16 weeks and Almost Reveal Time!

Hey Everyone!

Well we are back from the beach and one week away from finding the gender of Baby Matte!!! Here are some updates on the beach. Let me put it this way. The beach was GREAT. The trip up and back, not so much.

Ok, so the way up there. We ran out of gas. Now, before you judge hubby, it really wasn't his fault. And for me to say that is tough! NEVER TRUST your little gas reader thing in your car. We know that now. It read "120" miles left. Our exit was 75 miles away. Surely we can wait to our exit to get gas right?! WRONG. 2 miles from our exit, we ran out. Did I react well? NO. Did overreact? YES. Ok, I think it is reasonable to be frightened of running out of gas on the interstate. Now looking back, maybe suddenly being frightened of rapists and bears was a little much. You know... because rapists and bears hang out on interstates in Florida.
Right? :) Needless to say, we will now be stopping for gas anytime we have a quarter of a tank left!!!!

Thank God we were close to the exit, and Eric's dad and brother rescued us! Luckily, no harm done and we got to the condo about 1230 at night. So beach was great. The house was beautiful and spending time with Eric and family was wonderful. I wasn't looked at for being "large" like I thought I would be ( I am sure every pregnant woman thinks they are just constantly being judged) despite my ever growing belly. I was so self-conscious the first day about how I was sitting-- I kept thinking-- do people think I have rolls? or will they know this is just my freaking swollen insides folding on themselves?! After about an hour of trying to adjust my tanning position to a favorable one, I said EFF THAT and lounged like the women who really don't care. I mean it. After 30 min of not one look my way I realized everyone is just as worried about themselves as you are, so really, we are all just looking at ourselves instead of each other. Where was the realization 10 years ago?


One thing to mention though-- walking on the beach pregnant is not glamorous. No I am not huge yet, and I can pretty much function like a normal human being, but add sand to that equation, and I am suddenly carrying triplets. I was embarrassed for everyone associated with me. It was something about the sand, the heat, being barefoot, and carrying a beach bag that just didn't work for me. As my dear brother in law told me on the trip "You just aren't domesticated. But hey, put you in heels and we are good to go." I take it as a compliment.

So close to on the way HOME-- we caught about 8.5 hours worth of traffic. Yes, I was a peach on that ride home.

Overall great trip-- and the most exciting news is yet to come-- next week we finally find out the gender of BABY MATTE!!!!!!!!! I am so excited I can barely stand it. We go for our anatomy scan Thursday, and have our gender reveal party on Sunday. Don't be offended if you weren't invited. We only invited local family and close friends (I would hate for family to feel obligated to travel for a little old gender reveal). Let's be real- most of you don't want to be there anyway. You just want to stalk fb to see what it is later! I don't blame you! And I don't mean that in a sarcastic or rude way. It's kind of like wedding and baby showers. Unless you are SUPER close to the honoree, it's sort of an obligation that you wish you could just mail a present to. So really, I am doing you a favor :) And of course the blog will be updated that night I am sure!!!


I keep going back and forth on what it is!According to all the wives' tales-- we must be having a transgender baby.  And I have had SUCH an easy and blessed pregnancy, I feel like I don't even have a little personality to go off of! My belly is continuing to grow (sadly I can report now I can't lay on my stomach anymore... favorite position). Definitely adjusting to that. I can still fit in all my clothes, haven't felt baby move yet, and still feeling great. So I guess you can say I am still coasting? I really thought I would have more funny preggo stories to tell you at 16 weeks, but so far-- still pretty calm over here. I am just waiting for that one week that it's like BOOM you are pregnant. *famous last words*


Well that's all for now- I am exhausted (hosting a minicamp with 86 little girls in a gym all morning this week). If I can do this, I can do ANYTHING.

Fingers crossed that Baby Matte continues to be good and lets mommy and daddy see if you have a wee wee (sorry eric, I know you don't want me calling it that ) ---

ciao!

Exciting Updates- the crazy is evolving. But in a positive way :)

Hello everyone!


Sorry it has been so long, but between vacations and cheerleading starting up again-- I honestly have not had that much time to even think! For a long time too there was a sort of "lull" in the pregnancy.........

Between weeks 10-13, I was sort of thinking, hey... so maybe this is how it is going to be for a long time. You don't look pregnant, you are tired like one, but you aren't sick. Cool. Yea........ well that has changed. lol But only the good parts :)


I now "officially" have a bump, and that is more exciting than I honestly thought it would be!

This one has decided to stick around ( even in the morning, which was the surefire way I knew it was here to stay ), and with my new frontwards addition... some things have already begun to change in my head: 

1. I am (for now) changing my stance on the belly touching. Ok I still stick to my original opinion that in the beginning it was WEIRD. Very weird. I mean really people--- it's like I wanted to say to them "hey how's that gas and/or intestines feel to you? Because it feels like you are touching a very intimate place on me right now. And I find it strange." I was tempted to buy this---

But now that there is actually something there to touch, I don't find it as weird. I mean I'm not pumped about, but let's just say don't feel strange now about taking the plunge and touching my now rock hard belly. Seriously, it's rock hard. Why can't pre-pregnancy bellies be like this?

2. I can now say I am not a failure at baby stores. Yet. This weekend Eric and I dropped in at Babies R Us, just for a peek. Luckily, this time I didn't get a panic attack and start running for the hills. Now, did I buy anything- HA NO. But I didn't run. That's a start. But the registry "section" of the Babies R Us reminded me of SURVIVOR. First off, image people in line to meet with "registry experts"-- which, sidebar, that's a joke. These people, no offense, are there to print out your paper and guide you to where the nipples and hemorrhoid cream are. The questions I heard being asked by these moms were seriously comical.

First, you have your overanalyzing moms (which is probably the category I WILL fall into)---  i.e. "So, although I see the Graco Snugride has a high safety rating, I notice that Chicco Keyfit is also a five star seat. In your opinion, which is better for both safety, my budget, and overall comfort of the baby"... "Which of these bottles best promotes independent bottle holding. I don't want to baby my baby" (me- HUH?!) ... "If you were to rate the following breast pumps on a scale of 1-5 factoring in nipple comfort, energy saving, price, and efficiency...". Seriously yall. The poor registry man looked at her like " Lady, I don't really know much about nipples. But here's your "checklist" ( which is more like the impossible tasks of Hercules ) and your beeper to scan things. 

Then, you have the-- how do I put this--- less than enthusiastic moms who are either alone, with their mom, or with their 49580 others kids ( which confuses me, bc I thought you don't need to register then....). These women are flying around the store like they are getting paid for it, scanning EVERYTHING in sight like they will run out." An ipod? Oh yea I need that for the baby" ...    "Oh were you looking at bassinets? Well, let me just push you out of the way here and scan them all." They stressed me out.

And then you have the first time parents, young and scared. We looked like antelopes in the safari. Just sort of meandering, pushing the strollers a bit ( to feel the wheels?? lol), touching the soft blankets like "oh yea, this is the one." We pass one another and give each other a knowing nod like "I get you. I'm here for you. I understand. Good luck with your life." All that in a nod. 

The poor dads are just miserable. I am NOT going to sugarcoat Eric's behavior in Babies R Us. Was he supportive? Yes. Did he complain? NO. Did he do anything wrong at all? NO. But he looked ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE. At one point, when I was very interested in the "Belly Buds" ( ok another sidebar-- don't make fun of them. I actually want these A LOT. They are those cool earbuds you put on your belly and the baby can hear music/ other people's voices more clearly. Lay off-- I am making a baby genius in here right now..) Back to Eric-- when I was looking at the Belly Buds, I turned around to ask him a question, and he was doing that 6 year old "lay your head on the basket bar and see if your toes are still there." I knew then it was time to go. 

But, like I said-- overall I didn't panic. And I think I am prepared for the next time we go ( which hopefully we will know the gender-- keep your fingers crossed for July 23rd) we will be able to register. 

3. One last update--my first "aw are you pregnant" comment came from someone I didn't know. We were standing in line to see a movie, and an old woman asked if this was out first child. Risky on her part, I think--- I wait until I hear a woman actually say something about her pregnancy before I just bust that out. But I guess it was the first step in me accepting my newfound bump, and I am happy about it. 

Those are the happy updates I have had so far--- still feeling great. I am so lucky in that aspect of the pregnancy. We are going on vacation next week so I am SURE there will be some story to tell about the beach. (dreading the "is she pregnant or fat" looks I will get. Oh well.) Again--- pray that JUly 23rd (next appt at 16 weeks) we can see the gender !!!!

XOXO

Brittany