18 Weeks

Today we are 18 weeks pregnant! 

Yippee!

We are very excited for the next 15 days to go by because our anatomy scan is on 11/14 and we get to see our little one again! Fingers crossed for everything to be perfectly healthy and to be able to find out whether we are having a little boy or a little girl!

Week 18

Baby This Week: Baby is about the size of a sweet potato. Measuring about 6 inches from head to rump and weighing about 6 ounces. 

What I am Feeling: I started feeling baby move more often last week. Now if I am sitting at my computer, in a meeting, or at dinner (s)he tip taps all over the place. It is usually if I am sitting forward a little that I feel it the most.  

Milestones This Week: I actually had a few! 

1) I got the call that I passed my gestational diabetes test! Because I am overweight and have PCOS, they asked me to do at 17 weeks and then again later in pregnancy. Normal is between 65 and 135 and I was at 115! 

2) Our sequential screens came back later this week and everything came within normal range! Yay! 

3) Starting to put together our "things to do" list and realizing that within the next few weeks we will be able to start registering and preparing for our baby!

I am feeling like it is getting more and more real by the day.  Being pregnant after a loss is ridiculously scary, but starting to feel some movement makes me feel better. I love the little reminders that (s)he is in there safe and sound.

Miscellany: As of now I have only gained one pound. I am all belly but am eating "ok". I had a hard time eating fruits and veggies at the begging because they would make me feel sick. I am loving salads the most at this point and am just trying to remember to keep eating fruits now too. 

I recently bought a snoogle pillow and I am loving it. I honestly couldn't sleep without it! Guiness is also a really big fan of the pillow:

(it's under the comforter but you can see where he is sleeping in the area I would normally put my legs)

Last weekend Rob and I went to a Jets game with my family. We aren't big football followers but I went to Penn State and absolutely love love love tailgating and football so we had a good time. The only thing I realized is that walking to the stadium, sitting in tiny uncomfortable seats, and walking all the way back to the car was EXHAUSTING. I won't be going to anything like that for awhile. 

(Here we are at the game!)

Hope everyone is doing well! XoxoX

12 weeks

I can't believe I haven't written a post in 3 weeks baby! 

We have been able to find you using our at-home doppler and we are so excited every time that we hear that beautiful thump thump thump. 

We are having a party with some of your future faux aunt and uncles to tell them that we are expecting you to join the family next April! We are really excited and can't wait to celebrate your expected arrival.

Both Mommy and Daddy's work know about you now and so do all of your family in Maine! Everyone was so excited and can't wait to meet you (but make sure you keep on cooking in there for a good long while)!! 

Love you baby! xoxox

9 weeks

Dear Taddy!

We got to see you again yesterday. You were measuring perfectly with a beautiful heartbeat of 169 bpm again! 

I could see your beautiful head and heart and the little paddles that are the beginning of your little legs.

We are so in love with you and get to see you again in 4 weeks. 

I can't wait baby. We love you and are so glad you chose us to be your parents. 

XoXoX

8 weeks

I am getting nervous little one. 

Daddy and I are anxiously waiting for our next ultrasound on the 27th.  You had such a strong beautiful heart when we met you 2 weeks ago, and I just desperately hope and pray that you are still in there growing and healthy. 

You mean everything to me and I hope that God's plan is for you to come home with us near April 1, 2012.

Love your Mommy and Daddy.

Update: Sunday (8/21) I had a little bit of spotting. Went to the doctor's the next day and got to see you again! Measuring 7w6d with a heartbeat of 169 bpm. 

Daddy wasn't able to make it so he can't wait to see you on Saturday! 

You look like a little turtle today love!

7 weeks

Today I am 7 weeks pregnant with Taddy.

This has been an amazing week.

Monday morning I went in to get my last set of betas drawn. The number was 14,566 which meant that the number definitely doubled within the 72 hour time frame! 

I had my ultrasound on Monday night. Robert and I were so anxious and hopeful that this would be different and thankfully, it was. 

We saw Taddy. With a beautiful, strong heartbeat. The sac was perfect and measured EXACTLY 6w1d. Taddy's heartbeat was the most beautiful sound we had ever heard at 117 beats per minute it was even stronger than the technician expected. 

Rob and I were so blown away and are soooo excited. We immediately texted our parents with a picture of Taddy saying, "Hi Grandma and Grandpa. I have a heartbeat!"

Now we are just holding our breath till our next ultrasound appointment on August 27th where I will be nearly 9 weeks. 

*fingers crossed for a healthy sticky baby*

6 Weeks

Today, August 7th, I am 6 weeks pregnant with Taddy. 

Robert and I have been calling this baby Taddy since it looks like a tadpole right now. 

Tomorrow is my first ultrasound.

At 5 weeks, my HCG was 2590

at 5 weeks 2 days, my HCG was 4774. 

Doubled after 55 hours which fits well into the 48 - 72 hour time frame.

I pray that this little baby is sticky. According to my calculations we are due on April 1, 2012. 

We have already told our immediate families about Taddy. We knew that if something did go wrong we would want them to support us and know what was happening, and this means they should also have the opportunity to be happy with us. Telling everyone was absolutely amazing. Now we are just praying we get to also tell them that our Taddy shows us his/her heartbeat tomorrow.

I will not be publishing this until we make Taddy known to the rest of our friends and family, but will continue to document along the way. 

News!

Good morning all! 

I have some amazing news to share with all of you today. 

Rob and I are expecting! 

Our little one is due April 1st 2012!

Today we are 13 weeks pregnant and so elated! I have been writing posts nearly every week since we found out, so I will start to share those. 

I am sorry I haven't been posting much otherwise, I have been sleeping so much and was focussing on growing this baby as healthy as I possibly could. 

Here is Robert with Baby's picture at our last ultrasound on Wednesday. 

Baby was measuring 12w6d!

We are so in love and pray each day that this is our take*home baby!

Back from Vacation

We have been away for almost a week now visiting our family and friends in Maine.

We had an absolutely amazing time and my cousin's wedding was beautiful (another post about this later this week). 

Here are some pictures of us at the beach!

Me, Mom and Sister Cindy

Hubby and I with Guiness

We had a great time picking up Sand Dollars and Seashells

And my favorite picture of the day!

(all taken with my iPhone)

xoXox

Super Mario Party

I honestly cannot believe how long it has been since I posted. I am SO sorry to all of you readers out there.

Things have been absolutely crazy around here.

We have been trying desperately to do some work around the house and I have been having some random health things going on that needed a little attention

(don't worry - I am ok).

So I wanted to tell you all about my Sister-In-Law's absolutely amazing 25th Birthday Party. She is a lover of Super Mario Kart and decided that she wanted to have a Super Mario Kart themed party. 

My Father-In-Law started only mowing where the obstacle course would be. Everyone had to bring a Kart of some sort, and everyone had to come in costume. Rob and I supplied the cake as Christiane's Birthday present which was OF COURSE decorated by Cinderellie's Sweets! 

Here are the pictures and a video at the end. I completely forgot my camera so all were taken with my iPhone (sorry!)!

The amazingly fab Birthday Cake!

Rob and I were Mario and Luigi and Guiness was Yoshi! Rob and I made the costume with felt, thread and velcro. It came out really cute and he basically just chilled all afternoon.

My lovely little family!

<3Love

Rob was getting ready for the party and wanted to check out the obstacle course on his Sister's bike. Guiness was chasing him the entire way around :) 

I promise I will be back sooner rather than later. XoxoX.

Roebling Weekend!

Hi Everyone!

I am sorry I have been so MIA recently. However - I have LOTS to update you on this week!

First - Saturday was the 2nd Annual Roebling Museum Car Show! My Father-In-Law put it together and you can see the article for the show here.

Two of my sister-in-laws and I were responsible for selling water. We basically rode a Gator around for 4 hours making money for the museum! It was SUCH a beautiful day and everyone had a great time! Here are some pictures for you (disclaimer: they were taken with my iPhone):

This one was taken by my Father-In-Law (too good to be a phone pic :))

Me, Christiane and Diana; aka The Gator Girls

Roebling Museum's American Flag. Picture filtered with Instagram

Look at that beautiful smile!

He always humors my picture taking .... hahaha

Pointing to their branch of the tree (and Rob just thinks we are crazy)!

It was an awesome and perfect day! If you are in the Jersey Area - you should plan to come next year!! 

July 4th Weekend

We had an absolutely fantastic weekend! 

Friday afternoon we left to go camping with some dear friends. I have loads of pictures to share with you!

We actually camped Friday night and Saturday night with a HUGE storm that came through Saturday night. The entire tent got SOAKED inside and out. So waking up Sunday morning was less than lovely and required a quick clean up considering that there was more rain still coming! (ick)

Here are pictures of the good friends, food and times we had!

Eric our Camping Chef!

I <3 those eyes {and him of course}

The guys doing the cooking.

Rob was making his pizza and five-starred my butt with flour!!!

Ellie with our Kabobs!

mmm mmm Good

I look like a mess (that's what no shower in 2 days does to you!)

Garrett's side eye!

We also played a little with my camwow Application! Hahaha. Pretty in pink.

So after we left our amazing camping adventure (we have actually done this for the past ten years except for one year that we missed), we went out to breakfast and said our goodbyes. It was sooo great to see everyone! 

Sunday night when we went to my parents house to pick up my beautiful puppy dog and visit with them.  My dad and sister just returned home from being in Austria for a week. My sister is an amazing Opera singer who was in a competition in Vienna for the week. Unfortunately she did not win, but she's amazing anyway! <3

Then on Monday we spent the fourth of July with my in-loves! Spent the afternoon at the pool with the puppies, had an amazing dinner together, and then enjoyed some fireworks! Here are some pictures from    the fourth of July!

Beautiful NJ Sunset!

Kevin & Freddy!

Guiness' haircut!

Diana and Oscar!

Sunset via instagram (follow me - I'm @ jdarby23)

Gloria and Freddy!

Beautiful!

Rob and his Dad setting 'em off!

I hope everyone had a beautiful and safe fourth of July! I certainly did!