7 Weeks

I have to admit, I've kinda been putting this off (who likes taking pics of themself?), but I swear my jeans are feeling a bit tighter in the lower abdomen and although I don't actually think I'll start showing for a while yet, it is probably best to just get the initial one over with so we definitely have a "before" picture to compare to!

Our First Toy!

Special thanks to Great Uncle Bryon and Great Aunt Dianna and cousins Lydia, Garrett, and Kirk. We got a fantastic surprise in the mail yesterday from them. A very nice card with a special note from each of them and then a toy for the baby!

Another big thanks to all of the other well wishes that we've received so far! We're so thrilled and anxious to get through the next few weeks so that we can tell the world!

Princess Portia's Crystal Ball -- Week 7

This week we incorporated Portia's crystal ball gazing with her birthday gift. I held the same treat in each hand and said if she went for the left one her guess is girl, right - boy. Of course she went right to the left one. She sniffed it, then sniffed the right one, then ate the left one. So once again it is GIRL!

Further backing Portia's clairvoyant skills is our chiropractor Dr. DeCanio. For those of you that don't know, I suffer from a pain disorder called Fibromyalgia. I visit Dr. D on a regular basis for adjustments and acupressure. He's different from your average chiropractor because he does holistic treatment and energy healing. Since starting to use him as my doctor, I have had an amazing difference in my pain. Well as part of his treatment he told me that he can also predict the baby's gender. Always the skeptic, I asked what his correctness percentage is. He said 100%! As you have probably guessed, his prediction is also GIRL! I'm not going out yet and buying everything pink, but for now I think that I'm going to go along with Portia and the Dr. :) He did a test to see if it was twins, too, but said he couldn't tell yet...

On a side note, Dr. DeCanio also did some treatments for my morning sickness. I felt so much better when I left the office! Granted now that it has been a few hours, I'm starting to feel nauseous again, but it was nice while it lasted. He also suggested that I buy sea bands. If you don't know what they are, they are these bands that you wear to combat nausea, a lot of times people use them for seasickness. I guess they're a big hit for morning sickness, too. They remind me of my grandpa, who I can remember telling me about using them when he went deep sea fishing! I bought a pair on my way home and am excited to give them a try.

Princess Portia Turns the Big 0-5!

Yep, today's Portia's 5th birthday. She decided to make sure that I knew, really early in the day (2 am!) by asking me to take her outside. Luckily for her, I had to go to the bathroom, too!

Here's Portia starting the day in bed acting like the princess she is!

Here's a pic of her birthday gifts. Notice the toy says "Battle Tested"...

Portia was happy and I have to say that the "Battle Testing" has held up well so far. Usually she destroys a toy in about 5 minutes and she really chewed on that thing for a good hour and it is still in tact!

Pics

Finally -- here are a couple photos. I'm hoping to make a post that I'll update each week with a new pic to track the belly, but for now these pics are for starters.

This pic was taken and Kim's baby shower on March 9th. Of course I had no idea at the time, but we had to have conceived by then, so this is probably my very first pregnancy pic! 3 weeks and 3 days.

This pic was taken at Easter (March 23rd) at my grandparents. My Auntie Jennie took it to send to my parents and it was before we announced our big news, so she had no idea. You can't really tell because of where the pic cuts off, but I put my hand on my hip and pointed at my belly! 5 weeks and 3 days along.

Princess Portia's Crystal Ball -- Weeks 5 and 6

For those of you who don't know, Portia is our furbaby and as the blog title indicates, she'll be the big sis. For the sake of fun, we have decided that each week we're going to let her gaze into her crystal ball and tell us her prediction of the baby's gender.

We first asked her the day we found out. Aaron told her to lay down if she thinks it is a boy or to stand up and dance if she thinks it is a girl. Of course she just looked at him like he was crazy at first, but then she noticed something delectable on the counter and stood up to check it out -- thus week 5 Portia said GIRL.

Then last week, we were hanging out watching TV and Aaron asked her to get up and bark if she thinks it is a boy or to stay cuddled up if she thinks it is a girl. Of course that seems like a loaded question because who would choose anything but staying cuddled up. But, Aaron then yelled, "What was that!?" which is a sure-fire way to get Portia up and to hear a bark (which are otherwise uncommon). But, for once she didn't jump up and she just snuggled in deeper -- so for week 6 Portia stuck to the GIRL prediction.

For those of you wondering what Aaron and I are predicting, he thinks boy and for the most part I've thought boy, too, except that I keep catching myself saying things like "when she gets here" or "I wonder what she'll be like?" So, I really don't have a strong feeling either way at this point.

From the Flu to Morning Sickness?

Aaron and I were both struck by the flu bug this week. Of course everyone that I've told asks if I'm sure it wasn't morning sickness. At the time, I was sure, especially since Aaron had it (surely he wouldn't have sympathy morning sickness!), but now it is 3 days later and I am still nauseous all the time. Uh-oh! I am still holding out some hope that it is just lingering affects of the flu, but as time goes on I'm less and less sure.

Here's why I'm holding out hope:

1. I always heard that the nausea that you get with morning sickness comes on quickly and strong -- I feel nauseous at all times (like I did when I had the flu).
2. I always thought that morning sickness would feel more "hormonal" and not just like the flu. I only base this off of my experience from being on birth control when I felt sick for a while for the first few months after I started using it. I assumed it was probably a similar feeling to morning sickness at the time (thankfully at the time being pregnant never crossed my mind!)

Here's why my hopes are fading:

1. It has been 3 days since I've actually gotten sick (not sure if you still call it morning sickness if you are just nauseous and don't get sick, but let's say you do for this topic of conversation).
2. Aaron had the flu, too and has no nausea at this point.
3. While I'm eating and right after I eat I don't feel nauseous at all, but about 10 minutes after I'm done eating, it comes back.

I guess time will tell...

UPDATE 3/29/08: Ok, I concede, it is m/s. I woke up today and actually was feeling pretty good, but it only lasted about an hour and I'm back to the nausea. It's worth it though!