16 weeks!

 Here I feel like it just looks like I ate too much...

Here (with belly embrace) it looks like a bump!

How far along: 16 weeks
Baby is the size of an: avocado

Maternity clothes: The answer is still no. I am officially down to one pair of dress pants. I could wear some maternity tops if I want, and they do make me look 'more' pregnant, but I think I'll hold off until it is necessary.

Food cravings: I had this amazing spinach and artichoke dip while out to lunch with the fam on Sunday and I have been wanting it ever since. And, black olives although I have not purchased any. 

Anything make you queasy or sick:Nope- this week I was pretty good!

Miss anything: Not really.

Have you started to show yet: I think the bump is getting slightly bigger. With another pair of dress pants down and one of my students walked in the door on Monday and said, "Mrs. P your tummy is getting bigger."

Movement: Nope. 

Birthing Classes: Starting November 11th.

Best moment this week: I feel really blessed and thankful to have such an amazing husband. He is so supportive and is there whenever I need him. No matter how I am feeling or how busy he is, he treats me with such gentleness and love. I am so thankful to the Lord for blessing me with him and I truly cannot express how much he means to me. He is going to be one awesome daddy :)
I also had a lot of fun at the hot air balloon festival and hanging out with my fam :)
Worst moment this week: I was in my first ever car accident yesterday. It was a fender-bender rear end (not my fault) but I was pretty shaken up. I went to the doctor just to make sure everything was okay and he said that everything is fine. We heard the heartbeat and while we were listening there was this noise. The doctor asked if I heard it, and said that it was the baby moving. So the baby is alive and well. Thank you Jesus!
Best kid comment about the baby this week: Two questions asked by students: 1. How do you know when the baby is ready to come out? 2. Is it true that they cut your stomach open to get the baby out. I think I answered them honestly, yet delicately and appropriately for 1st graders.
How have I been feeling: Physically I've been feeling great. Emotionally- I feel like I am all over the place. I was reading "The Giving Tree" to my students on Monday (I had actually never read that book before, I know- I call myself an elementary school teacher.) I started tearing up while reading it and almost cried in front of the class. When I came home and told Justin, he was pretty entertained and called me a tree hugger.
Looking forward to: Not having any plans this weekend. I NEED a break! And..... we have an ultrasound scheduled for November 12th which means we get to see if the baby is a boy or girl!!! :D

Making the BIG Announcement

Whenever people ask how I met my husband, I personally always start by telling them that our parents have been friends since before either of us were born and we grew up knowing each other. Justin likes to put it in a more, let's call it 'fun' way, by stating that it was an arranged marriage. FYI that is NOT true :)

Before we were ever even pregnant, I had thought about that 'one day' when we would tell our families we were having a baby. Since our parents are such good friends, I had always wanted to tell them together. Since both of our parents now live in somewhat the same town, it was perfect. The only problem was that it would be way too obvious if they knew they were both coming over to our place for dinner. We found out that we were pregnant on a Monday, and we told our families that Saturday! It was kind of strange to tell our families when it was still very surreal for me, but with one of my younger sisters going off to college, I wanted her to be there in person, and with Justin's mom being a nurse and having to work a lot of nights- Saturday night was the one night that met all the criteria and everyone was available. Justin called up his parents and told them that sine they had never really been over to our place for dinner, we wanted them to come over. My parents were actually moving that Saturday so I gave the excuse of inviting them over for dinner, so they didn't need to to worry about cooking with boxes still in the kitchen or eating out somewhere. The move was also a distraction that they didn't think anything of it ;) Justin's family on the other hand had a little bit of suspicion and his sister even called him up and asked if I was pregnant. Justin's response was, "What? We are just having you guys over for dinner!" No- he did not lie, he did not say yes or no to that answer but merely sent the conversation in a different direction.

Now that we had both families set on coming, we had to figure out HOW we wanted to tell them. I know a lot of people call their babies, "Baby and first initial of last name." Well ours would be Baby P and that sounded too much like Baby Pee so I wanted to go in a slightly different direction. I thought it would be cute to tell them, "We have a little P in the pod!" Since I like to bake, I made little pea pods out of green M&Ms and jolly rancher fruit chews. I put them on top of the cupcake and wrote the "title" on each person's cupcake- grandma, grandpa, aunt....

When they all arrived and sat down at the table, we told them that we actually had a fun dessert and we wanted to start the meal with dessert. I put the platter down on the table and watched the reactions. It took a second or two, but then the squeals and yells and picture taking began! It was such a fun moment and I am so happy that we were able to tell both of the grandparents together :)

Grandpa and Grandma A

Or should I say Papaw and Mamaw ;)

  

Grandpa and Grandma P

 Me and Justin's new titles!!

 Aunt Jen and Aunt Debbie

 Cousin Ya'el and Aunt Jessica

 Aunt Stephanie

 Mom and Dad :)

Aunt Jen is excited to share a birthday month with her niece or nephew :)

 Once we told everyone who was present, we were given a deadline of telling the rest of our family members by Sunday night. That night and on Sunday, we began making phone calls and Skyping with all of our sibs to let them know the exciting news :)

15 weeks!

How far along: 15 wees *I took a bump picture after work today but it is not zesty and I don't feel like taking another one after a long day- so no picture this week. 

Baby is the size of an: apple

Maternity clothes: Not yet. I did notice another pair of dress pants that was more snug but still zip-able. I bought another top this weekend that is cute :) While in Raleigh I checked out some more maternity clothes but sorry folks, I'm not willing to spend $50 on a shirt that I will only wear for a few months.

Food cravings: Kit Kat bars. Mmmmmmm :) The hubs said he almost bought be one of those giant bags for Halloween that they sell at the store, but didn't since I'm trying to eat healthy. Boo! It is like Justin read this blog post before I even published it- I walked in the door today from work and low and behold there was a giant bowl filled with kit kats :)

Anything make you queasy or sick:Still the smells. Exhaust really got me on my drive to school last week. Let's just say that I finally used that bucket that I've been keeping in my car and my vomit count is now up to 9 :( And.... my bathroom makes me queasy. I know it is all association and psychological but it still gets me.

Miss anything: Turkey sandwiches.

Have you started to show yet: I have a bump. To people who know me and know I'm pregnant, it is kinda noticeable to them, but to strangers, it probably doesn't look like anything is there. 

Movement: Nope. 

Birthing Classes: We are signed up to take the Bradley Method and start November 11th! The next 10 Sunday afternoons will be filled with lots of fun ;)

Best moment this week: Going to Raleigh and visiting all of our favorite places from our first hometown together with Justin. And.... I told my students! They were so cute :) I gave each student a baby bottle pop that said, "Mrs. Powlison is having a baby!" When I told them at first there was a bunch of gasps and mouths wide open. I wasn't sure if they quite understood it. But then, they started clapping and cheering. When they were all leaving school they all came up to me and gave me (or should I say the baby) a hug. They said, "I want to hug the baby." Some kids came up and were touching my stomach and were putting their ears up to it and saying they could hear it. Sorry kiddos- I doubt that. I took some photos but I am not allowed to post them, which is a bummer because I feel like it captures their genuine excitement and happiness.

Best kid comment about the baby this week: I was talking with my students about how the baby is in my belly and my belly will be getting really big and fat soon. They asked why it wasn't big yet and I said it was because the baby was still small and was only the size of an apple. One of my students responded and said, "It's a chicken?!?" Noooo... it's not a chicken, it's a baby :)
How have I been feeling: I have been feeling great! I had some headaches earlier in the week, but no more back aches and feeling good!
Looking forward to: The hot air balloon festival this weekend and feeling the baby move :)

Since the baby is the size of an apple, here are some pictures from when we went apple picking a couple weekends ago!

apple picking: jessica. mom. ya'el. yiqing. me.

 our little family with our apple :)

 I made him take the apple away since I wasn't sure if I would post these pictures before I made the news public.

 Justin and Jess reaching for the high ones.

 Apple picking... with coffee... only him.

 tasting the apples.

tasting multiple parts of the tree. 

 ACA!

 

 cute fall backdrop- had to get a pic!

 happy fall ya'll!

14 weeks!

 10 weeks

 10 weeks

 

 12 weeks

14 weeks
If that isn't a bump then I don't know what is. That is definitely not what I 'normally' look like ;)
*Additional side note- I was going to have all my bump pictures be in the same outfit but then I realized that it was waayyyyy too much work!

How far along: 14 weeks- hello 2nd trimester :)

Baby is the size of a: Lemon

Maternity clothes: Not yet. I am officially down one pair of dress pants which did not zip up yesterday. I might need to buy something to wear to school soon.

Food cravings: Chips and fresh salsa and Thanksgiving dinner- any takers on coming over and making it for me soon?!?

Anything make you queasy or sick: Just a lot of smells: exhaust from stinky cars, cigarette smoke (even if it is just on clothes), fish. One of my students had an accident in their pants the other day and when I got a whiff of it I almost lost it mid-sentence in front of my whole class.

Miss anything: Turkey sandwiches and my occasional Dr. Pepper or Pepsi. I also miss sleeping on my stomach. This whole 'sleep on your side' thing is not easy. I did buy a body pillow (I started off with one from Target to see if I can manage with that) but I don't like to really be confined when I sleep. I've learned that I like to be sprawled out and move a lot which is not helpful with a big pillow.

Have you started to show yet: I think my tiny bump is a tad bigger, but I might just notice it after I eat. I wrote that last sentence last night. Apparently after I wrote it I must have 'popped' a little because in the picture of 14 weeks there is a bump! Last night I was looking in the mirror trying to figure out if I had a bump and Justin said, "Wow- you do look pregnant!"

Movement: I have felt these random "bubbles" (best way to describe it). I asked my doctor this past week and he said that the baby is still too small to feel. He said it was either just gas or the many changes that my stomach and uterus are going through.

Best moment this week: Celebrating my husband's birthday (was a little over a week ago), going 'official' with telling everyone- although my students still do not know yet and hearing the baby's heartbeat :)
How have I been feeling: I no longer have morning sickness and food actually sounds good again. I never thought that I would want to eat ever again, but I am glad that passed and I enjoy food. I do have more energy- I have managed to make dinner and clean a bit instead of just plopping down on the couch after work and not moving. Being a first grade teacher, it is hard to tell if I really do have more energy because this job is ex-hau-sting no matter what. I have started having some back pain this week :(
Looking forward to: Going to Raleigh this weekend :) Oh- does it have to be pregnancy related? Telling my students and seeing their reactions. I hope that I don't get any "ask your parents" questions.

a little "p" in the pod!

 We have a little "p" in the pod! Justin and are expecting a baby in April 2013!! 

As I stated in the previous post, our three-year anniversary was very special and memorable. And for obvious reasons- it was on that trip that we found out we were pregnant! I took a pregnancy test almost as soon as we got to our bed and breakfast. I was honestly really nervous about taking the test. I never wanted to take a test and see a negative, because I thought I would be really disappointed and it would be hard for me to enjoy our trip. At the same time, however, the anticipation of "not knowing" was unbearable and I just wanted to see if it was a yes or no. I honestly thought that I was not pregnant. Besides the obvious reason, I felt like my normal self and wasn't really having any symptoms.

I took the test and Justin and I looked at it together. Now we are both very educated and smart (at least I think so!) people, yet we had one of the not-so-bright moments in our lives. We looked at the test and the vertical line was very dark and the horizontal line was pretty faint. Justin thought it was an impossible result and I was thinking that he thought I was holding the test the wrong way and it should have really been a negative sign. After looking at it for several minutes, it was clear that there was a plus sign, but we had a hard time registering it. We were both basically like, "I think we're pregnant." We decided to go out to dinner and take another test later. That night I took test #2, making sure that I knew exactly what I was doing and what do you know- another plus sign! We are pregnant!

tests #1 and #2

We were both very excited but also had a mixture of feelings. It is one thing to talk about starting to have children and then it is another thing to realize that is actually a reality! It was actually really hard for me to process it. It seemed so abstract, like I wasn't really living it. So what did I do? The next day we went out and bought a digital test. I thought if I saw the word PREGNANT then there would be no questioning, no doubt and it would be easier for me to grasp. So we took test #3 and there it was as clear as day (or clear blue!)

is it real yet?

We really did enjoy our anniversary trip and it was extra special knowing that this would be our last anniversary for a long time where it would be just the two of us. We had fun discussions around parenthood and wondering what our child will be like. The baby also enjoyed its first trip to the beach!

 baby's first trip to the beach!

5 weeks

Our little bundle of joy is due April 10, 2013! We are both very excited for this next stage in our lives.I enjoy reading this verse:

"I have prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." -1 Samuel 1:27

We prayed for our timing to start a family to be the Lord's timing, and even though I become overwhelmed with feelings and thoughts like: Am I ready to be a parent? Am I going to be a good mom? Do I have any idea what I am doing? I just remember that we had prayed for this little baby even before it was there and it is a complete gift from the Lord. We both have always wanted to be parents and we are so excited and blessed to be entering into parenthood. Little babe- we can't wait to meet you :)

 mom and dad :)

Quick stats:

How far along: 13 weeks 2 days

Maternity clothes: I have bought a few items but have not worn any yet- some of my work pants though are not able to button! 

Number of times I have vomited: 8. Been in the clear for 2+ weeks now! Thankfully none have been at school but fish sandwich day almost got me. 

Food cravings: None really. Maybe fruity gum. Justin always joked that when I was pregnant I would have no cravings because when we first got married I craved things all the time. 

Anything make you queasy or sick: Water (weird?) I drink it with my fruity gum or with something that I really want to eat. Smells: mulch, fish sticks/sandwich

Have you started to show yet: I think I have a little bump, especially since I notice some dress pants fitting tighter, but to others around me I don't think it is noticeable. 

Ultrasound: We had one done at 10 weeks and were able to hear the baby's heartbeat (178) and see the little babe moving all around. That's when it became really real for me. Seeing how it was only about an inch long and yet it was still squirming around and so active. Number of times I've watched the ultrasound DVD: 7 :) Number of times I've looked at the sonogram: too many to count (it is on my nightstand and I look at it every night after I pray for our baby and before I go to sleep).

isn't it the cutest thing you've ever seen?!? :)