16 Weeks 6 Days OR 17 Weeks -1 Day!

Because I haven't felt like it I didn't do a 16 week survey. This is a combined 16 and 17 week one. With two pictures (which are the best part right?)

16 Weeks

17 Weeks

How far along? 17 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Ahh...! 3 lbs in one week, damn you Christmas, up a total of 5 ish :)
Maternity Clothes? I got my Old Navy clothes. They are all super cute, I am actually wearing one of the skirts right now. It is so comfortable. Everything else is just a little big so I have not been really wearing the cloths, I am sure that I will grow into them soon though!
Sleep: Pretty good
Symptoms: Oh my goodness, peeing, I pee all the time. I actually pulled the naive pregnant woman card and went to the doctor last week cause I was convinced that I had a UTI because there was no way I had to pee that much all the time. Don't worry I am totally healthy, I just actually have to pee that much ALL the time. Awesome.
Best moment this week: I started to feel baby move last week so that was pretty cool.
Movement: Just a little but it has become more consistent in the couple of days.
Food Craving: Mexican...yum!
Gender: Girl/boy
Labor Signs: None
Belly button in or out: In
What I miss: Not feeling chubby all the time.
What I am looking forward to: Vegas, cause my husband is awesome!
Milestones: Feeling baby move.

Am I crazy?

I am starting to think more and more about what we are going to need when baby comes. I am thinking that we are actually going to have a lot of the stuff given to us. This is so great. I have surprised myself in being what I consider totally reasonable when it comes to getting baby stuff. I don't care if it has been gently used, I don't care if it doesn't all match and in general I want it all to be gender neutral, so that it can be used with more than one baby.

So far we have a baby Bjorn and a papasan chair. I think that we will get a bouncer and Bumbo. The things that I want hopefully used, are a johnny jumper, a pack n play that has a bassinet feature in it (this is what we will use in our room for the first couple of weeks), and a swing.

I think that the things that we will buy new are a carseat, crib and a dresser (possibly dresser for Brian and then baby will use his.)

Here is the crazy part though...I think that I am going to sew my own baby bedding. Everything that I like is $200 or more and I refuse to spend even close to that especially for something that I don't love. There is some gorgeous material out in internet world that I absolutely love and would look great in the nursery that I want to create. However, I have not sewn anything since a.) jr. high when I made a duffel bag that fell apart and b.) when I was in 4-H sewing and made....oh ya I didn't finish my project for fair. I kind of feel like this is going to be like when we got married and I decided that It was a good idea to DIY with EVERYTHING! Some of it was a good idea and some of it really wasn't worth the stress (invitations...cough, cough, choke.) My mom has a sewing machine that she has had for ten years and has never even taken out of the box, so I am hoping that she will let me borrow it and then we will go from there. Maybe...

If you have any pointers let me know...I need them!

The Weekend

We really had a great Christmas weekend. I had four and a half much needed days off, and Brian had four (he was command for one, but no calls, so we will count it!) It was so good that I am having a hard time getting back into the swing of things at work, especially since I came in late because of a doctor's appointment.

Here is a boring recap of our great weekend: I got off of work on Christmas Eve and did some last minute Christmas and grocery shopping with my mom. That night my parents and sisters stayed at our house, we had my Grandma's yummy soup, played games and had a Wii tennis tournament.

I was telling my mom that Christmas morning was sort of weird. I think that it has been at least three years since we have all woken up at the same house on Christmas morning. Now that we are older no one was even awake until 9, and then we all got dressed and showered before anyone even mentioned opening presents. It was nice and relaxing. My stepbrother and his family and my stepsister came over and joined us for brunch and more present opening. It was fun to have everyone over and all of the kids running around. I can't wait until we can add our children to the mix!

My family left on Saturday and Brian and I laid around the house and did some light clean up and damage control from Christmas day. On Sunday we hopped into the car and drove to Kalispell to see a college friend and her boyfriend who were home from Boston for Christmas. It was really great to see both of them and spend time hanging out and catching up. I am so excited and happy for them and their future (so cheesy but true!)

We had a doctor's appointment this morning and everything looks good, I will post more on that though when I get around to posting the 16 week survey. I have a picture, that we took on Friday but just haven't gotten around to filling out the survey, cause I just haven't felt like it!

Christmas!

Here is our Christmas in pictures. Some is prep, but most of it is from today:

Making Kolacky's:


Decorating the Tree:

15 Week Survey

How far along? 15 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Still the same since the first Doctor appointment.
Maternity Clothes? I still have just the Be Band but I did order a couple pairs of pants and a couple shirts from Old Nave this week. I am tired of looking at my wardrobe every morning and feeling like I have nothing to wear.
Sleep: Back to pretty good for the most part.
Symptoms: The puking is back this week and I have been pretty nauseous, but not miserable.
Best moment this week: Not really a moment but it has been great to start feeling better.
Movement: Not yet but soon hopefully!
Food Craving: Nothing really this week.
Gender: No clue I am on the fence
Labor Signs: Still locked down tight :)
Belly button in or out: In in, in.
What I miss: A glass of red wine.
What I am looking forward to: Feeling the baby move.
Milestones: I can't think of any major ones this week.

Christmas Trivia

1. Best childhood gift from Santa: The Kirsten American Girl doll.

2. Best childhood memories: Laying under the lite up tree playing with our nutcracker doll ornaments. Clara, the Prince, God Father and the Mouse King would go on grand adventures.

3. Favorite Christmas cookies: Soft iced sugar cookies are hard to beat!

4. Icky Christmas memory: I can't remember any horrid ones. Besides the childhood disappointment of not getting what I really wanted, even though I am sure it was good for me!

5. It's not Christmas without: A Christmas tree and stockings on Christmas morning.

6. Our Church Service: I used to love going to our church on Christmas Eve. Everybody would dress up and then at the end of the service the lights get turned off, everyone would light their candle and sing Christmas carols.

7. Christmas Pet Peeve: I really can't think of one, odd!

8. Favorite Christmas CD: Mannheim Steamroller

9. Real or Fake: Real always!

10. I spend Christmas Eve: Usually at church and then hanging out with the family at home. When we were little we always got to open one present under the tree. It was always the best to pick out what one you got to open.

14 Weeks

How far along? 14 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Um...good question, I think the scale is broken! And I didn't break it...in case you are wondering.
Maternity Clothes? Just the Be Band but it is pretty much a necessity
Sleep: I had a couple of bad nights this week, no good sleep and bad dreams don't help the situation. On the plus side I seem to have stopped peeing 5 times a night and am down to like three.
Symptoms: Still gagging, but my energy has returned somewhat, and I think I am going to make it another couple of months! JK
Best moment this week: Not really a moment but it has been great to start feeling better.
Movement: None yet but I am starting to watch out for it even though I know it is still to early. Every time I think I feel it I end up passing gas! Haha
Food Craving: Sushi still...so weird, and cheese cake (bad very bad!)
Gender: Girl...maybe...
Labor Signs: Still locked down tight :)
Belly button in or out: In in, in.
What I miss: My girlie figure, my curves are starting to fill in.
What I am looking forward to: Feeling the baby move.
Weekly Wisdom: You really do start to feel better in the second trimester, sometimes it just takes awhile.
Milestones: Not puking for a whole week...and gagging over the kitchen sink doesn't count as puking!

Love at First Sight

I found these prints awhile ago and just rediscovered them in a favorites list on one of the computers at work. They are by the artist Noel Young were done for a children's line at Hagge and West. I am in love with them and think they would be perfect to have in our nursery. Amazingly enough they really aren't that expensive!

Um really?!?

Follows Pregnancy Complaint #429:

My hip, note 1 hip, the left hip is KILLING me. I have always had back problems off and on and a couple of trips to the chiropractor have always seemed to help. My back started really bugging me on Saturday after I shoveled snow (I know, what was I thinking, right?). Then last night I wake up to go to the bathroom for the 149th time, and I literally cannot put any pressure on my hip... Awesome! I *think* that this is something to do with the joints relaxing and the hips widening (which is just what I need) during pregnancy. I just thought that it would be you know in like the third trimester when the baby is big and sitting on the hips.

It feels better now that I have been walking around all day, and if it doesn't feel better in a couple of days I will probably go into the chiropractor and get adjusted, which hopefully will help.

Pregnancy Complaint #429 over.

Nusery

Oh my goodness...I LOVE this nursery! It was posted on the blog Spearmint Baby. It is probably the first picture of a nursery that I have found that I really love. The blog states that it is for a girl but I think with a couple of changes it could go for a boy as well. Now If I could only find the lamp shade and the bedding for cheaper than $300, which seems to be the running price for cute baby bedding these days I would be a very satisfied woman!

13 Weeks and 1 Day Survey

I feel like I just wrote one of these so their is not much to say. Don't mind the messy house in the back of the picture. We are decorating for Christmas this weekend, so there is empty boxes everywhere.

How far along? 13weeks 1 days
Total weight gain/loss: Still just up 2
Maternity Clothes? The Be Band, but I am needing it almost everyday by the afternoon. I am thinking that a pair of maternity pants might be in order soon. The Be Band is starting to drive me crazy!
Sleep: Between the crazy dreams and the peeing 4 times a night I am actually still sleeping pretty good. I am still tired enough that I am in bed by 8 almost every night.
Symptoms: I am feeling better but the gagging and nauseousness are still there. For some reason I thought that I the symptoms would magically disappear. Silly me!
Best moment this week: Getting our Christmas tree!
Movement: None yet!
Food Craving: Red meat/
Gender: Who knows!
Labor Signs: Still locked down tight :)
Belly button in or out: In in, in.
What I miss: A glass of red wine with my steak.
What I am looking forward to: Seeing my sister at the end of the week.
Weekly Wisdom: I am wisdom less today.
Milestones: Hitting 13 weeks.

12 Week Survey

So according to our ultrasound yesterday, the baby is measuring 12 weeks and 4 days today. This means that I will probably do another survey on Friday for 13 weeks so that we can keep all caught up and stuff!



How far along? 12 weeks 4 days
Total weight gain/loss: +2
Maternity Clothes? Just the Be Band every once and awhile still.
Sleep: Peeing a lot but I always fall right back asleep.
Symptoms: Still pretty much all of them, even though the good days are better but the bad days seem worse. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they really start to phase out in the next couple of weeks.
Best moment this week: Getting to see the baby in a surprise ultrasound. I think it was the moment that I really started to fall in love with our baby.
Movement: A ton in the ultrasound!
Food Craving: Mexican, good thing I have a whole pan of yummy enchiladas.
Gender: I am now going back and forth between boy and girl, but still leaning toward boy.
Labor Signs: Still locked down tight :)
Belly button in or out: In in, in.
What I miss: Having energy to stay up past 8pm.
What I am looking forward to: The holiday season!
Weekly Wisdom: Try to get an early ultrasound, seeing the baby really makes things real in a good way.
Milestones: Seeing the baby moving around of course!

Doctor Appointment

We had our second doctor's appointment today. Today the doctor did a physical and then checked for the heartbeat. Brian and his parents came to the appointment with me. When the doctor checked for the heartbeat the baby was moving around so much that all you could hear was him moving and not the heartbeat. So we got a surprise quick ultrasound. It was pretty neat and I was so excited! We got to see the baby moving around and the little heart pumping away. Brian's parents also got to see the baby which was neat. I didn't think that we were going to get an ultrasound until 20 weeks so it was such a nice little surprise. Things definitely feel more real, I had to run to work right after the appointment so I didn't really get to talk much to Brian or his parents so I can't wait to hear what they thought!

Lively Crowd In the Nickolay Household Tonight!

The boys are cleaning the arsenal and the girls are shopping online.

This is my pointy food/baby bump...very strange.

How far along? 11 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Not looking! However this will be updated next week after the doctor's appointment!
Maternity Clothes? Just the Be Band every once and awhile still.
Sleep: Still not to shabby even though I did get up like four times to pee last night.
Symptoms: Still Morning/noon/night sickness, I kinda feel like it is getting worse. Oh yeah and headaches, peeing, constipation, bloat, fatigue...not that I am complaining or anything...okay maybe a little.
Best moment this week: Realizing that I only have two more weeks until I am in the second trimester.
Movement: Nada
Food Craving: Sushi and tuna sandwiches. I just realized it might be a fish thing..hmmm
Gender: Still thinking a boy.
Labor Signs: Oh my goodness no! So scary!
Belly button in or out: In in, in.
What I miss: Scalding hot baths and lots of caffeine on a bad day!
What I am looking forward to: Hearing a heart beat at our Nov. 30th appointment, and seeing the Brad and Pat this weekend.
Weekly Wisdom: Try not to stress about things, they will work out. (I obviously need to take my own advice.)
Milestones: Getting a bloat that no longer sucks in...if that can really even count.

A Little Stressed...

Brian's parents are coming out to see us this weekend. They will be arriving on Thursday night and leaving next Wednesday (I think!) We are so excited to see them and show them our new house. I also have a doctor's appointment on Monday where we are supposed to hear the heartbeat for the first time and we are hoping that they might get to hear it as well.

However, I am also stressed out about them coming. Of course I am semi neurotic and want the house to be all clean and perfect. And everything ready to go when they get here. The problem is that I have been working A LOT and have been too sick and tired to do anything when I am at home. So the laundry is still not done, the oven is not clean, the guest bathroom still needs a good scrub, boxes still need to get unpacked from moving and there is a stack of dishes in the sink that you could get lost in!

I just keep trying to tell myself that it will all get done, and what doesn't get done won't really be that big of a deal. Right?? Right!

Once again...

I am eating Spaghetti O's...what really sounds good is a tuna sandwhich, however we had no tuna and no mayo this morning which means no tuna sandwhich... Sad day!

A Little Fun: 10 weeks

So every Tuesday I will be posting a 'belly' picture and doing the following survey. I always love seeing how other people are doing through the survey and it is fun to see the belly pictures as well. This post doesn't have a belly picture yet because 1.) It is still on my camera, 2.) I am at work, 3.) My camera and stuff is at home...so tonight I will post a picture...I promise!

How far along? 10 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: I am actually not weighing myself besides at the doctors at this point, I don't want to know and I don't want to obsess...so for better or worse, that is my plan!

Maternity Clothes? Just the Be Band and only when my pants have just come out of the dryer!

Sleep: Pretty good! I have been going to bed between 7-9ish and sleeping until my alarm at 5:30am. Well of course besides getting up to pee 2-3 times every night!

Best moment this week: Not being sick at all for practically two days. This included a girls sushi night that I felt amazing for!

Movement: Nope

Food Craving: Banana's and peanut butter, not necessarily together. This especially includes banana and frozen yogurt smoothies...mmmm!

Gender: I am really thinking a boy...Lord help us!

Labor Signs: Oh my goodness no! So scary!

Belly button in or out: In...very, very in! I can not imagine being big enough for it to be out, lets just say it is very deep!

What I miss: Feeling 'normal,' meaning not sick or tired.

What I am looking forward to: Hearing a heart beat on Nov. 30th hopefully!

Weekly Wisdom: Enjoy the good days!

Milestones: Going baby stuff browsing with my mom and not freaking out and being overwhelmed!

Big News

So, it has been brought to my attention (not that I didn't already know) that it has been a long time since we have blogged. There is a good reason though!

In the beginning of October we found out that we were pregnant! Yay! I haven't been blogging in fear that I would mention something about the baby before we got the word out to our family.

I am ten weeks tomorrow. There is so much to say that it is hard to say anything...if that makes sense. We drove out to Minnesota to tell Brian's family in October, and then told my family the next weekend. It has been sort of a wild ride. While we are both really excited, we are already realizing how much our lives are going to change and are enjoying the small quiet moments together.

I have been feeling pretty sick, like sick as in puking! Everyone keeps on telling me that it means that the baby is strong and healthy. I kind of want to punch them as I am violently throwing up my french toast or prime rib into the toilet. However I do enjoy the reassurance of knowing that the baby is in there and healthy! I am also starting to feel better, so I am hoping that as I approach ten weeks things are starting to taper off.

I am sure now that the 'news' is out in the world I will be blogging a lot more and mostly about the baby!

Sick and Busy!

Well we both got hit with the fall nastiness this week. Brian and I have both been home sick off and on with a nasty cold! Brian hardly ever gets sick, so I was pretty surprised when he came home on Wednesday at one in the afternoon (I was already home sick), laid on the bed and was like, "ugh! You got me sick!" Since then we have both been pretty miserable.

We also have been working a ton. I have tomorrow off but that is the only day this week until Friday. Brian has been going to meetings at the fire department a couple of nights a week. I think we are both pretty exhausted with the constant going. Hopefully one of these weekends we can have a full weekend at home with no interruptions!

The weather has also gotten totally crappy. We have had three snow storms in the last week. I think that their has been around 6 inches of snow or more. The high this weekend is in the low 20's and the lows are right around 0. UGH!! No fun!

Causing Trouble

Brian is gone on a wildland fire up the Bridger canyon. A little sad that I am going to be spending my Sunday ALL alone at home I have decided to take drastic measures! I will be redoing the guest bedroom bookcase. Like the picture below but white and yellow and not ugly! Oh boy here we go!

Let It Be Known...

That this is what I want for Christmas! If I can wait that long...

It is a handheld espresso maker made by mypressi and Martha says that it makes a great shot! Finally an affordable way to make good espresso at home! Brian has been sent an e-mail with the link. Now all I need is a good steamer for steamed milk and chai...hint....hint!

Fall

I am actually getting excited for fall which sort of surprises me since I feel like I missed my summer. Here are the things that I am excited for...

1. A good excuse to make pumpkin bread, apple pie, pumpkin pie, etc...(also known as a good excuse to get chubby!)



The best apple pie EVER!

2. Fall decorating.





3. Fall Scents: Pumpkin and apple cider candles and scents. I went into Bath and Body Works(which I hardly ever do...to much of an overload for my nose) for bubble bath and started smelling their fall home scents. I walked out with a wall plug-in with one pumpkin patch smell and two replacement scents called Leaves. It is heavenly, I melt every time I walk through the dining room.



4. Everything turning colors.



5. The holiday season, yeah that's right I am EXCITED for Christmas ALREADY!

1. And last but maybe the most important, the fall line up for TV shows! I am talking Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Brothers and Sisters, The Amazing Race, and Gossip Girl. No Brian doesn't get to watch anything on TV until spring...It is good for him!

Last Weekend

Last weekend my parents came over and we painted the master bedroom and bathroom. Here are some pictures from our painting fun! I had before and after pictures but my camera decided to have major issues and make two pictures with the same file names. The thumbnails on my computer are before pictures and the actual file is after pictures. SO FRUSTRATING! Enjoy the during and after pics!

Laundry Room

Today we taped the master bedroom and bathroom in preperation for my parentals to come and help us paint tomorrow. When we went to pick out paint colors I decided that their was no reason for us to get samples and go back home to see what I thought of them in the room or any of that nonsense. Their was no reason why I couldn't be desicive and just pick two colors in the store and then bring them home.

After picking a goldish tan color for the bedroom and a gray blue color for the bathroom we headed home. We got home and I walked into the room, looked at the paint sample card and was like, "ugh, it is kinda dark for the room." Oh well though, it will look fine...right?!?!

I will post pictures of the during and after tomorrow or Monday. To hold you over though I have pictures of laundry rooms that I love. One of the things that my stepdad (who is a carpenter) is going to do is measure our laundry room for cabinets that he is going to make for us. Right now we are in need of storage for things like our mob, broom, vacum, cleaning supplies, laundry stuff, extra itemns (paper towels, kleenex, light bulbs, etc.), and possibly linens.

Our laundry room right now.

I love the ones that have counters over the washer and dryer. I also would love to have a tall cabinet that will definately hold a broom, mop and vacum.