Week 17

Week 17 absolutely flew by! After our gender reveal party on Saturday, Andy & I were both eager to start preparing for our baby boy, so the shopping began! Together, we enjoyed purchasing our little one's first gifts from Mommy & Daddy--a couple adorable onesies, a sleeper or two, and the cutest little hats. Our favorite find was a hunter green onesie labeled, "Tough Like Daddy" (talk about melting a Mommy's heart)! I think we both realized then that baby boy is certainly going to be one handsome little munchkin!

After our shopping expedition, I spent the next several days preparing for my upcoming Pharmacology Exam, and anxiously awaiting our first childbirth/parenting education class. As soon as the exam was finished, I hurried home to prepare dinner, tidy the house, and gather our goodies for the class, which turned out to be extremely, extremely helpful! We learned about the stages of labor, symptoms to discuss with your physician, when to arrive at the hospital, what to pack, etc. The "Grand Finale" of the evening, though, was an actual labor and delivery video, which I had warned Andy about prior to the class. I'm not sure if it shocked, disturbed, or alarmed him, but my dear husband spent the next 20 minutes in semi-silence. (He later informed me that it wasn't quite as shocking as he had expected, but it was none-the-less a bit graphic and disturbing, haha!)

Later in the week I suffered a minor knee injury after slipping on our kitchen floor, but thankfully recovered quickly and managed to keep baby boy safe and sound! My fall made me extremely paranoid for the next several days, though, and I think that I walked more slowly, for longer than I care to admit, or was perhaps necessary (I just don't trust my clumsy self!). After I regained some nerve, Andy & I decided to take a quick trip to Berea, where we perused the local candy shops, carpenters' stores, and a special glass-blowing boutique. At the latter destination, we watched in amazement as the artist and his partner shaped intricate starfish out of scorchingly-hot glass blocks. In a matter of minutes they had produced a delicate, detailed treasure that Andy & I just knew we had to purchase for our little boy's future bedroom! We walked away with a gorgeous bright blue starfish that we hope will inspire our baby's imagination and creativity!

Andy & I finished the week with a beautiful church service and a lazy Sunday afternoon. Now we're one week closer to meeting our little miracle! Here's this week's update:

How Far Along: 17 weeks
Total Weight Gain: -3 lbs
Stretchmarks: None!
Sleep: Some nights are better than others, especially with 2-3 bathroom breaks every evening :-/
Best Moment this Week: Purchasing our first gifts for baby!
Movement: Yes, getting stronger every day :-)
Gender: Baby boy!
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button: In...for now ;-)
What I Miss: Warm, caffeinated Starbuck's drinks!
What I am Looking Forward to: Our big 20 week anatomy scan! I want to see more of our little guy!
Milestones: Baby is the size of my palm and is accumulating some body fat. His cartilage is also hardening into bone and he weighs about as much as a large turnip :-)

17 Weeks

Til Next Time,
Hugs & Kisses,
A Southern Sweetheart