20 weeks (hump week!)

Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall....

Yeah! I am half way there!! Oh no...only half way? Yikes! At least I have plenty to do in the next 20 weeks. So, as you can see...I am starting to grow both in my belly and back side! Why did I ever decide to post pix of my belly? What was I thinking? Oh well...I know that is the first thing I get asked about with family. Definitely been gaining weight...just ready to really start showing so others know I am pregnant. I have been feeling great for once. I started to feel the baby move in my 18th week (at least now I know for sure that was what I was feeling) and now feel the baby move ALL the time! It is such an amazing feeling. I am so blessed to be a woman and get to feel this miracle inside of me. I must admit...it was so weired at first. It almost feels like an "alien" is inside of me. I instantly thought of Bella from the Twilight series (ok I'm I dork I know!). But very quickly I became used to the movement and very excited to feel this little one inside of me! Still waiting for stronger movements that can be easily felt outside the body so Josh can join in this amazing experience. We have started to think about registering, but no serious talk yet about names. I guess one thing at a time! It is CRAZY all the things you need (or at least THINK you need) for a newborn! I will be definitely be taking advantage of my friends' advice on this subject!

Daytona Beach Family Reunion

We got back from Josh's family reunion (his mom's side) on Monday and still trying to get back to reality. It was so nice to get away one last time before the baby comes. We were able to stay with his grandparents on Thursday night and the hotel the rest of the time. His grandparents house is right on the beach and it is so quiet around there. I felt spoiled! They are such sweet people and I feel so lucky to have gotten to know them better. We were able to hang out by the pool and on the beach at the hotel the rest of the stay. Again, I really enjoyed getting to know the rest of his family and hang out with his sister and niece. Of course they were so nice and kept saying I did not look pregnant...I guess I just looked fat! Ha. I felt that way though. I had decided not spend the money on a maternity swim suit and wore what I had. I of course felt like a beached whale...but they made me feel so much better. No...I did NOT take any pix of me in a swim suit. No need to remember it..... Josh really enjoyed himself with his cousins. It had been over 5 years since he has seen some of them! We will get to see them again next year during his sister's August wedding. That time with one extra little traveler!

19 Weeks (on Wed)

We had our "19 week" check-up today. All went well despite some anxiety from me. I just get so anxious until I hear that little heart beating strong. So interesting enough...the heartbeat dropped today to 145 bpm. Still normal and healthy....but not as much in the high range. Next visit on August 14th will be interesting. We have our big ultrasound that day and I can NOT wait! It is going to be so cool to see our baby so big and with features so defined. I think I am starting to feel the "stinker" move around...but not always so sure since it is all so new to me. My friend Holly had her third child (Grace) today and it made me so excited! In 5 months I will be holding our baby for the first time. I know it will be hard work...but I just can't wait. I can't believe Josh and I are going to be parents. We have waited so long! (for a 2 legged baby that is!)

Brutus loves playing ball!

Sweet Pea doing what she does best....being sweet.

18 weeks gestation

We are 18 weeks along today! I have been wanting to get to that 5 month mark and I am almost there! We have a checkup on Monday and I will post the results later. Our big ultrasound will not be until around the 21 week mark. No...we are NOT finding out...sorry! We need a little "surprise" in our lives and want something not to be so planned out. It is so hard not knowing when you are excited to start shopping! We have started getting the nursery ready and have cleared out some of the guest furniture. (thanks to Josh and my brother Tyler). We still have tons to do (yes...more work for Josh :) ), but at least we have a start! We plan to do white furniture against a chocolate wall and add neutral colors to the decor. I figure we can add the blue or pink later as accent pieces. The baby won't care! I am getting so excited about shopping and registering in the next month or so!

16 weeks gestation

16 weeks...still have a bump!

I am now 4 months along! I never thought I would be hearing myself say that! This whole process has been amazing and I feel so blessed to be experiencing it. I know this journey will only make Josh and I better parents and appreciate things that much more. It is so easy to take things for granted and this process has opened our eyes. I am lucky enough to be having children close in age to 2 of my very best friends (one will be 5 months older and the other 3 months younger!). I have always wanted to have kids close in age to my best friends and this is just another reason why good things come to those who wait!

Sweet Pea and Brutus

So those of you who know me really well...are probably shocked that I am just now mentioning our first 2 babies....Sweet Pea (4.5 years old) and Brutus (2.5 years old). Our English Bulldogs have been our lives for the past years and we are so excited to introduce a little one to our family. Not so sure how excited they will be about it....but change is good...right? I think Brutus and the baby will be best buds...but Sweet Pea is another story. She gets very jealous and is an attention hog. I promise you that she is just as sweet as her name...but she may pout a bit after the baby is here. I know Josh will give them both a little extra attention. I am so excited to have an addition to our neighborhood walks together!

15 Week Check-up

Josh and I had our 15 week appointment today. He has been so great during this whole process and it only shows me how wonderful of a dad he will be. He has been there for me during the butt shots, the nausea, the vomiting, the mood swings, the tiredness, the headaches, the backaches, the food adversions.....need I go on? And this was only the first trimester! Luckily things are getting so much better for me and I am starting to be my old self again. I have been able to eat more, cook more, and keep up with the housework. I am sure Josh is happy now...but he never complained the past 15 weeks. He has also been a little nervous about this whole process. Not nervous about becoming a dad...nervous about losing the baby. We have invested SO much into this little "stinker".....that it is hard not to imagine something going wrong. He was relieved to hear the heartbeat (160 bpm) from the doppler at our checkup. Things are still progressing well at this point and another check-up in 4 weeks!

12 weeks gestation

12 weeks....bump present!

Well....I have finally started to gain some weight and my body is spreading! There is a little bump present now...but sometimes I think it is bloating. It flucuates each day. The clothes are starting to get tighter and need to start thinking of maternity clothes in the next few weeks for comfort. I have now started to vomit...nice huh? I thought I was suppossed to get BETTER not WORSE around the end of the first trimester! I know I do not have it near as bad as some other women...but it still sucks! I just keep thinking that these are all good signs that things are progressing normally. I was a little nervous getting off my meds and then not having another checkup for 4 weeks, so I went in to see the nurse for a doppler. The nurse found the heartbeat (165-170 bpm) and she helped to ease my fears. I now just have to put my faith in God, my body and that things happen for a reason. I am ready to start telling more family and friends about our good news!

Fourth Ultrasound-11 weeks

11 weeks (can you see "stinker's" hands by "his" head?)

Went in today for another ultrasound...love getting the sneak peaks of our little "stinker". The heartbeat was 165 bpm and length was 1 2/3 in! It was so cool to see our baby flipping, waving and kicking! It is amazing how active the baby this early on in the pregnancy. Everything is looking great so far and my blood levels are ideal. I have been released from my dreaded butt shots and pills!!! Yeah!!! I am also released from the "high risk" category and now to follow a typical pregnancy protocol. Exciting, but scary. The frequent checkups and ultrasounds were a nice bonus to all we have been through. It was our sense of security.

Third Ultrasound- 9 weeks

9 weeks (you can kind of see the shape of a baby!)

We were released from our Reproductive Endocrinologist (Dr. Donald Cline) on 4/30/09 due to his long awaited retirement. We will miss him and his nurse Jodi! We were now being seen by Carmel OB-GYN under the care of his daughter-in-law (Dr. Maret Cline). I love her! She made this scary transition very easy and smooth...despite my fears. I was considered "high risk" still at this point in my pregnancy and still taking my meds to ensure proper development of the placenta. At 8 weeks gestation I started bleeding on and off for 1 week. I was told it was the second sac "shedding" and as long as there was no cramps...that I was fine. I was put on "bed rest" for a few days and told to take it easy until the bleeding stopped. It was SO scary and we thought I might be experiencing a miscarriage. Our fears were eased some at our third ultrasound (5/4/09). It was so unbelievable because we actually got to hear a heartbeat (185 bpm). We also got to see the baby's head, hands and arms! Such a miracle.

8 weeks gestation

8 weeks

No belly yet...but body is starting to change and spread. Ah...the joys of pregnancy are just beginning. I started feeling the nausea around 6 weeks and it has been pretty consistent since. My nose is my enemy and food makes me sick. I have not thrown up yet...but feel yucky everyday. Getting some other pregnancy symptoms...but the nausea is the worst by far! Still taking the meds which might make things worse.

Second Ultrasound-7 weeks

7 weeks- 1 sac with heartbeat

Since there were 2 sacs at our 6 week ultrasound, we needed to go in to see if there were now 2 heartbeats. We were anxious and praying all was ok. We saw a strong heartbeat again in baby A, but after some searching....there was no heartbeat present in baby B. This is called "vanishing twin" syndrome and is more common than you might think. We found out about it due to early ultrasounds. The doctor assured us that the sac will shrink and be absorbed into my body and will not harm our Baby since it was happening so early on. That was a day filled with more mixed emotions. We feel so blessed to be pregnant with one baby, but so sad that we lost another. We have faith that all things happen for a reason and now need to focus on our little "stinker" (as I call our little one at times :) ).

First Ultrasound-6 weeks

6 weeks-2 embryo sacs present

Today (4/23/09)we had our first ultrasound at 6 weeks gestation. We were experiencing so many mixed emotions. There was a good chance that we might be having twins! Yikes! We were so surprised to see that there were indeed TWO sacs. There was a 50% chance that we would see the heart pulsation on the screen (too early to hear a heartbeat). We did see a heartbeat in one of the sacs! That was a moment we will never forget. It was confirmed....we are definitely pregnant and possibly with two babies!!!

Butt Shots???

2 in long needle...ouch!

Huh? This was not part of the deal. I have to get IM butt shots of progesterone everyday for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy? Plus take estrodial pills everyday? And Josh gets to give me the shots? Yikes!!! This was not what I signed up for...but I was willing to do it in a heartbeat to ensure a healthy pregnancy for our little one. I think Josh kind of secretly liked seeing me get unease every evening around 8pm for my shot...Dr. Josh?

Baby Blackmore

Josh and Tracey 2009

On April 9, 2009 we recieved the amazing news that we are pregnant!!! We just could not believe it. It has been such a roller coaster of a ride for us and we were starting to wonder if it would ever happen. We feel so blessed right now and are cautiously excited as this is just the beginning of our journey to be parents. We want to thank all our family, friends and doctors for their love, support and understanding through this ride. We would not have made it to this point without you!

Join us on our journey to the birth of "Baby" Blackmore....Due on Tracey's birthday 12/16/09 (how's that for timing?)....poor Josh!

Tracey 4 weeks