Week 17 - Memorial Day

 

 

The Belly Bump is in full effect now...no hiding it anymore!  We had our 16 week checkup on Friday.  LBN heartbeat is 143 and everything looks great!  I have gained a total of one pound since the beginning.  This week he/she is the size of a sweet potato and weighs in around 5 ounces.  My back is feeling so much better due to my uterus making the rise to front and center as you can now see!  Not much new happening around here...we celebrated Memorial Day today at my parents with a nice dinner and watching Marie play!



Week 16 - Dallas, Texas

 

Week 16 was spent in Dallas, Texas with Elizabeth, Miss Marie and Karen!  A huge thank you to Karen for letting us bum around with her on her business trip!  This picture is apparently a big thing to do in Dallas...the B and the G are everywhere and we finally figured it out at the Dallas Zoo.  You are supposed to stand in the middle of it and be the "I"...because only I can make big things happen in Dallas.  So me and LBN showed our stuff!!  We did all kinds of things while we were in town for four days...lounged by the pool two days, went to a Texas Rangers game, the Dallas Zoo and had some of the cities best TexMex at the Iron Cactus!  What a great mini vacation and I can't wait to go back someday!

 

This week has also been spent with some belly aches which I am not sure was a little food poisoning or just from LBN growing and expanding.  My back is beginning to feel better for the most part but still hurts occasionally.  Back to the chiropractor next week for sure.  LBN is the size of an open hand or turnip this week and usually my belly is the biggest at night time or right after a meal.  Four more weeks until we find out the gender!! 

 

While I was away, Dave went out and bought a new car for our soon to be growing family...I am the proud new owner of a 2013 Ford Explorer!  This is a pretty huge deal for me as I have had the same car since August of 2004.  Me and my Ford Escape have been through a lot together...from still living at home with my parents, getting married, starting my career, two houses, countless road trips, many trips down to the Katy Trail for running and training.  It is going to be really hard to give up my little Escape as we have driven 240,000 miles together but it is time to move on.  She already looks as though she is crying as she is parked out in the cul-de-sac and has been pushed to the side.  We didn't trade her in as I really want to keep her, but we will see what happens!  Here is a picture of my new set of wheels...soooo pretty!

 

 



Week 15

 

 

 

 

The baby bump is still pretty little so far...not much change since last week.  LBN is the size of an apple this week.  Yesterday was Mother's Day and Dave got me exactly what I need...a three month membership to Massage Envy to help in relieving some of my extreme low back pain!  I am super excited to use it!  As my uterus continues to work its way up to front and center I am hoping my back feels better, but I am doubtful.

 

 

5 more weeks until we find out if LBN is a boy or a girl...we have officially decided on names.

 

Girl - Charlotte Fay Nieters (Charlee)

My Grandma Roark's name is Charleen so Charlee is after her!

Fay is my middle name and my mom's middle name

Boy - Harrison Timothy Nieters (Harry)

Dave's Grandpa Nieters name was Harry

Timothy is Dave's middle name and his dad's name

Now there is a stipulation with calling Harrison by his nickname Harry...our current dog's name is Harry and we will be calling Harrison by his full name until Harry the dog dies, I know that is morbid, but we cannot have a dog and a kid both with the same name...just seems a little weird.

 

 

Week 14 - Welcome 2nd Trimester

 

 

 

Week 14 Baby Bump picture was taken one day early in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Al Hrabosky!  We got to meet him and the Cardinals equipment manager in the airport as we flew back from the Brewers getting swept in a four game series! 

 

Little Baby Nieters is really starting to make an appearance over the last two weeks and is now the size of a large naval orange.  I am officially wearing maternity jeans and I gotta say stretchy band jeans are totally awesome and super comfy!

 

 

I have gotten a little bit of my energy back.  I played nine holes of golf last week, ran a 5K on the trail with my dad and sister and stayed up past 11:00 both nights while we were in Milwaukee this weekend with very minimal naps...pretty proud of myself!

 

I got a cool pillow from Babies R Us that is helping a little with my back / sleeping issues.  It is well worth the money and I think it will only get better the bigger my belly gets.  It looks like this: