Baby Kuenzel is a mover! Weeks 19 and 20

We have officially made it halfway through the pregnancy and we are beyond excited!!  The time is flying by and if the last half flies by as fast as the first half did, our sweet little baby will be here before we know it!

The past two weeks were pretty darn exciting in the baby world.  At 18 weeks 6 days, I was sitting at Sam and Rachelle's house hanging out with Rachelle and the kids and all of a sudden I had a really funny movement in my tummy.  I immediately wondered if it was the baby and I asked Rachelle if she thought it could be.  She said maybe, but I wasn't sure either.  It wasn't long and I felt another one.  Throughout the weekend I kept feeling these little fishy like feelings in my tummy.  I knew it couldn't be just gas or ligament stretching.  It had to be my baby!  Since then I feel the baby moving around in there all of the time.  Ryan laughs because I tell him almost every time it happens.  I just wish he could feel it too.  :)  It is pretty spectacular.  I can't wait until they are big kicks!

 

19 weeks and dying to find out if we are having a boy or a girl!!  I realized that some clothes show your baby bump more than others!

It is pretty safe to say that I had an amazing birthday.  It was a wonderful day and we had our 20 week ultrasound.  The ultrasound was so cool and it was neat to see Baby Kuenzel again.  Even though I thought I have been feeling Baby Kuenzel like crazy, I was a little worried going into it because I hadn't had an appointment since June 24 and my next OB appointment isn't until August 12.  As soon as Baby K got on the screen, arms and legs were flailing all over the place.  It sure made me relax a little.  We watched the screen as the tech measured all of Baby's important parts.  It was just phenomenal.  Baby's heart rate was 151.

As the tech was trying to measure baby he made the comment, "This baby is really a swimmer!"  We laughed and kept intently watching the screen.  Five minutes or so went by and the tech said, "Wow, baby is a mover and a shaker!"  We laughed again and I asked, "Well, aren't they all like this?"  The tech laughed pretty hard and said no.  Both Ryan and my mom said that they weren't surprised and made the comment that if Baby K is anything like me, Baby K can't sit still! :)

Here is a still shot of Baby K on the big screen.  

 

Here is a YouTube link to an ultrasound video of Baby K.  Of course at this point Baby wasn't moving as much as he/she had been prior.  It is still neat to have a video like this though.  Thanks Ryan! 

20 week ultrasound

Many of you have already seen the big news, but the next part was the gender!  At first Baby K would not open his/her legs, but soon enough it was clear for us.  I knew right away from the famous “hamburger” sign of her hooha!  The tech told us it was a GIRL and congratulated us on having a daughter! :)

 

We are super excited to have a little girl and after our ultrasound we called our close family with the wonderful news.  I called my niece Bailey to tell her the news and boy [or girl], I got an earful of a scream when she found out it was a girl.  :)  Everyone is very excited for us.

Afterwards we headed to Target and Babies R Us to register and boy, what an overwhelming process!  It sure helps that we have had lots of advice from my sister and I did lots of researching on what we wanted.  We decided that although there will be a lot of pink stuff there is no reason that our little girl can’t have boyish things too, so we registered for some of those too.  :)  I also decided since I finally knew the sex of our baby that it was completely necessary to buy an outfit or two. :)

After we registered we went to Best Buy and Ryan bought me a cute video camera for my birthday so that we will be able to take sweet videos of our little girl when she arrives.  We ended the night with a yummy birthday meal at Chili’s.  It was the perfect birthday! 

We are super excited for a little girl and we are so thankful that this pregnancy is going so well and we have a healthy baby.  God is great!  I would like to leave you with a cute little anecdote from this morning.  As we were driving to our friends’ house this morning to meet their new baby boy, we were talking about all the different things we will get to experience with a girl.  After listing off about a half a dozen I said to Ryan, “Oh man, just think!  You will have to deal with her dating boys!”  Ryan didn’t say anything and after about 30 seconds he said in a very serious voice, “I’m scary.”  I died of laughter and almost peed myself.  Right Ryan… You are very scary. :)  Thanks for all the well wishes! 

18 weeks ... Time is flying by!

We have now made it to 18 weeks which is an awesome feeling and crazy to think that in two weeks we will already be half way done with the pregnancy!  Time is really flying by.  I am so thankful that I have been feeling so well or I am sure it wouldn't feel like it is going by so fast.  I sure do hope that when the baby comes that time slows down a bit though!  :)

There is a lot of news to report in the baby department from the last two weeks!  I have spent a lot of time reading a book called "Baby Bargains" that I got from my sister.  After reading this book and doing some other research of my own, Ryan and I have made decisions on a car seat, stroller, pack and play, high chair, and crib mattress -- all those big ticket items!  The book is really helpful and has also given me a lot of insight into diapers, maternity clothes, bedding etc.  Basically, don't spend the big money if it is not necessary!  I am fine with that.  Much of buying baby items is a huge gimmick -- I am not falling for it!

During week 17 I did the maternal chromosomal screening.  The blood test screens my blood for the likelihood that the baby would have any chromosomal abnormalities such as Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18.  The results were normal meaning that the likelihood that baby has a chromosomal disorder is very, very low.  I was quite nervous, but after hearing the results our minds were put at ease, even though we know there are no guarentees. 

So the big news... we found daycare!!  This is what I have been concerned about since we got pregnant.  There are about 40 daycare providers in the Belle Plaine area and my goodness, it was TOUGH to find daycare.  I think our biggest problem was the hours that we needed daycare.  Many are only open 7-5 which doesn't really help the people who work longer hours than that or have commute time.  We found one last week and she definitely put our feelings at ease.  Her name is Cristi and she was wonderful.  She runs a small home daycare and has a son that is the same age as my niece, Alaina.  We were very impressed with everything she had to offer and we were able to meet her son and husband as well.  I have been very surprised and frustrated with many of the judgmental comments that I received while on my quest for daycare.  Sending our child to daycare will not make Ryan and I bad parents.  Will it be hard?  Of course!  The time that we do spend with our child will be extremely valuable.  Everyone does what is best for their own family and shouldn't have to feel guilty for sending their child to daycare or not.  Rant over.  :)

We also have our names picked out!  One girl name and one boy name and both middle names are picked out as well.  This wasn't a hard decision for us at all.  My niece Bailey is just dyyyyyying to know what the names are.  I told her that if she can guess what it is, I will tell her, but she can't tell anyone else.  So far she has been unsuccessful!  :)

Size of baby: a bell pepper

Movement: Nothing yet, but 4th of July weekend I was having a lot of ligament stretching.  I attributed it to playing bags all day! 

Sleep: Still good!

What I miss:  Not being so absentminded!

Cravings: Still nothing I can really pinpoint.

Symptoms: Emotional and absentminded.  Can I say it again?  Emotional and absentminded.  Here is a story that contains them both.  Last night Ryan and I were making supper.  He went out to start the grill and I was working on peeling the potatoes.  Right before he walked in the patio door I started crying and as he walked in I weeped, "But I didn't mean to peel the potatoes!"  It is true, we weren't planning on having peeled potatoes, but somehow in the 1 minute after we had talked about that, I forgot.  And really, crying over peeled potatoes?  Wow, this is going to be an interesting last 5 months for Ryan!  :)

Maternity Clothes: None yet, but I am doing the rubber band trick with my jean shorts and my scrubs get tighter every week.

Best moment this week:  My husband.  I honestly don't know what I would do without him.  I read an article (and out loud to him) titled, "20 things no one tells you about Postpartum."  It scared me and worried me and I got a little emotional (see above).  He consoled me and told me everything would be okay and he would be there to help me the whole way.  I have also been asking him for the past 10 weeks or so if he thinks the baby is a boy or a girl and he would never say one way or the other.  I asked him yesterday and he said, "I think he has a weiner."  :)  Of course it made me giggle and it was neat to know that he thinks it may be a boy!  I on the other hand still have no clue or inklings.  I've had no dreams or anything and when people ask me I can never come up with an answer.  I just want a baby.  I just want my baby. :)

 

That is all for now!  Stay tuned!  If you have been keeping up with the posts you know that we will be finding out the sex of the baby on my birthday!! :)