Coming soon

We are at 33 weeks now...I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone, and we are so excited that August is just a short time away!  There have been a few appointments since the last post.  I took the glucose test and it came back slightly higher than normal, so I had to fast and go back for the 3 - hour test which was my worst nightmare, but I would say it went well.  I had to have blood drawn 4 times in 3 hours after fasting and drinking a very disgusting glucose drink (which tastes similar to cough syrup).  Any ladies who have gone for the glucose test can relate, it is not fun.  A few days later I got a call that it came back normal, we were so relieved.

We went to California recently to celebrate Chris' birthday and have our baby shower with our Cali family.  It was such a fun day!! We had a jack and jill party, and it was actually a lot of fun to have the guys there to play the games with (tinkle in the cup was my all-time favorite game to watch them do).  It was also really great to have Chris there to join in the festivities and open presents.  It was just a fun day, and we got a lot of great things to get ready for baby.  Thank you to my mom and sisters who planned and prepared for so long!

At Newport Beach

I was so excited for someone to get ME a cake!

Fruit baby!

33 Weeks she is the size of a pineapple

27 Weeks

Life has been a bit crazy the last month or so. We went to my sissy's graduation and my brother's wedding!  So happy for Randi to be done with school and for Jessica to officially join our family.

Their first dance

We also got to meet our little nephew Zane, who is just adorable.

 Our doctor visit last month was uneventful, consisting of a blood pressure check and listening to the heartbeat.  The most recent appointment was yesterday and it was my glucose test and 3D ultrasound.  I was only able to eat sparingly so it was a pretty awful day waiting to get my blood drawn.  We won't know immediately if I passed, so we're just praying that I did.  I really don't want to go back for an even longer, more bloody test.

The ultrasound was pretty cool, but she moved around so much during the test it was hard to get a good picture of her.  We did, however, get to see what she is able to do now and it was so exciting!  She tapped her foot, in time, just like daddy does.

At 27 weeks she is the size of a cauliflower

20 weeks!

Well, we are half-way there and I think I have officially popped-out (see below).  We went to our appointment on March 19th and found out that it was still a girl, lol.  We were definitely apprehensive because we found out the sex at 14 weeks, and we have heard many stories from people who found out  just as early and later on found out that it was not what was originally said.  We are glad to find out it is still, in fact, a girl.  They measured all the bones, and looked at her heart, lungs, and brain - she is perfectly healthy, yay!

We decided on a nursery theme, and have painted the base coat with the help of family.   Hopefully I will get to the mural soon...  and we already have a crib, dresser and carseat!  Things are moving along. 

Last week was banana week!

Last week Chris was able to feel her kick for the first time!  I have been able to feel her for a few weeks, which feels like butterflies (or indigestion, haha).  It was exciting to have him be able to feel her, too. Since then she has been very active and I will feel her kicking for hours.  Stay tuned for more details on our baby girl.  

It's A Girl!

At our last appointment we finally figured out what the baby was, and we were so pleased to find out it's a girl.  I don't think either of us really decided we wanted one or the other (but I may have slightly favored girl and he may have slightly favored a boy).  We truly would have been equally happy with either.    

She was moving around quite a bit so we got a few different poses this time. 

Here she is giving a fist to the camera

  There are her little fingers above her head

 Here's her foot

Here's a picture of me at 16 weeks

We were finally able finish our registry now that we know it's a girl, which was so fun for us!   We actually started a registry at 4 weeks because we were so excited.  I think we went the day after we found out, we just couldn't help it.  Below are the links to the registry.

Target:

http://www.target.com/baby/registry/xj7hltupHBmoXHTlGBiQLg

Babies R Us

http://www.toysrus.com/registry/search/index.jsp?_flowExecutionKey=_c6F725A3F-F7A3-6C40-F341-7534594F156B_kA13C8E03-084D-7BF8-2C96-76A8BDF04536&overrideStore=TRUS

Baby Bump

It has been really difficult to get this first picture taken.  With both of our work schedules, and school, and other things - coordinating us both to be home, during the day with enough light to take a picture, and when I didn't look like a hot mess - it was difficult... so here it is!

Also I lied about the appointment, it is actually this Wednesday, the 19th.  It is going to be amazing because they will most likely know what the sex is.  I have been warned by people about how they will say it is a certain sex at 15 weeks and then it is not what they said when you go back at 20 weeks..  We will ask them to tell us only if they are positive, otherwise we will find out at the next appointment.  What do you think it is??  I have only heard from a few about what they think, and it's so fun hearing what other people think it is.  

As you can see, there isn't much of a bump at 14 weeks, but it's there.  You can pretend the fruit in the above picture is a nectarine...that's what the size of the baby is but we did not have a nectarine on hand.  I'd say a tangelo is comparable.   

First appointment

We had our first doctor visit on January 22, 2014.  We both took off work in the middle of the day, made it there on time and it took them about an hour to see us (which was fine with me - it's still a break from work).  We turned in all the paperwork and finally got called to go inside, where we went straight to the ultrasound.  It was AMAZING.  Side note: I am using an app on my phone that tells me what's going on weekly with the baby like size, what's developing, how I should be feeling, etc.  So this week it said it was the size of a cherry.  I am expecting to see a little blob and turns out it's already got arms and legs!  I was very surprised!  I was, however, already ten weeks along so of course there was significant development.  The technician ended up waking baby during the ultrasound and we saw it move around it's itty bitty body, it was adorable.  Afterwards, we talked to the nurse who informed me I would be drawing blood - panic attack ensues - then the OB walks in while I'm crying, which was a lovely first impression.  For those that don't know, I have an abnormal, irrational fear of needles.  People usually have to hold me down while I cry irrationally.  I handled it ok - I cried while she did it, and after, but I think that's improvement.  Anyway, we love the OB and were elated to have our first picture of baby.  Next appointment is February 22!  (Where we may find out the sex!)  

Telling the fam

We told my family first because we went to visit the weekend before Christmas.  We sat through opening presents and afterwards said that we wanted a picture of them for our house.  They posed in front of the tree and we pulled out our cameras, and secretly took video also.  Before we took the picture we said, "Say 'Merry Christmas'" and they did. Next we said, "One more, say 'baby Holtzem'"..."baby Holtzem" they said... still posing for the picture.  We all stood still, we were waiting for them to react and they were waiting for us to take the picture. It took a while but they figured it out and were thrilled.

A few days later it was Christmas Eve and we were at Chris' cousins house with his family.  We did the same scenario and had similar results.  This time we decided to tell them to say, "we're pregnant!"  They did, then they laughed and remained posed for the picture.  It also took a little bit for them to catch on.  They, also, were thrilled.

I wouldn't change how we told our families.  They may have had to take a few seconds to let it sink in, but I love that we got their reactions recorded.

Oh and then here is our picture we used to share on fb.  We thought it was pretty funny, although a few people didn't catch on.  

We're Pregnant!

I found out I was pregnant on December 7, 2013.   We had just bought some tests earlier that day, casually, like we had been for a few months.  I had probably tested 6 times or so and wasn’t feeling any different on this day.  Chris had just left for a rehearsal and I really really had to use the facilities - really bad.  After he left I went to the bathroom and decided, “hey while I’m here I’ll crack one open."  I opened it and did my duty and set it on the floor.  This was very unlike the other times I had taken one, where I opened it carefully, counted the minutes, and stared at it after two minutes as if it would still appear - and even check on it later in the day just in case.  I was sure I wasn’t pregnant and was taking the test more as a routine.  This time I set it down and looked at it about 5 seconds later and did a double take.  I picked it up and had to physically cover up half with my finger so I could make sure that the “pregnant was two lines and “ not pregnant” was one - I was in complete disbelief.  I stared for a while and started crying.  I had no symptoms at that point and was not mentally ready for these results, I would have bet money on it being the same result it always had been.  I, of course, took a second test and by golly it was positive also.  

Ok so... I’m pregnant.  I paced around the house still crying and trying to figure out how to tell Chris.  I remembered a post I read on pinterest about writing, “you’re going to be a daddy” in a mug.  I also had just posted a new red velvet hot cocoa recipe, so I decided to go to the store and get a mug to write on and get ingredients to make the cocoa.  I had about two hours before he got home - and I barely finished in time.  I wrote on the mug, baked it for a half hour (to set the ink), made the cocoa, and heard him open the garage before I had even poured it into the mug.  I quickly finished and poured it in the mug and put some whipped cream and sprinkles.  He found it odd that I bought him a new mug but he got passed it.  He slowly, but finally got down to where he could see there was writing on the bottom.  He said, “ what does this say?”... I waited for him to read it and he turned around smiling and said, “Really?  Really?!” Then we just hugged each other tightly and he asked again, “this is for real?”

It was such a fun way for him to find out and I’m so glad I did it.  We then had to wait about two weeks to tell family when we visited for Christmas.