Bringing in the New Year!

Elizabeth is currently in the car with her parents, Bob and Paula, and they're coming to New Orleans by way of Baton Rouge to spend the evening with my mom and I for New Year's Eve Dinner! I haven't seen Elizabeth and the baby boy bump in 3 days and it's felt like weeks. I'm really excited that they are coming because it's already been too much time apart. I'm REALLY pumped about dinner because we're going to a fabulous restaurant called Ralph's on the Park. Reservations are at 5:30pm, so we'll have an early dinner and we'll be back home to celebrate. This marks the first Christmas I haven't been with my dad (who had to be in Europe), maybe ever, and the first new year's eve I haven't celebrated with my close friends Jon and Pam Kirkland in maybe a decade (not kidding, it's close to that). So I'm sad that a couple traditions that mean a lot to me didn't work out this year, but hopefully we'll get them back on track next time. Also a little random that I'm in New Orleans and not going to the French Quarter on a day like today, but I'm relieved about that for obvious reasons.

2009 has been an amazing year for us as a family. Elizabeth and I got married on March 7th in New Orleans, and we then spent what I will always remember as the best vacation of my life in Maui, Hawaii for our honeymoon. What a trip that was, I still think about it every day and wish we could go back. Then, there was the happy news that we had a baby on the way, and then the news that it was a boy. Add to that that we're happy and healthy, and that the Saints locked up a top seed in the NFC playoffs... 2009 couldn't have been better. 2009 brought some rough patches for some of my family, though, and so I'm relieved to move on for their sake. Two random sporting memories of 2009 was my first tennis club championship victory at the Boar's Head for Men's Doubles and LSU's baseball team capturing the national title. I also want to give a quick shout out to the friends of ours who got married in 2009:

Ericson Davis & Elizabeth King
Coby Massie & Jenna Shaver
David Keene & Blair Matheson
Bobby Littlehale & Kacy Cummings
Jesse Dodson & Cathay Smith
Joe LeNoir & Georgia Leitner

And a shout out welcome to the world for Rebecca Richmond and Amelia O'Hair!

Did I miss anything? 

So Happy New Year to anybody reading this. 2009 was a year that I will never forget, and there is no question it's been a life changing experience for me. 2009 has defined me as a person more than any previous year, but now it's on to 2010. I'm not sure how we'll pull it off, but the goal is to make it even better. The birth of our son in May might help give 2010 a big boost in competing with 2009. Oh, and there's supposed to be a new Stone Temple Pilots album out this spring :)

Baton Rouge Baby Shower

Yesterday, December 28th, I had a baby shower in Baton Rouge at my parent's house. It was hosted by my best friend Jennifer and her mom, Miss Gwen. They did such a great job! The decorations were adorable and Jen thought of every little detail - from the plates to the banner to the diaper cake. It meant so much that so many family and friends came to the shower. We ate some good food, played a few games, and mingled. Many of my mom's friends attended: Patricia Swenson, Fran Harbour, Suzette Howe, Julie Jackson, Tomi Morton, MJ Gascon, Porge Casey, and Dana Reed. Mrs. Sara was of course there as well. Mrs. Anne, Elise Juge, and Amy Juge all drove up from New Orleans, which meant a lot, and my Aunt Evelyn drove in from Covington. Melissa Silva and Emily Harris also came. Thank you all for taking time out of the busy holiday season to attend! Below are some pictures.


The adorable decorations

The hosts

Mrs. Anne and Ms. Dana playing a game

Elise and Amy concentrating hard on a game :)

Mrs. Suzette, Mrs. Julie and her mom, and Mrs. Tomi

Me and Aunt Evelyn

The adorable O'Hair girls in their matching outfits

THANK YOU JEN AND MRS. GWEN!

Christmas Day pictures

Here are some pictures from Christmas day. It's always nice to be home with friends and family! Our last Christmas before the baby boy comes!


Little Rufus waking up Christmas morning

Dad with his microwave for the workroom

Dave and I waking up for Christmas morning

The kids with Grandma

Drew with Amelia

Grandma loved the kids!

Robb and Emily

Jen and Addie

I have no pictures of mom :(

Fruit Upgrade: Week 20

On Christmas day, baby boy Juge was upgraded from a melon to a small cantaloupe. He is about 6.5 inches from head to rump and weighs 10 ounces. I can't believe I'm halfway through the pregnancy. I've been feeling the baby move around and kick a lot, which I'm enjoying so much! Andrew will be feeling him move around very soon, I just know it!

We flew home to Louisiana on Christmas Eve. We had a delicious Christmas Eve meal at Andrew's house with Anne, Roy, and Cary. Anne fixed a delicious feast with lots of seafood and traditional Thanksgiving fixins'. We enjoyed it very much! That night we drove to Baton Rouge to wrap presents for Christmas morning. The Murphy's were over when we got home, and they gave me a beautiful baptismal frame with pictures from my baptism and school years for Christmas. It will look great in baby boy's nursery. We had a big Christmas at home. Mom fixed a delicious (as always) meal and we ate with Grandma, Guerry, and the Jewell/O'Hair family. Good times! We also named the baby boy on Christmas Day (more to come on this in another post)!

Saturday was spent lounging around with the family. On Sunday morning, Guerry headed back to Lake Charles and Andrew and Dave headed to NOLA for the Saints game. Andrew was so nice to let David use a ticket, and they watched the Saints blow a 17-0 lead to lose to Tampa Bay 20-17 in overtime :(

Today I had my Baton Rouge baby shower hosted by Jennifer O'Hair and Miss Gwen Jewell. It was SO NICE and they did so much work for it. It meant so much, and I appreciate all the family and friends that attended. Pictures and more details to come in the next post.

Week 20 Summary: Curious about whether that melon-sized belly contains a boy or a girl? Now's your chance to take a peek! Your second trimester ultrasound, scheduled for anywhere between 18 and 22 weeks, gives your practitioner a chance to see how things are going in there. And, wow, are they going! If you're having a girl, her uterus is now fully formed and her ovaries are holding about seven million primitive eggs. If you're having a boy, his testicles have begun their descent from the abdomen to their ultimate destination: the scrotum. And while your baby is definitely getting bigger (he's about ten ounces, six and a half inches), there's still plenty of growing room in there, which allows him to twist and turn (and allows you to feel his acrobatics!). You might be noticing your nails are stronger and your hair (all over your body) is thicker and fuller than usual — all thanks to pregnancy hormones and increased circulation, which furnish extra nutrients to hair and nail cells. But while the hair on your head may be lovelier than ever, you might not be digging those sprouts on your chin. This situation is indeed temporary, but feel free to tweeze!

Baby Bump Update: 19 Weeks

I feel like I'm really big for 19 weeks, no? Luckily, every single pound I gain seems to be going straight to my stomach, so at least there is some consolation that it's not all going to my butt.


Some updates:
-I have 1 pair of maternity jeans and that's the only pair of pants that fit me. I ordered another pair online, so hopefully those will fit so I can diversify. Basically I live in my maternity jeans and leggings. The leggings are getting too tight lately too.
-Drew likes to call my belly "the pooch" - I'm not too fond of this nickname :)
-The only thing I'm actually CRAVING is king cake and lemon-flavored yogurt. My sweet tooth has kicked in lately and I've been eating Ben & Jerry's Phish Food frozen yogurt.
-I also have been eating a lot of tomato-based foods lately, which taste great, but are causing a lot of indigestion at night.
-My headaches are finally gone - I hope I don't jinx myself with this post.
-I had a cold for about a month, but it's finally cleared up this week. I still feel that pregnancy stuffiness a little bit.
-This is not exactly pregnancy related, but Drew is OBSESSED with the TV show Lost and watches about 3 hours worth of episodes every night on the internet. Although I like to give him a hard time about it, at least this is an activity he can do while he's at home with me!
-I'm pretty moody and can cry at the drop of a hat. I'm working on controlling the emotions!
-I've been feeling the baby boy move around almost on a daily basis, but I have only felt him kick one time.
-We are having a heck of a time coming up with boys names that we really like and can agree on. Girls names were so much easier!
-I've relaxed with some of the pregnancy 'don'ts' and I enjoy a few diet cokes each week. I might really let loose and enjoy a cold turkey sandwich over the holidays :) I've really missed my deli meat turkey!
-I've started getting some leg and foot cramps, but they aren't that bad yet.
- My good friend, Robyn, had her baby girl (Rebecca) yesterday (12/21/09) and she is adorable! I can't believe we're going to meet the baby boy in about 5 months! So close, yet so far away.


We're heading home for the holidays in two days. We can't wait to get home, relax, and enjoy time with friends and family! Merry Christmas!

I'm Not Getting a Kick Out of This!

Ok I apologize in advance for the slightly creepy picture on the left, but apparently it's true you can start to see hand/footprints on the stomach closer to delivery as the baby punches/kicks. Elizabeth keeps feeling the baby, apparently, and has even got me to put my hand on her stomach while the baby is kicking... Only for me to feel nothing. It's frustrating because I want to be able to feel the baby too! I'm dying over here, let me feel a kick already. Hopefully soon...

Snowstorm 2009

We've gotten about 20 inches of snow in Charlottesville today. The streets are not plowed, so we've stayed inside most of the day. We did venture out for a walk downtown. It was so pretty! We're counting down the minutes until the Saints-Cowboys game. Our satellite is covered in snow, so we're not getting cable. I found a way to stream the game live on the internet. Hope it works out!

Fruit Upgrade: Week 19

Baby boy Juge was upgraded from a sweet potato to a mango for week 19. He is about 6 inches long and weighs 1/2 a pound. I can't believe I'm almost half way through the pregnancy. Drew and I can't wait to meet the baby boy. It's been an exhausting week and we can't wait to get home for the holidays! I'm on my 2nd unexpected doctor's visit for the week today. Keep your fingers crossed that everything is ok.

Week 19 Summary: One minute you're lying peacefully in bed and the next your calf muscle feels like it's about to explode.Leg cramps during pregnancy are pretty common (though no one knows exactly what causes them) and tend to strike at night. You might also be wondering about tingling and numbness in your fingers and toes about now. It's a weird sensation but totally normal, probably a result of your body's swelling tissues pressing on nerves. And speaking of weird, have you ever seen a mango dipped in cheese? Well, that's what your baby looks like this week due to a little growth spurt (he's about a half pound in weight and six inches long) and a substance called vernix caseosa. This greasy white stuff covers your baby's skin, protecting it from the surrounding amniotic fluid. (Without it, he'd look totally wrinkled as he entered the world.) The vernix sheds as delivery approaches, though some babies still sport a bit of the coating at birth.

It's a BOY!

We found out today that we're having a boy!!! Talk about a major surprise, but we couldn't be more excited! Last weekend we found this place called Ultrasound Vision in Charlottesville and they do elective ultrasounds for a reasonable price. They specialize in 3D and 4D ultrasounds, since most doctor's offices do not have the machinery for that. But they also can do gender tests in 2D as early as 16 weeks. After much debate, we decided to give it a try since we are in our 18th week. We are both very impatient and did not want to wait until January 13th to find out. I felt a little guilty, like I was cheating on my doctor, but Andrew said that was ridiculous.

So we went in this afternoon and the technician could tell right away that the baby was a boy. She saw it from about 10 different angles and said she was 100% positive it was a boy. We could definitely see his goods as he bounced around and there was also the tell-tale "turtle sign" appearing on multiple occasions. The baby boy was waving his arms above his head and even clapped at one point. Drew said he was cheering for the Saints :)

Now we need to pick out a name. We had a girl's name picked out, but we're starting from scratch with the boy names!

Fruit Upgrade: Week 18

Last night we began week 18 and baby Juge was upgraded from a turnip to a sweet potato! He/she is getting BIG! The baby is around 5.5 inches long and still weighs 5 ounces. Today is the first day I decided to wear maternity jeans. I'm really showing now, and none of my other pants will button.

Week 18 Summary: Oh, my aching back! If you've uttered those words more than once this week, here's why: Your uterus, now about the size of a cantaloupe, is causing your body's center of gravity to shift, pulling the lower back forward and pushing the abdomen out. On top of all that, joint-loosening pregnancy hormones are wreaking havoc on your muscles and ligaments, adding up to one big ouch! But while your pregnancy back pain has got you tied up in knots, your baby's getting ready to bust a move. At five and a half inches long and five ounces in weight, your baby now may be large enough for you to feel twisting, rolling, kicking, and punching his/her way around the womb. Plus, the baby is developing yawning and hiccupping skills (you may feel those soon, too!) and his/her very own unique set of toe and fingerprints. 

Baby Gender Myths

As most of you know, Andrew and I are obsessed with guessing and finding out the sex of this baby. So much for mystery, we are just dying to know. So we took a quiz based on myths and old wives tales about the gender. According to the quiz, we have a 62% chance of having a boy.

Indications that I'm having a boy based on old wives tales:

I am carrying the extra weight out front.

I am carrying the baby low.

I sleep in a bed with my pillow to the north.

Andrew is gaining weight right along with me :)

My chest development has not been very dramatic during pregnancy.

My pee is a bright neon yellow color (sorry if this is TMI).
I have a craving for salty or sour foods.
My nose has been spreading.
I have been craving meats or cheeses.
I have no desire for orange juice.
I am having headaches.
My belly looks like a basketball, not a watermelon.

I use the handle of a mug when I grab it, not the base.

Indications that I'm having a girl based on old wives tales:

The hair on my legs is not growing any faster during the pregnancy.

My feet are not colder than they were before pregnancy.
I refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread.
The maternal grandmother doesn't have gray hair.
I had morning sickness early in pregnancy.
I am not looking particularly good during pregnancy ("girls steal their mother's looks").
The sum of my age at conception (27) and the number of the month of conception (8) is an odd number.
Our baby's heart rate is 140 or more beats per minute. 

We'll find out soon enough!

Is that you I feel?

On Monday afternoon, while sitting at my desk at work, I think I felt the baby! It was the first time I have felt anything more than bubbles, and it felt like a flutter or almost a kick. I've felt fluttering the past two nights while laying in bed as well. It's so exciting, and I can't wait until the movements get more pronounced, so I'm 100% sure it's the baby! Andrew is very anxious to feel the baby as well, so hopefully that will happen soon.

Baby Bump Update: 16 1/2 weeks

I'm getting huge - proof is below. Here is the belly at 16 1/2 weeks. Please excuse the beautiful hair and makeup - I just got home from Pilates.

Fruit Upgrade: Week 17 and Doctor Visit

Last night we began week 17 and baby Juge was upgraded from an avocado to a TURNIP :) The baby is around 5 inches long and weighs 5 ounces. I also had a doctor's appointment today. It was fairly uneventful - blood pressure 100/60, the doctor recommended some cold medicine for me (neti pot and sudafed), and I got to hear the baby's strong heartbeat. I finally gained some weight, about 2 pounds, and I'm starting to show. I will post a belly picture tomorrow. We're so happy the baby is healthy, and will visit the doctor again at the beginning of January.


Week 17 Summary: The baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.  Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts).  Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration  to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed.  And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now. And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).

Thanksgiving: Family, Friends and a Baby Bump

As Andrew said, we had a great time at home. We ate TONS, watched LOTS of football, and even got a volleyball game in on Thanksgiving Day (I was a spectator!). Below is a picture of the winning team!

We spent some time with grandma. She loved Andrew, as she loves all men :)

 

We spent a lot of time playing with Rufus. He was rowdy, but is such a sweet boy!

And for some reason, my baby bump really started to pop out when I was home. I guess it was timing and the fact that I ate everything in sight!