Advice Requested!

Darren and I have had tons of fun (yes, him included) looking at baby stuff lately and picking out new things for people to buy our baby boy... hehe. We started our first registry at Babies R Us in Lubbock, only 2 days before finding out we were having a boy. Cristina and Evan had taken us to the store and showed us some of their likes, dislikes, and faves, so we started the registry process! Last night we went to the Babies R Us in Midland and added more items. I know it's not typical to register for clothes, or as many as we did, but they were all so cute and we hope to get some of them! ;-)

Here's where I need help! I am still at a loss when it comes to bottles, breast pumps, and diapers. I currently plan on breastfeeding for at least 6 months (unless something happens or baby just can't), but know that bottles will be needed intermittently. I'm hoping to pump when at work or something so that baby boy can still have breast milk. So... could I please get some recommendations from you mommy's out there? I would love to hear advice on bottles, breast pumps, and diapers! ;-) Keep in mind we're on a budget! haha! I added a Medela pump on my registry but can always change it. Also, I looked at the Tommy Tippee "closer to nature" bottles, and they seemed to be very close to breastfeeding, or so the reviews made them seem to be!

I greatly appreciate all of the help! I know my fellow mom-readers are super smart and awesome moms! Can't wait to hear your advice! =) Thanks in advance!!!!

Monday Minute

It's time for another Monday Minute, brought to you by Cristina!

Here are my answer's to her questions! If you'd like to answer your own, copy my questions and head to her site and upload your blog!

 

(1) Have you ever been hospitalized?

Nope! Thank goodness! The only thing I've had happen to me since I was little was that I had to go to the ER for about 4 hours. I fractured my pelvis and couldn't walk, so had to go in... bummer. Haha... they did a million x-rays, gave me pain meds, and sent me home. 

 

(2) What’s the last bit of good news you received?

That we were having a baby boy! =) As I've said, we didn't care either way what we were having, but it was just so neat to finally find out and start the planning for his arrival!

 

(3) Who was your favorite teacher?

My Humanities/Ac-Dec coach in High School. She was amazing. She was a great teacher, friend, mother when we needed it, etc... and her class was the best. Plus, Ac-Dec was fun! Also, I have to say my 2nd grade teacher. Mrs. Jones was awesome, and I'm pretty sure that anyone who had her would agree with me!

 

(4) Do you sing in the shower?

Actually, no! I sing in the car, but not in the shower... guess there are no good songs going through my head at that time, lol. 

 

(5) Describe the happiest day of your life.

Well, there's definitely been a few! First, the day that my husband proposed to me - it was totally unexpected and he made it just so awesome, personal, and sweet. I loved that it was just the two of us, but also loved celebrating right after with our closest friends! Second, our wedding day - duh.... This day was seriously the most awesome day ever. I couldn't have asked for more. Everything was perfect, and even if it wasn't I couldn't tell and couldn't have cared less, haha! Third - the day we found out we were pregnant! After trying for almost a year, and having to start fertility meds and talk with a Reproductive Endocrinologist, things were starting to worry us. However, God knew all along! We were over the moon when I saw the positive pregnancy test! It was just so amazing to finally find out we were going to be parents. Months of negative tests can really get you down, but you just gotta have faith and know that God has a plan, and you just don't know it yet!

18 Week Survey

The 18 Week Survey

How far along?: 17 weeks and 6 days! 155 days to go!

Total weight gain: 8 pounds!

How big is baby?: About 6 ounces, Almost 6 inches (crown to rump), and about the size of a sweet potato! hehe..

Maternity clothes?: It's time! On Wednesday, I learned that I couldn't button my pants! haha! Certain jeans still fit me, if they're super low rise... but other than that I wore maternity pants for the past two days and they were super comfy! I also lucked out big time and got a lot of great clothes to borrow from my friend Cristina, so I've had some cute tops to wear this week that fit me! Woo hoo!

Stretch marks?: None yet... but I'm not very good at keeping myself lotioned, lol!

Sleep: Still tired during the day, even though I'm sleeping well at night. Sleep from 11am to 7am just fine! However, I wish my back didn't hurt so bad when I woke up!

Best moment this week: Seeing our baby again and getting to know the gender!!!!! =)

Movement: I thought last night that I might have felt something, but it was so hard to tell if it was baby or tummy, lol.

Food cravings: Came home the other day and made pancakes, then came home last night and made queso. Haha... oops!

Gender: It's a beautiful, healthy, little boy!!!!!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Almost flat!

What I miss: Nothing right now! This week has been great!

What I am looking forward to: Finishing out our registry! Shopping is fun!!!

Weekly Wisdom: Be prepared, clothes wise. You never know when you're going to pop-out! haha!

Milestones:  Baby boy can yawn, and we might have actually seen it on screen! Well, we saw something and he had his mouth open! Also, baby boy is super active... kicking like crazy and moving around everywhere! Nerves are forming more complex connections, and those in the brain are futher specializing into the senses! Baby can hear much better now too! So cool!

Love my baby bump, hehe!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Current weight:
- Waist at belly button:

It's....A......

We're having a BOY!!!!  Mommy and Daddy are very excited and cannot wait now to meet our little one in just 23 short weeks! Time to get busy! We're almost halfway there!

Our doctors appointment this morning was great. Baby Boy Hillger is healthy and so is mommy! Carylon, aka our superhero, did our sneak-peak ultrasound for us! At first baby was not cooperating, and had his little legs crossed! Carylon left to get another ultrasound tech, and while she was gone we gave baby a pep-talk, haha. When the ultrasound tech came in she immediately was able to find in between his legs and spotted his "turtle" right away! We were so excited to see our little one again, and now it is even more real feeling! I cried, naturally... it was just so exciting! We really did not care either way what we were having. Both of us had feelings at different times that it was different genders, and really it turned out to be easier that we're having a boy! We already had our boy name picked out and only had options for girls names, but none were we really in love with. Plus I had ideas for color schemes and themes for a boys room, but not really for a girls! It was meant to be!

Background about our families real quick. I am the only girl in my family... only! Darren's family on the Hillger side has all boys except for one lonely girl, who we absolutely love, Miss Britni! So, it's funny that we're keeping with tradition and producing yet another boy! =)

Here are some photos from our ultrasound, and our revealing afterwards!

We love you Baby Boy.... you have stolen our hearts already!

17 Week Survey

The 17 Week Survey

How far along?: 16 weeks and 5 days! Only 164 days to go! hehe..

Total weight gain: 7 pounds!

How big is baby?: Between 5 and 6 ounces and 5 inches! About the size of an onion!

Maternity clothes?: I'm running out of options! I wear the same "baggy" or t-shirty shirts every week, and then the other day at work I had to do the rubber band trick on my jeans because they were so tight! haha!

Stretch marks?: Tried the cocoa butter last night and I smelled like a beach, haha. But hoping it keeps the stretch marks away! My stomach is SO tight and it hurts sometimes, so I'm scared that I most definitely will get stretch marks.

Sleep: I've felt better this week. Went to bed around 11 every night instead of 9 or 10, haha! Also, I had more energy to do chores around the house - finally. So far I can still sleep through the night, so long as the animals don't wake me up! They're a tad bit spoiled!

Best moment this week: Making our 3 year anniversary get away plans! Sad that it was the highlight of my week? Oh well! Tomorrow though we are headed to Lubbock to see some of our bestest friends and I can't wait!!!

Movement: I've been hoping for it all week, but alas nothing yet!

Food cravings: I wanted pancakes really bad yesterday but forgot that I left my syrup at work. Sad day! Other than that still digging pickles, hehe! So typical! OH... I forgot! I have been totally addicted to cinnamon gum, namely Big Red... dunno why but it has been awesome!

Gender: We find out in 3 days!!!!!!!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: It's almost to where you can't stick your finger inside it anymore, haha!

What I miss: Hmm..... I'm still going to have to go with the no headache thing... they really suck!

What I am looking forward to: Starting to shop once we find out the baby's gender! hehe...

Weekly Wisdom: Keep your fridge and pantry stocked! ;-) Just kidding... definitely use this time, pre-baby, to bond with your husband/significant other as much as you can. It will only be the two of you for a little while longer! We are so excited about bringing Baby Hillger into this world, but are definitely enjoying these last several months as a couple! =)

Milestones:  Baby has mastered the art of swallowing, sucking, and blinking. Poor little baby might even start to get hiccups now! Fat is starting to form under the skin so that we don't have a little alien come out, hehe... The pads on baby's fingers and toes are starting to form and will continue to form and make fingerprints over the next couple of weeks! As far as mommy is, I am loving being bigger all day every day! ;-)

My skin is so tight! But love every moment of it!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Current weight: 120... I'm getting there! Eating ALL of the time!

Anniversary Getaway

Despite our better judgment (from our pocketbooks, not our brains), Darren and I just booked a weekend getaway to Cloudcroft, New Mexico for our 3 Year Wedding Anniversary! It took a little begging on my end to convince Darren that we needed to go on this trip - like the needed line? haha! With a baby on the way, this is probably going to be our last getaway that is just the two of us. While we love family trips, they are usually the only vacationing that we get to do. We haven't been on a trip by ourselves since our Honeymoon. Oops! ;-) This will be a great time to enjoy each other, enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery in November, and just relax!

The Lodge Resort and Spa in Cloudcroft, Nm

I still can't believe that we have almost been married for three years! Time flies! We know that we are truly blessed to have so much love in our relationship. Marriage is awesome, and God is good! =) This time last year I was sad because we weren't pregnant yet, but now I know that God knew his plan for us, and that all I had to do was be patient and let him unfold it in front of me.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." ~1st Corinthians 13:13

16 Week Survey

I know this is a little late, but the internet at our house really stinks, so I'm just now getting a chance to update! =) I'm going to write it as if I did it on Friday because that's when I took my picture... sorry!


The 16 Week Survey

How far along?: 15 weeks and 6 days!

Total weight gain: 6 pounds! Yahoo!

How big is baby?: Almost 5 inches, about 4 ounces and the size of an avocado!

Maternity clothes?: I wear baggy shirts or my cute maternity tee's that my mom got me. Other than that I can still wear jeans, but they're getting super tight after meals... might need to invest in one of those belly bands pretty soon!

Stretch marks?: Bought some cocoa butter lotion today, just to try! haha...

Sleep: I guess I won't know what it's like to not be tired until I'm 50!!

Best moment this week: Seeing my big belly day after day! It's there all the time now!

Movement: Not yet, but we're hoping to feel it soon!

Food cravings: Pickles and grapes... which if you know me, I do not eat fruit.. so this was good!

Gender: Thinking pink! hehe...

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: A very not so deep innie....

What I miss: Not feeling like poo! I'm tired of my head and back hurting... oh goodness listen to me whine! It's worth it!

What I am looking forward to: Next week is our Dr. appointment - come on baby, let's find out your gender!

Weekly Wisdom: An entire bowl of grapes may sound good at the time, but your digestive system will hate you later, hahaha...

Milestones: Baby's skeletal system is forming as calcium is being deposited into it's bones. Baby is growing like a weed!!! Baby Hillger can hear us talk to him/her now, and responds to loud noises. We're pretty sure after the football game on Friday that we can take baby to any game next year and he/she will sleep right through it, haha!

Watch out for the pregnant lady! Coming through!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Waist at belly button: 34", omg.
- Breasts: 38"... double omg. That's over 3ft to get all the way around me. Holy moly.
- Current weight: 119.2 - yahoo! Although, I need to be at 125 right now!

Monday Minute

 It's time for another Monday Minute, brought to you by Cristina!

Here are my answer's to her questions! If you'd like to answer your own, copy my questions and head to her site and upload your blog!

(1) What color undies/ boxers do you have on right now?

Hot pink. We're talking HOT pink. haha... it puts highlighters to shame! What, TMI? ;-)

 

(2) What song have you been playing on repeat lately?

I don't spend much time listening to music sadly because if I'm not at work then I'm at home or doing something extra-curricular, lol.... but one of my current favorite Christian artists is Tenth Avenue North, and I love their song "Beloved"... here have a listen!

(3) What's your best personality trait?

I don't know if this is a great personality trait per say, but oh well! I am definitely not afraid to step up and take a roll if something needs to be done. Whether at work, in our community, etc... I'm always super active - can't stand to not be doing anything - and I love it. I feel like it'd be dumb to "waste" my talents by not doing anything with them! Other than that, personality wise, I like to think that I am nice, especially to strangers (not the ones with candy, haha, jk). I like to make people feel welcome when they're a guest, etc...

 

(4) Are you a leader or a follower?

Oopss... see above! I am definitely a leader. Always have been.... never been one to just sit back and let others take care of things or what not. I've always tried to hold an officer role in whatever club I was in. I know, what a loser... but hey, someone has to be the A-type personality!

 

(5) What's your least favorite household chore?

Putting away laundry. I don't mind washing clothes (don't love it) but I just can't stand putting them away. Plus, I hate wrinkled clothes, so it's even more of a necessity that I really do get them put away... blah!

Introducing.. Our Furbabies!

Everyday I tell our coworkers stories about what our pets did the evening before. Our pets really do think they're people, and that they belong with us at all times. Point in case, right now they are outside, yet the window to our bedroom is open.... so all 3 of them have been whining and wanting in - nonstop! So, since they are so important to us, and well, a part of our family, I figured that I'd introduce them to all of you!

Meet Pearl...

She is our 6 month old Border Collie & Labrador Retriever cross. She acts like a lab, and looks kinda like a border collie. She is a hoot. She is super smart, loves to chew on her rawhide bones, and loves to sleep ON things. Whether it's on our boot, the couch (oops), a blanket or pillow on the floor... she just loves being on things when she sleeps. She's the sweetest dog ever though. She loves getting "lovin's". One day when she was a puppy we decided to see if we could teach her a trick, and within 5 minutes she knew how to sit. She now can sit, stay, shake, shake with her other hand, turn around, lay down, and she knows "gentle" and "wait" while giving her a treat. She's a smarty! She currently still thinks she's a puppy so has to chew everything, including my pumpkins. ;-) She loves the water, swimming, and playing with the hose. She's definitely a lab when it comes to that part! We love her to death and couldn't imagine our evenings without her!

Meet Shiner and Miller...

Shiner and Miller are brothers who came from our neighbors at the Cook house. While they were on vacation we took care of their cats, and one day one cat had kittens! We made sure that they stayed dry while it rained like crazy and formed a bond with the little kitties. When they got home they were more than happy to get rid of  two of them. We took two so that they could keep each other company, and that they do! They go everywhere together. If you see one the other is not far behind. They love sleeping on the top of our couch, and cuddle with each other often. They love their sister Pearl, surprisingly... even though she'd pick them up by their heads when they were little and carry them around. They too think that they need to be with us 24/7. They love sleeping at our feet, and licking us haha. Miller (the orange kitty) loves water.... strange, I know. He drinks from the toilet, will paw at the water if you leave it running for him to play in, and doesn't mind being out in the rain. Miller is also the more adventurous cat. When they were smaller he would leave the yard when Shiner wouldn't. Now they both do, ha. Shiner (the brown kitty) on the other hand, does not like water, and would rather not jump on things or try to get into things. He's definitely the follower of the bunch. They both are sweet and very loving. We love having them around!

Darren and I are both total animal people, and I love that. Growing up animals were such a large part of my life, and even though they weren't such a big deal with Darren's family, he still had a place in his heart for animals of all kinds. I love that about him! We'll probably have some horses, and another dog later in life, hehe... Gotta love all God's creatures!

So, now, if you hear me post about our animals, you'll know who I'm talking about! Better go let them in... ;-) Spoiled rotten!

Monday Minute

It's time for another Monday Minute, brought to you by Cristina!

Here are my answer's to her questions! If you'd like to answer your own, copy my questions and head to her site and upload your blog!

(1) What's your biggest pet peeve?

Lying. Can't stand it, but really - who can? Also, I hate getting the hiccups. They annoy me very badly. Lastly, biggest pet peeve... when people crack body parts. Oh it just sounds awful!!!

(2) Describe your first kiss. 

Well, it was in 8th grade to a boy who I had dated all through my 7th grade year but who had broken up with me to date a cheerleader. You can imagine how shocked I was, ha. Anyway, I had a New Year's party at my house and all of my friends came over. At some point in time I guess they dared us to kiss so we did. Nothing special, no fireworks, but back in middle school it was a big deal! haha... Now, my first kiss with my husband - AMAZING. Simply amazing. Funny how a kiss can tell you so much!

 

(3) Describe the drunkest night of your life (or at least, the drunkest night you can remember).

Oh Jesyca.... my partner in crime. Jesyca and I, even though we were not of age yet, decided to go out with the older Olive Garden servers who could in fact drink. We went to a pool hall where they bought us drinks, and then we went to someone's house and drank more... I pretty much remember one of our bartenders driving us all back to my house, and I slept on the bathroom floor. It was great fun... not! I am not much of a drinker, and really have not ever been drunk since that night, and that was in 2005, haha. I guess when in college, everyone needs one good drunken night!

 

(4) What's the last movie you saw and what did you think of it?

Uh... pause while I think really hard about this because I never get to go see movies... I can't think of what I saw in the movie theater, but the last movie we rented on our Blu-Ray was The Informant. And that was really good, well, at times. I knew the ADM story already so it was just kinda neat to see how they portrayed it. Again, this could be wrong because it has literally been forever since I've watched a movie! No time!

 

(5) Do you prefer taking a bath or a shower?

I love both... I love being warm, haha. If I just want to relax then I take a bath. Someday I want a nice big tub in our bathroom. Right now we have a little dinky one that is not that great... but it'll do for now! I do love our new shower at our house! It's a big walk in one, perfect for two! =)

15 Week Survey

The 15 Week Survey

How far along?: 14 weeks and 6 days... my how time flies!

Total weight gain: I cannot gain weight and it is so frustrating! Still stuck at the same weight, despite eating over 500 calories worth of reeses cups yesterday. Yes, you heard me right. ;-)

How big is baby?: 4.5 inches, between 2 and 3 whole ounces, and about the size of a naval orange!

Maternity clothes?: This week I wore my first maternity shirt! It is a super comfy and super cute shirt that still looked good on me even though I'm not that big yet.

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Tired.... Still.... This is getting old, but oh so worth it at the same time!

Best moment this week: Talking baby stuff with my dental hygenist the entire time she cleaned my teeth. Ok, that was lame... um, finally seeing my dad! I hadn't even seen him since I told him I was pregnant! So that was a lot of fun. He decided he's going to be called Opa and Maggie will be Oma, following our German roots!

Movement: Still waiting to feel my butterfly/popcorn sensation of our little baby moving around!

Food cravings: Cookie dough.. and I gave in and ate it. Raw eggs and all... yes, shame on me. But it was SO good.

Gender: Almost ready to hope it's a boy because I cannot pick a girl name that I love!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Way less of an innie... sad day! hehe...

What I miss: My momma.... I wish she was here to watch me "grow".

What I am looking forward to: Setting up our free (or $20) 3D ultrasound with Midland College, hehe... why not! ;-) Hopefully it will be in the next two weeks!

Weekly Wisdom: Don't guzzle down a capri-sun first thing in the morning just because your thirsty. Your body will not appreciate all of that sugar hitting an empty stomach..... hehe...

Milestones: Baby is practicing breathing, swallowing, sucking, and of course moving! Getting ready to make their debut in 25 weeks!

Woo hoo, look out for that huge baby bump! hehe...

Fun(?) Facts: **will update these tomorrow, didn't have time today!
- Waist at belly button:
- Breasts: dunno haven't measured... scared to!
- Current weight:

Monday Minute

You all remember my awesome friend Cristina, right? Well, thanks to your help she won the Monday Minute contest! Now she's the host and today is her first day! So, I gotta support her by answering the questions! You can click the link of her name to go to her blog and link up your own answers if you'd like!

(1)  What’s the last restaurant you went to and what did you order?

We were at the Olive Garden in Midland, and I ordered a lunch chicken parmigiana, with salad and a peach tea. Oh, and you can't forget the boat of alfredo sauce to dip the breadsticks in... heaven!

 

(2) What's your greatest phobia?

Sadly, death. Whether myself or others. I know heaven will be awesome, but it just scares the be-jeazus out of me to leave loved ones behind... don't know why I'm so scared of it.

(3) On a scale of 1 to 10, how hot are you?

Uh.... 6? I don't know! I don't like rating myself! I think I had a nice body pre-pregnancy, and I think I'm ok looking if I fix myself up, but definitely not model material!

 

 (4) You just found out you (or your partner) are having a baby.  What's your reaction?

How does that happen?! Hahaha, as far as I knew you couldn't get pregnant while pregnant. But, if this was after our first baby was born we'd be super ecstatic no matter when it was that we were next pregnant! After waiting so long for baby #1, we're cool with baby #2 coming whenever.. haha.. or well, we say that right now, before baby #1 is here!  

(5) You just won a free vacation to anywhere in the world.  Where would you go?

Italy... for a month. I want to go and experience everywhere. Rome, The Vatican, Milan, Venice, anywhere with old Roman/Greek ruins (I'm a Latin nerd)... plus all of the wine tasting! It would be awesome to go there. We also REALLY want to go to Australia sometime, but that's way down the line!

14 Week Survey

The 14 Week Survey

How far along?: 13 weeks and 6 days (well, technically it's past midnight, but I didn't have time to post besides now!)

Total weight gain: Still hovering around 5 pounds. Apparently I'm in trouble because I'm not gaining enough weight. But I am getting huge, both in the chest and stomach... so where is it going?!

How big is baby?: 3.4 inches, 1.5 ounces, and the size of a lemon. According the wonderful iPhone.

Maternity clothes?: About to! I now need to wear blouse-y tops or else I just look fat. I try to wear less form fitting clothes. T-shirts still work great. Running out of options to wear to work though! I did buy some more maternity tops, but really they just swallow me right now!

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: I thought they said you wouldn't be as tired in the second trimester.... well, things have been getting better, but by no means are they great yet. I've definitely had more energy because, as in right now, I've been able to stay awake past midnight... but yet I'm always just so dang tired!

Best moment this week: Seeing our baby move around, wave hi to us (hehe), and kick! Plus, of course, hearing his/her heartbeat! Amazing!!!


Movement: Oh, the little baby is moving like crazy, but mommy has yet to feel the "popcorn" sensation that could start happening at any time... we're ready and waiting!

Food cravings: Hmm.... none that I can think of! I'm still dying for my pulled pork sandwich though! Which I will get tomorrow! =) hehe...

Gender: We think that Carylon thinks it's a girl... haha...

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Darren noticed for me today that it is a less-deep innie. hahaha! It's starting to stretch and move towards an out-ie!

What I miss: Horseback riding. If only I had been riding pre-pregnancy... then I could have continued on for a while.... dang! Oh, also, not having a sore back.... My back has been killing me for the past month or so, which I've read is caused by weak muscles and my expanding uterus... also, it's because of all the hormone changes. Oh joy!

What I am looking forward to: "Gramps" (my dad until he picks a name) is coming to see us this weekend and it is the first time I'll have seen him since we told him we were pregnant! My how I've changed since then! hehe..

Weekly Wisdom: Don't over do it. Set yourself some limits. I think I've been over-doing-it lately and I'm burned out. I need this weekend so badly! Time for some R&R!

Milestones: Mommy is now showing all day every day! Baby is almost always on the move! Hair is now forming on the baby, and hopefully it's a beautiful head of hair! ;-) hehe... Baby can also squint, frown, and make other facial expressions.

Excuse the terrible photo... we had been cleaning all night and then I couldn't find my camera so we had to use my phone.. oh well, look at that baby bump!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Waist at belly button: 32 and some inches, omg!
- Breasts: dunno haven't measured... scared to!
- Bra Size: 34D... can you believe?! The girls needed more room!
- Current weight: 118, moving on up!

Awesome Appointment

I'm sorry that I'm so far behind on posting. This moving business is seriously kicking our butts! This weekend we are going to be so blessed with our first visitors to the new house! My dad, his fiancé Maggie, and her daughter Tabitha... plus their two dogs... will be coming for a weekend visit while dad is on vacation! So, needless to say, the cleaning/organizing/decorating has been in full swing this week........ except for the fact that it really hasn't. Ha. I've been tired, still, even though it's the second trimester. I think things are getting better though. There is only so much that your body can take after all, and my body has definitely had enough and is screaming for a break! Last night we stayed up until midnight trying to get things ready. We managed to get the upstairs guest room bed set up, the bathroom cleaned and set up, and so now things are functional upstairs for our guests. Not pretty, keep in mind, but functional. Tonight we're going to finish the kitchen, living room, and our bedroom... or well, make it look like someone lives there and is not moving in/out. Ha!

So, back to the point of my post! Monday we had our 3rd checkup with Carylon. And of course, she did an ultrasound for us! Apparently we were supposed to have heard our baby's heartbeat at our 9 week appointment, but I guess Dr. Byerly forgot or something! So, Monday we heard our sweet baby's heartbeat for the first time, and it was AMAZING. I have been so proud of myself because I have not cried yet! I bet when we find out the sex I'll cry, haha... Anyway, Carylon also did another ultrasound for us. Our baby had changed by leaps and bounds... and it was doing just that... leaping and bounding! Not really, but it was kicking and did wave hi at one point! Carylon tried to check the sex but the machines are really hard to see clearly on. She did say that she had a guess, but she wouldn't tell us! Bummer! It was just so awesome to see how much our baby had grown in just 4 short weeks. Amazing. I love him/her so much already!!!!

Here are some pictures from our appointment... and if you're interested, send me an e-mail or comment and I'll send you the video that we took of the heartbeat and ultrasound! Don't want to post it on the web though, it's a secret link on youtube, so just let me know. Thanks!

 

Profile view

 Amazing view of baby's face, arm and leg!

Baby Hillger waves hello!!!

Second Trimester!

I can't believe I'm starting the second trimester! I feel very lucky that I didn't have a horrible first trimester... Besides those two weeks around week 9 where nothing sounded good or tasted good, and it was not easy to keep things down. But other than that it was ok! I've been feeling great, and am starting to get my energy back! Now we have everything moved from the cook house to the coats house, so now the unpacking and decorating begins! I'm glad I'll have some more energy for that! We are loving our new house so far, and the animals really love it! Well, thats about it for now! We're shopping in midland today, woo hoo! Don't forget to please vote for Cristina!!! Thanks and Gig 'em!!

13 Week Survey

The 13 Week Survey

How far along?: 12 weeks and 6 days! HELLO Second Trimester!

Total weight gain: A little over 5 pounds!

How big is baby?:3 inches long, almost a whole ounce, and about the size of a peach!

Maternity clothes?: Nope, although I am already building up quite the selection! My awesome momma has been making me clothes! How cool!

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: So. Much. Better.  - Although I'm still tired all of the time it is not near as bad as it was. Point and case, last night I stayed up until a whopping 11pm! hehe

Best moment this week: Seeing the baby bump still there day after day! =)

Movement: No again!

Food cravings: Yesterday and today I have been craving a pulled pork sandwich... and I have no clue where that craving came from, but man, I better get one soon!

Gender: Latest dream said it was a girl, and the Chinese birth chart says a girl... haha, but nothing means nothing!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Still an innie!

What I miss: Cookie dough... Maybe I should learn how to make it sans-eggs. That would be nice.

What I am looking forward to: Our appointment in just a few days! Carylon says we will DEFINITELY be listening to the heartbeat! I can't wait for that moment! Hoping to video it!

Weekly Wisdom: If moving, make sure to have AWESOME in-laws and family around. ;-)

Milestones: Baby's body is starting to catch up to baby's head! Vocal chords are developing, but thank goodness we can't hear the crying yet! Lastly, we are pretty much to the "safe" zone. The chances of miscarriage greatly decrease past the 12th week. Praise God!

Baby bump is here to stay!  

Ignore the slouching... and don't you love my Bearkat get-up?

Fun(?) Facts:
 - Current weight: 118.6, gained a whole pound in a week!
- I don't want to measure my chest, because I'm scared of the size, haha... just kidding, but definitely, we might need to go bra shopping!

Dream a little dream..

Big news. Well, to me. I had my FIRST gender dream! Really one of my first baby dreams in general! In said dream something strange happened... at my doctor's appointment they took out the baby (attached and all still) and showed it to me, then proceeded to put it back in. Don't ask for details, haha... actually, I didn't really dream any details other than getting a real life sneak peak at our baby! And... in the dream.... Baby Hillger was a girl! =) Now, I know that nothing means nothing, as my mother-in-law likes to say, haha, but it was nice to finally have some sort of dream! Also in the dream Darren told me what he wanted to name her and I said "No way!". haha.. oops. So, it was really strange, yet really cool at the same time. Now... if only we could find out for real what Baby Hillger is!

I promise I'll do my weekly update soon so that you can see the baby bump! However, we have no internet at home yet, thanks to moving, so it's kinda hard to post! But, I promise I will soon!

In other news... did you vote yet for Cristina? Here's the link in case you forgot! Daily Dose of Reality - vote for Law Mama!!!

Vote for Cristina, aka Law Mama!

Hey Everyone! HUGE favor to ask... PLEASE go to this site, The Daily Dose Of Reality, and vote for my awesome friend Cristina, aka Law Mama. She's an amazing blogger and friend, and deserves this win! =)

Thanks bunches! All you do is click on her's, I think it's the 5th one, "Happily a Law Mama", and you're done. No e-mail entry or anything!

Have a great and blessed day!

Monday Minute

Today Cristina posted on her blog the "monday minute", of which she is up for hosting and I will give you details Wednesday on how to vote for her! So anyway, here we are with no Internet, except phones, and no tv, so I'm blogging! I promise to update on the baby bump soon!! ;-) Until then enjoy the following!

1 - Who is your favorite childhood superhero?

I would have to say Batman. Growing up with 2 little brothers during the time when batman was cool led to seeing every movie and owning every action figure. Haha... We never really did comics so if it wasn't on tv/movie we didn't really know about them. Oh, I just came up with a better answer..... Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!!!! They were awesome - and hey, they were superhero worthy in my book!

2 - List something you have done for pure shock value.

Hmm.. I'm not really that crazy. I do have to say that my junior year at A&M, my roommate and I decided it would be fun to try to dye our hair.... Keep on mind hers was black and mine light brown. So we bought the "wash out in 30 days" dye and off we went. Mine turned out maroon.... No lie. And naturally, hers didn't take. Now this may have not been intentional for shock value, but it definitely created a shock! :-) mayyybe I'll post a picture later... If you're lucky!

3 - What is the most recent thing someone has said/done to you that left you picking your jaw up off of the floor.

Man these are tough questions! I'm gonna go with a dumb one just cause I can't think, but we found out our insurance deductible is going to start over on January 1st... So looks like unless my indemnity plan kicks in, we'll be paying for all prenatal care and having the baby out of pocket. You gotta love healthcare.... Don't get me started!!

4 - Do you have a moment where you gained clarity about your life?

I think when I was a sophomore in college I realized that there was no way I could become a vet, and that I needed to change majors or something.... Then I realized that life was hard as a grown up, ha.. And that supporting myself took a lot of work! I don't know... It was a rough year filled with a lot of life changes, but I definitely decided to grow up and figure out my life then!

5 - What are you doing to achieve your biggest dream?

I've always held great dreams for myself and worked as hard as I could to achieve them. In high school I made a list of everything that I wanted to accomplish, and checked off every single one. I've kept this up... I graduated top of my class, summa cum laude, from Tech back in December, but I knew my education did not stop there. I knew I wanted masters... My aggie ring and aggie diploma. So, I made the decision to go back to school. I'm pregnant, working full time, and totally involved in my community, but I'm now a grad student! Whoop! It'll be hard, I'm sure, but I'm damn proud of myself for working towards my goal!

Canceling Dr. Phy

I don't think I've ever felt better about canceling a Doctors appointment! Today I called and canceled our fertility treatment appointment with Dr. Phy in Lubbock... because, we didn't need it! I wanted to wait until further along in the pregnancy before canceling.. just in case. Now that we're almost to the end of the first trimester, and Baby Hillger seems to be doing great, I decided it was time! Plus, I wanted to give them plenty of time to schedule in another couple needing their help.

Today my Dad's friend from Midland sent me a link to a baby clothing website called Faith Baby. They have some cute stuff! One t-shirt I saw that I really want had the words "Worth the wait" on it. So cute! See below for a picture! Pretty sure I'll have to order this! Even though I know we didn't have to wait near as long as some other couples, it still feels like it was forever until we got pregnant.


Baby Hillger, you were so wanted, and you are so loved... We can't wait to meet you in less than 200 days! =)

12 Week Survey

The 12 Week Survey

How far along?: 11 weeks and 4 days!

Total weight gain: Back up to our 5 pounds, and holding steady, haha.

How big is baby?: About 2 and a half inches and about half an ounce! Yahoo! =) Baby is about the size of a "large" plum!

Maternity clothes?: None as of lately!

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: I can't wait until the second trimester... I'm hoping to gain some energy back! I'm so stinking tired still! Speaking of, I better hurry this along so I can go to sleep!

Best moment this week: Talking about where our baby will soon sleep, and later play... Darren telling me he's come up with a name if it's a boy!

Movement: No again!

Food cravings: Not really any yet!

Gender: Still don't know, but still thinking it's most likely going to be a boy!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Still an innie!

What I miss: Doing whatever I please, haha. I can't do much moving right now since I can't lift heavy boxes. I couldn't ride the mechanical bull at the festival, lol... little things like that! But, they REALLY don't matter and I could care less because I'm having a baby!

What I am looking forward to: Our appointment in one week, and the end of the first trimester!!!!

Weekly Wisdom: Try to eat as soon as you can in the morning. It helps the nausea!

Milestones: Our baby is now a little acrobat.. even though I can't feel it yet. Baby can now also swallow! Crazy, huh??? My uterus has moved on up and so now I am getting a baby bump! Also, we're now entering the "maintenance" phase, because all organs are done and now it's just time to grow!

Do we look a little fatter?

Fun(?) Facts:
- Current weight: Stuck at 117 again!

*******
In other news! This survey was so late because we have been SO stinkin' busy with moving. We have to be out of the house in about a week, so it's crunch time! We've been packing and moving things to the new house every night. I'm about to die of exhaustion, but luckily I have THE BEST husband and in-laws in the entire world. They've been making things much easier for me! Also, I got my course schedule for my online grad school seminar... looks like it should be a piece of cake! Hooray! Now I just need to start on my first lesson! This weekend we had a wonderful visit from Cristina, Evan, and Liliana. She has grown so much! We can't wait until our own little baby gets to play with her! They'll be best of friends, I know it! ;-) Well, time for bed now.. I'm pooped!

Feelings...

Time to talk about some feelings! Not all mushy gushy, I promise! This week has been SO much better than the last two weeks. I think I'm finally over the "hill" of feeling sick. ::Knock On Wood:: I have not been nauseous, have not thrown up since Saturday, and gag less. Haha, you're welcome for the TMI. ;-) Granted, I am still so stinking tired. Oh, and my boobs do not hurt near as bad! Hooray! So, hopefully since I'm nearing the end of the first trimester, things will really start to get better and easier. One can hope!

The other day I was at Kirklands because they're moving and having a huge sale. There were these cute photo albums with initials on the front. I wanted SO bad for one of them to speak to me... boy or girl! But all I could do was sit there and stare at them not even knowing what letter I'd be looking for. So, I gave up. So much for having a sign! Darren still thinks now that it'll be a boy, and he's settled on a name he really likes... but we'll see!

We have this weekend and next weekend to move and then that's it. Oye. It'll be a LONG weekend for us. Thank goodness it is a 3 day weekend! Hooray for made-up Holidays! Then we'll be in the new house and I can begin to nest, hehe. Oh, I'm sure Darren just can't wait! My online class hasn't started yet, hehe, so I've just been relaxing while I can. I know all hell is going to break loose after this weekend and we'll be going non-stop... so naturally, instead of trying to make it better by getting things done a little at time, I choose to relax. ;-) Gotta love it.

Well, better be getting back to work! Happy Labor Day everyone!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. . .-Lamentations 3:22-23

Tag... I'm it!

One of my bestest friends in the whole wide world, Cristina, keeps a wonderful blog over at Happily A Law Mama. She tagged me in her latest post that is a quick survey to give your readers something entertaining to read for the day, hehe... besides my boring pregnancy stories! ;-) Just kidding! Well, here it is! My version of the survey!

This was all started by Erin over at The Life of Ann James.

1. Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate?
Mmmm... Milk chocolate. Although I like Dark chocolate I tend to ONLY eat it if it is the last candy left in one of those mixes.. you know, Mr. Goodbar, Hershey's milk chocolate, Hershey's special dark, and Krackle. ;-) What.... I like my candy!


2. What's your favorite color?
Maroon... Definitely. I'd say shades of red in general, but I just love maroon. Our wedding was done in a cranberry red which I also loved. But, gotta support the Aggies. And, I look good in Maroon! ;-)


3. Do you have any creative hobbies?
I have only scrapbooked once, so I can't count that. I do like to take things that I find for cheap and then paint them/decorate them to fit my home decor. I also play the clarinet, sing at church, and try to play piano.

4. What was your favorite subject in school?
Band? Hahaha... In high school I really liked English, mostly because it was a breeze. We journal-ed my entire senior year. In college I LOVED all of my Ag Economics courses. I just like Ag business stuff in general!

5. What is your favorite season? Why?
Fall. I LOVE the scents, colors, cooler weather... not to mention college football and high school football! Plus, it means time for our wedding anniversary, and that Christmas is right around the corner!


6. Who inspires you to sing like crazy when nobody is around?
Ms. (Mrs?) Reba McEntire... I love her and I love singing her songs!

7. What's your favorite dessert? Can you make it?
For sure! It comes in a handy-dandy pre-made package! Betty Crocker's Triple Chunk Brownies are the BEST brownies around, besides home made of course. And how can you beat only needing 3 extra ingredients?


8. How did you learn to cook?
My mom mostly, my dad some. I started trying to make meals for my family when I was in middle school, then didn't have to start really cooking again until I was a sophomore in college. My mother-in-law has also taught me a bunch of tricks and what not!

11 Week Survey

The 10 Week Survey

How far along?: 10 weeks and 2 days! Hooray, Double Digits!

Total weight gain: This week I still had problems with nausea, so only at 4 pounds right now.

How big is baby?: Almost 2 whole inches and still the size of a prune according to one iPhone ap, and the size of a lime according to another.. hmm! We're growing so much!

Maternity clothes?: I have 6 beautiful shirts waiting for the day when I can wear them... but not yet!

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Cannot get enough. Seriously. =)

Best moment this week: Seeing Aunt Stephanie and Uncle Brad and sharing our good news! Darren also LOVES that you can see a bump now... when I've eaten, hehe.

Movement: No again!

Food cravings: French toast.. haha. I ate it twice in a week, oops! ;-)

Gender: Brylon tells me all the time that my baby in my tummy is a girl!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Pushing out but still an innie!

What I miss: Not having to take a pill everyday. I suck at taking pills and my prenatal makes me gag, haha. It's no fun!

What I am looking forward to: Moving in to our new house and starting to "nest"! Seeing our baby again in 3 weeks and finding out the sex in the hopefully near future!

Weekly Wisdom: Constant eating really does keep the nausea at bay. I seriously ate all day Saturday and that was the first day in a long time that I had felt great!

Milestones: The baby's muscles are forming and it's starting to move! Andrea and I came up with a little dance that baby was probably doing while we were at the Margarita Festival listening to Randy Rogers, hehe... Baby now has fingers and toes, no more tail, and really looks like a person!

Getting a baby bump!!!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Waist at belly button: 31", getting bigger!
- Current weight: Stuck at 116.2 - come on weight gain!

Mama's Getting Her Masters!

It's official! I am now accepted as the newest and proudest member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2012! Wow, that sounds old... especially considering I was '04 in High School, '08 (originally) in college, and the kiddos I now teach at CCD will be class of '15!!!

I'm pumped but know that this is all conditional upon how much it will cost this first semester. If I can't pull the funds out of my butt as fast as needed then I will have to defer acceptance until the Spring or later... =( I plan to apply for AS MANY scholarships/grants as humanly possible, but seeing as deadlines for Fall '10 admission were way back in the Spring, I'll have to get them in before December for Spring '11.

I still can't believe that I will be getting my masters. I've always been a nerd, so it means a lot to me to further my education. Plus, I'm freaking getting my Aggie ring and diploma... something I have coveted since I was accepted way back in 2003.

While at A&M I was anything BUT a 2%'er. For those of you who don't know, Aggies call other Aggies who don't participate in anything 2%ers. Haha, rough I know. I lived in the dorms, participated in every Big Event, attended as many Silver Taps as I could, went to Muster, went to Midnight Yells, football games, Bonfire (student ran off-campus)... the list goes on and on. I participated in student organizations, etc. etc.. I tried to participate in every single tradition that I could, and made sure that I bled maroon. During my time at Tech I still considered A&M my school... which, yes, was wrong. But, I couldn't help it! A&M had a piece of my heart and there was no way around that! I am just so happy to get accepted and to begin this journey!

WHOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby's Second Photos

Monday we had our second Doctors appointment, and first one with our OB, Dr. Byerly! All went well, except for my blood pressure was a little faint which they told me was probably from dehydration.... so I told them that Baby had been putting me through the ringer all day and I had been sick, lol. We had our second ultrasound where we got to see our beautiful baby again. It's truly amazing. I wish I could have an ultrasound every day. Seriously, how much does one of those cost? haha.. Probably more than my life!

Our baby has grown so much in just 2 1/2 weeks!

Even though I have felt pretty sick lately, and have been more tired than I've ever been in my entire life, I must say.. It's ALL worth it. I don't mind. I love this baby more than I could have ever imagined, and it's still so early!

We got to see an arm! Woo hoo!

Now we anxiously await our next appointment! I go in at 13 weeks for another check-up, and then hopefully can be snuck in for an ultrasound around 15 weeks to see if we can determine the sex or not! Hooray!

"The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." ~Numbers 6: 24-26

10 Week Survey

The 10 Week Survey

How far along?: 9 weeks and 3 days! First trimester will be over in no time!

Total weight gain: Weight loss this week by a little... thank you morning, aka, all day sickness.

How big is baby?: A little over an inch, and about the size of a prune! We got to see our baby again this week and it was crazy how much the little bean had grown!

Maternity clothes?: Bah.. this week I almost needed a belt for my regular clothes!

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Still going to bed early! Tonight is a rare late night... it's 10:30 and I'm about to CRASH! Yesterday, my worst day to date, I took an hour and a half nap at Grandma's during work (oops) and then came home and proceeded to go to bed at 9:45.

Best moment this week: Seeing our awesome miracle from God again! It is just so amazing to think that I am growing a baby inside of me! haha!

Movement: No again!

Food cravings: Food aversion. I cannot eat squash or okra anymore, and meats in general are hard to get down. Yesterday was awful... all I ate was toast. 6 pieces to be exact.

Gender: Darren said to me yesterday that he now has a feeling that it's a boy! I have yet to have a feeling or dream or anything... so we'll see! Only about 6 more weeks til we can find out!

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: This week back to being flatter innie.

What I miss: Not feeling nauseous, Eating anything I want, Not worrying about Baby

What I am looking forward to: The end of the first trimester! Hahaha... this has just been a rough week already!

Weekly Wisdom: Just because you may feel like you are better, does not in fact mean that you will not puke again. Haha. I thought for sure I was better yesterday at lunch... ate about 5 bites.. and proceeded to throw it back up. Sorry for the TMI. ;-)

Milestones: All major organs are formed and are beginning to function! We even got to see an arm in our ultrasound! Fingernails and teeth are starting to form this week!

Sadly skinnier than last week... Thank you nausea! Excuse the horrible appearance, we were peeling wall paper, haha.

Fun(?) Facts:
- Current weight: 116.2, down some from last week.

Life...at the speed of light!

Life is moving by entirely too quickly. My head is spinning and I am about to go crazy! All good things, mind you.... Let's have a run-down.

1. We found out we're pregnant! - July
2. We find out we're moving to a new house! - July/August
3. We buy a new car! - August
4. I find out I can start Grad school this Fall instead of the Spring as planned! - Today!!

The departmental coordinator for the Masters of Agriculture at A&M e-mailed me this morning and told me that if I could find an Interim Advisor that I could start classes this Fall instead of waiting until the Spring. She said I was in as an "auto-admit" because of my grades and my GRE scores, so all I needed was an advisor and I was good to go! Holy moly. So, I e-mailed two professors, and one called me back this afternoon and told me she'd be happy to serve as my advisor! I couldn't believe it... It's actually happening! I'm going "back to school" this Fall! Now, granted, it's all online, but still... I'm scared! I already have too much on my plate... CYO, CCD, Work, Baby Growin'.... now add STUDENT! I don't know what I'm getting myself in to, but I'm excited! I'll be The Proudest Member of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Class of 2012, assuming I graduate on time! ;-) Which probably won't happen, what with having a baby in the Spring and all.

Wish me luck. Please pray for us. I'm so scared yet so excited about our future!

9 Week Survey

The 9 Week Survey

How far along?: 8 weeks and 3 days! We're already over 2 months in to the pregnancy!

Total weight gain: Still holding steady at 5 pounds... I made a typo last week and put 7 pounds, oops!

How big is baby?: A whole inch! About the size of an olive! =) Growing like a weed!

Maternity clothes?: Getting closer on the pants thing! Well, depends on what time of day it is. At night I am a lot larger because I've been eating all day, haha.

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Oh. My. Goodness. I have never been so tired. I read on parents.com that it is technically called "pregnancy fatigue" and is caused by the increase in progesterone. I cannot sleep enough. I'd love to sleep all day every day if I didn't have a job!

Best moment this week: Going baby shopping for the first time at Babies R Us, for my OWN baby! It was awesome! I bought a super cute pj outfit, and Andrea (who has no Grandma name yet) bought our baby an adorable blanket! And before that Aunt Leslie and Uncle Trey bought Baby Hillger an adorable footprint frame that you do yourself!

Movement: No again!

Food cravings: Food aversion. I had my first day of nausea yesterday, and I did not feel like eating ANYTHING. Today was a little better, but still nothing sounds good. Hoping it goes away soon!

Gender: Still calling the little bean a girl, hehe... although I have found TONS of baby boy bedding that I like, and only ONE baby girl bedding. Hmm...

Labor Signs: Negative!

Belly Button in or out?: Poochy innie!

What I miss: Staying awake with my husband later than 9pm...

What I am looking forward to: Our next doctor's appointment is this coming Monday! HOORAY!!!

Weekly Wisdom: When your friend tells you to buy ginger-ale and have it on hand, DO IT. Haha, I should have bought some the first time Cristina suggested it, and I did not.. so yesterday was sad, lol. I needed it bad!

Milestones: Our baby is now considered a fetus! We're past 2 months in to the pregnancy! All major organs are present! Poor little tadpoles tail is starting to disappear! Girl/Boy parts are starting to form, even though we can't see them yet!

Ready to start showing, and not just feeling fat!

Fun(?) Facts:
- Hips: 34", up one inch
- Waist at belly button: 30 1/2", up 2 1/2"
- Breasts: 35", holding strong and popping out!
- Bra Size: 34C, which is starting to get too small!
- Pant size: 3, same
- Shirt size: Small, same
- Weight at start of pregnancy: 113.6
- Current weight: 117 and some... I forgot to write it down!