34 Weeks...and 2 weeks of vacation!!!

I am 34 weeks as of Friday, and I'm officially on winter break! I know, enjoy the break now because once the baby comes, blah, blah, blah...and that is my plan. The past few weeks I haven't slept very well. The 3rd trimester waking has set in, and I find myself going to the bathroom three to four times a night. So, I'm looking forward to getting some rest during the next two weeks. That will hopefully give me the energy I need to get through three weeks of teaching in January. Then, I will be on maternity leave until May! It's weird to think how in just a few weeks Mason will be here. I know it will be life changing and exhausting, and I've never been more excited about anything in my life. Jeff is excited too, and has even been having baby dreams about changing diapers and feeding the baby. Jeff tells me that in his dreams, Mason doesn't cry that much. Hopefully that will hold true ::fingers crossed::.

In addition to waking at night, my back continues to give me the biggest source of pain. Jeff gives me back massages, and I use a heating pad when the need arises. I don't want to think about getting bigger, and how much more my back will hurt then. I am definitely growing too! I'm pretty sure I will have an outtie in the next few weeks, but I'm hoping the stretch marks stay away! According to the home scale I'm up 19 pounds. A coworker of mine puts a basketball under his shirt to poke fun when we're at yard duty.

Other than growing, we're working on finishing up the nursery, assembling the stroller, and putting all baby things in their place for Mason's arrival. We also attended a breast feeding class last week. I am actually excited to take the Christmas decorations down, so we can clean and get organized...let the nesting begin!

So, that about does it for now. On Christmas I will be 35/35...35 weeks pregnant with 35 days to go! We have our next doctor's appointment on Dec. 30th, and dare I say I'm kind of hoping it's an internal exam. With that said, here is the 34 week belly pics. Be sure to check back for doctor's updates and nursery pictures! Merry Christmas! I have also fixed the comment function on the blog...and it only took 34 weeks! Feel free to leave comments by clicking on the word "comment" next to the pencil below the post!

32 Weeks...and getting big!

I'm 32 weeks pregnant, 8 months, and now when people ask when I'm due I can technically say "next month." Yes, it's the end of next month, but next month just the same. I definitely find myself thinking more and more each day about what he will look like, how he will act, and all of the things Jeff and I will teach him. I love feeling him in my belly, but get so excited thinking about holding him in my arms. He better stay put though for at least another 6 weeks!

This week I had my 32 week appointment, and we scheduled all of our appointments through Mason's due date (Jan. 29th). The appointment went well. I am up 16 pounds total, which puts me on target to gain the recommended 25 pounds. It also gives me a little wiggle room in indulge during the holidays. Mason's heartbeat was a strong 130 bpm, and the doctor could feel that he is already head-down. Of course that could change over the next 8 weeks, but I'm happy that he is in the right position for now. I was also given the H1N1 vaccine. My arm hurt like no other after the shot, but anything to protect Mason and I from that pesky pig flu!

We've also been trying to get ready for Christmas (just three weeks away)! The house is decorated, and we're almost finished with our holiday shopping, but despite being organized with Christmas, I find I'm not as excited about Christmas this year as I have been in the past. I'm just eager to get through the holidays, and be that much closer to meeting out little boy!

Just for fun, and a recommendation from Grandma Sheila, I've added a new poll "How big will Baby Boy Brown be?" Be sure to vote on how much you think Mason will weigh. Here is the 32 week belly pics. Sorry for the repeated shirt, the maternity wardrobe is limited, but I assure you, these are the 32 week pictures!

30 Weeks...A Survey!

I am 30 weeks pregnant, and I'm happy to report that I don't have much to report! It's been a pretty uneventful two weeks in pregnancy land, and I'm very content with that. I feel like I'm growing everyday, and Mason has been very active. I often feel him push on my left side, and Jeff and I enjoy playing "guess the body part." He also seems to have the hiccups quite regularly. His hiccups even woke me up yesterday morning. With parent/teacher conferences last week, I found myself REALLY tired (I'm normally tired after conferences, but add in the pregnancy and it's no wonder I was in bed by 9pm every night). I also find myself telling Jeff "You try growing a human, it's exhausting!" We are still working on organizing the nursery, and finding wall art. As soon as it's complete, I'll post new pictures. We don't have our next doctor's appointment until early December, but this week we do have our late pregnancy class at Kaiser where we get to tour the labor and delivery wing, and we get to pre-register! I thought a survey might be fun, since I don't have a lot to share.

• How far along: 30 weeks
• Total weight gain: According to the home scale I'm up 13 pounds.
• Maternity clothes: Yep.
• Stretch marks: None yet, but I do have to have Jeff check the underside of my belly, I can't see it ;).
• Sleep: Not very good, but I'm never been a deep sleeper. I toss from one side to the other throughout the night. I know it's only going to get worse.
• Best moment this week: Not pregnancy related, but being on Thanksgiving break!
• Movement: Tons. Lots of kicking, but also lots of stretching & shaking around. My whole belly shakes from side to side when he moves now & it still doesn't get old watching it :)
• Food cravings: I want salami!!! But no deli meat until after Mason is here, so after delivery someone will be making a Subway run!
• Labor signs: Nothing yet, thank goodness!
• Belly button in or out: It's in, but it's pretty darn flat.
• What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach and salami!!!Oh, and eating junk food, I'm trying to be good.
• What I'm looking forward to: Our tour of labor and delivery, and seeing our families on Thanksgiving.
• Milestone: Reaching 30 weeks!

Here are the 30 week belly pics, and before I close, a Cassie update. We took her to the vet last weekend, so he could examine the area and see if there's been any regrowth of the tumor. He didn't feel or see anything, her lymph nodes felt great, and she seems to be doing really well. The vet thinks it is slower growing, or they got it all. Only time will tell, but I'll take that great news!!!

We are so blessed!!!

Sunday was our baby shower for Baby Mason! Grandma Sheila and Auntie Kym planned the baby shower, and I had a wonderful time! The shower was held at mom's house, and so many of our family and friends were able to attend. There was delicious food, fun games, and great company! Everyone was so thoughtful in their well wishes for our little man, and Jeff and I are so blessed to have received so many thoughtful gifts. We have some absolutely beautiful, homemade blankets that Mason is going to love. We also received a lot of clothes, bath supplies, and even our play pen and travel system! I was exhausted after the shower, but have so many wonderful memories to cherish! Here are a few pictures from the shower! Enjoy!

28 Weeks...We have a NAME (well...2/3 anyway)

I can't beleive I am 28 weeks, 7 months, along in this pregnancy! It seems like it has flown by, yet somehow January feels sooooo far away! This week has been pretty eventful in pregnancy land, but I'll get to that in just a bit. As the title of this post reads, we have a name!!! Our Jelly Bean will be named Mason Brown! It took many weeks of discussion (i.e. me convincing Jeff), but we are really happy with the name choice. I didn't even have to bribe Jeff with a flat screen TV ;). We are still discussing the middle name, but 2/3 isn't bad, right?

In other news, I had my one hour glucose test last Tuesday. This is a standard screening test they give all women around 28 weeks to check for Gestational Diabetes. Well, I failed the one hour test, and was absolutely devastated. I have been eating soooo healthy, and was really worried about how this would affect the rest of the pregnancy. If you fail the one hour, you have to go in for a three hour test that involves fasting, a disgusting sugary drink, and blood drawn four times in three hours. I had that test on Friday, and I'm relieved to say that I passed! So, I will continue my pregnancy eating habits, and don't have to worry about avoiding sugar (which I already eat a minimal amount of)! Yeah! In addition to failing the one hour test, my blood work also showed that my iron was low, so I am now taking an iron supplement in addition to the prenatal vitamin...but I'll do anything to keep Mason healthy and growing! At my 28 week appointment Mason's heartbeat was 134 bpm and overall I'm up 11 pounds.

And, to give a quick update on Cassie...my other baby...she is doing well! She had her stitches removed on Monday, and is her happy, playful self. She is eating regularly, and is as lovey as ever. I'm still so concerned about her, but we're just loving her the best we can. She has another appointment in a week, where they will check the surgery site to see if there has been any regrowth of the tumor. I'm hoping it comes back clear, keep your fingers crossed!

Finally, my baby shower, given by Grandma Sheila and Auntie Kym is tomorrow! I'm so excited to see my family and friends, and celebrate Mason with them (of course Auntie Kristi will be greatly missed)! It is sure to be a fun day! Check back to see shower pictures!

Here are the 28 week pictures! The lighting in the second picture is bad. It looks like I'm the sweatiest pregnant woman on the planet. I really haven't been sweating, and surprisingly, haven't had any increase in body temperature thus far.

26 Weeks...A rough two weeks!

Hello out there in blog land. I am 26 weeks along, and physically I'm feeling pretty good. The past two weeks, however, have been a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Let me apologize now, as the next part of the post isn't Jelly Bean related, but Furbaby related.

Last week my puppy Cassie began walking funny. We took her into the vet, only to find out that Cassie had a tumor in her anal gland. She had surgery last Monday and they sent the tumor off to be biopsied. The results came back Wednesday, and the news wasn't good. The tumor was a very aggressive form of cancer. The tumor was connected to the tissue, and this type of cancer isn't responsive to chemotherapy or radiation. So, our only choice is to make sure Cassie is comfortable, and watch her activity level and appetite to get an indication of how fast growing it is. Cassie is between 11 and 13, so she isn't a young pup, but it's my first "baby" and this news is just devastating to me. I'm hoping that is will be very slow growing, that she still has plenty of time left with us, and that she gets to meet Jelly Bean. So please keep her in your thoughts and prayers! Here I am with my lovable ball of fur Cassie!

In addition to the stress of Cassie's health, Jeff and his dad have been working very hard on the nursery. Last weekend they installed chair rail. This was a gift from Jeff's parents, and I have to say, I had my reservations about the men doing this project (they haven't done any projects like this before). It was a weekend long project, that involved several trips to Home Depot, but the chair rail looks fantastic!!! It really gives the room a "finished" look! Jeff and I moved the furniture into the room (my mom, Aunt Dee Dee, and I assembled the dresser), and are amazed at how well the nursery is looking. We still have to paint the closet doors, find/hang artwork, organize the closet, and add some other details, but overall it looks like a nursery! Yeah! Here are some pics of the room (ignore the random bedding in the crib...now that I've mentioned it, you're going to look in the picture ;)).

Here is the 26 week belly pic. It is getting big! I am wearing all maternity clothes now, which I find to be unattractive and uncomfortable, but maybe that will change the bigger I get!

24 Weeks...V-day

I'm 24 weeks, and have reached viability day. That means that if the baby were born today (or any day hereafter) he would have a chance of surviving outside the womb. We'll be sure to keep him in a few more months though, so he can grow healthy and strong! And strong he is getting! He is very active at night, and Jeff and I enjoy sitting and feeling him move. It's still a little surreal that there's a human in there, but we love it! According to the books, Jelly Bean is about a foot long, and is starting to gain his baby fat. I guess that explains my growing belly. As of my doctor's appointment this week, I am officially up 6 pounds from my prepregnancy weight. I feel pretty darn good about that. I really look pregnant now, and Jeff is in awe of my growing tummy. His favorite comment to make is "Whoa...big belly!" But he follows it with a tummy rub, and it's really quite endearing.

Jelly Bean still has no name, but we're working on it. It's so hard to pick a name that he will have the rest of his life. And being teachers, we can't help but think about previous students, names kids get teased for, etc. Thankfully no one will be able to make jokes about our last name ::sarcastic::!

In other Jelly Bean news, we started the nursery last weekend. The room is painted and the changing table (a gift from my mom:)) is assembled. My mom, aunt, and I are going to assemble the dresser this weekend. Next weekend Jeff and his dad will be installing the chair rail. So, no pictures yet, at least not until the chair rail is up, then I will display the room in all it's painted glory. After all, it is the ONLY room in our house that's not white! It will probably be the only painted room for some time, as my pickiness came out last weekend when Jeff was painting. He no longer wants to paint any other room in our house...opps!

So, here it is...the "Big Belly!"

22 Weeks...starting the nursery!

I am 22 weeks along, and I'm feeling really good! I'm getting plenty of sleep at night (I know that will change), and I haven't been sick in weeks! In light of "feeling good" we thought it was time to start on the nursery. Before we found out Jelly Bean was a boy, we had decided to do a sports theme nursery. Well, actually, Jeff decided we would do a sports theme nursery since he LOVES sports. So, after countless searches for bedding we liked, we finally decided on a blue, green, and tan sports set. We were fortunate to get a beautiful white crib through my co-worker's friend, and it will match the other white furniture we ordered. Here is a pic of the crib and bedding. We've also been trying to pick out paint colors, hence the patches of blue all over the walls. Picking paint is so hard, especially for me. I guess that's why we haven't painted a single room in our house. We even have Jelly Bean's first teddy bear to hold Jelly Bean's place in the crib until his arrival. It was a gift from my mom's co-worker. She is very talented at sewing, and the bear is even more adorable in person. Here is the crib, bedding, and bear:

Not only is the nursery changing, but of course I am changing as well. I am up 3 pounds total from my pre-pregnancy weight which I feel is pretty good. I have a growing bump, although I can't decide if I look pregnant or look like I ate too much for lunch. The maternity pants are a little big and my pants are a little small, so picking out clothes is a pain. It will be nice when the bump is a little bigger, and clothes fit better. I'm also still waiting for my first "stranger" comment, but I'm sure that will come soon. Jelly Bean is growing daily, and I feel him regularly throughout the day. If he is this active once he comes, I'm sure we will have our hands full! I'm also pretty sure he had the hiccups this morning. That was a really weird feeling, but exciting just the same. He still has no name (we're taking suggestions), but we love him so much already! Here is the 22 week belly pics for all you avid readers ;). Can I also point out that apparently Cassie wanted to get in on the picture with her "brother."

20 Weeks...It's a Boy!

We've hit the halfway mark, only 20ish weeks to go! And with the 20 week mark came the big ultrasound, where my suspicions were confirmed. Our little Jelly Bean is, in fact, a BOY!!!!!!We couldn't be more excited! I felt from the beginning that there was a boy in my tummy, but Jeff was convinced it was a girl (there are very few boys on either side). When the technician finished taking the measurements and told us the gender, Jeff had quite the shocked look on his face. Then he immediately began thinking of the sports he would teach our son. Now we have the task of picking out a name. Once we got the positive pregnancy test we tried to think of both boy and girl names, but quickly discovered our taste in boy names differed dramatically. We put all "boy name talk" on hold until we knew the gender. I guess it's a good thing we have until January! I hear they won't let you leave the hospital without a name, so let's keep our fingers crossed that his first birthday isn't celebrated at Kaiser ;) (our hospital).

We have also had baby movement. I felt the jumping Jelly Bean last weekend, and it was a very strange feeling. Once I figured out that it wasn't gas, I enjoyed sitting patiently to feel the soft movements. Then, at our doctor's appointment today, Jelly Bean was moving again. This time Jeff was able to feel the kicks. I was so excited that Jeff could feel it this early! I hear some people don't feel it for a few more weeks.

So, Jelly Bean is growing and kicking, and so is my belly! A few of the girls from my class last year love to come see me, and often rub my belly. Mom has become quite fond of rubbing the belly too (she is soooo excited, and I love it). I just wonder when I will get my first "stranger" comment! I'm sure it's only a matter of time!

18 Weeks...and growing!

Friday I hit the 18 week mark, and boy has the hunger started to kick in! I am hungry ALL the time which is a good thing because that means Jelly Bean is growing. In addition to the added hunger, the morning sickness has finally subsided ::knocks on wood::. I haven't had to take my medicine for a few days, and I've been able to keep everything down. In fact, according to our home scale, I am now only down one pound from when we began this pregnancy journey. The clothes are feeling tighter too! About a week and a half ago I went through my clothes to see which pants I could still where to work, and most of my pants fit. Two days ago I put on one of the said pairs of pants with the intention of wearing them to work, and had to change 5 minutes later. They were too tight! So today the plan is to go buy my first pair of maternity pants...EKK!

One of my classroom parents actually noticed the "bump" last week, which I was shocked at because I've been wearing looser fitting tops, and haven't told my class that I am expecting. This week I'm telling my class/classroom parents, and then I won't have to hide the growing belly :)! So, here it is, the 18 week bump!

16 Weeks...and back to work!

Hi everyone! Long time no post. Sorry for the delay in posting, I will try to post more once things start moving along (i.e. new symptoms, growing belly, etc). As the title mentions, I'm 16 weeks along, and I'm back to work. That's right, summer is over and now Jeff and I are not only preparing for our little one, but I'm getting ready for 22 other little ones and Jeff is getting ready for 180 big ones (yikes!). But back to the pregnancy, after all that's what this blog is for, although I'm sure one about teaching would be pretty exciting as well ;).

I still have bouts of morning sickness. The medicine I've been on has helped a lot, but I still have days of nausea and vomiting. I have been able to eat more though, and at our appointment yesterday I was up 2 pounds, still down 4 pounds overall. We also got to hear Jellybean's heartbeat yesterday, a strong 145 bpm. The doctor had a hard time finding the heart beat at first, but thanks to the home doppler we've been using, I was able to "guide" her in the right direction. I was hoping for an ultrasound and early gender prediction, but no such luck. Hopefully Jellybean will cooperate on Sept. 10th for our big ultrasound. We can't wait!

In other pregnancy related news, I've been asked a lot "Are you having any cravings?" The only craving thus far is pizza. I suddenly looooovvvvveeee pizza, a food I use to not care for. Jeff loves this craving I have, and we seem to eat pizza weekly, hence the increase in 2 pounds. I also have a little bump, or a "Jelly Belly" if you will (humor me)! Jeff and I can definitely tell a difference, I just wonder how big I will get???!!! So, here is the 16 week picture of the "Jelly Belly." I'm sure I won't update again until Sept. 10th, but be sure to get your vote in!

13 Weeks....So long first trimester!

I am 13 weeks pregnant, and I'm officially out of the first trimester! It seems like the past 9 weeks have dragged by since finding out we were having a baby. I know the first trimester usually comes with the added fear of miscarriage, but to my surprise I actually wasn't too worried, and for me not to worry, that's pretty impressive. I guess the main reason I haven't worried too much is because I've had HORRIBLE morning sickness, something my mom and mother-in-law have been kind enough to remind me they didn't have any of. The morning sickness was my constant reminder that Jellybean is still OK in there. At our last appointment I actually weighed in 6 pounds below my initial weight, so the doctor gave me some anti-nausea medicine...thus far it hasn't helped :(!I'm hoping beyond hope the second trimester brings some much needed relief, I keep reminding myself it's a good thing I'm on summer break! Jeff has been WONDERFUL through all my sickness (he's a sympathetic puker), but has been there for me every step of the way!

The highlight of the first trimester, other than finding out I was pregnant, was hearing Jellybean's heartbeat. My good friend Cristina lent us her Doppler she used through both of her pregnancies. At about 10 weeks, we were able to find the heartbeat, and have been listening it about every other night. Jeff is so cute, and asks me often "Can we hear the heartbeat tonight?" It's really sweet! We also heard the heartbeat at our last appointment, and it was a strong 160 bpm. The ultrasound technician said our baby looked "perfect." We have our next two appointments scheduled, and we will hopefully find out if Jellybean is a boy or girl on Sept. 10th. We can't wait to find out what we're having! Let us know what you think by voting on our poll!

Here is the most recent picture of Jellybean, and of course the 13 week belly pic.

We're Having a Baby

That's right, we are expecting the arrival of our first baby January 29, 2010! You may have just found out this exciting news, but we have known for a few months now. Let us catch you up on the past several weeks of this exciting journey!

Saturday, May 16, 2009: Jeff woke up early to play basketball with some friends, I said goodbye and went back to sleep. While asleep I had a dream that I took a pregnancy test, and it came back positive. So, upon waking up I decided to take a test. After waiting the instructed 3 minutes, the faintest line possible came back on the test. Being my worrisome self, I didn't take it as a positive, and instead, bought a digital test to take the next day.

Sunday, May 17, 2009: I woke up bright and early, and took the digital pregnancy test. "Pregnant" popped up right away, and I was quite surprised, after all, this was our first month of "trying." I left the test and an "I Love Daddy" bib on the counter. I quietly got back in bed, and pretended to be asleep while Jeff woke up and went to the bathroom. He saw the test right away, looked at me, and kept asking "Am I dreaming? Am I awake right now?" It was really cute. We spent the rest of the day celebrating! Here's our positive pregnancy test, and our firs belly pic (Kristi really wants to see me "fat"!)We made the decision to tell our families right away! Anyone that knows me knows I'm terrible with secrets, and there was NO WAY I could keep this from my mom until the first doctor's appointment, let alone the end of the first trimester. We bought an ultrasound picture frame for my family and Jeff's family, and gave it to them on Sunday. Both our families were in complete shock, as we didn't tell anyone we were trying to get pregnant, but they were so excited! This will be the 3rd grandchild for Jeff's parents, and the first grandchild for my mom!

Thursday, June 11, 2009: This was the day of our first doctor's appointment (8 weeks pregnant). After 4 long weeks of waiting, we finally got to go to the doctor and see our little Jelly Bean (that's what we're calling the baby for now. It's mine and Jeff's names combined). We began by completing tons of paperwork, and then we finally got called back for the exam. Jeff and I were both very nervous, hoping that everything would look OK! The doctor confirmed the pregnancy, and then we had our first ultrasound. It was amazing to see our baby on the screen, and see the flickering heartbeat. The doctor measured the baby at 7 weeks, which I expected. I had been charting my cycles, and knew I ovulated later than the "14 days" that doctors generalize to all women. She said everything looked perfect, and that at our next appointment we would hear the heartbeat. We finished the appointment, and then went down to the lab for the urine test and blood draw...we all know how much I love needles! They took 7 vials of blood, and I know I'd better get used to it. It actually wasn't too bad, and they can take as many vials as they need to make sure our Jelly Bean is healthy! And without further adieu...here is our baby!

Well friends and family, we welcome you to continue to follow us on this journey. We are so appreciative of all of the love and support that everyone has given us with the news of our baby! Jelly Bean is soooo loved already!