16 Weeks

How far along?  16 weeks 

Total weight gain/loss: 6lbs

Maternity clothes? Not yet

Stretch marks? Ugh...I noticed two on my boobs today

Best moment this week: Finding our new doctor!

Miss Anything? Sushi, lunch meat, copious amounts of caffeine

Movement: YES!!! I have starting feeling "flutters" in my stomach. Baby Ater loves to move and groove, so I can't wait until they get strong enough for Joshua to feel!

Food cravings: Salt...oh how I love salt. It's terrible. I'm going to have a ridiculous amount of edema if I don't stop. lol

Anything making you queasy or sick: Well, I've never been one to get grossed out by movies or shows. I can generally scarf down a cheeseburger while watching all of the gross things on "Bones", but I was watching "Dexter" yesterday and eating pasta and when I saw the fake, dismembered body parts on the show, I started gagging. I work in a hospital, so I NEVER get grossed out by stuff...until now. lol

Have you started to show yet: Yup... it's so weird seeing my belly every day. 

Gender: We find out on February 11th!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: So, SO happy!

Looking forward to: My 20 week ultrasound!

First and foremost, my sincere apologies for the picture and the super late post. I'll post a 17 week picture tomorrow. I have been running around like mad lately and I just haven't had time to breathe. I'll explain all of that in my next post.

So, Joshua has a friend here in Louisville who's wife, Jenna, just had a baby about 6 months ago. She was telling me all about her doctor and how much she loved her and so I decided I had to check it out. I called and made an appointment with Total Woman and we were really impressed when we got there. After meeting Dr. Wilson (whom we adored!) we opened the door to leave and another one of Josh's friend's wives, Chelsea, was in the room directly across the hall! She is due very soon and it was just so random and funny that she and I would just-so-happen to be there on the same day when we didn't even know that's where she was going for her appointments! 

15 Weeks

How far along?  15 weeks 

Total weight gain/loss: I went to the Dr. today and I have gained 3lbs!

Maternity clothes? No

Stretch marks? Nope

Best moment this week: Hearing the baby's heartbeat <3

Miss Anything? Sushi

Movement: Not yet!

Food cravings: Yogurt, fruit, and still salty stuff.

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'll have a bad day here or there, but it is gone for the most part!

Have you started to show yet: I can definitely tell. 

Gender: We should find out soon!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Getting happier and more excited every day!

Looking forward to: Finding out the gender!

Joshua and I are currently looking for a doctor in our new town. We visited one today and liked him well enough, but I just don't know that he is who we will be going with. Finding a new doctor is very difficult and it is just adding onto all of the other new and difficult things that have been going on in our lives lately. Classes start back next week and that won't help things. And I will officially be done training and on my own at my new job on Saturday! It's all a little stressful right now, but we're tough kids...we'll make it! lol

14 Weeks

How far along?  14 weeks 

Total weight gain/loss: I'm pretty sure I've gained weight...as you can see by my protruding belly. lol

Maternity clothes? Nope 

Stretch marks? No thank you.
Best moment this week: Well, I started a new job and it's fun being able to talk to people about the baby!

Miss Anything? Sushi

Movement: Not yet!

Food cravings: Still lemon juice mixed with salt and water and anything salty. Yesterday I ate half a jar of dill pickles... I'm possessed I tell you. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: No! I'm so excited to be over this morning sickness!
Have you started to show yet: I can definitely tell. 

Gender I can't wait to find out!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!!
Looking forward to: Starting to buy baby stuff!

Sorry for the mirror pic... Lame, I know. Joshua is working night shift at the hospital so I have no one to take the picture for me during the day. I am so excited about getting baby stuff soon. I can not wait to find out if this little pea (well, it's more like an orange now according to my What to Expect app lol) is going to be a girl or boy! The suspense is killing me! I don't care either way, but Joshua really wants a boy. He says he wants a boy first to help him take care of a girl later. lol He makes me giggle. 

13 Weeks

How far along?  13 weeks 

Total weight gain/loss: I have no clue. My scale says I've lost 2 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Nope 

Stretch marks? No thank you.
Best moment this week:Sharing the news with my family!

Miss Anything? Sushi

Movement: Not yet!

Food cravings: Lemon juice mixed with salt and water. (I'm weird, I know.)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! Morning sickness is going away!!!
Have you started to show yet: An itty bitty bump is there!

Gender ???
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!!
Looking forward to: Telling Josh's family and being able to talk about this openly. lol

Christmas was this week so we took the opportunity to tell all of my family. We're postponing telling Josh's family for the time being because his grandmother has been really sick. 

We told my dad by giving him a shirt that says, "This is what a really cool grandpa looks like!" and also including a picture of the ultrasound. My dad was in shock and didn't say a word... My brother was sitting across the room with his wife and I heard her whisper, "She's pregnant!" and Trent said, "No?" Well after he realized that's what we were talking about he started smiling and saying, "Woooooow" over and over again. It was hilarious! My brother and sister-in-law proceeded to baby me for the rest of the weekend. They wouldn't even let me open my own doors! lol 

The rest of my family all freaked out when we made the announcement at Christmas dinner. Everyone is so excited and I'm so happy to be able to share this with them! 

12 Weeks

 How far along?  12 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: I'm pretty sure I've put on a little weight, but I haven't actually weighed myself. lol

Maternity clothes? Nope Stretch marks? No thank you.
Best moment this week:Telling all of my best friends about the baby!

Miss Anything? Sushi.... oh how I miss sushi. Movement: Just what we saw on the ultrasound

Food cravings:Red meat... I think I'm turning into a man. ;-)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! Morning sickness is going away!!!
Have you started to show yet: I can tell, but no one else really can.

Gender ???
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!!
Looking forward to: My next doctor's appointment. For the first time in my life, going to the doctor is exciting! lol


 So this week was EXTRA exciting for me because I got to tell all of my best girl friends about Babykins!! We had out 7th annual Friendsmas dinner and gift exchange so the timing was perfect! A few years ago we happened upon this game called Telephone-Pictionary where one person writes a phrase on a piece of paper and hands it to their neighbor. That person then has to draw a picture of what the first person wrote then pass that to their other neighbor who then writes what they think the drawing says and at the end we go back through and read the story from what the saying began as to what the ending result became. It is our absolute favorite game! Well my two best friends, Ashley and Janna already knew about the baby so I got them to sit next to each other. Janna wrote "Rachelle is PREGNANT" on the paper and Ashely drew a picture. When it came time for Janna to read her story she announced that she would read it backwards. She started with what it ended as which was something about a duck being a harp critic, then worked her way back. When she said, "Rachelle is Pregnant" everyone just paused and looked at her with a very confused expression. Then they gradually moved their attention to me. I just smiled and said, "Take it in guys. That part is true," and then everyone started freaking out. It was hilarious and absolutely perfect!! I love those girls so much and I'm so glad I was able to use one of our traditions to share this awesome news!

(L-R) Top: Emily, Kayla, Ashley, Me, Blossom. Bottom: Breanna & Ricki. Not Pictured: Janna & Mary.

11 Weeks

How far along?  11 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Not sure. I don't think I've lost anymore weight, but I don't think I've gained either.

Maternity clothes? Nope
Stretch marks? Trying to avoid those
Best moment this week:Learning that Babykins now has fingernails!

Miss Anything? My appetite.
Movement: Not yet

Food cravings: Pretty much every food I see, I crave. lol

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not really anything in particular.
Have you started to show yet: Nope

Gender: Don't know yet!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Monday begins the moving process. Hazzah!

A brand new chapter of my life is beginning on Monday and I am nervous/excited/terrified/ecstatic! I have lived in the same town basically my entire life and so making this move to the big city will be a nerve racking experience to say the least. I have been so CrAzY busy with finishing finals, registering for classes at my new school, making/buying Christmas gifts, and making sure my precious pooches are taken care of that I haven't even STARTED packing to move! This week has been incredibly hectic and I can't wait for some down-time. I need some Christmas movies, a cup of white hot chocolate (if you haven't tried it, you haven't lived!) and some snuggle time with Joshua and my fur-babies. I can't wait for all of this to be over with!

This is proof enough that Joshua will make the best dad that has ever lived. Fender loves her daddy!

These two are best friends and I love them so much! Lakota and Fender. 

(Please excuse the hole in the wall. We were in the process of renovating.)

10 Weeks

 Babykins is now the size of a prune!


How far along?  10 weeks

Total weight gain/loss:I went to the doctor today and I've lost another pound. I can't wait to get this morning sickness overwith!

Maternity clothes? Nope
Stretch marks? Trying to avoid those
Best moment this week: Today Josh got to see Babykins on the ultrasound and it has gotten so much bigger just in the last 2 weeks!

Miss Anything? My ability to eat more than 5 bites of food at a time.
Movement: Not yet

Food cravings: fruit mainly. Strawberries in particular

Anything making you queasy or sick: I'm actually getting better with the smell of coffee, but I still have no desire to drink it. lol
Have you started to show yet: Nope

Gender: Don't know yet!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
Happy or Moody most of the time: My moodiness has gotten MUCH better. I have actually been a normal human being this week!
Looking forward to: Moving to Louisville next week! It's almost here!

I can not even begin to describe how magical it was having Joshua with me when they did the ultrasound today. They had to check on a big cyst they had seen on my ovary the last time and so I got two separate ultrasounds! The cyst is shrinking, but Babykins is growing like a weed! He/she was even wiggling all around when we saw it and it now has little fingers and toes! I'm so in love with this baby and I can't wait to meet it!

Baby Ater - 10 Week Ultrasound