18 weeks (a little late)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of baby: 5 1\2 in to 6 in. long  and weighs 7oz

Total Weight Gain/Loss: gained 4 to 5 lbs
Maternity Clothes: got some jeans and they are so comfy, needing to buy more because my pants are not fitting!
Gender: a week from FRIDAY!!
Movement: Yes! Baby is moving more often!
Sleep: pretty good, get up for the bathroom, and some leg cramps at nights

Symptoms: dreams are better, still tried some days
What I miss: belly sleep
Cravings: honey nut cheerios, pasta, candy (fruit candy) 

Best Moment this week: my mom seeing my belly for the first time in person! 

What I am looking forward to:  our appointment on the 3rd. My mom and sister will be here for it! They will get here a week from today!!

Quick trip home

We made a quick trip home last weekend to meet this little cuite!

Meet Ethan....

He is the son of Deric's best friend, Justin and his wife, Stephanie. We were so happy to be able to make the trip home to visit. Justin and Steph invited us to stay with them while we were home. We decided to stay Friday night with them. Since we had to drive through their town to get to our parents. We had a wonderful evening visiting and lots of snuggle time with little E.

I must say that little E was pretty found of his Uncle Deric! I wish I had a video of Ethan laughing at Deric. All I have a picture of E and Deric while E is crying due to the diaper he had exploded! And I cut the top of Deric's head off trying to hurry up to get the picture. Sorry Babe!

While we changed Ethan 10 pound diaper he continued to do his business .... it was so funny! It was a mess thats for sure but it was good practice!  Deric and I got Ethan dressed and ready to go for the Baby Shower Justin's mom was having Saturday afternoon. Deric did a really good job dressing a 5 week old! I think he is will be a pro and being a dad.... no question!

Here are some pictures at the shower. I didn't take many.... I wish I would have got the table of snacks. Justin's mom knows how to make some snacks! Our Baby B was on a sugar high the rest of the day I think!

Momma Steph and I 

Hating to say bye to little E

Justin and Deric at the shower

We spent the rest of the time home with our families. We spend Saturday evening at the Bidwells. We just mostly hung out and my mother in law made dinner. I went to bed pretty early I was worn out! We got up Sunday for Church. We stopped by my parents to get the dogs and head back over to the Bidwells for lunch. Deric's sister's family came over for steaks and some yummy  home grown sweet corn! Here is the gang cleaning corn.

We went back to my parents for dinner. My mom made beef and noddles at my request! Thanks MOM! It was so good... the weather was perfect for it also! This was the only time I got to see my dad... he has been working so much. So it was nice to have dinner with both of my parents!!
My best friend, Aimee, and her son, Jaxson, came for dinner also. Jax was loving some Uncle Deric too. He was snuggled right up with him in the chair and they watched t.v! It was so cute! It was such a fast weekend but we are glad we made the trip! It was worth it!

16 wks

I wasn't showing my face this week! I had been cleaning out stuff all day!
I had crazy hair and no make-up! 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 16 Weeks

Size of baby: 4 to 5 inches long  and weighs 3 oz

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 2.5lbs
Maternity Clothes: got some jeans and they are so comfy, but I can still wear my other pants
Gender: ????? 4 more weeks!
Movement: Yes! Baby is moving more often!
Sleep: pretty good, get up for the bathroom, and some leg cramps at nights

Symptoms: Crazy dreams, hot flashes.. crazy hot flashes
What I miss: Nothing yet
Cravings: still want pasta all the time

Best Moment this week: we heard the baby's heartbeat at our apt on Thursday! 157 beats per minute

What I am looking forward to: we are headed home on the 2oth for the weekend! Can't wait to see family! And our next apt Sept. 3rd.... we get to find out the gender!!


 I started today to clean out the extra bedrooms. My co-workers and I decided to have yard sale together this next Saturday. So I am going to put the day bed, twin bedding, and desk in the sale. We are getting rid of the futon also but that is sold already! We are putting a regular bed in the back room because I am expecting our family and friends to visit more when we have the baby! I will feel so much better when all of that stuff is gone. The closets were so overwhelming! I now feel like we might have room for the a baby!
My mom and sister are coming the first week in September. I am so happy that they will be here with us when we get to find out the baby's gender! I hope time goes by fast! I am planning on putting Mom and Jen to work when they get here!! Bring your paint clothes ladies!

Happy Birthday Deric!!

Today I want to wish Deric a very Happy Birthday! I am so happy to call him my best friend and husband. Deric turns 28 today. It seems unreal that he is now 28.... I met him when he was 17 almost 18!  I guess our "puppy love" turned out to be more. I couldn't be happier to have him in my life!
 Just for fun I thought I would post pictures of the time we have had together over the years.

semi- formal

2003

2004- Flordia

2004- my senior prom 

2005- engagement pic 

2006- September bought our home

2006- October

2009- just a fun pic!

This brings so many memories back! I am so thankful I have gotten to share 10 birthdays with you, Deric!
I just wish it was easier to buy you gifts! You would think after all these years I would be a pro!

We are planning to have a weekend at home. I took Saturday morning off so I had the whole weekend to celebrate Deric. We are going to go to the farmers market tomorrow morning and then I am going to make ribs. This was Deric's request.... I hope they turn out!  I will update later about them!

14 wks and Shimmy Fest

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 14 Weeks

Size of baby: 3 1\2inches long, size of a lemon and weighs 1 1\2 oz

Total Weight Gain/Loss: according to our scale 2lbs
Maternity Clothes: not yet but getting close to needing bigger pants!
Gender: ?????
Movement: Yes, I felt the baby move at 12 wks. I don't feel movement often though
Sleep: Good.. get up at least twice for the bathroom

Symptoms: Crazy dreams, hot flashes.. crazy hot flashes were I feel like I will pass out. I will have to talk to Dr. S about them.
What I miss: Nothing yet
Cravings: crunchy foods this week

Best Moment this week: sad but a highlight... I made dinner tonight and I ate it! The first time I did this without getting sick! YAY

What I am looking forward to: our next appointment Aug. 5th. I can't wait to hear baby's heartbeat again. I think I will ask Dr. S if I can record it! LOL



Not much has happened this past week. I am still having a little issue with hot flashes. I am pretty sure they are the cause of my almost passing out like I mentioned in last week post. I did it only once this past week. I made sure I paid close attention to what I felt first. It was defiantly the heat that hit first, then all this pressure moves to my ears and head. That is when the dizziness hits and I loose my balance and see double. Because I have trouble with my blood sugar sometimes I thought the "spells" were caused by a drop/ rise in my sugar. When this spell hit I checked my sugar right when I felt it coming on and nope my sugar was perfect. I have started eating every two hours and make sure my food is well balanced this week, so I am still trying to figure this out. It hits me usually in the morning around 9:30 to 10:30. Once the "spell" is over I am good the rest of the day. I have read online and it seems pretty common to have these types of hot flashes, but it worries me on how they can knock me off my feet! I will be sure to get some answers from my doctor.

In news other than baby..... this past Saturday night was "Shimmy Fest". This Bellydance event happens every year in Fayettville. Last year was the first time I went. It was so much fun to go and watch last years. I was pretty new to the bellydance world so it was fun to see the dances. This year was really fun also, however, I was trying to "size" up my dancing skills to the performers. I think I am as good as some of the girls that performed... not to toot my own horn! But I found some to be a bit lame and for the years they claimed to be dancing should have been better.

"Shimmy Fest" also offers a class by a "famous" B.D teacher.The class is on Friday night and Saturday morning before the show. My teacher, Bridgette, was able to make the class. I wish I would have went. I never could remember what weekend it was and I got booked at work before I realized it. The teacher for the class was an amazing dancer, she preformed twice during the show. My fellow troupe girls kept telling me, I was a mini me of Yasmine with blonde hair. My teacher said she couldn't agree more. Yamsine and I have the same style of dance and personality on stage. I did to get to meet her after the show and she was so sweet. It made me really kick myself for not doing the class. I posted a link below of a performance I found of Yasmine on you tube. This was not the dance she did Saturday night but it shows amazing her talent!

http://www.youtube.com/user/yasminedances#p/u/0/mvOtc4juFkQ

Here are a few pictures I took at "Shimmy Fest" I couldn't use flash photography so some are a bit blurry.

This is Yasmine... I loved her costume. It had a fun flower/feather thing on the side! The next photos are of a dancer named, Kittie Sparkle, she is amazing! Kittie danced on top of wine glasses....Yes wine glasses.

First layer.. 1 glass under 1 foot
2 glasses under the other

second layer

3rd layer... was truly amazing to watch

this girl was so neat to watch also..

Yasmine during the last performance.

There was many troupes and dancers this year but I just posted pictures of the ones that weren't too blurry. Kittie Sparkle is a "famous" bellydancer so can look her up! She has many different styles of dance, her talent is amazing.

13 weeks

I promised our families I would update with a picture each week of my pregnancy. Not much else has been going on in the Bidwell house. I am feeling MUCH better and have a bit more energy! In other baby news I have had 2 friends have their babies this past week. Tara my co-worker had her little girl, Zannlee, on Thursday. Then Deric's best friend, Justin, and his wife, Stephine, welcomed their little boy, Ethan, to the world on Saturday. Please to say both moms and babies are doing well and home!

pardon the lounge clothes... they are more comfy theses days!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 13 Weeks

Size of baby: 3 inches long, size of a large shrimp

Total Weight Gain/Loss: not yet... we'll see at my 15 wk apt
Maternity Clothes: not yet but getting close to needing bigger pants!
Gender: ?????
Movement: Yes, I am 80% sure I felt the baby move on Saturday. It was a little flutter really low.
Sleep: Good.. get up at least twice for the bathroom

Symptoms: Crazy dreams, hot flashes, still sick sometimes, started getting headaches. I have almost passed out 3 times now.. that isn't fun
What I miss: Nothing yet
Cravings: pickles, pasta anytime of the day I will eat it, loving crisp salad and cold drinks

Best Moment this week: When I felt the baby move for sure! Deric rubbed my belly one night. It was super sweet and brought a tear to my eyes!

What I am looking forward to: our next appointment Aug. 5th. I can't wait to hear baby's heartbeat again. I think I will ask Dr. S if I can record it! LOL


When did ya'll mommy's have to start wearing maternity clothes? Mine regular clothes fit ok.. but they are getting pretty uncomfortable by the end of the day. My belly gets bigger as the day goes on!

Guess What!

 I have had good reason to be lacking  in the blogger world. Beside traveling back home in June and having company here over July 4th we have been pretty laid back around here. 

Because......

                 

Deric and I are pleased to announce that we are expecting our first BABY in January!! YAY

We are so very exicited and nervous of course. We have had many doctor visits and blood work over the past weeks.  I am officially 12 weeks on Sunday  but I couldn't wait to post! It has been killing me not to spill the beans earlier! So far I am feeling good for the most part. I have been sick a few times it usually happens at night. In the beginning of the pregnancy there were many smells that I can't stand and  you couldn't  talked about certain foods or cooking. I hardly ate anything and craved  ice cold drinks.
I am feeling like I am getting out of the being really sick part but fighting with being so tired. I could fall asleep at 7pm and not wake up till 9am! I am hoping I get more energy in a few weeks. Deric has been great... he cleans everything up and lets me sleep whenever I want!

So far we have had 2 ultrasounds and 2 normal appointments. I wasn't even sure I was pregnant when I took  the test. A  voice in my head kept telling me to take the test. Because it took my body so long for my HCG levels to drop from the miscarriage, I didn't know when I would get a monthly cycle.So when it never came I figured it would in the next week or two! HAHA So yeah.... never had a cycle! I took the test and called Deric right away. He didn't answer so I called my doctors and waited to hear back from them . While I waited I called my mom because I was totally shocked! The only thing I did when I read "pregnant" was "uhhh, that's werid"  I talked to my mom for awhile and Deric called me back. I think he was just as shocked!
I had to go in that day (Thursday) for blood work and then went the following Monday. My levels tripled over the weekend ! So we had a great start. We went in a week later for our first ultrasound because we didn't really know how far along I was and due to the miscarriage. During the u/s Dr. S saw our healthy baby, a heartbeat, and two sacs!! OHHH NO..... twins... which don't run in our families. Dr. S said she was really taking a long look because the other sac looked empty but there was still a possibility a baby was in there, or was in there. She wanted us to do another u/s the next week. 

When I went the next week the other sac was completely  gone and the ultrasound tech let me listen to the heartbeat! Baby heart was 144.... it was THE best sound I have ever heard in my life!

We went this morning for our 12 week appointment and got to hear the heartbeat again. I want a little Doppler at home.... I will never get sick of hearing baby's heart! Today it was beating 170 beats per minute. Here is a picture I took a few nights ago.... I already have a little baby bump!