May 30, 2009

Week 21













~~Amanda

End of Week 21 Status:
Weight: 155 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Spaghetti Squash 11 inches long, just under a pound.

We are at 22 weeks this week, and week 21 has been fun! We started off the week pondering names, since we now know that it's a boy. So far the most popular have been Sebastien or Vincent Lawrence Schwartz. Lawrence is definitely the middle name, but the first name is still up in the air. Sooo, despite the protest of some, Gorthar is still our little boy's title for now. Speaking of Gorthar, he has grown quite strong. We can actual see him moving if we watch my belly now. So amazing!

The week was really just about settling some more into the house and spending time with family. I have been thrift shopping for maternity clothes, as I am now incapable of wearing my normal clothes any longer. I start school back up on Monday and will be at it until my birthday in August. I really only have about seven shirts that fit me now, so I'm hoping I will find some more so I don't have to repeat them over and over again during school. However, there are worse things I could deal with.

I also had to schedule a follow-up ultrasound this week because I apparently have a marginal placenta previa they want to keep an eye on. In 90% of cases, the placenta will fix itself by the due date, so I'm not too terribly concerned. They have given me some restrictions and told me to come back mid-July at 28 weeks to see if it is corrected. If not, I may have to have a C-section.

Other than that, I have just been catching up on the homework for my online Modern Architecture class. Pretty interesting stuff. I will be quite busy this summer. Just as well considering I can't really enjoy the weather as hot as it is. Well, hmm....I guess that's all for now. My cousin got married today, so congratulations Megan and Rock! I wish I could have been there. Love you!


May 25, 2009

Week 20













~~Amanda

End of Week 20 Status:
Weight: 154 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Carrot 10.5 inches long, 3/4 of a pound

Well it's 21 weeks this week, and week 20 has been awesome! We are having a BOY!!! So, the Schwartz continuum remains in full force. In fact it appears that this is boy season, as everyone I know that's having or had a baby this year has had boys.

Andy and I are right now considering the name Sebastian Lawrence, but who knows if it will stick or not. We finally got around to having our housewarming this weekend, which was a lot of fun. It would have been a lot more fun if the men hadn't got a call from the ROTC unit saying they screwed up their schedule and they had three hours instead of two days to get to the unit fully prepared to leave for OCS. Needless to say chaos and anger ensued shortly thereafter.

After a painful and sleepy goodbye around midnight, Andy was off to OCS. The good thing was, my mother arrived the next day to cheer me up.

A day or so after she arrived, Andy phoned letting us know that he would be home shortly. Apparently they check whether you've been to medical for anything in the past six months...which he has for a rotater cuff injury. When they sent him to a specialist to do some resistance tests, his arm did not pass the test. Poor Andy will have to go back next year.

The positive side to all of this is, there is a lot more that needs to be done this summer, and next year I will have Sebastian to keep me company so I'm not so lonely...so it may all be for the better. I would rather he didn't permanently injure his shoulder at OCS and ruin his career...best to just get it fixed now. Now, I am very impatiently awaiting his return....I miss you ANDY!!!!

Other than that...my brother and Shelly came down to visit on a spur of the moment decision...so Josh has been doing fix-it things for me in Andy's absence. Thanks Josh!

Well, they are all still here, so I will stop being anti-social and go tend to my visitors...

Talk to you next week, here are the ultrasound pics:




May 18, 2009

Week 19













~~Amanda

End of Week 19 Status:
Weight: 153 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Bell Pepper 10 inches long, 10.5 ounces

We reached 20 weeks this past week, halfway there! Not a lot has changed since last week, and we continue to improve the house one project at a time. I am just trying to contain my excitement for finding out the sex of the baby this week and finally getting to use a definite pronoun.


Well, there isn't much to say...we did find out that the vermin living in our attic was in fact a squirrel living in the overhang of our roof, not our attic. So that was a funny discovery. I will post pics of the new improvements we made to the house...stay tuned on Thursday for the revealing of the baby's sex!



Main Bathroom - Before & After:

Guest Bedroom - Before & After:


May 11, 2009

Week 18












End of Week 18 Status:
Weight: 152 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Large Heirloom Tomato

We are at 19 weeks, day 5 today. We finally resolved the issue of getting internet connected at our new house, yay! Week 18 was full of excitement. In preparation for our move, we got to work on improving the new house. Believe it or not, I have been very involved in the toils of home-ownership.

I have had lots of energy, and keeping busy has been great. We put in some nice hard flooring in our dining room and reading room, and Andy did some tiling in the kitchen. My favorite part was revamping the landscape of our much neglected lawn. Once we put a contract on the house, the bank was obviously no longer interested in maintaining it....it was a jungle! However, after buying a lawn mower, some weed & feed, mulch, and renting a tiller, we were able to produce a pretty nifty design. It was a lot of hard work, but it was definitely worth it to me. I love our yard! I will post pics at the end of this blog.

In Gorthar news, taking his/her cue from his/her parents, the little one has been extremely active this past week. I have been feeling the ever-growing strength of his/her jabs and punches. My mom has told me that one of us (I don't remember who she said) used to kick her in the ribs when she was trying to fall asleep at night...that sounds less cute...but still kind of cute.

In the midst of the moving chaos, we received some less exciting news. My sister-in-law Shelly lost the baby this past week. She is very strong though, and they have decided to keep trying. I know that everything will happen when the time is right, and I will have a beautiful niece or nephew.

Well, I better get back to this week's project....stripping the paint, priming, and repainting the guest bedroom, and the main bathroom. A lot less fun than landscaping, especially since I have to wear all sorts of dust and fumigation masks, ha.

Talk to you next week!


Before/After

May 1, 2009

Week 17













~~Amanda

End of Week 17 Status:
Weight: 148 lbs.
Estimated Baby Size: Bell Pepper

It's 18 weeks this week. I am starting to feel Gorthar swimming around, and he occasionally decides to start popping popcorn. It's funny looking at the photos each week, how much my posture or how close I am to the camera alters the look of the "tummy shot." I guess I need to start taking them in a more controlled manner. Once I start taking them in the new house I will try to do a better job.

We closed on our house this week...YAY!!! So far we've done prepratory work to move in. I have been working on the decorative gardening, while Andy tackled the jungle the bank had let the yard turn into. We also picked up some flooring, a mower, a fridge and a grill. Needless to say we've also been doing a lot of packing in our apartment. Moving day has been set for next week.

Well I'm exhausted from another long day of work, so I'll talk to you next week.