Felix is Feisty!

Today we got to check up on Felix with our 12 week ultrasound! Shawn was able to join me for this appointment as well. I am so thankful his work is supportive of him taking time off to experience these special moments.

I have been anxiously awaiting this appointment for weeks. I have had no morning sickness and many of the other symptoms that I had have been subsiding. I know this is normal as you approach the end of your first trimester, but I still need the reassurance of a healthy ultrasound to calm my nerves. Today, I got just that.

As soon as the tech placed the ultrasound wand on my belly, it was clear - there is a baby growing in there!

And not just growing... waving, kicking and flipping. That's why I say he is feisty. It was so cute to see him moving around and having a ball. He was so active and full of life. We got to hear the heartbeat too - beating away at 152 bpm.

They measured him at about 7cm or 2.75 inches. So right now he's about the size of a peach. I've read that over the next 3 weeks he will grow to 5 inches! Watch out because my waistband is going to be growing right along with him! No real baby bump to report right now, but stay tuned.

By the way, I know I am referring our little fetus as a "He" but that's really just to avoid saying "It". Since we have chosen the name "Felix the Fetus" I am going to refer to Felix as a him for convenience. We are still planning to keep the gender a surprise. The doctor today asked if we wanted his prediction on the gender which was shocking at 12 weeks! He said that at 12 wks they are 80% accurate. We politely declined his offer, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to know what he was thinking.

All in all, it was a fantastic morning. My next appointment is in two weeks to meet the midwife who will hopefully be the one to deliver our baby. Thanks for being part of our journey to parenthood.

Love,

Stefanie

Felix the Fetus

Hi friends and family,

Thank you all so much for your love and support during the last few weeks. Getting random calls and messages asking how I'm feeling or how we are getting ready for the baby means so much. You brighten my day and make me feel so blessed to have such an incredible support system.

Thursday I had my second appointment. The doctor stated that my weight gain is right on track and answered many of our questions. We didn't get to hear the heartbeat like I thought - the doctor said it was too early. We do have another appt on the 13th to get our second ultrasound! I can't wait to see our little fetus. :)

That brings me to the title of this post "Felix the Fetus". Shawn and I have been tossing around baby names lately and have a few good contenders... Felix was one name that didn't quite stick as a baby name, but we have decided that it works perfectly as a fetus name! Until our little baby enters this world and reveals its gender, he or she will be affectionately referred to as Felix the Fetus.

Along with choosing names, we are getting the house ready and making plans for the nursery. Shawn and I took a trip to the fabric store to see if we could find some inspiration for the nursery. When we came across the fabric in the photo we fell in love with the idea of a bird theme. I'll be making curtains for the nursery using this fabric. We also found mini-birdhouses that we are going to paint to go along with the theme. The color scheme is neutral with accents of yellow. We have a good bit to do around the rest of the house, so it will be a while before we get started in the nursery.

I think that's all for now... time for this mami to go to bed.

Yours truly,

Feliz por Felix (Happy for Felix)

The Disappearing Waistline

As you may have gathered from the title of this post, my once hourglass figure is looking more like a glass Christmas ornament each day. I was starting to freak out (as I do with many situations in which I have no control...) but I got some great advice from my mom. She simply said "Don't stress. Just go with the flow and take these changes as they come". Seems so simple, but sometimes it takes someone, especially a mom, to help you see the obvious.

So I decided to embrace these changes and enjoy the ride. Rather than feel sorry for myself because I can't fit into a cute shirt that I've only worn once, I packed away all the clothes that are definitely not seeing the light of day until spring 2013 and did a little shopping to fill in the gaps of what I have left. I feel better already! Thanks, mom :)

To update you on Baby Sheehan, this week the baby is 2 inches long! Quite a long way from the 1/2 inch blueberry. Our next appt is less than a week away and I believe we will be able to hear the heartbeat. I've heard it's a magical moment so I am very excited and glad that Shawn will be there too. Keep your fingers crossed that we will have another ultrasound to see our baby's growth. I've learned that ultrasounds are not as frequent as I thought... Shawn and I are not planning to find out the sex of the baby, but if we were we would have to pay out of pocket.

For your enjoyment, here is a new segment I like to call "Things Husbands Probably Shouldn't Say to Their Pregnant Wife". Take a look and let me know what you think.

Wife: "Hey babe! Look! I think my baby pooch is starting to show!"

Husband: "Are you sure it isn't just the ice cream you had last night?"

To Shawn's mom, yes your son said that and yes you have my permission to hit him over the head the next time you see him ;) Fortunately for Shawn, my hormones were at just the right level for this comment to roll off the back without any serious consequences. Next time he may not be so lucky...

Thank you for reading and best wishes to you for a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Saying goodbye to anything in size Small

Week 10 Friday Fun

Hello friends and family!

Today marks 10 weeks into this 40 week journey! According to online articles, Baby Sheehan is about the size of a cocktail shrimp. Seeing as how shrimp is pretty much my favorite food, this is kind of a big week for me :)

I'm still feeling pretty good! My appetite has really picked up so I'm trying to eat as nutritious as possible to keep calories in check. The kitchen is stocked with fresh fruits/veggies, lean meats, whole grains and nuts. Shawn and I have always considered ourselves healthy eaters, but we've really stepped it up. I hope we keep it up long-term and you know I'll be sending along any new recipes worth sharing.

I weighed myself yesterday and I've only gained 3-4 lbs. My weight gain is on track for what is recommended in the first trimester. (A pleasant surprise since I feel like a bottomless pit!) I am also doing mommy-friendly workouts and taking evening walks with Shawn. I can't wait to "spring forward" the clocks so we have even more time to enjoy outside in the evenings.

I've gotten lots of predictions regarding the sex of the baby. If you haven't heard, Shawn and I are planning to wait to find out. But I came across this video and just had to share. This is a glimpse into what my daughter will likely be like at 8 years old. Enjoy! Much love to you all!

Best Valentine's Day Ever

What a weekend it has been! I am so blessed to be surrounded by so much love. I find it appropriate that this is the week we celebrate Valentine's Day. :)

Saturday night was spent at a girls wine night at Belinda's house. This was the night I have anticipated for weeks because it was the night I told my closest friends that Shawn and I are expecting. I made a slideshow to reveal the news and the reactions were priceless. I'm so thankful to have a great circle of women to share these moments with and lean on for support. We have been there for each other through college, relationships, weddings and now starting our families. We are as close as sisters and I can't wait to watch all of our children grow up together.

Sunday was simply perfect. Sunday was the day that Shawn and I celebrated Valentine's Day. We began our day with breakfast. While I was gone on Saturday night, Shawn set up a romantic table complete with flowers and our wedding china. We had a huge breakfast of pancakes, eggs and bacon complete with virgin mimosas (orange juice and ginger ale). We made breakfast together, laughing in the kitchen and feeding Coco pieces of turkey bacon. It was fantastic. After we were full and the kitchen was a mess, we went window shopping for the baby! We went to Babies R Us and Target to start figuring out all of the things we will need in the coming months and making a mental tally of the dollars to be spent in the near future. Needless to say, we are living lean these days!

The best part about this weekend was enjoying time with my husband and taking a little extra time to show how much we mean to each other. We are not perfect people, we are not the perfect couple, but we love each other very much. I feel blessed knowing that our example of love is one of the best gifts we will pass on to our child.

Happy Valentine's Day to you!

Sincerely,
Luckiest wife and mommy-to-be

Our first appointment

Finally! The day we have been waiting for... our first doctor's appointment! Shawn and I have been anxiously awaiting this day so that we could get the thumbs up from the doctor that all is well and we are on our way to having a healthy baby. Today, those hopes were met and even more.

During the ultrasound the doctor located our little bundle of joy and it was a moment I will not forget. He stopped on a location and pointed out the little blur that is our baby. Then he said, "Do you see that little flutter?". There was a small area within the blur that was moving. He said, "That's your baby's heart." In that moment I was mesmerized as I watched the little heart beating strong. Then I looked at Shawn with tear in my eyes and he was all smiles. It is real. There is really a baby growing in my belly! Today has been a great day and I can't even imagine the many similar moments we have to come. We are truly blessed.

PS - Notice that on the ultrasound the doctor wrote "High Folks" instead of "Hi Folks". Shawn and I have had a few laughs on that one... ;)

Yours truly,
Simply overjoyed

First doctor's appt moved to tomorrow!

YAAAAYYYYY!!! Someone cancelled so we are able to get into see the doctor tomorrow!! Our appointment is at 11:30a and Shawn is able to take off work to join me. :) I'm most excited to get reassurance from the doctor that everything looks healthy and normal. More details to come...