The Anticipation

Let's start off with the fact that we would have been crazy excited if Baby Dubbs was girl or boy! We could envision our lives with either. I had been overly anxious to know baby's gender from the very beginning. The weeks leading to our anatomy scan appointment seemed to creep by as my anticipation grew.

I wanted to know that baby was healthy and I needed to know baby's gender before I could let myself get carried away with all the day dreaming, nursery plans, and clothes - let's be honest, it's so easy to be completely enamored with all the adorable things they make for girls!

Josh, on the other hand, played it cool the entire time. That is until the night before our appointment. Apparently a few beers will set your emotions free! He couldn't stop asking me what I thought it would be and sharing his guesses (changing each time he told me, of course). I stopped guessing, feeling reassured that we would soon find out and any guess I made at this point had a 50/50 chance of being right anyway! :)

Our appointment went well -  aside from being super active and the ultrasound tech chasing baby down to take measurements, peanut seems to be developing well and is healthy!! GREAT news!

And then came the gender reveal - this little one is a sweet baby BOY! I'm pretty sure Josh's heart stopped beating at that exact moment! His head immediately filled with images of this little guy playing baseball and just as I suspected, a tiny baseball glove will soon be on its way to our house.

We've had a name picked out for some time and I thought I would need to shop around a little before settling on it, but as soon as we said his name out loud and looked at his picture I knew it was a fit for this boy.

Nolan Hugh Whiteside

So many people have asked us where we got Nolan from and the truth is we just kind of pulled it out of the air. We've had lots of long car rides back and forth between here and South Carolina - giving us ample amount of future planning time (baby names became a topic many times).

And I think most people assume Hugh is just my maiden named shortened, but the name really belongs to my Pa (my father's father). Yep, Hugh Hughes. :) His father was also Hugh Hughes - more common than you thought, huh?

Nolan's little profile just melts my heart!! I'm in love! 

  

18 Weeks

It's been 8 weeks since my last post! I am finally feeling better from my couch/bed ridden (all day long) morning sickness. Phew!

I have to take a moment to give a shout out to my hubs who totally went above and beyond to make sure I was well taken care of during the first trimester. I know it was difficult to come home to sick wife after a long day at work - he had all the cleaning, cooking, and pet care to handle while I was out of commission and he dealt with it all like a champ! Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love him any more than I already did, his attentiveness and sweet nature made me feel an even stronger sense of admiration and love for him. I married one heck of an amazing man and that's a true understatement! I seriously am one lucky lady!

Sorry about the horrible selfie! I have never been able to take these! I'd have Josh take them, but we really don't have a great spot to take pictures in the apartment - the lighting is terribly dark. 

How far along:18 weeks! Time flies - we're almost to the half way point!

Total weight gain/loss: I lost a few lbs from my first trimester and at my last doctor's appointment I had gained them back to bring me up to my pre-pregnancy weight. I don't actually own a scale (gasp!). I've just never worried that much about what the scale says. So, we'll find out for sure how much weight I've gained at my appointment next Thursday.

Maternity clothes: I was lucky that my SIL, Stephanie, let me borrow her maternity clothes. So, I have a few things from her and have purchased a pair of jeans. I can almost button my pre-pregnancy jeans and one of those belly bands would probably do the trick, but my maternity jeans are just way more comfy than my regular jeans. I can still wear my shirts, but at this point I prefer the maternity shirts with ruching - that way the bump looks more like a bump and not a gut. ;)

Sleep: I'm super uncomfortable in bed and now have 3 pillows (one for my head and two for my sides - they help keep my on my sides and I throw my leg over them.) I'd have more pillows, but I think Josh would kick me out.

Best moment this week: I absolutely LOVE feeling the little peanut kick!! It started at week 16 and feels like a tiny muscle spasm. I just wish Josh could feel, but that will come in time.

Miss anything? I do miss regular clothes. I love summer styles and I'm sad that I can't shop for all those cute summer things, bathing suits included!

Food cravings: A good southern meat and three!

Anything make you queasy or sick: Lots of things that I ate while I was sick or got sick from still makes me queasy. Let's not talk about it.

Baby is a: Singleton! as in just one...not twins! ;) We were a little worried it may be twins in the beginning - mainly because everyone kept saying it was twins! (And yes, I know this question is really asking about gender)

Looking forward to: Our ultra sound appointment this Monday - we should be finding out boy or girl!