Girls Night!

Last Saturday I got together with the girls~Kim, Erin, Brooke and Wendy. We had lots of fun hanging out and playing Wii fit, Guitar Hero, chatting and EATING!! I am officially addicted to the Wii Fit!!! I want one and it really does work you out but in a fun way!! :) Wendy was gracious enough to host at her house. She and her husband, Matt, are adopting a little girl from Taiwan so they already have their nursery completed. It is ADORABLE in pink and green! With me being such a green freak, my mom has already said she's surprised I didn't choose to do pink and green. After seeing their nursery, I might have to look around, though I LOVE the pink and brown, too. Decisions, decisions!! If you know me at all, you know I am horrible at making decisions! I even purchased my wedding dress and then changed my mind so exchanged it. Travis and I are going to go up to Chicago and do some baby shopping over Valentine's weekend and I can't wait!

Here's What's Up!

Wow! I guess it's been longer than I thought since I last blogged! Here's what's up and some random thoughts!

• We went to the doctor again on Monday for a regular OB check and the ultrasound tech. was available to do a quick check for gender. Unfortunately, baby likes lying on 'her' back and would not, again, flip over. From what she could see, she's still 'really pretty' sure it's a girl!!! We go back in about 3 weeks now for the next ultrasound for a spine check, cleft palate check (she did get a pretty good view of that and said all looks good on Mon.), and a GENDER check again!!! Hopefully we'll get 100% confirmation. Any ideas for getting the baby to do some flips in there??? I thought maybe some jumping jacks or standing on my head! p.s. I already tried the caffeine thing, which didn't work (lots of moving but no flipping) AND I experimented this time and drank NO caffeine and there was still lots of moving (arms flying and legs sprawled out) so I think it'll be interesting when I can feel the baby all the time.
• Which, by the way, I have started to feel the baby move!!! I noticed it at first around the time of night I normally do the beat belt and then for a little time after but also feel it at random times. It is such an interesting feeling! Right now it feels like little beats almost--I don't know if I'd describe it as the 'fluttering' feeling as they say--so I sometimes second guess myself but it's definitely there!
• I'm looking forward to a girls night tomorrow night with Kim, Wendy, Brooke, Erin and Amy! YEAH!! Some good food and pampering is in store!
• I'm also looking forward to the girls night NEXT Saturday with my high school/college roomies: Julie, Jaime, Anne and Tara. We all went to high school together (except Julz) and all 5 of us lived together in college for a year~one of the best years of my life!!!!!!!! Can't wait to see you!!!
• Travis and I are probably going to go to dinner and a movie tonight to see Mall Cop. We really like Kevin James. It looks comical enough. Hopefully they didn't show all the funny parts in the previews!! WHY do they do that?????
• Not much has really been going on. I did start working out last week. At my dr. appointment on Monday, I realized that I've gained about 13-14 pounds, which seemed a little crazy. I am over half way there so I figure even if I gain another 15 pounds, I'm still at around 30 lbs, which I'd like to be the maximum I gain! The working out has been really making me feel better and stronger! I have MISSED it!! I don't think I'll go back to spinning (unless my dr. says it is ok) but I'm doing some light running, elliptical, preggo pilates, walking, strenth training, etc. My dr. isn't really too concerned with the weight gain, which I'm glad, but I guess it's up to me to stay on top of it. I don't want to have too much to lose after. Thanks to hearing from friends that are my size/height and gained over 40 lbs, I know that you CAN get back! (Heather H. you look awesome!!)
• I am definitely looking pregnant now (I know I need to get some pics posted). It's funny the way some people 'say' things. I take it all with a grain of salt, BUT don't people get it!? I guess if they haven't been pregnant before, maybe not, but now I know what my cousin Megan was talking about--I've heard some lovely comments!!!! (for example, "Oh yeah, you are definitely showing WAY more than I was at that time. But I'm so tall..." Blah blah blah. Thankfully, most people are saying, "It's about time you look pregnant!")
• It's time to sign off. I'm still at school and the kids at the after school program (in the gym RIGHT next to my room) are banging up against my door, yelling and screaming and I'm kinda tired from staying up too late the last 2 nights. I did have to laugh though, because they are putting on what sounds like an "American Idol" show and pretending to be Simon, Paula and Randy. :-)

Finally!!

Here is the crib and changing table we really like! I think we've finally found the one!! I have always wanted a sleigh bed/crib but most I've seen so far have been WAY more than I want to spend. It just seems silly to spend THAT much on a crib. I was happy to find this one on Babies R Us, along with the changing table, which is also very inexpensive for the value. It's actually a dark brown (espresso) though it kind of looks black in the picture. I have read many reviews and everyone seems to be happy with it, as well as the brown color. The only downside is that the crib does NOT have a sliding side rail. I don't know how much of a problem that will be for ME--being so short! Travis laughed when I told him since he obviously won't have that problem. Any mommies out there have any advice for me?? I guess once we lower the mattress when baby grows and if I can't reach, I'll have to keep a stepstool in the nursery, too! haha!

I think the bedding below (one of the choices) will go great with the crib, too! I'm so excited to get the furniture and get the nursery started! The bathroom is almost done (we've been busy...) and then get the spare bed out of the room and hopefully into Travis' office so we'll still have a place for guests to sleep. I plan to keep the nursery the tan color it is now and accent with pinks and browns. Once we decide on the name, I'd like to get square canvases and paint each letter of the name per canvas, along with the design of the bedding, and hang on the wall. Not sure what else but I can't wait!

Happy 9th Birthday Isabelle!

My niece's 9th birthday is today! I met up with her for her birthday party at the Build-A-Bear in Springfield, along with my sis, Livy, mom, and 5 of Isabelle's friends. It was fun! Of course I couldn't resist making Baby C 'her' first bear!!!!! I even got to push the pedal for the stuffing myself. Isn't she cute?? Aunt Bridgett named her Cocoa. I thought she'll match the nursery perfectly, which I plan to do in pink and brown once I get 100% confirmation baby is really a girl! :)

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner

Last weekend some of the 'Bettis Babes' (as we like to call ourselves) went up to Chi-town to see Dirty Dancing. It was so fun!! In the large picture from left to right it's my mom's friend Dawn, my Aunt Sheri, me, my mom, my uncle's wife Lori--ok so she's my new aunt :), and my cousin's wife Megan, who I really consider my own cousin! We always have WAY too much fun wherever we go and we don't always follow all the rules! My mom's motto: It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

My mom printed out Dirty Dancing trivia for us to play on the train ride up. I won (hence the picture with the $5) only because I had just watched the movie the night before. Do you know Baby's real name?

Ultrasound pictures - 20 weeks

Aren't these precious?? I LOVE the little footprint one. I think if you click on the picture, it will enlarge, if needed. This is only a fraction of what we got to see, which as I said before, was AMAZING!!

It's (most likely a)...

Well, for those of you who remembered, my 20 week ultrasound was this morning to find out the sex of the baby. The baby was VERY active according to the tech. I couldn't see at first, while she took all of the different measurements. She said since the baby was moving so much it was making it hard to get them all. :) Travis got to watch this whole time. When she was done, she turned on another monitor that I could also see. It was absolutey AMAZING!!! I am still in disbelief that all of that is going on and I can't even feel it! Baby is about 1 lb. now. Wow! I have several pictures that I'll scan and post later.

She couldn't say 100% the sex of the baby but I believe her exact words were, "well, I'm REALLY sure it's a GIRL!" She actually said this several times but I guess baby was on 'her' back the whole time and she likes to get a view from the other angle.

Prior to my appt. I was told to get up, go to the bathroom, drink 32 oz of water and don't go to the bathroom again! (yikes!). Thankfully, my appt. was at 8am. I drank a HUGE glass of water like I was instructed and snuck in a little Mt. Dew, too. We had to go to the gas station to get it since we no longer have anything in the house with caffeine. :) She actually asked if I drank a lot of caffeine since the baby was so active. I have been really limiting it since I got pregnant (and don't have it every day by any means!). She said the 'myth' of drinking caffeine before the appt can actually backfire because if they are moving around too much, it can make it hard to see for sure. That wasn't the case for us I guess, since the baby needed to actually flip over. She even had me go to the bathroom and empty my bladder and checked again but same position. :) Arms and legs were flying though. I am pretty sure there was a shot of between the legs and as she said, there wasn't anything visible indicating a boy.

I go back in 2 weeks for a heartbeat check so she said if she's free, she'll check again, otherwise, I have to schedule another ultrasound anyway because she didn't get 'optimal' views for checking for cleft palate and a check of the spine though she said she saw nothing that concerned her. So hopefully then we'll find out for sure and we'll see, like my sister Bridgett said, if any of us are destined to have boys!

All of the measurements are exact for my due date so all is looking great! We also opted to have the testing done that checks for Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida and it came back all clear!

We are very excited and very thankful!!

Happy Birthday to Me! (Dec. 28)

My how time flies! How is it that I'm already 31??? I was reading People magazine a few weeks ago and almost fainted when I read that Michael J. Fox is 47!! It seems like just yesterday I was a teenager watching Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Saved by the Bell and Full House, oh and listening to New Kids. And to think that was OVER 15 years ago! Wow! Well, luckily I don't feel old (haha!) and am having the time of my life. I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family and am so excited to become a mother. Thank you all! Love you! Here are some pictures from my birthday celebrations. I didn't get one of me and my King Crab Legs. Travis took me to Red Lobster on my actual birthday. They were delicious! I also had my other fave, Olive Garden, and a DQ cake. Oh yeah, and I finally got MY PURSE (thanks to my mom for her contributions) and my North Face Fleece (Thank you honey!)!!!!!!!

Chili's

Some of the Bunco girls met me at Chili's for dinner another night over break. I LOVE Chili's but it was a little crowded and I think our waiter said they were short a person or something so the service could have been LITTLE better (notice all the junk on our table that never got cleared--that's not my margarita glass!!). Oh well!! Maybe I'm being picky! Regardless, it was fun! The girls got me a gift certificate to Motherhood Maternity (and a cute Christmas bib and blanket for baby to use next year)!! I can't wait to use the gift certificate but think I will try to wait a little while until I am in DIRE need of maternity clothes. :)

Thanks Karen, Karen #2, Paula, Shayna, Val and Brooke!

Olive Garden

I had lunch at Olive Garden (best fettucini alfredo ever!) with my mom, niece Isabelle (Bridgett was home with Livy who was sick), cousin (in-law) Megan, Grandma, Aunt Sheri, Aunt Debbie and my cousin's girlfriend, Amy. Thanks girls for meeting me and for all the fun gifts!!!!!!

Then Anne, Mom, Belle and I did some shopping and went to see Marley and Me. I loved it almost as much as the book--a must read! and sobbed just as much as when I read it.