Busy Weekend at the Kerl's

So this weekend was pretty busy for us.

I had to work on Saturday morning, and when I got home, Kevin was starting to pull the tile off the wall in the bathroom. We figured that since we didn't have much work to do in the baby's room, we would start the bathroom project.

Grandma and Grandpa Kerl came over to help with some of the demolition, including the removal of the cast iron bathtub.

Here are the pictures of the state that it is currently in:

So all we need to do is rip up the floor, put up new drywall, re-tile the floor, paint, install a new tub and shower surround, and put in a new vanity and toilet. Hopefully we can get everything done by Christmas!

Today we went to a "Pregnancy Expo" which is like a bridal show for pregnancy... and equally if not more scary. There were really not too many interesting vendors, and all in all it was kind of disappointing. But all was not lost, because afterwards we went to Target and Kevin got his flu shot! What a brave Daddy!

So here is this week's belly picture!

Getting bigger! Still not visibly pregnant to strangers, but we are getting there! To give you another perspective I took a picture of what my belly looks like while I am sitting at the laptop:

I'm not even sad that I have to go to work tomorrow, because that means that we are one day closer to Thursday! I can't wait!

Boy or Girl Quiz

So i took the quiz that Rachel sent me and here are the results:

You have a 39% chance of having a boy. And you have a 60% chance of having a girl.

We will see if this is correct!

This weeks "fruit" (I think maybe I will start calling it "produce")

"Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints. "

No Ultrasound Today...

So we just got back from the doctors office and we didn't get our ultrasound today. However... we did make the appointment and he said we could do it next week!!!! Yay!!!! So Thursday is the big day that we find out if we are on team pink or team blue. Everything checked out well today, I gained 7 pounds (average is 10). They baby's heart rate was 150, so I guess we were both a little more relaxed this time.

So now the countdown begins...

Dear Butt...

I don't know if you got the memo.... but, it is my belly that is supposed to be expanding and not you!

Seriously, I don't think I look any bigger than I did last week, and it's starting to get a little disappointing. I know it all won't matter in a few months when I am as big as a whale... but right now I just want to finally look pregnant!

We have another Drs appointment on Tuesday, and according to the paperwork they gave me, they do an ultrasound at this appointment. Now, no one mentioned it the last time, and I know that lots of people typically have 20 week ultrasounds, so I am not getting my hopes up... But it would be great if we did get one, and maybe, just maybe find out the sex of the baby!!!
So now of course I can't wait until Tuesday to see what happens! I will keep everyone posted!

Slacking

OK, I am seriously slacking with this blogging stuff. Tomorrow I will be 16 weeks (4 Months!) and I still haven't posted the Week 15 belly picture! So here it is... a little late. I think my "normal person" yoga pants have been stretched to their maximum capacity. Just a few more weeks and hopefully I will actually look like a pregnant woman.

Kevin and I went to Babies R' Us on Saturday because we were running some errands and we wanted to check out some of the strollers we had been looking at. I felt so out of place there. Everyone was either visibly pregnant, or had a baby or toddler in tow... or was wandering the isles with pages of registries. Kevin and I were none of the above...the normal looking couple picking up all of the strollers to see how heavy they are, if they are easy to collapse... I think I will feel better about going back when people can actually see that I am pregnant!

So while I am at it, I will post this weeks... fruit?!? The Avocado. I looked it up and it is actually categorized as a fruit... more precisely a berry! So here it is:"Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender."

Not exactly the cutest fruit, but it's exciting to be able to talk to the baby now, and know that he or she is in there listening. I just hope they don't mind all the singing in the shower and the car!

Naval Orange

This weeks fruit!"Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now out-measure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your baby is wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements. "

Big Cousin Derek

We got to see "Aunt Beth" and Derek this weekend, and we got a picture of him posing in his new t-shirt:
Nothing new to report this week, except for my ever expanding abdomen...

Here is the Week 14 belly picture. The bottom part of my belly is starting to get hard, which is really, really weird to feel.

Only two more weeks until our next Doctor's appointment (no ultrasound this time)... but that means that the time after that we will get to find out the sex, if the baby cooperates! Sooooo exciting! I can't wait to find out who's in there... I feel like I need to know so I can start planning things!

100 Days so far!

Wow, 100 days seems like sooo long, but it has just flown by! This weeks fruit:

"Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth. "

Don't ask me how a lemon is bigger than a peach...

Week 13 Belly Pic

So, I'm a little late to post this weeks belly pic, but here it is. Nothing new to report this week except that my jeans officially do not fit anymore. Take a look at the picture and I will give you one guess why...

In other exciting news... Dr. G. had her baby on Friday! Welcome Melanie Giallella, born September 26th at 8:21am, 7 pounds, 20 inches. She looks just like her mom! What a lucky girl! Congratulations go out to Val and Mark!

It's a Peach!

"Your fetus is forming teeth and vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to baby's tummy. (Much more convenient.)"

New Ultrasound Photos!

So today was the big day! We went to both the Dr.s appointments this morning and there was good news abound.

At the OBGYN we heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time using the doppler, and the heart rate was 160. Dr. T. officially decided to make my official due date April 1st...which made me mad because now I have to go and change everything again... So if all goes well we will see him again in a month.

Then we went up to Dr. White's in Amherst for the 12 week ultrasound. At this appointment they check the baby for signs of chromosomal disorders, and send out a blood test to test the risk I have of having a baby with a disorder. The office was brand new, and full of very fancy stuff... the ultrasound room had a huge flat screen TV in it that we could watch the baby on. Here they are, the latest photos of baby Kerl:

The baby was flipping and rolling around the whole time, we got to see the tiny hands and feet and the bones and organs like the bladder and stomach. She took at bunch of measurements and said that everything looked really good, and that the baby is measuring a little small, but it's not a big deal. I could have watched that screen all day! But it's just really nice to see that the spot in the first ultrasound actually turned into a baby like it was supposed to!

"Cousin" Giulianna

I couldn't resist breaking the news to Rachel in a creative fashion, so I took the shirt I made for Derek, and made a little onesie for Giulianna. When Rachel had her baby she kept telling Kevin and I that "she needs a little cousin soon!", so I thought the statement was appropriate even though they won't actually be cousins. So here is Giulianna modeling her new onesie:
Now a little PSA: I encourage everyone to participate in the baby pool by clicking on the orange box that says so on the right of the page. Kevin and I will be finding out the sex of the baby in November, so I'm thinking of not letting anyone change their answers after we find out. That way it will all be fair. SO VOTE NOW!

So I'm posting this weeks belly pic now so that I can post the new ultrasound picture on Tuesday. This week its harder to get into my jeans, but on a good day I can still do it.

Kevin and I are just counting down until Tuesday morning. I don't know if I will even be able to make it through the day tomorrow, I just want it to hurry up and be Tuesday so that we can see our baby!

I have a feeling the next 6 months are not going to pass by fast enough for us.

And... I got a cute new baby ticker...

Fruit of the Week - Plum

"As you move into the second trimested baby shifts into the growth and maturation stage. After weeks in the critical development stage, almost all of baby's systems are fully formed."

Wow, my last week in the first trimester... I can't believe it already!

Belly Pic

I know it's a little late, but here is the Week 11 belly pic! Some days it feels like I'm huge, and other days it seems like I am back to normal again.

Today marks only one more week until our big ultrasound appointment and Kevin and I are so excited! Hopefully this time next week I will be able to post them for everyone to see.

I have been feeling really good this week, though I am severely lacking the energy to do just about anything around the house. This past weekend I'm pretty sure I spent about 13 hours a night sleeping, then laying on the couch or taking a nap. I guess when the 2nd trimester rolls around in 2 weeks I'm "supposed" to have more energy and feel pretty healthy and normal. I'm looking forward to it.

It's a Lime!

"Your baby currently enjoys a 1:1 ratio between body and head, and has skin so transparent that blood vessels show right through. But, fingers and toes are no longer webbed, and hair follicles, tooth buds and nail beds are forming -- setting up a significantly more attractive future."

Wow! A lime just seems so big already! I can't wait to see the baby in less than two weeks!

Week 10 Pic

Here it is, the week 10 belly picture. I can't even believe that it's been 10 weeks already! Only two more weeks until we get to have another ultrasound, and this time I am assured it will actually look like a baby. Today we celebrated grandparents day by having the grandparents over to watch the football game.

I am starting to feel really good, as far as my stomach is speaking... there are a few smells and things that still set me off, but all in all I feel good. Staying awake however is another story... I am always tired, and have been sleeping at least 12 hours a night, with naps during the day. Who knew making a baby would be such hard work!

70 Days & Counting!

"With bones and cartilage starting to form and vital organs beginning to function, baby is making major progress. Body length will almost double in the next three weeks, and arm joints are now working. (Soon, legs will too.)"

Belly Pic

Here it is, the week 9 belly pic.

Definitely loosing my waist slowly but surely.

Only 3 more weeks and we get to go for our big ultrasound, then we get to see whats on the inside! I can't wait!

Week 9 update

"Your little embryo has now officially graduated to a fetus. Adding to the excitement, a Doppler ultrasound device might be able to pick up the beating heart. With basic physical structures in place and increasingly distinct facial features, baby is kind of starting to look like... well... a baby!"

This weekend we broke the news to a few more good friends. Everyone is so excited about it, which makes me more excited too! Our baby is going to have so many great "Aunts & Uncles".

This weekend we went to the Chicken Wing Festival, and then headed up to the Teach's beach house for the day. I have been feeling very worn out lately, and have been sleeping about 12 hours a night. But all in all, I have been feeling much better and am able to eat more foods again.

No belly picture yet this week, but hopefully tomorrow I will post another one (headless of course!).