It's a girl!

Leah Frances Aldrich arrived on November 27 at 6:12 a.m.  She weighted in at a whopping 8 lbs. 4 oz. and measured 20.5 inches long.  I will save her birth story for another post but the short of it is that after several days of labor and 4 hours of pushing Scott leaned over and whispered "It's a girl."  That moment changed our lives forever.

We love this little girl so much and can hardly imagine life without her.  She keeps us on our toes and brings us so much joy every day.

Leah meeting Mommy

First Family Photo - we were both tired and I was very anemic

Leah in the NICU after all the wires came off

At home sleeping in her crib

First Doctor appointment

Family Photos

Last weekend Scott, Dora and I headed to Centennial Park to have some pictures taken.  The weather was amazing and the trees were full of dazzling shades of red, orange and yellow.  We decided to splurge on maternity photos since Scott and I rarely end up in photos together and we wanted to remember this moment in our live.  I am thrilled with the way the photos turned out and loved working with Jessica Holroyd, our photographer.  I thought I would go ahead and share some of my favorites.  If you would like to see more of Jessica's work check out her website or look her up on Facebook.

The Countdown Begins...

We are now less than 6 weeks away from Baby A's due date and nesting has begun in the Aldrich household.  We have been using the second bedroom as an office/guest room but are now in the process of converting it to the nursery (stay tuned for pictures).  Dora doesn't know what to think about the new furniture and she has her eye on the stuffed toys occupying the crib.  I think she knows a change is coming but she can't quite put her paw on it.  She has been extra clingy lately and I have been taking advantage of the snuggle time with my furry baby.

This month I am starting to get uncomfortable and feeling tired all of the time.  My belly feels stretched beyond limits yet continues to grow.  Baby A flipped into the ready position 2 weeks ago and is constantly jabbing little tiny feet into my ribs.  My feet are swelling like crazy despite my best efforts to keep them elevated.  However, I am grateful for all of the discomfort and the crazy hormone swings because I am getting to experience the miracle of life.  With each little kick, jab and bout of hiccups I am reminded that God is using me as a vessel for one of His creations.  There is a tiny, living, breathing human being inside me and that is really cool!  I often catch myself watching my belly twitch and shake and marvel at this amazing process.  I can't wait to meet our child!

34 weeks 2 days

Gender Prediction:

Old Wives Tale #3 - Chinese Gender Chart

According to legend, the chart was invented at the beginning of the Qing dynasty (1644~1912), with the help of I Ching which includes the Yin and Yang1, the Five Elements2 and the Eight Trigrams3.  Using the mother's age at conception and month of conception it claims to predict the gender of the baby.

Here is the chart I used...

http://content.thebump.com/sitelets/chinese-gender-chart/


Result

BOY

Wedding Weekend in Dallas

Last month I traveled to Dallas to celebrate the wedding of my sweet friend Erika!  She was my Maid of Honor 3 years ago and I was beyond excited to stand beside her as Matron of Honor when she said "I Do" to Mark!

I flew to Dallas a couple of days before the wedding to take part in all of the bridal festivities and help with last minute errands.  In fact I left town right after my 30 week OB appointment.  Thankfully Baby A was (and still is) doing great and I got the all clear to travel.

Scott was able to fly down Friday morning in time for the wedding that evening.  The wedding was perfect!  The ceremony was personal, Christ centered and a perfect reflection of Mark and Erika's commitment to each other.  The reception followed at the Rosewood Crescent Hotel.  The food was AMAZING and Scott and I enjoyed dancing the night away...or at least until my puffy feet needed to rest.

We decided to splurge a little and spent 2 nights at the Crescent Hotel as a pseudo babymoon   We enjoyed watching tv, sleeping in a super comfy bed, yummy room service breakfast, and just being together.  Very soon our world will be forever changed and lazy weekends will be a rare luxury.  We're trying to soak in as much togetherness as possible before our new addition arrives.  

28 Weeks

Hello third trimester!  It's hard to believe we will meet this little guy or gal in 12 weeks or so.  I feel like the last 12 weeks flew by so I know delivery day will be here before I know it.  It is starting to feel more real that we will soon be parents and it can be quite overwhelming at times.  I can't wait to hold our little one with that soft baby skin and sweet baby smell but at the same time I am nervous about the change.  I love my life with Scott and Dora and I'm not sure how adding Baby A will change our dynamic.  I guess change is always a little scary even when it is a welcome one.

Being a planner by nature I have spent the last few months researching baby gear, looking for great deals online, setting up a registry at Amazon.com and reading books about feeding schedules and parenting styles.  There is a part of me that wants everything to be in place and ready for baby right NOW!  Unfortunately that is not the case.  There have been other demands of our time and resources lately but I am trusting that we will have the essentials by the time baby arrives.  

This week I had another check up.  Baby A and I are doing great.  Baby's heartbeat was strong in the 145-155 range. He or she has been very active lately and is getting stronger by the day.  In fact when the doctor put the doppler on my belly to listen to the heart it tried to kick the doppler out of the way and then continued to move and squirm making it difficult to measure the heartbeat.  Baby A is becoming quite the acrobat.  I love feeling the flips and flutters in my belly.  This is one thing I will miss when our little one enters the World.  I have continued to feel great.  This month I was headache free and my only new symptom is some mild swelling in my feet and ankles.  I am sleeping well at night, although the potty breaks have increased.  Thankfully I usually fall right back to sleep and continue whatever freakishly vivid dream I was in the middle of.  From now until week 36 I will visit the doctor every 2 weeks.  After that appointments will be weekly until the end.

28 weeks 5 days

Gender Prediction:

People around me are starting to put in their guesses.  So far last week I had one person tell me I am having a girl and one person tell me I am having a boy.  Good news is that one of them will be correct.

Old Wives Tale #2 - High or Low

If you are carrying high with a wide, round belly then baby is a girl.  If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out then it's a boy.

Result

BOY

Three years ago today...

On August 29, 2009 I married the love of my life.  I don't remember all of the details of the day but I remember the feeling of joyful anticipation as I walked down the aisle to join my groom.  I knew God had brought us together and that He had a plan for our life together.  I had no idea the love I felt for Scott in that moment would grow exponentially in the days and years to come.  I am honored to be Scott's wife and grateful that I get to live life with him.  

A Weekend of Showers

Last weekend I flew to Dallas to celebrate the upcoming marriage of my sweet friend Erika.  I have known her for 6 years and she is like a sister to me.  She has visited us in Miami and Baltimore and I foresee many joint family vacations in the future.  She was my Maid of Honor 3 years ago and I was so incredibly honored when she asked me to be her Matron of Honor.  She didn't even mind that I would be 30 weeks pregnant at her wedding!  Of course we are all keeping our fingers crossed that Baby A continues being a cooperative baby so I am cleared to travel that weekend.

I flew in Thursday night and the temperature at 10:30 pm was a balmy 95 degrees!  I am so thankful I am not living in Texas this summer.  Friday Erika and I spent the day running errands and wrapping up some wedding details...including scrambling to find a bridesmaid dress that would fit me!  Friday night I helped co-host a cuban fiesta for the happy couple.  It was so great to be back in Dallas and be surrounded by good friends.  I had a blast catching up with friends I hadn't seen in over a year!   

On Saturday we got to celebrate Baby A!  Some of my friends put together a sweet baby shower complete with beautiful decorations, delicious food, and some fun games.  I had a blast and am so grateful for the women that could be there!

Guest Book Table

Party Favor Table - gummy bears, Twix, and Reese's Pieces (My Favorites) 

Food Table 

Erika and Carmen making Playdough babies

Me with the hostesses - Stephanie, Elizabeth with Charlie, Annette, Erika and Carmen

Me with our friend Erin

The Loot!

I had a lovely weekend in Dallas.  I am grateful for the friends God has placed in my life.  I don't see, or talk to, them as often as I would like but when we do get together we don't miss a beat.  

24 Weeks

I'm a little late with this post but I was out of town last weekend and I'm still trying to catch up.  I had another check up last week and everything looks normal.  Baby's heartbeat was in the 150s and my belly is still growing.  I have one more 4 week appointment then I will start going in every 2 weeks.  Time seems to be flying and there is a long list of things that should get done before Baby A gets here...like finding a pediatrician and setting up a nursery.  I assume my nesting instincts will kick in soon and that list will be cleared in no time.  I'll keep you posted.

I feel like my belly "popped" during week 24.  I no longer get awkward stares from random co-workers.  Someone was finally brave enough to ask if I was pregnant and now it seems to be common knowledge.

24 weeks 1 day

How far along?  24 weeks

Total weight gain? 12 lbs

Maternity Clothes? I am now mixing maternity clothes with my normal work clothes. Most of the maternity tops are still too big but I'm starting to add them in. I love my black maternity pants from GAP. They fit like my normal GAP pants except with an elastic waistband. It may be difficult to say goodbye to them once the baby gets here!

Sleep? I still sleep well most of the time.  Scott is having to work some overnights with this rotation and I don't sleep as well when he is gone.  I'm beginning to get uncomfortable at night but I find that surrounding myself with pillows helps.  We may need a bigger bed by the end of this pregnancy!

Movement? Baby A moves all the time!  I can almost set a clock by his/her active times during the day.  The kicks and jabs are starting to get a lot stronger and can now be seen from the outside.  Scott still misses out on most of the action but he has felt baby moving quite a bit.  Baby A has had a few bouts of hiccups in the last couple of weeks.  It is so adorable.

Gender prediction:

Since we chose not to find out the sex I thought it might be fun to test out some old wives tales.  In each baby post from here on out I will try out an old wives tale and give you the results.  Feel free to join in and post in the comments section whether you think Baby A is a girl or a boy.  Unfortunately there is no prize for the winner other than bragging rights.

Old Wives Tale #1 - Heart Rate Test

According to this theory if the baby's heart rate is over 140 beats per minute the baby is a girl.  If the heart rate is under 140 beats per minute the baby is a boy.

Result:

GIRL

Baby A's heart rate has consistently been above 140.

Things no one tells you about pregnancy

I will go ahead and warn you now that much of this post may be considered TMI (too much information).  I will not be offended if you stop reading now and go back to watching the Olympics.

Ok so you decided to continue on...here goes nothing.  My pregnancy has been completely normal up to this point and pretty easy.  That being said my body is changing in ways I was not prepared for and I have encountered things I never realized "went with the territory".  A big thank you to What To Expect When You're Expecting for reassuring me each month that everything I'm going through is "normal".  Here are just a few things that have surprised me about the pregnancy journey.

1. Your belly is not the only body part that gets bigger.
2. Your hair grows faster...in places where you really wish hair didn't grow at all.
3. Your eyesight can get worse.  I usually only wear glasses to drive but lately I need them in order to see my computer screen 2 feet away.
4. Dry, flaky skin is normal.  Thanks to a cool mist humidifier, Scott's dermatology preceptor and the Pioneer Woman I finally got this under control.
5. Pregnancy brain is real.  Examples - I came home from work one day to find the milk on top of the microwave.  Last week I ran a load of laundry in the washing machine with the lid open; I didn't even realize that was possible.  This week I had a difficult time deciphering the meaning of 1 1/2 cups of lentils...first meal I have ever burned in a crockpot.
6. Simple household tasks take 5 times as long as they did pre-pregnancy.
7. Your gums might bleed.
8. Your nose might bleed.
9. Hormones can make you feel bi-polar...happy as a clam one day...sad and depressed the next day.  Once you start crying it is sometimes impossible to stop.
10. You bruise easily.  This was shocking because I have always bruised easily and I didn't think it could get worse.

Ok so there are the not-so-glamorous side effects of pregnancy thus far.  I have a feeling third trimester will add to the list.  Now for the fun stuff.

1. Hearing the baby's heartbeat is incredible.  There is no sweeter sound in the world.
2. Feeling the baby kick is amazing!  It's a reminder that all the discomfort is worth it.  
3. Seeing and experiencing all the changes in my body has provided a whole new appreciation for the human body and it's Creator.  Life is truly a miracle.
4. My love grows daily for this little one and with each kick, jab and hiccup I feel more connected to Baby A.

22 weeks on July 25, 2012

New York, New York

In June Scott and I spent a weekend in New York City.  This was my first official visit to the Big Apple so we took in as many sites as possible in two days.  We had a great time and got to catch up with a dear friend who was gracious enough to provide us a place to stay.  Here are some pictures from our trip.

Day 1

First on the itinerary was a quick visit with Lady Liberty.  The boat tours were already booked for the day so we took the advice of a native New Yorker (my friend Allison) and took a (free) little ride on the Staten Island Ferry.

Next up was lunch.  As we searched for a local eatery we enjoyed a stroll through the Financial District.

After lunch we visited the September 11 Memorial.  Words cannot describe the experience. I will never forget watching the plane crash into the second tower and the panic/grief that enveloped the nation that day.

One of Scott's high school classmates 

We ended day one at Top of the Rock; the observation deck at Rockefeller Center.

Day 2 

After traveling all over the city Day 1 we decided to stay local on the second day.  First stop FAO Schwarz.  Scott played on the "Big" Piano and we picked up a little something for Baby A.

We spent the afternoon people watching in Central Park and then took in an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

After two full days of sightseeing I was pooped!  We saw a lot but there are still so many things I would love to see and experience.  Hopefully there will be a return trip in our future.  Every time we travel I am reminded of how grateful I am for Scott.  He is my favorite traveling buddy and I love experiencing the world with him.