22 weeks.

How far along? 22 weeks - this pregnancy is seriously f l y i n g. 

Total weight gain: 3 pounds- the scale in finally moving. I'm so thankful for this because it means baby boy is growing and that thrills my heart! All the extra weight is def. in the middle section (hellooo belly)!

Maternity clothes? Yep!  Sometimes I get daring and try on no maternity pants but they don't last long on if at all. I'm looking forward to digging out my spring and summer clothes, I have a feeling I'll be living in dresses. This weather is getting me excited for pinks and blues and the yellows of spring clothes!

Sleep: Amazing.  Unless I wake at 3:30am starving because I forgot to snack before bed or because I was craving a sweet tea and baby boy is doing flips through the night. 

Best moment this week: Was a trip out of town to do some baby shopping. David promised me a shopping trip once we found out we were having and we had a mini one in town and were hiding things in the cart in case we saw anyone we knew. This time David and my parents and I went shopping and I don't know about anyone else but I had a blast! My parents even treated us to Red Robin, me and baby boy were quite satisfied.

Worst Moment this week: worst moment of the week would have to be the random crying over nonsense. I never had any of these symptoms early on so I don't know where this is coming from.

Miss Anything? Im still missing my energy.

Cravings:  Sandwiches (probably where those extra pounds are coming from..carbs!), chicken, strawberries, and granola.   

Symptoms: Frequent bathroom breaks are happening quite frequently, little guy catches me off guard when he kicks at my bladder! Our last ultrasound we were watching him kick right at my bladder.

Looking forward to: Nursery decorating!! I have so many ideas and we are starting to put some things together! We got his dresser/changing table painted and David has been working on his closet! We gotta get that finished soon because little man has lots of clothes already that need hung up!

Update on Baby Douthitt

We heard back from our doctor on Friday and he noted that his cord was the only issue and his heart and kidneys look great so far!! We have an appointment next week to get some more information and we have ultrasounds scheduled now every 3-4 weeks until the end of our pregnancy. I can't complain about that, I'm already dreaming of the next time I will get to see him!

21 weeks.

IT'S A BOY!

How far along? 21 weeks 

Total weight gain: +1

Maternity clothes? I have been wearing some of my non-maternaty tops, maternity pants and leggings anything with an elastic band feels great!

Sleep:  I've had a few restless nights just not being able to sleep. David came home one day with a snoogle for me. He said he was looking for one for me around Christmas and finally found one and I'm loving it. It's making this side sleeping thing a little easier and I'm not waking up feeling so stiff.

Best moment this week: I've been feeling this little guy move and groove so much this week, it stops me in my tracks and I just love to watch my belly do little flops and feel him move all around. David even got to feel the little guy once.

Worst Moment this week: my emotions have just been getting the best of me. I find myself crying over really dumb things and getting angry over just as silly things.

Miss Anything? I'm still missing my energy. I used to be able to clean my whole house in a day and now scrubbing the floors on my hands and knees takes everything in me. I don't know if I will ever get used to slowing down.

Cravings: Sandwiches, any kind of sandwich, Italian, turkey, chicken. I love em all. 

Symptoms: Im still dealing with headaches, I thought they were starting to subside some but I was wrong. I'm also starting to deal with some shortness of breath from just doing simple things like eating. I think it is just all the added  growth in the belly area that I'm not used to. On the nice days we have had I've been able to get outside and do some exercising and that has felt great.    

Looking forward to:  Continuing nursery prep!  That is so much fun.  I have come across many new and unique things, and I can't wait to implement them into my own nursery, finally. I've been interesting on those sleepless nights and I have a lot of ideas that I can't wait to incorporate. right now we need to finish the quarter round in baby's room and then David is redoing  the closet into a vision I have. Poor guy I have lots of bright ideas and he is always the one carrying them out.

We had our anatomy scan this week and the only thing the ultrasound tech noticed was that he has a two vessel cord. Most babies' umbilical cords have three blood vessels: one vein, and two arteries. But a two-vessel cord has just one vein and one artery. The doctors at Magee's hospital are going to take a better look at his heart and kidneys because they grow at the same rate as the umbilical cord and it can effect the growth of the heart and the kidneys. The two vessel cord can also effect the growth of our little guy as well. She said more than likely I will not be delivering an 8-10lb. baby (praise the Lord). As of right now he is growing right on track with his due date but we will have to have more ultrasounds than normal to keep track of baby's growth but I'm always ok with getting extra peeks at him! Right now he is kicking up a storm, letting me know he is just fine! Please continue to pray for the healthy growth of our little one. XOXO

P.S. As many of you know our little ones name is being kept a secret except his initial of the letter C. We have had many guesses and we promise if you guess right we will let you know. So far no one has guessed his extra special name!

Baby boy with his hand by his face.

20 weeks.

How far along? 20 weeks 

Total weight gain: Is it sad that I was just too scared to get on the scale this week, at our Thursday Dr. Appointment I was still at a 3lb weight gain since after the first trimester weight loss. 

Maternity clothes? Just pants, I can still squeeze into my non maternity pants BUT staying in them all day is the challenge. So as soon as the maternity pants are out of the wash I have them on!

Sleep:  It's getting better, I think I'm starting to get used to sleeping on my side.

Best moment this week: By far the best moment was seeing our sweet little one. Oh my heart!!  I wish for a sonogram every single week, just so I can see baby's precious face, fingers, toes, and mannerisms in the womb. Finding out our baby's gender was so extremely exciting for David and I and we cannot share with everyone.

Worst Moment this week:  Emotions. I can become highly agitated in the matter of a few short seconds. David would say nothing has changed but when I'm noticing it it must be more so. Plus now that we know the gender I feel like my anxiety has heightened more specifically in worry for this little babe. 

Miss Anything? This week I've been feeling pretty good, and I cannot say that I miss anything in particular related to pregnancy vs non- pregnancy

Cravings: Sandwiches mostly chicken sandwiches with fried chicken.  Because grilled chicken is gross to me now, so if I cannot see it (ahem.. its coated in breading..) then it doesn't bother me.

Symptoms: Besides tiring out more easily I feel great. I don't even feel like I'm pregnant most days until I feel this little babe start moving around.

Looking forward to:  Getting more invested into nursery decorating now that I know exactly what we're having. Thank goodness for secret Pinterest boards, my brain has been on overload thinking of all the possibilities. We knew we were doing neutrals with either gender but now I can channel that energy in a specific direction!

19 weeks.

How far along? 19 weeks 

Total weight gain:  I'm officially at my prepregnancy/pre first trimester weight loss weight. I've gained the 3lbs I lost, I'm guessing it's only up from here. :X  

Maternity clothes? Half and half. I got some maternity pants this past week!!! Best thing I've done in weeks! Hello comfort! 

Sleep: Way, way, way, too good.  Honestly, I am sleeping 7-9 hours at night, and I definitely could sleep longer.

Best moment this week: Celebrating Daddy's birthday, it didn't hit us until after the weekend that this was the last Valentines and last birthday with just the two of us, how exciting! 

Worst Moment this week: Being sick this week. Also can't wait to get to the doctor about head headaches I've been having them about 4 times a week. 

Miss anything? Sleeping on my stomach, that's my most comfortable position and it's just not working.       

Cravings: Salads of any and every kind, Chicken sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, milk, the list really could go on and on.

Symptoms:  headaches and backaches, boo :(

Looking forward to: Our growth scan!  We get to see baby this week for the first time since we were 8 weeks - and I cannot wait.  I'm exited for gender but I really, really can't wait to see this littles face and hands and feet. 

The statistic that could be ruining our marriages.

I heard the scariest statistic yesterday on klove. 65% of us will get our spouse a Valentine while 85% will get their children a Valentine. While I will no doubt get my child a Valentine for years to come it doesn't mean I will stop treating my husband as my true Valentine. Whether it's just a card or just his favorite candy. I know some even think Valentine's Day is just a dumb holiday that should be celebrated everyday and I agree to an extent but YOU should also be celebrated everyday but we choose your day of birth to really appreciate you. Is it this attitude, this 65%-85% attitude that begins the downfall of some of our marriages when we start treating our children as if they are more important than our spouses? This statistic was in my mind all day and night as I thought of America and its marriages. No, I don't know exactly what this struggle can be like just yet but I can promise you it will be my mission to make my husband come before my children as it should be yours. 

Parents: 

The greatest example of love and how to love for your children will not be in how you loved them but in how you love your spouse. I know this in part because I had parents that deeply loved each other and while they got their children Valentines I always remember them getting each other something as well. I reflect on that love often not perfect love but unconditional self sacrificing love. Love that fought in front of their children to show them it was ok to disagree because they loved in front of their children as well. I want to be known as a wife and mother that puts her husband first after the Lord of course.

The nitty gritty:

1 Corinthians 11:9(ESV) states "Neither was man created for the woman; but woman for man." This Scripture hearkens back to God's creation of Eve. God made her as a fitting helper and companion for Adam.

In Genesis 3:16, after Adam and Eve had sinned, God told Eve that she would bring forth children, that her desire would be toward her husband, and that he would rule over her. So, even when childbirth is mentioned, God closes his statements to Eve by telling her that her husband would rule over her. 

Eve means "life giver" because she was the mother of all living (persons). So, a woman's role as a mother is certainly important, but it is never placed over her role as wife.

Putting all of this together, I would say that the Bible teaches that a wife's primary responsibility and loyalty is, after God, to her husband. She should not place the children ahead of him. 

*note: this is a personal and biblical view

18 weeks.

How far along? 18 weeks 

Total weight gain:  -1lb, I'm one pound under my pre pregnancy weight so I actually gained 2lbs. 

Maternity clothes? THIS WEEK!! I stopped in Target over the weekend and tried on a few pairs of maternity jeans and I wasn't feeling them at all! I'm heading to Motherhood this weekend for another try and if all else fails I'll just by regular pants in a bigger size or try out those belly bands. *fingers crossed* that the trip to Motherhood is worth it.

Sleep: Like a rock.   

Best moment this week:  I have been feeling this sweet babe much more his week, it's increasing every week and it's the sweetest most refreshing thing EVER! 

Worst Moment this week: I've caught myself a few times whining about my clothes and scoffing at myself when I pass a mirror but I am quickly reminding myself how blessed I am and I refuse to take advantage of this season!

Miss Anything?  My energy.  This weekend was BUSY!! Wonderful, but busy! I am still trying to do things like I'm not pregnant and I'm ok during the day but I'm feeling it by night fall.    

Cravings: Cereal, milk, rice and Mexican food! 

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain is real. Coughing or moving too quickly results in the sharpest pains, crazy scary the first few times.

Looking forward to:  Continuing to feel this sweet baby move, move, move - and for David to be able to feel them too.  I know he is just as excited as I am to feel those baby kicks.. so I cannot wait for him to be able to feel, too!

    

      

17 weeks.

How far along? 17 weeks 

Total weight gain: -3 lbs still, but again I feel like I'm +20

Maternity clothes?  I'm down to one pair of jeans and leggings.. David promised me a trip to the maternity store this week. I've been dreading it.

Sleep: I'm sleeping great except for last night, I just couldn't get comfortable and was up with an aching back, still getting used to sleeping on my side.

Best moment this week: I officially got word of my raise and am officially transitioning into a new position

Worst Moment this week: The worst momentS happen every morning getting dressed. I even contemplated not going one morning because it was too frustrating. This in between stage stinks!!!

Miss Anything?  My old pants, R.I.P.

Cravings: I'm loving cereal, guacamole, chips and salsa. Also I'm craving Dr. Pepper so badly I've bought it twice through the drive through but only taken like three sips just enough to curb the craving and then j throw it out so I'm not tempted to drink the whole thing. I've been avoiding caffeine this whole time mostly because I have no desire for coffee.

Symptoms: I've been getting headaches frequently in the second trimester, which calls for an early bed time and I won't complain about an early bed time. 

Looking forward to:  I'm looking forward to getting the flooring down in the nursery this upcoming weekend.