Week 20: Halfway There...

How Far Along? 20 weeks! We're halfway there!!!!! Woooooo!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 4 lbs.

   

Baby Related Purchases: Mom and Larry gave us all sorts of goodies when we went to Atlanta this weekend! All of the outfits are so precious and I can't wait to see Claudia in them!

Peter Rabbit Tea Set, 3 adorable onesies, a rose blanket, and a Gund Lamb plush rattle :-) 

We met Carol for dinner on the way back from Atlanta on Memorial Day and she gave us some cute stuff she bought for Claudia on her last visit to the Smokies! Claudia is a little Tennessee girl already!

Stretch marks? Nope!

Sleep: About the same. I think my body is getting adjusted to less sleep. I'm not as tired as I've been!
  

Movement: I LOVE feeling Claudia move! I can tell she's getting bigger :-) When she does flips, they're startling! Its like feeling a thud in your abdomen. Other times the movements are more like flutters- almost as if she's stretching her arms and legs. She's most active when I'm still.

What I miss: Yesterday we ate dinner at Moe's and I didn't want tea or water. I really really wanted a diet soda! However, sodas are terrible for you in general and I don't want Claudia to have any aspartame in her system! I've decided that when she's no longer in the womb I am going to Moe's and getting a huge Vanilla Diet Barq's Root Beer! :-)

  

Cravings: I didn't really have cravings this week. My appetite has started to increase, though! I've got to be careful about that!  

Anything making you queasy or sick: This pertains to normal life too, but the close parking spots to my building at Union are located near the dumpsters. Especially since the temperatures have risen, it has been RANK! I've literally held my nose while walking by because it makes me want to gag!

Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: No!

Symptoms: Quickening, Round Ligament Pain, Tiredness, Hip pain

Belly Button In or Out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: I've been happy most of the time! :-)

Worries: I feel like I've measured the worries of this pregnancy in stages. First, my goal was to get to the second trimester because the risk of miscarriage and other complications decreases a lot. Once I passed that marker, I wanted to get to 20 weeks because that is the halfway point. Now that I'm here, I want to get to 30 weeks so that if Claudia is born too early she can survive on her own. I have a feeling that once she's here I'll find new things to worry about- for the rest of her life! The Lord has been reminding me that each day I feel this precious life inside of me is a gift that I could never deserve. I love her so much already!

Best moments this week: This week was super special because we made a trip to Atlanta for Cassidy's Bachelorette weekend! Austin didn't attend, just to clarify. Instead, he hung out with Mom and Larry- it worked out so nicely!

It was soooo wonderful to see my best friends and Cassidy's sisters. It was just the six of us at Becca's parent's gorgeous home! The festivities began on Friday night, but because of work we drove down to Atlanta that night, arriving around 1 a.m. After a good night's sleep, Mom made us a big breakfast and I headed to the party!

Right after I got there, Cassidy, Becca, Pamela and me hopped in the red mustang convertible that had been rented for the weekend (top down, of course!) to run an errand and see Becca's apartment! It was so fun cruisin' with the ladies and Becca's apartment was lovely!

That afternoon, we threw Cassidy a lingerie shower! I won't go into detail about that :-) It was really fun, though!

After the shower, we relaxed on the big wraparound couch, watched "Ella Enchanted" and most of us napped! It was fabulous!

At 7 p.m., we went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen in the Forum! So so good! We got to sit out on the porch- the evening was perfect! We enjoyed the delicious food and fun fellowship, talking over all the details of the wedding and wedding festivities. Cassidy, of course, was adorned in a "Bride-to-Be" sash and crown with a veil. People's comments were funny!

We didn't eat too much, as we made plans to go to Cafe Intermezzo near Perimeter Mall for dessert! WOW!!! It really feels like an elegant Venetian cafe! The dessert selection was amazing and the options for coffee and drinks were great! Everything was delicious! I'm such a plain jane- I got the New York Cheesecake and decaf coffee (although I think I accidentally received regular coffee- oops!). We all tasted each other's desserts- yum! I highly recommend it! I can't wait to go back!

We stayed up late talking (of course) and decorated some plates for Cassidy's kitchen with different colored sharpies! It was so fun to see how they all turned out. Sadly, I didn't think to snap a picture on my phone!

The next morning, we slept in a little bit, ate Rice Krispies Treats for breakfast (at least I did- there were healthy options too!), packed up our stuff and ate lunch at Frontera before heading our separate ways! The good-byes were much easier knowing we'd all see each other again in a few days :-) I am truly blessed to have such amazing friends! They are more like sisters, really. We've seen each other through so many ups and downs and celebrations over the past 9 years! This coming Saturday, we get to stand beside Cassidy as she marries the godly man the Lord has prepared for her! Bring on the waterworks! (I'm going to try my best not to cry at the ceremony and mess up the pictures, Cassidy!) I'm already praying that Claudia will have such wonderful friends!

Instead of heading back to Jackson, I went to Mom and Larry's house for some more fun! Austin and I lathered up with sunscreen (I donned my super-attractive maternity swimsuit) and got in a good hour in the pool before a thunderstorm came! Austin blew up a floating lounge chair-thing for me to use! It was fabulous! That is the epitome of relaxation for me! 

That night, Larry grilled phenomenal steaks and Mom prepared baked potatoes, corn on the cob and green beans. Along with my stepbrother, Larry, we enjoyed our dinner immensely and talked around the table for a couple of hours! Following dinner, we watched "Father of the Bride 2" with Mom and Larry! 

Monday morning, my sweet husband got CFA chicken biscuits for everyone and we hung out with Mom while Larry was at the gym. We had to leave to come home in the early afternoon, so we decided to get back in the pool. I don't look ghostly white anymore! Yes! Larry grilled hamburgers and we enjoyed lunch together on the patio. Another afternoon thunderstorm drove us inside, but we needed to get ready and hit the road anyway! 

While the sunscreen was still absorbing before we got in the pool, I saw where Donna Maye is buried. Mom planted a sweet pink rose bush beside her and put a pretty bird bath there. Larry's dog, Jake, and Mom and Mary's cat, Rajah are buried there too. So, Donna Maye has friends! It was so sad to go to Atlanta for the first time without her there. I missed her a lot! 

Austin and I left around 2 and were being chased by a thunderstorm out of town! Nothing caught up with us until Monteagle (on top of Signal Mountain!!!) when there was a torrential downpour, complete with hail! Thankfully, my pregnant bladder needed to stop at the rest area in Monteagle so we didn't have to drive down the mountain in such bad weather! 

We had a lovely dinner with Carol and Austin's grandparents at Mazatlan on our last leg of the trip! Carol gave Claudia two cute Smoky Mountain T-shirts and little ballet socks/shoes. It was so fun to visit and catch up! We didn't want to leave. 

We made it home at 10 p.m. after a long day of travel! Can't wait to go to Birmingham this weekend for Cassidy's wedding!!! 

Week 19

How Far Along? 19 Weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 3 lbs    

Baby Related Purchases: We didn't purchase anything for Claudia this week but we got some gifts!

Adam and Leslie came to Jackson on Tuesday for lunch and brought this adorable outfit with them! Ailidh picked it out! I love it and Claudia will look so cute in it!

On Saturday, I got an unexpected package from Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was from Pamela's mom! Inside was this beautiful hand crocheted blanket! I was so touched at her thoughtfulness that I cried!

Earlier in the week, we received the bedding for the crib, everything except the dust ruffle (I think its back ordered until August). It's so fun to have it! I can't wait to get everything set up when my mom comes in June!

Stretch marks?  No :-) 

Sleep: Getting a little better! I actually didn't have to get up in the middle of the night last night. The pregnancy pillow continues to be a gift from the Lord, especially as I've been experiencing some hip pain in recent days. My body is changing!  

Movement: Claudia has been moving a lot! Sometimes the movements are small and sometimes she does flips, which are startling! I love it, though! My favorite is when Austin feels her move. Sometimes he'll just touch my belly when I'm on the couch or laying in bed. Its so sweet to see how much he loves Claudia already :-) 

What I miss: As the days go by, I'm finding myself more and more content in being pregnant. I feel like I've settled into a sense of what's normal for this short season. Sure, I'm more tired all the time and would love a cup of regular coffee, but having this precious life inside of me is totally worth it! 

Cravings: The Zaxby's craving continues....

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, thankfully!    

Gender: Girl! 

Labor Signs: No! 

Symptoms: Fatigue, Hip Pain, Round Ligament Pain (especially when I stand up or get up from laying down once I've been there awhile), Quickening

Belly Button In or Out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: I was pretty tired this week since it was the last week of the semester, but I was pretty happy! 

Worries: If I don't feel Claudia move for awhile, I get worried that something might be wrong. At the ultrasound, the tech (who is the self-proclaimed "water nazi") told me to be sure I'm drinking enough water. My fluids were just a bit low last time. I think a lot of that was due to being sick all of that week. Now I'm going crazy with the water! I want to be sure her amniotic fluid is exactly where it needs to be!

Best moments this week: Everyone has been so excited that we're having a little girl! People have told me how much they love her name. It is so much fun to share our joy with others!

It was great having Adam and Leslie here on Tuesday! I had to work, but the four of us were able to have lunch together at Tulum! It was good to catch up! Following lunch, they got to see our little house for the first time.

Friday after work I went to Dirt Cheap, a bargain store that has brand name items for fractions of the cost, to check out their maternity clothes! I found some Old Navy black cropped pants (which I had really been wanting/needing for work), an Old Navy sleeveless blue blouse and a blue Gap shirt for $2.80 per item! What?! I'm definitely going back soon!

Friday night, Casey and Amy borrowed our grill and brought us DELICIOUS pork chops, grilled corn and potatoes. We are so blessed by their friendship!

Saturday, Austin had to work, but I was able to just catch up on rest and enjoy being lazy! Dad came in that night and we all went to Applebee's, where we enjoyed half price appetizers. Mary left for South Africa early Sunday morning and Dad came to see her off!

We enjoyed going to church with Dad on Sunday and had a lovely lunch at Red Robin on Sunday. We concluded our weekend by hanging out with Dustin and Jess! Love them!

Can't believe we're nearly halfway there!!!!!! 

Week 18: It's a Girl!!!!

We are so excited to announce that we are having a GIRL!!! I still can't believe it! Her name is Claudia Grace Ward :-) We are so humbled and excited that the Lord has given us this precious gift.

We are naming her Claudia in honor of all the Claudes in our family. My Dad is the third Claude on my side and Austin's great-grandfather was Claude as well. What better way to carry on the legacy of such godly men :-) "Grace" is a middle name that we both liked separately before we even met! May it be a constant reminder to Claudia and to us of God's great grace.

It was truly amazing to see Claudia at the ultrasound. She was so tiny last time we saw her and now we could see her precious arms, legs, hands, feet and face. She was moving around a lot! When the ultrasound first started she was standing on her head :-) She's already taking after her daddy! It makes sense that I've been feeling her move so much. 

We were able to see her spinal chord, stomach, kidneys, brain and her precious heart. The tech zoomed in on her heart and we could see four perfectly formed chambers beating at 150 beats per minute. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life! Lord, please draw her heart ever closer to yours! 

She was moving around a lot but turned in just the right way for us to see her gender! I was so happy we didn't have to wait any longer. When the tech announced she was a girl, I couldn't believe it!!! She is already so beautiful and strong and I can't wait to know my daughter more as time goes on! Austin and I are so in love with her already! 

The doctor gave us a great report. He was pleased with her development and said everything looks good! I'll be going back in a month for my next appointment. 

After our appointment, we went for a celebratory dinner at Logan's! It was so much fun to talk about our little girl and get even more excited about her arrival!  

Saturday afternoon, we had a small gender reveal with family and some close friends! It was so much fun!! 

The table, minus the cake. 

The guest of honor! 

Strawberry cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Revealing the name! 

We were so blessed to have Austin's beautiful mom (who doesn't look old enough to be a grandmother) at the party! We celebrated an early Mother's Day with dinner at Chili's followed by a shopping spree at Target! It was so great to spend time with her :-) 

Sunday was my first mother's day and Austin made it so special! I woke up to him offering to get me breakfast in bed. He gave me gorgeous roses, a lovely card and a priceless gift. He wrote this poem for me, printed it our and put it in a beautiful frame. Of course, it made me cry! :-)  I just have to share it: 

My Wife Forever

My dear, you're a mother now, and no one may take that away. 

For me, the wife of my youth is the first role that you play. 

Never I'll say another vow to any but you, my sweetheart. 

So true the words I spoke then, and still they echo in each part. 

Indeed, let's discover how our children's lives unfold each year,

But know the Wards won't pull us from the bond that holds us near. 

Cherish each and every hour, knowing time cannot be respent. 

Without the warmth of God's love, how will we show them what He meant?

Delight that Lover's power seeks to win His bride's longing stare. 

Expect I will flirt and gaze, whisper and pursue the most fair. 

My dear, you're a mother now, and no one may take that away. 

For me, my wife forever is the first role that you play. 

Here is the weekly update!!! What a big week we've had! :-) 

How Far Along? 18 Weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 3 lbs    

Baby Related Purchases: Claudia has gotten a lot of stuff in the past 48 hours! I'm so excited! Now that we know she's a girl, bring on the pink and everything girly!!! :-)

Saturday night, Carol bought lots of goodies at Target! It was soooo much fun shopping together and we feel so blessed by her generosity! I'm in love with all her adorable clothes!

Also, Mom and Larry bought us the crib bedding! Pink and ruffles, the perfect combination!!! This is part of the ruffles collection at Pottery Barn Kids. 

Austin and I ended Mother's Day by beginning our baby registry  at Target! We had a blast! 

Stretch marks?  No :-) 

Sleep: Still pretty rough, but I'm getting used to it, so I'm not feeling as exhausted. I asked the doctor about this. He smiled and told me that probably wasn't going to change. Great! 

Movement: Claudia is an active little one! I love feeling her move. :-)  

What I miss: This week, I just missed feeling well! 

Cravings: No particular cravings this week.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.    

Gender: GIRL!!!! 

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Round Ligament Pain, Quickening, Fatigue

Belly Button In or Out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Well, this week was very rough. We came off of a busy weekend last week with Arica and Dylan's wedding and Variety Show. Monday, I wasn't feeling well at all, but I thought it was exhaustion/allergy related. I went to work on Tuesday with some congestion and decided to see Nurse Paul, just to be sure I wasn't sick. Unfortunately, I found out I had strep throat for the second time since being pregnant. Frustrated and upset, I headed home. Austin was actually sick with a stomach bug so we were both down. Not fun.

Tuesday night, I really started feeling bad. I was able to start a z-pack, but by Wednesday morning I was really sick and stayed home Thursday too, returning to work on Friday. It was a shorter day, however, since I left work at 3 to go to the ultrasound appointment! It was frustrating not getting everything done that I had planned this past week. This upcoming week I'll have to hit the ground running.

Because it was such a hard week, my attitude wasn't that great. I spent most of it frustrated and just feeling awful. Being pregnant and sick is not a fun combination.  

Worries: While I was sick, I worried a lot about how Claudia was doing. I still worry about the possible effect that the medicine may have on her and I worry about strep coming back. I really succumbed to these worries a lot this week. Moving forward, I pray that I can trust the Lord with these worries. It was very reassuring to see Claudia and to get a great report from the doctor.

Best moments this week: Hands down, getting to see Claudia and finding out that she is a girl! I could have watched her move around for hours. She is already so captivating! 

Week 17

How Far Along? 17 Weeks

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +2 lbs   

Baby Related Purchases:  Mom and Larry were in Jackson this weekend for Variety Show and gave us a bunch of goodies on Saturday! We got some 3 month white onesies, 2 white flannel crib sheets, a pack of cloth diapers, a cute cloth Winnie the Pooh book, and a container for the dishwasher that is designed for baby bottles. It felt like Christmas!

Stretch marks? No! The Belly Lotion is still working like a charm! 

Sleep: Still pretty rough! My allergies have been acting up now that the tree pollen is in full swing so I've been taking Benedryl at night. Its helped a little, along with the body pillow (which we took with us out of town this weekend! :-) ) 

Movement: Still feeling flutters :-) 

What I miss: I sound like a broken record, but this week I really missed coffee (with caffeine!). Because of not sleeping well, the desire for a nice cup of hot coffee in the morning and in the afternoon around 2:30 has been overwhelming at times! I can't remember if I shared this on here or not, but in January, I did a detox that was caffeine free, gluten free, dairy free, lactose free and sugar free. So, I broke my coffee addiction. Around the time I was adding things back, we found out we were pregnant! Since lots of caffeine isn't good for a growing baby, I decided to give coffee up completely. Since being pregnant, I've only had a handful of drinks made with decaf espresso. I plan on avoiding coffee throughout the pregnancy and for the first few months so it doesn't interfere with Baby Ward's sleep :-) 

Cravings: I'm a Chick-fil-A girl through and through, but this week I've been craving Zaxby's chicken fingers, french fries and Zax sauce! I had the kids meal several afternoons this week to tide me over until dinnertime!

Anything making you queasy or sick: No, thankfully!  

Gender: May 9th can't come soon enough! I'm so ready to know if I'm carrying a little boy or a little girl! :-) 

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Round Ligament Pain, quickening, tiredness

Belly Button In or Out? In

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy!   

Worries: I'm still just hoping that Baby Ward is developing normally. I really can't wait for the ultrasound on May 9th. This week I've also been worried about maintaining a healthy weight during the pregnancy and losing baby weight once Baby Ward arrives. I know that my self-esteem is fragile right now (hello hormones!) so I'm trying to take this a day at a time and focus on being healthy. That's all I really want to do, anyway.

Best moments this week: This week was a busy one!

On Friday, we drove to Murfreesboro with Austin's Grandmother for Arica and Dylan's wedding. We had a fun car ride- the day couldn't have been more beautiful! We enjoyed a nice lunch at Jim N Nicks (finally satisfying my BBQ craving!) then headed to the wedding venue.

Arica and Dylan's wedding was at the Oaklands Historic House Museum, a lovely antebellum home. The weather was perfect! Austin was a groomsman (along with his brother Adam) and I was a bridesmaid (with Adam's wife, Leslie). Our precious niece and nephew were the flower girl and ring bearer. Arica had an array of girlfriends/cousins who served as her attendants. Austin's Aunt Nellie, assisted by her husband, Uncle Mike and sister Aunt Christa, made the delicious Italian dinner, and Carol was the photographer. Dylan's parents did the decorations and setup. It was a family affair!

I have to brag for a moment: in addition to being a bridesmaid, Leslie made our bridesmaid's dresses, Ailidh's flower girl dress and arranged all of the flowers (which included the centerpieces for the tables, all the bouquets and the corsages and boutonnieres). I'm drying my bouquet.

Following the rehearsal, everyone got ready and met back at the venue for pictures before the ceremony. The wedding started at 6 in the evening. The ceremony featured instrumental Disney music and Arica looked like a princess in her dress!

 

The reception was in a lovely hall, where dinner was served consisting of beef rigatoni, fettuccine alfredo, caesar salad and rolls. In lieu of a large wedding cake, there were delicious wedding cupcakes! At each table, there were cards with different questions guests could fill out. Austin drew an awesome picture of the couple :-) The wedding favors were little bags of M&Ms, which Baby Ward and I enjoyed following our dinner.

Austin and I danced to our song, which was wonderful :-)

The next morning, all of the Ward family that stayed in town met for brunch at Panera. It was so good to hang out with everyone! It was a gorgeous day, so following brunch, we went to a park in Murfreesboro with an AMAZING playground for the kids!! The kids enjoyed playing (accompanied by some of the daddies/daddies to-be) while the adults visited in the shade. Leaving everyone was sad, but we all get to reunite for Kayla and Brian's wedding in August! Not too far away!

Saturday night was Union's Variety Show, in which Mary was a participant! Because of this, Mom and Larry and Dad all came into town! We ate dinner at Logan's with Mom and Larry, which was great, before heading to the show!

Mary did a great job and we enjoyed ZTA's show a lot! I knew a lot of the participants, which made it extra fun for me!




Following the show, we were all hungry, so the entire family headed to Ihop! We had a great time! Baby Ward wanted an omlette :-)




The family headed home on Sunday morning, while Austin, Baby Ward and I enjoyed our day of rest :-)