Stocking Up

This morning we went and did some bebe shopping with Bonnie (Tony's grandma). There's not a whole lot of choices in Durango but we went to Walmart, JC Penny, Beall's, and a couple of local shops on Main. We got a number of cute outfits, some pacifiers, bottles, toys, books, and a few accessories. Tony and I were especially excited to do this because we agreed we would have a little shopping spree once we found out the gender. We went to lunch at Francisco's with Ted, Bonnie, and Ashlee after we were done shopping. Francisco's is the spot for the Hermesman clan to meet up, so it was a must that we would end up there sometime during our visit. After our tummies were full, we walked up and down Main and checked out some more shops, as well as met up with a couple people to say hi. Ashlee came with us. We then headed down to the skate park where Tony rode his BMX bike for a while and got his energy out. Ashlee left to go home after that. We went and grabbed some Thai food from Sizzling Siam's and then headed back to Ted and Bonnie's to eat and relax. We're just vegging out now and are planning to watch a movie until we fall asleep. Today was a nice laid back relaxing day.

Friends Til The End

So we drove about 11 hours yesterday and then stopped in Provo for the night. We stopped earlier than we thought we would but it was the best decision so we could get some much needed rest after all the excitement from our ultrasound. We ate dinner at In-N-Out (my favorite!!!) and then checked in at a Holiday Inn Express. I like those because they're fairly modern and always clean. We hit the sack pretty quick and then got up early the next morning to take showers, eat the continental breakfast, and get on the road again. We arrived in Durango around 2 PM at Tony's grandparent's house. We settled in and visited with Ted and Bonnie for a bit. Ashlee also came over so we talked to her for a while. We went to grab a quick snack at Homeslice (a pizza place we adore) and then we went and met my friends Rebecca and Allison, and Allison's boyfriend, at the movie theater. We had planned on seeing Fast Five but they were sold out! Ahhhhh Durango. So we saw something completely opposite: Madea's Happy Family. I had never seen a Madea movie before but this one was hilarious! We all laughed a lot. After the movie, we went and grabbed some food at Carver's. After visiting and catching up, we went our separate ways and headed back. I miss those two girlies so much! Now we're about to crash so we'll see what tomorrow brings!

Durango Bound

Tony and I are heading off to Durango today. I'm dreading the long drive (18 hours there and back; 36 hours round trip) but I'm excited to get away for the weekend and see my friends and Tony's family. My posts will be short and sweet for the next few days, I'm sure. They'll probably be more like updates instead of blogs. Think Facebook here, haha. Everyone have a great weekend!

And The Verdict Is...

We are happy to announce that we are having a little GIRL!!! :)

We went in for my appointment today and it was crazy! We only waited for like 5 minutes before we went in (and we got there 20 minutes early)! I had to fill out this questionaire that basically asked if Tony and I were cousins or related in any way. Then I laid down on the bed and started the anatomy ultrasound. As soon as our baby came on the screen, Tony's hand tightened around mine. It was so surreal. The tech moved all around my tummy and pointed out all the different parts - legs, arms, feet, spine, head, etc. I had drank a lot of fluids (because I was told it would help to view the baby better to find out the sex) so I was cringing while she was pushing into my tummy and bladder. When it came time to figure out the sex, it took some work. Our little sea monkey was curled up (despite all the beverages I drank) and basically wouldnt allow us to see what was going on down there. The tech kept pushing on my belly trying to get baby to turn around or something. She guessed it was a girl but said that she would send in a doctor to take a look. The doctor's assistant came in next and continued the ultrasound. She got some good profile shots and we saw our baby making sucking movements with it's mouth! It was insane to see that going on in there. The assistant started pushing more and more on my belly to get the best view and little baby was kicking like crazy - it was the first time I felt a legitimate kick (I've mostly been feeling flutters)! It was so crazy to see a kick on the screen and then feel it in my stomach. The assistant then said that she was 95% sure it was a girl (she couldnt get the best view no matter how hard she tried but she said she just didnt see much going on between the legs). Finally, the doctor came in and started raving about how good I was taking care of this little baby. He said everything looked absolutely great and everything was in the right place as it should be. I was so relieved to hear that!!! He then tried to look at the sex as well and said he was pretty certain it was a girl, but keep the gift receipts in case it comes out a boy! ;) At the end of the appointment, we were told to embrace the girl - so we are! I'm even more sure that it's a girl because she was so modest with her legs all closed like that - heehee. She also had her hands balled into fists so I think she'll be tough but sweet; she'll be a good girl who can punch you out if you cross her the wrong way ;) The tech then put all the pictures onto a disc for us to take home. 

We got home and put in the disc....only to find out that it was a blank disc. None of the pictures had transferred onto it! So we called the office and they said they would have a copy of it waiting for us when we came in for my next appointment (May 10th). So that was kind of a bummer, but we'll have them soon enough and I'll post them then. 

Tony felt like all along it was going to be a girl. The majority of my friends and family thought it was a girl. I was 50 / 50. But maybe the old wives tales are right because they all pointed toward a girl too. So we are proud, excited, and blessed to announce that we have a little girl on the way!

Joshington

Happy birthday to my little bro, Josh! He's getting so old - it's really crazy how time flies! He used to be that sweet little boy dipping his fries in "chetchup." Time may fly by, but I'm so grateful to have maintained that close bond with him that we established when he was so young. Love you, Josh!

Happy Birthday, Mama

Those of you that know me, know that my mom passed away when I was 6 years old. Today would have been her birthday. She would have been 54 years old today if cancer hadnt taken her. Unfortunately, I was so young that I dont have many memories of her. However, I do remember Disneyland (it's why it really is such a special place for me and I hope to share it with my kid(s) someday soon too). I also remember her working out to Sweatin With The Oldies. I remember her loving The Price Is Right and getting me hooked on Full House as a kid (it became one of my favorite shows ever and it always brings back good memories when I watch it). And finally, I remember when she gave me a pair of boots that I absolutely adored for my birthday. She was so sick at that time and was laying in bed for most of my party but she stole me away for a moment and presented me with the boots. I will never forget that and the hug we shared before I went back to my friends. 

Here are a couple pics that I would like to share. The first is my grandpa's mother (Nanny), my mom's mother (Granny), my mom, and I. The second is my mom with my brother and I. 

I love you, Mama, and I miss you. I hate the fact that you never got to be involved in any of my big moments in life - school events, church events, prom, boyfriends, graduation, college, moving, friends, birthdays, holidays, engagement, wedding, and now having a baby. I know you are watching over me and smiling from above, but I always wonder what my life would be like had you been there. You will always be remembered and your memory kept alive. You can count on that.

Happy Easter!

Hope you all have a wonderful day with family! We are headed over to my grandparent's house for a lovely feast!

The Sun Is Shining!

For those of you that didnt see this update on my Facebook, there was a scary incident yesterday afternoon. My mom, sister, and brother (Lia & Josh) were in a car accident. They took Lia to the hospital in an ambulance and it was hard waiting to hear if anything was wrong. Apparently, the airbag hit her pretty good. It was something about fluid in her that they wanted to check out. Luckily, she's fine - although she spent the night in the hospital just to make sure. She's coming home today with only bumps and bruises - thank goodness! Josh had a headache after the crash but other than a bump on the head and a few scratches, he's fine too. My mom is sore but okay as well. Something like this always seems to happen on or around Easter. It's crazy! One year my dad got hit in the head with a baseball and could have died. It literally dented his head in. Another year, my sister broke her nose. Jeez. I'm just thankful everyone is okay safe and sound. However, the car is totaled. But the car did a great job of protecting them. I included a few pics below of the aftermath (I took them from my dad's Facebook page):

On the plus side, it's a gorgeous day today! All sunny and nice. Josh is coming over to go ride bikes with Tony and Lia just called wanting to come hang out with me :)

- 18 Weeks -

My 18 week update!

Little Giraffe

A few years ago, there was a trend with celebrity babies - they all had these blankets from Little Giraffe. I fell in love with them and vowed to get one whenever I had a child. That time has come! They are sooo soft and gorgeous. I would love if it became their blankie; the one they had and loved as they grew up. They have different designs now than they had back then but they still have the original now as well. 

If you want to check out the different designs they have, check out the Little Giraffe website.

Tiny Dancer

I want this:

Wouldnt it be adorable if my baby was a little dancer? I would absolutely die of pure enjoyment if he or she danced along with Ellen. I mean, I watch it every day so they're going to grow up with it.... It's in the stars - it has to be :)

50 / 50

Being as how we're about a week from finding out the sex of our baby, I'm growing more and more anxious each day. I'm seriously so excited for either - boy or girl. I've looked at both boy and girl clothes and ideas for nurseries, so that I can entertain the thought of having either. I know Tony is leaning towards a girl (and he's sticking with that prediction) but I'm still torn. I really feel 50 / 50 right now. One day I feel really strongly it's a girl and the next, I'm sure it's a boy. I'll be shocked no matter what it is! Haha. Tony and I did look up a couple things on the web to try to "predict" what it will be just for fun. I did an old wives tales quiz and these were the questions and my answers:

1) How are you carrying?

- High

- Low

* High (I wasnt sure on this one actually but Tony thinks I'm carrying high so we went with that).

2) What are you craving?

- Salty

- Sweet

* Sweet (I crave healthy foods overall but if it's between salty and sweet, I probably crave sweet more because of ice cream).

3) My baby's heartbeat is:

- Above 140 beats per minute

- Below 140 beats per minute

- Above (At my last two appointments, it was between 150 and 160).

4) The color of my urine is:

- Dull yellow

- Bright yellow

* Dull yellow (Sorry if it's TMI).

5) Which direction does your pillow face?

- South

- North

* South (Tony had to inform me of this).

6) Was the month of your conception:

- Even

- Odd

* Even (December) 

7) Are your feet:

- Not colder than before

- Colder than before

* Not colder than before (My feet have always been cold to the touch, though I dont really ever feel it physically).

8) Does the hair on your legs grow:

- The same as before pregnancy

- Faster

* Same (Truthfully, I dont shave my legs as often as I did before because already it's exhausting, but I dont really notice a difference in hair growth).

9) Do you eat the heel of a loaf of bread?

- No way!

- Love it!

* No way! (I've never eaten the heel actually - never really wanted it if I had a choice).

10) Has your breast development been dramatic in pregnancy?

- Not really

- Yes!

* Yes... (Again, sorry for TMI but everything in pregnancy is basically TMI!! I'll be going into my 5th month of pregnancy soon and so far, I have noticed a big enough difference and there's still more to come so...)

RESULT:

According to the Old Wives, it's a girl!

We also looked up the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which I had never seen before. This is what was said above it:

Legend has it that this chart was found in an ancient tomb in China and is supposedly based on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. By using the mother's age at conception and the month of conception, supposedly you can determine with 100% accuracy if your baby is a boy or a girl.

Chinese Lunar Calendar 

Our result, based on my age of 22 (at conception and still currently) and the month of conception (December), was GIRL!

There is a link from that site to share with others if it worked for you and lots of people posted that it turned out true and completely correct for them. Interesting....
  
Of course, we both know that these are not reliable, but they were fun to take a peek at! The countdown is on!

Food Woes

I have been eating so much vegetarian pizza from Papa Murphy's lately. That seems to be the phase I'm in right now. It's like what I eat every day (besides random snacking, of course). I'm in this weird rut where I have to eat every few hours or I get sick....but I also cant eat much at all. I get full so quickly. I wonder if I'm going to get to the point that some women do when they're pregnant - where they feel like their stomach is a bottomless pit. 

I usually end up eating a bowl of cereal in the morning, snack on fruit, nuts, crackers, granola bars, and / or veggies throughout the day, and usually (lately) have been ending the night with a piece of pizza. I've been drinking lots of water, milk, and Sprite. And as for sweets, ice cream sandwiches are what I've mainly been craving. It's definitely weird for me to continue eating throughout the day, when before I was pregnant, I had a really odd eating schedule (it wasnt the best) and it's a drastic change from then to now. Also, just the whole needing to eat but not really wanting to eat thing I'm going through right now which is frustrating. I'm pretty much never satisfied. I get hungry or my stomach rumbles or I get nauseous and that's not fun....but then when I get something to eat, I feel like I just ate wayyyy too much (even if I only had a granola bar) and that's not satisfying in the least. So I'm caught in something weird right now, that's for sure. But as long as I dont lose weight or gain too much weight, and this little bebe remains healthy, I'm okay :)

Nursery Fantasies

Okay, so some of you have been asking me what my ideas are for a nursery. Well, what I know I want is modern vintage. It's hard to exactly describe what I'm thinking but I have found some pictures that can help shape what's going through my mind. For the nursery, I want something that is not too kiddish; no jungle animals or cartoon themes - you know, the typical "baby room." I know it's going to be a baby's room and there will be things in there that scream "CHILD!" but I figure this is the only time that I get to pick what the room looks like. When he or she gets old enough, they'll start deciding what they like and dont like and the room will suddenly be covered in dinosaurs or Dora the Explorer. So for now, this is "what mommy likes, mommy gets" time :) It will be like that with how we dress them and their accessories (car seat, stroller, etc) too. Just fun things, outfits, and whatnot that we get to pick for them. So back to the nursery - basically I love clean lines, fairly neutral, with a vintage twist. Below are pictures of certain items that I'm fond of and some full on styles that almost hit the nail on the head. I will describe why I like or the exact item that I'm liking above each picture. 

The first two pictures give off examples of the clean lines I like:

These two are examples of nurseries I like with a pop of color - in other words, this is what I would be willing to do with color:

I ADORE this whole setup. I want want want this crib like you wouldnt believe. But I have no idea where to get it and I've searched everywhere (this picture was an ad for the bedding):

I have always wanted to put the child's name somewhere in the nursery / room and I feel like the decals or paint on the wall are overdone. I love the idea of wooden letters on a shelf like this and will probably end up doing this exact thing. It can carry over as the child gets older too:

And finally, my mom and I have been talking about a baby shower (which we will probably have in July or August) and so I was looking at some invites and found this one that I really like. Vintage and simplistic with a giraffe (I know, I know, sooooo me and there has to be one somewhere, right??) = perfect:

So that's what I've got in mind. If anyone finds the crib that I love, please tell me! I've searched high and low (multiple times, for hours) but if you can find it, I would love you forever. Tony and I have actually found a crib that we will probably be going with (a DaVinci 4-in-1 crib in cherry) but I'd still love to find the black one above.

17 Weeks!!

My 17 week  update :)

Today's Activity

There is one main thing on today's to-do list:

That's right. We're going to see it tonight. How could I not? It's been 10 years since the last one - I love it!! And I loooove how they kept all the same people from the original 3. It's always horrible when they change the people out so drastically. I know I'm a cheeseball, but I'm so excited! :)

Bipolar Weather

Jeez Louise - the weather is crazy! It rains and rains and rains (which isnt surprising since we do live in Oregon after all) but then the sun bursts through randomly and teases you. Toss in the freak hail storms and who knows what's going on?! Pretty much every time I look out the window, it's raining - and sometimes it is SO loud! Morning, noon, and night - crazy!!! I heard the sun was supposed to come out next week so I guess we will just see! I cant believe Easter is already right around the corner - it doesnt feel like it because of all the rain. I hope it's a SUNny day for Easter SUNday! ;)

Possible Movement?

I was told by my doctor that I could potentially start feeling movement from our little sea monkey starting at 16 weeks. I'm almost 17 weeks and I'm starting to feel a lot of fluttering. I'm not sure if it's actual movement from within or what but I can certainly say that it's more noticeable at night and it actually keeps me up for a while tossing and turning. Whether or not it actually is, it's just making it more apparent in my mind that certain things are coming up that are huge: kicking, shopping, growing, and of course, finding out the sex of our little minion :) 

I feel like I still have a while and lots of things to still experience and yet, it's all going too fast! I cant believe I'm basically 17 weeks (it seems like I was just 5 weeks last month). But some days, it seems like I'm hardly moving along because I dont have a crazy baby bump yet (although I definitely am bigger)! It really is crazy to think about. My mind just wanders forever on most days :)

Tori & Dean....

are EXPECTING their third child!!! How exciting! I know I dont know them personally or anything, so dont think I'm weird.... But I love their kids! They are so cute and have such fun personalities. When they start up Home Sweet Hollywood again (which I dont know when that will be but I'm hoping SOON!) it will be so fun to watch. I loved watching her go through her previous pregnancies and then the kids growing up. Like I said, they are so much fun to watch the whole family together. 

Waiting On Tiptoes

We are scheduled! I called to schedule my anatomy ultrasound this morning and the lady wanted to schedule me for May 2nd because I would be in my 19th week. They like to schedule it for the 19th week to make sure they can tell. I've heard from most of my friends that they all found out in their 18th week. That's what I've kind of been expecting. Plus, we are going to Durango on April 28th and we really wanted to know the sex of our baby before we went, if it was possible. I asked the lady and she said she could schedule me for April 27th. She said we would most likely find out but there is a slight chance we wouldnt, which would mean we'd have to come in again. So I went ahead and made the appointment for the 27th. I will be like 18 1/2 weeks along at that point and I'm willing to take a risk. The original appointment she wanted me at was only 5 days later, so I'm hoping we will be able to tell at this appointment. If we cant, we will have to go in again - which means we have to pay for 2 ultrasounds. But with insurance, it wont be horrible and we're willing to take a chance so that we can maybe know before we head to Durango! I feel like we will definitely find out then.... I just have this feeling. Plus, so many people I know found out at 18 weeks, so I'm confident we will too. But again, if we dont, we'll know right when we get back from our trip! Just a couple more weeks! :)

6 Months!

Tony and I have been married for 6 months today. I cant believe how time is flying - it felt like last month we just got married! I was just saying on Facebook earlier that I cant believe in 5 1/2 months we will have a little piece of us! That is so exciting! And by the end of the year, in December, we will have a 3 month old already! It's hard to believe when we dont even know the sex of the baby yet! What a crazy but blessed year indeed! I will know the date tomorrow for when we will find out the gender. Should be before the end of this month for sure. Keep those guesses coming! ;) Other than that, we are just gearing up for our short but sweet trip down to Durango. We will see Tony's family and our friends. We'll only be there from the 28th - 2nd, which isnt very long, but at least it's something! We wanted to try and get down there at least once before the baby was born. Of course, we want to bring he or she back down later to show off but I'm just not sure when that will be. So at least we will get a little time! 

In the meantime, I just sent Tony out to pick up Capri Suns and CornNuts. Odd? Perhaps.

Progress!

Tony and Josh went to Windells today to go do some biking so I decided I would use the time to clean more. Lia came over and kept me company. I thoroughly deep cleaned the living room, bathroom, and kitchen. I spent about 5 hours cleaning and I'm sooooo sore. Oh my goodness. Cleaning is not what it used to be - I really felt pregnant today. I got tired really quickly. I was bending over washing all the cabinets and walls and I just really started to feel the weight. I havent gained a whole bunch or anything but today is where I really felt it most so far. But I feel like a lot of progress was made. I'm not quite where I want to be yet but I'm getting there! We ended the night with a movie and now Tony and I are watching a couple episodes of Friends before hitting the sack. The kiddos are spending the night and we will all head to church tomorrow morning. Good night!

Date Night

Date night:

KINDLE

News of the day:

Tony surprised me with a Kindle!!!!! Here's a couple pics:

I'm sooooooo excited!!!

Smooth Sailing

So we didnt find out the sex today =( I'm bummed but there's really nothing I can do about it. I will just have to remain anxiously waiting for another 2 weeks! It's not that we couldnt see anything, we just didnt have an actual ultrasound. I mainly just went in for a check up today and I got to hear the baby's heartbeat (I didnt see it on an ultrasound, just heard the heartbeat). It's still 150 - 160 beats which is great. We heard it right off which is awesome because she told me it could take a few minutes sometimes. Also, my little fetus was moving around so much she had to keep following it around! :) So I'm really happy to hear that everything is still flowing smoothly in there. It's always a bit nerve wracking when I go a month in between appointments and I dont know what's going on exactly in there.... It's definitely a relief to hear everything is okay. We have an appointment set up in 2 weeks to go over to the radiology department for our anatomy ultrasound. In the meantime, keep guessing! :)

There's A Possibility.....

....that we might find out the sex of our baby tomorrow! My appointment from Friday was rescheduled to tomorrow and I'm going in for a physical check up and an ultrasound. The doctor said if the baby was in a good position, we could potentially tell if it's a boy or a girl! I'm 15 1/2 weeks along so it's possible. Otherwise, if we cant, we will find out by the end of this month anyway. I cant wait! Everyone expects me to say this, but of course we would be happy with either. I know Tony is leaning a little more towards a girl though - it's so sweet. However, he can imagine doing so many things with a boy too. It's all just so exciting! And I'm super anxious over here to find out! I cant think about anything else because it's so close! I can start picturing more things once I know what it is. And then we can officially announce our name too :) We have one picked out for each. If I have to guess, in my gut I kind of feel like it's a girl..... Like, if we found out it was a boy, I'd probably be shocked for an instant. But I'd love to have my little guy too :) 

We just have to find out!!!! I'm going crazy over here!!!

PIZZA

Yup. I have a craving for it. Right now. Preferably from Bellagio's.

End of story.

Quite The Day!

We had a pretty full day today! We had the kiddos spend the night last night so we went with them to church.

Lia decided to spend the day with us again so she came with Tony and I after church was over. Josh didnt come because he wanted to go to Devo later that afternoon. We headed over to Panda Express so I could meet Katrina for lunch! I have missed her so much since we havent seen each other since January, so it was really nice to catch up! 

While we were eating and visiting, Lia and Tony went over to Borders to look around and when they came back, Tony had bought me Presenting Tallulah (which is a children's book by Tori Spelling that I really wanted to get for our children - yes, I know it would work better for a girl but whatever - I still wanted it)! It was sweet of him. He also picked up a truck magazine for himself and a new card game that we have yet to try out called Rage, which is by the makers of Phase 10 - my favorite card game. 

After lunch, Tony, Lia, and I headed over to Cold Stone Creamery and got some nummy ice cream! It's soooo sweet so I just got mint ice cream with Oreos. Lia got cake batter ice cream (which is my usual) with gummy bears. And Tony got a cookies n' cream shake. I havent been there in forever and the location we went to (Gresham Station) is the one where I used to work at so it's always fun going in there.

After we had filled our stomachs to maximum capacity, we ran by the house to get Tony's RC Car stuff and photo equipment, and then we went over to Clackamas to go to the mall. Tony was hanging out with the guys where they could play with their cars, and Lia and I went to the theater and saw Hop. It was super cute.

We went across the street to Target after we all met up again and we got random goodies. We made a pit stop at the food court thing they have and got hot dogs and apples.

After getting a little sustenance, we went next door to the shoe store and Tony got a pair of what I like call, total Justin Bieber shoes, HAHA. And I got 2 pairs of flip flops and some ultra low liner socks for my flats. It was getting late, so we took Lia home and then headed home ourselves. We picked up some breadsticks on the way (random craving) and then settled in at home to watch Kourtney & Kim Take New York. 

So as you can see, a pretty busy day! I was definitely worn out after all that haha. Oh, and a shout out to Christal, who has a birthday today! Hope you had a good one, girlie!

15 Weeks

I'm now 15 weeks along! Craziness! Apparently, my baby is now sensitive to light - supposedly, if you shine a flashlight directly on my tummy, the baby should shy away from it! 

Also, a very happy birthday indeed to both Tony's stepmom, Irina, and also to TJ & Beth's little boy, Kemper!

April Fools!

No one tried to trick me or anything today. Not even Tony. I went through the whole day with nothing. Which was kind of nice. I remember always having to be on the lookout in high school because someone was bound to pull some kind of trick, from completely mundane to totally out there. It was actually a pretty laid back day. I finally got my hair done! Shannon was great and put up with my taking forever (I had to reschedule like 3 times and then we hit major traffic and accidents on the way and was like half an hour late) - she did a great job! We took some length off, chopped up the layers a bit, and gave me my side bangs back. It feels so much lighter and nice! My hair was sooooooooooo long, you wouldnt believe. This will be a lot more manageable to take care of. Here are a couple pics:

\Tony and I also went to see Insidious tonight and it was actually pretty good! I've been waiting for a scary movie to be released since they havent really had one in forever. The story line was a little bogus, but the images and tension-filled scenes definitely made up for it. I liked it!