Entering the third trimester

Evenings with Wally:

An update on evenings with a one year old puppy: We spend most of our time trying to figure out how to tired out our puppy so he'll sleep through the night. Currently the newest project is trying to figure out how to transition from sleeping in his crate all night, to sleeping on a bed in our room all night. Knowing that baby is coming and will be up at all hours of the night, we also know that means Wally will want to be up and frequent trips to his crate will be in order. Or, our other option is to start training him now to sleep out of his crate at night.

Side note- Dan just had to stop Wally from his couch pouncing game because he found a Silica "do not eat these" pack and was trying to eat it. Are we sure we're ready for kids?

Last night we took Wally to a beautiful area of Panama City called St. Andrew's. It is a historic neighborhood not far from our house, right on the water. It's not a great beach for swimming or recreation, but it is calm and perfect for walking the sand and playing fetch with Wally. Here are a few pictures from last night:

Wally before we left for home

Beach date with my love :)

Wally frolicking in the water playing fetch

The road Dan drives to work everyday through this neighborhood 

26 weeks

One of the many fun things Wally does: he drags his blankets out from his crate in the kitchen to whatever room we are in so he can lay with them. Below is a picture of his blankets in our bedroom doorway:

Married Life:

Finding a balance is definitely a new challenge in married life for us! When we were long distance and dating, it was always the highlight of the week to see/ spend time with Dan. Now we see each other all the time, for groceries, laundry, cleaning, house repairs, TV watching, etc. Trying to designate that roommate/ hangout feel to be different from necessary date nights or lovey time is a challenge I didn't anticipate in marriage. The most exciting part, we're about to throw in roles as parents and diaper changers to our ever so glamorous life. Can't wait to see how romantic we feel when we're covered in diapers, milk, and spit up. Oh what an adventure! In an effort to still act like newlyweds while we still can, we've opted for date nights lately with movies, dinner out, the fair, etc in an effort to spend time together that is not doing chores or finishing a to-do list. Here are a few pictures from our mid-week date to the Bay County Fair a few weeks ago :)

Baby update: 26 weeks

I recently had my first round of baby nightmares. I woke up confused, but not shaken, until later in the day. An image of sweet Baby Campbell from my nightmare haunted my thoughts all morning, and lunch break that day was spent driving to fast food and crying profusely. I also have had a few 'mom' moments, including telling some young kids a few neighborhoods over to stop playing in the busy street. When they shook there heads yes, I said "yes ma'am?" and they replied "yes ma'am." I seriously pulled over my car, got out, and used the mom voice on some kids?! And I made them say yes ma'am?! Then today at work I used the mom voice to tell a little kid to stop being ornery and trying to open the office door to run out while his mom and I talked. I looked right at him and said "Um, no sir, you may not."

I sound like a mother, and not the kind that is your best friend- the kind that rules your curfew and makes you do your chores. Guess the transition was faster than I thought!


Weight gained: +8.5 pounds (that means up 10 in the last 5 weeks!)
Feeling: Great! Blessed. Full. Stretched. Loved
Symptoms: Indigestion occasionally. Weepiness sometimes. Tired more and more easily.
How big is baby? 15 inches long, 2.5 pounds!
Miss anything? Laying on my belly, wine with dinner, energy (don't think that one is returning in the next 12 months or so)
Cravings: Not really. Although ice cream and general junk food are frequent favorites. Recently there were 3 days in a row that I splurged on McDonald's french fries- gross.
Aversions: Still not loving vegetables, but trying to consciously get in 2-3 servings/day. It is SO hard anyway, especially when I am craving french fries or cinnamon rolls.
Maternity clothes: Of course. We've been lucky to buy clothes on sale, and I've been able to work in alot of pre-pregnancy tops and dresses. Tonight I tried to rubber-band-trick wear my capris... ya that wasn't happening. Looks like the pregnancy thighs and buns are here too now.
Stretch marks? Not yet. Crossing my fingers!
Gender: Boy!
Name picked out? We think so.
Belly button in or out: Frighteningly shallow in. That button will pop out soon, but I assure this bun in the oven is nowhere near done!
Looking forward to: Feeling Baby move every morning. Meeting our little man in 3 months. Upcoming travels, baby showers, visitors, and holidays. Most importantly: every evening that I get to spend with Dan.

Other upcoming news: 
Our next OB appointment will be for check-up, labs, glucose test (joy) and an extra ultrasound to see if a few things have resolved. Lord willing, Baby and I will prove to still be healthy!

We will soon be taking our last round of pre-baby trips to our hometowns; then spring visits will be with Baby in tow... so crazy.

Dan has shoulder surgery coming up, and Lord willing, his recovery will be on schedule and he'll be able to carry/ hold our baby boy when he arrives in January!

What's new:

Mr. and Mrs. 

Alot has happened since the last blog update! For one, we had our wedding in Omaha, NE Labor Day weekend. We had perfect weather, all the people we love the most there to celebrate with us, and of course we got to enjoy our dream wedding day! Everything was as picture perfect as can be. 

Honeymoon.

We honeymooned in beautiful Destin, FL along the white sand beaches and clear blue waters of Florida's Emerald Coast. We had a condo right on the waterfront, and since it was pet friendly we were able to take Wally vacationing with us! The first night we found a great pizza place with delicious food and cheap beer for Dan. It had an arcade, and we played for a few hours, then used our tickets to get a stuffed turtle for baby. We had a wonderful, relaxing trip unplugged and enjoying our family vacation! Unfortunately, Wally got a UTI towards the end of the week so our honeymoon week was cut short by a trip to the Vet, and that weekend my dad visited. 

Home Improvement.

Since the wedding our gift cards and financial gifts have been a sustaining resource as we start our home improvements. So far we've bought a trimmer, lawn mower, grill, hedge trimmers, new kitchen sink, garbage disposal, painted the living room, and Dan installed a new kitchen light fixture- bye bye florescent lights! We've also started brainstorming for the nursery and what we'd like to do with the landscaping of the house. 

Daily Life. 
The day to day routine of married life has started to settle down. Dan and I aren't getting much rest time between working, puppy classes, house updates, and the normal laundry, dishes, cooking, etc. Not to mention baby prep and wedding thank-yous. Dan helps with chores and meals, but occasionally when the prego lady plans meals, I get carried away. Tonight we had turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes, broiled squash and zucchini, and crescent rolls. So good! 

Baby Campbell. 
Baby Campbell is a BOY! Dan and I are over the moon and we can't wait to meet him! We're narrowing down names, but in the mean time Baby and I are growing away. A few weeks ago I was starving and exhausted- so someone had a growth spurt! Below are pictures at 21 weeks that Baby is a boy, and 22 weeks showing my growing bump and our newly painted living room wall :) 

Baby owns my body.
So, the long awaited embarrassing story. First, baby has kicked me out of all pre-pregnancy pants, but dresses and most shirts still fit. I get reflux alot, and the yawns at work. But two days ago was a first! In the middles of seeing a client, I rolled my chair up to my desk to hear a loud "Faaaaart!" It was short, and loud, and I'm not sure the client noticed. I blamed in on rolling over something on the floor, and moved on with the interview- but then he started to be stinky! I never have noisy gas, so I wanted to laugh so bad, I had to wait until later re-telling the story to laugh. But yes, middle of work, in front of a client, baby and I farted. My body is officially not my own! 

Weight gained: Finally passed my pre-pregnancy weight- up two pounds! 
Feeling: Great! Tired and sore a lot, and my appetite is bigger than ever. Dan and I bought a pregnancy yoga DVD, so soon we will be starting to practice breathing and stretching to keep Baby and I healthy. 
Symptoms: Tired and sore. And maybe moody- ask my husband if that has kicked in. 
How big is the baby? He was as big as a papaya, but now he's as big as ear of corn! At our 21 week appt he was 8 inches and 14 oz. We are right on track and staying healthy! 
Miss anything?: A nice glass of wine with dinner. Everything else I am enjoying more than ever! 
Cravings:  Sweets. I've always been a sweets girl, but lately I've been craving carbs. I will say this: carrots are not satisfying when craving cake. And milk does not satisfy ice cream cravings.
Aversions: Vegetables. I have not been wanting them at all! I don't remember the last time I had the recommended servings of vegetables in a day. Dan and I are working on getting more veggies in each day. 
Maternity clothes?  Finally starting to transition into some.
Stretch marks? Not yet. 
Gender: BOY!!
Name picked out? Still debating between a few, but narrowing it down :)
Belly button in or out: A weird in between. I find myself staring at my half innie, half outie belly button while the alien living inside me moves my tummy all around. Weird. 
Looking forward to: Seeing our son again! And every time he moves. And sleeping on my back (if I'm allowed to sleep post baby). And not being gassy!

18 weeks

As I am writing this as Dan fills our house with wonderful smells of his chicken pizza! He makes a pizza with alfredo, chicken, spinach, and lots of cheese. It is so delicious. Baby sure thinks it smells great too!....It just got done and tastes amazing. I am so lucky to have him spoiling us :)  Today I have been craving lots of fruity, sweet things. Fruit, Jell-O, yogurt, juice, fruit snacks. Crazy food loving baby! The other night Dan and I were relaxing and I thought I felt baby... but it may have been just gas bubbles. I know that soon enough we'll both be feeling the baby- how crazy that will be.

Last weekend we visited Omaha to make the final preparations for our wedding next week and attend Mr. and Mrs. Josh and Ana Peyton's wedding. I can't believe we are just a short 10 days from our wedding. Seems like such a formality since we are already married, pregnant, with a house and a dog- but at the same time- so exciting! I only recently realized how much of a PARTY this shindig is going to be. After receiving RSVP's for a whopping almost 200 people, we are SO excited to celebrate with everyone next weekend.

Wally, our lab mix puppy, has been extra spoiled lately! We are starting to realize how important it is to spend leisure time with him now, but also to start preparing him for baby to arrive. I think he will feel very left out and be jealous in the beginning, but then he will love baby once baby is older and more fun! UPDATE: WALLY JUST GOT HIS BUTT SPANKED!!! Dan made this WONDERFUL pizza... which I was just raving about. Wally stood with front paws on the counter and ate 4 of the pieces! Our wonderful, delicious leftovers!!!! Ugh. We are so mad at him. Granted, we should have wondered about the missing dog and quiet kitchen, granted we should have put the leftover pizza away... but fact remains. We should not have to hide our food to keep the dog from being naughty! Good practice for kiddos I guess.

UPDATE:
Weight gained: still nothing gained, but finally back to pre-pregnancy weight. Only up from here
Feeling: Great! Hungry alot more, which is a great sign. Also very lovey with Dan, wanting to hug him or be near him all the time. Crazy hormones.
Symptoms: Hungry, gas bubbles (or baby moving), growing baby.
How big is the baby? sweet potato (5.5 in, 5 oz)
Miss anything? Full night's sleep. I know this isn't likely to change anytime soon, but gosh do I miss sleeping for 12 hours on a weekend with no puppy waking us up, or late night potty breaks.
Cravings: Today: fruity sweet things. In general, just food. Great perk of being the prego lady at work- everyone is willing to share their lunch :)
Aversions: none!
Maternity clothes? Bought a maternity Husker tank, but no need for maternity clothes yet. I was even able to travel all Friday in my skinny jeans! Thankfully, loose, conservative clothing is the fashion in the south so I'll be able to incorporate alot of my pre-pregnancy clothes late into my pregnancy!
Stretch marks? Not yet. Hoping to gain gradually and minimize stretch marks from sudden growth, but who knows how it will go.
Gender: Baby is developed enough to tell by now, but our doctor doesn't screen until after 20 weeks.
Name picked out? We've discussed some. We'll get more serious about it once we know which gender we're narrowed down to.
Belly button in or out: Innie, but I've always had an inbetween belly button. It is an innie, but it looks like an outie... just deeper like an innie. At any rate, although I am at pre-pregnancy weight, the distribution is defnitely different and my belly button is more shallow- weird.
Looking forward to: Our wedding next week, football season, baby gender reveal, and starting fall/ maternity clothes soon :)

Below are some pictures to update from the past few weeks:

Still no bump at 15 weeks (8/1/12) 

How I actually looked walking around at 16 weeks (8/8/12) 

How I could suck it in at 16 weeks (8/8/12) 

Bump can't be hidden now! 18 weeks and +/- 0 pounds (8/22/12) 

New maternity shirt for this season... and still in my skinny jeans!

Wally being super cute and sweet before dinner... before being such a bad doggy! 

Catching up from the First Trimester

Update since we found out we were pregnant:

We found out May 30th, 2012... our one year anniversary and the day of our engagement pictures. I imagine that won't be a day we forget anytime soon. I spent the next month or so sick as a dog. We decided to change our wedding from May 2013 in Panama City, FL to Labor Day weekend in Omaha, NE. Moving everything up to just a mere two months away added to the new stress, which of course made morning sickness worse! In the first 10 days of pregnancy I lost about 10 pounds or so. I've been slowly gaining it back since then, and now, at 16 weeks I am just about back to baseline. During the first trimester protein was a common aversion and baby loved fast food! (This baby takes after his/her Dad!) One thing that surprisingly went over well: McDonald's Chicken Nuggets- so gross.

At the end of June I moved to Panama City to join Dan and we had both sides of the family in town the weekend before the 4th to meet! That week I started my new job, and Dan and I were legally married to start Tricare for baby and I. :) We closed on the new house, and heard Baby's heartbeat in the same day! Since mid July, we have been wedding planning, setting up house, and learning to cohabitate. Wally loves the new house and big backyard. He also has turned more into Dad's dog, since Dan plays with him and is way more fun than Mom! He still doesn't like to be far from me, and will occasionally come check on me when Dan and I are in different rooms.

August so far has been packed with finalizing wedding details and preparing for our upcoming travels. Dan, Wally and I are falling into a routine, which unfortunately includes 6:30 am wake-ups with our puppy, even on weekends- I guess it's good baby training, but I miss sleeping in!

Below are a few of the pictures from early on in the pregnancy that didn't make it to facebook. Now we are 16 weeks along and starting to see a noticeable difference in my growing belly! Hopefully in the coming weeks we will update more often :)


UPDATE:
Weight gained: still down 3 pounds.
Feeling: Good! Not as tired or nauseous anymore, and food actually tastes great! I still don't eat much at a time though.
Symptoms: Tired, but nothing like before. Still regular potty breaks, but I think more hydration related instead of pregnancy related.
How big is the baby?: As big as a turnip. We've moved through the rest of the produce section so far including avocado, lemon, lime, plum, and navel orange.
Miss anything?: Wine. I know there may be some safety in light alcohol consumption, but so far haven't ventured there yet. But man would I love a glass of Pinot Noir with a nice medium steak! Only a few months to go! Also missing regularity. Turns out high Iron in prenatals, mixed with general vegetable aversion is creating constipation. I'm so used to clockwork, this is annoying.
Cravings: Baby does take after me some! Baby loves sweets. Lucky Charms are a recent favorite snack, and although packed with sugar, they ARE fortified with Iron and Folic Acid, so they're healthy for baby right?
Aversions: Vegetables, and anything 'heavy'. Heavy today means chicken fried steak and lots of gravy- sounds awful.
Maternity clothes?: Nope, but some of my wardrobe is getting snug. Not enough to notice, unless you're the one wearing it all day!
Stretch marks?: No, which is surprising given the rapid (and painful) growth of my breasts in June! Up a full size in a matter of a few weeks- ouch.
Gender: Don't know yet, but two girlfriends found out their baby's genders this week and I am green with envy. Our OB doesn't do gender screening until after 20 weeks, so sometime after the big wedding we'll know :)
Name picked out?: Maybe for a boy. Girl- we are at a loss. Bought a baby name book yesterday.
Belly button in or out: In, but I've always had a shallow 'innie' so we'll see how long this lasts...
best moment this week: Hearing Baby Campbell's heartbeat lumb-dubbing away :)
Looking forward to: Big wedding in three weeks, finding out the sex, and starting to show! I know in just a few short months I'll be tired of being huge, but lately I don't 'feel' pregnant. Not tired, not sick, and not showing. I heard the baby's heartbeat again last week, and that made this mama happy! Baby is in there, growing away and healthy.

Dan and I at his cousin Heather's wedding. We are about 5 weeks here, 4 days before 'the test'

Week 12: Starting weekly photos. Last Wednesday before moving into our house.

Week 13: Closed on the house, notice our friends Collin and Bailee in the background, who were helping us move in :)

And baby makes three

(Written June 13, 2012: 8 weeks)

Surprise!!! We're pregnant. It certainly was a surprise to us anyway! We found out on our 1 year anniversary, the day of our engagement pictures, May 30th, 2012. Dan and I were shocked, and I think we are still getting over the shock factor. We have been so, so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family in our lives. 

Since finding out about Baby Campbell's surprise plan to join us... we have moved up the wedding date, bought a house, and I got a new job! What a whirlwind few weeks it's been! We have our first doctor's appointment next Tuesday, and Dan and I will know more about our little nugget... as uncle Matt has decided to call this baby. We can't wait to see what the future holds for us. We know that this family timeline is not what we had in mind, but we know that God loves us, even in the midst of our sin, and God loves this baby. We know that He works all things for His good, and although we may not understand it now, God is blessing us with a family. 

So ready or not... Baby Campbell is coming!