Break In!

Yesterday morning I decided I needed to take a walk around our beautiful backyard and find where I might do a little garden and see what areas I could play with a little. I made sure as I walked out the back door that it was unlocked. Unfortunately, I didn't notice there were 2 locks on the door. Not realizing I was locked out I took my time around the yard. It wasn't until I was starting to get hungry and really had to go to the bathroom that I turned back. I was so mad at myself as I realized every entry door was locked. All our windows are pretty high up for me but managed to pry off the kitchen window screen and luckily find it was not locked. Hot, hungry, in need of a bathroom, and already grouchy I HAD to get in. As I worked I kept my eye out for neighbors. I didn't want anyone to think I was breaking in - but than who would suspect a little pregnant girl in slippers and pjs. I rigged up a little pile to hoist myself through the window (feet first! I had to reassure Dan that I did not go in on my tummy) and enter my lovely, air conditioned home with a toilet and refrigerator of food!

The marks of a desperate woman! (I guess I should wash my windows)

My pile to the window (not the most sturdy, but it worked!)

20 Week update

I'm SHAPING up!

Ok, I know all my recent posts have been about baby/pregnancy. I guess that is pretty much what consumes my life right now. So sorry if it is boring to you. I promise I will do something different soon. I may even manage an I Made it Monday. I've been cooking just a little bit again, but I haven't ventured to try anything new yet. We'll see.

So, we are at the half-way mark! YEAH! (well, assuming we go the 40 weeks). Part of me is like I can't believe it is already half over and the other part is like I'm only half way there. Depends on how I'm feeling. I took for granted feeling so much better Sunday morning and did too much too fast when I got up and got ready without sitting and eating and letting my food sit for a little bit. Lets just say I regretted not taking my morning slower than I should have. Nevertheless, I feel pretty great most of the time, and it almost brings me to tears every time I smell and can eat good food - THAT will take a long time to take for granted!

We had our ultrasound last week (pictures below). I don't know how we get stuck with terrible ultrasound techs with horrible bedside manner, but as least Dan was there with me and we got to find out we're having a little girl. I have to admit I was a little shocked. I THOUGHT I had no inclinations, but I realized that early on I think I secretly wanted a girl, but didn't want to WANT either one - so I did a great job convincing myself it COULD be a boy. Then when Dan had a dream it was a boy I guess I was convinced. When the tech said is was a girl I didn't know what to think, but now I couldn't be more thrilled! We are so excited.

This is such an exciting time for us, and to add on top of I can feel her move ALL the time! Even Dan can feel her now and he just gasps and laughs so amazed! Hiccups, sumersaults, kicking, and whatever else she does in there. Sometimes I think she stretches out as straight as she can because I can feel one end at the bottom side of my belly, then another end at the upper opposite side of my belly. It is an amazing experience and I'm loving it!

More pictures and thoughts

Things are exciting in this house. Its been quite the rollar coast for me since we found out. One minute I am thrilled to the point I think I might explode, the next I am so overwhelmed with the idea of being a parent, getting our home moved in and in order, and getting ready for baby I can't do anything! I'm sure the hormones don't help. NEVERTHELESS, I am so extremely happy right now. We have a beautiful little home, and a beautiful little baby on the way. One of the most exciting things is that over the last few weeks I have felt the baby moving - Amazing! And this last week, Dan was able to feel it too and SHE IS A MOVER! (should I be nervous?). I will post 20 week prego pictures later this week for those of you who are interested.

Here are the pictures for our ultrasound last Friday. They are not as clear as the last 2 ultrasounds partly because it was a different type AND they baby didn't want to stay still. At least she gave us a moment to find out she was a girl! These pictures may be more enjoyed by family, but enjoy if you like to see different ultrasound pictures.

1 - The circular thing on the right is her face - it was actually kind of funny/scary looking - kind of skull like. And she was moving so much her face kept coming in and out of the darkness so it looked like a skull floating around. Both of us thought the same thing, I even wanted to laugh, but held it in. Neither one of us said anything until we were waiting for the Doctor later, but it was funny we both thought it.
2 - Another Face shot - little more clear, but still funny/scary. You can barely see little fingers on the right of her face.
3 - Profile shot - with a little knee, hand, and great looking spine!
4 - Another profile shot - a little more neck this time. Her hand was by her mouth. She was moving so much!
5 - One more profile shot - she looks a little chunkier in this one.
6 - My how her feet have grown since the last sonogram! Look at her little toes!
7 - It's a girl!!!

The results are in...

The votes are in...










The result is positive...












Confirmed by Ultrasound sonography...












Little Baby Brewer is a...

The Polls Are Open!

Well, I've been pretty lazy about blogging lately - I just don't feel like it, I don't have time, no creative flow, nothing interesting to say or no internet access. Don't get me wrong, a LOT has been happening such as Dan's graduation and visit from parents, packing up and leaving San Angelo, Oklahoma family reunion, Road trip back to Florida, finding a home and living in a hotel, my current trip to Washington, and perhaps the most important news of all - feeling MUCH better and loving good food again!

Unfortunately I still don't feel like reporting on any of these events yet, BUT I did have the energy and interest to set up a poll which can be found on the right side of the screen. Now you can participate in the exciting time of finding out if little Baby Brewer is a Boy or Girl! We get to find out on the 28th. I could have taken a peak at my Monday appointment, but Dan wasn't there and I wanted to share it with him.

SO, leave your vote if you think we are having a BOY or GIRL! It will be fun!

And the winners are...

...Brandi for guessing it is an ear and Megan for guessing spot on that it is an ear mark!

So why a picture of an ear mark? Here is a picture of where we found it - on our front door. We returned home from our 4th of July trip to find this greasy ear mark on our door. So we are left with the questions...Who left this ear mark? Why did someone feel the need to press their greasy ear to our door? What were they listening for? What did they want? Who does this?

Can you guess what this is?

Special Kudos to whoever can tell me what this is a picture of. If no one can guess in a couple of days I'll give a hint...

14 Week Update

Well, I'm officially done and out of the first trimester. Secretly I was hoping that the Day of week 14 would be the day I felt completely normal again. Normal may never come but there have been some improvements. I feel like my energy is slowly returning bit by bit, there is a sort of "fog" that seems to be lifting from around my brain, and the nausea has gone down significantly. I still have my moments of gagging and still have VERY strong food aversions to...just about everything, but I'm hopeful. The other night we went to Olive Garden to celebrate 3 months. It turned out to be the first successful restaurant visit since the "ickiness" set in. We were sitting waiting for our food and eating our salad and bread sticks (which were actually tasting wonderful). I told Dan this was so wonderful I wanted to cry and my eyes actually started to tear up . It just felt good to eat and enjoy. Unfortunately I haven't been able to repeat that night, but I am hopeful it will come again!

Baby is doing great with a strong as ever heartbeat which was much easier for my Doctor to find this time. Everything seems to be going well. I still have not been gaining weight and my Doctor says I should start within the next couple of weeks. She encourages me to drink Ensure (alone or in a milkshake - which ever is more tolerable) which can be pretty gross at times.

As for a baby bump. I definitely can tell there is some growing going on - some of my pants hurt to have the last button done so I've been sticking to my low loose jeans lately. I am including my "baby bump picture" but many may say it really isn't a bump. Most of what is visible isn't actually baby bump but a cushion that I've developed since I got pregnant. NOBODY would guess I was pregnant right now, and it will probably remain that way for a while.

First Baby Pictues!

Almost 6 weeks ago we got to have our first ultrasound. Unfortunately the experience was not the most pleasent of experiences due to the possible reason for the early sonogram AND to the technition with the worst bedside manner and conversation skills EVER! Fortunately, everything was good. The baby was where it should be and we got a little picture of the peanut - I even got to see a little heart beating - but you really couldn't see much else and there was no movment. (the picture below was this appointment)
So, imagine our surprise when we returned for our second sonogram and got the following pictures! It was amazing and Dan got to be there. Suddenly everything seems just a little more real - that I don't just have bad gas or the flu but there is actually a baby (and it actually looks more baby than alien) in there kicking, turning, and moving away. It is definitely a little Dan with all its moving (it never stopped!)
A perfect little leg and foot. It was so funny to see it crossing its legs, tapping its feet, and kicking. This baby is a MOVER! The technition said, "Just wait until you can feel all of this!"

The baby's hand and fingers were waving in this shot - it was so funny. It also liked putting its hands between its legs and sometimes looked like it was lounging with one head behind its head - enjoy the room while you have it baby! We even got a thumbs up at one point.

Baby Brewer Profile. I think it has my nose and Dan's mouth. :O)


The arrow is pointing to a little start of something - still too early to tell if its a boy or girl though.

A good spine shot and if it was a video you would see a 4 chamber heart beating away healthy and strong at 162 bpm.

I apologize if this is baby overload or something, but We are just thrilled and want to share the excitedment. It really was an amazing experience and it makes are the uncomfortable parts of pregnancy worth it!

Catch-Up Road-Trips: Tuscon and New Mexico

TUSCON, AZ

Well, we added two more major road trips recently and I never did share pics (not that I took very many - in fact I was horrible about taking pictures - but that just means I had a great time!). Over memorial weekend we made a mad-dash trip to Tucson, AZ with a friend/coworker of Dan's. Turns out we were pregnant at the time which explains the frequent bathroom breaks and insane amount of sleeping. The majority of the driving was spent sleeping on my end.

We drove late into the night on Friday after work and stopped at a KOA for some sleep. It was great until about 3 am when other campers showed up and set there tent up litterally 3 feet from ours and were SO loud in the process and had their car lights glaring right at our tent. It wasn't until about 4:30 that they started to quiet down. We were up at about 6:30-7 getting ready to go and Dan and his friend took full advantage of our breaking camp to share the joy (noise) our neighbors so thoughtfully shared with us just a few hours earlier. Even when backing the car out of the site Dan shouted out the window to make sure our car was making the "SHARP LEFT, SHARP LEFT" it needed to exit the camp site.

On we drove until we reached Tucson and dropped our friend off with his friends. We got to spend the rest of the day and part of the next visiting wonderful family and friends. It wasn't much time, but it was well worth it and we loved every moment. We were happy to see Brandi,David and the babies and share in the wonder which is Eegees! We also got some fun pool and visiting time with Megan and her little babies! We even got to spend time with Renee and Josh and there sweet babies - my only regret was no pictures of those sweethearts!

We had a great trip and we were happy we went.

NEW MEXICO: Brewer Family Reunion

Over the 4th of July Weekend we took another trip out toward Gallup, New Mexico for the annual Brewer Family Reunion - this would be my first with this side of the family. On the way there we split the trip and stayed a night in Amarillo, TX. Then on to probably one of the most beautiful spots of land I've seen in a LONG time - it almost didn't look like the New Mexico that surrounded it - more like Washington state. It was beautiful. We all stayed at the "It'l Do Ranch" - an extended family member owns it. Everyone did the camping thing except Dan and I and one other couple - we got actual beds and rooms in a trailer (priority given to expecting and new mothers) and thank goodness for that! I think it really helped me enjoy the time there more since I was able to take good comfortable naps when I needed to. We had a blast visiting and meeting new family. There were a TON of little kids EVERYWHERE! It was great! Dan even put together a little treasure hunt for all the little kiddos with tons of toys he bought at the dollar store. They loved it. The highlights were spending time with family, and celebrating Grandpa Brewer's 80th birthday. The food was actually great and I was so appreciative of all the hardwork and all those who helped with it - I was of very little help myself. It was a great weekend and over all too quickly, but we were glad to make the trip.A beautiful New Mexico View

Deer and Elk are everywhere out here - we were in the middle of NO WHERE!It'L Do RanchI look a little worse for the wear but we had a relaxing time in this beautiful place!I caught one of him smiling!Isn't she just a cutie?!The gathering spot.Dan and Jack.Dan and Grandpa Brewer. In Canon's words, "hey great-grandpa Brewer"The kiddo's treasure hunt that Dan put together.

I wish I'd taken more pictures...