5 Things

I am a total copy cat. But at least I own it right? I read a bunch of blogs and one of my favorites writes weekly posts called "5 Things" that the author experienced/went through/loved during her week.  So since my favorite number is 5 (any guess as to why?) I wanted to do my own "5 Things" each week. (And  since I am blogging all of these things late I will do this post as a "5 Favorites" for the last couple weeks.  Yep another seriously over-due post seeing as how I am behind on blogging.)

Number 5
Finally, I am thankful we had some time recently to... REGISTER! Yesss it was so much fun. We got on it and started peanut's registry. See in my efforts to be a hip, in-touch mom I signed up on thebump and get these e-mails, reminders, checklists, etc. It has been telling me to get my butt in gear and start preparing for this little one. (In case you couldn't tell by Number 4 it's on to the nesting phase evidently.) So finally Derek and I spent a whopping few HOURS in Babies R Us picking out tons of fun, cool, and let's face it obscure little baby items for peanut. It was a lot of fun, even though Derek spent literally in excess of 30 minutes over car seats. I just wanted to pick out the cute stuff, you know decor and clothes, little bottles, pacifiers... but he was determining his son's his first mode of transport so naturally it was a major decision. Then a few days later he surprised me by taking me to OC Tykes... one of my new favorite places! This amazing store in San Clemente specializes in Derek's favorite topics: transportation. This store is owned by the most amazing people - and they are parents who actually use the stuff they are selling. We spent a lot of time there and got a great education on car seats strollers, safety of the items and the most important updates on recalls. Really important stuff that momma never thought about until now. And being that 2010 and now 2011 have seen the greatest number of recalls on baby products EVER I am thankful for Derek's preparation and those people who spent time educating us!

Number 4
Now I know this is random (but that's who I am) but number four this week - decluttering! Seriously I have yet another confession to make: I am a pack rat. See I am a sentimental person and often times can be considered maybe borderline paranoid. I just can't seem to get rid of stuff because I either have some emotional attachment to an item or I sit there and say "but I might need it one day...." Husband doesn't like that. He's a very clean, organized person and if it's not useful, productive, or has a place then he's definitely getting rid of it. Sister Patricia is also like this. She will throw away anything that takes up too much space, including precious family photos or mementos if you're not careful (haha just kidding - sort of). Now if I wasn't such a clean freak and obsessed concerned with the way things look this might be me on TLC's "Hoarders"...

BUT NO WORRIES! That's not me. Yet. Anyways, I am grateful that I have had some time to do some de-cluttering in peanut's soon-to-be mini-palace and got rid of a TON of stuff. We even went through our own closets. I am so grateful for my home, but because it's 5 rooms that means plenty of space for me to stash things Husband doesn't want me to keep!

Number 3
Finally starting to really show that I am preggers not just looking like I have a bit of a gut. In the past few weeks I "officially" look pregnant and not like I was just gaining a beer gut (first off no worries, I don't drink beer and second, not while I am pregnant duh!). I am not going to lie it's so fun to be asked by strangers and talk about it so often. Everyone seems to be happy and nice to you when you're pregnant!

Number 2
It was so fun to hear people's reactions at finding out that peanut was a HE-nut. Some people said "Oh! I just knew it!" while others just screamed like crazy into the phone (like Yiayia Nikki a.k.a my mother). And And many others like my bestie Ashlee who is also having a boy. So obviously, Luke and peanut will be besties. They really have not choice... I mean hello it's our destiny, a match made in heaven..... the only problem is they will probably fight one day over my other bestie's, Lesley, daughter sweet Hannah girl...man is she gorgeous!

Number 1
February 1 was Derek's 29th birthday and I surprised him by taking him to the 4d Ultrasound place to find out peanut's gender. On our way over he said that he was over-joyed either way... cute little daddy! But you should have seen his face light up to find out his first born is a boy! Yep it's a HE-nut! (Warning: the following photos may be considered rated PG-13 or R!) Sorry son if you get embarrassed one day...

Handsome baby's profile

His foot - 5 cute toes 

(Clearly kicking the ultrasound wand)

Gender: Definitely Male

(He is cross-legged and the tiny arrow points to the goods)

20 on the 22nd!

Today, Tuesday the 22nd marks 20 weeks of this pregnancy! Yipee!

We're officially at the half-way point today. According to all my books and e-mail blasts at 20 weeks baby peanut is approximately the size of a cantaloupe! He is "gulping down amniotic fluid" and he's practicing swallowing and digesting. And his taste buds are also starting to work, which means what I eat he's starting to develop tastes for.  (So since Daddy eats plenty of Mexican, making Mommy follow suit, peanut will probably also be in to the Mex!)

We went to the doctor today and heard his heart beat again. Our doctor, Dr. Fee, was moving the little Fetal Doppler around and peanut was squirming all over the place! We would hear sudden swish movements like wind, then little thuds. He clearly didn't like being disturbed or sitting still. The doctor laughed and kept repeating that our little guy was "very active." I can feel most of his movements but I have to sit still, and again, its still not felt strongly from the outside. She reported that all of his scans and screenings have come out "perfectly" and he's growing wonderfully. Praise God! He's working hard making this little one grow and we are so thankful.... She also gave us our "Personal Pathway through Pregnancy" booklet. Do you know what that is? It's our hospital registration packet!!! AHHHH crud. She said it was a bit early to start it but we needed to get it at least two months prior to our due date. She also said it was time to research classes and our "birth plan." Wow. Looks like we have lots more to do...

Guess what?

He's moving. And I can really feel it! Sunday, February 20, 2011 I finally really felt the little guy moving. I know he's been moving since the beginning, but I can actually distinguish his movement versus the strange things my body is doing these days! Can't wait for it to be felt from the outside - for his daddy and the rest of his loved ones to feel it too!

Fast Times at the Markos Househould

So clearly I was nervous to start this blog. Then I waited so long to actually do it and tell people about it that I really missed a lot of the good, juicy details. So we'll do a fast times fast forward if you will...

4 Weeks (November 10, 2010) - Second round of blood tests, get poked by another needle!

5 Weeks (November 16, 2010) - Go to the doctor (again)  and finally see the little peanut in the first of many photo shoots. We also got to "see" the baby's heartbeat at this time. It was very exciting, emotional, and overwhelming. We seriously sat there like gawky kids staring at their Christmas presents; just reveling at our news and that this tiny little sac (see below) was in fact a BABY!

5 Weeks 2 days (November 18, 2010) - We meant to wait to tell all of our family until the following week at Thanksgiving. It was supposed to be a big dinner surprise that actually we couldn't wait any longer to keep secret.

5 Weeks 3 days (November 19, 2010) - The Morning Sickness begins. Or should I say ALL DAY Sickness in which this momma sadly ditched her former favorite activity of eating for ice cold water, vomiting, and the occasional cracker and Gatorade.

8 Weeks (December 1, 2010) - Finally get to hear the heartbeat of our little peanut for the first time! It was truly a miracle God shared with us. The baby's heartbeat was so fast, so strong, and so precious. This little noise will be forever be ingrained in both of our minds!

11 Weeks 6 Days (December 27, 2010) - We went to the genetics center for the usual testing.  I felt so disconnected before this appointment because for awhile we hadn't seen the baby, still didn't know the gender, or had even heard the heartbeat again. We hadn't even seen the full baby except for 1 scan to show us his "home" (or to be medically correct - the sac) .But finally, we went for an ultrasound and the series of tests that are performed to thoroughly examine the baby's development, specifically checking for spina bifida and Downs syndrome. Obviously we had made many important decisions in our lives but when to start our family was to date the biggest. Deciding to date, get married, and buy our home really are easy  in comparison to bringing a life in to this world. Truth be told I hadn't really thought much about the "gravity of the situation" before the genetics testing. Why? I was too busy feeling sorry for my nauseous self. But it really hit both of us before going to this testing because we realized not just that genetics testing is expensive when your PPO insurance doesn't cover it, but the responsibility and the multitude of decisions ahead of us.

13 weeks (January 3, 2011) - I woke up without nausea. Now I know it's not really a "milestone" but audience of 1-2 let me tell you this leaving my body made me finally celebrate being pregnant. I was feeling so rotten before that it just wore on me greatly physically and emotionally, and especially on my poor husband. But waking up this day really changed my perspective on the pregnancy. During the nasty phase I was convinced I had a disease not a baby. I felt so disconnected because for awhile we hadn't seen the baby, still didn't know the gender, or had even heard the heartbeat again. Not only was I getting frustrated, but I truly had a lot of fear. As I said before, I will always be honest as I rant here, but I did let fear and even anger grip me during the 6 weeks that I was not feeling well. Sometimes it was the intensity of nausea or sometimes the height of my emotions, other times the fears of miscarriage or failure were there. But a good friend finally told me that it was ok to pray for myself. Huh? Well yes I knew that. But it was just that someone finally reminded me that it's ok to be upset, tired, and frustrated. But more importantly,  Yes, it was ok to pray to God to take over the nausea and bring forward a healthy, happy pregnancy. I truly thought well, if I pray will He take it away? I don't want to miscarry it's just that I selfishly couldn't stand being nauseous anymore! Irrational as it sounds, these are the crazy thoughts of a pregnant woman. So every night I closed my eyes and just prayed. Prayed for myself, my husband, my family, and even my friends who were all dealing with me. I prayed for more patience within me, patience toward me, and for the precious life growing in me. And guess what? Upon my realization and prayers (and yes, the wonderful second trimester) it just went away.

So.... since these milestones and uber-exciting appointments (yes there is a twinge of sarcasm there) we have progressed through this pregnancy.... of course more to come because we're furhter than just those 13 weeks. Thanks for bearing with me through this long post and for the written therapy I'm allowed here!