A Mover and a Shaker!

Just a quick post to let everyone know the latest exciting news - Sarah felt the baby move for the first time yesterday! She has been on heightened "flutter alert," and even had a few false alarms, but it is now absolutely unmistakable baby activity! It's very exciting to have intermittent reminders throughout the day that the baby is growing and changing, and though it is still difficult to wrap her head around the miracle of what is happening in her body, it feels a bit more "real" now. Ryan is excited for when he will be able to feel (and see, so we hear!) the baby's movement, once the flutters turn into full-blown kicks!

Thought we'd include a photo from one of Ryan's most recent photo shoots - Sarah is still able to pose for him if the shots are from the waist-up! :)



Mommy Update:
- Counting the days until March 5th, and wondering if she'll be able to sleep the night of the 4th!
- Speaking of sleep, invested in a body pillow to help make the evenings a bit less restless and a lot more comfortable!
- Hopelessly conflicted on the "necessity" of certain baby items, and relying heavily on her mommy friends for guidance!
- Can't help but laugh when Max finds it difficult to curl up in her lap and seems to stare, puzzled, at the bump that's in his way!

Boy or Girl?

No, we don't know yet... but March 5th is just around the corner! Our next post will probably be the big gender reveal! Until then, we are happily taking predictions, but refusing to speculate ourselves. We had another fantastic report from our doctor today - the heartbeat sounds great, weight gain is right on track, and belly measurements look good. We took round two of the belly portraits last night - it was kind of shocking to see the amount of growth that has taken place in just a few short weeks!







Sarah at four months - and she thought she was big last month!
















Yeah, we're probably going to have to buy new jeans for next month's photo shoot...







Mommy Update:
- Getting used to being told, "You're big for four months!" right after she hears, "You're small for four months!" from someone else... everyone's an expert!
- Feeling GREAT! No more morning sickness, and all of the current symptoms are sooooo minor compared to that!
- Can't wait to feel the little one kick and stretch - also super excited about finding out the gender in a few weeks!
- Has picked up a new habit in preparation for her upcoming role as a mother: she cooks real, microwave-free meals on a regular basis now!

Yes, Sir, That's Our Baby!

Fantastic news!!! Our test results came back, and the baby is in the lowest risk category (1 in 10,000) for genetic defects! We are so happy and relieved!

Everything is on track and progressing nicely! As promised, here's the latest ultrasound picture - doesn't the baby look like an actual baby now?




You can see the baby's profile, with the little fist balled up next to the mouth. It's already trying to suck its thumb! The legs fade back into the darkness, but we verified - they're there! During the ultrasound, the little one was super active, and kept flipping around the wrong way. A few gentle taps on Mommy's belly guided it to flip back over - we were shocked that it was responding to touch! It also kept opening and closing its mouth, kicking its feet, and moving its arms. The skin is so translucent at this point that we could see the full spinal cord. It's still small, measuring at about 3.5 inches from crown to rump (not head to toes, as I originally thought - they don't even attempt to measure those active little legs!). It was incredible to learn that all major components of the body have been formed already! From now on, the baby's development will consist primarily of organ maturity, growth, and body refinement.

We find out the gender on March 5th. Those who are willing to put their guess on the table are generally saying boy... which means it has as much, if not more of a chance of being a girl! :) Our next appointment is on February 11th, which will be about the same time as round two of the belly pics. That's also about when we may first be able to feel the baby moving! So exciting!

Mommy Update:
- Happy to have the all clear from the doctor to use the foot massager Grandpa and Grandma Emerson sent for Christmas!
- Excited about the baby presents from Aunt Kelly, especially the dog sound desensitization CD to get Max used to hearing baby cries!
- Wondering if she should load the sound desensitization CD into her iPod so that she can get used to hearing baby cries!
- Has gained only 3 to 5 pounds (depending on the day she steps on the scale), and wonders how that is possible with her new body shape!

One Trimester Down, Two to Go!

Lots of exciting baby stuff going on this week! Our next doctor's appointment is on Wednesday, and we had our first prenatal screening today. The ultrasound combined with a blood test will tell us our risk for genetic defects. Unless we come back in a high risk category, it keeps us from having to go through more invasive testing. We should have the results by the end of the week. So far, things look fantastic, but we're anxious to get the full test results before breathing a sigh of relief!

We also took round one of the long-awaited belly portraits last night. We're looking forward to seeing the growth and changes over the next six months... we're amazed by how much has changed already!

Mommy Update:
- Gave in and bought maternity pants, now living in comfort ALL day long and not just when at home in PJs! :)
- Excited that the noticeable baby bump results in sharing our joy with friends, colleagues, and sometimes even strangers!
- Almost completely morning sickness free and feeling much more energetic - happy to be back to *somewhat* normal again!
- Guilty of sending Daddy on his first midnight snack run... but, hey, the baby wanted Twizzlers and juice!








Yep, there's only one in there. We're sure.















Three months pregnant and already spilling out of those jeans! :)

Vegas, Baby!

Only one week left in our first trimester, an occasion which has been marked by a significant decrease in morning sickness! We're ready for all of the excitement of the second trimester - finding out the gender, feeling the baby move, and getting a REALLY big belly! After a quiet Christmas at home, Ryan surprised Sarah with a New Year's Eve getaway to Las Vegas. It was so much fun, especially considering that it is definitely a trip we won't be taking again for a long time after the baby arrives! Call us crazy (and many of the parents we observed there would), but we feel strongly that little kids and Vegas don't mix!

Mommy Update:
- Favorite new thing: Bella Bands - avoiding those scary maternity jeans for as long as possible!
- Least favorite new thing: The "is she pregnant, or just gaining weight?" phase (For the record: pregnant).
- Still all about the Mexican food, also loving anything with peanut butter or avocado (but not combined)!
- Shocked by how much the little one zaps her energy - walking around Vegas was tiring!



The hottest new show in Vegas? Cheesy 3D movie at M&M's World! :)

Happy Holidays!

Thanks to everyone for sending your congratulations and well wishes! We hope you're having a very happy holiday season, and send our love to all!

We had our second ultrasound today, and were shocked by all of the changes! The baby's arms and legs were moving around, which we didn't see during the last visit! Also, the umbilical cord is now visible, and we could even make out fingers and some emerging facial features! Goodbye blob, hello baby! Unfortunately, the doctor didn't freeze-frame the ultrasound at a good angle, so all of these exciting differences are not visible in our picture. Our next appointment is in four weeks, so we'll wait until then to upload another ultrasound. Ryan will also be shooting the first installment of the belly portraits soon!

Mommy Update:
- Still feeling all typical symptoms and driving Ryan batty with the frequency of Mexican food requests
- Super sniffer spreading holiday cheer as Christmas tree can be smelled from all rooms of the apartment (yay!)
- Happy to be on vacation and able to spend time resting on the couch in comfy PJ pants

Here's Looking at You, Kid!

We are overjoyed to announce that a new member of our family will arrive in July 2008! We will be documenting the experience through postings and pictures, and invite you to share in our journey! Let the countdown begin!

We had our first ultrasound on December 12th. It was the most amazing thing! Our little one has a strong heartbeat, and though it doesn't look like much yet, everything looks great so far! In case you can't make heads or tails of what you're seeing, the little legs are at the top, and the baby is in (surprise, surprise) the fetal position!

Mommy Update:

-Not really showing yet, but developing a nice layer of cushioning that makes fitting into certain pants a bit tricky!

-Has developed a super sense of smell and consequently a strict anti-air freshener policy - also avoiding certain aisles in the supermarket!

-Nauseous, tired, and hungry all the time (a wonderful sign, according to Grandpa Pete!)

-Currently craving Mexican food, yogurt, and bananas