Baby Kicks

I have to start off by saying that pregnancy is so much more than I could have imagined. So often, we are too busy to listen to our bodies and often work against ourselves. Being pregnant, I have learned to listen to my body's cues and not to underestimate how good you can feel by just taking better care of yourself. Not that I eat super healthy ALL the time... if my body is craving double dark chocolate gelato, I know exactly where to find the ice cream scoop. :)

Another aspect of pregnancy that I am loving are feeling my little baby's kicks! It seemed like it was going to be forever before I would be able to feel them and then, almost overnight, they are happening all the time! They are a sweet reminder that our little Felix is growing bigger and stronger with each day. 

Something really special that happened yesterday is that Shawn was able to feel the baby kick for the first time. We were laying down to go to bed (a time when the baby usually gets active) and the kicks were pretty strong. I wasn't sure if Shawn would be able to feel, but I had him put his hand on my belly to see if he could get in on the action. It was so perfect. Just then, Felix gave a big kick right in the middle of Shawn's hand! A few seconds later, there came another. It's as if he was saying, "Hi, dad!". The moment was perfect and I am so glad that Shawn can start connecting with the baby in this way. 

We are less than 4 months from our due date and have lots to do! We have cleared out the room that is going to be the nursery and we are hoping to have the nursery done by the end of June. With our busy schedules, that actually doesn't leave too much free time to get it all done but I'm sure we'll make it happen - we always do :)  

Another exciting event we have planned for June is our "Babymoon"! For those of you who are not familiar with the term, Babymoon is like a honeymoon but its a couple's last getaway before the baby arrives. We have booked a weekend in Savannah and can't wait to take in the gorgeous sites and amazing food. We have our next ultrasound appointment the Friday morning of our trip. I can't think of a better way to kick off our Babymoon than seeing our little baby. :)

Thank you all for your love and support! I don't know what we would do without you!

Love,

Stefanie

Happy Mother's Day!

First, I'd like to start off by wishing all the amazing moms out there a Happy Mother's Day! Your unconditional love, endless compassion and tireless efforts are not recognized enough. I am thrilled to soon join such an outstanding group of women.

Although I have not yet earned the title of "Mom", this Mother's Day brought many sincere messages from friends and family. The first of such messages came Thursday evening after arriving home from a 5 hour road trip. Looking through the mail, I saw a card from my aunt Isabel whom I affectionately call "Titi Chavolo" (I love being Puerto Rican!). As I pulled the card out of the envelope, knowing exactly what occasion it marked, I started to cry. Happy tears filled my eyes as I realized that Mother's Day had taken on a new and very special meaning.

I recalled Mother's Days from my childhood. Richard and I had a very special tradition of making breakfast in bed for my mom each year. It likely started with a bowl of cereal and orange juice, then graduated to eggs, pancakes and coffee when we were old enough to manage in the kitchen. We would decorate a tv tray with a single flower and our best plate setting. Each year we were so proud to present our feast to our wonderful mommy. Imaging myself being on the receiving end of such love and admiration from my own child one day is more than my pregnancy hormones can handle right now! For now, I remain focused on providing this little miracle with all of the nutrition and safe-keeping it needs.

The pictures above are a glimpse into how I spent this Mother's Day. Shawn presented me with a gorgeous bouquet of red roses and the most perfect card to mark the occasion. He marked the envelope simply "Mommy Sheehan". This was the second card that had me crying before I read a single word! He also took me out to dinner. I decided to keep things low key and indulgent by going to Smokejack, an amazing barbecue restaurant on our downtown square. It was a wonderful day.

I wish you all a Happy Mother's Day today and every day!

Yours truly,
Stefanie

Cutest Fetus I've Ever Seen!

Hello friends and family!

Time is FLYING! We are officially 20 weeks into our pregnancy which means we are halfway there! Now that we are just 4 1/2 months from meeting our little baby, things are starting become very real...

Our 20 week ultrasound revealed a little person that has developed so much in the last 8 weeks. At our last ultrasound, Felix had a tiny little body with only small nubs for arms and legs. This ultrasound his arms and legs are in perfect proportion with this body. If you look at the second photo his foot is all the way up by by his face! Speaking of face, is that first picture just the cutest you've ever seen?! I could pinch those cheeks already! I am so in love :)

Another thing that is becoming that is becoming real is my baby bump. It has virtually appeared overnight! I think in the last 4 days the bump went from being somewhat identifiable to completely undeniable! Not that I'm complaining - a growing baby bump means a growing baby. All I care about right now is making sure baby Felix (or Felicity) is getting everything he/she needs to be healthy and strong.

Stats for our growing baby are very impressive. The ultrasound showed that Felix is weighing 13 oz and is 10 inches long! I think Shawn's genes are at work on that one... By fruit standards, our bundle of joy is the size of a small cantaloupe. No wonder my baby bump is showing!

All in all, things are progressing well and we couldn't ask for anything more. Being pregnant has brought out a new side to mine and Shawn's relationship that has allowed me fall in love with him all over again. I feel like the luckiest woman to be blessed with such love.

Alright, enough sappy talk! ;) I already almost cried once today (for no reason at all!). I think I deserve a brownie...

Love you all so much!
Stefanie

4 Months Down, 5 Month to Go!

Hello friends and family!

I hope this posts finds you all doing well! It's been a while since I've written which just goes to show how crazy life has been. I feel like our calendars are booked through August! The next few months are going to be very busy as we juggle work, social events and everything we need to do to get ready for the baby. Wish us luck!

Today is officially 18 weeks into the pregnancy. We are almost halfway there! Our little Felix is measuring about 5 1/2 inches. He's grown a lot since being the size of a blueberry... he's about the size of a sweet potato now! As you can see from the pic, my little baby bump is starting to show :) Yay!!

They say for your first pregnancy, you will start to feel flutters between week 18-22. Every morning I lay in bed for a while to see if I can feel anything. Nothing so far, but I know it's coming soon! I can't wait to start connecting with our sweet baby in that way.

As always, thank you all for your love, support and prayers. When I think of all the wonderful people that will love and influence our children as they grow up, I feel so incredibly blessed.

Much love,
Stefanie

Special Times in the Second Trimester!

It's official... I'm in the second trimester! We are 14 weeks and one third of the way into this amazing journey. Another milestone for today is that we are exactly 6 months from our due date! I have to say, I am loving life these days. The baby bump is starting to show and I am falling in love with my pregnant body. It's surreal the first time you get dressed and see that little pooch! I love being able to see and feel the physical evidence of our growing baby, and I am so proud to show it off. Words can't really describe how incredible it feels.

Little Felix is now 3 1/2 inches or the size of a lemon. Last night Shawn joked around by rocking a lemon in his arms like a baby - he's so silly :) Felix is estimated to grow an inch a week for the next 6 weeks! I'm likely to gain at least half a pound a week for the next few weeks as well. So far I've gained 7 pounds. At least for now they are all around the mid-section!

We are very blessed to have so many special things going on right now. I have an appointment next week with our midwife. My mom has the day off work and she's going to join me for the appointment! Next weekend Shawn's parents are visiting from Kentucky. This is the first time we've seen them since the big news so it's sure to be an exciting weekend!

Thank you all for your love and support. You are truly blessings in our lives.

~Stefanie

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)