27 Weeks

Eric & I went to Opryland Hotel last night for Dinner & to see Christmas Lights

How far along: 27 weeks

Size of baby: Head of cauliflower

Movement: He is getting stronger & starting to kick harder and harder. I absolutely love looking down at my stomach and seeing it pop out here and there.  My stomach will also roll around really slowly at times. I'm reminded of the miracle of life that is growing inside of me.  What an awesome creator we serve! He designed everything just perfectly!

Sleep:  I sleep better on nights that I do body pump, but the other nights are pretty rough with tossing and turning.  The past few nights I have woken up short of breath b/c I was flat on my back.  Oops again!! I have pillows all around me but still end up on my back.

Cravings: I crave oatmeal when I wake up in the morning. Today, I am craving all of the delicious food that my mom will be making on Christmas day! She is making every single item gluten free for me! (Thanks to Jules GFree AP flour...it's the best!) There's nothing like a mother's home cooking!

Queasy or sick:  Not since 1st trimester! yay!

Symptoms:  Very thankful that I haven't had any heartburn or acid reflux (at least not yet).  If I eat too much mexican or chili or something like that, I have a little indigestion, but nothing bad at all.  

Maternity Clothes:  Maternity leggings, jeans, few shirts.

Belly Button In or Out? Half innie/half outie. :)

Wedding Ring On or Off? On

Miss Anything? I miss being able to work out hard core.  These days, I'll go to the gym to walk on the treadmill, and I start hurting pretty badly that I have to stop and get on the stationary bike.  Most days of the week, I'm lucky to get enough energy to get to the gym. All my energy I had 2nd trimester is slowly decreasing. :(
High of the week: It's Christmas time!! We celebrated Christmas w/ Eric's family last weekend.  Abby, Eric's sister is 36 weeks pregnant with baby girl, Gracyn, and it was fun being pregnant with her. Here we are relaxing on the couch:

I can't wait to meet my newest niece in January! 

Tonight, we head out with my brother and his wife and their twin toddlers to Illinois for Christmas.  I'm so excited to relax, eat some good food, and hang out with my family!

Low of the week: Stress.  I guess with the holidays, finishing up shopping, working, and also getting ready for baby boy, I feel like I can't keep up this year.  But now that Christmas weekend is here, I can relax and not worry about a thing. So thankful!

Happy or Moody most of the time: A little of both this week to be honest.  Jesus and I have had some quality time discussing my emotions...so glad He can give us peace in the midst of chaos. 

Gender: BOY!

Looking Forward to: Christmas (aka Jesus' Birthday). I'm excited to celebrate Christmas with Owen next year and to start our own family traditions with him.

26 Weeks & Nursery Update

I'm 26w4d pregnant and definitely starting to feel it.  Owen is growing faster now and I feel like my stomach keeps getting bigger and bigger.  My body is also starting to hurt more. Car rides are the worst b/c I get so uncomfortable and my back starts hurting.  Can't wait to see my favorite chiropractors (Ryan & Allyson Kathalynas) this weekend for an adjustment.  :)  On a brighter note, I will officially be in my 3rd trimester next week!  I can't believe how fast it has gone by!  Being pregnant in the winter is great but the one negative thing about it is that I feel SO pale.  You're not allowed to tan or get a spray tan during pregnancy, so I guess I'll just have to be okay with being very white this pregnancy.  He's worth it. ;)

Nursery Update:
Owen's nursery is finally BLUE!  I absolutely love going into his room now because the blue color just makes it feel more "real."  My dad and Eric painted Tuesday morning while I was at work, but before they were able to paint, they spent hours taping off the accent wall where the crib will be.  See the pictures below:

Eric getting the lines just right

My dad working on this tedious task

The wall with the chalk lines

Eric (aka Daddy to be) hard at work

The wall all taped off, ready to be painted blue

The next step was to paint the wall blue over the tape (it turned darker after it dried)

My dad painting the rest of the walls blue

 

Here it is! I absolutely LOVE it!

My glider came in!

The fabric has the alphabet on it

A huge thanks to my wonderful husband & father for all their hard work on that accent wall & making sure the lines were straight, etc.  I am very happy that the nursery is starting to come together.  I still need to order a crib, curtains, & a rug, and figure out exactly what I'm going to do on the other walls in the nursery, but I know I still have plenty of time.  January will be a fun filled month of baby showers & nursery planning. Can't wait!

25 Weeks

I'm behind on blogging b/c we've been so busy with the holidays, NYC trip, & being out of town every weekend.  So, I'm catching up with my last 4 weeks of pregnancy pictures:

24 weeks (6 months preggers!)

How far along: 25 weeks

Size of baby: Eggplant

Movement: Owen is very active at certain times of the day; usually mid morning and at night when I lay down for bed. It takes me awhile to go to sleep b/c he kicks so much, but I definitely do not mind one bit! I'm thankful for every single kick.  Last night, Eric felt my stomach slowly moving up & down-it felt like Owen was doing rolls in my stomach. I love seeing the look on Eric's face when he feels Owen kick really hard or when Eric can feel my stomach move up and down.  Priceless!

Sleep:  Starting to toss & turn a lot more. Even though you're not supposed to lay flat on your back, I constantly wake up and find myself in this position. Oops! I can't help it, though!

Cravings: Gummy bears & chocolate.  Don't worry, I eat lots of healthy stuff too ;)

Queasy or sick:  Not since 1st trimester! yay!

Showing Yet:  Oh Yes!

Maternity Clothes:  Yes, for some things, but still able to wear some of my regular shirts.  And after what seemed like forever of finding the perfect maternity jeans, I FINALLY found some jeans that fit me perfectly, and I absolutely love them! 

Belly Button In or Out? As I'm writing this, I just asked Eric what he thought (whether my belly button was in or out), and he said that it's a half innie, half outie. lol

Wedding Ring On or Off? On

Miss Anything? Sushi.
High of the week: NYC Trip! Another high was Eric talking to my belly on Saturday morning.  He said, "It's hard to imagine I can love someone so much who I haven't even met yet."  He's so right...I can't get over how much I already love this baby boy. 

Low of the week: Sciatic nerve pain started a few days ago, and it seems to continue off & on. Baby Owen is so worth it, but I'm praying it doesn't last the rest of the pregnancy.  If anyone has any relief tips, I'd love to hear them! (I'm thinking I will start prenatal yoga after the new year (for more reasons than one), and maybe that will help too). 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy most of the time, but with the busyness of being gone every weekend & trying to get things ready for baby, I definitely have my emotional times. 

Gender: BOY!

Looking Forward to: Painting Owen's nursery blue! (Which will hopefully happen this week)  We haven't really done anything to his nursery besides paint the walls white, but I'm hoping to get a lot done in January, after the holidays.  
**Also, if anyone has any recommendations for a nice, inexpensive white crib (does not have to convert to toddler bed), I would love your help!  I found this crib (see below) that I've been thinking about buying, but just not sure about it.  I know it's a 4 in 1 crib, but I can't find one that's not.  Let me know your thoughts!

I'll end this post with another fun highlight of the week.  My sweet friend, Charlotte, let me borrow her Belly Buds.  I put them on my stomach for the 1st time last night and turned on some classical music on Pandora.  Owen started kicking immediately.  He kept kicking over and over again exactly where the headphones were stuck on my belly.  I kept wondering if by him kicking meant he liked or disliked the music, but everything I read online seemed to think that by kicking, the baby likes the music. I sure hope so! It sure was funny to feel him go to town the whole time the music was playing to my womb. 

1st Time Trying Out Belly Buds

21 Weeks

 

How far along: 21 weeks

Size of baby: Large Banana

Movement: Owen is very active now. In fact, he absolutely loves to kick my bladder over and over again.  haha

Sleep:  Not too bad-love my pregnancy pillow.

Cravings: Sweets. I've been loving some organic dark chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth in the afternoons.  I'll also drink some strawberry paraiso white tea in the afternoon to kick the sweets craving.  

Queasy or sick:  Not since 1st trimester! yay!

Showing Yet:  Definitely! Although, I had a nurse on the post partum unit where I work ask me the other day if I was eating enough because I didn't look 5 months pregnant.  I was thinking, "Are you serious? I look very pregnant, and I definitely LOVE to eat. :)"

Maternity Clothes:  Some, but still wearing mostly my regular clothes (with the belly band of course.)  Love wearing my leggings with tunics because they are so comfortable.

Belly Button In or Out? Still in and still getting more and more shallow.

Wedding Ring On or Off? On

Miss Anything? Sushi.
High of the week:  Mom and I went fabric shopping last weekend and found several options to choose from.  Unfortunately, if you know me, you know that I'm very indecisive, so I'm having a hard time deciding on the exact 2 fabrics I want to use.  The nursery will be light blue and white, with elephants as an accent. Eric went to Alabama and an elephant is their mascot.  And I think baby elephants are so cute! Here is a picture of one of the fabrics we are probably going to use. This one will be for the crib bumper that my mom will be making:

Another high is that Eric got to feel Owen kick for the first time Thursday night! He has tried feeling him kick many times, but every time Eric puts his hand on my stomach, Owen stops. Hoping Eric can catch Owen kicking again soon! 
We also started Round 1 of painting the nursery this weekend.  The nursery used to be the guest room, so Eric and I have had to go through all of our clothes, storage, office stuff, etc to decide what to keep, give to Goodwill, and organize. Who knew 2 people could accumulate so much "stuff."

Low of the week:  This morning was definitely a rough one.  It seemed like everything that could go wrong went wrong.  And it's not that there was one big thing that went wrong; it was one of those times where every little thing kept going wrong, and then I just broke.  This was all before church, and I truly felt like satan was attacking me, and just trying to get me overwhelmed, full of worry and stress.  I continued to pray and ask the Lord for peace and protection over my mind from worry and fear.  I then went into the nursery where Eric was painting, and he told me there was only a tiny space left to paint in the nursery, but he ran out of paint.  All of a sudden, I just started crying. No, I wasn't crying b/c we ran out of the expensive zero-VOC paint that we bought. I was crying b/c it was that one last thing that I needed to push me over this morning.  Why is it that satan always seems to get to us on Sundays? I think he'll do anything to try and rob us of our joy and to distract us from worshiping our Savior.  Well, Eric had stayed up til 2 am painting the trim and woke up early to try to finish round 1, so he was pretty frustrated as well, but he just took me in his arms and let me cry.  He reassured me that everything was going to be okay, and reminded me of how blessed we are.  With all that happened this morning, we almost didn't make it to church (wouldn't satan have liked that), but we finally made it to the 12:00pm service, and guess what our pastor Pete's sermon was on: Fear. Coincidence? I think not. Today's sermon was EXACTLY what Eric and I needed to hear and apply to our lives. 

"Your fears establish the limits of your life. You don't have a fear problem. You have a faith problem." - Pete Wilson Very convicting statement.

"One of the most exciting things that could happen in your life today is to trust God in some area of your life that scares you to death." - Pete Wilson
"Are you letting your fears be the fuel that propels you forward or the limits that confine you?" - Pete Wilson

It's amazing how much better I felt when I left church today-the peace of the Lord truly filled my soul.  Looking back, I'm embarrassed at how overwhelmed/fearful/stressed I became this morning, but thankful that I could surrender it all to the Lord and leave it at His feet.  God is so good.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy.

Gender: BOY!

Looking Forward to: Round 2 of painting (Blue) and choosing the exact fabrics we're going to use for the nursery.

20 Weeks

 

How far along: 20 weeks

Size of baby: Cantaloupe

Movement: He is kicking away! I absolutely LOVE feeling him move around...best feeling ever!  The other night I felt him kick from the outside of my stomach, so I had Eric put his hand on my stomach in hopes that he would keep kicking, but of course he stopped.  I can't wait for Eric to feel him. 

Sleep:  As good as it can be for being 5 months pregnant.  Since I have to sleep on my side, I usually wake up stiff with my side a little sore, but as long as I keep turning over during the night, I'm good.

Cravings:  Well, we had a TON of pink/blue jelly bellies left over from the gender reveal party, so unfortunately, I've been enjoying these a little too much.  I finally took the rest to work to give away because if they're in my house, I'll eat them. 

Queasy or sick:  No.

Showing Yet:  Oh yes! Over the past week, I feel like he has definitely made his debut-my bump has gotten MUCH bigger. 

Maternity Clothes:  Some, but still wearing mostly my regular clothes (with the belly band of course.)  I'm also loving my leggings right now. 

Belly Button In or Out? In, but I keep noticing that it's getting more and more shallow. Yikes!

Wedding Ring On or Off? On

Miss Anything? Lots and lots of sushi.

High of the week:  Our gender reveal party! We found out it's a BOY! :)  We named him Owen Daniel Pardue.  Owen means "Young Warrior," and Daniel is also Eric's middle name. 

Low of the week:  None that I can think of.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Always happy unless I've gone too long without food. 

Gender: BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking Forward to: Cleaning out the guest room & getting started on the nursery.  With all the holidays coming up and being out of town a lot, it may be hard to get the nursery done as quickly as I would like, but I'm sure with the help of all the grandparents, we'll have it done in plenty of time.

Gender Reveal Party

IT'S A BOY!!!!

We had our gender reveal party last week (Oct. 27, 2011), where we cut the cake and found out that baby Pardue is a boy!  The day started off with our ultrasound at 8:30 am.  Eric and my mom came with me, and we were all supposed to turn our head when the ultrasound tech told us to (she knew it was a surprise).  Well, as soon as that wand touched my stomach, she immediately said, "Don't look!"  The entire ultrasound, she was adamant about us not looking, so afterwards, all 3 of us had a feeling it was a boy just by the way she acted-Because boys are a bit more obvious on ultrasounds than little girls are. :)  The ultrasound was amazing-Eric and I loved seeing the baby move around and suck his thumb.  He was definitely stubborn though; the tech tried to get a good shot of his profile but he was all curled up facing away from the "camera."  She had me roll around on both sides to try to get him to roll over, but he still wouldn't.  Then she started jabbing my belly with the wand to try to get him to move, and he definitely did not like that.  It was pretty funny watching his reactions to her jabbing him.  Then, he started to suck his thumb-poor thing needed comfort from all that disruption. lol

Back to the party, when we found out it was a boy, I'm pretty sure we were all shocked!  Everyone had been telling us for so long that they just knew I was having a girl, and ALL the old wives tales pointed to girl as well.  (I don't believe in ANY of them anymore haha)  Since it was in our heads that it was a girl, it took awhile to get over the initial shock, but seeing how happy my husband was when it had sunk in that he was having a boy made everything absolutely perfect.  Eric's been excited about the baby this whole time, but something about having a boy made him just light up all weekend anytime we would talk about baby.  I'm so so happy that Eric is going to have a little buddy to watch football with.  And from what everyone has told me, it sounds like little boys like to snuggle with their momma, so I'm thrilled about having a little snuggler.  Here are some pics from the party & ultrasound.

The Cake with the Answer Inside-It was SO hard to wait all day!

We skyped with my brother & his wife & their twins, Eric's parents, brothers, sister & her husband & their 3 boys. It was so great to include everyone on the big reveal.

The voting at the beginning of the night-more were added later.

Eric & I with my Mom & Dad

Waving at us :)

Sucking his thumb

Eric and I are so thankful for a healthy baby boy! We love him so much already!

My Honest Thoughts: Pregnancy & Faith

I'm 18 weeks, and exactly one week from today we find out the sex of our precious baby.  I cannot wait to find out!

As my stomach has gotten bigger and this whole pregnancy thing has started to become more and more real to me, I find that my brain will not turn off.  Pregnancy is an exciting and nerve-wracking time.  If you've never been pregnant, you're probably wondering, how could it be nerve-wracking?  Well, the 1st trimester is when most miscarriages take place, so for some, it can be a scary time.  Many people wait to announce their pregnancy until after their 1st trimester is over.  We announced ours at 7 weeks because we were so excited and wanted to share the great news immediately. We even had someone say to us, "Don't you think you should have waited until the 2nd trimester in case of a miscarriage?"  Why on earth would someone say that to expecting parents, I have no idea.  Anyway, as I'm in my 2nd trimester and go 6 weeks between midwife appointments, I just have to wait and trust that everything is going along great inside of me.  There have been times when I wished I could just hear the baby's heart beat or feel the baby move for reassurance that everything is okay.  One day I thought about just walking into my midwife's office just to hear the heart beat for my personal reassurance.  But then the more I thought about it, I was truly ashamed of my unbelief; my doubting God.  I'm not saying there would have been anything wrong for me to go and hear the heart beat if it made me feel better.  But I realized there was a deeper issue going on inside of me than just that.  I was trying to control the situation, rather than just trust in the fact that God is God, and I am not.   Some days I work with NICU babies at Vanderbilt, so I see worst case scenarios of these precious newborn babies.  Between my experiences in NICU and the recent news of a girl from my hometown area whose little baby died from SIDS, my heart just breaks for these families.  As a woman who is pregnant and very emotional, I've realized I have 2 choices: 1. To live in fear & worry. 2. To trust in God that HE is sovereign, & His plan is far greater than any plan of our own.  I'm choosing to trust the Lord with this child that He has chosen and placed in my womb.  My baby isn't even here yet but I'm reminded that Eric and I must place this child and our future children in the hands of the Lord, for they are HIS children more than they are our own.  In the end, we are only their guardians, a vessel that the Lord is using during our time on earth.  It's hard to imagine, but God loves our children far more than we could ever love them.  What reassuring truth!

Sorry for the deep blog post, but I felt like I needed to get that out as I have been struggling with my wavering faith lately.   I'm so thankful we serve a mighty God who is quick to forgive and quick to offer grace to us.

1 Samuel 1:27–28
"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD."

17 Weeks

 

How far along: 17 weeks

Size of baby: Grapefruit
Movement: Last night I thought I felt something like a popcorn "pop," but I'm not sure if it was the baby or just my imagination.  It happened twice last night, but who knows. 
Sleep:  I've never been a fabulous sleeper, so waking up a few times is normal for me.  I am tossing & turning more, & I head to the bathroom once every night around 3 am. 
Cravings:  Anything sweet
Queasy or sick:  Only strong smells bother me
Showing Yet:  Yup!
Maternity Clothes:  Eric & I went to Old Navy today to look for maternity jeans for me, but they didn't have my size.  I did get a maternity white t-shirt that was on sale for $6.50. 
Belly Button In or Out? In, but I keep noticing that it's getting more and more shallow. Yikes!
Wedding Ring On or Off? On
Miss Anything? A glass of red wine
High of the week:  Eric didn't have to work Saturday, so we spent the ENTIRE day together, which rarely happens. We had a fabulous day together!
Low of the week:  Ole Miss (my alma mater) & Alabama (Eric's alma mater) played each other in football and we lost.  We didn't just lose, we got destroyed.  Hoping Ole Miss has a better season next year.  Eric and I have already been talking about what the baby is going to wear for this game next year.  We're thinking my mom will have to make an outfit that has Ole Miss & Alabama on it.  It's only fair.  :)
Happy or Moody most of the time: Always happy unless I'm tired or hungry.
Gender Prediction:  I have NO idea anymore! Every Old Wives tale says girl, but then everyone says those are never right, so I guess I'll just keep waiting.
Looking Forward to: Feeling our baby kick & finding out the sex in 11 days!!

16 Weeks

How far along: 16 weeks
Size of baby: Avocado
Movement: Nothing yet...still waiting to feel that "flutter."
Sleep:  I got a snoogle! It's a pregnancy pillow that is c-shaped, and I must admit that it definitely does wonders to support my back.  I had heard mixed reviews on this pillow.  Women either hate it or love it.  I would say that I LOVE the support it gives my back when I'm on my side, but wish it gave more stomach support.  The other morning, I mentioned to Eric about possibly taking it back and just getting a body pillow, and he got all upset because he loves the pillow! He said that it supports his back too! lol  So, I guess the pillow is great in that it's helping both of us.  I guess it's a keeper!
Cravings:  Black bean soup & anything sweet
Queasy or sick: When I cook dinner, the smell makes me nauseous. 
Showing Yet:  Yup!
Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but I am wearing my sister-in-law, Amiee's, belly band over most of my pants because they are too tight when buttoned.
Miss Anything?  SUSHI! But I ate it saturday night for the first time during pregnancy, and it tasted divine! I do miss eating raw sushi.  I also miss eating sandwiches w/ deli meat. I hate having to heat it up (I'll admit that a few times I haven't :)  I told Eric that as soon as I push this baby out, we're going to celebrate by enjoying everything I couldn't have during pregnancy.
High of the week:  I'm starting to feel better, yay!
Low of the week:  Eric and I went to the movies yesterday to see "Courageous," and the lady behind us had some STRONG perfume on, and I wanted to gag.  Her perfume probably wasn't as strong as I'm making it out to be, but since pregnancy heightens your senses, any smell is extremely strong to me.  I'm definitely not a fan of perfume or strong lotions during this time.  I had to ask my co worker if she would wear a different lotion because she sits really close to me and the lotion is just too much for me.
Happy or Moody most of the time:  I'll be honest that I'm moody, but usually only if I'm hungry or tired. :) The rest of the time, I'm happy! lol
Gender Prediction:  Well, I have been thinking girl this whole time, but for some reason this week I keep thinking it's a boy. We'll see!
Looking Forward to: October 27 at exactly 7pm when we cut that cake and find out the sex. This momma is getting VERY impatient. I need something to distract me until then. ;)

Gotta get ready for Body Pump now. So thankful for a workout I can do all throughout pregnancy!  Have a great week!

15 Weeks

I am 15 weeks pregnant and definitely starting to show more.  This picture was taken right before we went out for my birthday dinner Friday night.  My sweet mom made the chalkboard sign for me.  And as I'm writing this post, I JUST now realized that I skipped the word "of" on the board.  "Baby Pardue is the size OF an orange."  Pregnancy brain moment, I guess? haha
Here is my 15 week update:

How far along: 15 weeks
Movement: Nothing yet
Sleep:  I've always been a stomach sleeper, and am still trying to sleep on my stomach (partially) with a pillow stuffed under me for support.  Let's just say I'm already tossing & turning most of the night.  Does anyone know if those pregnancy pillows really work or not? Trying to decide whether to get one of those or just a regular body pillow.  Any advice is welcomed!
Cravings:  Nausea has subsided for the most part, so I'm finally able to eat vegetables again. Yay! Still craving anything made from potatoes (mashed potatoes & chick-fil-A fries are my favorite).
Showing Yet:  Yes, especially after a big meal
High of the week:  We got some baby furniture! I found furniture last month at an antique store in Nolensville when my mom, Amiee, and I were shopping.  One of the pieces is a beautiful 1800's armoire.  We also got a dresser and a night stand from there.  My mother-in-law and father-in-law came yesterday and helped us move it into the soon to be nursery.  Now to find a crib!
Low of the week:  Major sinus problems. I just want to breathe at night. :)
Happy or Moody:  I am happy the majority of the time, but I will admit that if I go too long without food, I tend to get a little testy.  I find myself getting a little impatient with people as well...definitely praying about this.  I blame it on the hormones, though! lol
Gender Prediction:  Girl, but now that most people think girl, watch baby Pardue be a boy. haha Either way, I'm thrilled!  Reveal date: Oct. 27, 2011!!
Looking Forward to:  Hopefully feeling the baby move in the next few weeks.

Baby Bump Pics

I'm 15 weeks pregnant and the nausea FINALLY went away!  However, now I'm sick with either a cold or bad sinuses.  I hope I catch a break soon and can start enjoying all the good things I hear about the 2nd trimester.  I hate having this headache, stuffy nose, and not being able to breathe.  On a brighter note, I have those baby bump pics that everyone has been asking me about.  Now, there's not a huge bump yet, but it's definitely there.  Someone who didn't know me on the streets would never know I was pregnant, but I can definitely tell.  However, I do feel that I'm in that "awkward" stage of pregnancy.  It's obvious I've put on a few pounds, but then I don't really look pregnant yet, so some people could confuse me as having a gut.  This just makes me more ready to have a bigger bump so it's obvious that I'm pregnant and not chubby. lol

I forgot to take a picture of my stomach right when I found out I was pregnant so I'm sharing a picture of my hubby and I from the beach right before I got pregnant so you can see the bump grow better. :)

Before Pregnancy

11 Weeks

12 Weeks

13 Weeks


14 Weeks

Gender Prediction: Boy or Girl?

I'm 13 weeks this Thursday! Yay for the 2nd trimester!  Everyone has been asking me for belly pics, so hopefully I'll be posting one in my next blog post.

Gender Prediction:
After people find out you're pregnant, usually the next question is, "Do you think it's a boy or a girl" or something about the baby's gender.  At the beginning of my pregnancy, I honestly had no intuition about the sex of Baby Pardue, but it seemed like EVERYONE else did.  Everyone seems to think I'm having a girl.  Why do they have that intuition, I have no idea.  And as the mommy of this child, you would think I would have this intuition.  Over the past few weeks, I have taken a few gender prediction quizzes online, and they have all said "girl."  These quizzes usually use all the old wives tales to predict the sex.  For example: Is the heart rate above 140?  Do you crave sugar or salty foods?  Has your face cleared up or broken out more?  Have you had morning sickness?  And many more.

My youth leader from high school texted me last week and told me that she had a dream that I had a girl.  Last but not least, I get daily emails from BabyCenter.  Pregnant women who are pregnant at the same time as you post different questions/forums each day.  Today's forum had all these women talking about how the baking soda test predicted the sex of the baby.  I thought I'd heard it all until I heard this one.  According to these women, if you mix 1 Tbsp. baking soda with 1 Tbsp. of your urine, it would either fizz or bubble.  If it fizzes, you're having a boy; if it bubbles, you're having a girl.  Of course I had to try this out for myself as I definitely didn't believe that it would work.  The results: Mine bubbled.  Now, I'm in no way saying that I believe this test works, but I do find it to be a VERY odd test. :)

You're probably thinking, oh my, if this baby is a boy, Kristen is going to be shocked. I don't think I'd be too shocked.  Some days, I really do think it's a boy.  But then part of me has to believe everything around me screaming, "girl."  Obviously, we won't know for sure until the end of October (18 weeks pregnant).  Either way, I will be thrilled because it would be great to have a boy first so he can be the older brother, but then it would also be great to have a girl that could be our little princess. 

Did you "know" the sex of your baby before the ultrasound? If so, how did you know? Intuition? Old wives tales?

New Blog & Pregnancy Cravings

Well, I started Blog #2.  Since my other blog, Naturally Free RD, is all about health and nutrition, I thought this blog would be great to write about the newest addition to our family and other fun things going on in our lives.   I am 11 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and I am SO ready for the 2nd trimester, which is just around the corner.  The nausea, exhaustion, and a few times throwing up, will hopefully come to an end soon.  Don't get me wrong, this baby is ABSOLUTELY worth all of this.  I would do it all over again.  But my poor house has been quite neglected during this 1st trimester, and I'm ready to start cleaning out the guest room in preparation for a nursery. :) It's still hard to believe that there will be a baby in there come March.  I know I have plenty of time, but people have also told me that this time will fly by.  Eric and I were laying on the couch this past Sunday watching a movie, and I reminded Eric that we can't take this time alone that we have together for granted, because before long, we won't have all this alone time.  We are thrilled to be adding to our family, but of course want to relish in these lazy times that we have now.

Baby Pardue: 8 Weeks

We had our 1st midwife appointment at 8 weeks where we had the 1st ultrasound.  It was too early to hear the baby's heartbeat, but it was so reassuring and exciting to see the heartbeat on the screen.  His/Her heartbeat was 150 that day.  I've heard lots of different things on how to predict whether it's a boy or girl based on the heartbeat.  People have told me that 150 is on the higher end.  I'm excited for our next appointment on Sept. 20 to see what his/her heartbeat is then.  It's amazing how in love I am with this baby already!

Pregnancy Cravings:
Well, I went from eating salads everyday and lots of vegetables at dinner to not being able to tolerate vegetables very well.  As a dietitian, it's been hard not being able to tolerate salads and vegetables because I know just how good they are for the baby and for my health as well.  But if I can't stomach them, than I just can't do it.  I can tolerate fresh vegetable juice from the juicing station at whole foods, so I will get freshly juiced veggies once or twice a week to get some nutrients in my body.  What I am craving are carbs; anything to settle my stomach and make me feel better. Comfort foods.  My sweet momma came down during week 6 or 7 (my worst weeks) and cooked us a delicious casserole and cleaned our house since I was so exhausted and didn't feel well.  I am EXTREMELY blessed to have the mom that I do. She is truly the most selfless person I've ever met.  I hope I'm as good of a mom as she has been to me.

What else am I craving? Any type of beans taste amazing to me. Mashed potatoes taste divine right now.  I actually had Eric call Applebee's last Friday night to see if we could get an order of mashed potatoes and green beans to-go. haha  They didn't have just that, so we ran to McAlister's so I could get a baked potato.  Why didn't we just make this at home? Good question-I have no idea! It was late, and I just wanted some food quickly.  Last but not least, my absolute favorite craving: ICE CREAM!  If I could pick my cravings, I would obviously pick healthier things, but I can't so I'll just blame it on the baby. :)  I hope that the 2nd trimester brings energy and a taste for salads and veggies again.  Until then, feel free to give me a call if you need an ice cream date. I'm your girl! ;)

Thanks for visiting my new blog. I'm new to Blogger, so if you have any tips or advice on it, feel free to pass them on.  I hope everyone has a fabulous Labor Day weekend!