Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday Brandon!

We are all so happy that you are part of our family. You will be the best dad to baby Max. Hope you had a great birthday! Love you!

Happy Birthday Taylor

Happy Birthday Taylor! Hope you have a great day, stop by the Phoenix airport again some time.

Happy Birthday to our Luke!

Happy Birthday Luke!

We all love you so much and are so happy to have you in our lives.

You are up in Canada today with your Dad and his family. So I decided that I agree with your mom and we will celebrate with her when you get home. Hope you are having fun and staying warm! xo

Happy belated birthday Cassidy

Happy Birthday Cassidy, with the rush of Christmas, I did exactly what I always feel bad about for December birthdays, I forgot to post for you :(

Happy birthday to my sweet cousin who is always having fun! I hope it was wonderful. xo

Happy Birthday Uncle Robert

Happy Birthday Uncle Robert!

You are such a fun Uncle, we all love you so much.

We hope you have a big celebration when Aunt Alice gets home.

xoxo

Uncle Jim

Our family lost a great man last night. My Uncle Jim passed away with his "greatest catch" (as he used to joke since he was a fisherman) my Aunt Deb, his sweet daughter Ashleigh and my mom by his side. I used to love to call Uncle Jim, he would always say well Jess, do you have a minute and we would talk forever. About anything. How great orange blossoms smelled, something he had watched on TV, how you can never go wrong with a good Cabernet or my grand ideas for some carpentry project in my house, which his idea and finished product was a million times better than I could have thought of. My heart breaks that we have lost a man who made everything better.

Weekly Update - 20/21 weeks

Size of Baby: A cantaloupe or banana weighing in at 1 pound :)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I think I gained 10 pounds in Mexico so I am not even going to estimate total weight gain here :)

Maternity Clothes: I wore some normal dresses in Mexico and realize that dress are MUCH more forgiving than jeans/sweaters! Today I have on maternity clothes.

Gender: We go in on Thursday to find out! Everyone is still thinking boy but we will see soon!

Movement: This kid is kicking/spinning/twirling ALL the time now. Unfortunately Brandon hasn't been able to feel it. It seems so strong to me but I think I am feeling it more on the inside.

Sleep: Love sleep :)

What I miss: My old body :)

What I am looking forward to: Finding out what it is!!!!

Cravings/Aversions: Ice cream...I want it all day every day.

Symptoms: Nope

Best Moment This Week: Now that I can actually feel this baby it seems SO much more real :)

Weekly Updates :)

Everyone keeps telling me to enjoy being huge, oh I mean pregnant :). I have decided to TRY to do a weekly (ok it will probably be like bi-monthly) update on the progress. I hope you don't mind me hijacking our Minches blog to save these memories :).

Here is a HORRIBLE picture at 17 weeks. We were on our way to dinner and I realized we hadn't taken a picture :)

I am 18 weeks here. The sweater was kinda a big flowing one so I tried to calm it down around my stomach :)

Size of Baby: A sweet potato (that seems so big)...according to The Bump, baby is about 6 inches long and weighs about 6 ounces!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I am not sure how long I will own up to this survey question, but as of right now, I am up 11 lbs. I almost wish I had had some nausea in the first trimester to lose some weight!

Maternity Clothes: After this post I will have to remove this category...Maternity clothes are a hard fact of life for me now. NONE of my clothes fit right. All my jeans/pants/etc are WAY to small and my shirts are like so tight I can barely breath. I appreciate that most people can wear their own clothes for so long, I am just not one of them :)

Gender: We scheduled the big anatomy scan for December 8th! I know a lot of people due around the same time as us and they are all going in next week...due to Mexico we had to delay our big reveal :). All of you, and everyone else, thinks it a boy so we shall see.

Movement: I don't think I have felt anything yet. Last week I thought I might have maybe but maybe not felt something. I think it was wishful thinking.

Sleep: I am sick so I don't sleep at all. I cough all night long and on top of that Cam sleeps right next to me so I just can't seem to get comfy.

What I miss: Feeling comfortable in my clothes that are cute..j/k. Seriously, not being able to get up in the morning and wear whatever I want kinda sucks.

What I am looking forward to: I am really looking forward to Mexico. I LOVE this trip every year :). This year I am a little scared though because I am just fat right now so putting on a swim suit is like my worst nightmare :(. I told Brandon I will park my whale of a self on a lounge chair and not move all day :). You all will have to bear with me :).

Cravings/Aversions: None that I know of. I seem to eat a lot (hence the FAT) but I really can eat anything. Brandon's Cajun Chicken Breast (deli meat) almost makes me sick every time I smell it but that was true 7 months ago so nothing new.

Symptoms: My stomach seriously itches SO bad I think I might die sometimes. Apparently this is my skin stretching. I have gone thru an entire tub of the Body Shop cocoa butter but it still itches like crazy. Brandon also thinks I get tired more quickly but I think it is because my job is so stressful right now :)

Best Moment This Week: When I came out of our room in an old pre-pregnancy tank top that is fitted and Brandon says "Wow, we are having a baby". Translation - I am HUGE :).

Happy 4th Anniversary to my Matt

Happy Anniversary Matt!

I always feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world to have Matt as a husband. He is the most considerate, patient man I have ever know. Not to mention how handsome he is :)

Matt is endlessly supportive of anything I want to do, whether that is going to nursing school, cutting up the old blinds in the family room because I might know how to make roman shades or building a parade float and taking a day off work because I think the patients at my work would love to see our cute niece and nephews. Matt, I love you so much. You are my everything, and just when I think I couldn't love you more, you do something else and I do. xo

This picture makes me laugh, I was gone to work before Matt go up. When I got home I showered and changed, then he got home and we were wearing these matching shirts.

Matt and me at the fun party he threw for my nursing school graduation.

Out on a date with my love.

Maybe this will help the Baby Baca Poll :)

Here are some of the crazy old wives tales when it comes to predicting gender.

Heart Rate: If the baby’s heart rate is above 140 bpm, it is said that the baby will be a girl. If it is under 140 bpm, then it will be a boy.

• At our last appointment, the heart rate was 159, this time it was 151 so.. girl

Shape of Belly: If you are carrying high with a big, round belly, you are having a girl. If you are carrying low with a smaller belly that sticks straight out, it’s a boy.

• I am gigantic all around so girl

Shape of Mom’s Face: When your face gets fuller and rounder when pregnant, it means you’re going to have a girl. If your face is long and narrow, it’s a boy.

• My face has gotten rounder, so girl

Mayan Tale: The Mayan tale adds the mothers age at conception and the year of conception. If the result is an even number then mom is having a girl. If the result is an odd number then a boy is on the way!

• According to this, we are having a girl.

Acne: If you have acne while pregnant, it’s a girl. It’s thought that acne during pregnancy is caused by the extra hormones.

• No increase in acne…boy

Cravings: People believe that if you are craving salty foods while pregnant, you can count on having a boy. If you crave sweets, fruit, and orange juice, you are having a little girl.

• I eat anything and everything but maybe salty stuff more…so boy

Legs: If your legs get really big, you’re having a boy. If your legs stay in shape and lean, it’s a girl.

• My legs resemble tree trunks right now so boy

Chinese Gender Chart: The Chinese Gender Chart claims to have an accuracy rate of over 90%. It is based on how old the mother is at conception and the month that she conceived.

• This tells me that I’ve having a girl.

Clumsy vs. Graceful: If the pregnant woman is graceful throughout her pregnancy, she’s having a girl. If she becomes clumsy, she’s having a boy.

• I don’t think I am more clumsy than normal…girl

Side You Most Rest On: If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she’s having a boy. If she prefers resting on her right side, she’s having a girl.

• I have been sleeping on my left side…boy

Dad’s Weight Gain: If the dad-to-be gains weight while you are pregnant, it’s a girl. If he doesn’t gain weight, you’re having a boy

• Brandon says this is the biggest he has ever been…ME TOO…so girl

Morning Sickness: If you had a smooth pregnancy with no morning sickness, it’s a boy. If you were sick or felt really nauseous during your pregnancy, count on a girl.

• Haven’t been sick at all…boy

Protein: When a pregnant woman craves meat and cheese, count on a boy.

• This isn’t fair for me because I want steak everyday all day before pregnant and now…so boy

Feet: Are your feet colder now that you are pregnant? If so, you just might be having a boy. If your feet have stayed the same before pregnancy and during, you’re having a little girl.

• I wear socks more I guess but it is fall in Colorado J…boy

Hair on Legs: If the hair on your legs has been growing at record speeds, you might be having a boy.

• True that…boy

Headaches: If you are having headaches, you might be carrying a boy.

• I had 3 really bad headaches at the beginning so… boy