Week 21 - IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

 

We now know that Charlotte Fay will be joining our family in November and we couldn't be happier!  The ultrasound experience was really great!  You can definitely see in this picture that it is a girl and not a boy...the three lines are girl parts for sure!  Here are some more pictures...the little foot where you can see the toe is my absolute favorite!  It is so hard to believe that three short months ago the ultrasound just was a little blob of white and now everything is formed and looks like a for real baby!

For this week, Charlotte is weighing in at one pound and is the size of a Pomegranate!

 



  

I found a really neat idea to reveal the gender to both of our families.  Our ultrasound was on Thursday, June 20th and we got both families together for dinner at Granite City Brewery (one of our favorites).  I had made cupcakes the night before...one set had blue icing in the middle and one set had pink icing.  After our ultrasound I loaded all the pink cupcakes up for the reveal before dinner!

 

 

 Everyone bit into their cupcakes at the same time and this picture is priceless with the reaction to a girl!  Allison couldn't be any more happy and my dad looks like he just won the lottery!

 



 

It was a really different way to tell everybody and was such a fun night all around!



Week 20 - HALFWAY THERE!!!

 

LBN is the size of a banana this week!  (Think length not width)  We are finally out of the teens and halfway to our November due date!  I am feeling lots of movement these days/nights.  There are either ballet moves or soccer moves going on in there!  All of the pregnancy websites say that my uterus has reached level with my belly button...and boy am I feeling bigger by the day these last two weeks or so.

 

Two more days until we have our ultrasound to find out if we are having a little girl or a little boy!  I am 95% sure it is a boy...just a feeling I've had from the beginning.  So after Thursday LBN will either be Charlotte or Harrison.





Week 19 - Belly Time

 

I feel like my belly grew double in size this week from last week.  Along with that I have had some cramping and I can really feel the pulling and stretching.  LBN is the size of a small cantaloupe this week.  I have decided to start holding the designated fruit for the week so we all can compare the fruit to the belly. 

 

Also, in better news I FINALLY FEEL LBN moving around!!  It started as a little flutter which I thought could just be gas but I really think it was something more.  I also felt a really firm something after Dave's soccer game this week waiting in the car at the gas station.  This is all starting to become more real and exciting. 



Week 18 - Tornado

 

 

 

This week we had a tornado come through our neighborhood.  We were fortunate and only lost a couple of tree branches.  We all took shelter in the basement and could hear the pressure change by our ears popping.  We were without power for 4 hours and our phones were all messed up.  Without internet, TV or the ability to call or text anyone really is quite annoying and we really didn't know the extent of what had happened until the next day.  Crazy night.

 

LBN is the size of a large mango this week.  Only two more weeks until we find out the gender.  I reorganized my entire closet this weekend and only have my maternity clothing hanging up.  I can't wait to wear some of my new things I have bought and inherited from Julie and Stephanie!  I have started getting some heartburn which I have never had before in my life so that is a new experience.



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.