Christmas Survey...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?

Kate: Depends! When everyone is inside and its warm and cozy Egg Nog! When you’ve been out in the snow and need warmin, Hot Chocolate!

Jason: Hot Chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

Kate: Wraps em!

Jason: Wraps them of course.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?

Kate: I prefer white, currently we have colored on our tree (it came that way) and none on our “house”

Jason: Depends, I usually like colored, but white are okay.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?

Kate: My mom always did and I would like too but have yet to buy any

Jason: I have not. I am not sure where to buy it.

5. When do you put your decorations up?

Kate: After Thanksgiving; Jason would do it sooner, but I said no…

Jason: Around the 1st of December is good for me.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

Kate: Cheese balls & crackers!

Jason: Turkey & stuffing

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:

Kate: Traditions. Waking up early every year and calling Grandpa Eli, telling him to hurry and come over so that we could go out and get the presents!

Jason: Christmas mornings were always great. Not one in specific, but all of them.

8. How and when did you learn the truth about Santa?

Kate: The mall! How is he in so many places at once? Helpers? Right. I think it was 2nd or 3rd grade, although I am not sure.

Jason: I found out that he was Santa around the age of 3 or 4 I would guess. I am not sure what you may be referring to as the truth about Santa.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

Kate: Yep, at first it was PJ’s, then in later years we would do our present exchange with Skyler & Charliee, now it’s PJ’s again.

Jason: Not usually, but these past few years I think I have.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

Kate: With ornaments!

Jason: Ornaments and lights tinsel or that stuff with red berries.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?

Kate: I love it. Not a lot, a lot. I like it when it goes away too, but I love the feeling it brings.

Jason: I love it.

12. Can you ice skate?

Kate: Hmm… kind of! Just very slowly!

Jason: I am not the greatest, but I can. I usually have to warm up for a few minutes.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?

Kate: I don’t think so...

Jason: Kate.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?

Kate: Being together with family and remembering Christ.

Jason: I like being with family. I also like that people seem to be more happy & cheerful.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?

Kate: My mother-in-law’s home made candy!!!! YUM.

Jason: My mom's candy is always good & pumpkin pie

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Kate: Singing carols around the piano on Christmas Eve, but it isn’t the same without Matt & Bezi.

Jason: Going home

17. What tops your tree?

Kate & Jason: A star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving?

Kate: Giving, I wish I had unlimited resources, I could buy so many things for so many people...

Jason: I like giving better, but receiving is good to. I just hate thinking of things to tell people I want. I don't need a whole lot.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?

Kate: Breathe of Heaven, Old Toy Trains & O Come All Ye Faithful

Jason: The Christmas Song by the Smashing Pumpkins.

20. What is your favorite Christmas story?

Kate: The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas

Jason: I am not sure. I like quite a few.

12 Weeks

How our baby's growing:

Our baby has hit the 2 inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce. The face is beginning to look more human. The eyes, which started out on the sides of the head, have moved closer together on the face, and the ears are near their final positions. Our baby's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protruded into the umbilical cord, will start to move into the abdominal cavity about now. The kidneys are secreting urine into the bladder. The nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. Our baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and will even squirm if you prod mom’s abdomen, though mom still won't be able to feel any movement for several weeks.

Questions, Answers & Comments...

The common questions I am asked about being pregnant… Most of them I would have asked if I were you, so here is an update!

How are you feeling? I usually feel like crap, although today is a good day! Wahoo!

When are you due? June 28th

How far along are you? 12 weeks or about 3 months

Are you having any cravings yet? I still feel to nauseous most of the time to actually crave anything!

When are you going to start to show? Come on! Did you really ask that? I don’t know!!! At the moment I am still losing weight!

Do you know what it is yet? Do you want to know? Not yet, the “big” ultra sound appointment is scheduled for February 13th, and yes we are excited to find out.

Do you want a boy or a girl? I am for a girl, but certainly won’t be disappointed with a boy, and Jason usually answers that question saying he is torn; he wants a boy but a girl too! So either way we will both be happy just to have a baby!

I am making Christmas candy tonight and bringing it in tomorrow can you eat chocolate? YES!! YES!! YES!!

I receive many random comments now that people know I am expecting, here are a few to laugh at…

“I am getting queasy just looking at you!” &
“You look really good today, you must be feeling better?” (Both in the same day within an hour of each other!!! )

“You look like you need a nap” (And I thought I was having a good day…)

“You are looking so thin” - I am only 12 weeks, so I can love this comment!

11 Weeks

Weekly Update

Our fig-sized baby is now fully formed — measuring 1 1/2 inches long and weighing in at a quarter of an ounce. Its skin is still transparent, allowing many of its blood vessels to show through. Some of the bones are beginning to harden, and tiny tooth buds are starting to appear under the gums. Fingers and toes have separated, and baby may soon be able to open and close its fists. Baby is already busy kicking and stretching, and the tiny movements are so fluid they look like water ballet. These movements will increase as the body grows and becomes more developed and functional. As the diaphragm develops, the tiny tenant may also start to get the hiccups. Because baby is still so small, though, mom won't feel any of the aquatic workouts or intrauterine gulps until sometime between weeks 16 and 20.

It's Official!

Received the "official" word from the doctor on Monday; although I really didn't really need the extra confirmation...my body has been telling me for over a month now!

I’m 11 weeks Pregnant!

We are very excited and a little nervous too, which I'm told is to be expected. Except for feeling sick all day and having to eat every half hour it didn’t seem real until I saw the little baby in the ultra sound, moving it’s arms all around, it’s really in there! It's quite an amazing feeling knowing that there is a life growing inside you.

Now if I can just get past this being tired as heck and nauseating faze, I'll be good to go! Do you have any idea how hard it is to go about your daily activities when you're so tired and sick to your stomach and let’s not forget every little smell that sets off that gag reflex! I must admit that the fatigue is starting to get better, or maybe I am just getting used to it at this point.

I find myself really upset about not being able to make dinner in the evenings, I am just too tired from an 8 hour day at work, and the smells make me so queasy! So dinner time has pretty much become non-existent in our house, unless its very bland things like PastaRoni or baked potatoes, I personally like macaroni & cheese myself! I just don't have the energy or the stomach for anything else right now.

Then there is having to make sure that I'm eating the right things! I've never thought so hard about the kind of food I put into my mouth before! It's hard work! I have to make sure I've got enough calcium, enough protein, enough folic acid…the list could go on forever it seems.

I have been pretty much useless for the last little while. This has made me very thankful I have such a wonderful husband who has been more then happy to pick up the slack for me...he’s so good to me!

Thank goodness for the internet because there are several things I would not have known had I not read it on any one of several websites I now visit almost daily! I get a weekly update from one website that tells me what’s going on with my body and an update on how the baby is developing, they have been the highlight of my week! (And my mom’s, I have been forwarding it to her as well, so maybe I will share it on here so everyone can enjoy them with us!)

Well, I think I'm done having my hormonal rant and as much as I complain about the little nuisances of being pregnant, I am still very much excited and in awe of what is actually happening.