BABY GIRL ASTORGA 20 WEEKS

Here she is our baby girl. I am 20 weeks along now and feeling better than ever! The morning sickness is completely gone and I'm not sleeping every chance I get. I am feeling her move and she's more and more active every day. Sometimes it seems like she likes to just kick back and push her feet up against my right side, it's a little uncomfortable but I don't really mind. It's when she's laying on my bladder in the middle of the night that I'm not to fond of.

She was in the same position both times for this ultra sound and the one we had at 11 weeks. She lays on her back feet up and sometimes she'll flop an arm up here or there but she's just pretty mellow hanging out. Both times she didn't want to turn over for the US tech to get a spine measurement even with all the poking and prodding they did she wouldn't budge more than just enough to make the tech mad. I hope this means we're going to have a very calm happy baby. She's got Noe's genes so I'm sure she'll be pretty laid back.

No names yet, but we're working on it.

WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!!

Now I just have to remember to start referring to her as a she and her instead of it all the time.

I just can't believe it! For months now I've occasionally looked at little girl clothes hoping that someday I'll be actually buying and now the reality is setting in. It started out that I didn't really care what the sex was but the farther along I got the more I hoped for a girl. I have day dreamed of tea parties and shopping and getting our nails done together. All the fun girly things us girls do to treat ourselves. But wow the reality is just hitting me after the ultra-sound apt yesterday when she told us it was a girl it was like a switch flipped on and I really realized I'm having a baby and it's girl!! I now think of the huge responsibility that I have as being the example of a christian woman to her. I will have to be the example of good conduct with high morals and values for her to follow. I feel that I'm pretty good at these things but as far as leading and teaching someone else is all a little frightening and exciting and thrilling at the same time.

What an amazing ride this is really turning out to be!!!

It's Snowing!!

I can't believe how much it has snowed this morning. When I got up at 5:45 there was only a dusting of snow on the ground. It's 10:30 now and there is over 5 inches and it's still snowing!! It's so beautiful! These photos were taken about an hour ago and it's still dumping snow so there is even more now! I love the snow!! I carefully took a walk through our neighborhood, I just love how absolutely gorgeous it is outside right now!

16 Weeks Pregnant!

This is what the experts have to say about the baby's growth this week....

"Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault. At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy."

I'm not feeling to much movement yet, but I'm sure excited for that to start!

Every Perfect Present Is From Above - James 1:17

"Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the celestial lights, and with him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow." James 1:17

Tonight we had our 2nd check up with our midwife. The best part of the check up every time is hearing the baby's heart beating. The realization that there is a tiny little person growing inside me is incredible. And every second every day the heart is beating and this baby is alive and moving. I don't feel much movement yet so hearing the heart beating is reassuring that it really is still there and doing ok. I wish I could record the way it sounds!!

WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH. 150 BPM

Pregnancy ~ Not For The Weak

Between the Morning Sickness that lasts all day and the......

Headaches I've been getting like clock work every night at 9:00 pm sharp.....

And the Carpal Tunnel I've developed because I'm bloated from retaining so much water. This has not been the picture perfect pregnancy I had always imagined it would be.

When does the fun start??

Popsicles For Breakfast

This morning I woke up at 6:00am with an unquenchable craving for popsicles! It was so intense I was late to work because I had to rush to the store and pick up 2 boxes to take with me. Boy was it worth it, popsicles have never tasted so GOOD!

13 Weeks! What A Peach!!

We made it to 13 weeks! When we had the ultra-sound last Friday we thought we were at 12 weeks 6 days but it turns out that Sprout only measured 11 weeks 6 days. This is because they calculate the due date from the first day of your last M. cycle and figure the due date based on a 28 day cycle. My cycles are not 28 days they are all over the board so this explains why Sprout is a little younger than the dr.’s originally calculated. The ultra-sound gives a better idea of actual age. I’m not sure yet if they will change my due date or not. I have to wait until we see our midwife on November 26.

So this week Sprout is nearly 3” long and weighs about one ounce. She/he is now about the size of a peach.

1st Ultra Sound Photos

Here they are, the first photos of our Lil Sprout. I have added some detail to the one below so you can make it out a little better. I know that these pictures are really hard to tell what exactly is what. It really was an amazing experience though. When she first brought it up on the screen we could tell right away it was our baby hanging out in there. Sprout wasn’t too active at first, just flopping an arm occasionally here and there. But then the technician needed Sprout to move over so she could get measurements of the spine so she started poking my tummy and suddenly Sprout jumped up and started moving all over the place. It was amazing to see our little baby in action. The Dr. looked at the ultrasound photos and said everything looks perfect! The baby is healthy and progressing perfectly! We were so excited to see our little Sprout for the first time. Our next ultra sound will be December 24th and we’ll get to find out if it is a boy or girl. ~ Go Girl

Our Nephew Yoda

Noe and I don't celebrate Halloween, but these pictures of our nephew as Yoda are just too cute!!

12 Weeks!

This week Sprout is just over 2.5" and about the size of a lime and weighs in at about .5 of an ounce. We have finailly made it to the second trimester!!! The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Sprout's fingers will soon begin to open and close, her/his toes will curl, her/his eye muscles will clench, and her/his mouth will make sucking movements.

Sorry about all the "her/his's" we don't find out until December if we are having a Sprout or a Sproutette.

Overlake Hospital Birthing Center

Here it is the place where little Sprout will exit the womb and enter our lives forever. Last night we got to tour the birthing facility at Overlake Hospital. Noe and I were very impressed with the staff and the nice homey comfortable suits. This photo is the actual birthing suite where they baby will be born. Each suite has a special birthing bed, Jacuzzi tub, rocking chair, television and CD player. Then after a little bonding and a nap they move us just down the hall to the mommy daddy & baby room. This room looks very similar to the photo above just larger. In these rooms they provide a reclining lounge chair, a table and 2 chairs and a long bench for guests to be comfortable during their stay. They also provide dad with a fold out bed, blankets and pillows so he can stay with us in the room. We will have a large selection of movies and DVDs for our viewing pleasure. Sprout can stay with us in the room at all times. There are two fully stocked kitchens that are available to Noe and I 24 hours a day the entire stay stocked with free food and all we can eat. Noe won't ever have to leave the birthing center to get a snack or a full meal. If he gets hungry during a long labor he can grab a sandwich and be right back at my side in minutes. The birthing center is a level 3 center which means if there are any complications at all we won't have to leave the hospital because they have state of the art equipment and specialists that are on staff if needed in case anything were to go wrong. We are really happy with the Overlake Hospital and are looking forward to meeting our little Sprout for the first time there in May.

Fantastic News!!

I just received our lab results back and everything is A.O.K. I tested negative for Cystic Fibrosis, whew, that's a scary one. All the lab work looks normal, we are healthy and moving right along.

Speaking of moving, I think I might have, maybe, just might have felt the baby move for the first time today! I was sitting at my desk folding the mail and I felt it. A tiny fluttering or kind of like a little tickle down low. I’ve felt many things since this pregnancy began and most of it up till now has just been slight cramping when my uterus grows or a pinching feeling, nothing ever really pleasant. But this time it was totally different. It only lasted about 30 seconds but it was so amazing. I could have leaped out of my chair and danced around my cubicle I was so excited. We have our 1st ultra-sound next Friday the 7th and we’ll actually get to see the baby moving. We still won’t know if it’s a girl or boy until December, but it will be incredible just to see our little sprout for the first time!! I’m going to take our digi camera and see if we can get video the baby’s movement on the ultra-sound. I’ll post it on the blog if it works out.

TTFN

My Favorite Doll

I love playing photo studio with my little nephew Andrew. Here are a couple of my favorite shots of him. I have so many ideas like Racin' Ace, and Mr. Bubble Bath Time. I look forward to all kinds of photos like these with our wee one too.

Cooking With Baby Andrew

I Carry Your Heart With Me

"I carry your heart with me ... I am never without it everywhere I go, you go my dear." EE CUMMINGS

Those words have never rang so true. Yesterday Noe and I witnessed one of the greatest miracles of our lives. For the first time we were able to hear our baby’s heart beating. It was the most amazing experience ever. I am really starting to feel like a mother and as hard to believe as it is I am even more protective now than I was the first 9 weeks.

I can hardly wrap my mind around the fact that there is a tiny person growing inside me and that I’ll be meeting that someone in about 7 months.

Despite all the sickness I have endured, I really love being pregnant.

10 Weeks Inside The Womb

This is what our baby looks like inside my tummy right now. I know you may think it is a little gross, but to a mother and father this is a very beautiful thing.

1st Pregnancy Photo

I can't believe it!! I decided to take some self portraits when I got home just to see how big I am and document my progress since I've been feeling less sick. I can't beleive it I look 4 months pregnant!! I put on one of the maternity shirts a coworker gave me today with my loose leg pants since they have a stretchy band around the tummy and I can't believe it!! I'm huge!!!

Can you believe this, I had no idea until I looked at the pictures.

Pregnant Week 10

Yaay! We are 10 weeks prego and so very excited. I've been feeling so sick I haven't taken any pictures so you'll just have to wait a few more weeks before we see any belly shots. But believe me the tummy is growing! I measured myself yesterday and I've grown 2 1/2" both in my waist and my tummy and I've gained 4 lbs. (Dad~ just so you know we are right on target with the healthy weight gain of 5 lbs. in the 1st trimester.)

I'm starting this blog to keep family connected to our little one as he grows. For now it will just be my pregnancy journal until the wee one is born. Then we will add video and pictures to keep everyone up to date with his/her growth and development.

Our 1st OBGYN appointment is today. We will go in and have blood drawn for all kinds of testing to be done. Then in December we will have the ultra-sound that will tell us if we are having a boy or a girl. We haven't even started to look at baby names yet. I had several written down from many months ago before ever getting pregnant, but I'm tossing those out. I just looked over the list and blaaaagh I don't like any of them anymore.

Noe and I love you all and hope you enjoy Lil Sprout's Blog.
We'll be posting again soon!