Boy or Girl?

Most of you reading will already know the answer to this question: Boy or Girl? But if you haven't heard, I'll get to the answer in just a bit!

Todd and I had the best time with family this past weekend as we revealed the gender of our little one. Nearly 40 family members gathered at my parents' home to find out our big secret. We felt beyond loved that day and I will cherish the memories of our reveal party forever. We're so thankful for our families and are overwhelmed at how loved our little one is already. One blessed baby for sure!

Here's just a snapshot of the party. A special thanks to my good friend Roxanne for making the reveal cake! 

** It's A Girl **

Todd and I are thrilled to finally share the news with the world. Baby girl S is doing great. She's growing bigger every day and is starting to kick like crazy. I love it.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I had secretly been hoping for a little boy. I'm not going to lie, hearing the Dr. say "girl" was a bit of a shock. Not because I was sad that we're having a girl, but because a part of me was saying goodbye to my dreams of having a little guy around the house. I always pictured myself with a mini-version of Todd running around, so it took some time to get used to the idea of having a girl. Now that I have had time to let it soak in, I'm absolutely thrilled. She is so loved already. I'm only halfway through my pregnancy, but I'm getting really anxious to meet her.

So to my friends with little girls, please tell me everything you know! I am soaking up advice like a sponge.

Twenty more weeks to go!

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18 Weeks (Almost)

I'll be 18 weeks tomorrow and I'm definitely feeling it. My clothes are fitting tighter. It's becoming more uncomfortable to do normal things like getting into bed (our bed is on risers to make it taller, but they have to go!) or getting into my car. I've heard so many times that during pregnancy your body is not your own, and for the most part I understood that. I knew I would make more frequent trips to the bathroom, that I would be sharing space with my little one as they grow, that I wouldn't be able to control things like the occasional burp that slips out in mid-conversation, etc. But I didn't fully understand that my body would feel foreign. I feel like I'm borrowing someone else's body. The tightness in my belly and the widening of my hips make me feel like I'm trying on a new body and I'm just attempting to work out the kinks to feel like my normal self. Nothing could have prepared me for this. It's amazing and mind boggling at the same time!

Another adjustment: weight gain. I've gained 9 pounds in 18 weeks. I know I'm on a healthy pace. The books say that I should expect to gain a pound a week from now until week 40. If I can keep to that, I will have only gained 31 pounds, which is pretty much right on target. I'm not afraid to gain weight, but it is strange to see digits I've never seen on the scale before. I'm just glad I'm finally showing so that this weight gain is justified!

This isn't the best photo of me, but my mom called asking for a picture and knowing I would forget, I took a quick photo on Todd's phone before I got ready for bed one night this week. It's not too flattering, but I'm sure it will be fun to look at later. (The shadow from my arm makes my bump look a bit bigger than it actually is!)

Baby S is the size of a sweet potato this week. Seems like yesterday he/she was the size of a grape. Time flies!

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16 Weeks

We're getting closer and closer to the halfway mark, which is mind blowing to me. In just a couple weeks we find out if Baby S is a boy or girl. Todd and I are both secretly hoping for a boy, but obviously we'll be thrilled either way.

A few new changes in my world:

1. The middle of the night potty runs have officially begun. I know this is all new to me, and I can be a bit naive, but I really thought this part of pregnancy might skip me. Until this week I was mostly sleeping through the night. Granted, in the morning I would make a mad dash for the bathroom, but I told Todd that I thought my body wasn't waking me up to go. I was convinced I was just going to hold it all night and sleep soundly. Nope. I'm now fully awake between 2 and 3am. The worst part? I'm not good at falling back asleep quickly. This morning I laid in bed for over an hour trying to see if I could remember the names of the four girls on Teen Mom 2. What has happened to me?!

2. Maybe you moms can help me with this one. In the last week or so my tailbone has been aching. I thought I had just sat on something hard for too long, but after a week of dull pain, I'm realizing this is my new normal. On top of that, my hips are really sore. Yesterday I couldn't put all my weight on my right leg without almost falling over. Is this something I just get used to, or can a chiropractor help? I do sit at a desk all day at work, which may have a lot to do with it. I'm going to try to be more active during the work day.

3. I officially have a bump! It has been around for the last couple of weeks, but now I can't hide it at all. I wore maternity jeans for the first time yesterday and they are heavenly! I don't know if I ever want to go back to normal jeans!

All of these changes have really been fun to experience (even when they don't feel so great). I'm amazed that there is a life growing inside of me. I feel so blessed that God would call Todd and I to be parents. He has revealed so much to me these past few weeks. When Todd and I first found out we were pregnant, I joked that God may have accidentally chosen the wrong girl. Doesn't He know how scared I am? Doesn't He know pain and I don't get along? But He has provided and shown me time and again that it's His strength, not my own that will carry me during this. The fact that He trusts me so deeply to handle this has made me fall in love with Him in a whole new way. It's not news that I'm a control freak, but letting go has been such a breath of fresh air.

And for those pics I promised...

I've gone from this -

To this -

Thanks to all you girls who left comments on my blog, facebook and emailed book recommendations! I've got  plenty of reading material to keep me busy the next 5 1/2 months!

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Babies 101

I'm 15 weeks today. Insane. This is going by much faster than I anticipated, but at the same time I feel like the fun is just beginning. I actually look forward to doctor appointments. Todd and I have an appointment today and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll hear the heartbeat. We haven't heard it yet and I'm getting antsy!

As someone who once thought I would never have children, I never really educated myself on babies and childbirth. Sure, I had plenty of babysitting experience. I'm the oldest of five, how could I not? And caring for three of the sweetest boys in the world was my first real job when Todd and I moved to Nashville, but they were all over a year old when they were entrusted to me. It's infants that I know nothing about. Being the oldest girl in my family, I have always felt that it's my responsibility to share with my sisters all the ins and outs of pregnancy, but being the oldest also means I really never had a formal "baby" education. It's a good thing I like to learn. I'm soaking in every piece of wisdom I can get. I'm a bit of a control freak, so I like to know what I'm up against!

I've stockpiled books the last couple of weeks. For those of you with babies, I would love to hear your thoughts on my list. I haven't made it through all of them just yet, but I'm getting there slowly. I would also be thrilled to hear your recommendations. This girl can't get enough info!

Books I have purchased or borrowed:

Belly Laughs

Simple and light hearted, this book was an easy read. It's definitely funny and somewhat informative, but Jenny doesn't go into a lot of depth. She mainly skims the surface of each topic. I loved her humor, but I was left with more questions than answers.

Exploiting My Baby

I'll take recommendations from anyone. I came across this book when I saw a picture of Selma Blair holding a copy in US Magazine. Inspiring, huh? It just arrived a few days ago and I haven't been able to put it down. Warning: do not read if you are easily offended. Teresa Strasser does not go out of her way to be modest, so if the F-Bomb bothers you, I would steer clear of this one. While it's definitely rough around the edges, Strasser is brutally honest and transparent. Two things that are important to me when I want real answers. She's also hilarious. I lost count of the times I laughed out loud, and that was before the third chapter.

Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy

I skimmed this one at Barnes & Noble and it seemed interesting enough. It hasn't arrived yet, so I can't really give any opinions. Has anyone else read this?

Cool Names for Babies

A co-worker loaned this one to me. It's a fun read. A lot of the names are overused, but our pick for a boy's name was listed twice. I guess that makes us pretty cool?

What to Expect When You're Expecting

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Great for obtaining all of the info you would get from a medical professional. Not nearly as fun to read, but absolutely informative. 

These next two I haven't read yet. I'm going to wait a little longer so that I don't forget anything! The first was loaned to me from a close friend and new mom who said this book taught her everything she needed to know.  The second I bought because I need a little comic relief with this subject!

The Nursing Mother's Companion

Mama Knows Breast

I'm constantly on the lookout for more baby reading material. I'll take any and all suggestions! 

Baby bump pictures coming soon!

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Big News

It's been so long since I've written a post that I almost forgot my blogger login! I've been a bit MIA these past couple of months. To say I was under the weather would be the understatement of the century (or at least it would feel that way to me). I have been temporarily out of commission thanks to someone that today is the size of a medium shrimp. I'm pregnant!

While I'm filled with all kinds of feelings and emotions, we're still in day-to-day mode. My morning sickness has been pretty awful, so survival was my first priority. Thankfully I'm entering my second trimester and was able to get my hands on some really good drugs, so I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Now if someone could just tell me how to handle all of the needle pokes pregnancy requires, I would be smooth sailing!

Todd and I feel very blessed to be on this journey together. If I ever needed a reminder that I married the perfect person for me, each day of this pregnancy has been just that. He has been amazing. Not only has he done all the cooking and cleaning, but he handled my sickness like a champ. Just ask him about the Taco Bell drive-thru experience and you'll know what I'm talking about!

Hoping to be a more regular visitor to this blog. Lots of new and exciting changes to report in the Stepp house!

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