course!) and even some clothes and now I think my registry is complete!

We feel so blessed to be having a healthy baby boy. Now we just can’t wait to meet him!

1. What is your cleaning style like?

Normally I like to clean as I go. I can’t STAND clutter and can’t relax if my environment is messy. I’ve kind of given up on keeping the apartment clean though so I’ll get back to my neat freak ways when we move.

2. What is your favorite thing to add to an outfit to take it from casual to classy?

Oh my….”classy” doesn’t exactly describe my “wardrobe” lately (and I use the word wardrobe loosely…since there are only a few pairs of pants I can wear). I wear a lot of black, to me that is usually considered classy. I also like cute purses….and those aren’t dependent on my size, so that’s good!

3. Do you like stormy weather?

As a general rule:  no. I don’t mind a nice rainstorm every once in awhile, but unfortunately this is Seattle and rain doesn’t happen every once in awhile. I am sick of rain and I think I need to move somewhere warm.

4. What is your favorite cold treat on a hot day?

I love Sorbet (we went to Haggen Daaz in San Antonio and their sorbet was SOOOO refreshing in the 80 degree heat) and Dreyer’s Fruit bars (the grape and lemonade variety….so good). Great, now I want a popsicle….

5. What is your favorite warm treat on a cold day?

Nonfat white chocolate mocha (or peppermint mocha)….and of course decaf these days.

6. Who is your favorite animated character?

Hmmm…..I love Curious George.

7. What do you keep your jewelry in?

It’s sort of all over the place.

8. Do any of the rooms in your house have a theme?

Not right now….but our next place will.

9. Do you watch any interior design TV shows – if so, what is your favorite?

I LOVE Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I cry every time.

10. When was the last time you did something risk-taking?

I haven’t taken any “risks” lately.

The weather was AWESOME while we were there. It felt so good to wear flip flops and sunglasses and not have to worry about a jacket. It was a really nice break from the rain and cold!

It was the 175th anniversary of the fall of the Alamo, while we were down there. I love anything to do with history, so I really enjoyed going and seeing that.

Let’s talk about the food for a moment: it was awesome! Mexican food is my favorite of all time, and they have PLENTY of it in Texas! The margaritas looked amazing as well, but I obviously wasn’t able to partake in them. I’m normally not much of an alcohol person, so I haven’t really minded not being able to drink. I have to say though, I was a little jealous….I love margaritas! Oh well, everyone else enjoyed theirs! Eva tried guacamole for the first time, and she LOVED it!

Being the Seattleites that we are, we of course had to get Starbucks everyday. The picture below is of David and his little niece, while at Starbucks.

We all went our separate ways on Tuesday….and everyone had to say goodbye to David’s brother. That was emotional for everyone….I even almost cried! I know how hard it is on David knowing that his little brother is in harm’s way.

I have to admit, I really didn’t want to come home. I could have stayed longer. I would like to go back and do all the things we didn’t have the chance to do. I would like to go to Sea World and the zoo. On the drive to the airport I spotted a HUGE outlet mall that I would LOVE to go to. I also saw three Cracker Barrels. I LOVE that restaurant and we don’t have any in Washington state for some reason.

Pretty much my only complaint about Texas, is that smoking is allowed in bars. I don’t like the smell of cigarrette smoke normally, but with being pregnant I really didn’t want to be around it. All in all, I really loved San Antonio and I’m so glad we went. Now I’m ready for another vacation again! I slept better than I had in a LONG time.

We’re almost halfway to baby, which is hard to believe! I can’t believe how fast it’s going. My favorite moment of all, so far, happened a few nights ago. It was late at night and the baby was moving around. I had been feeling it for probably over a week at that point. I found the right spot and told David to put his hand there….and sure enough he was rewarded with a kick (or a punch!). His eyes got really big and he looked at me in disbelief. Feeling it move makes it feel much more “real”. It’s weird to think that there is a tiny person inside of me….and weirder still to feel something moving around in there! I was SO glad that he was able to feel it. It moves around a lot, so it’s hard to find the exact spot sometimes. It kicks in one spot, and then moves on to a different one.   This baby is definitely a night owl….I guess that isn’t that suprising! It was a very special moment between the two of us, and I will NEVER forget it.

Another couple weeks and we’ll find out if it’s a boy or a girl! I literally can’t wait. I am tired of referring to the baby as “it”. We normally call it “Baby Boot” since David calls me “boot”.

I have to admit something. Since I got pregnant, I have been exceptionally emotional….and, at times, irritable. Things that got on my nerves before, are now almost too much for me to handle. I have to say, that this has been my least favorite part of pregnancy. I usually am not feeling well (although I’m FINALLY to the point where I don’t get naseous every single day) and I am always exhausted. I would love nothing more than quiet nights at home. Maybe snuggled up on the couch with David, watching a movie. We would make dinner together and just relax together. Obviously, I usually don’t feel like doing much more than that anyway. Well, that scenario never happens. See, I not only live with my boyfriend, but with a friend of his. Needless to say, that adds a different dynamic to the household. More often than not, it is a constant state of “guys night”….video games (for 6+ hours at a time), beer, and movies that totally gross me out (of the horror genre). Now let’s see here: I hate video games, can’t drink beer, and said horror movies don’t help my constant state of nausea. I usually end up in the bedroom….where I end up feeling pitifully lonely and sorry for myself.

We’re moving in May. The lease is up then, and obviously we need to focus on being a “family”. I’m not very patient. I want everything to be figured out. I want to know where I’m going to live. And I want to be able to prepare for this baby. I want to set up a nursery, buy baby clothes, all of that fun stuff. But most of all, I want us to establish our own little family. Things are about to change-big time. I think I realize that more than David does, at this point in time. He knows life will change, but I don’t think he grasps the enormity of it. He’ll no longer be able to do what he wants, when he wants to….and neither will I. A little tiny person will be calling the shots and it is our job to take care of him or her. Our careless days will be over and that’s a little bit scary. For me, my careless days have already ended. There’s obviously a lot of things I’ve had to change: no alcohol, no caffeine, less energy, sick every minute of the day, throwing up…. I think that’s why it has hit me a little bit more. I guess subconsciously I’m kind of resentful that he gets to keep doing everything he’s always done and I have to be miserable all the time. I know that’s irrational, and I would NEVER want to forbid him from doing something just because I can’t do it. He’s going to be an amazing father, I have no doubts of that….I just don’t think it’s as real to him as it is to me. The big issue is that it’s kind of hard to establish a family unit when you have someone else thrown into the mix. I realize they’ve been friends since middle school….but I haven’t been. Where he feels totally comfortable, I do not.

I want to clean my house, go away, and have it still be clean when I come home. I want to have everything arranged and decorated the way I want it. I’ve always been addicted to organizing, but I’ve kind of given up here. I spend all day getting things in order, and it stays clean for MAYBE a day. It drives me crazy….and the hormones make it worse. It just makes me more emotional, more overwhelmed, and more tired.

I know all of this will pass. Two and a half more months (that are passing way too slowly) and this place will be history. David and I will have our family. He can go out and hangout with friends….but our home will not have a “bachelor pad” atmosphere. Family will become more important than it has ever been….and I really like that.

We’re both SO excited about this baby….who we have dubbed Baby Boot if it’s a girl (since David calls me boot) or Baby Monkey if it’s a boy (since I call David Monkey). I will just be glad when this part is over and I can feel normal again. I didn’t mean to be so heavy in this post, but this is where I am right now….and I have to say, it feels good to finally be able to talk about it. I already feel better.

I have been awful at posting lately. I was trying to keep something under wraps for awhile and definitely didn’t want to blog about it. That, of course, led me to not blog very much because I pretty much only wanted to write about what I was I avoiding. Now I am giving myself permission to blog about it.

The day after Thanksgiving I found out that David and I are going to have a baby! I hadn’t been feeling well and that led me to take a pregnancy test. I am 16 weeks along now and well into the 2nd trimester. Time is FLYING and we still have so much to do!

I got to hear the baby’s heartbeat the other day and let me just say….there is nothing like it. It was an amazing moment for me and made the whole pregnancy thing feel more “real”. Things are going well so far. All of my bloodwork has been good….excellent actually. According to the midwife, I’m healthy as can be. I don’t do well with doctors (they make me nervous), but the whole process has been less scary than I thought it would be. The baby is due July 27th. That seems like forever away, but I know it will go SO fast. We have so much to do before then.

Our lease is up May 1st, so we will be moving out of the city. It’s just more practical for us to be in the suburbs with a baby. The main reason is parking. Parking in the city is EXPENSIVE. We need to be able to have our car with us so we can easily travel with the baby. My other must have is a washer and dryer. Lugging a laundry basket AND a baby to a separate laundry facility sounds like a nightmare. I’ve already found a place that I like, so we’ll see! Less than two months until we move and I can’t wait.

We also need to trade in David’s car. it’s a convertible and not exactly carseat friendly. Plus, while it isn’t an old car, it would need a lot of repairs. So we’re definitely on the lookout for a more family-friendly vehicle.

I’ve started a baby registry on Babies R Us. it just has the basics on there right now: carseat, crib, bouncer….things that aren’t dependent on the sex of the baby. We’ll get to find out in about a month whether the baby is a boy or girl. To say that I am dying to know, would be an understatement. I think it’s a girl. We have a LOT of girls in my family and there are a lot of girls in David’s family as well. Honestly, I don’t really have a preference as long as the baby is healthy. David would love for it to be a boy and that would definitely be fun. His brother already has a little girl, so it would be fun to have one of each. I still think it’s a girl though. I REALLY like our girl name and we’re still debating on a middle name for a boy (we have the first name picked). I can’t wait until I can pick out nursery decor and clothes.

So that is what has been consuming my life lately, and causing me to neglect my blogging. We feel very blessed and are VERY excited to meet this baby. More to come!

Excuse my pitiful blogging hiatus! I will be back later on today for a super exciting post. Until then, here is “10 on Tuesday”! Go on over to Roots and Rings if you want to participate.

1. What’s your favorite kind of donut?
Old Fashioned Glazed….no question. I don’t have donuts often, but when I do that’s what I like.

2. Do you use the snooze button?
If I need to set an alarm, I use my cell phone. To be honest, I tend to wake up before the alarm even goes off. I seem to have an internal alarm clock.

3. Do you write in cursive, print, or a combination of the two?
Print. My cursive is pretty hideous.

4. Tell us a joke.
I’m not much of a “joke” person, so I don’t have any. I tend to be more sarcastic than anything else.

5. How many languages do you speak?
English

6. Why did you start blogging?
My boyfriend (the computer genius) got me back into it. I’ve blogged off and on since I lived in Chicago back when I was 20. My blogging has gotten much fancier though….he bought me my own domain and hosts my blog on his server. Let’s just say, I’m glad he knows technology….because I don’t!

7. Do you use bar soap or liquid body wash?
I use Ivory liquid body wash….I really like it. It’s simple and smells clean.

8. Do you buy bottled water?
Only if I’m out and about and want some water. Otherwise we use the Brita and our water bottles.

9. What did you think of the Super Bowl Half Time Show?
I didn’t like it. It sounded horrible, I have to say….and I normally like the Black Eyed Peas! It just went very wrong.

10. How do you feel about Steve Carell leaving The Office?

I’m a huge fan of the Office, but I have to say, I don’t really mind that Steve Carell is leaving. Michael’s character just isn’t as funny anymore. I’ve found that my favorites lately, have been the other characters. I think it’s time for something new. I’m hoping David will watch with me now….he can’t stand Steve Carell.

Want to participate in the fun? Go here!

1. What’s your favorite color to paint your nails?
I never ever paint my fingernails, but on occasion I have been known to paint my toenails. Usually I choose some sort of shade of pink. Not horribly creative or daring, I know. Oh well!

2. Do you like to sneeze?
I actually do like to sneeze! This makes me laugh because David absolutely HATES sneezing. I used to think I sneezed when I was REALLY hungry (my whole family claims they do too), like so hungry I felt a little sick. But since I’ve been pregnant I find myself sneezing literally ALL the time. Hungry or not. It is seriously weird. I realized that it’s because I’m naseous all the time. It didn’t have anything to do with hunger after all!

3. How often do you fill up your car with gas?
Well, being that the car is kept up at David’s parents’ house….pretty much never! 

4. Were you named after anyone?
My middle name is Dawn, after my Aunt Dawn Marie (my mom’s sister). My dad’s name is Erik, so you would think I would be named after him, but I’m actually not. When I was born, my mom just thought I “looked” like an Erika (whatever that means!).

5. Have you made any good recipes lately?
I made some yummy chocolate chip cookies last night. Last week I tried a new recipe in my new rice cooker….chicken and rice tacos. They were good!

6. What’s an easy money-saving tip that you use regularly?
When I buy clothes I NEVER pay full price for anything….i wait for clearances or sales. It seems silly to pay full price for something, when I know that if I wait a few weeks it’ll go on sale anyway!

7. Would you rather have a sore throat or an ear ache?
Probably a sore throat. I’m not sure I’ve ever had an earache, so I don’t know what that’s like.

8. Do you have any scars? What are they from?
No scars….yet.

9. What are you “known for” in your circle of friends/family? 
I am known as the one who HATES playing board games. I would rather visit.

10. How do you like to eat your pancakes?

With butter and syrup.