"It's Okay Mommy... You Can Get Your Hair Done!"

Well ladies and gentlemen... we made it. TEN WEEKS! I know I still have 30 more to go, but there is something about finally getting to the double digits! As far as my blog title goes, let me explain. I have needed to get my hair highlighted for a while. Of course my doctor told me "no harsh chemicals on your hair or skin"... so I was putting if off as long as I could. Finally I just couldn't take it anymore. Honestly, I have been a little depressed. I mean.. I'm sicker then I've ever been, larger than I've ever been, I have more acne then I've ever had, and the sides of my stomach are already looking like road maps (thank you stretch marks)... so on top of all that, there was no way I could go nine months without getting my hair done. So I got highlights and a trim and I feel great! I think so much of my "blah"ness is mental, and getting spruced up a bit helped out a TON! Well my sweet grandmother is "by the book" if you will. She teaches child growth and development and I must say she's been a great resource for me so far. Well, she saw me the afternoon after I got my hair done and we had... umm... a conversation about it... :) Here's where the title of this post comes in.. after trying to explain to her that it was really okay for me to get highlights... I finally resorted to the outrageous explanation that I'd had a conversation with Peanut, and he/she said they were fine... that I could go get my hair done! Needless to say, we both laughed... maybe it was one of those things you had to be there to appreciate it :) 

Okay now for the virtual picture of Peanut and a TEN WEEK UPDATE! This was a big week for Peanut with tons of changes... he/she graduated from an embryo to a fetus this week! Guess what... the tadpole is gone! Peanut's tail has disappeared into his/her spinal column. Peanut is finally looking more and more human! He/She now has discernible fingers and toes. Peanut's skeleton is growing and hardening. His/Her ears are starting to take shape, the eyelids are no longer transparent... even Peanut's tooth buds are forming! Peanut's brain made 25,000 new neurons this week! Peanut is still really tiny, he/she weighs only 4 grams and is about one and half inches long... about the size of a Brazilian nut!

Everyday, Jordan and I are amazed at God's faithfulness. That He chose us, chose my womb to knit this precious baby together in. As much as we were looking forward to being pregnant, we had no idea the blessings and thankfulness that would come with this miracle. Thank you Lord for this gift!

QUICK SAWYER UPDATE: Will this dog ever get to the point he won't pee in the house? Oh my gosh we feel we've tried everything... any suggestions would be great! On a positive note, we've finally gotten Sawyer to sleep through the night (he was getting up one or two times a night to go pee... all before 5 o'clock!) Now, we take his water away from him about an hour and a half before we go to bed... take him out one time before we lay down, and he sleeps ALL NIGHT until Jordan's alarm goes off at 5:00 am. In fact, he's even started going back to his bed and sleeping until around 7:30 when I get up! Now if we can just get the house training thing down :)

9 Weeks...

Okay.. I'm going to be honest. I'm a little bummed out about this post. You see, somehow, I got a week ahead in my mind and I was convinced that I was 10 weeks today... but I'm not... only nine. I'm not sure why I got so disappointed. I think because I found out so early (3.5 weeks!).. that the weeks just seem to drag by. But... here I am at nine weeks, and I still find myself amazed at God's handiwork in this sweet little baby of mine.

This week, Peanut is beginning to move, but unfortunately, I can't feel it yet. Let me just pause here for a minute. I was asking my sister-in-law Aimee when and what it feels like when you feel your baby for the first time... and can I just tell you that I am nervous and a little freaked out! Right now, in my wildest dreams, I can't fathom the idea of feeling something inside of me kicking and moving. This week, some of the not so glamorous body parts have formed. Peanut has grown nipples and hair follicles, and his/her pancreas, gallbladder, bile ducts, and anus are all in place (umm.... is it just me or is it weird to think of something so tiny with all those body parts!)

Okay.. this is my favorite part of this weeks "developments"... Peanut is beginning to develop his hoo-hoo or her hoo-ha! (Yes... those are my names for the boy parts and girl parts... don't judge :) But... we obviously won't be able to see it for several more weeks. Peanut is about 1-inch long and about the size of an olive... whoa! I remember when he/she was the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

Alright.. going back to the hoo-hoo or hoo-ha, Jordan and I have decided to go to Atlanta to a place called Stork Vision in May to find out the gender of our baby. There are a few reasons why... first of all, it's designed to be a relaxing, family-oriented atmosphere. It's not too expensive, and I believe it will be worth every penny! Our appointment is on May 15th, so we are super excited!

Other big news in the pregnancy department... I bought my first pair of maternity jeans... "but you're only 9 weeks Anna Lee... why would you need maternity jeans?"... well let me tell you... my pooch is growing (I had one before the baby, but now I can't suck it in!) I have actually lost about 5 pounds due to just being so sick and exercising, but I definitely notice a difference in my belly. So.. I broke down and bought some maternity jeans... and I have to say I LOVE THEM! They are Lucky Brand (got them for $15.00 at Burke's Outlet) and they are a "real-waist" maternity pant. So basically they don't have the big blue thing that covers your whole belly... :)

As for a Sawyer update (the puppy).. wow. I don't think Jordan and I realized what we were getting in to. So far potty training him is AWFUL... he has multiple accidents every day just about... we have tried everything. We are just hoping it's the "puppy phase" and eventually he will grow out of it. He is getting bigger and bigger everyday. We can't believe how much he's grown in the two weeks we've had him! He really has been a great puppy (except for the potty training thing). He still loves us and is very attached. He loves to cuddle and will even let me cradle him like a baby.. hmm.. you don't think he's spoiled do you? haha...

Eight Weeks... and Our Newest Addition

Wow... tomorrow (Thursday) is eight weeks... I must admit this week went by REALLY slow. But.. some exciting things did happen. We finally gave the go-ahead for everyone to start spreading the news. We had only told a handful of close family and friends until we heard the heartbeat. We knew that once we heard the heartbeat, our chances of a miscarriage went down a little bit. It was quite funny though, pretty much everyone I'd told had already shared it with someone just because they couldn't keep the news in.. oh well! I know they were excited, because I know how excited we are!

We also went for a visit to Mississippi (Jordan's hometown) to tell his parents and grandparents in person. It's been really important to us to share with as many people as we can "in person"... we just think it's more special that way. So... we kept our lips tight until we could get there this weekend. Everyone was excited.. his sweet grandmother had a GREAT reaction... I LOVE it when I see other people so genuinely excited about our sweet baby. But... the most precious reaction of all was from Jordan's mom. Deborah suffers from Alzheimer's disease and is only 58... it's so sad. I prayed and prayed that it would really "click" for her and that she would be able to be excited about it... and boy was she! We didn't even get the words out of our mouth.. as soon as Jordan said "We have some news..." she was grinning from ear to ear... she knew what it was. We told them right before dinner and I don't think she stopped smiling the rest of the night! On Sunday, we went to church with them... and everybody, I mean EVERYBODY knew we were expecting. She always re-introduces me to people (bless her heart) but this time... she led with "I'm going to have a baby!" which meant... we were going to have a baby. Then she would introduce me.. lol. It was so precious. I know that there is really no cure for Alzheimer's right now; however, my prayer is that the Lord would give us the gift of her being able to enjoy these two new grandbabies she has on the way (No.. it isn't twins and I forgot to tell you... Carlton and Aimee, Jordan's brother and his wife are expecting a baby in early August).

Okay.. now for a Baby Weathers update... Peanut is looking less like a tadpole/peanut and more like a human... but just barely. His or her eyelids, ears, upper lip and the tip of his or her nose are forming.. YAY! Bye bye ping pong paddles... Peanut is finally going to grow some fingers and toes... but... they are webbed. This is my favorite part... Peanut's heart is now separated into the four distinct chambers. He or she is still REALLY tiny... only about 1/2 inch long!

Nausea, vomiting, and headaches are a big part of my everyday life now :(... I try to keep repeating what sweet Dr. Daniel tells me whenever I complain about it "You know what they say baby girl... a sick momma means a healthy baby)... if this old wives' tale is true... I might give birth to a 10 pound baby! On a serious note, these headaches are a killer... I've tried a cup of caffeine and Tylenol... but neither one really helps.. any suggestions from you seasoned mommies out there... let me know!

Sorry... I know this is an extremely long post.. but we do have a new addition to our family... a puppy! No, we aren't crazy.. we had already paid a deposit for the puppy before we found out we were pregnant. The puppy is a Black Mouth Cur.. he's mainly going to be a hunting dog for Jordan, but they also make great family dogs. We named his Sawyer... I liked this for a baby name, but Jordan didn't... so the dog got the name... We picked him up in Mississippi on Saturday during our visit... and so far so good. He's actually a really sweet puppy. He's extremely clingy to Jordan and me... especially me :) I'm totally soaking all the attention up. He loves to cuddle and sleep a lot... so he and I have taken a few naps over the past few days. Sawyer will be eight weeks old tomorrow (ironic, huh?) but he is already around 12 pounds! His dad is around 80 pounds.. so I think we may have a future giant on our hands! Right now, we are trying to house train him and teach him the word "NO"... he doesn't like that so much. This is a picture I took of him in the car after we got him... he wasn't very happy. I will try to post more pictures of him soon.

Seven Weeks...

Today I am seven weeks pregnant... whoop whoop! Seven down, thirty-three to go! Boy I have a long time. Each week, I wanted to post some of the changes that our sweet little Peanut is going through so that I can look back and be amazed by our Creator and the miracle of life.

This week, Peanut's brain is growing by 100 cells PER MINUTE! I think that's crazy! Peanut's face is becoming more defined (even though he still looks like a peanut / tadpole). Now, if we could look at his/her face, a mouth hole, tongue, nostrils, and ear indentations would be visible. Also, his/her eyes are wide open... but, he doesn't have irises yet (I wonder if he/she will have my green eyes or Jordan's blue?)

This is definitely my favorite part! Peanut is developing little arm and leg buds that look more like tiny ping-pong paddles! If Peanut is anything like his/her Daddy... he/she will be great at Ping Pong :) Finally, the umbilical cord is now visible, and Peanut is about the length of a Tic Tac!

It's amazing to me that something so small can make me so sick :) No... I know it isn't Peanut, but the hormone levels that go with pregnancy.. however, I am definitely battling the "All Day" sickness. I know every woman is different, but any tips on how to help with the nausea are greatly appreciated!

I feel like this week, what I was looking most forward to was hearing Peanut's heartbeat. And because I have THE GREATEST DOCTOR IN THE WORLD (shout out to Dr. Daniel)... he let us do a sonogram a couple of days early so we could have a picture to take Jordan's parents this weekend when we go visit. I just have to say.. when we heard the heartbeat for those few seconds... it changed us.

From the beginning of this pregnancy, I have been amazed at God's handiwork, and how intricately designed us. When I read Psalm 139... I have a whole new perspective because now... God is knitting our sweet little Peanut together in my womb cell by cell. I know those of you who are already mothers know what I'm feeling, and I'm glad... because it's so hard to put it into words sometimes.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

Facebook Fast...

Boy oh boy... what am I going to do? The ladies in my bible study challenged each other to take a break from Facebook for one week. What!? I must admit... I was having mild panic attacks when I thought about it, but thankfully, was able to see that if I was so anxious about giving it up... I should probably give it up!

So... here I am, Facebook Free for one week. During the times that I feel the urge to get on Facebook.. my plan is to pray and/or read Scripture. Even though I was so worked up about it at first, I am so excited to see what the Holy Spirit will do when I am quiet, still, and seeking the Lord through His Word. Well.. here goes!

P.S. This blog was so short because I am only giving myself 30 minutes a day of computer time, unless it pertains to school or work for the week as well! WHOA!! :)

February...

What an amazing month this was! I mentioned in my first post that I was going to save February for another post. Well... here goes. By the way.. get comfortable, this could be a long one. 

On February 7, 2010... I woke up feeling a little... well, different. My stomach was a little uneasy, and I thought "could I be"?... "No way, it's too early"... "Okay, I'm just going to take a test and see what it says". After a back-and-forth conversation with myself, I did it... I took a pregnancy test. I got so anxious and worked up about it that I just threw it away and ran out of the bathroom. A few minutes later, I went back in, dug it out of the trash can (gross I know) and there it was... a faint blue line. I couldn't believe my eyes, so I ran into the bedroom and woke Jordan up.. made him put his glasses on (he's blind without them) and asked "WHAT DO YOU SEE?!?" A big smile came across his face and he said "I see a faint line"... I totally freaked out. Finally, I gained composure and got myself dressed and ready for church. The whole time in church my stomach was in knots.. a part of me still wasn't convinced that I'd gotten a positive. 

You see, Jordan and I had wanted to start trying for a baby, but when I missed a couple of periods, my doctor confirmed that I wasn't ovulating. Every month that I missed a period or was late, all the anticipations and emotions of thinking I was pregnant flooded my mind.. and each time... a negative. So, when I finally a got a faint... I mean faint line... you can see how I wasn't immediately shouting it from the rooftops. After church, I pulled my sister-in-law Aimee to the side. She is my source to go to for all things dealing with pregnancy! I finally confessed that I'd taken a test and gotten a faint line, but I wasn't sure if it was a positive. She agreed to come over that afternoon and read the test for me... before she even got there, I took another one.. lol... another faint blue line. Whoah! Aimee confirmed the tests were positives... be still my heart!

Because, I had trouble ovulating on my own and had to take one round of Clomid, I decided to go on into the Dr. to get the pregnancy confirmed and to make sure all my hormone levels were good. Everything checked out great and we got the "Congratulations... you're going to be parents!"

So... here we are, on March 2nd... I am almost 7 weeks pregnant. We are beside ourselves. We are ecstatic and couldn't be happier. Today we went in for our first sonogram and heard our precious little baby's heartbeat. The heartbeat was strong and loud (it was 132... I'm thinking it's a boy) Everything with the pregnancy is going great; I am healthy, and most importantly, my sweet baby is healthy. Thank you God! 

When I originally decided to start blogging again, it was because I wanted to keep up with weekly updates throughout my pregnancy. This is such an amazing journey and experience, and I want to savor it and remember it. 

Now... introducing "Baby Weathers" or as we like to call it... "Peanut"