Half-way... 20 Weeks

I know I should have started this a long time ago, but I finally decided to blog about Rick and I's baby journey.  I thought it would be nice for family and friends that are interested to stay up-to-date and a nice way for us to capture this amazing time.  I hope you enjoy.

So, I am going to start with a "quick" 20-week recap.  Rick and I found out we were expecting in mid-November 2013.  I just had a feeling.  We both knew we wanted kids and were both pretty excited... well, I mean, it doesn't really hit you right away.  It started to hit me with the queasiness that started soon after finding out we were expecting.  I don't think it hit Rick until he heard the heart beat at our 8 week appointment.  Now, it is definitely real.  I am showing, the baby is moving, and we had our 20-week ultrasound and got to see our beautiful, healthy, baby sucking his/her thumb.  I think it made us both a little teary-eyed.  I can't speak for Rick, but I cry at the "Thank you Mom" commercials that are on the for the Olympics right now - it doesn't take much.

Here is a little picture recap of the last 20-weeks.  Rick takes my picture before each Doctor's appointment - so these are each 4 weeks apart starting at 8 weeks. Apparently, I redecorate our family room decor every 4 weeks as my belly grows! lol.

I got over the terrible nausea/vomiting and general crappy feeling about 16 weeks.  Now, I feel pretty good minus some back pain and muscle soreness.  I am finally back to working out pretty regularly and eating more organically and gluten free again.  So, in general, I am feeling a lot better - just growing.  I can feel the baby move and have been able to since about 16 weeks.  It started as small kicks, now I can feel movement pretty regularly throughout the day - some rolling, stretching, and potentially punching, haha.  I love it!  I think it is my favorite part of being pregnant so far.  I really love my growing belly and feeling the baby in my belly.

For the past 10 weeks, Rick and I have been preparing our home and our lives for baby.  We are finishing up some old projects around the house.  Like putting up a back splash in the kitchen. Thanks for the help Mom and Dad.

And, remodeling the basement entirely.  We are adding walls, a room/office, finishing it with carpet, refinishing the basement bathroom, and changing the layout to make it all livable.  It also allows us to transition the current - upstairs office into the babies room.

We have also been discussing and deciding on what kind of parenting style we will take on.  I have been researching the crap out of everything imaginable, from the best onesies to how to properly get boogers out of a newborns nose to nursing, co-sleeping, clothing, diapering, etc.  We recently decided that we plan to try to cloth diaper - for a few reasons.  In the long run, it is very cost effective, environmentally friendly, and more organic for baby.  Disposable diapers sit in landfills and do not biodegrade.  While cloth diapering requires a bit more laundry - water is a re-usable resource.  Also, even though you spend more money on diapers in the beginning (cloth diapers can be very pricey), you re-use them and they last years (hopefully).  After much research, I found that you can save thousands of dollars over the first year of babies life.  And last, there are less chemicals touching babies very sensitive skin.  PLUS, they have super cute patterns and colors!  We don't plan to cloth diaper exclusively as sometimes it just isn't convenient, but we do want to give it a try as our main diapering system.  

If you know me, you know I am a planner (I have never watched so many youtube reviews in my life and I am sure it is overkill)... and I know that doesn't always work out, especially with a new baby, but I really want to try to be as natural and organic as possible with convenience.  I would love to cloth diaper, nurse, and make my own baby food... call me a hippie - but the thought of being a mom is the most fascinating, exciting, and rewarding thing I can think of (I am slightly obsessed right now).  I think people are very quick to judge different parents, parenting styles/choices - every family is different, every child is different, and different things work for different people.  So, my opinion is - to each their own.  The last thing a new, excited parent-to-be wants to hear is: "Just wait for baby #2, you won't care about or need any of these things anymore."  While that may be true - every parent should get to figure that out on their own. Okay - off my rant.

So, I plan to update the blog here and there, so everyone can feel included in the journey.  I hope you enjoy reading me rants about being pregnant and baby things.  It consumes me right now.