A few bump pics...

Life has been crazy lately with Mike being in Europe, my job being extra busy, trying to get the baby room ready, a weekend birthday trip to Seattle, not to mention the holidays and lots of Christmas parties at our house.  I have also been slowing down thanks to my bigger state, get tired and ridiculously hot easily and have finally realized I need some help to do stuff such as lifting and putting things away in high places.  Life is amazing right now though and honestly this is the first time in my life I feel complete and wouldn't want to be living any other life then the one I am living right now.  We truly are blessed and are so grateful for the gifts we have been given over the past year.  I will try and find some time to post about France and Seattle but for now, here are some bump pics over the last 10 weeks...

22 Weeks

 

 23 weeks

 

27 Weeks 

 

29 Weeks

 

Happy holidays to each of you!

20 Week Bump and 21 Week Update!

 

How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Finally gaining!

Maternity clothes? I finally broke down and bought maternity clothes and I don’t know why I was so resistant because baby P is pretty low so he likes to push my clothes down. Motherhood and A Pea in the Pod have become my two new favorite stores (although I will only buy things from the sale rack at A Pea in the Pod). I have found some great jeans, work pants and skirts at Motherhood for a very reasonable price and some great tops at A Pea in the Pod. Plus each time I buy stuff from there I get a 20% off Buy Buy Baby coupon; double score!

Stretch marks? Nope, I read the other day that stretch marks are mostly genetic and my mom never got them so I am hopeful I won’t either.

Sleep: I haven’t been able to get a very restful sleep for a while now that I am waking up to pee once or twice a night and am having a hard time getting comfortable but sleep is overrated right?

Best moment this week: We went and registered at Buy Buy Baby (Hannie I linked it for you) before Mike had to head back to France and it feels good to know what we want and have all of the research done.  Seriously though, we were there for 6 hours and I was ready to go after 2.  Mike was a trooper though and compared everything in his trusty consumer report handbook and I feel really good about what we picked.

This week I also had the most amazing massage at Sanctuary that was just what I needed. People are also starting to ask me about showers and I am visibly pregnant now, so it’s fun to think Parker will be here in only 4 more months!

Miss Anything? IB Proufin- seriously these killer headaches are no bueno. Also full strength Starbucks.

Movement: No kicks yet and I am desperately waiting to feel some just to make sure he is ok!

Food cravings: Alfredo dipping sauce from Olive Garden, milk, candy, candy, candy, Cafe Rio salads.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still feeling really good minus the headaches! I swear they are getting worse.

Have you started to show yet: Yup, no hiding it now.

Gender Prediction: We are having a little boy and plan to name him Parker Vincet

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On

Happy or Moody most of the time: Tired and uncomfortable but for the most part I am doing well. I have had a few “pregnancy meltdowns”, including one yesterday after having to move my 20 week ultrasound but I feel like I have been handling most of this ok minus having no energy to do anything and dealing with headaches.

Looking forward to: Our 20 week ultrasound tomorrow to make sure all is ok! Taking a picture of Parker and I in front of the Eiffel Tower and getting some pressure therapy/botox therapy done to my nerves to hopefully allieviate the headaches.

 

Another fun thing is I finally found baby bedding that I love.  I want a really clean classic room for Parker and since my new obsession is grey, this works perfectly.  It's a custom from Carousel Designs and I can't wait to get it and really start putting his room together.

 

 

Finally, I am going a little clothing crazy... I think because I have resisted for so long I am now buying everything I see that is cute out of fear I won't be able to find anything for him when he gets here (totally irrational I know).  My latest clothing obsession is little boy polo clothes.  Here are a few of the totally adorable items I bought for Parker.  He is going to be one dapper little dude!

 

 

 

 

Loving that this little guy is going to be here in a short 4 months and can't wait to meet him!



Diary of a single, pregnant wife...

Mike left for Europe last Sunday and in his absense I have been doing a lot of baby planning and trying to get some things done in order to make the days go by faster.  It's been interesting having him be 8 hours ahead of me and it makes communicating hard because when I am waking up it is 2 pm for him and when I get off work he is already asleep for the night, but we have been able to talk via email and get some things accomplished.  I think it's really starting to hit me that in a short 22 weeks we will be bringing home baby Parker and our lives will be forever changed by this little guy we already adore so much.  Here is a little recap of the past week...

Childcare- As many of you know, I absolutely LOVE my job and I go into work every day with a smile on my face and feel very accomplished and appreciated in my role.  I work with the best people, have so much fun on a daily basis and just love what I do.  When I was working in the insurance world I wanted to be a stay at home mom because it had become incredibly stressful and I would dread going to work every day but after being in a job I love and being home on unemployment for three months, I decided that I didn't think being a stay at home mom was really for me.  My mom always worked and she has told me that she was a better mom because she was able to interact with adults, do something she was good at and could provide so many more opportunities for us because there were two incomes coming in instead of just one.  When we started undergoing fertility treatments, we began to seriously compare the pros and cons of me working versus me being a stay-at-home mom.  After many hours of conversations regarding the matter, we came to the conclusion that I would stay at work and we would find someone to watch baby Parker during the day.  A lot went into this decision but some of the key points were my incredible benefits including my health insurance that covers IVF 100%, which we will most likely need to do again in order to give Parker a sibling, the enjoyment and satisfaction I get out of the work I do and the extra income to do the "fun" things such as traveling, going out to eat, golfing, shopping as well as turning our house into a home and paying someone to do the not so enjoyable things like cleaning and mowing the lawn.  While being a working mama isn't for everyone, I feel like for now it's the right choice for our family (although this very well could change when he comes) and am looking forward to the new challenge of it and turning the moments when I am not at work into quality moments with my hubby and son.

After making the decision that I wanted to stay at work (after taking advantage of my three months of maternity leave of course), Mike and I were trying to figure out who we would trust to watch baby Parker.  We looked into multiple options including family, care.com and daycare and I after a lot of research, I think we found a wonderful facility to watch him.  It's called Christ Lutheran and it was recommended to me by many people and it is literally 3 minutes from my house.  They have a fantastic Early Childhood Education program with great reviews and credentials and are very reasonably priced.  Mike and I have an interview set up when he is back and I am really excited and relieved to have found such a great and trustworthy place to watch him because it will make the transition of going back to work that much easier.  Wow, the decisions that come with parenthood are crazy and it makes becoming a mama so much more real.    

Maternity Clothes-  Baby P is getting bigger by the day so I finally made the time to buy some maternity clothes.  I don't know why I was so resistant to buying maternity clothes (maybe because I wasn't sure where to shop), because they are SO much more comfortable than trying to stuff myself into my normal jeans and work pants.  As much as I wish Express had a maternity section, they don't, so I have found myself at Target, Motherhood, A Pea in the Pod, Marshalls, TJ Maxx and other various places trying to find reasonably priced, but still stylish items to wear.  I have found most of my stuff at Motherhood, including some tops, jeans, work pants and skirts, but have also found a couple of things at A Pea in the Pod and Target.  My sweet friends Annie, Liz and Rachel also gave me a bunch of stuff so I feel much more prepared as this belly of mine gets bigger. 

Stuff for Baby Parker- I think that we have settled on this crib set and Mike and I are going to go look at it when he comes home next weekend before he leaves for his 5 week stint in Europe.  My friend Rachel, who had her son the day after Baby P is due, told me that she waited until Black Friday to buy all of her baby stuff and she was able to get a great deal on everything so I think that's what we will probably do as well.  We have also decided that his room will probably be a blue, grey and white color scheme and I am now on the hunt for crib bedding.  It's fun to have an idea of what his room will look like though and again, makes it so much more real!

I am really obsessed with grey and blue right now, as well as blankets and have been buying a lot of both (seriously I should really stop buying blankets because I probably have 20 already).  They are just too cute and I am slightly obsessed with buying blankets for myself so mini blankets with cute designs are even more fun to buy!  

I also found this adorbs boppy cover on etsy...

 

as well as this dapper Utes polo... 

 

 

and these super cute onesies we bought the day we out we found out Baby Ricci was a boy. 

 

 

Marshalls and TJ Maxx actually have some great baby clothes at a super reasonable price and I can't wait to see what little Parker will look like in all of this fun stuff!

 

In Other News... Ok, enough about baby stuff (as you can tell it's kind of consuming my life.)  As I mentioned, Mike has been in Europe working with Airbus on a new airplane design and will be there on and off for the next 2 months.  While we miss him here, he has had a great time exploring Spain and southern France, trying new food and living the European lifestyle.  I will actually be going out to visit him in October for 10 days and I am really excited to explore France and visit Paris and the Eiffel Tower and cross something on my bucket list.  Mike has been sending me pics of his adventures so here they are...

 

 Outside of Mike's hotel in Toulouse

 

Spain

 

 

 

 

My cute hubby sent me this from Spain...

 

as well as these beautiful flowers.  I really am a lucky wife.

 

 

Baby Miracles... In addition to our own miracle, the prayers of two of my sweet friends were also answered.  Do you remember this previous post about Taylor looking to adopt?  Well at the end of August, Taylor and her hubby Darren were blessed with their sweet little boy Cohen through the miracle of adoption.  He is adorable and I am so glad her wait for her little one is finally over.  She truly deserves the happiness and love this little boy is bringing into her life.

 

My dear friend Hannie also has been trying for the past three years and after a round of IVF, she was blessed with the miracle of pregnancy and is currently 8 weeks with her little one.  I am so thrilled for her and her hubby Ryan and love that our babies will only be 10 weeks apart.  She and I have been friends for 14 years and I feel like we are kindrid spirits and have gone through many of the same experiences at the same time.  She truly is one of my constants and I know I can count on her for anything.  Love you Han and I am so happy you are on your journey to motherhood and will be a fantastic mama!

 

 

2012 has been an amazing year and it just keeps getting better.  I really feel truly blessed.  Hope you all have a great week!

Growing and Growing!

16 weeks and growing!

How far along? 17 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Finally up a pound! 

Maternity clothes? I am still squeezing into my jeans thanks to my belly bands because I haven't had time to shop for maternity clothes but I am loving dresses and am going shopping for some clothes tomorrow  
Stretch marks? Not yet and I am hopeful they won't come
Sleep: I am having sciatic problems and headaches so sleep is still a struggle but I have been napping a LOT.
Best moment this week: Well the best moment of the past few weeks is finding out baby Ricci is a BOY and finally having a real bump.
Miss Anything? Red wine, cocktails during our "babymoon" trip to Cancun and my energy and endurance but it's definitely worth it!
Movement: I started feeling little flutters about a week ago; so much fun!
Food cravings: Mango sticky rice, anything Italian, milk, cereal, candy, candy, candy, Cafe Rio salads.
Anything making you queasy or sick: I am actually feeling great now and luckily nothing has been making me sick, which has been nice.
Have you started to show yet: Yup, baby really popped out during Cancun and it's getting bigger by the day!
Gender Prediction: Well we found out we are having a BOY!  No mama intuition for me!
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: Tired, more irritable especially when hungry, hot or tired but for the most part I am elated.
Looking forward to: Our 20 week ultrasound to make sure all is ok!  Registering and decorating a nursery.

 

Attempting to rock a bikini during our "Babymoon"

We also have 99% settled on his name and it's fun to call him Parker instead of Baby Ricci.  We are so thrilled with where we are in my pregnancy and can't wait to meet our little man!

 

Baby Ricci is....

We are thrilled and a little bit shocked to announce that we have a future Sigma Chi on our hands.  That's right, Baby Ricci is a BOY!!!!  Even though I was CONVINCED we were having a little girl, we are over the moon that Baby Ricci is a happy and healthy little guy and I think he is pretty adorable.  He was pretty relaxed in the ultrasound and likes to cross his ankles and put his hands up by his face and we fell in love with him even more (if that's even possible).  We can't wait to meet him and snuggle him and couldn't be more thrilled to have this little guy be joining our family in February!  We feel really blessed to finally be having our little miracle and couldn't be more thankful to be living our dream and be embarking on the journey of parenthood.  It's incredible.

 

Finally, a cold storage!

 I absolutely love our house but the one thing I have always thought was lacking was storage space.  In our entire house we have a closet in each of the three bedrooms, a small linen closet in the upstairs bathroom and a small coat closet on the main floor.  We have a lot of cabinet space in the kitchen but it still hasn't been enough for my neurotic organized self.  In fact, last year when we visited the Parade of Homes, I got "closet envy" because all of these new houses had a plethora of storage space, something our house is desperately missing.  I really love having a home for everything and not having everything piled on top of each other.  I am always looking for ways to add organization to my home whether it be through new furniture, reorganization, bins or simply cleaning out the house of unnecessary stuff and one of my favorite places to visit when I can is The Container Store.

In our old house we had a large room that my parents generously did a surprise home makeover on and turned it into a cold storage where we could store anything we needed from paper goods overflow to holiday decorations.  It was a fantastic birthday surprise and one of the hardest rooms for me to leave when we moved to our new house.  Our new house has a small little room downstairs that I quickly designated as our "someday" cold storage and it became the room we put overflow stuff in, as well as items that were too big to fit in the kitchen or that we didn't use very often.  While we knew we wanted to eventually add shelving units to give the room more usable space, something always came before it and we had a hard time finding shelving that would fit the awkward space.

Well, after learning I was pregnant and Mike would be "moving" (I have to use that term lightly because Mike says he isn't moving, he is temporarily relocating), I told him that a cold storage was something I really needed/wanted to have done before he left.  We finally painted the room to brighten it up and then started seriously looking for shelving that would work.  After my parents recommendation, we ended up at Ikea and after a good three hours of designig, we purchased all the makings of what was to be our cold storage and headed home.

It took us almost a week to assemble, install and organize our cold storage but I am ecstatic with the results and can't believe how much useable space we now have.  We still need to put a door on it but for now it will work perfectly!   

The Before Shots:  Literally we just piled everything on top of each other and never knew what we had or what we needed.         

The finished product!  Each of the drawers pull out so it's easier to find what we need.  We still have plenty of space and I look forward to completely filling it up!

 Thanks be for building it, to Bob for helping move all the stuff downstairs, to my parents for their recommendations and helping Mike secure it and to mi madre who passed along her gift and appreciation of organization.

Pink or Blue?

Mike and I are going to attempt to find out what we are having next week, that is as long as Baby Ricci cooperates.  Since the moment I found out I was pregnant, I have thought we were having a girl and I would be shocked (but thrilled nonetheless), if we found out we were having a boy.  As I count down the days to my next ultrasound, I thought it would be fun to do some of the old wives tales tests.  Looks like all of them think I am having a girl too.  :)

Carrying High or Low?  High
Craving Sweet or Salty? Sweet
Chinese Calendar says? Boy or Girl
Breaking Out?  Yes
Ring on a String? Girl
Morning Sickness?  Yes
Baking Soda Test? Girl
Mama's Feeling? Girl

What do you think?  Pink or Blue?

vers la France...

About a month ago Mike came home and told me that he had been asked to go on a two-three month work trip to Toulouse, France to work with Airbus on a composite aircraft.  Initially I was a bit apprehensive because we didn't have a lot of details, weren't exactly sure when he would be going and I was nervous to have him gone for 2-3 months of my pregnancy.  After talking it through and getting more details, we decided that this was an amazing opportunity we couldn't let him pass up and if he was ever going to do this, it needed to be before Baby Ricci joined our family.  My only stipulation was he needed to be home by Christmas so he would for sure not miss our baby's birth.

A few weeks went by and while we knew France was a large possibility, we still didn't have dates and weren't 100% sure he was going to be able to go due to timing.  Well on Friday he was asked to go to France for a "kick off" meeting at the beginning of September for a few days and then he will most likely be heading back at the end of September/early October for two months.  I have been asked by multiple people if I will be going with him for the duration of his stay but in all honesty, I love my job too much to quit and spend two months in France (I am crazy right?)  I do plan on going out for a week or so (pending Dr.'s ok) to see where he is living, to explore the French countryside and get one last adventure in before Baby Ricci joins our family.  My step-dad Rod has also been working internationally in Berlin and Budaphest so my mom is planning to go visit him in Budaphest and then going to visit Mike as well, so he won't be without family for the entire two months.

While I know this is an incredible opportunity for Mike and his career and it will be an experience he will never forget, Baby and I will sure miss him.  2012 has been an amazing year both career wise and family wise and we are looking forward to yet another adventure in our marriage.

Here is a map of where Toulouse is, as well as a couple pics of the town.  I am really excited to visit France and am looking forward to seeing Paris and maybe visiting Spain while I am there.  If you have any travel tips, we would love to hear them!        

Watering the Weeds...

Over the course of this infertility journey I have found that people I thought I could count on and who would always be there for me were not, that the friendships I knew were solid became even stronger and people I never had any idea would be my rock came to my rescue and gave me the support I desperately needed.  There are a few people I never would have gotten through this trial without and they have truly been my lifeline.  I feel incredibly fortunate to have them in my life and to call them my friends. 

Although I have been blessed with some amazing people in my life, I have also realized as the years go by that relationships change and some people are only meant to be in your life for "a reason" or "a season".  When I was in my teens and early twenties I couldn't imagine severing ties with friends I shared incredible moments with, who were a part of some of my most sacred experiences and who I have opened my heart to and beared my soul.  Well as I have grown older (and hopefully wiser) and as I open my heart, home and life to Baby Ricci and the change this little one will bring to our lives, I had to cut out some of the friends I thought I would have forever.  While it has been difficult to separate my life from those who I considered my best friends for many years, eliminating the negativity and toxicity from my life and opening my heart up to friendships has been a breath of fresh air.  Life is too short to have people in your life who make you feel bad about yourself, who only call you when they need something, who deplete your energy and who don't enrich your life the way a friend should.  While I will always cherish moments I had with these friends, I am ready to close the book on those chapters of my life and surround myself with people who make me better.

While catching up on some blog reading today, I found this post and it summarized exactly how I was feeling and put words to the emotions I was unable to.  I hope these words bring you the same strength and clarity they brought me and you too are able to "stop watering the weeds in your life and start watering the flowers."

-Karla from Classy and Fabulous

12 Weeks!

How far along? 12 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I went to the Dr. yesterday and I haven't gained any weight since my last appointment at 7 weeks so I think I am still down 5 pounds, probably mostly IVF weight.
Maternity clothes? I am living in my belly bands and my stretchy pants and skirts but I am actively looking for maternity clothes so I can make the transition.   
Stretch marks? Not yet
Sleep: I have been sleeping really well and deep but am having a really hard time getting up in the morning.
Best moment this week: Hitting 12 weeks and finally starting to look pregnant instead of just fat.  Getting a MUCH needed massage.
Miss Anything? Being headache free, some of my favorite jeans, being able to lift and do things without asking for help (I am too independent for my own good), being able to wear my heels all day without a problem, my coke (I am trying to drink caffeine free as much as possible).
Movement: Not yet but my nurse said I will probably feel something in the next few weeks!
Food cravings: Ice water, Italian food, candy, peanut butter sandwiches, mozzarella paninis and tomato soup.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Too much time in between meals, hamburgers and french fries, anything too greasy.                         
Have you started to show yet: Yes and it's so exciting to look pregnant and not just fat!
Gender Prediction: Still a girl but Mike now things it's a boy.
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: I have definitely been more irritable, have cried over stupid things and am more irrational.  I have also become more sensitive and have become teary eyed watching TV shows or commercials.
Looking forward to: Finding out what Baby Ricci is and our "babymoon" to Cancun!

...and Baby Ricci will make THREE!

Your name?  Lauren Nicole Ricci

Baby's fathers name?  Michael Vincent Ricci

Are you still with him?  Yup, going on 8 years, married for 5.

Were you trying to get pregnant?  Absolutely.  It took three years, two surgeries, two IUI’s, three rounds of IVF and one miscarriage to get Baby Ricci cooking but they have been 100% worth the pain and wait.

When did you find out?  Saturday June 9^th at 4 am; 4 days earlier than I was supposed to.  I wasn't planning to test but I woke up at 4 am needing to go to the bathroom and felt compelled to take one.  I am glad I did! 

Where did you find out?  In my bathroom.  I took the test half asleep and put it on the countertop while I washed my hands and let my eyes adjust and almost immediately there were two strong pink lines.\

How far along were you?  Almost 4 weeks.

What was your reaction?  Shocked, excited, blessed, overwhelmed, ecstatic, thankful, overjoyed. Too many emotions to comprehend!

Who was the first person you told?  Mike was the first one I told and then we called my parents and Mike’s parents as soon as it was late enough.  After getting a blood test confirmation that afternoon I called Annie and then sharedthe news with Danielle at dinner that night.  Other than that, we tried to keep the news a secret, but I have a big mouth J.  Our goal was to wait and tell everyone else after we heard/saw a heartbeat but I let it slip more than a few times. 

How did you tell the father?  He was asleep so I crawled back into bed with him and woke him up by saying “Hi Daddy”. 

What was his reaction?  He said, "Shut-up!  Why didn’t you tell me when you were going to take one?!?"  He was very excited though (even in his sleepy state).

When is your due date?  February 16, 2013

Did you have any morning sickness?  Mine has been more nighttime sickness, especially after taking my prenatal (damn fish oil) or if I wait too long in between meals. I have had a difficult time eating at night or large meals and have thrown up quite a few times, although luckily it has always been at home or in the car.  My Dr. recommended B6 and half a unisom during the day and wrote me a prescription for a prenatal, which has been helping.  The nausea seems to have dissipated but has been replaced with severe multi-day migraines, which are also inducing vomiting.  All of the pain and sickness is nothing in comparrison to the physical and emotional toll of IVF. 

What are your fears? That something will go wrong through my pregnancy or during delivery, that the baby will have something wrong with them, the pain that will come with labor and delivery and that I won't be able to breast feed.

What are you most happy about? That in a short 7 months we will be a family of three, that my parents will have their first grandbaby and that our life will now be surrounded around our little nugget and every day and night we will get to experience the incredible gift of parenthood.

Did you want a boy or girl? I DEFINITELY want a girl for our first just because little girl stuff is so cute and I want a relationship with my baby like I had with my mom but I will be thrilled with either!  I am just looking forward to finding out so I am able to start buying stuff for this little one. 

What did the father want boy or girl?  He wants a boy first because he wants an older brother for a daughter so he can protect them.  Although, I know he will adore a llittle girl and she will have him wrapped around her baby finger.

Do you know what you’re having?  Not yet but Mike and I both have a feeling it’s a baby girl.  We will be able to find out in about 6 weeks though and I can’t wait!

Do you have a name picked out?  We have had names picked out for years.  If it’s a boy it will be Parker Vincent Ricci and if it’s a girl it with either be Avella (uh-vella) Sien Ricci or Siena Nicole Ricci.  Parker came from a stay in Park City and has been a favorite of mine since I was 14, Avella is a small town in the Campagna region in Italy where Mike’s family is from, means “Beautiful one who is hailed” and their town coat of arms colors are the same as Sigma Chi, gold and blue.  Siena is after the town of Siena in Italy, which we visited the year after we were married and has also been a favorite of mine since I was 14.  I have some other names we like such as Hudson Joseph, Audrey or Audra and Emrie but I am 98% sure we will use one of top three, although you never know 100% until you meet them.  :)

How much weight have you gained?  I actually have lost about 8 pounds due to being sick but am on the gaining path again and have gained two pounds so far.

Have you felt the baby move?  The baby is about the size of a kumquat so I haven’t yet but I look forward to feeling he or she move around!

Do you plan on a natural or medicated birth?  It’s not even a question, definitely medicated.  I have major respect for those who have can undergo a natural labor and delivery but I am happy to not feel a thing!   

Are you scared about labor?  I think every woman who has never given birth is afraid of the unknown so I am definitely scared, but I also know the experience will be magical and the most fulfilling and brave thing I will ever do and that the moment Baby Ricci is put into my arms, every bit of pain, fear and anxiety will melt away.

What do you think will be the worst part of labor?  Being checked for dilation, being given the epidural (have you seen that needle?!?) , ripping, tearing or having to undergo a cesarean.

Who will be in the delivery room?  Mike and my mom.   

Are you having the birth videotaped?  I haven’t really thought about it. 

Do you think you will cry when you see the baby for the first time?  Without question.  I cried when I saw/heard the heartbeat for the first time so I can’t even imagine what a mess I will be when they place my child in my arms and all the emotion that has encompassed this journey hits all at once.

What do you think the father’s reaction to the baby will be?  I think he will be overwhelmed with a vast array of emotions.  He will be full of love, excitement and amazement, will feel extremely blessed, will be proud of me and will have a bit of sheer fear knowing that we are actually parents and are responsible for this child for the rest of our lives.

How do you think family and friends will feel?  If it’s anything like how people reacted when we announced we were pregnant, this little one will be surrounded by complete love and their arrival into this world will be an incredibly joyous occasion. 

and at week 10...

How far along? 10 weeks, 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: In total 8 pounds lost and 2 pounds gained but I starting to put on weight
Maternity clothes? Not yet although I used the Belly Band for the first time last night and ordered some maternity jeans, a shirt and a skirt today to accommodate my growing bump! 
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: My sleep has been ok but I have had some horrible migraines which has made sleeping difficult the past few nights.
Best moment this week: No more shots!!!!  After 14 weeks of daily shots I am finally done! I am finally starting to see my tummy pop out a little bit, even though I just look like I have eaten one too many cheeseburgers.
Miss Anything? My IB Proufin, massages, Starbucks/my daily caffeine, a glass of red wine, bleu cheese, being headache free.
Movement: No movement yet!
Food cravings:  Candy, chocolate (which I don't even like), rootbeer floats, Olive Garden, pasta, milk, turkey sandwiches, fruit snacks, ice-cream, popsicles...
Anything making you queasy or sick: Too much time in between meals, my old prenatal, anything fishy or Mexican smelling.                         
Have you started to show yet: Just started to pop out a little bit, although t's more chub looking than baby bump looking :)
Gender Prediction: Girl
Belly Button in or out? In
Wedding rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time: I have been pretty moody this past week, partially thanks to hormones, partially thanks to stress and partially because of the migraines I have been experiencing. 
Looking forward to: Hitting the 12 week mark and being in the second trimester!

9 Weeks!

As I mentioned in my last post, I am a little crazy and talked the Dr. into another ultrasound.  About a week ago I stopped feeling sick and the only thing I was feeling was a bit more tired than usual and starving in the mornings.  Well because my mind automatically jumps to bad things, I got nervous that something might be wrong.  When I miscarried my first pregnancy, I knew in my heart that I was going to miscarry so when the sickness once again stopped, I needed to get confirmation that everything was still ok and ease my nervous mind. 

Well this morning we had another ultrasound and found that Baby Ricci is not only doing amazing, but she (because that's what I believe Baby Ricci is) is starting to look like a baby!  I am still in such awe that this little nugget is growing inside of me and that I am really going to be a mama. It's such an amazing feeling and everyday I feel so blessed that we are getting this opportunity.  We were able to once again hear the heartbeat, which is good and strong, and she is measuring measuring about 9 1/2 weeks.  We are ecstatic that everything looks great and it's beginning to feel real! 

February can't come soon enough!  I just can't wait to meet my little gummy bear!

2 months down, 8 to go!

As of today I am amazingly 8 and a half weeks and I can't bellieve how incredible this experience has been. While I have been sick at night thanks to my prenatal and have experienced intense hunger and fatigue, every symptom I have experienced has been mild in comparrison to the emotional and physical toll of IVF and I feel so blessed and honored to be pregnant and to be growing our little one. I look back on this journey and while every minute of those three years was heartbreaking, I am in awe of the friends and family members who have stood behind us, at the lessons we have learned and at the growth our relationship has experienced because of this trial. I can't believe I am finally going to be a mama to Baby Ricci and I cannot wait for all of the lessons, joy, love, strength and humility I know motherhood will entail. I really can't put into words the elatement both Mike and I have and we are truly humbled by the fact that in a short 8 months we will be a family of three. Our hearts couldn't be more full of love for our child and we can't wait to share our lives with them and be able to teach them and learn from them for the rest of our lives. It truly is an honor and a privilege and I am cherishing every moment of this pregnancy, vomitting and all...

When Mike and I first embarked on this baby journey, I couldn't help but buy baby stuff from places like Baby Steals and Costco because I would tell myself, "Baby Ricci is coming and it will be nice to be so prepared.  Plus, it's SUCH a good deal!"  Initially I went a little crazy and we wound up with an entire closet of baby gear. 

After my first round of IVF in which I hyperstimulated, I stopped buying things and after my miscarriage I decided to start giving things away and selling the items I had acquired on KSL.com just to get them out of my house.  Them being there, even if they were in an upstairs closet, was still a reminder of the pain that encompassed my heart and the hole the loss of baby Ricci had put in my soul.

Well now that I am 2 months along and the end of progesterone shots and the first trimester are in sight, I decided I needed to celebrate with an official Baby Ricci gift.  Not a gift that I bought in anticipation of WHEN I would become pregnant but a baby gift for the actual baby that is growing inside of me.  The other day I got the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale catalogue and immediately fell in love with a Nordstom Exclusive Petunia Picklebottom bag.  Not only did I love what it looked like, but it was on major sale.  Luckily my mom has a Nordstrom card so I was able to shop early and order my Baby Ricci bag(s). 

I wasn't sure which bag I would like better, so I actually ordererd two different styles knowing I will return one of them.  I like the purse looking one better but the reviews were better for the boxy backpack.  I can't wait to see them in person and start really planning for Baby Ricci!

UPDATE: I chose to keep the satchel and absolutely love it!  Can't wait to have actual baby stuff to put in it :)

Also, I am a little crazy so I talked my Dr. into doing another ultrasound tomorrow and hopefully I will have an update and a new picture to share tomorrow :)

Happy Thursday everyone!

58 Days...

In 58 days I will be here...

I seriously can't wait.  I am craving the sun, the sand, the pool, some frozen drinks (non alcoholic of course!), a few good books and just mah be, baby and me.  August 25 can't come soon enough!

Bump Ahead!

 Mike and I are thrilled to share that after a very quiet round of IVF, Baby Ricci is due to arrive on 2/16/13.  We heard and saw the heartbeat this morning and it was the most incredible experience of our lives.  After all of the heartache and days spent waiting for our little one, the magic of our little one's heartbeat made every bit of this journey worth it.  We couldn’t be more thrilled and feel so blessed to have the support of such an amazing family and friends.  The Dr. told us that the heartbeat is very strong and that this is the best outcome he could have asked for.  Thanks so much for all your thoughts, prayers and heartfelt messages; knowing we had people behind us made getting through this trial possible. 

 Such a cute little peanut already!  Mike and I both have a hunch it's a girl but we won't be able to find out for 10 more weeks.  For now we are just enjoying that in 8 short months, we will be a family of three.  We can't wait.

XOXOX....

Mike, Lauren and Baby Ricci :)