Betty is Kickin'

Yesterday, I was lying in bed about 7:30 am. My hunger and the urge to pee usually wakes me up before I wish to get up. I did my biz then grabbed a pastry and some orange juice to hold me over until I could make a big breakfast. 

I'm lazy and it was the weekend, so I went back to the bed with my cuddle bunnies, Jesse and Winnie. 

After about 5 minutes of being still and at peace, I started feeling little flutters and bubble movements in my stomach. I put my hand on my belly, then I felt a definite kick! I wasn't sure at first because it was the first time it happened. 

A moment later, it happened a second time! I woke Jesse up and asked for his hand. I placed his hand on my tummy and we waited again. It as about 3 minutes, then she kicked again!! I asked Jes, "Did you feel that?!" He said, "Yes!" and smiled. 

I was so excited to finally feel the first kick!  

Jes and I have been digging through baby names as well. We've pretty much been set on one certain name since we found out, so baby skully has a real name now. I probably won't reveal it until she is born though. People can be really critical when it comes to baby names. 

I feel if someone is looking at her during the introduction..."This is xxxxxxxx," then they would hopefully, be less likely to offer their critique of the name. 

Later that day, I was so excited about the kicks, I went to target and bought a couple of outfits, some headbands, and burping cloths. After I get baby items, I find myself looking at them, daydreaming of when I get to use them with her. :) 

Baby IS a Betty

I had my 20 week sonogram yesterday which means we found out the sex of our baby!

I drank a sprite before the sonogram, so baby morrow was moving around so much!! This means the legs were spread eagle plenty of times to see that...

IT'S A GIRL! We are so excited!!!!

 Jes took some video of the sonogram. I also got it recorded on DVD. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKIcl7X1uT0

Here is her legs. 

This is a side profile picture. Her legs are bent and she looks squished in there! 

She also got a fun nickname from the sonogram... Skully. I know sonograms mostly show skeletal structure, but this photo looks exactly like she is wearing a Halloween skull mask. She loves Halloween already! haha 

This is a picture of her spine. She was face down at this point. 

Her heart rate was 144bpm. They said she weighed almost a pound! 

Here's a collage of all the still images we got from the sonogram. 

We will eventually get legit announcement photo's made, but I was too excited to wait. I had to do a quick candid. 

I'm a little disappointed my mother's instinct was wrong. I thought the baby would be a boy. Oh well, I'm still HAPPY! 

 My friend Hillary is so sweet and creative! She already made headbands for baby Skully!  They are so adorable and perfect!!! I can't wait to use them! I love the little skull and crossbones on this one.

 This one is so pretty! Blue is my favorite color, so of course I love it!

Now, I can officially finish registering for gifts and baby clothes!  

Betty's Baby Bump

Here is a snapshot of me at 20 weeks pregnant. Depending on what clothes I wear, sometimes I just look chubby and sometimes it looks like a baby bump. Either way, maternity clothes are pretty much a must now. I was doing the rubber band trick with my jeans and pants, but that rubber band trick doesn't work when you can't even get your pants pulled up over your thighs. hahah 

I've tried to shop for maternity pants, but considering the amount of weight I've gained so far ( around 16 lbs) and my height ( or lack thereof), it is pretty impossible to find maternity clothes. 

I'm pretty much limited to dresses for now, which is fine. I know it's winter, and it SHOULD be cold, but it's Texas. It's not cold. It's almost 70 in December right now. I can pull off a dress. Plus, I'm pregnant and hot all the time anyway. I'm so glad I'm not pregnant in summer or the hot flashes would be too much.  

Anyway, so far I've been getting my maternity dresses at Old Navy for $3.00-8.00 dollars. Yay for clearance!  

Tomorrow we find out the sex of our baby! I'm so excited and can't wait to see if my suspicions are true! I bought a DVD to record the sonogram. Everyone keeps asking if I want a boy or girl. I honestly do not care either way. I just want my baby to be fat and healthy. 

Mother's intuition tells me it is a boy. I've had dreams at night where the baby was a boy. My mom said the same thing.

 I know they are just for fun, and not a reliable source, but old wives tales say it is a boy. I'm carrying low, had no morning sickness, did have back pain, crave salty food, and the heart rate is 150 bpm ( slower = boy, faster = girl). I asked my doctor about this, and she said I can't count on any of those things to determine the gender, but it's fun to play. 

Everyone else, including the Chinese Calendar, says it is a girl. I've heard about friends  and friends of friends who are expected to deliver the same time I am, and they are  having girls. I guess we will see! 

I'm going to be doubting my mother's intuition if it is not a boy though because that is my guess. hahah 

I know everyone warned me that I would never sleep again. I thought that would only happen AFTER the baby was born but no. It's happening now. Round ligament pain, leg cramps, and back pain keeps me up at night. I toss and turn allll night because I can't find a comfortable sleeping position (already).  Before pregnancy, I would sleep on my stomach and back, which is apparently a no-no now. 

I haven't had any weird cravings.,.just all food in general. I do dream frequently at night. Mostly my dreams consists or failing as a mother ( dropping the baby, the baby rolling out of the car seat because I didn't strap in, or not being able to breastfeed), or I dream about food. I have dreamed about jumbo shrimp, funnel cake, sausage on a stick, someone eating all my Doritos, chicken friend steak, and Peanut Butter Captain Crunch Cereal. Needless to say, when I wake up, I'm always STARVING!

I'm finding the pregnancy can be embarrassing. I did my first pee-sneeze the other day. Then...it happened again. THEN it turns out to be not just when I sneeze, but when I cough or laugh to hard. haha 

I bought some of my first baby items thanks to my friend, Hillary, giving me a free promo code for these items! All I had to pay for was shipping!! 

I ordered a nursing pillow and a car seat cover. 

 I'm in love with this beachy/ teal/ aqua color of blue. It's what color I have in our bedroom. It's a good, calming, and gender neutral color.

I have finally started to feel more movement in there, mainly at night and in the early morning. It is very subtle, but I definitely feel little bubble-flutters!! 

Pregnant Betty

Before experiencing pregnancy myself, I was very afraid of it. I heard horror stories about being sick for 9 months, pregnancy complications, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, labor and delivery nightmares, etc.

Pregnancy did not sound like my cup of tea.

HOWEVER, I've been so lucky to have a wonderful pregnancy so far. I've had no morning sickness. I did get sick once, but my doctor said it was low blood sugar and to just eat more protein...easy fix.
I have had some annoying symptoms, but it is not near as bad as I thought it would be (yet). I am only 20 weeks, so I'm sure I will get more uncomfortable as I progress.

I'm so happy to have this new experience and all that comes with it. I'm so excited and ready to meet our baby. I'm happy for Jes and I to begin growing our little family. I keep fantasizing about family trips to the zoo, or family picnics, going to the park to play, and finding new traditions for our own family to carry on. There are some traditions that I will borrow from my own family, like baking and decorating Christmas cookies.

In the past, I have struggled with finding inner peace and happiness. I've tried so many things that I thought would "fill the gap." I tried music, painting, going back to school, a career in radio..the list goes on. I never gained any sense of fulfillment with these things, but I know now my place. I am going to be a mother- the best mother I can be. This is the fulfillment I'm longing for. My child will get so many hugs and kisses they will be saying, "Mooooommm," and pushing me away from embarrassment.

Anyway, I've had pretty normal pregnancy symptoms: nosebleeds, stuffy nose, having to pee non-stop, back aches, and ITCHING!! Omg, the itching is real. I tried this belly butter for itching and stretch marks. It made the itching worse because it broke me out in a terrible rash. I actually looked up reviews of this product after using it, and almost all the reviews were terrible because other users broke out in a rash as well. You learn from your mistakes. I should have tested it in a small area. Any future skin products I'm definitely doing that because this rash is miserable!!

I had to find another way to relieve the itching and stretch marks, so I've just been using good ole coconut oil. It hasn't disappointed me yet. Plus, I can cook with it.

I find out Dec. 17th the gender of the baby. I'm so excited!!! Everyone asks me if I want a boy or a girl. Honestly, I don't care either way. I just want a healthy baby, boy or girl. I did receive a baby care package from friends Hillary and Nathan. It makes me even more excited about our baby when I actually see items I will eventually be using for our baby. She sent me a bottle drying wrack, diapers, diaper disposable bags, breast milk storage bags, breast pads, a blanket, baby house slippers, a binki, postpartum mommy bath fitz, a wipe dispenser and warmer, a bottle brush, a sling to carry the baby, and the most comfortable nursing bra I've ever worn. AMAZING gift!! So nice of Hillary to think of sending so many useful items. 

My friend, Erin, also gave me a sweet baby gift. 

 She made me a bath scrub out of coconut oil. Time for some mommy pampering time!

Erin also is a good listener, because I had mentioned once that I loved the Skippyjon Jones children's books and that I actually had a cat named Skippyjon Jones. She remembered and got me one of my favorite children's books to read to baby Morrow! Such a sweetie she is. 

btw, since I mentioned her, I had to put a pic. My kitty Skippyjon Jones when I first got her. RIP Skippy. 

 Here's another picture of the bath scrub she made. She also included a jar of pickles in the gift, which every preggo knows is pretty necessary! I loved pickles before pregnancy, but now I eat them even more! I feel the love receiving such thoughtful gifts from friends.

I have also started registering for baby items. We have an amazon and target registry. Not much is on the amazon one yet, but I have quite a bit picked out on the target registry. Here a link to the registry:

https://www-secure.target.com/gift-registry/myitems?registryId=y6IxI2DFQTbPZUhRej_E8A&registryType=BABY

My mom bought me a whole set of children's books for the baby too. I have been trying to trade out between reading to the baby, and playing piano for the baby. I think the first time I felt movement in there, I was playing piano. Maybe we have a little musician on our hands!?

Here is one of the books I've been reading to our baby. I thought since it's winter, let's stick with a winter story for a while. 

Since Mommy has to give up her beloved 5 cups of coffee a day, I enjoy some hot chocolate instead. 

 I have had some trouble sleeping, unfortunately. I guess I should get used to that, huh? Well, I do need sleep while baby isn't here yet, and I've been trying to make my bedroom a more relaxing place to doze. I've got a few of these lanterns left over from the wedding which make a nice soft, sleepy lighting.

My sis-in-law, Megan, gave me a lavender spray that I've been using religiously. I just spray it on my pillow before bed time. The smell is so relaxing and helps turn my mind off, so I can fall asleep. 

Even though I'm so happy to be pregnant, there are some downsides. I do miss caffeine in large quantities, sushi, beer, and wine. I've read on mommy forums that dark beer helps with breast feeding. I can't wait until that day comes. I NEED A BEER. haha 

Speaking of alcohol, we went out to Red Road Winery for a friend's surprise birthday party. I had a Sprite (of course) but Jes found a wine from our hometown's winery, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards. 

I really like the vibe at Red Road Winery. I had been there once before because that's where I celebrated my 26th birthday. I'll be excited to do a Mom's Night Out there one day when baby Morrow is a bit older. 

After the birthday party, we went to Doc's that night for some of his famous chili. He makes a mean bowl of chili. He puts bacon, hamburger meat, Italian sausage, and beans. It so meaty and filling. His chili is also very spicy. He says he puts Mrs. Renfro's habenero pepper sauce in it. It's got a kick to it for sure. I was excited about the spicy aspect because my sinuses have been clogged. I just knew his spicy chili would do the trick and open up my sinuses. It didn't though. That's how clogged they are. haha The chili was fantastic though. That's one thing I've learned about being pregnant...food is even more awesome than it was before. I actually got in trouble at my last doctors appointment for gaining 10lbs in 4 weeks! Our baby and me are going to be little fatties.  

This weekend went by too fast! I suppose because we stayed so busy. Saturday was my bi-weekly grocery shopping day. We were going the the Nakashian's Christmas Party that night, so I had to pick up some ingredients to make sausage balls. You know it's Christmas party season when you're making sausage balls.  It taste like a sausage and biscuits rolled up into one bite. 

I used my mom's recipe. They are so easy! Here is the recipe: 

2 cups of bisquick 

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese 

1 lb of Jimmy Dean sausage ( mild or hot) 

Mix ingredients. Add milk if  the mix is a little dry. Bake 375 until golden brown (about 18 minutes). BOOM! Easy and tasty finger-food for a party. 

The Christmas party was fun! We got to see our work chums, visit for a while, and eat some great food. Our host, Zoe, is from Weymouth, Dorset in the United Kingdom. She made traditional English tasties. My favorite thing I had all night was her minced meat pies with clotted cream. They were SOOOOO amazing. I ate 5 at the party and took 4 home. (They were mini pies...not full ones...trying to justify how much I ate. haha) Jesse seemed to really like Zoe's Scotch Eggs. It was a hard boiled egg with a sausage crusting wrapped around it. Everything was so good. THIS is the main thing I love the holidays...friends, family, and food. Everything else I'm pretty much a scrooge about. haha 

Before we left, Zoe let me borrow something I'm "pumped" about. ha. puns. It's a breast pump. I'm so lucky because I really did not want to spend $300.00 on a machine that may not work out for me. Hopefully, I don't have trouble breastfeeding, but, ya never know. 

Sunday, I spent the WHOLE day in my pj's. It's nice to just have one day where you don't have to get dressed or wear makeup. I spent the day cleaning and organizing our apartment. I'm in serious nesting mode already! Jesse spent most of the day working on his thesis. He took a little break though. I cooked up some breakfast for dinner and we played dominos ( i won a massage again this time). Then, I played piano for me and baby morrow to put us both out to sleepy time. 

Betty Gives Thanks

Usually for Thanksgiving, we stay in the Pittsburg/ Leesburg area with Jesse's family and my dad's side.
This year we did things differently and went to my Mom's. It was so much fun! Also, my friends Erin, Skylar, and Lorelai were able to join us!

I had a rough start to Thanksgiving because my beloved pumpkin spilled in the oven which made the edges burn. the cookie sheet popped in the oven and caused this. It still tasted good though.

My sweet potato casserole came out much better. No mess ups on this one!

Pretty fall leaves 

It was such a pretty day out, so we took some pictures. 

Erin, Skylar, and Lorelai 

Me and Jes 

Just the girls 

Mom took some pics with the siblings too. Just waiting to get those.

Everybody kept asking to see the baby bump. That's just turkey and dressing in there. hahah  

Everybody lining up to make a plate 

Mom and my brother brad 

Wishbone ( we both wished for money) haha 

chowing down 

Meanwhile, Mom's dog Ginger sunbathes outside. 

and Perry watches football 

My sister holly and Erin taking the selfie 

After dinner, we went down to the doc to feed the fish 

Then after having seconds, thirds, and fourths on the Thanksgiving food, we all chilled out and watched some home videos. It was hilarious! Look at little Brad singing his heart out! haha 

 And I'm singing my heart out too.

After visiting at Mom's, I took Brad back home to Dad's and we decorated his christmas tree, ate cookies, and watched the Grinch. 

The next day I put up some of my decorations, aka left over winter wedding decor.

No room for a christmas tree in our apt, so we just decorate the bonsai. haha 

I decorated the porch too, but I forgot to get a pic. I'll have to add that later. 

Later that night, Jes and I got them bones crackin. We play dominos a lot here lately. I like it! We bet things ( usually winner gets a massage of some kind). haha  jes is really good and usually always beats me, but this night I actually won! I plays hard for a massage! haha Last night, he won though.