Falling In Love....All Over Again

The 9th, my parents, Aunt Maryla, Aunt Debbie, Faretta, and Holli threw Dan and I and Natalia the best baby shower ever. After loading the van with our treasures, you would of thought we robbed a baby store! We came home from the shower and unloaded the van into our living room. The treasures have been sitting there since then, and slowly but surely I am making the piles less and less.

Laundry has been lurking around the corner and instead of spending hours doing it here, Dan said we could spend sometime at the laundromat. Phew. That saved me several hours, literally. While at the laundromat, Dan spent his time not only traveling to Bed, Bath, and Beyond to get dryer balls since we can't use dryer sheets or fabric softner with her clothes and I HATE static more than nails on a chalk board. So, needless to say, the dryer balls were needed and I LOVE THEM!! After that journey he came back and spent the next 40 minutes reading the car manual about car seat instructions and such.

Buuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, the dryer is done. I get up and start folding the ever so tiny socks, mittens, onesises and then my manly husband decided to help. Watching him fold the NB onesie and smiling and actually enjoying folding clothes made me fall in love all over again with him. Right now it could just be hormones (mine), but I think he turns into this totally different person when he is doing something baby related and I shed a tear or two of happiness. He was carrying on a conversation with her while folding and all was right in the world.

Natalia is due the 21st of February and we are just praying that she waits until the 1st. After the 1st Dan will have 40 hours of vacation time,which means he will get to spend a whole week with Natalia and I after she is home. While in the hospital, his boss is letting him use sick time! Such a blessing.

The 27th is our 7 year dating anniversary. 7 years just blows my mind. We have been through a lot in those 7 years, and it amazes me to see how much we both have changed. What will the next 7 years be like? I will let you know in 2017! :)

Well, I am going to relax before I have to start on dinner. Comments are always welcome, I would love to know who reads my posts if anyone!

Blessings,
Beth

Rubber Band

Greetings,

I have got to get better at blogging. Since I last wrote not much has changed. We had a wonderful holiday with my family. The older I get, the more I look forward to spending time with them. I sit back and look at my younger brother and wonder if he will ever be the same way. I guess it could also be that Dan and I are at a different stage of life than he and Dana are. Either way, family is very important to me and I am so thankful Dan doesn't mind spending time with them.

The day after Christmas was painting day. We chose neutral colors for Natalia's room and it came out amazing! Dan and my mom were going to do it together, but there was only one roller. So, Dan took over and she relaxed with my dad and I. Early in the morning I noticed my back was hurting more than usual and I thought it was from the way I bent down. Later in the day I had also noticed that Natalia was not moving as much as normal. So, at 6:45 during dinner I decided I should call the doctor. At 7:15 they called back and wanted me to go in to get monitored. I was scared for Natalia and the drive to the hospital felt like an eternity. After the fetal monitor was in place and her heart beat was clearly strong, I was able to relax.

I am learning to relax more and take breaks when needed. I think I just over worked myself, and put stress on my back. My back is much better right now.

My body is changing rapidly now, and I feel like a rubber band. I can't imagine that my skin can stretch anymore! I am waiting to see a foot or a hand at any moment. She is slowly running out of room and feels that sitting on my diaphragm is the best idea yet, aside from my bladder. Baby girl, I love you, but my bladder is NOT a trampoline. :)

I have to get busy with baby shower things. So, this post will have to end for now.

Take care,
Beth

It's Getting More Real........

Dan and I had talked about getting a 3D ultrasound done and that was it.  Then, one day I received an email from him with different websites that he had found with local places that did 3D ultrasounds.  This was becoming more real for us.  We made the appointment, I drank lots of water (to make sure we would get the best possible views of her) and we were on our way to Oak Park, IL to see our baby girl in a more personal way than I was prepared for.  I get teary eyed at a regular ultrasound, what in the world would I be like at a 3D one??  At first I was scared that she would look a lot like an alien (from previous 3D pictures I have seen of other babies) and I wouldn't know how to react to that.  

For the most part Natalia cooperates during ultrasounds and this visit was no different.  She was sleeping and had her hand in front of her mouth a lot of the time, but other than that Dan and I got to see our baby girl in a very personal way and it is a moment I will never forget.  I never knew that my heart could love so much, someone that I haven't met yet,  but would do anything for.  Some day she will read these posts about her and know how much she was loved even before she was born.  

So, without further ado, I would like you all to meet Natalia Rachel in 3D  (click that.)

Happy Holidays,

Beth and Dan (post was from Beth)

Time To Update

Hello Everyone,

It has been a while since I have last updated this and well, I could be unpacking boxes, I would much rather get everyone up to date on the Harkness family. We are moved out of Peoria, IL and moved to Darien, IL. MUCH closer to family and friends. So, this was a move I was more than happy to make. We had to pack up and move some stuff on our own, but for the bulk of everything Dan's company paid for movers. It was so nice to sit back and watch those guys hard at work. It took them 6 hours total to pack, and load the truck. But, there were 3 of them and they are professionals. Dan was really understanding with this whole process and didn't let me carry anything in really. I took the light stuff, but other than that, it was all Dan. So, when we move into a house someday, I should make sure it happens around a time when I am pregnant again :) (That is cruel, but it worked out nicely)

20 week ultrasound----My mom and I went to the doctor for my 20 week ultra sound. The baby was being a stinker and crossed her legs when the tech went to look for the goods. She was 90% sure that we are in fact having a girl. The odd thing is that from the beginning I felt it was a girl. Sure I wanted a girl, but really I would of been just as happy with a boy. The tech had a hard time finding her right ventricle of the heart and her kidney was enlarged so my doctor wanted me to see a fetal diagnostic specialist.

The end of October we went to Florida with my parents, aunt, and "uncle." It was a great 10 days of pure humidity and heat. Ick. FL should not be in the 90's in October. After half a day walking around in the park, I decided it would be better for the baby and I if we got a wheelchair. Dan graciously agreed and every time we went someone that offered a wheelchair, we got one. When we were at MGM I was having abdominal pains and they weren't getting better. So, we decided that a trip to first aid was in order. They weren't able to treat me, but because I was pregnant they suggested going to the ER. So, that is what we did while vacationing in FL. In the end I was just dehydrated and the lunch I ate wasn't a good choice for a hot day.

Just yesterday (the 3rd of November) I had my appointment with the fetal diagnostic specialist and we saw the baby again! She was very active and so precious. I cherish the time we get to see her on the "big screen." The tech was very detailed in telling us what she was measuring and looking at. The baby kept punching her feet with her hands. It was really cute! The tech and doctor were able to locate the right ventricle of the heart. The kidney was still a little large so he wants me to come back around my 32nd week for another ultra sound. No complaints here, I bet Natalia will look so much different by then. If her kidney is still enlarged after birth, she will be put on medication to help control the issue of a possible kidney infection. So, it's not life threating. Yay!

Other than that, no news is wonderful news!!!

Happy Holidays. :)

Long time, no post

Well hello there!!

I haven't posted anything that hasn't been from a website in a while. Where do I even begin? On Tuesday September 8 Dan and I went to the doctor for our 16 week check up! Everything was perfect. My blood pressure was great too. It had been a tiny bit high the last time, but this time it was right where it should be. The baby is located where she needs to be and I am still getting sick. Well, I am not sure that getting sick is still supposed to be happening, but it is and I have come to live with it. Soon enough it will be gone, and then I can enjoy food without having to wonder how fast I will need to run to the nearest sink or toilet.

I have felt flutters now and then, and within the next few weeks I should feel more movement. I am beyond excited for this. Dan touches my belly when I say I feel a flutter, and his response is always the same, I didn't feel anything. Sorry Dan, you won't until she starts to really move around and tries to kick you. :)

Speaking of Dan, he is a great husband. He makes dinner every night and sometimes what he makes just doesn't sit well, so he will go and make something else for me instead. Who would do that really? He has been helping out with laundry as well. I know I should have tons more energy, but after working with 8 needy babies all day, the last thing I can ever seem to find is energy. I thank God every day that he has blessed us with one baby on the way and not 8! I don't think I could survive with 8 all by myself. I know I couldn't, so thank you again God for the one that is on the way.

As my belly gets bigger it is becoming more and more real (besides when we hear the heart beat which always bring a tear to my eyes) that there is in fact a human developing inside of me and that is something that I will never be able to wrap my mind around. I could read hundreds and hundreds of books on the developing life and it would still amaze me.

In 3 weeks from Tuesday we will hopefully know the sex of the baby. I am leaning towards a girl, but as long as the baby is healthy I will be content wtih a boy too. Dan is going to find out at the doctors office, and I am not. He is going to do something, and I can't tell you what just yet, because well, I don't know. He is going to do something that will reveal the sex to me later during the day or evening on Tuesday October 6th. So, calling you right after the appointment won't be an option, sorry! BUT, I will post it on here, so if your reading this, come back to the blog Tuesday night and you may find out the sex before some of my family members do.

It's getting late, and I am in need of some food and so is the baby. She told me :) So, for now I will say, "talk to you later."

Hugs,

Beth and Baby

16 weeks - Avocado

How your baby's growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

14 and 15 Weeks

15 weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

14 weeks

How your baby's growing:

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.