movin' and a groovin'

I have to share with you that Sean has FINALLY felt our mover and shaker in action! I am pretty positive Sean started to think I was becoming quite a liar because I would always tell him how active Baby Love is. We have a morning person and a night owl...come to think of it, I am not sure this baby sleeps! I usually get a lot of action from the little one while I get ready for bed and settled in, so last night I told Sean that soon he would probably be able to start feeling the baby. I'm pretty sure there was a gymnastics meet going on last night that Baby Love was participating in. So I told Sean put his hand on my lower right side and sure as heck he felt it...he ripped his hand away so darn fast...he didn't know what to think!!!! His words, "ewwwww"! I was so HAPPY that he finally got to feel our little mover and shaker.

19 weeks

"I prayed for this child and the Lord has given me what I asked of him."

1 Samuel 1:27

Today we got to see our Sweet Little One, it was so fascinating to see all the recent developments! We are so happy to share with you that Baby Love is a very healthy little one!!! We got up-close pictures of the kidneys, heart (all 4 chambers), stomach, palate, lips, arms, nose...everything was normal for a 19 week old fetus, according to the doctor. Our ultrasound tech confirmed once again that we have quite the little mover and shaker on our hands. Again, she had a very hard time getting the heartbeat, with little cooperation from the baby she got it at 145 bpm. Sean could've watched Baby Love on the monitor all morning, he was in absolute awe. We even got a picture of the baby waving at us, sucking its thumb, and doing a nice little back bend giving a great picture of the spine. I almost had a meltdown when the tech said she knew what we were having...I wanted to start begging "please tell", but am so glad Sean stuck to his guns! We will have the biggest surprise of our lives come September 24th. The baby is measuring right on 19-19 1/2 weeks.

I absolutely love the doctor I met with today, she is the one that drew me to this practice. I see all four practitioners throughout my pregnancy and whoever is on call will deliver our little one. I do want to share with you that today I was labeled "high-risk", due to a uterine septum that I have. A normal uterus is an oval/circle, and mine is heart shaped. Currently everything is healthy, however because my uterus is heart shaped it can cause some issues as the baby gets bigger. Right now, the baby is entirely occupying the right side, and clearly that is where ALL the activity is. Many women have this and never have any issues with it, however because we are aware of mine, they are taking a few extra precautionary steps, which is very reassuring to me. The main issues we discussed that are possibilities are: higher risk of c-section because the baby will have less room to turn, growth restrictions, and pre-term labor. Instead of being seen every 4 weeks, they are seeing me every 2-3 weeks and will be doing an ultrasound at all of the upcoming appointments to monitor how the baby is growing and isn't being restricted. I feel very good about the care that I am receiving and the steps they are taking to monitor our Sweet Little One. Again, there are many women that have perfectly healthy pregnancy's and have no complications, so please pray that Baby Merrick doesn't make an early appearance and continues to grow right on target.

Below our the latest and greatest snapshots of our Baby Love!

side profile and an arm shot

This is my absolute favorite of the Baby sucking its thumb

waving at Mom & Dad

Nice little back bend!

Random

So did you watch American Idol tonight? I went over to my friend Erin's for dinner and American Idol tonight. It was so nice of her to invite me over for dinner tonight knowing that Sean is out of town, I feel so blessed to have such good friends here! I thought Matt did a great job tonight and I want to root for the local boy, HOWEVER...I do have to say that I am becoming more and more of a Danny fan. I just think Danny is the All-American kind of guy and has an amazingly touching life story. Either way, as long as Adam doesn't win I will be happy with the outcome.
Sean is flying home late tonight, I think he arrives around midnight, so he can be at our 19 week ultrasound tomorrow. We are both so excited to see our "Produce Baby", aka Baby Love, and learn of all the new developments in these past several weeks. I am still in awe that we could find out what the gender is tomorrow, it feels like we just found out we were expecting and now we are fast approaching the half way mark. I will say that I broke out the bella band today and boy was it comfortable. For those not sure what a bella band is, don't feel bad...I didn't know either until my friend Carly clued me on that little secret. It allows you to continue to wear your normal clothes but unbuttoned, this nice elastic band fits right over the top of your pants.
I will give an update after our appointment tomorrow. We pray that our little one has a healthy report tomorrow and development is right on track.

"And He took the children in His arms, put His hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10:16

Wonderful weekend

We have had just an amazing weekend...long weekend. Last week we took off early to head back to Iowa, making our first stop in Iowa City. We got to visit with Mitch and check in on our townhouse that he is now renting from us with a few buddies. We then headed back to Waukon for a few days, it was SO nice to be back for an extended weekend. Sean enjoy spending his time chasing Turkey and hiding out in the woods! He and dad did a little Turkey hunting and put up their tree stands for next Fall/Winter deer hunting. I was so excited that my best friend Dana and her husband Derek were able to visit Waukon as well for a couple of days so we got to hang out with them as well. They came out to the farm Thursday night, mom grilled up some steaks and we played a not-so-competitive game of euchre!!! (joking....anyone that knows my family and Dana knows this might get competitive) It was fun all the while. Friday Sean spent more time playing in the woods, while I went to visit Grandma Einck! She sure cooked up a feast for lunch, it was fabulous. Several of my aunts, uncles, and cousins joined us as well so it was great to catch up with all of them being I don't get to see them that often. These nice weekends being so close to our family and great friends really makes us miss being closer. It really feels like "home" to us! Overall, it was just a great weekend hanging out at the farm with mom and dad. I finally got my fix of Main Feature taco pizza!!! I wouldn't call it a craving by any means, but I wasn't leaving Waukon without a night of Main Feature taco pizza! Friday night we ordered pizza and watched the cubs get beat by St. Louis..bummer!

Saturday afternoon we headed out to Dubuque to visit our friends Scott and Rachel Steiner who just moved into their new house. The Kettmans and Foleys joined us for a fun filled Saturday night in Dubuque. They have a beautiful home and it was so fun to see everyone! Sunday we were Michigan bound, but not without a pit stop in Davenport to have lunch with our great friends Heath and Alicia Christians. Sean and I also got our fix on Whitey's ice cream...we use to make trips to Whitey's 2-3 times a week so we really missed it! My waistline doesn't miss it, but we sure did!

Back to work and back on the road. Sean left this morning and will be gone until Sunday with the exception of Wednesday. He is going to be back in town for one day, a very important day! Wednesday we have our 19 week ultrasound to see how our Baby Love is developing. Although I should point out, we may have a new nickname for Baby Merrick...my mom and Sean started calling the baby, "Produce Baby", why???? Every week I give Sean an update on the baby, what's developing, how long, how big, etc....my book always seems to compare the size of the baby to Produce! So this week, Produce Baby is the size of a Green Pepper!

weekend recap...

We had a nice weekend visiting friends and family in Central Illinois and the St. Louis area. Friday night we visited our great friends Jeremy and Kim Darnell who live in Urbana, Illinois for the time being. Jeremy just accepted a principal job about a half hour NW of Champaign-Urbana so they will be moving this summer. They cooked us up a gourmet dinner leaving our bellies very full for the rest of our trip to St. Louis....I slept and Sean drove, struggling all the while. As you may have caught on by now but we occasional refer to Baby Merrick as "Baby Love", is this little gift bag just fitting or what??? This is from the Darnell's and I will add that I will be accessorizing the nursery with this adorable bag! Now, hold tight....I am not as thrilled as Sean is to share with you what was inside the bag...Grandma and Grandpa Einck prepare yourselves...Einck Uncles...just close your eyes....

The cutest little gift bag for our Baby Love

ahhhhhhh.....what the heck! I guess we have to support "daddy's team" too

(at least it is not red and gold!)

Thank you Darnell's!

We arrived at Sean's brothers pretty late Friday night, just in time for bed! Saturday morning the guys went golfing and I bonded with my little nephew, Connor Jackson Merrick! He is such a good boy and really enjoyed lounging with me all morning. Saturday evening we had a nice dinner with all of Sean's extended family and Danielle's family that came into town for the baptism.

What a little cutie...Connor Jackson Merrick

At the baptism, Godmother Brittany (Danielle's sister), Danielle, Connor, Kevin and Godfather Sean

Welcome back Monday....today it rained all day long, but my day was brightened to see my great friend Molly and her little sweetheart Nora. I was working in Ann Arbor this morning, so Molly and Nora met me for lunch and little shopping. We had such nice lunch catching up and Nora was such a good little girl while we visited. Molly helped me pick out a few maternity necessities, which I am so thankful for! I didn't get a picture of Nora so I took one off Molly's blog (sorry Mol), but for those of you who have never seen this little doll face, I just had to show her off!! She has the biggest baby blues that I am totally in love with...such a sweetheart!

Nora Yates...what a little sweetheart! Is she not just precious?!?! How can her daddy ever say "no" to those baby blues?

Nothing really new and exciting to report on the pregnancy front other than a midsection expansion. I am almost 18 weeks and feeling a little more fluttering here and there, nothing too crazy...altough I am impatiently waiting. Next week I am scheduled for another ultrasound and it feels so weird to think we actually could find out if our Baby Love is a boy or girl!!! I broke down today and finally bought a couple pairs of maternity capri's. After trying those suckers on, I don't know why we don't leave out the zipper and buttons and make all ladies pants "secret belly fit"...man are they comfortable! Sean took my bump picture before church on Sunday, sparing you the belly shot this week!

Bump tracker: 17 weeks 4 days

Road Trip

Sean and I will be taking off this weekend on a little road trip...not so little road trip! This weekend Sean's Godson, Connor Jackson Merrick, is getting baptized in Collinsville, IL, right outside of St. Louis. We will be heading out today, making a pit stop in Urbana, IL to visit our great friends Jeremy and Kim Darnell. (& Dee & Lucie..Gunner's girlfriends) We are really looking forward to seeing them and catching up, it's been such a long time since we've seen them. Then on to St. Louis, its about six and a half hours from Kalamazoo, so the visit with Darnell's will help us break up the trip. I told Sean we have to get these long road trips out of the way now...because in a few months I am not sure I can sit still in a car for that long. Not to mention I have been getting horribly car sick these last few months..I am convinced it has something to do with the fact that Sean believes he belongs in the Indy 500! We will spend the remainder of our weekend in St. Louis with Sean's immediate and extended family, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Last night I got together with some girlfriends for a "girls night out", it was SO much fun. We try to get together once a month but it seems with every one's busy schedules it never happens that way, so it was so great to finally get our schedules to jive and have some girl time. We went to our favorite Tapas restaurant downtown Kalamazoo, ate lots of good food, indulged in great wine (minus myself and Jami, due in May), and enjoyed wonderful conversation. Getting together with girlfriends is precious!

I hope you are able to enjoy this amazingly beautiful day and weekend! It is mid 60s today, not a cloud in the sky, and the forecast for the weekend sounds even better! It is starting to feel like Spring!!!!

Where have I been???

SICK...that's what I have been up to:( I came down with a horrible cold on Thursday, just in time for the Easter weekend. I am just starting to turn the corner, thank goodness! We had a wonderful weekend with most of my family in town to celebrate Easter, we missed Nate. Friday afternoon mom, dad, Sean, and I hit the golf course...we braved the cool temps and high winds and had a nice time golfing. Friday night we stayed up late, catching up while we waited for Mitch and Carlyn to arrive. They finally strolled in around 2 a.m., what a long day it was for them. Saturday was such a nice day, the guys loaded some furniture for Mitch to take back to Iowa City, we had a nice lunch, and then the games began!!! We set up a little bags tourney after drawing teams...with much hesitation I write that mom and Sean were the champions...but not without a fight! Dad and I played them two close matches with identical scores of 21-20...can you imagine the competitiveness in this family! We managed to survive the afternoon with only a couple battles. Bryan and Carlyn came in 3rd and Mitch and Kate came in 4th or as some would say last place! (sorry guys) We had Easter dinner Saturday night, followed by some fun games. Sunday we attended Easter mass and had a nice brunch before everyone hit the road. It was such a fun filled weekend and I feel so blessed to have had everyone make the trip and share this Easter weekend with Sean and I in Kalamazoo, it is always so hard to see everyone go.

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."

Psalm 107:1

Bags Champions "Team Butt Kickers"

Mitch and Kate a little upset about getting beat out in the first round

On the baby front...I am approaching 17 weeks this Thursday and starting to feel the midsection expand. Our word around the house is "getting thicker" and that is exactly how I feel right now. I am not at the stage of looking pregnant to people but noticeably "thicker" in my eyes! Nate gave me a gift card to Motherhood Maternity and I have a feeling I might be needing it in the next few weeks...Thanks Nate! I felt a couple little twinges this morning for the first time, I think it was Baby Merrick's morning stretches!

Bump tracker 16 weeks 5 days...definitely getting a little "thicker" these days

Are these not the cutest little shoes you have ever seen? Aunt Kate bought these for Baby Merrick, they melt my heart! I have a feeling Baby Merrick is in for some major spoiling!!

Gifts from Uncle Bryan and Aunt Kate. Bryan did a lot of research and felt very strongly about Baby Merrick having this Sassy vented sleep positioner! Thank you so much...I hope it helps Baby Merrick sleep sound all night long!

Opening a few birthday gifts

a little of this and a little of that

I am happy to say that Sean made it home on an earlier flight last night so we could have dinner together for my birthday. He took me to our favorite little Tapas restaurant downtown Kalamazoo, Fandango! He even surprised me with the best Chocolate Lava cake with a candle and all, I can't remember the last time I blew out a birthday candle! I got several great cards, lots of calls, flowers, and messages yesterday...so THANK YOU!

Today we have an appointment to tour Appletree Christian Daycare, this is a pretty big decision we will make for our Baby Love. I am a little nervous, but overall feel pretty good about it. We have some friends that have taken their little girl there since she was an infant and have heard nothing but great things about the center. Right now, they have a wait list for infants until November, so if we like it, we will have to jump on it! I will keep you posted.

Tonight the first of our Easter weekend company will be arriving. My parents will be arriving late tonight, Bryan and Kate tomorrow, and Mitch and Carlyn should roll in late Friday night or early Saturday morning. Now that he is a working man...he has to work until 6pm. We will miss Nate this weekend! We always miss him and I wish he was closer, but I really long for him around the holidays and when we all get together and he can't be here all the time. I am hoping when Baby Merrick arrives he will want to be closer and move back to the Midwest! (I know you are reading this Nate, so I am really pushing it, aren't I???) I am really looking forward to staying put for a holiday weekend for once and having family come to us! What a different feeling?!? More so, I am really excited to have our family visit, regardless of the weekend! It looks as though the forecast is going to cooperate with us all and possibly feel like Spring! My parents are hoping to golf tomorrow, so we will see what courses will be open to the early birds.

How about American Idol?!?! Kalamazoo received some major press with the Mayor in the audience and getting a "shout out"! I thought Matt did an awesome job Tuesday night. I will have to say a cried last night when Scott was told it was the end of the road. I thought he was such an inspiration for so many and just a really nice guy. I am sure he feels blessed to have gone has far as he did and the experience he will always have. I knew he was going to have to leave sooner or later, but I just felt really bad for him.

Thanks again for all the birthday wishes yesterday, it means a lot.

Aren't these flowers beautiful? We received this yesterday from our good friends, Mike and Deb Rozewicz, Melina's mom and dad...Baby Merrick's future BFF

Almost 16 weeks

Thursday I will be 16 weeks and have felt a definite expansion in the waistline over the last week. Baby Love is expected to have a major growth spurt in the next few weeks, so I can't wait to start feeling this little one move! I have been feeling really well, aside from an overwhelming headache I've had for about a week straight. I have always dealt with migraines and heavily relied on Excedrin Migraine, unfortunately Tylenol is not really doing the trick these days.

So we (or maybe just I) decided to do the nursery in lime green and brown, then add pink or turquoise to the mix depending on what our Baby Love is! I have no "motherly intuitions" at this time. This is the first thought of the nursery...I keep telling myself we have PLENTY of time...but summers always go so darn fast and I have a feeling this one will fly by!

Oh yes, how could I forget, today is my last day of being 28, HOWEVER....I just made the executive decision that tomorrow I will be turning 27!

Bump Tracker: 15 weeks 5 days

TGIF

I am so thankful for this weekend, this week has completely exhausted me! I called Sean on my way home from Ann Arbor today and all I could say was "I need a beer!" It has just been one of those weeks. Do you ever have those??? Sean has been traveling quite a bit as well, so its just been me and Big Gunner. He was gone Monday-Tuesday, back Wednesday, in the air again Thursday and will get back late tonight, home for the weekend, and back at it Monday-Wednesday! He did assure me he will be home Wednesday afternoon for my birthday, or at least I think he said that.
Tomorrow I am sure we will be glued to the TV watching the Final Four. We are so envious of our good friends that received tickets from Coca-Cola to attend the Final Four games in Detroit tomorrow...they know all the right people! I was hoping to get some much needed yard work done this weekend but by the sounds of the forecast, I don't think I will be doing much outside.
Yesterday some neighbor friends and I visited our newest neighbor, Melina Caprise Rozewicz, what a doll she is. It was so nice to see her and visit with all the girls over lunch, much needed girl time.
On the prego front...I am now 15 weeks and anxiously awaiting the day when I can start to feel Baby Love movin' and groovin'! According to my doctor, we have quite the mover and shaker on our hands, so I am so so excited to finally start and feel the little movements. I am thinking our boy Gunner knows what's going on in my belly these days. Whenever I am laying on the couch he comes up next to me and lays his head right on my belly...he already has a bond! Or it could just be a pure coincidence...we'll go with the bonding!
My dinner is beeping at me...good 'ole fish sticks for a Friday Lenten dinner. I also get to indulge in some yellow cake with pink frosting that my sweet little neighbor Madison brought over to me tonight...sounds delicious!
I hope you have a very fun filled weekend!

I won the lottery!!!!!!!

April Fools...

Anyone have any good April Fools day Jokes or got pranked today??? To be honest, it didn't occur to me that it was April 1st until I just sat down at my computer. April is my birthday month and better yet, the Amazing celebration of Christ resurrection, Jesus Christ's victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him!

So the saying, April showers brings May flowers...what about freezing temperatures in April??? Does that mean an extra hot summer?!? I never thought I would be making up a crock of chili on April 1st, but it sounds oh soooo good on this cold, windy, rainy, bitter April day!

My dad asked me today if Michigan State basketball is all over the media being they made the Final Four...unfortunately they really haven't been. I am afraid to say that American Idol has taken over all the press, with Matt Giraud still in contention. Our local boy has got to be a nervous nelly today. After being in the bottom three last week and having a horrible performance last night, he should be sweating it. I hate to admit that last night was all the bad, because he really is one of the best left on the show. Ok, at least in the Top 5! But after last night, I don't know...What do you think? We will have to wait and see...