I dreamed a dream...

So, they say pregnant women have crazy dreams. I sure do. Though I had pretty interesting dreams prior to pregnancy, so I'd just say they've gone up a notch in the crazy factor now. I have one almost every night, but here is two of the most amusing to me so far:

I dreamed I was in my backyard with my brother, Casey, and he did something that made me really mad, so I started pinching his face really hard. (sadly this reaction is something I probably did to him when we were kids, though I really try not to angrily pinch now!) All the sudden he turned into a cute little asian baby girl and was screaming and crying and I didn't stop pinching! I was like torturing the poor thing. That one disturbed me and Casey wasn't flattered that he turned into a baby girl.

I dreamed that we were at my parents' house, getting ready for a picnic. Jen (my 17 year old sis) all the sudden announced that she wanted to make this picnic her wedding and proceeded to introduce her fiance---who was like 50 years old. (though he was kind of handsome for 50, in a rugged kind of way) She told us he was a world-famous country singer and that out of the top 5 country songs ever, he had 3 of them. We then proceeded to prepare for this wedding that was to take place in 20 minutes. I was panicking cause she didn't have a dress. And then I was making a playlist for dancing and went to get one of the country-singer-50 year old-fiance's songs for their first dance and I couldn't find him on iTunes. And I googled him and I couldn't find him anywhere. I began to think he was lying. Then I woke up. My dad did not like this dream and proceeded to tell Jen that he would never allow her to date a man that much older. Then she began to tease him by saying "well what if I loved him?" and a very entertaining debate ensued.

Um. The end.

Misc. Thoughts from 16 weeks...

So, I'm about halfway thru my 16th week now. I can't believe that I'm getting close to being halfway through the whole thing! Our baby is around 4 1/2 inches now--they say the size of an avocado. The biggest new thing is that I have begun to occasionally feel little fluttery movements. I was surprised and kept ignoring them because I thought it was way too early, but my midwife said that because I'm thin and because of how active our baby seemed the last appt that she was expecting me to feel it early. It's so fun...I can't wait till I can feel more!

Our 20 week ultrasound is scheduled for December 28th--which I will actually be 21 weeks for. I'm excited to see our baby and to hopefully find out whether we have a boy or a girl.* I will let you know as soon as we know what it is! Tyler is convinced that the baby is a girl and has been so from the beginning. He even refers to it as a "she". I hope he's not calling our poor son a girl. Talk about being scarred for life! After hearing the heartbeat, my dad is also convinced it is a girl. Any votes of your own?

Oh and my love turned 27 last Friday! We had a fairly low-key bday but I think he had fun! I'm so glad he was born!

I'll be in Dallas from December 17-27th. I am SO excited to be there and hang out with everyone and hold little Baby Ball and play with V and Annie.

I'm facing a bit of a dilemma with my bellybutton piercing. (Yes, I have one. Surprise!) As my stomach is growing, I am noticing it stick out more. It actually shows under tight shirts now. It doesn't hurt yet and I really, really want to keep it if possible because I love it and so does T. (I know some of you find them gross, it's ok, I think it's a love or hate thing.) But I don't want to have an infection or my nightmare--have shoot off my stomach one day, leaving me with a terrible wound. Anyone out there ever been pregnant with one? I need to ask my midwife, but I think it just depends on the person. I guess after childbirth the pain of a piercing will seem like nothing if I have to do it again...but I'm really hoping to keep it!

I bought my first maternity-related things last week. I got 2 bella bands, which I love, especially for wearing with pants that have to be unzipped. And I got just a plain black longsleeve tshirt because I put my regular one on the other day and it showed 2 inches of my stomach...not a very attractive look! I think I should have been buying maternity t's my whole life because I can't get over how long it is and how long the arms are! Shirts like that are never long on me!

Well...um that was all extremely random, but kind of how my brain is working lately! Have a happy Thanksgiving! We will be here with my fam and I am looking forward to the joys of eating Thanksgiving food for two!

*Side note for Meg: "Today on the Dr. Doberman show, am I a boy or a girl?"

15 weeks...

Sorry I've been so bad at updating. Life has been a bit crazy. I was dealing with morning (ALL-day) sickness for a bit, then I had a really busy few weeks at work.

Then I had my blood tests from my first dr. visit come back with really low platelet counts and platelet clumping, so that entailed going back to the lab several times and then being referred to a hematologist to see if I had a problem. Lets just say, going to the Rocky Mtn. Cancer Center when you are 13 weeks pregnant is kind of scary. (That's where the hematologist was.) Tyler and I were walking in and he mentioned that he designed the building and then said "I never thought I'd be bringing you here." God was so faithful in the weeks of waiting to get in to be seen. I have never felt so calm and peaceful about a situation that would normally freak me out. I was actually laughing and joking with Ty as we waited on the results. And, in God's kindness, after spending an afternoon at the specialist's, I found out that there is absolutely nothing wrong with my blood! Apparently I am one of a very small percentage of people with a certain type of blood chemistry that has to be drawn a certain way in order to get accurate platelet counts. But, nothing wrong--I'm just unique! And I am a pro at getting my blood drawn now. I had never had my blood done until I got pregnant because I'd always nearly faint when they tried to take it. Not any more...I have a favorite vein and everything! Maybe I WILL survive labor... :-)

This week, the swine flu--H1N1, if you want to be all correct--hit our house, taking out first Jordan, then Tyler. I was sent to stay at my parents' house, in order to hopefully not get it. But I'm home now and pretty sick with something---not sure if it's the flu or not. Unless I get worse I'm not worried about going in. I just saw my midwife on Thursday and they didn't seem especially concerned. I'm just supposed to rest.

Speaking of seeing the midwife, my mom and I (poor Tyler couldn't come cause of the flu) got to hear the baby's heartbeat for quite awhile and we could hear it moving around like crazy too. It sounded like it was doing cartwheels in there! I can't wait to meet my baby! I have a nice little bump now--people I know have begun to notice it. I have been terrible about taking pictures, but as soon as I am better and no longer in sweats, I'll take one.

Well, sorry that was so long and rambling. Just wanted to get caught up...hopefully I'll stay that way after this!

10 weeks...

I am 10 weeks and 2 days now and the baby is apparently the size of a kumquat. I have NO idea what that looks like, so I googled a picture:

This one seemed to give good size perspective. And the other ones made me hungry and it feels weird to want to eat the thing you're comparing your baby to.

It's amazing to me how developed the baby is already--this teeny tiny kumquat-sized person who is beginning to already grow teensy little fingernails and peach-fuzz hair! And it is inside me! Strange, yet wonderful.

Um, some FAQ:

-Have I been sick? Yes, from weeks 5-8 it was really bad, like stay in bed all the time and eat only saltines bad. It comes in waves now, but the past week especially I've had some more energy and my appetite has taken off! Or perhaps I've just adjusted to feeling barfy alot.

-Is Tyler excited? YES! He is very excited. Two days after we found out, I caught him researching schools in our area...and told him that it seemed a bit premature! He has been amazing--taking care of me, doing extra stuff around the house, getting me food I want. He gets excited when he can see my tiny baby bump showing a little. And he thinks Bumpkin is a girl---and refers to the baby as such.

-Is the fambly excited? Oh yes, very much so!

-Have I been to the Dr? I had my first appointment last Weds. with one of the midwives in the practice I chose. (Which I am loving so far, by the way.) She said everything was looking good and I got to hear the heartbeat for a second! It was amazing! And I got 3 vials of blood drawn without fainting! I'm feeling so very mighty now! (I have to go back and get some more done tomorrow, we'll see if I stay mighty.)

-Are we going to find out what it is? Yes, I'll have an ultrasound at 20 weeks and hopefully we can find out then.

-Do we have names picked out? We've actually had a girl and boy name picked since we were dating. Hehe. I don't think I will blog a name until we know what the baby is, but if you ask me in person, I'll probably tell you!

-What is your due date? May 9th...a special day already.

-Do you have a bump? I do, but I doubt most anyone would believe me. My stomach used to be straight across--like you could lay a board on my hip bones. And there is definite curve outward quite a ways now. And I already went up a size in pants. So, believe it or not, yes. And looking down at it makes me very happy! (I need to take a picture, yes.)

And to end with another picture, because we do our best to keep Meg around, here is the picture we used to tell Mom and Dad Shaw and Meg our news. (Which was met with great screams of great joy.)

And yes, I know the baby is actually located lower than that, but you try writing "baby" on your own stomach with an eyebrow pencil and see how easy you find it! :-)

My Lovely Baby Bumpkin...

I've thought a million times of writing this post--what to say, how to say it. But, despite all my brilliant ideas, I'm just going to come right out and say it with no special trimmings: Baby Shaw (affectionately named "Bumpkin" by Auntie Cal) will, Lord-willing, be here somewhere around May 9th!

I'm 9 weeks pregnant!!!!

Oh deer...

A few mornings ago, Tyler woke me out of a deep slumber and pulled me to the window. I grabbed my glasses and this is what I saw:

A deer! 4 in fact...or was it 3? It's hard to remember when it's 6am and you've just woken up. They were just grazing in our backyard. They probably felt nice and safe with all the lovely protective bushes that surround it. Really, it's rather like that bushy place that Bambi and his mother lived. Heaven for deer. (Does anyone besides me get confused about the plural and singular forms for deer? Deer, deer. It just feels wrong. Such words are confusing.)

Here's another picture, but it's blurred. I think it is because my eyes were still a bit blurry. Or that I was partially asleep.

The shutter noise from my camera scared them and off they ran, around the house and across the front yard, back to where they came from.

And I went back to sleep.

In our basement...

Photo by Lizelle Lotter

Is this guy. We like having him live there.

(And for those of you who don't know who "this guy" is, he is our dear friend and new housemate, Jordan Shank--occasionally referred to as "Skank")