baby cole in 3D

Lemonade, lemonade, lemonade! 

I cannot get enough of this stuff right now. There must be something in this "juice" that Cole needs right now. Baby Center tells me that if a mama-to-be is craving a certain food, then the baby (or your body) needs something that is in it. Not sure what kind of nutrients are in lemonade that my body would need, but I'll take it. Lemonade is so refreshing and delicious!!

Today we were able to see our sweet baby boy in a way we've never seen before...3D!! It was incredible and we had a blast looking at our sweet baby boy this way!

Although he was scrunched up, rather folded up (his little legs were completely covering up his face) which made it impossible to get a good view. We could see enough to tell he is ADORABLE! He's got his daddy's pouty lips and some chubby cheeks already! He was moving his mouth and tongue the entire time!! It was so sweet to watch! 

I will go back in 2 weeks for my GTT (glucose tolerance test) and the tech said we could take another peek at him to see if we can get some better 3D pics!! Can't wait! 

In the meantime, here is an updated belly pic...26 weeks!

23 weeks

I have loved everything about pregnancy so far! Especially the realization that God has actually created, designed, and entrusted me to be a mama! Something I've always dreamed of!!! When baby boy is moving on my early morning drives to work, I always talk to him and pray for him. I love being his mother already! It's such a beautiful and amazing thing! I just don't think I can wait another 4 months to see him, kiss his face, and snuggle him all the time!!!

While I'm waiting, I'll just enjoy these last few moments with my sweet, sweet hubby, the journey of pregnancy, and getting our house prepared for baby babb's arrival!

23 1/2 weeks

Speaking of sweet hubby. He's been reading this book.

One of our friends gave it to him when we told them we were pregnant. He picked it back up this weekend and hasn't put it down! I came home yesterday and he told me all about the funny things this book was teaching him about daddyhood. It's super funny but practical too! 

Here's a peek into some of the things he's learning about:

Hilarious!!

Petey's also read about some newborn "party tricks", been warned about post postpartum, and many more fun {and not so fun} things about having a baby! 

Weeks 21-22 weeks and Nursery inspirations

21 weeks has brought on more movement and more cravings {lemonade and pizza}. Random cravings like a specific type of pizza from a specific pizza place. As my love for pizza is amplified during this pregnancy, I have started a new Friday afternoon routine of stopping at my favorite pizza joint and purchasing one large, thin crust slice of cheese pizza and eating on the way home! 

Nothing like pre-gaming Friday pizza night with...uh, pizza! haha! I literally wake up thinking about it and visions of the NY style pizza floats in my head all day at work! 

I really hope this craving doesn't go away anytime soon! :)

Feeling baby boy move is SO amazing, SO fun, and makes me feel all the more pregnant. I have even seen my stomach jump once!!

He's so active in the mornings and in the evenings. So, I think we'll have to work on this before he actually is born. We need him on a different schedule so mommy can sleep during those times. If you've had a baby already, you're probably laughing at the fact that I actually think I'm going to get ANY sleep when this baby comes! Haha!

On April 19th we had our monthly appointment to check on baby boy. I have been extremely blessed to have a practice who likes to take a peek at our bean EVERY time we go. So, here's Cole at 22 weeks. He's hiding his face...definitely doesn't get his shyness from him mommy or daddy! 

All is well, healthy and growing as he should! Dr. says the placenta looks good and is in perfect position as well as a long and closed cervix! Baby boy is 1 lb. and about 11 inches long!

Confession: I realized I had done NOTHING to prepare the nursery. This thought often makes me anxious! However, I have exactly 23 days left of school, then I am a free woman and will have the next 3 months to do nothing but prepare and decorate Cole's room. 

The anxiety caught up with me this week and I started the planning process. First step, measure and draw up the room to plan where all of the furniture will go- check! Next step, register for all of the things that will fill his room and the rest of our house- check, check! Step 3, search and search for affordable nice fabric that I like- check! 

The fabric came in and I LOVE IT! Here is a pic of the inspiration nursery that I am basing my design off of. I love, love, love the navy and lime. I will be adding a pop of orange and lots of gray!

 {photo via pinterest}

The walls in his nursery will be gray, not lime. But, this is very similar to what I am hoping for the outcome of our nursery! My wheels are spinning like crazy and I can't wait to get started!!

Here are some other elements we will be adding to his nursery:

{photo via pinterest}

Absolutely LOVE this bench window seat!! I am finagling the budget to fit this sucker in!

{photo via pinterest}

I am hoping to order this rug. It comes in various sizes and styles. Affordable price too!

Weeks 19 & 20

Ok, so I have taken a month hiatus from blogging for no apparent reason other than, well, I've been lazy. We did travel to the west coast for a week and I am winding down with my grad school courses and the end of the school year. I guess I could use that as an excuse?!

On to the updates....

As the previous blog revealed...it's a BOY! A beautiful, healthy baby boy and we couldn't be more excited! When the nurse said the words we all screamed in excitement! Honestly, Petey and I always wanted a boy first. Don't get me wrong, we would have been excited either way, but we are thrilled for our first born to be a boy. We've had names picked out for both gender for weeks, so we were finally able to call our baby by name!

I have been wishing and hoping to feel movement ever since my weekly update told me that I may begin to feel flutters at week 15. Needless to say, I was so bummed when the weeks went by and I still couldn't feel anything! I guess baby boy is getting bigger and I can finally feel his little kicks and punches. They feel like popcorn popping at random. It's SO fun!!

Hubby started planning a trip to California as a surprise a few months ago. We got married on my spring break 2 years ago and it's been the tradition to take a big trip each year during that week {last year was Europe!}. Well, he ended up telling me and thus the planning began! :) 

We flew out bright and our first stop was LA. My college friend Allie lives out there so we got to visit her and explore LA for a few days! Fun stuff to see and do there for sure! Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, etc! 

Finally making it to LA. Fun LAX sign right near the airport.

                                         

This was our awesome rental ride for the week!!

Food and drinks on a rooftop, overlooking "muscle beach"!

My sweet friend, Allie. We were besties in college and next door neighbors! She is now big time and works in LA for TOMS shoes. Love her and miss her!!

                                         

                                                                                       

Petey and I decided to hit up Beverly Hills to see how the "other side" lives. It was fun, fancy, and expensive!! We had a great day exploring all around LA!

After our stay in LA, we started our 12 hour drive up the PCH. With many stops along the way including, Santa Barbara, Malibu, Big Sur, Santa Maria, and many more!

Here are a few pics from our drive up and down the PCH. Breathtaking fews!!

                                                                 

There's a place you can stop and view these huge lazy elephant seals. They were amazing!

We have hundreds of photos and tons of video of the coast. But, we'd be here all day if I were to show you all of those! :)

it's a BOY!

Our sweet baby Babb is a BOY! On March 23rd, we had our anatomy ultrasound. To say that we were excited is an understatement. The whole experience, from start to finish was one of the most magical events since we found out we were pregnant! My parents and Petey's parents both drove in for the appointment. Honestly, it was so fun to have them all there to see their grandchild in action for the first time.

Cole Ethan Babb is one loved boy already! Can't wait for his arrival!!! 

boy or girl?

this week will be an exciting one! we get to find out if baby babb will wear pink or blue? this friday we have an appointment and BOTH sets of parents are coming down for the big reveal...how fun! we feel so blessed that they love and care for us and our baby so much! everyone has been asking me if i have a {feeling} what it might be and i honestly don't. i've had two baby boy dreams so far. but other than that, we're just praying for a healthy baby!

i've really "popped" this week. people have been saying things like "whoa, you are really getting big!" and "wow, you can definitely tell there's a baby in there now!

it's fun and exciting and weird to see your body changing right before your eyes.

pray for us as we go to our anatomy appointment that all will go well and our baby is growing and healthy!

weeks 14-16

these past 3 weeks have been very eventful! i have been a slacker with everything blog though...oops! so, here you'll get the entire update on everything from ultrasounds to baby's first gifts!

on thursday february 23rd we had our 14 week appt. nona came all the way up from hilton head for this one. she came up to hear the baby's heartbeat and spend some time with us and the bean. she frequently makes me put the phone up to my belly as she proceeds to talk to bean. it's cute. (i think she just wants to be the favorite!) :)

anyway. we went to the appt- me, hubs, and nona and as we were sitting there waiting for the dr. the nurse comes is with the traveling ultrasound machine behind her!!! our sweet, sweet dr saw that my mother was here and wanted to give her a surprise!! not only did we get to hear our sweet baby's thump-thump-thump, we also got to SEE our bean! he/she is so precious! (we've been blessed to be able to see our baby at EVERY visit so far!!) hubs was amazed by how much it actually looks like a baby now!! here are a few shots from the visit.

baby babb was moving around so much, we were able to see him/her from every angle. SO fun. of course, hubby asked {again} if it was a boy! haha! too soon, petey. too soon.

after our visit, we met up with one of my friends who happens to be only 3 weeks ahead of me {in her pregnancy} for a consignment sale in concord, nc. we were extremely overwhelmed and a bit disappointed. the items were not in good shape at all and the place smelled a little funky. all in all it was fun to experience and we both left with a few books!

nona has given bean a few things so far, this being my favorite! it's very own LOVEY! so soft, so cuddly, so adorable. can i sleep with it?!

15 week shot. first maternity shirt. first day my kiddos at school asked me if i was having a baby. the girls are SO excited. they want to rub and poke my belly all day long now! the boys are, well, boys....

this weekend as i was laying down watching tv, i thought this sight was funny. so crazy the change your body goes through!

16 week official shot. baby is the size of an avocado (clearly, i did not know how to spell it correctly on the board that day). 4 1/2 inches from head to rump. i still have yet to figure out if i've felt the bean move. i keep thinking i have, but i'm not sure. it actually starts to worry me some, but i know every body is different. maybe we just have a chill baby...fingers crossed! :)

baby's first sling i ordered for free! one of my baby mama friend's told me about this great deal and i didn't want to pass it up. i am not even sure if i'll use it. i think i like the moby wrap and k'tan wrap better, but we'll see. it was free! :)

can't wait to put baby babb in this thing!!!! i'm getting so anxious! still have more than half way to go too eeeek!

next up. 18 week appointment for anatomy ultrasound to find out gender...can. not. wait.