Halfway There-20 Weeks!!!

Today is a very big milestone for us-we're halfway through the pregnancy! In a few weeks, baby James will be able to survive outside of the womb (although we hope he stays in for another 20 weeks). And...MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!!! Being pregnant (with a very wiggly baby) is the best gift we could ask for.

Baby James is getting bigger! Matt noticed that the length of the baby we've been writing on the blog (which we get from a couple different websites as well as a baby development tracking calendar we printed) is the crown-to-rump length of the baby - from his head to his butt, not head to toe. Earlier, I read on BabyCenter's website that for the first 20 weeks, when baby's legs are curled up towards his torso and hard to measure, measurements are crown-to-rump, but after 20 weeks, baby is measured from head to toe. James is 6.5 inches this week crown-to-rump, but is really 10 inches from head-to-toe...so about half the length that he'll be when he's born! Although right now he's only about 10.5 ounces, so he'll be gaining a lot more weight!

Our little one is about the length of a banana right now.

But hopefully not this yellow.

Awww!

James has been much more active, especially yesterday. He was kicking up a storm! Feeling him kick is the most amazing feeling in the world, and reminds me why all this nausea/vomiting/back pain/headaches/blahness is worth it! 

We celebrated Christmas with Matt's family and got lots of goodies for baby James! A swing, high chair, clothes, pack 'n play, crib mattress, play mat...and the awesome stroller and car seat combo that was on our registry! We also got some awesome books, I got pair of bow earrings (I LOVE BOWS!), and some gift cards for date nights. We are very spoiled. I also got a Christmas package from my mom today with lots of adorable baby clothes, a bow ring (did I mention that I love bows?), Butterbeer "mugs," a sweet teddy bear/blank combo, and a spongebob hooded towel. Matt got me a silicone whisk and pastry blender (YAY!), a hook he made when he was blacksmithing (awww), and the sweetest gift that made me cry....a Broncos baby blanket. (He wrote a letter that included "This gift will show how  much I'm willing to sacrifice for James." HA. He's so funny.)

ADORABLENESS!

Hope everyone has a great Christmas and a wonderful 2013. So much to look forward to. We love you! 

19 Weeks

Almost halfway there....and only one week until Christmas! Happiness abounds. :)

James has been very busy. I felt him kick for the first time on Friday (December 14), which was amazing! He's been a little wiggle worm.

On Saturday I met with Jayson and Rachael, the photographers doing my maternity shoot, and we decided that the beginning of March would be a good time to do them. We will be taking the photos in Colonial Williamsburg. Woohoo!

I also got my hair cut at Urban Escape in Providence Forge-amazing, as always! My stylist did a blow out, which I haven't had done in....5 years? It looked great!

If only I had the patience to do this every day...:)

I was able to have some wonderful quality time with Eric and Maria. I was planning on driving home Saturday afternoon/evening, but by the time we got home it was dark and I was tired, so I stayed the night. I borrowed a pair of pajama pants from Maria and one of Eric's undershirts to sleep in. When I walked out into the living room wearing those clothes, my belly was very noticeable. Maria said she will feel very bad for me in the third trimester (because I'll be huge by then!) and Eric said that shirt looked a little tight, but that he has a tarp in the garage they could sew together to make something that would fit my growing belly. HAHAHA, he's so funny. I also think he's the only person that could say that without me getting mad. Anyway, on Saturday we went to Noodles and Co. in Mechanicsville...it was SOOOOO (sooo!!!) good. We went to Home Depot, BJ's, and Kohls, then went home. I love being so close to family! It was great to see Brian and Katie in the evening-we all watched the ultrasound video from the 10th together. I love seeing our little baby! 

We are looking forward to the Christmas get-together this weekend. Matt is working over the holiday, so we're celebrating early. I've started some baking but will be doing most of it on Friday and Saturday. 

James weight about 8.5 ounces right now (half a pound!!) and is about 6 inches long. One website said he's the size of a Mango, and another says a heirloom tomato. I've never seen a tomato that big, but I like the picture, so here goes.

Something like these. But you know, with limbs and an adorable little face.

This is a very funny visual, but pretty accurate. He's starting to get pretty smushed in there! He spends a lot of his time with his legs crossed. I think his legs are very long, so I can't blame him. :)

Vernix Caseosa (that white greasy stuff) now coats his skin to protect it from the amniotic fluid. Not really pleasant to think about, but a necessary step for little James (and babies everywhere)! His arms and legs are now proportionate to the rest of his body, as we saw in the ultrasound, and hair may be starting to grow on his little head. 

My nausea has been a bit worse recently, and I've been having more round ligament pain (the ligaments that support the base of my belly). There has been less cramping, which is reassuring to this mama! The kicks/flutters from James only come every so often, and I can't wait until they are consistent. It's such an awesome feeling, and reminds me that the not-so-pleasant pregnancy side effects are totally worth it. 

Can't wait to post next week. We're almost halfway, and then we get to meet our precious James! 

Hope everyone has a wonderful week. We love you!

18 Weeks

Only 2 more weeks and we're halfway done! Then the really challenging part comes around...parenthood!

James (we know baby's name now, yay!)  is busy wiggling, punching, kicking, yawning, rolling, twisting, sucking and swallowing around, myelin is developing around his nerves, and his ears are in their final place. You can sort of see them in some of the ultrasound pictures from yesterday. He's just so handsome, if I do say so myself.

He is now the size of a sweet potato-about 5.5-6" long, and weighs 7 ounces. He's getting so big and strong!

This length, but much cuter. And with limbs.

I don't feel him move all the time, but when I do, it's still a fluttering/ticklish kind of sensation, like there's a butterfly flying around in my uterus. Within the next few weeks I'll start feeling him really kick. I can't wait until Matt can feel him!

Baby James, you are the light of our life. We are beyond blessed, and can't wait to welcome you into this world and meet you for the first time. We love you more than we will ever be able to express. Seeing you last night via ultrasound and finding out you are a boy was such an amazing experience for daddy and I. Stay cozy and safe for 22 more weeks, then we (and all our family) will shower you with love and kisses and hugs.

Hope everyone has a great day!

It's a BOY!!! (+ultrasound pictures!)

We had our second (well, really, our third) elective ultrasound tonight, and James was not shy. He's all boy! He was such a wiggle worm, and showed his goods within a few seconds. The tech said he looks perfect. We are beyond blessed and so excited! I have no clue how I'm going to sleep tonight. :)

Introducing...James Eric Maclauchlan!

There's a little baby boy in there!

17 Weeks, 1 Day (+Video)

2 weeks, 6 days until Christmas, which also means 2 weeks, 6 days until I'm 20 weeks. Time is starting to go by much quicker. The fact that I'm focusing less on everything that could go wrong and focusing more on the baby, his/her movements, enjoying pregnancy as much as I can, and doing things I enjoy is a contributing factor. I'm also getting motion sickness less often, although I'm still experiencing nausea and vomiting pretty bad this week. It's progress!

Baby Mac is now the size of an Onion!

Much cuter than this.

(S)he is about 5-5.5 inches and weighs about 5 ounces. The biggest development this week is that baby's bones are turning from cartilage to bone, and fat is starting to grow under their skin. Sweat glands are develop, and fingerprints are now in place. Imagine how tiny those little fingerprints are!

Matt created a short (and funny) video with some images from the ultrasound on Saturday. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIkpWt1Y18w&feature=youtu.be

John Carter is an inside joke, so don't let that confuse you. We're just being silly. 

We are looking forward to going to Busch Gardens this Saturday, woohoo! Christmas Town is amazing. :)

I haven't been feeling great this week, so thoughts and prayers are greatly appreciated! I was having some mild cramping yesterday and today, so I called the nurse. She said as long as I'm not having bleeding, to just rest and stay hydrated. I have a doctor's appointment next Wednesday so I will express my concerns then - but apparently having mild cramping around this time (and really, throughout pregnancy) is normal. I'm trying not to worry about every little thing, but that's hard for me.

Baby Mac, I love you, precious little one! Stay safe and happy in your little home for now until late April or May. 

Happy Wednesday, everyone! 

16 Weeks, 4 Days Ultrasound Pictures

We went to our elective ultrasound yesterday, but baby was very sleepy and not wiggly enough to allow us to see his/her gender. I even had some sweet tea and drank a coke during the ultrasound (caffeine and sugar are supposed to help baby be more active). Baby will be in time out right when they are born. :) We will try again on December 10. The good news is that everything else looks good and baby looks cozy and happy! It was neat to have Matt, Eric, Maria, Brian, and Katie there, too! We will also have our anatomy scan at the hospital in late December or early January. Lots to look forward to!

We got a video from the ultrasound yesterday, but I can't figure out how to upload it. So, I took some pictures of the video. They're not the best, but you can sort of see baby!

This is baby head-on. 

Another (slightly creepier) head-on.

Look at that little arm!

Cutest profile ever. 

16 Week, 1 Day Bump Picture

I don't know how I managed this, but I look like I lost a bunch of weight, but kept my pregnant belly. Yay for strategic angles! It's also pretty awkward. But anyway, this is my first picture with maternity jeans on....I finally found a pair (on ebay). YAY! I love not having a zipper to worry about.

16 Weeks

SIXTEEN WEEKS! Or, four months. Or, awesomeness. In my mind, the biggest milestones come when a new month rolls around. We're almost halfway there. :)

Baby is about the size of an avocado now.

Like this, but not cut in half. And who cuts an avocado that perfectly? This has to be CG.

On the next weekly update, we'll know if baby is a boy or girl...as long as (s)he cooperates, that is.

Baby is about 4.5-5 inches now and weighs about 3.5 ounces-almost a quarter of a pound! Baby is now able to hear, and his/her facial expressions are developing. Baby is sleeping and dreaming now. I'm pretty sure I felt a kick his morning when I was rubbing my belly. It kind of hurt, and baby is still small. I'm hoping we don't have a karate baby in there. I still only feel movements when I'm laying or sitting very still, and there is not much background noise. Their heart is now pumping 25 quarts of blood each day. Baby is keeping busy. His/her neck and legs are getting much stronger (maybe that's why I felt the kick?) and toenails are starting to grow-awwww. Tiny little baby feet! Their eyes are moving towards the front of their face now, too. 

Remember when we first found out we were pregnant? That seems like such a long time ago! I look back and realize how much I have worried for no good reason. Baby is safe, healthy, and happy. Look how much bigger (s)he has gotten!

I am getting ridiculously excited for Saturday. Not only to hopefully find out the gender, but because Matt and I will be seeing baby together again for the first time in about 8 weeks. Plus, we'll have Matt's mom, dad, and Brian and Katie with us. How fun! I'm going to have some caffeine before the ultrasound-not a lot, just enough to wake baby up so (s)he moves around. It helps the tech determine the gender....but hey, at my last ultrasound baby's legs were wide open. So maybe it won't even be an issue! :)

Much love!

To our precious baby, you are our world. We can't wait to meet you, but please don't come out until late April or May, despite how much I may complain about how you're causing mommy some discomfort. You are perfect, and we love you more than words can say. Stay safe and warm, little one! 

15 Weeks, 5 Days

My mom flew in on Tuesday (when I "turned" 15 weeks), and we've been busy shopping, baking, and enjoying each other's company! She left last night (sad face), but I'll see her again soon.

Thanksgiving was fun. We were able to spend some quality time with family, and there was an amazing spread of food! Unfortunately, I couldn't keep anything down except a slice of pumpkin pecan cheesecake...but that was delicious! Friday we had leftovers and we made a new recipe-Panera's Macaroni and Cheese! I've tried to duplicate this recipe many a times, but found the recipe on their website and it's truly amazing. As a plus, it's pretty easy to make, and tastes just as great the next day (which is saying something, because normally I won't eat leftover macaroni and cheese because it's more oily and less cheesy the second day). Here's the recipe if you're interested: http://mypanera.panerabread.com/articlestips/article/the-ultimate-macaroni-and-cheese/. I'm also able to keep this down-yay.

Baby is about the size of an apple, but not green:

At the beginning of 15 Weeks, baby was about 4 inches long and weighed about two and a half ounces. (S)he can sense light even though the eyelids are still fused shut, and has the beginnings of taste buds. A big step in baby's life is occurring this week-baby's lungs are developing! (S)he is starting to inhale amniotic fluid through their nose and mouth, helping the air sacs in the lungs grow nice and strong. Our little peanut is growing up so fast already.

Baby is moving around more. :)

We'll be 16 Weeks (16!!!) on Tuesday, woohoo! We will be having the private ultrasound done on Saturday, December 1, so hopefully we can find out if our little one is a boy or girl. I have a gift for Matt if it's a boy and another one if it's a girl. If we don't find out the gender at this ultrasound, I'll have my anatomy scan near the end of December of beginning of January, so we should be able to find out then. 

Matt and I went to Norfolk (MacArthur Center and the Norfolk Admirals hockey game) last Saturday and had so much fun! I love this picture. :)

Happy week, everyone!

14 Weeks, 3 Days

I'm a member of an online forum for mommies, and part of a sub-forum for women due in May. This has been a great resource for me to learn about pregnancy, babies, and motherhood in general. You can personalize your "signature" (what members see underneath each post), and I requested for a graphic to be made. I love this!!! :)

My appointment on Wednesday went perfectly! I got to see baby for about 10 seconds. First (s)he was facing the front (head on), then moved to the side. Baby was very wiggly! I can definitely start to feel him/her now, especially when my bladder is full (gross, I know). The heart rate was 160, which is perfect, and (s)he has gotten so much bigger! The OB referred to the baby as "he" but it's common for doctors and techs to refer to all babies as one gender, so I'm not reading too much into that. All of the testing I've gotten done over the past few weeks came back perfect-woohoo! :) I could've have asked for a better appointment (ok, maybe a picture of the ultrasound would've been nice, but the OB was just doing it to check the heart rate). She said I have carpal tunnel (nothing new, but pregnancy aggravates it), and I will be going to a physical therapy class for pregnant women having back pain in December. I was supposed to go this morning, but my nausea and vomiting was just too bad - there was no way I could be in a moving vehicle. 

We have an ultrasound at the private place down the road December first, and we're so excited to have Matt's family join us! We're hoping to find out the gender that day, as long as baby cooperates, but regardless, it will be awesome to see our little one again. Matt hasn't seen baby in utero since the ER visit a while ago. I'll have another "official" ultrasound at the hospital in mid December, called the anatomy scan, where they will confirm the gender and make sure baby is healthy. My next OB appointment is December 12. 

The 6 weeks will be busy! We have Thanksgiving, my mom is coming on Monday (WOOHOO!), appointments, classes, and friends coming down to visit us. And, of course, CHRISTMAS! We already put up our tree, and it's beautiful. We got a set of four stocking hangers, so baby will have one next year. (Yes, Sirius has his own stocking because he's such a ham.) 

I am really hoping my nausea/vomiting dissipates so I can enjoy all of the delicious Thanksgiving food next week. Matt has been so sweet and helpful. He's the best. I can't wait until he's a daddy. :)

We're going to the Norfolk Admirals hockey game tomorrow-baby's first sporting event! I'm thinking (s)he won't remember much of it, though. 

Happy Friday!

14 Weeks

14 weeks today-woohoo! Oh, baby, you are causing me to feel so many strange things! I've been having more cramping and stretching as my muscles grow to accomodate our little growing miracle. What is baby up to nowadays? (S)he is about the size of a lemon-3.5 inches long and weighing about 1.5 ounces.

In my belly, baby is able to squint, grimace, frown, pee, and suck his or her thumb. Lanugo (a soft downy hair) is starting to develop on their body, which helps keep them warm. Baby's liver is starting to produce bile this week. Their spleen is starting to produce red blood cells, and by the end of this week baby's arms will be a length that's proportionate to their body. The baby is also being more active, although it's questionable whether it can be felt at this point (I say yes!). 

What does baby look like right now? Perfect!

My belly has started to round out more, yay! My clothes are all getting pretty tight, so I'm glad my mom will be bringing some maternity clothes with her next week! I'm having more back pain, but it's a dull ache, not sharp or debilitating pain like sciatica. My nausea this past week (besides last Tuesday) has been great, except yesterday I got sick mid-morning. We had a great weekend-lunch with friends at Olive Garden, a visit from Michele, and we put up our Christmas decorations (early, but we're making up for lost time because we didn't get to decorate last year!). My mom is flying in on Monday and I'm so excited! Then it's Thanksgiving. Mashed potatoes sound so good right now. :)

Happy Tuesday!

13 Weeks

We're 13 weeks pregnant today - YAY!

Baby has developed fingerprints and his/her body is starting to grow to catch up with their big head. (S)he is about 3 inches long and weighs 1 ounce. Bone is starting to replace cartilage and the baby will start putting their thumb in their mouth. (Side note: I REALLY hope this child isn't a thumb-sucker until age 7 like I was.)

Baby is about the size of a peach!

In utero, baby looks like this:

Today was a bad nausea day (triggered by being in the car), but I'm feeling better now. I've been getting more headaches due to the increased blood flow, and I'm hungry all the time. All. The. Time. If I don't eat, the nausea gets much worse. I got some lab work done this morning, and my next appointment is Wednesday, November 14. I've been feeling some fluttering in my uterus that I am 99% sure is baby, but it is still pretty early. It's like a butterfly in there....such a strange sensation! I can't wait to meet our precious little miracle. 

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday! 

12 Weeks, 6 Days

We went to the zoo today! Not only was it mentally and physically refreshing to get out of the house, but we got to see some adorable animals, like...

This adorable red panda! Matt bought baby a small red panda stuffed animal on our way out of the zoo. He was very excited about it. :) Out of all the animals, we watched these guys the most. They remind me of Alissa's cats...playful, silly, and furry with ridiculous tails!

Here is a picture of me (taken by Matt)! Excuse the wild and crazy hair. It was windy. And cold.

Also, we assembled the crib a few days ago. It looks amazing! We are both really impressed with the quality. Plus, we didn't kill each other during assembly. Next step: buy mattress! 

I've been looking at DIY nursery decor, and have a ton of great ideas, like curtains, a crib skirt, hanging wooden letters spelling their name, paining the dresser, fabric pom pom balls, bible verse prints...all-around awesomeness! 

Tomorrow is 13 Weeks! Woohoo! This weekend we plan on going to Colonial Williamsburg (free admission to military service members and their spouses!), and Michele is coming to visit. I can't wait!

Hope everyone had a great Monday. :)

12 Weeks, 4 Days

Guess what I just realized? I'm going to be 20 weeks pregnant on Christmas Day! What better gift could I ask for than to be carrying a baby? :)

Hope everyone has a great Saturday!

12 Weeks, 2 Days

Twelve Weeks! Some consider this the start of the first trimester; others consider it to be 13 weeks, and still others 14 weeks. Either way, I am excited to be three months pregnant!

Baby has double its weight this week and now weighs about half an ounce. (S)he is 2 inches long, and about the size of a....

Plum!

Baby's reflexes are developing (moving fingers, sucking) and is actually beginning to look like a baby instead of an alien. Baby's ears are where they should be by now, and the eyes are moving inwards. His/her kidneys are starting to function, too.

Look at how far baby has come (or just scroll down to the bottom picture to see what baby looks like now). :)

Week 2 (Conception):

Week 3:

Week 4:

Week 5:

Week 6:

Week 7:

Week 8:

Week 9:

Week 10:

Week 11:

Week 12:

My back pain has gotten less acute, but more widespread. I'd rather have it this way, so my sciatica doesn't flare up and cause mobility issues. Heartburn has been rearing its ugly head, and headaches are more common. There are some other not-so-pleasant pregnancy side effects I'll just let you ponder, but overall I'm feeling like I have more energy, sleeping better during the night, and vomiting less. My nausea comes and goes and I still have dry heaving, but it's much better than what it was just last week. Hopefully I won't jinx myself!

Matt and I bought a crib last night. YAY! We are so excited. And, best of all, we got it from the new Target less than five minutes away. Yes. A Target. Within 5 minutes. This could be dangerous, especially considering all the adorable snugamonkey items. 

We wanted a crib that would convert into a toddler bed (this crib also converts into a full-size bed later on if we choose), and has multiple mattress heights. The brand (Delta) consistently receives the highest ratings on amazon. It was on sale from $250 to $175. 30% off? Yes, please! It was our first big baby purchase, and we are going to put it together today. :) 

Also, more exciting news. (I know, there's more?!?!!?) Last night after we got home from said crib purchase, there was a card in our mailbox from Michele, Jason, Eric, Maria, Brian, Katie, Mike, and Candy. There was a folded piece of paper in the card, and Matt opened it up first and his eyes got wide. I looked at the paper annnnnnd....they all went in to pay for our maternity photo session with Jayson & Rachael (the photography couple who are AMAZING and did Brian and Katie's wedding in March, Jason and Michele's wedding in October, and will be doing Mike and Candy's wedding next year). As I write this, I realize that if you're reading this blog, you probably already know all this information. 

Anyway, it was SUCH an amazing surprise! I'm so excited. :) Which is why, after waking up to pee at 5 AM, I couldn't back to sleep. I am so happy! Plus, the cooler weather is just so energizing.

Happy November!