MILESTONE!!!!!!!!

The ice storm is here and the snow has begun to pour from the sky. Ryan and I both took the day off. Even if I had made it to work, leaving would have been just awful! I can just see it now, me waddling around my car trying to scrape all the ice off my windows :( sheesh! Thank you so much to the girls who picked up my shift, you are much braver than I am!!

Knowing we weren't going in to work today, Ryan and I stayed up and chatted at watched HGTV in bed. For about a week now I have been feeling flutters in my belly that I thought might be the baby kicking. Just over the past few days I decided it was for SURE little kicks! I have noticed very distinct sleeping patters with the little one. Lots of movement around 7:00 a.m. when I get to work, an occasional flutter around 1:00 after lunch time, and the most movement is when I am laying still in bed around 10:00. So, right on schedule, last night I was feeling some movement so I put my hand on my belly to see if I could feel it outside too. Sure enough!!! I felt a little kick in my hand! I grabbed Ryan's hand and told him I just felt a kick! "Nuh Uh??"
So we sat there for a bit, both of us completely silent when....BUMP! Right where I had laid his finger tips was one of the biggest kicks I have felt yet!!! Little one ways saying hello to Daddy!
He was in complete disbelief and I was giggling uncontrollably! We sat still trying to feel another until we both started to fall asleep. Only one kick, but a very special & memorable one <3

Countdown!

A few of us at work have cute little dry erase boards at our stations. We will often doodle fun messages for each other during different shifts so there is something fun waiting when the other person gets to work. I came in on Wednesday to find this cute baby count down from my co-worker, Alan. I told him he started it and now he was going to have to do it every day...he offered once a week! Thanks buddy :)

21 Weeks - Banana!

5 months and one week - everyone told me it would fly by, but I just can't believe it! I can see changes in my body on almost a daily basis...and I sure can feel them!! Clothes are just uncomfortable enough to get me a little cranky from time to time. I really enjoy my comfort, I am pretty sure I get that from my Momma. I will wear a pair of uncomfortable shoes in the name of fashion, but clothes are another story. I don't do uncomfortable very well. I go to lunch with Ryan every day and by that time I have had half a day in tight, constricting clothes so I plop into his truck with a sigh and undo every clasp and button available so I can breathe!! My grumpiness usually turns back into smiles - he is really great at cheering me up. I did however almost make him get out of the truck to eat his Cheetos on Monday. CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH...I snapped at him and asked him (not so nicely) if he had to eat so loudly!!? He, looking very defeated, sat there quietly sucking on each chip until he could silently chew them. Hahaha I sit here laughing out loud at my absurdness! Hormones sure are good for making you laugh when you step back and think about how ridiculous you just were!!

Ryan I am so thankful for your patience and understanding!
Thank you so much for laughing at me when I am being ridiculous instead of getting angry
Thank you for making baby and I the most delicious healthy dinners
Thank you for letting me buy 4 packages of gummy worms but hiding them from me when we got home so i wouldn't eat them all in one night
Thank you for letting me sleep with the Boppy body pillow that takes up half the bed and not complaining
Thank you for playing with my hair when I lay in your lap
Thank you for never failing to stick out your hand every time I need to get up off the floor, couch, chair or church pew (even when I really didn't need help and especially now that I really do! I feel like a turtle flipped shell side down until you come help!!)
Thank you for peeling me off the couch when I fall asleep at 8 and making me get ready for bed
Thank you for going shopping for baby stuff and looking genuinely excited!
Thank you for pushing tons of pre-natal vitamins out of those annoying foil packages so I wouldn't get irritated every time I had to take one
Thank you for picking me up and going with me to every Doctor's appointment even when you know they will take up to two hours
Thank you for always going and getting Chloe when I cry for no good reason because you know she will lick my face until I burst into giggles
Thank you for buying me one of the safest cars on the road
Thank you for always standing strong with me and our decision to let me be a stay at home Momma - it is such a wonderful gift you have given our family
Thank you for all the future reasons I know you will give me to thank you...you are so amazing Ryan. I love you with all my heart <3

Little Hoot

I had said that our first purchase was going to be the crib, and while we picked out the one we will get, we made a different purchase as our first! Last night we went on a date night to The Bistro at Seville out at 101st and Yale. We were tootling around the area afterward and saw the HUGE Super Target. We walked around for a bit and meandered to the baby section as we often do and ended up spending an hour looking at stuff!

Earlier that day I had been talking to my co-worker Ashley about these adorable little owl pillows that Pottery Barn has. I just adore them! I emailed my Mom and she told me she would help me make some of my own!! Here are some of the ideas we got:























































I just love them! They are so sweet and whimsical :)

So imagine my delight when we find a highchair covered in cutesy little owls! We talked about how cute it was and took pictures of it to decide on later. Then while I was looking at a rocker Ryan finds the Little Hoot Stroller (Glider Travel System by Graco) in the clearance aisle!!! Meant to be? I think so! We mulled over it forrrrever because the colors are a tad bit more on the boyish side. A dilemma we are running into often while shopping for "gender neutral" baby items. The pattern is in brown, white, & shades of teal. We decided that it seems to be a happy medium between girly and boyish, so we grabbed it and headed on our merry way home to put it together! Ryan kept exclaiming "we have a baby delivery system now!!!" hahah so cute!

We (Ryan) put it together (while I took pictures!) and our Cat/Dog curled up in her favorite new hidey spot, the box. We wheeled it around and practiced disassembling and one-hand folding the stroller and we both are in love with it!
Seeing stuff like sippy cups and strollers in our house is really sinking reality in :)

Baby Cakes & Co-worker Kindness

All the girls at work have been so sweet! From my very first Doctors appointment I was told not to lift anything more than ten pounds. You wouldn't think a bank teller has to lift too much, but there's lots of lifting when coin is involved. We have to keep our coin drawers full with boxes of coin and the box of quarters is close to 12 pounds. Then there is the coin machine - when our coin machine dings its happy little song we are expected to carry these full bags across the lobby. 1 bag of quarters is $1000...it weighs 70 pounds!! I shouldn't have been carrying those bags to begin with - none of us should.

All the girls are so sweet! I tried to tell them that other than coin there is a lot that I can still do, but they are so protective. One of my close friends, Neda, won't even let me bend over to pick things up off the floor...where I am constantly knocking things :) She told me to stop protesting and just let her help me. I still feel so guilty not helping out as I normally do, but no one says a thing! They run to the coin machine or carry my coin to my locker every time. Thank you all for being so helpful!!

When they first found out I was pregnant it was so much fun! Hugs went around and lots of giddy excitement. Neda bought me the sweetest baby balloons and decorated the break room. Asti, my supervisor, made pink and blue cupcakes with tiny little babies on them!! She called them baby cakes! I have appreciated their kindness more than they know - it means the world to me.

















































Speaking of baby cakes - on January 6th was Dia de los Reyes, (Three Kings Day) One of our banking customers, Mexican Bakery brought us a kings cake! It was huuuuuuge...guess who got the baby??

20 Weeks - Cantaloupe

MY PREGNANCY:
Mother's Name: Toni Marie
Age: 24
Birthday: March 7th, 1985
Birth Place: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Height: 5'7"
Father's Name: Ryan Wayne
Age: 27
Birthday: March 4th, 1982
Birth Place: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Height: 5'7"

FIRSTS:
Is this your first pregnancy?: My very first!

How did you find out you were pregnant?: I had butterflies all day at work. It wasn’t the normal anxious sort of butterflies; it was just this constant, funny fluttery feeling. I told a coworker and the first thing she said was “you should take a pregnancy test!”
I hadn’t even thought that I might be pregnant!!

What kind of pregnancy test did you take?: First Response Early Result

How many?: I had already taken several tests throughout the month of September, but the day we found out I was pregnant I took two. On the way home from work I bought a two pack & the very next day after my two positive tests I picked up two more boxes of EPT Pregnancy tests…just to be sure!

What were your first symptoms? Missed period, 1 day spotting, butterflies

Who did you tell first? My Mom & Grandma on September 4th & Mom & Dad Smith on September 5th!

Who was with you when you found out? Ryan was by my side with wide, excited, inquisitive eyes.

Was baby planned?: Completely! Right on schedule too! We had planned to go to Mexico with our friends in August as our last big trip B.B. (Before Babies)
We got pregnant right when we came back home :)

When was baby conceived?: Around the first or second week of September 2009.

How far were you when you found out?: 4 1/2 weeks

My BABY:
Due date: June 6th, 2010

Do you want to know the sex?: No!!

Do you know the sex?: We’ve had lots of guesses coming in from family and friends. Seems as if the majority are thinking we are having a little boy…but we will see!!

If so, boy or girl?: ????

Any names?: Olivia / Dylan
We are still dreaming up middle names

Any ultrasounds?: First one at 4 weeks (October 2nd) , second at 7 weeks (October 23rd) , third and most recent at 18 weeks (January 4th)

Have you heard the heartbeat?: Yes! Almost every visit to the Doctor we get to hear the heartbeat…it is AMAZING!

Who do you think baby will look like? We are hoping for a good mix of the both of us. We are thinking blue eyes with long eye lashes for sure and quite possibly a red head!

Will baby have any siblings?: Ryan and I want to have at least two children, but we talk often of having up to four. We want a big family!! So yes, undoubtedly our little one will have siblings.

Have you and dad felt baby move? : I have been feeling flutters for the past few weeks. I just can’t convince myself that it is the baby yet! I’m ready for a solid gut punch just so I know it is real! We went to see Avatar last weekend and I could have sworn I felt a kick! As much as the baby was dancing in our last ultrasound, I’m bound to feel it soon. I can't wait for Ryan to feel it too!!

When did you start to show?: Around 16 weeks was the first time Ryan and I really noticed my belly. As far as a noticeable belly, just in the past two weeks several customers at my job have asked me if I am pregnant! If I wear a tight shirt there is no mistaking I’ve finally got my baby bump

How long could you wear your regular clothes? Around 10 weeks I said goodbye to non-maternity jeans. Week 15 was my farewell to buttoned work slacks. I can wear them with a bella band hiding the fact that they are unbuttoned and unzipped. Maternity pants and jeans are a lifesaver! I am still fitting into most of my regular shirts for now but I can see the end is coming close.

Are you excited?: More than I could ever express!!!

MISCELLANEOUS:
Did you have morning sickness?: All day sickness for me. I never once threw up which I am grateful for, but I was nauseous for about 3 months.

Do you have any cravings?: My first real craving was Sour Patch Kids. Then came Zesty Claussen pickles, apples, & currently I am addicted to Black Forest gummy worms (Ryan has to hide my stash!!)

Do you have any mood swings?: I had a few weepy moments in the beginning, but I think I have been blessed with very few mood swings. When they do creep up I can definitely tell the difference between “normal” and “hormonal.” I usually latch on to Ryan and don’t let him leave my side for a second. He tolerates the ridiculous amount of attention very well <3

Are you a high risk pregnancy?: Nope! Doctor said I was very healthy and baby looks wonderful.

Any complications?: None, and I pray it stays that way.

Formula or breastfeeding?: I am most certainly planning to breastfeed!

Have you bought anything for baby yet?: We haven’t bought anything yet, I wanted the first thing to be something special. Ryan and I picked out our crib this weekend! That will be our very first purchase together. I fell in love with it before I was pregnant, but had sworn it off because it was so expensive. We saw it in the store in real life this weekend and I had my heart set. Ryan loves it too which seals the deal for me. We hope it will be passed down to all of our babies!

Who will help with baby after they are born?: Ryan and I of course! I plan to be a Stay at Home Momma so I will be there for it all! Ryan is saving up every bit of his vacation time so he can spend as much time as possible with the baby and I. Our families are so wonderful and I know we will have lots of helping hands <3

What are your favorite things about being pregnant?: Knowing no two human beings can be closer than a mom with her baby. Touching my belly and letting the reality of my pregnancy wash over me. Every ultrasound and heartbeat that we get to experience reminds me just how amazing this process is. Seeing the look on Ryan’s face when he looks at me or touches my belly.

What is the worst thing about being pregnant?: The morning sickness was pretty rough – I have never slept so much in my life! The random aches and pains from my hips to my back to my stretching belly haven’t been the most fun either…but I don’t mind the daily reminder of baby – good or bad!

What do you miss doing since being pregnant? Dr. Pepper, sleeping on my belly/back, Mexican beer

Any days you wish you weren't pregnant?: I love every minute of it!

Are you ready for baby?: Isn’t that a trick question? I don’t know that we will ever be completely ready, but we are excited! We still have lots of preparation from creating the nursery, sorting out insurance, birthing classes & lots more.

Do you have insurance?: Yes, thank goodness! How many kids do you want?: 4 is our dream…ask me again later :)

Do you talk to your baby?: I sing to the baby when I am in the car & Ryan reads and chats with the baby. Chloe barks at my belly too!

Do you still feel attractive?: Ryan is really helping in that department, showering me with unexpected compliments! I feel pretty still…I am loving my growing belly.

Have you had your baby shower yet?: Not yet! I can’t wait for the warm weather to get here!

Do you like kids?: Love them!

How far along are you now?: 20 weeks – I am half way today!!

Week 19 - Mango

I can't believe I am at 19 weeks - next Sunday will mark the "half way" point of my pregnancy!! It seems like just moments ago Ryan and I were at our first appointment being told I was about 4 weeks along. Time flies so quickly!!

Ryan and I are both sick, hence the lack of posts (or pictures of myself) lately. Poor guy was sick for a whole week and just last Thursday I had a chat with my Mom about how lucky I was to be well! Friday evening I learned to keep my mouth shut! I have been very adamant about not taking any medicine other than pre-natal vitamins throughout these past four months, but I had to break down and take a Sudafed (Doctor approved!) Being sick without meds is no fun...miss you Nyquil! Hopefully with lots of sleep and OJ I'll be feeling tip top very soon!

Everyone have a wonderful week & hopefully I'll be back & feeling great with 20 week pictures next Sunday. Thank you for all the amazing emails and messages from everyone - it is so cool to know that many of you are reading and following our journey. It means the world to us :)

Second Trimester Ultrasound

We had our third ultrasound on Monday!! It was awesome, interesting, wonderful & not-so-fun all rolled into one! We were there for almost three hours *whew!* If there is one thing there isn't a shortage of it is pregnant women - Associated Women's Specialist always has a full waiting room no matter what time we go. We met the new Ultrasound Tech and she can't be any older than I am...which is fine, really...but my level of trust for her to not slip up and tell us the gender of the baby is not so high. She hasn't had as much practice keeping quiet as the other more established Tech that we met for the other two ultrasounds. Alas, she kept quiet this appointment thank goodness!!

We shook hands and before she got a word in I blurted "WE DO NOT want to know the sex of the baby!!!!!!" I think she saw the intensity in my eyes :)
From the second the ultrasound started the baby was daaaancing all around! The first shot we saw the baby was waving its arms while the little legs were crossed at the ankles. She took a picture of it but its pretty hard to decipher if you don't know what you are looking at.
It was SO amazing to see the baby moving - I have no idea how I'm not feeling it yet...little one was non-stop rolling, tumbling, waving & kicking! The Tech did a "full anatomy scan" where she checks every single size, shape & detail of the baby. Well, with all that dancing, measurements were just not happening. She'd get the exact spot she needed and riiiiight as she was about the push the button...twist! She would just hang her head and try again.

As this was my first "belly" ultrasound, I didn't realize how hard she had to push on my tummy to get the images. After about 20 minutes of laying on my back and getting my belly prodded, I went from freezing cold to hot and sweating. Then the "I'm about to pass out" feeling washed over me. She kept asking if I was okay and Ryan could tell I was not at all. She had me roll to my left side and drink water until I felt better. This happened twice during the appointment! I think I finally believe all that stuff about laying on your back reducing your blood flow that I had thought was mumbo-jumbo!

Baby wasn't having a very fun time either. She was having the hardest time with the head measurements, so she kept poking right in on little one's face! Tiny little hands would immediately fly up and cover his/her face :( Poor kiddo! We were all giggling with how agitated the baby was with all this poking. She told us when she was about to measure the legs so we could look away. I rested my eyes...peeking at Ryan from time to time just to make sure he wasn't looking!

Doctor Howerton met with us after and said the pictures were awesome and that the baby was in perfect health!! She said everything looked great and the heartbeat sounded strong and healthy. Before she came in Ryan and I made a bet that she would call me out on gaining too much weight - I was just sure that she would complain, and Ryan said he didn't think she would say anything negative! She told me my weight was right where it should be!! We both started laughing and he told her about our bet :) She told me to call her ahead of time so she could be on my side. I bought lunch nonetheless!!

It was an awesome experience, dizziness and all. I can't wait to see you again litte one!! <3





*click the pictures to make them bigger!*

If you look real closely you can see a little hand resting on the belly.

In the second picture from right to left are the knee caps, the leg bones & the little left foot crossed over the right!

Thank you!

Thank you so much for all the awesome gifts little baby Smith has received!! Little one is going to be spoooooooiled :) Just as he/she deserves. The baby will undoubtedly be a Sooner fan for life - we've gotten the cutest little OU bibs, socks, sippy cup, cheerleader outfit, & onesies! We are geared up for game days!!
Thank YOU
Grandpa Smith for the AWESOME books...you are so sweet to have picked them out all on your own. Ryan and I can't wait to read them over and over again!!
Grandma Smith for the super helpful pregnancy books and the cheerleader outfit and OU onesie!
Grandma Parrett for the Lil Sooner's Fan bib and my Chico's poncho/baby warmer :)
Great-Grandma Parrett for the softest, sweetest baby blanket!
Auntie April for the sweet green froggie rattle and the hillarious Baby Steps book. Also for my awesome ultrasound picture frame and Mommy to Be ornament!
Auntie Cara & Auntie Sarah for the Baby's first Christmas bib and teddy, the teensie ittle bittie OU socks and the BooBooBunny (that reminded me of my Mommy & being a kiddo)
Great Aunt Brenda & Great Uncle Roger for the Lil Sooners fan sippy cup - toooo cute!!

We LOVE all our awesome baby gifts - thank you so much <3

Week 18 - Sweetie Potato

We have our next Ultrasound tomorrow morning and we are SO excited. This would be the appointment where we would find out the gender of our little one! We are not going to find out but the fact that we have the option now excites me none the less!!
Ultrasound pictures to come tomorrow...

Happy 2010!

This is going to be the craziest most wonderful, memorable year of our lives! Ryan and I are looking so forward to all the changes that are coming our way!! This is going to be the year we start the next generation of our families - such an incredible feeling.

We rang in the New Year with many of our wonderful friends - it was so great to start this year of new beginnings with many of those who have been a huge part of our past. Thank you friends for being so wonderful...I cherish each and every one of you.