Family Fun

What a fun filled, exhausting, exciting two days! My big brother and his sweet wife, Amanda along with their 3 beautiful children came to VA from GA for a visit! My girls are always soooo excited when their cousins come in. They have a blast! They are all about the same age, so you can i.m.a.g.i.n.e. how much fun these babes can get into! My sweet mama, AKA Mimi, had it all planned out for us! It started at a friend's pool with watermelon and tanning, then we went to the Mustangs baseball game, and to Hotshot at Smith Mountain Lake. We rode bumper boats, played putt putt, fed the fish, and they even got in this massive float and ran in it like little hamsters!!!  We had so much fun. As always, we took our annual "stair-step" photo of the kids, and it amazes me how much they have grown over the past few years.  I am so tired, but am so glad they were able to come in! I love you all. <3

Dylan-11, Aly-11, Macy-9, Madison-9, Blake-8

 Macy and Madi enjoying summer......with watermelon!

 Start your engines!

 Aly the hamster. :)

They love their Uncle Jake

11 Weeks

How Far Along: 11 Weeks

Size of baby: baby is the size of a fig

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Loss of 2 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: None yet

Gender: Not yet! 

Stretch marks: None

Movement: Nothing yet.

Sleep:  Sleep is great!

What I miss: Nothing this week. :)

Cravings: No cravings yet.

Symptoms: Still bouts of morning sickness

 Best Moments this week:  First week of summer vacation! Nine weeks of family time. <3 Also, announced preggy news on facebook.  Was going to wait until Sunday, but..well..I am just way too excited. Overwhelmed by the love and support I have received. Also, took the girls to Fairystone Park (Beachy play area at a local lake) and had a blast! I love my family.

What I'm looking forward to? Drs. appt on Friday to check on weight and morning sickness. Annnnd, my big brother, his wife, and 3 beautiful children are on their way into town from GA. So I will spend the next few days with them!! Whoo Hoo!

No change this week in baby bump, so no pic. :)

10 Weeks

How Far Along: 10 Weeks

Size of baby: baby is the size of a kumquat

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Loss of 2 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: None yet

Gender: Not yet! 

Stretch marks: None

Movement: Nothing yet.

Sleep:  Have had maybe 2 nights of sleeplessness, but other than that sleep is great!

What I miss: Sashimi!! Ahh, raw salmon and tuna dipped in ginger infused soy. Oh how my mouth is watering!

Cravings: No cravings yet. Have found myself drinking more milk.

Symptoms:  Morning sickness…..at night! Luckily I am able to work and eat during the day. Sickness normally hits around 4-5pm. Nothing unbearable, just enough to irritate me. Must. Clean. House!

 Best Moment this week:  Hearing baby’s heartbeat on Doppler. Such a blessing to hear that little washing machine! <3 I already love this little miracle so much, thank you, God! Another great moment so far? Having my hubby be so caring, loving, and sensitive. The love he feels for this baby and me….I cannot describe.  I am so blessed to have him!

What I'm looking forward to? 12 week mark! We have announced our pregnancy to close friends and family, but I cannot wait to shout it from the rooftops!!!

7 weeks

How Far Along: 7 Weeks

Size of baby: baby is the size of a blueberry

Total Weight Gain/Loss: None so far

Maternity Clothes: None yet, although I’m pretty sure I will be purchasing a belly band SOON!

Gender: Not yet!  

Stretch marks: None 

Movement: Nothing yet.

Sleep: I just love sleeping!! Haven’t had sleeping problems except the 4 am potty run.

What I miss: Having energy 

Cravings: No cravings yet. However I wanted Mexican every day during week 5. Didn’t “have” to have it so I’m guessing not a craving. Hubby requested me not cook Mexican for dinner the next week.

Symptoms: Oh, the exhaustion! I may or may not take a nap pretty much every day. ;) Luckily, I only work part time and am able to come home a rest in the afternoons. I have also had a few bouts of morning sickness, but nothing I can’t deal with. Just the nagging queasy feeling throughout the day. 

Best Moment this week: Seeing baby and hearing baby’s heartbeat at 6w4d. (I thought I was 6w1d, so Doc changed my due date to Christmas Eve!)God is amazing. The best feeling ever. When Tony and I were expecting 4 years ago, my initial 6 week appointment was the appointment where we were told that God wasn’t quite ready for us yet. Such a BLESSING to hear our little butter bean’s heartbeat and see that little flicker of life on the screen. Doctor was laughing saying little butter bean was very active, he had to chase him around. Funny, I find my self calling butter bean a “him”. I am terribly sorry, little one, if you are a “her”. 

What I'm looking forward to? Everything!!! Our next ultrasound, buying anything and everything baby… 

No Tummy Tracker pic this week, no change so far. :)

We're Expecting!

We’re Expecting! We are overjoyed with this exciting news. I am typing this now knowing I will not actually post it for a few more weeks.  Tony and I decided on March 30 that we were going to start trying to complete our little family. God so graciously reached down and placed his loving hands on us and we received a positive test on April 12! We could not be more excited. Here are the three tests I took.

They say sometimes mothers “know” when they are expecting. This is definitely the case with Mama Deal. I could feel the tell tell signs of stretching and pulling and just knew.  My due date according to calendar is December 27, 2012. Mama’s little polar bear. I knew my hubby would be wondering within the month if I was expecting. So I decided to take my test a little early. I never dreamed the test would be positive so soon! I cooked up hubby some yummy Pioneer Woman meatloaf and potatoes and presented him with a wrapped gift. In the gift was my test and a Kawasaki onesie. For those of you who don’t know, my husband is an avid Kawasaki dirtbike racer. He was so excited!

So much to come! I want to use my blog as a page out of a memory book, a journal of sorts to remember the good, the bad, and the ugly, of the most amazing journey!