7 Weeks = Nauseous

Holy night, I have NEVER wanted to throw up this badly! Not even on my 21st birthday when Angie got me beyond tipsy and then drove me from St. Paul to River Falls in warp speed (thank you snow for helping with that one).

I have been non-stop nauseous for a week and I don't see any light at the end of this tunnel! Don't get me wrong - I am happy that I actually haven't gotten sick, but I think it would make me feel better. I mean, I take a couple of bites of a meal and I don't want to look at, smell, or see it any more. AND there isn't a pattern or predictability to it. One day I couldn't have chicken, the next day I could (the same meal from the night before).

Then there are cravings and aversions that people ask me about. What are you craving? There really isn't an answer to that question. The cravings are more once I hear about something that sounds good. I want it until we have it. For instance, Brian mentioned chicken a la king and I was looking forward to that meal for the entire week! I didn't need it right at that moment but when I had my first bite it was the best meal I had ever eaten! The other thing that COULD be considered a craving would be ice cream. No strange flavors or anything, just DQ Fudge Bars or KEMPS Kempwiches. I look forward to one of those every night.

As for the aversions, I can't walk down the meat aisle at the grocery store and I can't look at hot dogs or brats. The meat smells incredibly delicious while it's cooking, but as soon as I see it want to hurl all over the place. The same thing happens with Brians' Coke and Jack at night. I don't mind the coke, can't stand the Jack. It just makes my tummy turn. I feel badly for Brian because when we go out to eat he has to go through a list of restaurants and name them off for me so I can picture what I have there to make sure it doesn't make me sick.

I think it's time for a Kempswich; that sounds delicious!


Baby V is growing:
She is about as big as a blueberry. Her intestines are developing, the appendix is present and her brain is beginning to grow too! Only 231 days left!

6 Weeks = Our First Ultrasound

Brian and I went in for our first ultrasound today. He picked me up from work and we made the 5 minute trek from my school to the office and got in right away! The doctor, whom we had only seen for a month, came in and said, "The word on the street is that you're pregnant?!" I giggled and we both said YES! I laid back for the ultrasound and he told us that we have one happy embryo in there and that it looks great.



He zoomed in really close because the baby at this point is still only .5cm long (crown to rump). Once he had a pretty good view of the baby we were able to see it's heart beating!!! It was so incredible and amazing I can't even begin to explain the feeling. It looked like a little light flashing at us! Brian and I were so taken and I, of course, started to cry.



Just think, I am 6 weeks and 3 days pregnant! I have a little person developing inside of me right now!! Amazing!


Baby V is growing:
He is about the size of a lentil bean. You can't see it in the pictures but his limbs continue to grow and his nose and eyes are beginning to form as well! Only 238 days to go!

5 Weeks = Busy

It's nearing the end of the school year (only a month left) and I am busier than ever! Meetings, residencies, field trips, dinners with friends... we barely have time to cuddle this week!

On top of that I want to tell people about the baby but we already decided NOT to tell people until after we see the doctor. That means we have to wait until school is out! UGH! I don't know if I'll be able to do it, but if I stay this busy I think I have good shot at it.


Baby V is growing:
She is about the size of a sesame seed. Her central nervous system is beginning to form as well as her skeleton! Only 245 days left!

May?!

Today is May Day and I can't seem to wrap my head around it! I feel like the school year has just FLOWN by! Soon it will be summer, and then the next (school) year will start again!

Where does the time go? Sheesh!

I am going to dedicate this month to cleaning the loft and second bedroom. You might remember that I cleaned the closet last summer, but the room itself needs cleaning now. We need to de-clutter and send lots of stuff to Goodwill. I have about 4 bags that could go because they are just hanging around, as well as clothes that don't fit and appliances we don't use. Hey... maybe a garage sale is a better idea. I will have to discuss that with Brian.

Anyway, my sisters are going to help me clean up tomorrow. Thank the good Lord that someone stronger than I and someone more organized than I will be here to help! I think it will be good because they will be the voice of reason, "When have you used that? Not in the last 2 years? TOSS!!!"

I think I might get started a little early and do some cleaning now! What a great way to celebrate May Day!!

4 Weeks = Telling our Families

We decided to tell our immediate families right away since, God forbid, if anything were to happen they would be able to help us through it. Anyway, we picked up a few gifts from Target and went on our merry way.

We ended up calling Danielle to tell her since she lives in Kansas. Brian asked her if they were coming up for Christmas this year and she said she wasn't sure and then he asked if they were coming up in January and while she was trying to think about it Brian said, "Because that is when your niece or nephew will be here." He is SOOO cute!! She was so happy and excited for us and said she would definitely be here!

It was really hard for me NOT to spill the beans to my mom! We talk pretty often and I had a Stampin' Up event to go to with her on Friday the 24th, but we wanted to tell Mom and Dad together on the 25th so I had to wait. :( It was worth it though! We went over to Mom and Dad's house on the 25th for lunch and we brought them a present guised as a Mother's Day present that Mom could use when we went scrapbooking on the 25th. We had Dad open the card and Mom open the present at the same time but Mom wanted to wait until Dad opened the card but Dad read the first few words, "To the Grandparents-To-Be" and threw it in the air and we were all waiting for Mom to open the present. She carefully opened it and saw that it was a photo album with a spot for a picture on the front where I placed a photo of the positive test and underneath the picture there was a tag that said, "Grandkids!" She saw it and started to cry - that is where I get it - and we all hugged! It was GREAT!!

To tell Angie and Maria I made little newborn onesies that read, "Auntie Angie Loves Me!" or "Auntie Maria Loves Me" and we got them bibs that said, "I Love Auntie." I told Angie when she came to visit us (Mom and me) at Archiver's and she said, "Really?!" and started to cry and hug us. And we told Maria while she was at work. She thought she was going to see the puppies but we were there instead!

We gave Brian's parents the same card we gave mine. Bruce opened it, smiled and gave us hugs. He said congratulations and that he was so happy for us! Sharon was excited too and looked like she had ants in her pants she was jumping around so much!!

We are slowly telling more people but we don't want to tell too early as we JUST found out!

We'll keep you updated here though!


Baby V is growing:
He is about the size of a poppy seed. His eyes, organs, ears, arms and legs are just starting to form! Only 252 days left!

Teresa is Pregnant!

That's right, on April 23rd I took two home pregnancy tests and both came back positive! The first one came back with a definite line and a really faint line and the second (after school) came back with "yes+" because it was a digital test. I was beside myself and couldn't really concentrate at my last after school class of the year!

After the first test on my way to school I called my doctor to schedule a blood test for today (Friday, the 24th). When I got there around 11:20, the nurse who took my blood said that she would get the results around 2pm because even though the test takes an hour or so, the lab closes for an hour for lunch. During mine at 1:05 I was fidgety and anxious but I got a call at 1:15 saying that it was positive! I called Brian right away and started crying!!

We are so blessed!

Ice Fishing = A LOT of Fun!!

Last night Brian and Bruce took me ice fishing for the very first time in my life!I had never wanted to: 1)be out on a frozen lake, 2)drill holes into the lake or 3)drive onto said frozen lake with a vehicle that someone uses everyday! But, this is something that Brian really enjoys and I want to at least try those things instead of shutting them out. So, yesterday we bundled up and got over to Bruce's around 3pm. We piled into the truck and headed for Prior Lake. We got there and Bruce and Brian took off their seat belts - a precaution - which, even though Brian had told me about it, really freaked me out. Another thing that would have really freaked me out, had it actually happened, would have been the creaking of the ice. I think it did, but I didn't hear it because it was covered with snow. We unloaded the truck, drilled the holes, set up the house and zipped ourselves inside. (When I say "we unloaded" I really mean "they unloaded" and I just did whatever they asked me to do!)


We only caught about 5 fish, but it was a lot of fun! I caught 2 fish and it was really neat to see my little spring bob when something was biting! I told Brian that I wouldn't mind going out again, as long as he didn't mind me asking him to help me put the minnows on or take the fish off. I am able to do it after a few times, but it still is really gross to me!

Who would have thought that I would actually go ice fishing... and like it!?

Weekend Getaway

Last weekend Brian and I went to visit our beautiful niece Isabelle and her family. They live in Kansas so we got up early on Friday and drove down. Everyone kept saying that Iowa is boring, but I found it relaxing. There's not much to it, but I was amazed at how many windmills we saw! When we first crossed over into Iowa, there were a ton of them! Then as it became less flat (and more hilly) we didn't see any.

While we looked at the scenery in Iowa, we looked at the houses in Missouri. There are some beautiful and HUGE houses on the way to Kansas - who knew?! We kept saying, "Oh my, look at that house!" Unfortunately, we didn't stop to take pictures of these houses because we either wanted to get to Mike and Danielle's house, or to ours!

It was a relief (to me) once we made it to their house because we encountered rain, sleet, and snow on our journey. We got to the house, unpacked, and Isabelle was just waking up from her nap. Perfect timing!

Over the next 3 days we got to read, play, sing, eat, and talk with Isabelle and Danielle - it was wonderful! We went to Union Station in Kansas City (Missouri), saw the Kansas Speedway, and visited the Leavenworth Army post where Mike works. The whole trip was wonderful and relaxing! We were sad to leave, but I am sure they were all happy to get back into their own routines.

Oh, and something a little odd... on our way to the Curley house we came upon an incredibly beautiful building - I am talking really beautiful! As we kept driving we realized it was... the Federal Prison!! I couldn't even believe it! I wonder if they offer visits, it would be interesting to see if the inside is as beautiful as the outside.

We'll work on getting pictures up soon, and maybe even a video or two as well!