Long Time No See

I'm beginning to think people may have forgotten about our little corner of the world - mostly because I've had a busy couple of months and haven't been able to sit down for the hour or so and update.

Time has flown! We're already at 29 weeks tomorrow and the due date of December 17th is looming in the not so distant future with lots of things to do yet.

I've included some pics that will hopefully help out those that may not have seen the baby bump in quite some time...

Sue and I after the BSSG Triathlon - me at 18 weeks!

20 Weeks - mountain biking Silver Run!

At 21 Weeks, we had our big ultrasound. It is so cool - they measured all the major organs (this is where Ed had to sit down when he got woozy) and everything was right on track. 

Dianne asked us, "Ok, do you want to know what the baby's sex is?" 

Both of us: "YES"

Her words: "Definitely girl."

Hello Little Girl!!

Ed had kinda figured that since we hadn't settled on a girl's name at that point. 

We had picked out several we liked:

Sophie, Hayden, Lucy and Rebecca with Alice (my grandma's first name) as her middle name.

Once we had the ultrasound, Ed started calling her Sophie. So that's it:

Sophie Alice Whitfield

And we can't wait to meet her!

23 Weeks - taking the new cross bike out for a spin!

25 Weeks in Georgia visiting family

Hanging out in the courtyard of the Boston Public Library with Dan
- 27 weeks!

So that should catch the blog up to date! I've been feeling pretty good with only minor aches and pains. Heartburn is painful and the Braxton-Hicks contractions are bizarre (started those about 6 weeks ago), but I'm still pretty active. My sugar checked out GREAT, my blood pressure is good low (although I do have dizzy spells from time to time because of it), and some borderline low iron.

Little girl is just growing like crazy! She's almost 3# and 15" long now and will be here in 11 short weeks. Our office will be transformed into her nursery and we still have so much work to do. It's easy to get overwhelmed, but I'm trying to be patient knowing that God knows exactly what needs to get done and when.

Work is also stressful, as I need to plan on what happens with my projects and my peeps when I'm gone for maternity leave and try and squeeze in as much as possible. I don't do well with stress, so if you could pray for me for that, I would love it.

Ed is going to be a great daddy. He's so excited. We have some good friends here that are expecting at the same time and to see Ed and Jason together is just hilarious. I love my husband and know that our little girl is going to love and adore him.

I will be better about posting! Even if it's just a little bitty tidbit!!
Thanks for reading!!

Too long!

It's been way too long between posts. So... sorry y'all!

It's been a busy couple of weeks since our last post - 

1. We took a big ole road trip with mountain bikes to Bend Oregon for our good friend Joy's wedding. We got to spend 5 days on the road and there together and had a blast. We mountain biked - the trails were literally a mile up the road from the house we rented - ate, people-watched and Ed enjoyed his favorite non-Billings brewery - Deschutes. The theme for the people watching was typically of the "Angry Hippie" variety, and lots of fun.

2.I got back from Bend and then hopped a plane the next day for Dallas and College Station, TX for a whirlwind trip for work. Not a good idea and I don't recommend that to anyone.

3. And then finally last weekend was the 24 Hours of Rapelje mountain bike race. We were on a team of 5 - each person would take turns doing a lap. Ed did 3. I wasn't on the team, but Sarah's back was bugging her, so I did her lap on Sunday.  I felt good and set a really good time - especially for being 16 weeks pregnant!!  Lots of fun, but not much sleep!

SO now we come to this weekend - 4th of July Weekend. Fireworks in Laurel. Ed and I both have the Monday afterward off to relax... sounds like fun!

Our 17 week appt for the wee baby is this upcoming Tuesday. We don't get to do an ultrasound yet (BOOOO...), but we'll get to hear the heartbeat again and check up on some other things. While the nausea has finally passed (praise Jesus!), my ankles have started swelling a bit if I've been on my feet for any long period of time. It's not bad.

The bump is definitely there now, but since I work with engineers, it's surprising the number of people that still haven't noticed yet. :) 
 

Until next time! :)

Heartbeats

June 1st we celebrated EIGHT amazing years together. Married, that is. It really is breathtaking the steps God took us on to bring us together. Friends since 1993. In 1997, the magnets flipped. There was a movie that had come out in 1992 - The Cutting Edge - that used that very message...

"Kate: Did you ever play with magnets? You push them around, and they pull away. And all you really had to do was flip them over and... and suddenly... Don't you see? That's why everything has been so awful. All we needed was a little flip!"

Dated from 1997 and tied the knot on June 1, 2002. First day of hurricane season. Always thought that was kind of funny.

The adventure we've been on since then has been nothing shy of astounding. Leaving everything we knew to take our chances out west. This place is beautiful - harsh and beautiful - all at the same time. I'm always reminded of Third Day's "These Thousand Hills" while driving through the mountains. And there's nothing like putting on some old school Celtic music while driving through the valleys and ranch land during the spring time when everything is green and luscious.

Photo: T. Whitfield

There are a few things I would trade - too short summers, blinding snow and harsh winds, but the double and triple rainbows, approaching thunderstorms, green valleys and majestic mountains tend to always put this place more on the positive side than the negative.

Photo: T. Whitfield

It's helped determine who we are as a couple and where God wants us to go. And that we're still figuring out. I think we always are. This baby is a big part of that. It's much like moving out west. A big unknown full of beauty - sometimes a little harsh - but with God written all over it.

Last week we had our 13 week check-up. Ed went with me to this one and met Dr. Molloy. I was nervous, even though I'd heart the heartbeat at 9 weeks, you always just wonder. Not only did we hear the heartbeat, but the doctor said it was REALLY strong  - 162 bpm. This Whitfield is going to be tough. Girl or boy. It has to be - it's gonna be born the first Montana Whitfield. With lots of adventures still in store.

Whether that's here for the first few years, or down on the farm fishing with their Papa, planting flowers with Grandma, or playing in the woods in Connecticut with Nana and Grandpa. I'm excited for THEIR adventure.

Baby Watch 2010 - 12 weeks

Well not much to update today, but since yesterday was 12 weeks exactly, thought it was time to show off the "bump." It's not much - although that depends on what I'm wearing and what I've eaten - but I have a feeling it'll "pop" soon.

Our next appt is next Wednesday - prob no ultrasound, but definitely get to hear the young'un's heartbeat. Ed's coming to this one, so we're excited.

Busy Busy

It's Memorial Day Weekend - YAY! We're both excited when the three-day weekends roll around, since that means we get a real weekend together. This one is PACKED.

I put in the start of our little garden today - about 5 rows and 25' each row. Today was tilling in the compost and topsoil and tomorrow I seed.

Tomorrow is the last of the Cow Pie mountain bike races - which means an early morning, time in the sunshine and then an afternoon getting ready for the fun BBQ at our house Monday.

I am learning that our house, yard, etc. does not have to be perfect for these. But it's DIFFICULT. I'm not sure where I inherited that, but it's not easy to give up. I do enjoy when people come over and I don't stress then, it's just all the getting ready. So, I do the best I can, and what doesn't get done, just doesn't get done.

Thankfully, I'm beginning to have more energy, although the nausea still continues. No weird food cravings lately, but we'll see what an Ed-BBQ brings to the table!

Happy Memorial Day! Love to my family's soldiers - past and present. You are not forgotten.

FAQ

Some important details that I've been asked that I'm sure you'd like to know!

Due Date: December 15, 2010. And I'm ok with a Christmas baby. Ed was one and so were my little brother and sister.

Are you going to find out what sex it is? YES. I was on the fence, but Ed was very very sure he wants to know. I think it'll be easier for our family in far away places. He thinks it's a boy and we've already started calling him George. And we have all kinds of boy names (have had them for YEARS), but other than a girl's middle name, we're at a complete loss. So if you know anything that goes with Alice that doesn't include a character from Twilight, and isn't in the Top 20 Baby Names of 2009, we're game. But don't go throwing out Gertrude or Myrtle, either. Heeheeheeeee... We find out in July if it's a boy or a girl. But really, Ed says it's just procedural. :)

Any weird cravings yet? Let's see - I normally LOVE chocolate, but am only marginally tolerating it. Instead of my typical sweet tooth, I want salt and vinegar potato chips and pickles. I love eggs anyway, but I REALLY like them now. I've only had one weird meal craving - Ed had bought some catfish and I wanted fish tacos. And got them. So super yummy.

What about those first trimester symptoms? Well, I love hot tea and always thought I would stave off the nausea with some ginger-peach or ginger-lemon hot tea. I want nothing to do with hot drinks. Except my one cup of morning coffee. It can be decaf - as long as it's coffee, I'm happy. Also not a fan of soda - so no ginger ale either. And that crystallized ginger stuff is nasty. So, I'm drinking non-sugary flavored seltzer water and eating crackers, pickles and trying not to eat too many potato chips. I'm really hoping once I pass into the 2nd trimester (3rd week in June), that that'll pass.

Something New. No Way? Really? Yep.

Much like our long awaited nuptials - after dating for 5 years - after 8 years of marriage, we've decided to jump into the pool of parenthood. Needless to say, we're excited at what God has done, but terrified at what's coming in the future. At least I am. I think Ed started out terrified and is now thinking this progeny thing is pretty cool.

We removed the "goalie from the net" last March and took a "Let's wait and see" attitude. We weren't really trying, but we weren't really not either. Meanwhile, I was having other female issues that were conveniently being addressed and investigated by similar methods, to - tada - fertility. So after a sonogram and sonohystogram, and over 6-8 months of "not trying", my doctor recommended a hysterosalpingogram (I think that's how you spell it??) to make sure that my issues weren't stemming from blocked tubes. Which, the often seen result of a successful HSG, is, you guessed it, conception. Turns out I was a little blocked and had I not had the "issues", would not have known it for some time longer. So - YAY GOD!!

Ok - so I'm betting THAT was too much information. I'm good at that. If it is TMI, let me know. I really don't know unless you tell me! :)

We will be 11 weeks on Wednesday. The whole world now knows. I'm still a little nervous. We heard the heartbeat at 9 weeks which was AMAZING, but until I hear it again at 13, I'm still being cautiously optimistic. For whatever reason, this all seems too good to be true and I've read too many sad stories. So, I'm just praying and being thankful for every pregnancy symptom I have going - constant nausea, heartburn and others that I'm sure I'll bring up later, but just not there yet.

I've not had a meltdown yet, but my morning "clothes crises" that occurred prior to not being able to fit in my pants, will surely escalate to full meltdown before long. I'm not big enough for the maternity clothes yet, but too big for any of my pants to not have the elastic band trick. :)

So, I better go for the night. I'm pretty wiped out. This blog is for all our family and friends - especially those that aren't on Facebook - that are so far away. We love you dearly and covet your prayers --

1. For a healthy pregnancy with no complications.
2. For peace and faith that God is looking out for our little guy GIRL.
3. For wisdom - that God would provide us the grace to raise our children to seek Him.
4. For wisdom - that I would know how far to push/not push my workouts. I want to stay in the best shape I can be for the baby, but want to be smart and not risk my health or the baby's.

Thank you all. Hugs and Kisses!

Been a long time...

Ok, so I haven't exactly kept this up to date. Mostly because I wonder, ok, who really reads this anyway? Most of our friends and family are on FB so the temptation to post a blog has never really struck me. And, we're doing a lot of the same things we've been doing for quite some time - hanging out with each other (Ed rocks), the pups, and spending time outside enjoying this gorgeous place either on our bikes, hiking, etc...