Ultrasound Day!

So typically they do an ultrasound called an "anatomy scan" at 20 weeks, well since the doc was out of town we got our anatomy scan at 22 weeks instead. I kind of wish it was a little later since we just saw him on Monday but it was still awesome seeing him again. This will be the last time we get to see him before he is born unless somebody wants to gift us another 3D/4D session (cough cough). He is healthy and happy, he hated being poked and prodded though hehe. So here are the pictures from today.

22 Weeks- Disneyland, Hospital Trips and Fun

What a crazy few days we've had...

We went on a family Disneyland trip this weekend and of course we had a blast but it wasn't all mickey mouse ears and churros. We drove up to Disneyland early (read 3:30am) on Sunday and had a ton of fun playing around at the Happiest Place on Earth. I was pretty sad when I couldn't go on a few of the rides, I didn't really expect to be bummed out so much but it was alright after I got used to my limits. Seeing our entire family was pretty awesome. We had a total of 17 people in our little group at D-Land. You couldn't miss the Stutler crew! Overall we had a wonderful time celebrating my father in law's birthday and enjoyed all the fun Disney has to offer.

It wasn't all fun and games though...a few things tarnished the joy a little for Kenny and myself. While walking through Downtown Disney on our way back to the hotel to get ready for dinner my foot caught the front wheel of somebodies stroller and I tripped and fell flat on my belly. I was holding shopping bags in my hands so I was unable to efficiently break my fall. I immediately began freaking out and crying. I think the only words I could get out were Roxas and be okay. I have some medical knowledge, not a ton, but enough to freak me out. All I could imagine is the placenta detaching...which is not good. An off duty nurse was near by and came to see if I was ok. Honestly I wouldn't have cared if my arm was broken in half as long as Roxas was ok I would be fine. I have never been more afraid than in that moment. Security came over and called for the Disneyland medics to come over and a very nice nurse came to take my vitals/clean up my scrapes and check me out. They recommended I go to the hospital to check on Roxas so we got into a cab and went to a nearby hospital. It was a tiny little place but the Labor and Delivery/OB nurses were very nice. They hooked me up to the monitor and I cannot tell you how relieved I felt to hear his heart beating away. Of course when they put the monitor on me Roxas started moving all over the place. They were only able to record about 7 total minutes of his heartbeat since he was moving so much. I've never been so happy to have my bladder kicked repeatedly. The doctor came and felt my belly and said I was probably ok but he ordered an ultrasound just to check everything. The ultrasound tech had to be called in from home but she was the nicest lady I've dealt with so far. She showed us his cute little face and confirmed everything was looking wonderful. She also confirmed he is indeed a boy! Surprisingly he is measuring about a week ahead, and looks to be about 1.2lbs already! We have the ultrasound with the doctor here tomorrow so it will be interesting what she says.
Anyways all is well with both of us and now I'm extra careful about trying to stay on my own two feet.

So, now that the trip is over we are returning to "real life" and getting back to our usual routines. Roxas is kicking more than ever now and I love feeling his every movement even more now. He kicked good enough for my mom to get a quick feel and his daddy got a really nice kick last night. He is growing fast and so is my belly! I've lost the battle with my belly button ring and have taken it out since it's become to painful to deal with it, oh well...the sacrifices will just keep coming. According to my many books Roxas should be around 13 inches long and gaining weight steadily. He's starting to have patterns of sleep and activity, and most of his sleep is REM sleep where the brain is very active. I'm excited to see what the doctor says tomorrow especially after she hears about my little trip and measures the baby. I'll put up another post after the appointment of course, so I'll see you tomorrow!

Here are some other pictures from the trip :-)

21 Weeks

Are you wondering why I'm holding a beer bottle, let alone weird beer? Well I ran across this blog featuring a "man-guide to baby size" and I figured this week would be perfect to borrow a "man" size comparison rather than a fruit sized one. So this week Roxas is about as long as a beer bottle! If you would rather compare fruit then he is about the size of a banana (I really hate spelling that...I get it wrong every time!) Anyways he is weighing in at 3/4 of a pound!! His eyebrows and lids are present, but he can't open his eyes just yet. He is becoming more and more coordinated and believe me I can tell. His movements are getting a little easier to predict. He sleeps a good majority of the day while I am up and about but when I come home from work and relax in my comfy chair or when I lay down in bed he wakes up and starts doing who knows what in there. If you ever see a really weird look on my face chances are he just did something that felt very, very odd. His kicks are getting stronger and once in awhile he kicks hard enough to see it from the outside. Naturally I'm "crazy" for saying this because he never does it for his daddy and he won't do it if I try to catch it on video either. Brat.

I'm feeling great in the second trimester, which only has 5 more weeks left! Some of the less favorable symptoms are starting to appear but they aren't unbearable. My back hurts of course, it always did though, and the heartburn is a bit irritating but for now it is mild. I'm sure I will be complaining more later though. I had another person ask me when I was due yesterday. I always feel like a moron trying to answer though since it's always..."uuuuuuuhhhh....February 29th." I'm slowly learning my limits, which is not a fun thing for independent me. I can't lift much anymore without causing myself some discomfort and when I drop things I really question how much I want to get it back. Things aren't impossible yet but they sure aren't comfortable. One thing I miss is sleeping on my stomach, Roxas does not appreciate getting squished and lets me know just how much he doesn't like it if I try. We are gearing up for the big trip to Disneyland this weekend. My main hobbies are going to be eating, pin trading and shopping so this should be a very fun trip all in all. It's funny how unorganized and scatter-brained I can be lately since I am usually halfway packed and all prepared by this point for our trips and right now I've got nothing even planned, no lists of things to take made, and no idea what I'm going to pack. Next weeks update might be a bit delayed since I am working next Wednesday but I will try to keep it on schedule. I'm sure I will have lots of pictures to upload and half of the post will be Disney related of course. We also have our 20 week ultrasound next week too so I will do a special post with the results of that as well. Next week is going to be exiting :-D

Firsts...and lasts...

I know it's not time for a weekly update but I was reading another pregnancy blog, which I tend to do a lot of, and they mentioned something that I just had to write about. This blog is a great way for my extended family to see what is going on and it helps keep my facebook friends from seeing too much of my pregnancy obsessive postings. However, this blog is also my diary of sorts. When I feel something that is emotionally complex it helps immensely to write about it and I'd like to share not only the physical changes I experience in this pregnancy but the mental ones too. You may notice a few more posts of this nature, meaning more than the "___weeks!" kind as I really want to let you into my head. So here is your VIP access into my head... "Please keep your hands, arms and legs in the vehicle. Surf's up riders! Get ready screamers, head back, face forward and hang on " (points to you if you make sense of the last part)

It's probably the hormones- but my moods can be a little up and down, at one point I was laughing a crying at the same time so you may now feel bad for poor Kenny who gets to deal with hormonal me. Anyways, I was reading this blog post from somebody and they were talking about the firsts and lasts of life and it really got me thinking about stuff, and of course got me all emotional.

It seems life is just a whole bunch of first times and last times. When we were engaged it was always our "last night as single" or "last time sleeping under our parents roof" then we got married and it was firsts again. Our first trip to Disneyland together, our first night in our first home, the first time I caught the oven on fire, our first....everything was firsts.

Now when I started this blog I said our lives were about to be turned upside down and inside out...that is becoming even more apparent with every kick I feel and every day that gets checked off the calendar. 135 days left in case your were wondering. Before getting pregnant we talked a lot about what kind of impact a baby would have on us in every area of our lives. From finances to our marriage...a baby was going to change it. We talked about it for a very long time, we spoke with trusted unbiased friends and asked them for guidance but ultimately the choice was up to us [kind of] and God blessed us with our son who is now nestled safely inside my womb. It's hard to know just how a choice you make now will affect your future, after all if we could easily predict such things a lot more people would be successful after deciding to just go to law school instead of trying to sell their pants folding machine. Don't know where the idea for a pants folding machine came from...maybe it's because I just did laundry... who knows. Anyways, we are more than halfway there now and things just get more and more real as time goes on. That blog post got me thinking about a lot of things

Kenny and Kayla as a couple will no longer exist...it will be Kenny, Kayla and Roxas. It will not be just the two of us anymore and honestly the idea kind of makes me sad. This year will hold a lot of "lasts" for us. Our last Christmas, our last New Years, our last anniversary, our last trips to Disneyland. Our duo is becoming a trio and it's a whole new world to us. Sometimes I get a little down thinking about this, I'm not afraid to admit that. I will miss the times we have now. The times when we go out on dates or just a quiet night of TV at home. Those experiences are numbered now. I am not saying they will go away forever but they will be different, they will never ever be exactly the same. I feel in some ways as if I am saying goodbye to one life and embracing a new one but really I am just adding another ingredient to my cupcake of a life. I used to be a young woman and a wife. Now I will be a young woman, a wife and a mother.

With the lasts also come the firsts though. The first time I look into the eyes of our son. When I see my husbands face as he looks at our son for the first time. The first time tiny hands reach out for me instead of a friend. The first time I see a toothless smile. The first time Roxas gets to see Mickey Mouse. The first time I hear "mommy" or "daddy". I could go on but I'm getting a little teary eyed and tears aren't so great for laptops. The point being there are a million new firsts out there for us.It used to be firsts as a couple and now it's firsts as parents.

Sure I will miss the way things are right now and I cherish them every moment I get. I also look forward and know that even better things lie ahead for us. Sure we will eventually get around to more "lasts" just like my parents had to go through. His last time under our roof as he prepares to get married, his last day of school as we watch him proudly walk across a stage for his diploma, or maybe just his last baby tooth. There will always be lasts and firsts. We should cherish both and hold every moment we can close to our heart, because we can never go back...we can just go forward.

So there you have it: what has been going through my head for the past hour or two. Pregnancy is more than just watching the belly grow, for me it's seeing my mind and though process grow as well. I'm starting to shift to a more motherly mindset and I'm seeing the world a little differently now. I'm sad to see the last of our "lasts" but excited to see our firsts too.

I will see you all in a few days for the 21 week update!

20 Weeks- Wooaahh-oohh We're Halfway There...woaah-oooh...Livin' on a Prayer...

Yes I did sing that title as I typed it...I mean...c'mon who doesn't sing that song on at least a monthly basis? We are 20 weeks today which is halfway through the pregnancy already! Time has gone by very quickly but February just seems so far away. Well you may notice this post is lacking in ultrasound pictures...that is because we could not get our big 20 week scan until the 27th since the doctor is out of the office for the next few weeks. We were both pretty disappointed when we found out we wouldn't get to see our little man on the screen again. I also kind of want to prove the doctor wrong since she doesn't believe early gender scans, and therefore doesn't believe we know the sex for sure hehe.
We have a trip to Disneyland coming up in just 11 short days! I am so excited to go even if I can't go on all the awesome rides. I can't wait to take Roxas there when he is old enough to go after he's born and show him all the cool stuff there is to see and do. I spend a good majority of my day fantasizing about all the things I'm going to show him. Stuff like science, animals and music...although I think I'll leave the last one to just his dad and uncle or else he may never think music is cool. Someday he will get his first pet [that I will take care of] and maybe someday we will go to the goat farm and pick out our very own goat together. Nope, still haven't let go of that dream. Anyways enough about my daydreaming...

Roxas is weighing in at 10 1/2 ounces this week and is about 6 1/2 inches from the top of his head to his cute patootie, so roughly the size of a cantaloupe. I was going to buy a cantaloupe but considering I am allergic to them, I hate them and they might kill me with listeria...I decided it would be better to just borrow one from Google. From head to toe he is about 10 1/2 inches! His digestive system is beginning to get a work out as he swallows amniotic fluid more and more, and he begins producing meconium.
We did see the doc on Monday just minus the ultrasound stuff.We got our serum testing results back, where they test for risk factors of things like aencephalopathy which is fatal and the one I was worried about the most, spina bifida, down sydrome, edwards syndrome and neural tube defects. I am relieved to know the tests all came back negative. Of course the negative results don't guarantee he won't have any of those problems but the risk is very, very low. I can only keep praying God gives us a healthy little boy. The doctor said I am measuring perfectly and for the first time this morning I could actually feel my uterus and it feels very different from my usual squishy belly. Of course all my poking and prodding of my belly got the little guy up and I got a few quick kicks in response. He has moved WAY up in the past few days, he now kicks up around my belly button instead of down around my bikini line. So now if you want to try and feel him kick you won't have to sexually assault me! You still have to ask if you want to touch me though. The little bugger still won't kick hard enough to feel for his daddy, but I'm not giving up any time soon. I swear he does it just to bug me, proof that he has his dad's genes. That's it for now, we will see you next week!

19 Weeks- Yay!

We are one week away from being halfway there, and I can't believe how fast time is going now! It seems as if the belly gets bigger and bigger each day, and baby Roxas is getting even stronger. This week he is the size of a mango...

AHHH! Wait...that's not a mango! Well it is, but it isn't the right mango... (if you are lost Google Mango from Saturday Night Live)

Ok, THAT's a mango! Anyways, he is about 6 inches from his heat to his cute lil' butt and weighs around half a pound. His brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Smart little munchkin! His arms and legs are in proportion to his body now, which is good because those legs looked awfully long on the ultrasound hehe, then again look at his mommy and daddy! That brain and those limbs are finally getting coordinated thanks to neurons now being connected between the muscles and brain. He is using all that coordination to choreograph what I can only assume is a complicated dance routine. I LOVE feeling him moving around and kicking me. Some days I get treated to him bouncing around a lot and others are more quite but when he does move it is so special. That feeling is like nothing on Earth and makes me love him more and more, it's something I will treasure forever. His kicks are getting stronger and I've been able to feel them from the outside three times now...but as soon as Kenny puts his hand on the spot he stops. Kenny thinks I'm crazy but I swear to you I am not imagining things!!! You do have to have near psychic abilities to know when and where to place your hand, but I swear the really good kicks can be felt from the outside. One of the more fun things for me is using the doppler to get him to move. He still hates the thing and you can hear him trying his very best to get away and he gives really good kicks then. I'm such a mean mommy sometimes lol! The belly is here and I am loving it, although it's weird feeling when I bump into the counters as I bake or do dishes. Two people finally plucked up the courage to ask if I was expecting yesterday, which just made my day since I guess that means I look pregnant now and not just fat.

The weather here is finally changing to some cooler temperatures and today in particular is fantastic. I've got my puppy dog slippers on with my Eeyore mug full of hot chocolate and all the windows and doors open letting the cool fall air in! So Roxas and I are going to cuddle up on the couch and watch some movies now!

Here is the bump picture this week! I'm surprised at how many people STILL touch me without asking first. I thought pretty much everyone knew pregnant ladies don't really like being touched. I honestly don't mind if you ask, but please ask first.

My belly button rings' days are numbered :-D but I'm loving my belly! The uterus is pretty close to my belly button by now.

We have our big "20 week" scan on Monday so we will hopefully have some fun news for the next update and maybe a few more pictures! See you next week