15 Weeks

How Far Along: 15 weeks!
Size of the Baby: Navel Orange
Maternity Clothes: No, but I am using the rubber band trick on all of my pants and prefer to wear dresses or anything that doesn't hug my stomach.
Stretch marks: not yet, knock on wood.

Weight gain/loss: I lost about 6 pounds during the first trimester, so I'm still -2 :-(

Sleep: I can't get enough of it. I start asking Brandon around 7:30 if we can get in bed, and the answer is always, "Amira, it's still light outside." By 8:30, I can't resist for a single minute longer, and to bed I go.
Best Moment of the Week: Finding out what we're having! We did an elective ultrasound on Sunday, and found out what our little peanut will be! I've had so many people tell me since then, "Oh 15 weeks is still really early, don't be surprised if that changes." Which was kind of a bummer to hear, so we'll probably wait until our gender ultrasound scheduled in 3.5 weeks to confirm and announce.
Movement: Not that I've felt, but man does that little jelly bean move around in there during the ultrasounds.

Symptoms: Just tired...really, really tired :-) Which I won't complain about because it's so much better than the 24/7 nausea of the first trimester. I love being able to get out of bed in the morning without gagging, and crying.

Food Cravings: Anything and everything lately - I'm just thrilled to have an appetite!

Gender: :-)

Belly Button in or out: In

Anything making you queasy or sick: If I wait too long to eat, I feel queasy - so I'm constantly stuffing my face, ha
Labor Signs: nope
Wedding ring on or off: On, aww I hope I get to keep it on!
What I miss: Being able to have as much caffeine as I want -- specifically in the form of Diet Coke. It's always been a struggle for me to drink water.
What I am looking forward to: Actually looking pregnant, not just like I've sprouted a gut.
Nursery: Starting to look on pinterest for ideas
Emotions: I hope Brandon would agree, but I actually don't feel too emotional. I think I did enough crying in my first trimester to last our entire pregnancy. I do seem to get cranky a bit easier now...especially if I'm hungry.
Stupid things I have done: Lately, I can't remember anything! So I'm sure I've done some stupid things recently but they are escaping my mind at the moment.

Peanut at 12 weeks 3 days



Finding Out

Brandon left to Tahoe at the very beginning of May to pick up his new Bronco and see his parents for a short visit. I had been coming down with a cold for the past few days so I figured it would be a good time to lay on the couch without showering, blowing my nose and finishing my final project for the semester. On Saturday morning, for a reason I still cannot explain I decided I would take a pregnancy test. My monthly visitor wasn't due for another day, I didn't feel any different, but some nagging feeling told me I should take one. *I should specify, April was the first month that Brandon and I had stopped "not trying" and were just gonna go with the flow for awhile, and probably start "really trying" in a couple of months. So while there was a chance, I figured it was a pretty small one. 

I stopped at CVS and got a cheap box of pregnancy tests, went through the drive-through of Del Taco to pick up lunch and headed home. I ate my food and then when I had to pee took one of the tests into the bathroom with me. I peed on the stick and while I waited I read through the paper manual that explained if you were taking this test a day before your missed period, there was a 54% chance it could detect the pregnancy hormone. This number almost doubles after you've missed your period. The few minutes pass and I look at the circle and I see a clear negative (horizontal line). Upon closer examination I see a faint vertical line going through the horizontal one...or do I? Is my mind playing tricks on me or is there a faint line?? I took a picture of it with my cell phone so I could continue to inspect it (since you are supposed to throw the test away after 10 minutes). *I should also add that this is the point I texted Lauren and Emily  a picture of the test and asked them if it looked positive or not. Yes, these two blogger friends found out I was pregnant before my own husband, ha.

I decided I hate these cryptic tests and I'm going back to get the digital kind that say either Pregnant or Not Pregnant in plain English. To make a longer story shorter, over the next few days I took a pregnancy test every day and they each said Pregnant in very clear letters. I'm not sure I can explain how it actually feels to see those words. I think I put my hand over my mouth for a full minute trying to let it soak in. While my heart was racing an enormous grin broke out on my face, and I don't think it went away all weekend.

I didn't want to tell Brandon over the phone, so I had to wait an excruciating full day for him to be home. He must have thought I was so needy when I kept texting "how's the drive, how much longer until you're home?" "Now where are you? How many hours?" He pulled into the driveway in his new Bronco at 7:00 pm and I went outside immediately. I "oohed" and "ahhed" over his car while he showed me every nook and cranny. All I wanted was a gap in the conversation so I could change the subject. I finally asked him if he wanted to come inside since it was cold out. He told me he needed to unload the car and then he'd be in.

So I blurted out, "Well then there is something I need to tell you." He replied with an, "Uh oh, is this going to be good or bad?" I shoved my iphone in his face with the picture above. He looked at the picture, his eyes got really big and he looked back at me, "You swear to God? You swear to God? You're not lying? Is this real?" We both started laughing and hugging and he kept trying to lift my shirt like there was going to be something to see. I told him I wasn't sure if it was real or not (will it ever feel real?)  and that I wanted to take another test the following morning. How could we be pregnant so fast? This was supposed to happen over the summer.

The next morning, I crawled out of bed at 5:00 am, peed on another stick and it told me the same thing. I smiled, and crawled back into bed with Brandon. I whispered that I think it's real and it said "pregnant" again and we laid there for a little bit enjoying the moment before it was time to go to work.

I'm baaaaack

Hello!! It feels like ages since I've looked at this blogger screen :-) I wanted to pop by and say hello and give everyone a little update. If you follow me on Instagram you might have seen a little announcement over the weekend.

Brandon and I are expecting baby Gray on January 15th, 2013 - which puts me at exactly 13 weeks along!! I never expected to be away from the blog for so long but morning all day sickness struck with a vengeance around 5 weeks and has only recently let up. It feels so great to join the world again! I can't wait to share our journey with all of you.

xo,