13 Weeks!

Dear Baby Brooks,

You are 13 weeks old now! You are just about the size of a peach and are (according to the latest ultrasound) just about 6.75 cm and weigh about an ounce.  You now have your very own set of tiny fingerprints!  Here are the little details of the week...

How Far Along?  Thirteen Weeks...189 days to go!

Weight Gain?  I'm finally up about 1.5 pounds.

Sleep?  Sleep is still pretty great.  I may be getting close to the point where I might invest in a body pillow to start practicing sleeping on my side.  I am a belly sleeper and it's going to be a pretty difficult transition to make!

Miss Anything?  Not too much really...just my jeans.  :-)

Movement? Not that I can feel, but the ultrasound said otherwise!

Food Cravings?  Still into salty foods and carbs.  Better get a handle on that.

Any Aversions?  I'm getting to the point where things are starting to sound a little better to me.  I had a fish sandwich from Wendy's today that was actually pretty good.  I still don't want chicken and eggs sound kind of terrible.  Nothing (knock on wood) has made me actually sick yet, so it's definitely all in my head!

Gender?  We have a little feeling!!  :-)

Symptoms?  Feeling great!  I have been having very vivid dreams though!  They are the kind of dreams where I can wake up, take a potty break, fall back asleep, and pick up right where I left off.

Best Moment this Week?  Seeing the ultrasound again!  Watching you jump around like crazy was so fun and your Daddy and I were grinning from ear to ear!  It was also pretty awesome to get a little unexpected hint as to whether you are a boy or a girl!  We'll see if the prediction holds up in another month or so.

Looking Forward To...  Finally telling people!!  Tomorrow (Monday, 2/27) we'll tell our managers at work, send out an email to our close friends and family, finally give our parents and siblings permission to tell, and then blast it out on Facebook to the rest of the world!!  Can't wait!  I don't know that I've ever had to keep a good secret this long!  It's been so tough!!  Can't wait to share our wonderful news with all the people we love.

Buddy wanted to get in on this too.  :-)

First Trimester Screening & A Little Hint

On Friday, February 24 we had our First Trimester Screening and got our second peek at this little peanut.  This was our ultrasound to measure nuchal translucency, which along with blood work will be a determinant of the likelihood of our baby having Down Syndrome or a few other congenital disorders.  Barrett met me at the appointment again...his goal is to make it to every single appointment which I am super excited about.  He is going to be such an amazing Daddy.  :-)  Just as it was the first time, the ultrasound was such a treat!  Baby's hearbeat was nice and strong at 161 BPM.  This little munchkin is going to be a gymnast!  Baby was literally bouncing around like a jumping bean!  Flips, twists, kicks, barrel rolls, body rolls, and a lot of waving was going on!  I can only imagine what may have been going on if I hadn't cold turkeyed caffeine!  The ultrasound tech said that all that acticity was a good sign because it meant that baby was happy.  It was quite the show.  It is so amazing to me that all of that motion is happening in there and I can't feel a single thing!!  Can't wait to feel those first butterfly flutters.  :-)

Towards the end of the ultrasound, the tech asked if we were interested in having a hint about the baby being a boy or a girl. We said sure!  The tech then said, "Actually, it would be a really good hint."  Sold.  So, even though we know it's not definitive, and we're not going shopping for pink or blue anytime soon, it's so fun to have a little prediction!  She said she's never been wrong and that she wouldn't have mentioned it if she wasn't almost positive.  We're not going to let the cat out of the bag just yet becuase I think it's fun to have people guessing and I don't want anyone influenced.  :-)  Like I said, we are super excited to have our little hint, but I'm not getting my heart set one way or another just yet!  Any guesses?

12 Weeks

Dear Baby Brooks,

You are 12 weeks old now! You are just about the size of a lime which means you're a little over 2 inches long and weigh just about a half of an ounce! You're starting to develop your reflexes this week.  So, even though I can't feel you, if I poke at you a little bit, you may start to wiggle around.  Here are the little details of the week...

How Far Along?  Twelve Weeks...196 days to go!

Weight Gain?  Still holding pretty steady.

Sleep?  I'm sleeping great!  I am definitely waking up once in the middle of the night to pee, but other than that, I'm having no trouble snoozing.

Miss Anything?  Easy lunches.  I have had the hardest time trying to figure out what to bring for lunch to work.  A girl can only eat PB & J so many times before she starts to lose her mind!  Like I've said, I hope that veggies, chicken, and fish will start sounding better to me in the next couple of weeks and then I won't have as many issues.  I definitely miss throwing together an easy turkey or tuna sandwich!

Movement? Not a peep.

Food Cravings?  Salty things.  This is a little different for me becuase I've always had a raging sweet tooth.  Now, instead of reaching for a cookie I head for the pickle jar.  I have just had to keep telling myself to drink more water so I don't get puffy from all the sodium!

Any Aversions?  Adding to all the other things....fish.  I know I should be eating it because it's good for me and baby, but the though of it makes my tummy flip.

Gender? ?????

Symptoms?  Still pretty sleepy, especially after a long day at work, but other than that I really feel pretty good!

Best Moment this Week?  I woke up a couple of mornings feeling really good!  No nausea and I didn't need to head straight for the saltine crackers as soon as I put my feet on the floor!  Makes me excited that the second trimester is just around the corner!

Looking Forward To...  We have our 12 week ultrasound this week, so we'll get to see your sweet face again!  This time, you're going to look much more like a baby than a tadpole!  We'll get to hear your heartbeat again which will be so amazing!  And...only a week or so till we FINALLY get to shout our big news from the rooftops!

11 Weeks

Dear Baby Brooks -

You are 11 weeks old now! You are just about the size of a fig, which we have a much better picture in our heads of than your previous fruit comparisons.  :-)  That means you're a little over an inch nand a half long and weigh just about a quarter of an ounce!  Here are the little details of the week...

How Far Along?  Eleven Weeks

Weight Gain? Still just about the same.  I definitely feel a little chunkier though...probably has something to do with the insane amount of carbohydrates I've been shoveling in during the last 6 weeks!!

Sleep?  The exhaustion is actually getting a little better.  I've had a TERRIBLE few weeks at work, so that's draining me physically/mentally/emotionally which doesn't help the pregnancy sleepiness, but I'm starting to be able to stay awake past 8:00!  I see some exercise energy arriving in the future...

Miss Anything?  Not too much actually.  I have actually had too many bad days at work lately where it would have been nice to come home and enjoy a big glass (bottle) of red wine though!

Movement? Not a peep.

Food Cravings?  No real cravings.  There aren't a ton of things that are sitting pretty with me right now, so I'm sticking to bland basics!

Any Aversions?  Still chicken.  And the smell of coffee.  And yogurt. 

Gender? ?????

Symptoms?  I've had a couple of scary seconds a few mornings when brushing my teeth sent me flying over the toilet for fear of my first actual vomit incident.  Crisis averted though.  I will not miss this part!

Best Moment this Week?  I started snooping around on websites in search of baby bedding.  There are so many options!!  I really think I want to stick with something neutral and not go the pink or blue route...but, there are so many super cute gender specific options that I may change my mind!  Either way, looking is definitely fun!

Looking Forward To...  Valentine's Day is this week.  We have a tradition of staying in and making spaghetti and meatballs, so that's what we'll be doing again this year.  It's our last Valentine's Day for just the two of us!  So surreal!

That tiny picture of tiny you is from our first ultrasound.  You were 8 weeks and 2 days.  This is me at 11 weeks.

Welcome Baby Lola!

Lola Kate Brooks has made her arrival!! LKB was born on January 30 about 6 days before her due date.  She is absolutely perfect!  Momma, Daddy, and big brother Landon are doing great!

I mean...Seriously...how cute is this child??!!

Lola and our little peanut will only be about 7 months apart so we are so excited that they'll each have a cousin so close in age!

10 Weeks

Dear Baby Brooks -

You are 10 weeks old now! You are just about the size of a kumquat (whatever that means). That means you're a little over an inch long and weigh just about a quarter of an ounce!  Still teeny! Here are the little details of the week...

How Far Along?  Ten weeks.

Weight Gain?  Still just about the same.

Sleep?  Definitely still exhausted.  Naps and early bedtimes are the norm around here these days!

Miss Anything?  Easy lunches.  I've had it up to my ears with peanut butter.  It would be nice to just make a nice deli sandwich to bring for lunch.  Never been a real fan of a hot sandwich.
Movement? Not a peep.

Food Cravings?  Still feel safest with carbs.  I've been eating lots of pasta, potatoes, and saltine crackers.  I've also developed a new obsession with pierogies which is the best of both pasta and potato worlds.  I keep telling myself that once the queasiness subsides I'll eat better!

Any Aversions? Chicken still isn't cutting it.  I can't even really think about it.

Gender? ?????

Symptoms?  Still super sleepy and pretty nauseous, but I still haven't actually gotten sick which is great!  I've also had a few headaches this week.

Best Moment this Week?  Your Daddy and I have started a new little tradtition where we sit down on Sunday mornings and read the week in one of the baby books together.  We're learning so much!

Looking Forward To...  Feeling not so sleepy.  I'd love to go out and get in a nice walk or a little exercise but I just really don't have it in me! 

9 Weeks

Dear Baby Brooks -

You are 9 weeks old now! You are just about the size of a medium green olive. That means you're about an inch long and tipping the scales at about .07 ounces! Tiny little thing! Here are the little details of the week...

How Far Along?  Nine weeks.

Weight Gain?  None really...I'm pretty much maintaining at this point.

Sleep?  I am sleeping great and pretty much all the time.  I go to bed early, want to take naps (and do), and sleep in whenever I can.

Miss Anything?  Coffee.  And turkey sandwiches.

Movement?  Not a peep.

Food Cravings?  Nothing in particular.  I have been mostly wanting starchy/carby foods which is why it's a small miracle that I haven't actually gained much weight.

Any Aversions?  Chicken doesn't sound that great to me.  And the smell of coffee is just a little much.  Barrett also started brewing his own beer this week and the whole house smelled like corn which was pretty terrible.

Gender?  ?????

Symptoms?  Complete and utter exhaustion!  I read in one of the many baby books I'm perusing that burn more energy laying on the couch baking a baby in my belly than most people do lifting weights in the gym for an hour.  True story.  I'm also experiencing some "morning" sickness (which is a big, fat lie because it's really an "all day" sickness).  I haven't actually gotten sick, but I'm pretty much queasy all the time.  I'm trying not to complain though because I know it could be much worse.  Little victories...

Best Moment this Week?  Being able to really count the week!  Since we found out how far along I was last week, we've been able to keep up with growth/development and fun facts.

Looking Forward To...  The end of the first trimester!  We get to tell all of our family and friends about you!!  We also have our second appointment and another ultrasound on February 24, so we're looking forward to that too.

Education

The academic in me has sprung into action.

Thanks to my wonderful friend Anna, we are diving right in! We want to learn everything we can about this little peanut! 

First Doctors Appointment

Dear Baby Brooks -

FINALLY! We had our first doctor's appointment to check up on you on Tuesday, January 24. We had waited two whole weeks to find out some more information on you so we were super excited to learn more! Dr. Louise Rogers is going to be taking care of all of us for the next 200 days or so. She is fabulous. We love her and know that we are all in wonderful hands.

Daddy met me at the appointment and we got to find out so much about you! Unexpectedly, we got to have an ultrasound! We had no idea we'd get to actually see you that day, so it was such a pleasant surprise! We found out that I was exactly 8 weeks and 2 days pregnant with you. Your little heart was so strong! It was beating at 171 BPM which the doctor said was fabulous! So, now we know that your due date is September 2...Labor Day Weekend.

We can not wait to meet you!! About three more weeks and we can share the news with the world!

Sharing the News...With a Select Few!

Dear Baby Brooks - 

Stop number 2 on the baby train was telling your grandparents that we were having a baby. The thing about your grandparents is that everyone is kind of spread out. Gammie and Kenny (we don't have an official grandparent name for him yet) live in Burlington, Noni and Pops live in Louisiana, Nana and the Dude live in Florida, and Grandad and GiGi are in Waxhaw. We weren't sure of exactly the next time we were going to see everyone but we were itching to share the wonderful news of you! We decided to involve your brother in the mix. Mommy made Buddy a bandana to wear that said Big Brother. Our plan was to send the picture to everyone to break the big news. Here's Buddy -

Handsome fella, isn't he? :-) We sent it to Gammie and Nana, and neither one of them got it at first. Gammie thought Buddy was going to be some kind of helper dog and her second guess was that we were getting a puppy. Nana thought we had made a cape for cousin Landon because Lola was going to be born in the next few weeks. Eventually, a lightbulb went off in their heads and they figured out that Buddy, was in fact, going to be a big brother...to a human baby! They were both so excited! As luck would have it, Pops was coming into town from Louisiana the very next week, so we waited to tell him in person. Once he was here, we sent Buddy downstairs to show off his new outfit. It took him a few seconds for it to register, but Pops figured it out pretty fast! Then we sent Buddy's picture to Aunt Rachel. She figured it out right away and said, "We have so much to do! We need to buy books, and blankets, and chairs!" Chairs? Huh? Silly Aunt Rachel. Then we proceeded to tell Uncle Matt and Aunt Jenna, Noni, Grandad and GiGi. Everyone is really very excited to meet you and they call to check on you all the time!

We are counting the days until we can tell everyone else our wonderful secret too!

XOXO
Mommy & Daddy

A Wonderful Surprise

Dear Baby Brooks -

Here we go! You're on the way...well, in the next 30 weeks or so. Your Daddy and I are so happy and are so excited to meet you. We are going to use this space to document the first 40 weeks of your life. We'll fill it with memories, thoughts, and random happenings. We want to remember every moment of our patient wait for your arrival. We've only known you were coming for about 2 weeks now and we are smitten already. You have filled most of our conversations lately and we know that you will only continue to consume our lives and fill them with love and excitement.

There's no better place to start than the beginning I suppose. On January 10, I woke up around 3:00 am feeling like the room was spinning. A few hours later when my alarm clock went off, I still felt pretty queasy. I got out of bed, showered, and tried to get ready for work. I just couldn't kick that woozy feeling. I woke your Daddy up and told him I felt kind of crummy and that I was going back to bed. I woke up an hour or so later and thought to myself, well, might as well take a quick pregnancy test. Still feeling a little sleepy and not so wonderful, I took a very quick peek at the test, saw only one line, and went back to sleep...for about three hours. When I woke up for the third time that morning and made my way to the bathroom, that little test was still sitting on the counter staring at me, only this time there were two lines instead of one. Two! So, being me, the first thing I did was take a picture. :-)

OK...so, now that there was photo evidence, I said to myelf, "Self, take another one." So, I did, and what do you know...two lines again! 

Yep, definitely pregnant. I looked at your furry brother, Buddy, he looked at me, and I think we both knew our lives were never going to be the same. I didn't want to tell your Daddy over the phone, so I just sat around all day, me and Buddy, feeling kind of terrible, and wondering what was and wasn't safe to eat! There are a lot of rules about that by the way! Because your Daddy is so sweet, he called four or five times that day to see how I was feeling. I never answered of course and was watching the clock all day anxiously awaiting his arrival home from work.

He walked in the door, said hello to Buddy, and then came into the kitchen to ask how I was feeling. I don't remember exactly the words I said, but it was somewhere along the lines of, "Well, I still don't feel great, but I know why I don't feel so great." Your Daddy immediately asked if I was pregnant. I said yes and told him that I'd taken two tests just to be sure! He kept saying things like, "No way!" "Really?!" and then he said, "Congratulations!" I said, "You too," and the journey to you began.

We went out to dinner at Mellow Mushroom to celebrate...nothing too fancy considering my tummy and I still weren't on the best of terms! I seriously didn't even know what to order for dinner. Here's how it went in my head..."OK, so I don't think I'm technically supposed to eat deli meat, so do pepperoni and ham on a pizza count as deli meat? And if they do, is it OK because it's heated? And what's the real deal with caffeine? Can I have a little bit? Is it bad if I order an unsweet tea? Ugh...so confusing! I'll have a water and a grilled chicken sandwich." I know a little more now and realize that yes, I could have had pizza with meat on it and the tea would have been fine, but I'll tell you this...if I had to only eat chicken and drink water for 40 weeks to keep you safe, you can bet I'd do it with pleasure.

XOXO
Mommy and Daddy