Into the Double Digits...

Oh boy, I must admit I just got a little nervous looking at the "99 days left"! Three months and there will be a little one here! We have so much to do yet! yikes! I also must confess that I was thinking about how I should start getting a hospital bag ready...I know it is a wee bit early, but my need to be able to control something is coming on strong. So is my need to get rid of stuff and clean..can we say nesting much?!

Derek is in process of finishing up the tile job in the foyer and getting the living room cleared for the carpet install on Thursday. So, needless to say, the house is torn apart and it is driving me crazy.

Since I have been a total slacker on updating the blog, I have lot to post about, so bear with me....

I turned the 3-0 a few weeks back and must say that i haven't had a midlife crisis yet. To be honest knowing the fact that we are expecting a little bambino helped to feel like i wasn't getting old...if that makes any sense. I had the day off which was nice, so i was able to sleep in. Derek's mom and aunt treated me to lunch at the Claim Jumper and it was soooo tasty! I would recommend the Turkey Pot Pie to anyone! Once Derek got home, the two of us headed to Dave and Buster's (my choice) to eat and play. I of course had the chicken fingers and he had a bacon cheese burger...Big surprise right?! After our meal we played plenty o games. It was nice because it was half price night on the games so our $20 went far. We hit it big on a few games and then i picked up someones tickets that had been abandoned and turned in all the tickets together. I could have gotten a blender, but chose to get a stuffed elephant for Baby Boy Umnus.

His name is "HaRumph". :) Truthfully, we had wanted to get a brewer bear that we saw prior but didn't have enough tickets...but it was now gone.

"Honey, let's take a picture together on my 30th so we can remember what we looked like that day."...not sure what we will say about this picture in even 5 years...Derek had about 3-4 coca cola's in him by this time if you know what that means...

On the 17th, I went in for my 24 week appointment. While I was there they wanted to complete the standard gestational diabetes test, which meant i would be there for a few hours. Well, they at least gave me an option of Fruit Punch or Orange drink loaded with sugar. Since i had the orange in the past i went with the Fruit punch....it's a good thing I like sugar! I was a bit nervous on what the results would be, but was told that i passed and in not so many words that i should watch my sugar intake anyway. They also tested my iron level and I am excited to report that i get to take one more pill a day...an iron supplement! My levels were 38 in Feb and the day of the appointment had dropped to 33. Little Bamino must be making blood in overdrive! I also was very pleased with the scale when i stepped on. You see I weighed myself at work (which i will never do again) and thought that i had gained about 10 pounds...well..all scales are different and only gained 2.5 which actually levels out my gain from the last appointment. Blood pressure was slightly higher but still no concern and my belly was measuring a week ahead at 25 weeks. Little Bambino's heart rate was in the 140's this time. The funny part was that i was there for a little over two hours and my time with the doctor was less than 5 min! I did get a bunch of freebies and coupons though!

As stated above, we are in preparation for our carpet install on Thursday...so here are a few pictures to show the lovely gem we uncovered... literally...

Here I am in my finest attire showing off our lovely carpet that is about to be pulled out

The only thing to add to this picture is that we discovered the walls to be a lilac when some of the molding was pulled back...I am sure this must have been lovely to live with!

This is a rough look at what the tile will look like in the front entryway with our carpet sample up next to it.

We ( I mean Derek) got the ceiling fan up and the closet doors installed into the Nursery...It's starting to come together!

I tell ya...can't get a straight face out of the boy...

I have been feeling good for the most part. I am for sure more tired than i was just a few weeks ago. Working again probably has a part in that. I do notice that i really need to take more rest breaks and put my feet up at the end of the day. I also have been landing in bed at a much earlier time...sometimes it has even been faintly light out if that tells you anything! Heartburn has been the new irritating symptom. So i take my Tums every night before bed and then prop myself up with too many pillows to count. Thanks god Derek is so patient ( or a deep sleeper), because I usually wake with about 3/4 of the bed in my possession.

Here is a lovely picture of some random pregnant woman at 25 weeks along

not sure i will be able to wear that shirt for much longer...or risk never wearing it again!

Little Bamino this week is growing and moving. I feel him most when I wake in the morning and when I lay down to sleep/rest. I must tell you that a few days ago, he kicked my bladder so hard that i literally jumped... darn kid is showing me who is boss already! I read the must amazing info tidbit about baby boy last week...His lungs would be developed enough to live outside the womb if need be. I just think modern medicine is just so amazing. He is getting close to the 2 pound mark and measuring around 9.5 inches. His hands are fully developed with fingernails and fingerprints this week!

Oh and one ore exciting tid bit of info. Little man finally kicked hard enough that Derek could feel him! I am so excited that we are able to now enjoy this little guy together! Not only can we feel him, we can see him trying to break through...I will admit that the first time I saw it...i got the little alien trying to claw through my body to get out image...i have since moved on to more pleasant thoughts!

Projects, Projects, and More Projects

As if we haven't started enough projects before baby comes we started another! As we checked out at Home Depot tonight, I told Derek it felt like old times buying stuff to make improvements on the ol' homestead...his reply was "we didn't close them down though."...Very true dear husband very true! Those were the days! Since our little bundle of joy will be arriving soon we have decided to bite the bullet and buy new carpet..it really is over due, but now we have a reason and a deadline. So as with any Umnus home improvement project, we...i mean "I" always find a way to add on a little something extra. We are going to tile a portion of the front entryway as it just makes sense...the people who put the carpet in before us seemed to think that beige carpet at the front door was a "great idea".

Here is a look at some of the tile project put on Derek's "Honey Do before the baby comes" list

I told Derek that i can not wait for all the projects to be done...(the audacity of that comment makes me laugh because i am the one who thought up most of these projects and he just agreed!...what a great guy huh!) There is so much stuff just out of place right now and it is only going to get worse when we move all the furniture out of the living room into the kitchen! ...I should probably clarify...I have been told i only "supervise" projects for the next 4 months and you don't know how bad that is killing me! or maybe you do!

Here is a look at the new carpet (on top of our existing crappy carpet) we purchased on Sunday and will hopefully be installed before June...it is an oatmeal color...kinda hard to tell the texture by the picture but it is so soft.

While coming home from work this week i stopped at a rummage that said "BABY STUFF" and found this great outfit! I knew Derek would love it and he does, too bad we have to wait about a year for the little bambino to wear it.

Really no change in how i have been feeling. Starting to feel, on a rare occasion, a pretty clear kick or punch. I have been laying still when i head to bed with my hand on my stomach just trying my hardest to feel him from the outside...i think i did a few days ago, but i always think i am confusing my heartbeat but this was on my forearm...so i might be right. I called Derek in and he thought maybe, just maybe, he felt a very faint kick...so hopefully that will become a for sure very very soon! I am excited for him to be able to feel his little one to begin to become even more connected to this amazing miracle. Here i am at 23 weeks..Lord, how much more can i pack on!?...just two days before I leave my 20's in the dust and embrace the ripe old age of 30!

This week baby boy's blood vessels in his lungs are maturing, his lips are becoming more distinct, and his eyes continue to develop although they lack color yet. This week also marks the beginning of some weight gain. Baby boy should double in weight over the next month. His skin is now a reddish tone due to the developing blood vessels, but is still pretty saggy as he still develops fatty tissue. The bones in his ears are hardened and his pancreas is developing. The pancreas is important in insulin production...i suppose this is why they test moms for Gestational diabetes at this time...He is weighing in over a pound and is about 9 inches tall!

That's all for now folks!

Week 22

Well, well, well. Here we are on the other side of the pregnancy hill. It is starting to really feel real now, with the realization that there are only 18 more weeks (give or take). Don't get me wrong, it has felt real for some time, but it REALLY is starting especially since we are getting so much done in the nursery. I know that this child will change our lives in ways we haven't yet to imagine and I am so excited for it! I see the sparkle in Derek's eye more and more everyday. Jackie even noticed on Monday night while we watched Derek play with Braeden. He is going to be a great father, I've known that for a long time though. Speaking of Braeden, Derek and I had the chance to babysit for a little while while his parent's went out for an anniversary dinner. Boy did he teach us what needs to be baby proofed! Good thing we have a little bit of time!

Derek was teaching him how to get comfortable on the AK Rocker and play MLB The Show!!

Sorry the post is a little late, but i started at the Rehab Hospital on Friday and all this week. This working stuff is for the birds! :) Actually, i am really enjoying it there and learning so much. I have just been so tired when I get home....I know, I know, i don't know what tired feels like yet!

I have been feeling good this past week. There is no mistaking my bump for anything else these days, and i am kinda enjoying that fact. Not enjoying the scale however, i know i am supposed to be gaining but getting awful close to a number i haven't seen before! yikes! I have for sure been feeling this child often during the day and when i lay down to go to bed. When I feel him move, my mind automatically tries to picture what it must look like in there and what direction he is moving. I just find that the miracle of pregnancy and birth are such an amazing thing that God has given to women. Okay enough of the deep stuff...

so i was feeling a little sassy after a six hour drive home!

Baby Boy Umnus is about the size of a box of sugar! Just like the box, baby boy weighs in at a little over one pound now and is about 8 inches long! I bet he is just as a sweet too! (sorry, couldn't resist). His grip and sense of touch is well formed now and may be holding onto the umbilical cord. His head hair is continuing to grow, but because there is no pigment it probably resembles Great Grandma Grace!

While i was partying away this weekend in Eau Claire, Derek and Grandpa Dave were working tirelessly to install new windows in the nursery and office. By the looks of things, they did a darn good job, even without the foreman on site ! :) But, I knew they would. Just a few more adjustments and cuts, then we can get the molding up...All parties involved think you can see more out of the window now and you can't hear outside noises as much with them closed!...take a look for yourself!

looking good boys!

"so i think we need to pull the green wire and not the red dad" ~Mia is always such a good supervisor