And so it begins...

Well, I would love to say that right now I am enjoying my growing belly but I am not. I do enjoy looking pregnant but the fact that my belly itches constantly and feels like my skin cannot stretch any further is not the most pleasant. Also the feeling of not being able to take a full breath or being able to slouch (I guess this could be good for my posture) are not comfortable at all. My belly button is half inny, half outty. The top part is almost out while the bottom half is still in. I am not sure when it will just pop all the way out. I will admit that I have tried to help it out a little bit because I feel the extra skin my relieve some of the pressure I am feeling, but I had no luck.

To top it off, sleeping has actually become a challenge. My left hip falls asleep when I sleep on it and it also falls asleep when I am on my right side. The only way to avoid this weird feeling is to “prop” myself up so my back is at a 45 degree angle to the bed. I either do this with pillows or Garrett:) It’s a good thing he is a heavy sleeper and doesn’t mind me half laying on him. Sometimes, he will feel me move around at night and actually ask, “Do you need me to prop you up?” And then he moves on over!

Other than the expanding belly complaint and not sleeping the greatest, I am feeling great! I get the joy of feeling little Eden kick and punch and play DDR on my organs! And I can actually see my stomach move when she does! Garrett enjoys feeling her too and when he does he always asks, “What does it feel like having her move inside you?” I try to answer as best as I can but I end up telling him that he would have to be pregnant to find out. I really find it a complete joy to being growing this little girl inside me! I feel there is already this deep bond and connection between the two of us just because she depends on me.

Oh the joys and complaints of being pregnant! ****I would like to add that I would be miserable everyday just for her, if that is what it took to bring her healthy and strong into this world.

I would first like to say that no matter what we were having we were going to be excited!!

We feel so incredibly blessed to be having a daughter! I can’t wipe the silly grin off my face! It makes everything so much more real when we found out and instead of calling her “the baby” or always referring to her as “it” (that one always made me feel like we were not having a baby but some kind of monster) we now can refer to her as a her or our daughter or our little girl or by her name – Eden Grace Hufford (Garrett and I had a few names picked out but when we were told it was a girl – he deemed her Eden Grace). I am so in love with her! I can’t wait to see her little hands and feet and to have her be ours!

The appointment went extremely well! She is right on schedule – 21 weeks. She weighs almost a pound and is around 10 inches long (skinny little thing) and a mover and a shaker. The nurse kept trying to get a good picture of her but she was moving around a ton. Then when the nurse was trying to get her to spread her little legs she kept them closed for most of the appointment (I think she was just trying to be modest). But when she finally let us see that she was a girl it was clear – there was nothing between her little legs! We not only got to find out she was a girl but we were able to see the 4 chambers of her heart and watch it beat and see her stomach and her brain. Sometimes I will admit she looked like an alien because of the ultrasound and at one time she looked like she had put a little skeleton suit on and I started cracking up. After we had the ultrasound we met with the doctor and he said that I was doing great and the baby was perfect! All in all, it was the best appointment yet!

I am going to try and post the pictures we got since I have them with me at work right now. And as soon as I remember to get the pictures of our camera I will post some of me and my growing belly!

Well, I am not sure how to change where these are posted...but these are the clearest ones of our daughter.

Boy or Girl? And a special on pregnancy colds:)

We find out on Monday if we are having a little boy or little girl (as long as the baby is cooperative)! I am sooo excited and I know Garrett is too!!!! I am just waiting and wondering what we will be having…

According to a quiz I took, I am having a girl based on the fact that I answered yes to more girl questions than boy. Here is the breakdown:

It's a boy if:
· You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy
· Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute
· You are carrying the extra weight out front (I am not sure if this one is true because I am not huge yet)
· Your belly looks like a basketball
· Your areolas have darkened considerably
· You are carrying low
· You are craving salty or sour foods
· You are craving protein -- meats and cheese
· Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy
· The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy
· Your hands are very dry
· Your pillow faces north when you sleep
· Dad-to-be is gaining weight, right along with you
· Pregnancy has you looking better than ever
· Your urine is bright yellow in color
· Your nose is spreading
· You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves in circles
· You are having headaches
· You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number

It's a girl if:
· You had morning sickness early in pregnancy
· Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute
· You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear (I am not sure if this one is true either but my butt has gotten a bit bigger)
· Your left breast is larger than your right breast
· Your hair develops red highlights
· You are carrying high
· Your belly looks like a watermelon
· You are craving sweets
· You are craving fruit
· You crave orange juice
· You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy
· You are moodier than usual during pregnancy
· Your face breaks out more than usual
· You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread
· Your breasts have really blossomed!
· Your pillow faces south when you sleep
· Your urine is a dull yellow color
· You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves from side to side
· You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an odd number

Who knows!

I am going through my first pregnancy cold. And let me tell you, you can’t take much (and the stuff you are allowed to take I personally can’t take) so there is no relief except to let it run its course. The runny/stuffy nose is what is getting to me. I can’t breathe at all but my nose is a faucet. I have gone through almost an entire box of Kleenex just at work and when we went out to eat for my sister-in-laws birthday, I was asking everyone for any Kleenexes they could spare because the 10 I brought just didn’t make it through the first half-hour (it was a great night besides the cold). I’ve been slathering on menthol cream (not Vicks) under my nose and on my chapped face skin from blowing it a lot which helps me breathe but makes the juices in my nose flow all the more. I think today I am starting to get better. I’ve only blown my nose once every 15 minutes and as I type I do not feel the need to blow it again! I can say I have survived!