21 Weeks!

How far along? didn't you read the title of this entry? 21 weeks
This Week the baby is a size of a: It's as long as a carrot, but that's totally nonspecific because carrots are all sorts of different sizes.  As of last week he weighed 11 ounces and could be anywhere from 7-10 inches long.
Total weight gain/loss: somewhere around 2 pounds. I'm losing bad weight while gaining baby weight, so don't worry, I'm being healthy!
Maternity clothes? no, but I'm sure they would be a lot more comfortable
Belly button in or out? still in... if it pops out that's going to freak me out
Sleep: i think the only reason i'm not sleeping is because it's spring so the chirping birds wake me up wicked early
Best moment this week: Brian Surprised me this week! I though he was going to be in Texas for a while but now he's in Maine.  I'm just happy he can experience the pregnancy, even though I'm sure most of it grosses him out.
Movement: I think my muscles are just twitching and I'm convincing myself it's the baby but I really don't know
Symptoms: my nose is so stuffy and I just found out that a stuffy nose is a symptom because of all of the extra blood and fluid in my body.  Weird, huh?
Symptoms I DON'T have: My feet aren't swollen yet (thank God, they're already big enough!) I'm also pumped that I don't have stretch marks!
Food cravings: nothing really, I just want to eat all the time.
Gender: macho man
What I miss: being able to play basketball.  I'm too scared to do anything except shoot 3 pointers.  I'm all done playing in my Co-Ed league and they've all been really great about understanding why I'm not playing as aggressive anymore and working with me and my pregnancy.  I can't wait to play again during the Winter Session.
What I am looking forward to: SUMMER! Obviously for the nice weather, but also for all of the extra time to start working on the mess of a room that will become the nursery.
Weekly Wisdom: Stretch! 
Milestones: This week the baby is growing eyebrows and eyelashes.  The hair on his head is growing.  He also is developing sleeping patterns and pretty soon I should be able to feel when he is awake and when he is sleeping.
To Do List: E V E R Y T H I N G ... 


Here is the very first picture of my baby bump.  For a long time I was just thinking I was getting fat but then I realized that since the baby is growing he is pushing all of my insides outward and upward.  My family has conferred that this is indeed the start of my belly!... And yes, this is one of those awkward-bathroom-mirror pics. I'm not skilled in these so I gave up on trying to get my phone out of the picture. Don't judge me.

20 Weeks

How far along? halfway done! 20 weeks
This Week the baby is a size of a: Banana
Total weight gain/loss: 2 pounds
Maternity clothes? not yet, but my jeans are starting to feel a little tight
Belly button in or out? still in, but i can tell it's starting to come out... it's not as deep
Sleep: depends on the day
Best moment this week: FINDING OUT WE'RE HAVING A BABY BOY!!
Movement: I feel weird ripples sometimes but I'm not sure if that's the baby or stomach muscles twitching
Symptoms: swollen belly, darker hair on my stomach (ugh!) and hips that hurt like crazy
Symptoms I DON'T have: i don't have swollen hands, feet or face!
Food cravings: nothing really
Gender: BOY :)
What I miss: sleeping through the night
What I am looking forward to: brainstorming names
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy the little things
Milestones: Obviously finding out the sex of the baby.  I also think it's cool to feel how hard my stomach is.  I pretend it's rock hard muscle even though we all know it's the baby
To Do List: picking out baby names!! 

Voodoo Come True... It's a BOY!

One of the first questions that come to mind when hearing someone is pregnant is "Is it a boy or a girl?" I never realized that you spend half of your pregnancy having no clue what you're incubating.  Realistically it's 50/50 so a wild guess has a safe chance being correct.  I had no inkling as to what it could be, I guess my mother's intuition is slacking.  Most of my friends thought it would be a boy, most of the family thought it would be a girl. All of my cousins and second cousins have had boys so we figured it was time for a girl.  Last night while my and Brian's family were together we took a secret ballot vote. The results, 3 for Girl, 4 for boy.


Brian's Mom, Miss Colleen, and my mom were talking about an old baby shower game to determine the sex of the baby.  The more they talked about it the more it sounded like voodoo to me.  I laid on my back on the floor while Brian held his Rosary above my stomach.  The goal is to hold it as still as possible and see if it starts to move.  If it moves in a circular motion it's a boy, if it sways back and forth it's a girl.  Seeing how my Dad is a man of science we decided to test all of the variables.  Everyone got a chance to hold the rosary, and 4 out of 7 times it spun in a circle.  The two times it didn't were my parents, so I guess the baby doesn't like them.

Today at 12:30 I had my appointment for anatomic anomalies and an anatomy screening.  I was excited to see if the Voodoo was right... aaaaaannnnddddd... I AM A BELIEVER.  The voodoo was right! I'm going to have a beautiful baby boy!  And what better way to spread the news than to text everyone a picture of the "you know what" with the caption "guess!"  Lets just say it wasn't hard to tell, he is a very proud boy!

spine

face forward, all curled up with his hands by his head

Baby Daddy's Big Day

The little nug got to see their father graduate from the University of New England, made it into all of the graduation pictures and celebrated with family and friends.  Granted you could only see it if you had x-ray vision, but nonetheless, it was there!

When people look back on college they remember sleepless nights with friends; they remember parties, public safety, bars, bad dancing, drinking games, winning championships, beating rivalry teams and sneaking into the dining hall without a meal plan (that last one specifically pertains to me).  Rarely ever do you talk about the sleepless nights of stress, all nighters in the library, 20 page papers, having no clue what a bibliography is even though you've done them a million times, not knowing proper citations even though you've been using them since 8th grade... College is a huge accomplishment, something to be very proud of.  Four years of hard work and fun memories.  It all comes down to one moment, the miserable 3-4 hours you have to spend in a hot gown, in a stuffy building, listening to people you don't know talk and wasting your time with countless twitter updates about graduation.  It's sad to see the four years go by so fast, it's great to keep the memories and friends you made along the way... and as scary as it is, it's also fun to see what the future holds.  (Who would have guessed that within a year after graduation I'd be starting a family?!)

A BIG CONGRATULATIONS to my baby daddy, making all of us very proud.

19 Weeks

How far along? 19 weeks
This Week the baby is a size of a: Mango
Total weight gain/loss: 2 pounds (baby weight or just regular fat... who knows?!)
Maternity clothes? still waiting for the bump
Belly button in or out? still in
Sleep: Getting better
Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat at my appointment
Movement: I don't think so, but I have no clue what I'm supposed to be feeling for
Symptoms: a little bit of lactation (gross), achy bones and muscles... and still peeing ALL the time
Symptoms I DON'T have: a baby bump, if that's a "symptom"
Food cravings: I guess everything
Gender: I find out MONDAY!!! 5 days
What I miss: Playing competitive basketball... I just kind of stay on the perimeter and shoot
What I am looking forward to: Finding out the sex!!
Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy the little things
Milestones: The little baby ears are in their final position
To Do List: ... everything

SEX!

Originally I was going to have my ultrasound for an anatomy screening on May 24th... but seeing how everyone is way too anxious about it I have rescheduled it for next Monday... 6 DAY COUNTDOWN! I want to take bets on whether people think it will be a boy or a girl, but then I just get to keep all the money. 

I'm very excited to see what "it" is so I can go crazy buying things, finalize nursery plans and start thinking of some superstar names. I know most people brainstorm names early but I decided I wanted to save half the brain power and just wait until I found out the sex.  Some may call that lazy, I call it genius.  

However, ultrasounds can be wrong (story time)... just a few days before I was born my Mom had an ultrasound and the doctors thought that I was a boy.  "There were definitely testicles."  Within those few days I Houdini'd myself and changed my anatomy and popped out a girl!  Even in womb I was a prankster, hence my 2007 "Class Clown" senior superlative.  I was born to be class clown I guess. What happened to my "man parts" you ask?... nobody knows.  I just blame it on the 1989 medical equipment, probably not the best.

Happy Mothers Day

As Brian said this morning, "Since the little thing has a heart beat I guess that means you're a mother."  ...Or something along those lines.  So even though there's no little one running around I suppose I am officially a mother. It's a weird thought because it all hasn't fully set in yet.  Next year on Mother's Day I'll probably be wiping a snotty nose or something motherly like that.  However, today I didn't have the luxury of snotty noses so instead I ate myself in to a waffle coma.  Uncle Donnie/Don Don/ Bumpa (this guy to right) makes THE best homemade waffles.  Complete with syrup, strawberries and whipped cream.  For me, it's mostly whipped cream. The afternoon wouldn't be complete with a trip to Coutureville for some grilling.  Aunt Judy/Mimi (this girl to the left) is a grilling machine!...and by "grilling machine" I mean she owns a grill and a large deck, my Dad does the grilling.

With that being said, I would like to wish a happy GRANDmother's day to two women who are going to be fabulous grandmothers and offer a lot of advice and support along the way!  (The photos are curious of some deep facebook creeping, or "social research" as I like to call it).





Also, since we're celebrating me today, I would just like to post this for the world to see... I swear I didn't prompt him to do this at all. Or maybe I did... But either way, if I'm having an ugly day here's proof that he thinks I'm beautiful. But lets be honest, I never have an ugly day...

"I, Brian Jones, hereby announce to the world upon the highest [mountain top] that my baby mama, Sara H. Morris,  is the most b-e-a-u-tiful person!!! Signed, Brian Jones #3 5/12/12"

18 Weeks

How far along? 18 weeks
This Week the baby is a size of a: Bell Pepper/Sweet Potato (5 1/2 inches and 7 ounces)
Total weight gain/loss: none
Maternity clothes? not yet, but I'm ready with my Belly Band!
Belly button in or out? still in
Sleep: A lot of tossing and turning... and really vivid dreams
Best moment this week: feeling my lower abdomen getting much harder. still waiting on the bump though!
Movement: I can't tell... I've been told it feels like gas so I really don't know what I'm feeling in there
Symptoms: lots of weird feelings in my stomach due to muscles and organs stretching and shifting. Nose bleeds, increased appetite, and peeing ALL the time
Symptoms I DON'T have: no swollen feet or hands yet!
Food cravings: bagels
Gender: Don't know yet but everything "down there" is fully formed by now
What I miss: Tuna Melts, deli sandwiches and soft serve ice cream!... And being able to sleep through the night
What I am looking forward to: My doctor's appointment Friday
Weekly Wisdom: Save money and get lots of hand-me-downs
Milestones: The baby is hiccuping and yawning and starting to grow super fast
To Do List: still have to start planning the nursery.  also have to sign up for some birthing classes.

Free Things!

So for a while I was feeling like I was in this pregnancy limbo.  The initial excitement of telling friends and family had worn off, and I hadn't started buying baby things or showing yet.  So I felt like I was just at this awkward in between stage.  Well, good news! Getting presents is a great way to pass the time until I start getting the nursery ready and all that jazz.  I haven't gotten much, but it's enough to keep me excited.

MY VERY FIRST PRESENT was from a lady who teaches with my Dad (Shout out to Mrs. T!).  She got me the most beautiful spring crib set.  It has duckies on it so I can use it for a boy or a girl!... I need to take a picture so you all can see how adorable it is.

My birthday was last week and I wanted to be selfish and get presents for myself, but then when people asked me what I wanted... I didn't want anything for myself, I wanted stuff for the baby.  That must be what growing up feels like?? So the Hinckley Clan got me Cocoa Butter & a BeBand.

The Cocoa Butter is fantastic. Well, not that I can tell if it really works yet because my stomach hasn't stretched out, but I'm just hoping it works.  I don't want a stomach that looks like a road map because of all the marks on it.  Sounds gross, but trust me, they're out there... apparently at a strip club in northern maine all the ladies look like "road maps"... gross, I didn't need to tell you that. Anywho, here's to hoping for a smooth tummy!

The BeBand is super cool.  Instead of spending money on all sorts of maternity clothes and jeans, which can get expensive... you can keep your regular pants and use a the belly band!  Granted, I think I'll spend most of my time in stretchy sweat pants or gym shorts, BUT on that rare occasion that I want to dress up in jeans and a sweatshirt, I don't need those hideous stretchy maternity jeans! All i do is put on my regular jeans, leave them unzipped and unbottoned, and put the BeBand over them to keep the jeans in place.  It also looks like one of those trendy long tank top layered looks. I'm gonna be so fashionable, I can tell...


...still waiting for El Padre to buy some baby Jordans.  Hopefully if it's a boy it'll be like this nug... besides the whole Asian thing... that would be impossible

Single Mom Reality Check

Of course everyone dreams of being in a relationship, getting married, buying a house and having a family.  However, for some of us it doesn't quite happen in that order.  Of course for obvious reasons I had a little bit of help getting pregnant- In the words of "Save the Last Dance" So I climbed up on top of myself and got myself pregnant?  I figured out that I conceived after officially being with my boyfriend for about 3 weeks.  It is obviously difficult to try to start a new relationship while suddenly having to change your world.  It has now dawned on me that, for the time being and maybe forever, I will be a single mother.  It's a scary thought to stumble upon in the middle of the joy and excitement of preparing for things to come.  If October rolls around and I am indeed a single mother, I know I have great people to surround myself with and other strong single mothers in my own family to look up to.

I just think the hardest part is having this picture of what my life would be, a picture that I've had since I was 17... married to Denzel Washington and winning olympic gold metals. Actually, no... that's just a dream.  I thought by age 23 I'd have a job, be in some sort of stable relationship and have my own place.  And now I have come to the realization that there is no way my life will ever turn out that way. But just because my life isn't how I had envisioned it doesn't mean that my life isn't turning out to be exactly what it was supposed to be.

17 Weeks

How far along? 17 weeks
This Week the baby is a size of a: TurnipTotal weight gain/loss: none
Maternity clothes? not yet, but I think I own enough stretchy pants anyway
Belly button in or out? still in (good news for my belly button ring!)Sleep: I wake up at 4 every morning for about an hour
Best moment this week: hearing about how excited all of my friends are!
Movement: not yet, but hopefully soon!
Symptoms: super tired, pretty moody, constipation (eww) and pink toothbrush
Symptoms I DON'T have: Never had morning sickness... very happy about that
Food cravings: anything bad for me
Gender: Don't know yet
What I miss: Tuna Melts, deli sandwiches and soft serve ice cream!
What I am looking forward to: finding out the sex!
Weekly Wisdom: sleep any chance you get, now and probably for the rest of your life
Milestones: the baby can hear voices and is starting to see light. bones are forming and all that good stuff.
To Do List: clean out my old room so we can start turning it into a nursery. brainstorm some fantastic baby names.

so this is where babies come from

On the chilly afternoon of February 17, 2012 I found out I was going to be a mother.  Like most girls, I was gossiping about my boyfriend with my best friend when I casually mentioned I was 3 weeks late for the that time of the month you usually pray to get.  She gave me the "you're pregnant" talk and I gave her the "shut your mouth" talk.  After the compromise of going to Rite Aid to buy a home pregnancy test in exchange for a bag of Reese's, we had an answer.  Within seconds there was no mistaking those pink lines... I had performed an immaculate conception. Just kidding, that's the Virgin Mary. After a phone call to my boyfriend, it sunk in that I had no idea where my life was going.  One day I think I'm living the life of an unemployed grad: staying out late, going to bars to be, ahem, social, and living the life of any normal 22 year old.  The next day I had a lot of things to figure out and a life to plan for myself.

 On a side note, with much anticipation, here is my partner in crime, baby's gonna have some FANTASTIC DNA if I may say so

In early March/early April (I forget) we started telling the family. Then I went public with it, put a photo on facebook and the damn thing went viral.  It made me feel popular.  The buzz has since worn off. I am 16 weeks and 6 days, and at the end of the month I find out if it's a boy or a girl! AKA: is it playing in the NBA or WNBA.  So here it is, the little nug. This was a picture form 14 weeks.  I can only assume by now it has developed abs and killer pecs...