Happy Halloween

This past week we had some fun with some festive Fall/Halloween activities. Last week I bought Maverick's costume (a shark) and of course had to dress him up in it right away, which he hated!! (but he was just soo cute!!)

Andy and I also decided to visit the pumpkin patch in Orting-Spooner Farms- where we got a pumpkin and some gourds, we didn't do any of the other 'activities' but it was still a fun thing to do, I always want to go to the pumpkin patch and we never end up going.

Tuesday night we had dinner with my mom and Dean since my mom had been gone in Vegas for the past 3 weeks taking care of her dad that was sick :( It was so nice to have her home and have a family dinner. After we ate we decided to carve our pumpkins. Although most of ours didn't turn out how we had hoped, we still had a lot of fun doing it!

And a quick pregnancy update--we hit the 18 week mark Wednesday and had our monthly checkup. Everything was normal, the doctor answered a couple questions I had, we heard the baby's heartbeat (at a nice steady 140bpm) then I was given the h1n1 vaccine and had some blood drawn for the Quad screen. I can't believe only 2 more weeks till we find out boy or girl and the pregnancy is half over!! Time is already flying and I'm sure it's just going to go faster through the holidays.

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween, I will be at work dispatching all the 'fun' calls I'm sure we'll get... :)

Weeks 16 & 17

Week 16:

Tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length!! Right now he's about the size of an avocado (4 1/2 inches head to rump and 3 1/2 ounces).

This week has gone pretty good. Not too many changes, my belly is starting to look 'rounder' finally and I'm really starting to feel pregnant (especially since my non-maternity clothes definitely don't fit the same!) I've been having a lot of lower abdominal pressure, I'm assuming it's just all the growing my uterus and the baby are doing!!

We've also made some progress on the nursery. Andy started putting the wainscoating up around the bottom half of the room and is about half done with that. Once he has another weekend off he's going to finish that and then once we find out if it's a boy or girl we will finish painting the room! :) We also ordered our crib and dresser/changer because it was on sale and the dresser already came! So Andy picked that up on Saturday and it's sitting in the box in the baby's room for now until the painting is done and it doesn't need to be protected :)

Week 17:

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartlidge to bone, and the umbilical cord is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 oz now (about as much as a turnip) and is about 5 inches long from head to bottom. He can move his joints , and the sweat glands are starting to develop.

Weeks 14 & 15...baby's making an appearance :)

Week 14...baby measures about the size of a lemon --3 1/2 inches from crown to rump :) Not many changes with me this week. Still feeling good, the nausea and fatigue are gone, no real cravings, just getting anxious to have a baby bump!!

We had our routine appointment on Wednesday where we got to hear the little peanut's heartbeat for the first time!! (We had seen it on the u/s a few times, but this was the first time we actually heard it...sooo amazing!!) Not much notable at the appointment. The dr. answered a few questions for me and we were sent on our way! On the plus side I scheduled my next 2 appointments...our regular 18 week check up and our 20 week ultrasound, where we finally get to find out the gender!!! Although I just KNOW it's a little boy in there! :)

The highlight of our week was going to see Wicked at the Paramount in Seattle!!! Andy, my mom and I all went to dinner, then to the show which was amazing. If you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend seeing it next time they are here (or you are somewhere where it's showing). The storyline is awesome and pretty funny! Overall it made for a fun evening out.

Week 15...baby measures the size of an orange (or apple depending on what you're reading)--4 inches crown to rump. And my belly seems to have 'popped' a bit the last 2 days...I kinda actually look pregnant now..although to me it just looks like I have a fat belly..I can't wait till it's obvous that I'm pregnant to everyone!! :) I'm sure it won't be too much longer!

I had another fun day off today. I went with my friend Karina's first grade class on a field trip to Lattins Farm where we learned how they make cider, fed farm animals and picked out pumpkins at the pumpkin patch!! I had so much fun and can't wait till I have kids old enough to do all these fun traditions with! I will definitely be visiting this farm again someday and would highly recommend it if you have little ones!