My Reward System

Since a few of you (I'm sorry) sat through that entire post known as Jenn's brainwaves (again... I'm sorry) I thought I would keep this one light and fluffy.

Treat?

So without further ado here are pictures of puppy... our new little girl Artemis.
And belly... our future little girl Audrey.



I really don't like going to bed alone. Last night, when Avery stayed up late to play his new map pack on Call of Duty, these two snuggled with me. I love furry body pillows.





This from the first week we got her. She's so tiny! Aww, they grow up so fast, don't they?





Why yes, that is a Star Wars shirt (little boy section Target).
You know how all the fancy blogs list where they got their clothes... you are welcome.



If you look really close you might be able to see her squirm.

Enjoy your warm, fuzzies!

My Nursery Aspirations

The great nesting/purge has begun. Well it started last week; but after a long day of scrubbing, vacuuming, and dusting, it faded a bit. I am so tired. I grow exhausted after carrying a laundry basket. Ridiculous. So, unfortunately, my to-do list only grows exponentially longer as my energy level drops daily. Grumble... mumble. After quitting one of my jobs I had hoped to have more strength and time. Where do all the days go?!?
My job as an instructor has been me keeping busy, especially with the additional duties of office work and marketing. And luckily it's been better on my body, the actual assisting was very hard with the long hours standing, sitting, bending over patients. I miss it though. You do one thing for so long, and without it you sort of... lose your identity. I feel very much a mom. If not just old. Which is silly considering my actual age. Maybe it would help to have an actual baby around to faun over. I cannot wait!
I hit 24 weeks last week, 6 months! Yay! Only 3 more to go... well sort of. Since the little known slogan of 10 months is thrown around, it sounds better to say 9 months. If you were to tell all ladies everywhere it's more like 10... they might think twice. Double digits are just depressing. Much like my bathroom scale is these days. I feel as though time has slowed down. It might be contributed to my recent part-timeyness, or just the fact that I feel more uncomfortable everyday. And it's only going to get worse. Man, do I complain a lot.
It's sort of a let down after finding out what you're having. Now what do you have to look forward to? Get excited about just continuing the journey to whaledom? Lame. It's too far away to get too excited for an actual baby. A little newborn to snuggle and hold. Nope, not really realistic to me right now. Maybe I'm in denial. That would explain a lot. Though I have started my baby registration. Hehehe. The baby shower planning has begun. So looking at all the expensive items I have to have and all the very cute ones I want... is so very fun. Unless I count out the number of hours I have to work to just pay for a crib. Highway robbery!
I have found my inspiration for design...


What do you think? The room is already painted blue, thanks to my being absolutely certain it was a boy at first. But I still like it. Even for my little baby girl. I love all the bright colors in these, still feminine and youthful without being too... pink.
There is also these...


I love the more modern feel. But it might be a bit too pastel for my taste. Well, for what I have taste for a child's room. I do like white. Hmmm...
My crib I have picked out is white. I get to use my mother's rocking chair, that is a really pretty oak. And the floors were recently redone in bamboo. So we will have the more modern feel anyways. But I like the pizazz of not really having a theme but just brightness to it. I think I just want white or possibly pale pink sheets. I don't really think I want a crib set. I found these really great bumpers that are breathable, like a mesh, so baby doesn't smother herself. So not very cute, but I don't love a lot of characters or cutesy flowers. I am crocheting a baby blanket in bright red (thanks Hanna) that I think will be the pop I want for the bed without a comforter.
When I was younger my nickname was Jennybug. My mom would always get ladybug items to go along with that name. Since we decided on our daughter's name... Audrey... if you didn't hear... Ave wanted to know what her nickname would be. Even when we were considering boy names his question would always be, "And what would we actually call him? What would his nickname be?" Which to me is just pointless. What good is a name if you're just going to change it by pre-deciding a nickname. Why can't we just call each other by our actual name? Soap box kicked aside, I decided it would be fun to carry on the ladybug theme. To an extent. But Audrey can go by little A-D-bug... as in lady without the L. Eh eh? What do you think?
My dad already found a cute ladybug nightlight at Ikea he almost couldn't walk away from. Which would have to replace my lightsaber nightlight I already got... I thought it was a boy remember? So since then I've been trying to figure out what type of daughter I will have. Either a nerdy, odd girl like me who would love to have a lightsaber nightlight. Or a normal, little girl that would one day look back at her weird mother's taste in nightlights. Being a parent is scary. Will I ruin my child's life by forcing on her a nightlight. Ahhh!
How does everybody do it?
So much to think about... good thing I still have 3 months... or more. Grrr.

Hello there, nice to meet you.

Today we had our big ultrasound visit. Ave was able to come, even though he usually has school. His classes aren't normally something he can miss either, but with the semester winding down he had a couple hours leeway. It would have worked out without him, but it would not have been quite the same to call him afterwards. My dad was also invited to meet us, considering he works in the same hospital, and is UBER excited to get to see his first grandbaby any chance he gets. Plus he's handy to have around if I have any questions.
We got to see a lot of lovely photos as they examined each one of the organs. Starting with the head, brain, heart, stomach, and so forth. Everything looked so perfect. Two kidneys, four ventricles, and 10 toes. Okay, we couldn't quite count the toes, but the little picture of just the tiny feet was adorable. Of course being the nerd I am, I was fascinated. I could spot the two brain hemispheres, I thought it cool to be able to see the aorta, and just watching my child moving around the whole time up on the screen was a beautiful, happy moment.
Everything looks really healthy and keeping at my 19 week mark, ever since my doctor bumped me back a week. My amniotic fluid apparently wasn't superb but nothing to worry about unless it gets lower. I'll have to research how I would be able to tell... hmmmm. All in all, nothing to add to my worries of becoming a mother.

Then came the true question. The one we have been fighting with this kid for weeks to cooperate. First crossing it's legs, then bouncing around like my insides were a bouncy castle, then just having no insight yet. I became concerned when the ultrasound tech was struggling and telling my child to open it's legs. Not something a mother usually wants to hear, but in this case I agreed. His supervisor, the Radiologist I think, who had been helping/training him the whole time stepped in and started mashing around. I could tell when they would get right over the head because I could feel something really hard all of sudden, when usually I'm all squishy. Not that it's comfortable to have your bladder smashed, but it isn't as hard as a rock. With still no success and Avery starting to say evil things, like that we would be leaving today without knowing, I offered to get up and jump around a little bit. I poked at my belly and told my baby to cooperate. Do not be stubborn today of all days! I also said a teensy prayers. God understands a mother's concern, He does not mock. The radiologist still scanning mentioned maybe he will have me get up for a minute, when all of sudden he freezes a frame. My dad makes a comment I don't entirely understand (jargon) and the doctor starts typing.

After the first sentence I was spouting some exclamations such as: Holy crap!No way!What are we going to do? He had heard us the whole time; how I was for sure it was a boy, we kind of wanted a boy, and so forth. So to be honest I didn't quite believe him. Hence the added line. He was a very nice and funny man who gave us some great advice and opinions on girls.
Clearing out the ideas of swords and balls and bugs out my imagination, suddenly tutus and dance classes and shoes and hair bows came pouring in, and I got very excited. I could not stop grinning. I am not dissapointed in the least. Just in shock. I really did not think having a girl was in the cards for us. With my three brothers and Ave's four, testosterone was bound to win out. But NO!!!
My father is estatic, I was always a daddy's girl. Ave was a little nervous. Mostly because the dollar signs started flashing in his head when I started naming all the cute things I could buy for our daughter. He also still has it in his mind he can still be firm with a daughter. Pshaw! That man is going to melt like butter. It'll be good for him. I told him little girls are much more emotional and he is not allowed to make our's cry everyday. He's going to have to get in touch with his sensitive side. Hahahaha. It's going to be great.

My beautiful baby girl. I am so excited to get to know you.
Even if you do make me nervous.