15 week bump

Happy Bump Day! 

Wow, 15 weeks already.Can I just say, I feel oh so much better! I mean let's be honest, that smile above is a lot bigger than usual. This week has been crazy. I mean when you are out of commission for a week, you tend to have a lot to catch up on. Thankfully, this cooler weather is energizing and helping to fuel me in order catch up on those little things that always mound up so quickly; laundry, dishes, cleaning, bills, etc. 

This weeks craving: toasted plain bagel and cream cheese.

A few posts in the making to look forward too; Scott the builder, ultrasound, Lego Land Trip and baby gender reveal plans.

Xoxo, Sarah Ann and baby W

Hurricane Sandy

(IMAGE/NOAA) Satellite imagery of Hurricane Sandy slowly approaching the Mid-Atlantic States Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012.http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/weather/hurricane-center.html

The weather has been changing pretty quickly down here due to Hurricane Sandy. We are experiencing crisp northern Fall-like weather and I have been loving it while cherishing every minute. Us Floridians don't get to enjoy our cozy sweatshirts and jeans as much as we would like to. So this week is all about cozy blankets, hot apple cider, scarves, and every sweatshirt I own while I can still wiggle into them :)  

Unfortunately this storm's path is hitting the east coast pretty hard. Currently, the effects are over a 1500 mile span. This "FrakenStorm" took the Northeast by surprise with major flooding and over 8 million without power, massive fires, disabled mass transit systems and snow storms. You know it is pretty ironic that a lot of people avoid moving to Florida because of hurricanes, but now I believe all coastlines will be better prepared for this rare occurrence. Especially since the record damage is currently estimated at 20 billion dollars. After watching the NBC News Special Report on the devastation of Sandy tonight, it was a shocking reminder of taking the evacuation warnings seriously and never challenging a storm surge, no matter where you live. 

We have heard from many of our family and friends and we are happy to report no one has been directly hit by the storm at this point. We are praying for everyone that God's protection and mercy will continue to be over you and we pray for God's grace and comfort during this time of devastation and loss for those that are suffering.

  XoXo, Sarah Ann & Scott

(PHOTO/AP, Charles Sykes) A parking lot full of yellow cabs is flooded as a result of superstorm Sandy on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012 in Hoboken, N.J. http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/weather/hurricane-center.html

(PHOTO/AP, Jessica Hill) Storm surge hits a small tree as winds from Hurricane Sandy reach Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Conn., as water from Long Island Sound spills into roadways and towns along the Connecticut shoreline - Monday, October 29, 2012. http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/weather/hurricane-center.html

14 weeks to avoid germs

14 weeks resulted in getting attacked by kiddie germs. A full blown respiratory infection resulting in me getting knocked off of my feet for an entire week. To be honest, I didn't want to move. Surviving work was a task in itself, of course we were very short staffed already as it is, so I stuck it out until Thursday. I was up all night, every night coughing and sleep deprived. This was a reality check for me, that I can't push it as hard I as usually do. So I learned this lesson the hard way. After finally catching up on sleep, lots of fluids, an antibiotic and my trusty prenatal vitamins, I recovered. Now Baby W and I must continue to avoid germs. Maybe, just maybe, a face mask is in order.

On a positive note, I enjoyed a glass full of Vitamin C rich Florida orange juice for the first time in months. It was PURELY delicious! The first trimester didn't support this treat, so when I got sick I figured to give it a go, again. These days I appreciate food in a whole new light, and I am grateful. Even for a silly sip of OJ. 

This weeks craving: Orange juice (obviously) and anything pumpkin. 
 
Here's to the barely there, ever growing bump. More to come, always!
XoXo,
Mommy and baby W

13 weeks to be joyful

 

"Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Give thanks no matter what happens. 

God wants you to thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus." 

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIRV)

13. God has created a miracle within me. A heart-beating, dancing, little miracle. 

12. Food tastes so much better now that I can savor it again; slow, small bites never tasted so delicious.

11. This pregnancy has enhanced my daily skills in my career and reignited my passion.

10. Baby W has made me appreciate the real gift of life; a life that doesn't belong to any of us but the baby and the Lord that created them.

9. Baby W has a mouth, nose, and the cutest cheeks we have ever laid eyes on. Have we mentioned how sweet the sound of Baby W's heart is?

8. God is working in our church in miraculous ways and he is constantly renewing our spirit.

7. I am thankful God has given me this opportunity to experience all the joys and pains of pregnancy. This is a gift that is not promised to any of us.

6. My energy is returning and I can now feel that normalcy is slowing, but surely returning day by day. Even though this is temporary, I'm thrilled.

5. My husband is undeniably one of the greatest men I have ever known. His love has persevered through our first trimester and I can see that he will be an amazing daddy that this baby will love him in infinite amounts.

4. God continues to bless us with family and friends who already love this baby and share in our joyous journey even if we are thousands of miles away. 

3. Baby W will have a cousin born around the same time as him or her. 

2. The first trimester has come to an unbelievable end. Hip, Hip, Hooray!

1. I felt the baby wiggle for the first time on Friday(10/12/12).. three times in row. Indescribably breathtaking.You could call it a flutter, a shimmy, a shake; this baby made it clear. And that is the last joyful moment of 13 weeks and the first trimester.

Happy Bump Day

`

Can you see my nose?

October 5th, 2012

12 Weeks Gestation

Hi Mommy and Daddy, 

I'm so happy to see you again! I was sleeping for a long time before I realized you were peaking in. The lady taking my picture was really pushing me around today. Can you see my nose? Did you see my toes? Oh, and my fingers too? I waived so you could see my lovely little hands that are growing so fast. Oh and mommy & daddy, my cheeks are growing by the second right under my little nose. How about those long legs? Soon mommy will feel all the flips and turns I am doing in this cozy little space. I can't wait until next time when I show you all the new things I can do. Thank you for visiting mommy and daddy, but these legs, arms, fingers and toes need to nap. Don't worry, you will be able to kiss this squeezable cheeks before you know it. 

Xoxo, Baby W 

And then there were 12 weeks to vent

Alright, here comes the things about pregnancy that people don't talk about. First of all, I'm very happy to be pregnant, ecstatic.The fact that I'm almost out of this 1st trimester is music to my ears and even more exciting.

Nausea. Yes, some people never get it, you are BLESSED. Some people do, including me. Now lets remember I am a Dietitian, and I work with Pregnant women and children all day teaching them nutrition. So I am well, actually over educated how to cope with Nausea & Vomiting. So no one tells you that can't take your acid reflux medication until your doctor gives you the big "no, no" right after you find out your carry a baby. So I ate Tums, so many fruit flavored chalky Tums. I had heartburn out my ears, but I agreed with my OB that I would be medication-free. Well, at our 10 week ultrasound appointment, we were excited to see the baby, but I was honest to God trying not to hurl all over the ultrasound tech. That day I tossed my cookies almost 20 times by 4pm, no joke, never ending torture. No water, no crackers, while suffering a migraine, and dehydrated; this was my lowest point. I cried when I saw our baby for the first time, then I tossed my cookies. That is the honest truth for you. Not all roses. Well, my lovely OB gave me a gift, new acid reflux medication that she could feel better about. Oh, and a nice dose of Zofran to stop the hurling Olympics. Then I was prescribed a cup of coffee, it was the first caffeine I drank in 3 months. It was delicious. I'm doing better theses days, it's hit or miss. But now that the reflux is under control with that little purple miracle pill, I can actually eat substance in my diet and enjoy a glass of water.

Allergies. Since childhood I have had environmental allergies and asthma. And they became a lot worse in Florida. Well there went asthma and allergy medications. The first surprise allergic reaction and asthma attack was after taking my fish oil supplement. There goes those fatty-acids. Also, I have been sneezing with a sore throat for months now. Everyone looks at me like I am a walking petri dish. Not fun.

Kiddie-germ Sickness. There is this thing called being immune-compromised. Basically your immune system takes a huge dump on you and your are more likely to catch annoying colds and get sicker than your husband sitting next to you. Did I mention that I have contact with at least 30 patients daily, snotty nosed visitors are not an option, they are a job requirement. But wait, there's more. Remember how you could take same cold medicine and feel relief, not when your pregnant. Listen, some of you out there right now are saying, just take the meds. That's your choice, but my baby is not being drugged unless I'm about to need medical intervention.

Smells. I'm going to be simple and sweet. Scott bought a new deodorant. We went in the truck to go camping and I just about hurled every time I smelled his new brand's scent. When we got to the campsite he bought his old deodorant and had to shower off the old before coming in the tent. Sensitive nose... to everything. 

Weight loss. There are women complaining about gaining weight, but I'm the opposite. Week 12 was the first week that I was no longer in the negative. I wasn't in the positive either, just neutral. I know your seeing these bump pictures, but don't let them fool you. This girl is slimming everywhere but the belly. Now its a game of eating frequent small  meals, while avoiding going to the over-extreme. It was nice to be on the "eat anything you want" diet for awhile. But I know that is unrealistic normal. Its a constant battle of balance.

Gas. Yup, I went there (sorry mom). Lets be brief; your husband will hear you do things that you never thought you would produce. Things that would of made you so embarrassed  when dating that you would never show your face around that person again. This is called the love test. If you want to learn more about constipation, send me a message, I'll fill ya in:)

Mood-Kicks. You thought your monthly mood swings were bad; bring on laughing, crying, and exhaustion all at the same time. Maybe it's all the life this little bundle of joy is sucking out of you. Or the hormones that are surging through your blood. Irregardless, I'm blessed to have an understanding and patient husband. I've been all over the place. Thankfully, things seem to be on the upswing these days.

Clothing. Nothing fits the same. Some things fit better, other items are being stored away. And it is too early to buy new clothes. Then comes the part where you feel in-between a bump and looking fat. Yes, I said it. A great confidence booster. Everything is enhanced, including the need for new bras pretty quickly.

Faith. God pulls you through all these wonderful moments and I believe it is making me a stronger mommy-to-be. So keep the Faith, that this is not forever. And the little vampire inside of me will be an angel soon enough. Baby is getting all they need, so mommy's who take good care of themselves will be there better for baby in the long haul. God is prepping me, and I am willing.

Smiles. They come back to their usually frequency around week 12, see below. That below is me being happy now that I am starting to get my energy back.

Here's to honesty, 

XoXo Mommy & Baby Angel

The Big Reveal..

So August 7th, I called in
sick to work for the first time in ages. I tried driving to work and was so disoriented I had to stop driving. Well, I went home and slept half the day away. After waking up to the world again.... it hit me; pregnancy test time.


Can I just say that the pregnancy line lite up on that test like a Christmas tree, I'm talking instantly appearing! So I did what anyone would do; I cried, and took a second, and third test. Now these tears were happy tears, exhilarating and God's divine timing kind of tears. Scott and I had a peace that God was going to bless us with this journey in His perfect timing.


The next big thing happened, I had to tell Scott. So I went next door to Target, bought 3 more pregnancy tests of different brands, baby bibs, and a daddy card. Yup it was that simple. With positive pregnancy tests flying all over the house, and Scott coming home to take care of his "sick" wife, I strapped the bibs around the dogs and waited by the stairs ready with the camera. When I saw him from the window open the door, I let the baby bibbed dogs down the stairs to greet him at the door.

Initially Scott thought it was cute, you know, the dogs are cute kind of thing. Then you saw the spark hit his eye's once he read the bibs and saw the camera in my hand. And there below is the true instant reaction of a lifetime! That is Scott finding out he is going to be a daddy, a wonderful and amazing daddy to-be. If you look in the lower part of the picture you can see Ralph the dog all bibbed out:) 

We love our family and friends with our whole hearts, and it was difficult to keep this secret from everyone for so long. However, it was amazing to have this lovely secret between just Scott and I for awhile. After my surgery in March, we wanted to confirm a healthy pregnancy before we excited everyone. Personally, I just wanted to hear our baby's heart beat (That sound by the way, was the sweetest sound of my life). So thank you, for understanding why we didn't let the cat out of the bag sooner, because we still will need prayers through every step of the way. We give God all the glory for this huge little blessing he has granted us, and pray for a continued healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. 

Xoxo, 

Sarah Ann, Scott, & Baby

There's a bump on this here blog....

Happy Bump Day to you!

Here is the 11 week Bump:)

Baby's 1st Picture

September 17, 2012

10 Weeks Gestation

Hi Mommy & Daddy, 

I'm so glad you finally got to see me today. Did you see that I woke up just for you? I was taking a little nap when I heard your excitement and realized it was showtime. That's right. That little dance I did, was just for you. Mommy I know you weren't feeling good, so I thought if I danced like crazy you would feel better. And daddy, I could tell that you finally felt it... you know that feeling that there really is a baby in mommy's tummy? Yup, I m growing like crazy and loving this little cozy space. Did you see that I have two long legs and two arms? Did you like them? I sure do, they help me whip all over the place in here. Oh, and did I mention all the lovely beats my heart is doing. You know it, it was racing up a storm when the show started because I was so excited. I can't wait for you to see me again, keep the good stuff coming, and I will keep on dancing.

Xoxo, Baby W

First Bump Trip

So when we took our little camping trip to Rainbow Springs, we had a special guest all ready starting to reveal the surprise. Thank goodness our friends know how to keep a secret! This is our first bump photo from our first bump trip. I'm so glad we went because we had the most amazing time and it was just what mommy, baby, and daddy needed:)

We Are Expecting!

 

First comes love,

then comes marriage,

then comes baby.....

EDD 4/15/13

Where the Manatees Swim..

We went camping again the end of September, with a group of our wonderful friends. We stayed at Rainbow Springs State Park at Rainbow River. What a beautiful place to get away. Upon arriving on Friday, we got serious, with dinner and s'mores. We enjoyed Hawaiian marinated grilled steak with campfire veggies by the flickering flames. 
Best, Dinner, Ever!

Saturday, we spent the afternoon tubing down Rainbow River; it was purely relaxing and refreshing. We were hoping to see Manatees, but no luck. Afterward, we jumped in the cold, I mean ice buckets cold, natural springs. It was invigorating, teeth chattering cold, yet fun. And then we continued to jump in so we could enjoy the york peppermint patty rush all over again. 

We ate like kings the entire trip; breakfast veggie burritos, turkey burgers & hamburgers, fire roasted hot dogs, mac & cheese, and even more s'mores. Yup, delicious.

Falling asleep under the moonlight and sparkling stars each night provided for restful & peaceful nights. Oh and I must say, waking up to the sunrise is the best alarm clock ever, I mean ever :)

On our journey home we stopped by Homosassa Springs Nature Park. We explored Florida's natural occupants; did you know about the Florida Black Bear? Nope. Neither did I. I was more worried about alligators and never thought about bears. Now I am worried about bears. 

Finally, we saw Manatees. Living, breathing, beautiful Manatees. We were infatuated with the gentle, did I mention enormous, creatures. I could watch them for hours. They truly are, graceful beasts. 

We hope you enjoy our pictures from our trip. When you can, take a moment and explore a state park, they are worth it. There are a lot more parks on our radar and we are eager to explore more.
 XoXo, Sarah Ann and Scott

St. Augustine Romance

 

We had had a blessed and restful trip in St. Augustine in June to celebrate our 1st Wedding Anniversary. I couldn't believe that I didn't post these pictures sooner, but better late than never.

We had a great stay at a historic Bed & Breakfast, a sunset sail that soothed the soul, adventures walking throughout the historic downtown, & a visit back to our favorite restaurant "Harry's". We have been there so many times, including the night we got engaged for dinner, before Scott purposed the beach. This town has a lot of history for us that we will forever cherish, and we cannot wait to return again in the future. 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the gelato, fresh chocolates, and ocean-side breakfast were all divine! 

Here is to inspired romance to all of you lovebirds out there!
xoxo, Sarah & Scott