Houston, We Have a.........

..................................Heartbeat!

No, my midwife didn't fall for my attempts to get an early ultrasound, but we did get to listen to Baby Hami swim around and punch at the Doppler! He sure did respond to the pressure she put on my belly and was swimming laps back and forth this afternoon. Baby H was barely still enough to pick up the heartbeat on the monitor but we finally found a nice strong heartbeat at 150bpm. Apparently Linc and I are in for quite a handful! Looks like this is going to be one active baby!

The big gender reveal is scheduled for October 26th at 3:40pm. The anticipation is quite exciting and I will anxiously be counting down the days until we officially meet this little person. Boy or girl, we're praying for a healthy, strong, and happy baby- and perhaps one that will let us sleep every once and a while ;)

Guacamole

We have somehow already reached the fourth month of pregnancy! BabyCenter says to get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, baby H will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. Inside, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as he continues to develop.

It seems like I had a huge growth spurt between 7 and 13 weeks, and since then my bump has remained about the same size. Now, I take these photos in the morning, so there is a noticeable difference between a morning belly and night belly! Right now the morning pics will have to suffice!

My four month stats are as follows:
Weight= + 6 pounds (up 3 since 09/07)
Waist= + 1 inch (no change since 09/07)
Hips= no change (no change since 07/06)
Bust= + 2 inches (no change since 09/07)
Belly= + 3.5 inches (up .5 in since 09/07)

I have still not gotten my energy back all the way, but I have noticed a slight improvement in activity level! My tennis game is going well and I have been walking after school a bit. Hopefully I can keep both of these up now that temperatures have dropped and fall is on its way! I have my four month check up tomorrow and maybe they'll let me hear Hami's heartbeat!

Here's to Three!

My sister Kristin alerted me to check out my marriage ticker at the side of my blog. How neat to see it roll along today to being married 3 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 3 days!

It may not seem like a long time to some but when I first met Linc (at age 16) I could not have imagined the adventure we would be on nine (let alone 3) years later and all of the things we would experience together. I am so lucky to have my best friend by my side, walking through life with me, and sharing all the blessings that God has provided. I am also thankful to have someone who is so supportive, loving, caring, and hard working and feel very lucky that I get to spend the rest of my life with him! I cannot wait to see our little family of two add one more and we can celebrate another important three in a few months!! I love you Linc.

Love-Love

If you have been reading my blog for a while or know me in real life you know how much I love tennis!! I had my first match of the season tonight since we got rained out on Sunday. The actual first match I won by default (the other team did not show up) but I don't really count it since I didn't have to play.

It was incredibly muggy out tonight, but I was all geared up after a bit of practice yesterday and a nice long walk with my friend Robyn to stretch my muscles. My partner Robin and I (not the same one) have never even practiced together before, so I was anxious to see how we played. Not to mention the fact that this was my first ALTA match since becoming obviously pregnant. Well, I didn't need to worry because we played great together and won 6-1, 6-3. The other girls had a ton of bag tags, so it felt even better to beat them! We had a great time though and they were really a lot of fun. It was a great way to start the season and hopefully a sign of many more wins to come! Now time to shower and hit the hay. Baby needs his rest ;)

Greatest News Ever

(for the moment anyway)...I just got finished telling my student intern how we never, ever get the day off of school. She had emailed me wondering if she needed to come in tomorrow and after laughing a bit I explained that it takes an act of God for our county to close schools. Despite the torrential downpour that Atlanta has been receiving for the past few days and the flooding surrounding my school, I was convinced that everything would be running as usual. Imagine my surprise when I received an email (not ten minutes later) from my principal stating the following:

Schools Closed on Tuesday

All Fulton County schools will be closed Tuesday, September 22,
due to the heavy rains affecting metro Atlanta.

Apparently I spoke too soon! After doing a little happy dance, I promptly called my intern and told her I was wrong. I will definitely enjoy my day off and am hoping to stay dry and sleep in late! I hope all of you experiencing this weather are somewhere safe and staying off the roads! I am going to change into my pajamas for the evening and curl up on the couch!

My Second Grade Team
Amy, Sandy, Me (and Baby H), Lynn,
Kelecia, Jocelyn, and Annie

An Apple a Day

Week fifteen brings lots of changes for Baby Hami and I am still trucking right along! I thought my morning sickness had ended but then had one of the worst mornings in my pregnancy so far so I am not sure if I'm totally over that hump yet! According to BabyCenter, baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. She is also forming taste buds.

Linc has been talking to the baby now and referring to him/her by name--which we will not be sharing until the end of October when we know for sure what the gender is! He is such an amazing husband and I keep getting little glimpses of what he will be like in a few months as a dad. I cannot wait! He also likes to give my stomach raspberries, which is probably totally freaking out this poor child since apparently it can hear now too! In other news, I am pretty happy with my weight gain so far (+ 5 pounds) and have managed to stay right where my doctor wanted me to. From here on out they want me to gain a pound a week, which shouldn't be too hard ;) My goal is to stay right under 30 pounds- a really scary number for someone who has been battling their weight since college!

I have also begun to think of registry items and have researched and found the infant and toddler car seat I would like, as well as the perfect stroller! Of course the retail chains don't have the colors I want online, so maybe in a few months (weeks?) when I actually make the registry they will be available. I used the book Baby Bargains- borrowed from a friend- to see all the top rated products on the market right now. I am set on the Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat in Platinum. I love how sleek and stylish it is, and it got the highest safety ratings out of all the infant carriers on the market right now. It also has an attachment that makes it compatible with the Baby Jogger City Mini Stroller that I fell in love with at Bellini. It's not actually a jogging stroller, but since I am not a runner that's not really an issue! This stroller is incredibly lightweight, easy to push one handed, and folds up in a matter of milliseconds! I was even able to fold it and put it away with bags in my hands! When the baby gets bigger, the Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat also got top safety ratings from Baby Bargains and can be used for children from 20 to 100lbs! I love the simple black and tan, which just so happens to match the interior of my car! Not to mention the fact that it has cup holders, perfect for sippy cups and bottles!

I am so excited to continue my research and find more things that baby Hami will need in the coming months. If anyone has any suggestions on items I should take a look at, please feel free to let me know- or any stores besides Babies R Us worth checking out I'd love to hear it!
Happy Monday everyone! If you live in Atlanta, don't forget your umbrella!

Craft Time

This past Thursday I attended a Stampin' Up party with my mom and sister. My friends Halie and Robyn came too and we had a long night of eating, hanging out, and making craft projects. Robyn's mother in law Donna hosted the party. She is an avid homemade card maker and even has an entire room in her basement dedicated to this neat hobby. Donna sells her cards at school and always has the perfect one for any occasion. She begins her Christmas cards in the summer and hand makes each one for friends and family! It was so much fun to set aside an entire evening to let our creative juices flow, and we walked away with three incredibly cute projects!

The first item we made was a self-embossed Christmas card! We used a punch out to create the ornaments, hand glittered each one, and added the silver embossing using powder and a hand dryer. The card is 3-D and comes with its own decorated envelope. This is the project that took us the most time and I love the way mine turned out. I do not think I will be mailing it out this holiday season, but we'll have to see! If only I had planned ahead and started making more back in the summer, then everyone could get a homemade card! I don't think that will happen this year...or the next...but a girl can dream!

For the second project, we hand stamped our own orange paper using fall-themed quotes and then cut them into strips. We tied the strips together to create a basket- or even a pumpkin if you open it up all the way! We also cut out the tag and used a mini stamp for the greeting. Add a few pieces of ribbon and some glue dots and ta-da! This project required a few more tools than the card, including one called the "Crop-adile!" We also needed a fancy hole punch with multiple size punchers that made life much easier!

By the time we got to the third project it was nearly 10:00 and I was exhausted. I almost didn't stay to finish, but I'm glad I did! We made the most adorable treat bag that holds two chocolate nuggets. This would be such a fun item to pass out to trick-or-treaters...if I had tons of free time to create them all! The paper was already prefolded and perforated so all we had to do is trim a corner here, add some glue dots there, throw on some ribbon and a brad for decoration, and finish it off with some Velcro to close! Inside are two pieces of candy, each wrapped in coordinating black skull print paper!

I love being able to spend time crafting and creating something unique and special. It makes me want to get out my scrapbook and get back to work! Card making would be such a fun hobby to pick up too, but for now I think I will just go to Donna's house and borrow her things when the mood strikes! If anyone is ever interested in hosting their own Stampin' Up party, let me know! Our demonstrator was great and travels all over Georgia.

Fortune Teller

Someone mentioned trying Madame Zaritska to predict the sex of our child. Obviously this is only for fun, but I got two incredibly different "predictions" by changing one single answer in the quiz. I switched my cravings from fruit (#1) to chocolate (#2). To be honest, I am not really craving anything yet, so I wanted to see if it made a difference. They were pretty funny to read.

Prediction #1-
Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction: The day you deliver, outside will be light. Your baby will arrive in the late evening. After a labor lasting approximately 35 hours (you have got to be freaking kidding me!), your child, a girl, will be born. Your baby will weigh about 10 pounds, 15 ounces (so I guess she does take after the Hamilton side of the family), and will be 17-1/2 inches long (this seems a bit out of proportion to me). This child will have light blue eyes and some blonde hair (this makes sense- both Linc and I have blue eyes and were born with light hair).

Prediction #2-
Madame Zaritska, using her mystical powers, has the following prediction: The day you deliver, outside will be bright. Your baby will arrive in the late evening. After a labor lasting approximately 14 hours (that seems a bit more manageable), your child, a boy (mother's intuition? hahaha), will be born. Your baby will weigh about 7 pounds, 3 ounces (yes please!), and will be 19,19-1/2 inches long. This child will have dark hazel eyes and a lot of brown hair (mm...I am pretty sure since both Linc and I have blue eyes our offspring will too. Am I wrong?).

When Life Hands You a Lemon

At week 14, Baby Hami is now the size of a lemon! According to BabyCenter, baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body.

He is definitely making his little existence known, as my belly continues to grow rounder with each passing day! I don't mind showing one bit, and can't wait to wear more obvious maternity clothes. By some miracle I woke up on Monday and was not nauseous for the first time since coming home from Greece. I am still having a bit of trouble with brushing and flossing my teeth, but SO thankful that the all day queasy feeling seems to be gone. Still waiting for my energy level to increase, but I have been able to go walking a lot more now and keep up with my tennis game. I don't think after school naps are such a bad thing anyway!

My next appointment is September 28th, but we'll only go for some testing and measuring. We won't get to see Baby Hami again until October, when we find out if he is truly a he!! So far all the websites that do gender prediction are split about 50/50. I thought it would be overwhelmingly one direction, so they're not very helpful! I am not sure if I've mentioned this before, but I have felt boy from the moment we found out about being pregnant. As soon as we confirmed it, I have thought boy ever since! I guess we will see how accurate my mother's instinct is in a few weeks. Whatever the gender, I just pray that Baby Hami continues to grow nice and strong and I am able to stay healthy with all the new fall germs arriving daily at school!

Busy Weekend

I'm so bummed I didn't have my camera for anything we did this weekend because it was jam packed! On Friday we went over to Matt and Becky's for dinner. Mark, Jane, and another friend were there too and we filled up on delicious steak and corn on the cob. Those Woomers sure know how to spoil us!! Afterward, the boys took over the dining room for a game of Axis and Allies, and the girls watched Rachel Getting Married. It was certainly not the chick flick I was expecting, but it was really good!

On Saturday Linc left early for a tennis match and I met his mom down in Buckhead for some pampering and shopping! She treated me to a mani and pedi and then we had lunch at a yummy little taquería. We scoped out baby gifts at B. Braithwaite, and I fell in love with everything in the store! They have the most precious Christening gowns, blankies, and hooded towels and I am thinking we might just have to register here in the near future! Sherry bought me a shirt that says "Due in March" that I can't wait to wear. It's one size fits all, so hopefully it will stretch and last for a while! We also went to Bellini where I found the most perfect bedding in the entire world. Of course it was ridiculously expensive, so we took lots of pictures and will hopefully be able to find some fabric at the store to make it ourselves!

On Saturday night we went to our neighbor's house to watch the UGA game. All of our neighbors were there and we had lots of fun getting to know them and pigging out on tailgating food! I didn't last the entire game though, since I had to get up early for church, and we headed home a little before 10pm. After church I was supposed to have my first ALTA match, but the other team had to forfeit two lines and I ended up winning by default! I went to cheer my team on though, and they all did really great! We start the season with a 4-1 win! Not bad! Linc and I caught up on laundry after that, watched a bit of TV, and conked out on the couch! It was a fun weekend and great to finally spend some quality time with my hubby!

PS- today also marks the official start to my second trimester! Whoop Whoop! Now let's just hope some of my energy returns so I can enjoy it! Baby "food" post coming soon...

A New Way to Look at Shrimp

This week marks the last week of my first trimester and things are cooking right along. According to BabyCenter, fingerprints have formed on my baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If we're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Baby Hami is almost 3 inches long (the length of a shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

As far as my own growth, I have noticed that clothes are a little tighter by the end of the day. My stomach expands pretty severely over the course of the day and shrinks right back to size overnight! It is an interesting thing to see. I am similar in size to three weeks ago and have only gained a pound since my last check up- which seems to have found its way right underneath my belly button. I have been able to get a good amount of sleep each night (fingers crossed that continues), and usually only have to get up once for a potty break. Now let's just hope the all day nausea goes away soon!

My first trimester stats are as follows:
Weight= + 3 pounds
Waist= + 1 inch
Hips= no change
Bust= + 2 inches
Belly= + 3 inches

HHI

Today is our last day in HHI, even though it feels like we just got here! It was a quick trip but lots of fun and I really enjoyed getting to see all of my family. We went to the beach Saturday and Sunday, rode lots of bikes, watched a lot of tennis on TV, read books, relaxed, and just enjoyed each other's company. Yesterday we biked down to Harbor Town and had lunch at the Harbor Town Grille overlooking the golfcourse and a celebrity tournament in the works. I did not recognize any of the player's names, but it was fun to watch anyway. Later that evening the kids cooked dinner for the parents. Alex made a yummy broiled tilapia, the boys grilled out steaks, and Kris and I were in charge of the side dishes. Before we load up the car, here are just a few pictures of our last two days!

Biking to Harbor Town

Me and Linc in front of the lighthouse after lunch!

The Nathans
Alex, Dad, Me, Kris, and Mom

Tennis Anyone?

Greetings from Hilton Head Island, SC! It just so happens that everyone in my family and extended family plays tennis. In honor of the US Open, we decided to hold our own tennis tournament while we were in Hilton Head celebrating my grandmother's 80th birthday. Grammy was the score keeper and twelve of us competed in a round robin style competition. We had a chance to play with almost everyone and after six rounds, the leader board was pretty tight. Lincoln ended up taking the win with my brother-in-law Ryan a close second. I had been tied for first, but was knocked from my top spot after a difficult match with my cousin Kate against my mother and aunt. The boys won Hilton Head Island Tervis Tumblers and have bragging rights until next year!

Here are a few photos of the big event!

Hanging out with Grammy before the big event!

The first match up- Linc and me vs. Mom and Dad

All the competitors
Kate, Dad, Alex, Me, Mom, Linc, Kris,
Ryan, Elaine, Rick, Mike, and Megan

Can You See The Resemblance?

Today was our twelve week ultrasound appointment, and boy what a difference a month makes! From a tiny blob to a tiny baby with fingers, toes, and an adorable little nose, I cannot believe that is inside me right now! The picture isn't the best quality, but I couldn't wait to introduce our little one to the world! He was very active during the appointment and was showing off some of his acrobatics!

Baby Hami at 12 weeks and 3 days

He had a nice, strong heartbeat at 143bpm and seemed to be having a great time rolling around! Linc and I are already in love and when the little one waved at us I almost lost it! We go back in 3 1/2 weeks for a regular check up and then at the end of October we'll be able to find out if my mother's intuition is correct with our big ultrasound. We're off to Hilton Head tomorrow to celebrate my Grammy's 80th birthday and to get a few blankies that she knitted for us! Can't wait!!

Have a great Labor Day Weekend!

I Should Be Grading Papers

I promised my bestie Candace that I wouldn't become one of those bloggers who now only posts about her pregnancy...but I just couldn't help myself with this one! I will do my best to post about non-baby related things but thankfully life has been semi uneventful lately. We're going to HHI this weekend though, so I am super excited about that and will have lots to tell!

And yes, this is what I do at home instead of grading
the stack of papers I need to finish by Friday.

With our detailed ultrasound just around the corner, I have been curious to know if we'll be able to see any of the facial features that our little one has begun developing! I am sure it's too early to know who the baby will look like, but it is still fun to speculate at what features our child will get from the two of us. Chances are it will have blue eyes and possibly even blond hair, since we both have blue eyes and were both blond as kids. To satisfy my curiosity, I found a website that morphs images of the parents and gives you an idea of what the offspring might look like. It was pretty fun to see the different combinations, and here are the two that they came up with.