Gary's Words of Wisdom

Let me set the scene:
Gary is watching me on the computer (researching cloth diapers) as I rub my round belly.

He says, "Is this real, I mean, is that for real?"

I reply, "Yes, yes it is."

He says, "It's so surreal." Followed by, "That's Greek for Super Real!"

And that, ladies and gents, is my life:)

XOXO

The big 2-9!

No, I don't mean my birthday. That was August 11 for those who forgot:) Just kidding! I mean the big week 2-9! Yesterday marked week 29 in this here pregnancy thing. I feel like I am growing exponentially. Little Boy Barnes shifts and sits in funny ways making my balance go wonky. And, yes, I said wonky. He moves and wiggles and jiggles, and I love it. I love the way he sits on my bladder, and the way he crowds my lungs, and the way he shoves his little foot/fists into my ribs. I know, you're probably thinking, "nice sarcasm Kim". But I really do mean it. His movin and groovin connects me to him. Even as I type, I see my belly shift from side to side as he snuggles in. When Gary is able to catch a movement, either by feeling it or seeing it, his eyes light up. He can't believe that's our little boy. Neither can I. It's all happening so fast. I already want time to slow down and he isn't even here yet. Wowsers!

This past weekend Gary and I worked on the house. I know, finally!! We painted the nursery, it's almost finished, but not quite. It's this awesome blue/gray/silvery color that I had picked out well before knowing I was pregnant. I liked it no matter what, girl or boy. So I am really stoked that I like it as much on the walls. We even purchased the nursery set online, should be here in a week or so. I will post pics when it's done. We (and I mean Gary) also re-built our bedroom closet so both of us can put our clothes in there. Gary has been keeping his clothes in the nursery closet up until now. That obviously isn't going to cut it in a few months!

Enough of that. I leave you with the 2-9 picture and some other pics of our cute dogs!

XOXO

Check out that basketball belly!


Umm, note the sexy hair and outfit. Didn't I just say we were fixing the house?! Don't judge me.


Ferris Boy - Our 3 year old Pitbull, AKA the Snugglebug



Belle Dog - Our 3 year old Carolina Dog, AKA the Curious Cow

Little Baby Face

So we just got back form the 3D ultrasound and it was rockin! Of course, stubborn Baby Boy Barnes had his feet, hands, and umbilical cord in his face almost the entire time. The tech was able to get a few good shots, oh yeah...and he is definitely a boy. We might go back again to try to get some better pics, but we might not, that is yet to be decided. He is definitely a "junior" as the tech put it. He totally has Gary's nose and lips, and I'm pretty sure I see a butt chin. Although I could be imagining that! Our next midwife appointment is tomorrow, so hopefully all is good on that front too. Now I'm off to eat some crackers for this awesome heartburn.

XOXO

Oh, you wanted pictures?! I guess I can accommodate that request:)

His cute face. He looks angry...I think that might have been all the jiggling we were doing to get him to cooperate.


Here he is sucking his big toe, yep...that's my foldy little baby.

I'm back!

Sorry to those of you who actually read this here bloggity blog. I have been crazy busy with work and life and stuff! I am actually in Denver as we speak taking a much needed break from Expo time and Receptions for the American Public Health Association Conference, it's been bananas. Anywhoo...what you really came here for- a baby update!

Well, I am officially over the 25 week mark. That means that my due date is less than 15 weeks away. AHHHHH. Oh My Goodness Mercy Beans. That also means that I am technically full term in less than 12 weeks. Freak Out Time Anyone?! We are so stinkin' excited for this baby. Little Boy Barnes will most certainly be loved to bits. He has been rolling around all the time, kicking my bladder (literally), and making his presence oh so clear. I can see him move sometimes, especially those strong kicks. Gary is amazed every time he feels or sees the movement. It is more and more real. We are going to get a 4D ultrasound next week and are super stoked to see the baby move around and see his little baby face. And to make double sure it's a boy:) Since it's been so long since I posted, I will end with a bunch of random pictures from the last little bit...some of baby belly, pumpkin carving, hail storm, some of our cute puppy dogs, and some of our awesome new (but really 30 years old) tent trailer that we took camping. It's totally retro and we love it!

XOXO

Crazy Hail Storm on Oct 5



Gary and Kim





Snuggly Puppies



Camping at Roper Lake



Post Camping Sleepy Puppies



Oct 16 Belly Pic


Oct 24 Belly Pic


Oct 31 Belly Pic



Nov 7 Belly Pic

Monkey moves.

So I have been feeling my little guy move inside me for a few weeks now and I can't get enough of it. I'm sure I will be singing a different tune when he starts kicking the crap out of my ribs, but for now, I. LOVE. IT. So I was just surfing the internet, reading some blogs (shout out to Gimme a B) and baby boy starts buzzing around. I put my hand where he's buzzing, and guess what??? I felt him move from the outside. That's right, the outside. I know you all are thinking, okay, that's exciting, but really, a whole post about it. My answer to you, H-E-Double Hockey Sticks YES! That was awesome. Totally awesome. I can't wait for Gary to get home so we can spend (probably fruitless) hours waiting for baby boy to make his presence known to the outside again!

Until next time-

XOXO

Baby Boy Barnes

So, for those who read this, and more importantly, for me to have a nice journal-like memory, our little baby is a boy!! 19 weeks yesterday. The ultrasound was so awesome. Watching him, our little baby, twist and wiggle. I kept thinking of the line, "he's a real boy". It was so funny when Gary first saw it was a boy, he exclaimed, "there's his weiner!". And then proceeded to ask how old he needed to be before we could take him snowboarding. The wonderful ultrasound tech replied, "well, maybe wait until he's born at least". Great advice, let me tell you!

Everything looks healthy so far. 2 arms, 2 legs, heart, kidneys, bladder, stomach, brain. He was really curled up so she couldn't get all the measurements she wanted. He is only in the 20th percentile for size, but that is okay! See the pics below to see how curled up he was, so cute!

I probably need to gain some more weight since my wonderful midwife actually gave me permission! Not that I needed any, I have been trying, it just isn't sticking. I know, whine whine whine. But I want to be healthy for me and for baby boy Barnes. I don't want him to be a unhealthy small and I don't want to lose nutrients either. So, I am beefing up my good fats, my proteins, and splurging a bit here and there too (ice cream in my smoothie anyone?!). Not too much mind you, just trying to increase my intake by a couple hundred calories. I think all will be well and I am sure I will be putting it on like crazy without trying soon enough!

By the way, Gary and I just celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary and have so much to be thankful for in this last year. Big shout out to Carlos for the awesome wedding video...seriously it rocked. I might get it posted one of these days, but for now, just know, it really was awesome.

Here are a few ultrasound pics, not the best scanning on my part, but here they are nonetheless!



XOXO

Two days and counting.

Thursday morning is U-Day! What, you ask, is U-Day? Well, it's Ultrasound day!! Yep, they will check out all the baby's stats and look for the turtle or the hamburger.

What, you ask, again is that? Well, that's how the "internet" describes checking if it's a boy or girl...boy=turtle, girl=hamburger.

We weren't going to find out boy or girl but Gary really wants to and I am super curious, so provided they can tell, we will know on Thursday. We will announce it on the blog as long as the ultrasound tech is confident about what she sees...I'm not playing the whoops it's boy in February and now all you have is pink stuff game. Well, I am going to try not to play that game.

Here's a picture at 18 weeks, and no, I am not having twins. Someone really asked me that yesterday. I guess I shouldn't say that, I could be having twins. Thursday will tell. So crazy!!!! So exciting!!!!




Time for the quiz...do you think our little widget is a turtle or a hamburger?

XOXO

Heart Sings

So, I am usually all for sharing everything...see most of my previous posts for confirmation. But- I do like to keep some things to myself, usually those are the really sweet things Gary says to me. I hold them close and am totally greedy with them. Well I am going to share one because it made me giddy...

Last night while laying in bed, Gary snuggles close, hand on my belly. I am getting really sleepy and he isn't so I know he's going to snuggle me until I fall asleep and then leave to go watch TV or putter around the house. Through my drowsy induced, almost there slumber, he whispers..."Our baby's heart sings because we are in love and the baby can feel that, I love you."

He kissed me and then snuck out of bed. I swear, not 1 minute later, I think (think begin the key word), I felt a little flutter. Kind of like a tiny delicate zipper being zipped. Maybe it was the baby, maybe it was gas, but I am going with baby. He/She was agreeing with Gary. So do I by the way.

It's moments like that when it's easy to forget all the worries, will my baby be healthy?, will he/she be strong?, will we be good parents?

Instead I think...we love this baby exaclty how he/she is...strong/weak, healthy/sick...no matter what. And I know, you can't raise a baby on love alone, but it's one heck of a start.

XOXO

Gary's Moments of Genius

"It's so weird, I do my thing up in there, it turns into a baby, and then crawls out of your vagina."

That, my friends, is the miracle of life according to Gary.

I could have prefaced that with an intro, but I really wanted you to experience the random awesomeness that is my husband.

This is now an official part of the blog, you will see these often, I call it...Gary's Moments of Genius.

Welcome to my world!

XOXO

No butterflies or bubbles.

So I am officially 16 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I want to feel this baby move, I am dying to feel this baby move. I know, it's totally normal not to feel it for a few more weeks, I know, I keep telling myself, I know. But I WANT it now. Okay, there's my total lack of patience and whining for you.

I have to say, this pregnancy has been awesome so far. Only a couple weeks of a queasy stomach (with no throwing up) and sore boobs. That's it. So, you might ask, what the H-E-double hockey sticks are you whining about? Well, it's just that this has been such a smooth ride, now that I'm in my second trimester, it's like I'm not pregnant at all. I've only gained a couple of pounds (again, what's with the whining), have a little belly, and still maintain the sore boobs. It scares me a little that I'm not really pregnant.

All of the whining aside, I really do feel completely and utterly blessed to have had such a smooth 16 weeks. I try not to whine or complain that much, I swear I do. It just takes getting the BLAH out of my system for me to remember that I am pregnant and things will work out as they are meant to work out, whining does not help at all.

Thanks for listening to me vent.

XOXO

Be forwarned

I should have warned you in the beginning, I don't have a filter. I try, and sometimes, very rarely, I succeed. But it's not often. So be prepared, this blog will often contain moments of far, far, too much information. I make no promises that I won't offend your sensibilities, gross you out, or make you gag...it might happen. But know, I do it with love.

On that note, this is how Gary just described the current state of our sex life...

you were sleeping and I was captain gas flash.


I'll let you decide if that means lots of horizontal tango time or not.

XOXO

16 weeks and truckin

So, it's a three day weekend and Gary and I thought, let's go to Fossil Creek. So off we go, driving, driving, driving. Through Payson, through Pine, and to Strawberry. Down an 8 mile dirt road, in the Hyundai people. Not our best decision to take the silver bullet versus Gary's truck. Let me tell you. The bouncing and jerking was a bit much but it would all be worth it at the creek, right?. Well, about 1 mile from the end, the cars stop. I mean, stop. Not to let someone pass, not to help someone who was stuck, but because the freakin parking lot is full. WHAT?!?! So we wait, 10 minutes, We Do NOT Move. Yeah, so we turn around, because it's 1 o'clock at this point and I am starving. For anyone who has been pregnant, knows someone who's been pregnant, or just knows me when I am hungry (preggers or not), there was no more waiting. So back up the 7 mile bouncy freakin dirt road, back to town, and back to the Fry Bread stand I salivated over when we first passed. So basically, we went on a 6 hour trip to get Fry Bread. A bit much! Good news, I did get to hang out with my husband, undisturbed, no phone calls, no demands. That was worth it, the tiny silver lining to the parking lot cloud.

For those who suffered through my awesome story, here are some pregger pics. 14, 15, and 16 weeks. As you can see my baby is currently a FUPA baby, and then sometimes, a food baby. But it's there. I read yesterday that our little widget is the size of an avocado. Crazy.

Kisses!

...then comes marriage.

Well it's been a while to say the least. A while since I have blogged at least. I used to have a blog, way back before I was married, way back before I was engaged, but not before I was with the love of my life and our two snuggly puppies.

Fast forward almost 2 years...and here I am, here we are. Quick summary with more detailed entries to follow...

December 11, 2004, Gary and I start dating. It was love quicker than either of us could imagine, expected, or dare I say, wanted:) But there we were. Traveling from Tucson to Phoenix and Phoenix to Tucson to snatch weekends or weeknights together.

May 2005, Gary moves to Tucson. It was marvelous. We lived together in two different little places. First a tiny 1 bedroom apartment that was just too tiny. Next, we found our "cabin". An awesome 1 bedroom little guy that suited us perfectly. Then, in July 2006...Gary got a job in Phoenix. Back to commuting.

December 15, 2007, I make the move back to Phoenix. Sweet relief for my tired from driving buttcheeks.

October 11, 2008, Engaged. Gary pulled off a marvelous surprise, proposed, I accepted (duh!) and we were off for a trip to Portland and the Oregon coast.


September 26, 2009, Married. We had a simple garden wedding with as many friends and family as could make it and it was lovely.


WAIT. STOP. We haven't finished the song. You know the one...sing it with me...First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes...

The baby in the baby carriage. That's right folks, read on...

June 26, that magical pee stick showed me two lines. That's right, two lines. For those who have never experienced the magical dollar store pee stick, that means pregnant. We. Were. Shocked. Okay, people always ask, "were you trying?". Well obviously, we aren't idiots, so having sex with no protection could result in pregnancy. We just thought it would take longer. Ok, so maybe we are idiots:) As my doctor said, "well, at least we know you're fertile!". True dat buddy, true dat.

Today, 15 weeks and 4 days pregnant. Feeling fine and dandy as can be. So excited for the day I get to feel this baby move inside of me. So excited for September 23rd when we will have our first ultrasound. What do we think, Boy or Girl?