24 Weeks and St. Louis

24 Weeks

24 Week Belly Ross's dog Zoey wanted to smell the baby! I am feeling her move more and more every day and love it! It is so funny every time I do feel her kick I laugh...Danny felt her kick but he said it was so small that he couldn't really tell what it was. When I was at the dentist on Monday I am pretty sure she had the hiccups for a second. But between the drilling and stuff it was hard to tell.

We are in St. Louis visiting Ross and Frankie. Here is a picture of Danny with their Great Dane Zoey:) She is awesome!

The baby is about the length of and ear of corn and weighs about 1.5 lbs! One of the books I am reading says "the last 3 months will only involve putting on a lot of weight thus making you uncomfortable and not as mobile as before." Funny because I told Danny yesterday that I really 'feel' pregnant! Legs are getting tired faster and I am feeling pretty large:)

A Nursery for Emily

That's right....we decided on Emily Elizabeth 100%! We both keep referring to her as Emily and that's the one girl name that we have loved since the beginning. It's funny because we had about 5 boy names picked out but only one girl name. The nursery decor is totally opposite. If is was a boy it would have been so easy for us but we have contemplated patterns, colors, themes for hours! FINALLY we decided on the above concept.

I created the collage above by piecing together different items from our registries and some DIY (Do-it-yourself) projects we plan on making. Here are the details about our Nursery in the works:

1 Bassinet - 75 year old Bassinet we are borrowing from Danny's grandparents Gene and Sharon. Sharon is going to help me make the bassinet bedding in a Yellow Toile design to match our bedroom set.

2 16 cube Organizer - I found this on Ikea for about $140! We want to get about 8 of those cube organizers for the bottom two rows for toy storage and then use to others for more storage and books.

3 Eaames Hang it all organizer - My mom brought us home these Hang It Alls and we love them!

4 Tree Decal - Actually Danny is going to paint the tree but you get the idea....

5 Soothing Sound Lamb - I love this little guy and hopefully will sooth Emily to sleep! (Target)

6 Robin's Nest Paint Color - We love this pistachio color wall paint! Not too girly and very soft. (Benjamin Moore #618 Robin's Nest)

7 Bird Mobile - I am going to make some cute birdies for the mobile:)

8 White Austin Crib and Changer Combo - Danny loves the changing station/crib combo and I found this super modern one for cheap! It is also a 3 in 1 and converts into a daybed, full size bed AND the Changing Station doubles as a nightstand! (registered at Baby's r Us)

9 Elephant Print Fabric - Sharon is also going to help me make the Crib Bumpers and Skirt! We are going with the elephant print for the skirt and a giraffe print for the bumpers.

10 Hot Pink Rug - I found this Hot Pink 4 X 6 rug at Target for $69.99, pretty good deal and cute!

11 Green Table Lamp - also registered at Target!

12 Dresser - We haven't completely decided on the dresser but this is my ideal style and color....still looking for the perfect one though.

13 White Rocking Chair - Mimi gave us her rocking chair a long time ago and we are going to paint it white and make a pad for it.

14 Birdcage - I got this birdcage idea from another nursery and love the idea! DIY - Buy a cheap birdcage and spray paint it....I am also going to add some of the mobile birdies in there too.

15 Family Tree Picture Frame - I saw this the other day at Target and immediately went home to add it to our registry. Perfect!

16 Bright Starts Bouncer - We love this yellow/gray look! (Target)

17 Little Superstar Step N Play Piano Entertainer - This bouncer/entertainer/excersaucer thing is awesome! (Baby's R Us)

18 Nursing Stool - (Target)

We have a lot of work to do on Emily's nursery, not including finding a room for her....Hopefully we will be able to move and get settled in before she is here!

23 Weeks

23 Weeks

23 Week Belly

I finally FEEL and LOOK pregnant! Not just Fat and lazy with a beer looking belly....People are also commenting on how nice my hair looks and that I have that pregnancy 'glow'. I think my belly "POPPED" out there on Tuesday or so and I'm not the only one who noticed. I am glad too because the baby is finally off of my back and hanging out front a little. My lower back feels so much better. People are also commenting at work on the baby belly and I am definitely getting a lot more 'looks.'

Busy, busy week! We dropped off and picked up our oldest nephew Anthony every day this week since Trina's daycare was closed and played with another nephew Jackson a couple of nights this week so Mike and Jamie could visit with Mason. We had a couple of nice days to play outside with them and took a trip to the pet store too.

Mason is doing better and better each day:) He is up to 5 lbs 6 oz and will probably get to come home tomorrow!


Exciting baby news! I finally felt little girl kicking! I wasn't sure if that's what I was feeling but then put my hand on my belly and saw my hand go up the same time I felt those 'kicks' inside. It's an interesting feeling and I wish I could feel it stronger but I know she is building up her muscles or practicing her ballerina steps in my belly like Mimi says. I can definitely feel her moving more in the morning after my breakfast(s)...Typical breakfast: Kellogg's Vanilla Protein shake, Vanilla yogurt, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries, banana or orange and a gluten free bagel with strawberry cream cheese:-) She loves the good stuff!


Baby is just over 1 pound and almost 12 inches long! She can hear everything going on in the outside world at this point. I told Danny that she can hear everything he says and if he wants to he can talk or sing to her he can so when she comes out it will be soothing. He's up for it and said "oh, I am a good singer..." I just hope she gets used to Rock-it's howls every once in a while so she isn't startled later.


We went over to Danny's grandparents, Gene and Sharon's to look at a bassinet that they said we can use and we really like it! It was Sharon's when she was a baby and is 75 years old but in perfect condition! She is also going to help us make new bedding for it and the baby's crib too! The final colors we decided on are pistachio green/blue for the walls, Bright Yellow and White Bedding, and Hot Pink and Bright Green accent colors....I am fabric shopping this weekend and will post pictures if we find some good stuff.


I was having some pretty severe sciatic pain in my lower right hip but have been working it out like crazy to get it to go away and I think it worked! Except for the rolling out of bed at 3am and waddling to the potty I am feeling great. Still doing yoga and zumba and Wednesday night Teddi and I went to a Prenatal yoga class that showed me some modifications and hip openers that are great. I downloaded some Yoga podcasts a long time ago but am going to really try and do one every day at least 20 minutes + our 15 relaxation that Danny helps me with every night.


I did have my first calf cramp the other night which was painful but I don't really remember because I am such a deep sleeper. I remember stretching, cramp and massaging it until I fell back asleep. Weird but I am going to try not to be lazy and bring a glass of water to bed because I guess that is supposed to help. What's one more trip to the bathroom each night anyway...


Next we we are going to St. Louis to visit Ross and Frankie. I guess this would be considered our "babymoon" even though Dave is going with us too. I will have to post when we get back!

22 Weeks

22 Weeks

Getting ready to go jog with Rock-it!

Baby - I can definitely tell you are growing! I don't know if it's your appetite or mine but dang we eat a lot! I am expecting a large weight gain this month....:) I am still waiting to feel some kicks, hiccups, jabs, anything....any day now. I hope your comfy in there because my belly is growing for you!

Happy Birthday Mike and Jamie! Sorry but it doesn't look like this anymore...Danny got into it....

Jamie holding baby Mason when he was getting his feeding:)

How precious!

So I can't believe that I am 22 weeks already and have started to organize the baby stuff that people have bought and given us so far. My favorite thing so far is actually the pregnancy pillow that Jaclyn gave me! It makes going to sleep so much easier until I have to pee... Mary also made the baby this cute blanket for baby and me:)

I had my 22 week check up with Dr. Allen today and he said everything looks good. I gained 7 lbs this last month coming to a total of 18 lbs so far. Jamie and Jackson went with me since Danny had to work and Jamie got her sutures and stitches out. Dr. Allen said Jamie's swelling and incision look good too.

I have also started boxing up all of my pre-pregnancy clothes that don't fit and getting ready for summer. I feel so grateful that my friends Samantha and Melissa gave me a ton of clothes including prego shorts! That's right and I plan on living in my prego shorts and prego swim suit all summer:) We could possibly be moving, buying a house and Danny getting a new job all in the same month or two so I am planning as much as I can right now.

Danny's interview in New York went really well and we are waiting to hear back something either way soon. He also had an interview in Pennsylvania today that went extremely well and they want to fly him out for an interview as soon as possible. GOOD LUCK DR. DAN!

My biggest accomplishment so far: completing our registries! We are registered at Target and Baby's R Us. Since we pretty much need EVERYTHING for our little baby it was pretty intense. Creating lists, editing them, reviewing, auditing and more editing....whew!

The baby is as long as a spaghetti squash, which I had and was going to compare to my belly for this weeks picture but I ate it!

Most amazing thing in pregnancy...I can go pee, walk back to my desk and half to pee again. WTH?

We are so glad that Baby Mason and Jamie are both doing better! Jamie is home now and Mason has a feeding tube but they just want him to gain weight and be able to stomach so much food before they let him come home! Hoping that he gains weight and comes home soon:) He is so cute!

Ultrasound Pictures - the male explanation

So I am listening to Danny explain the ultrasound pictures to Dave and here are his descriptions versus mine:

ME: Look how long her legs are! The ultrasound technician was so surprised how long she is.
DAN: Legs

ME: You can see her face really good in this picture and her eyelashes are visible too.
DAN: Creepy looking face shot

ME: There is her little biscuit. It's definitely a girl!
DAN: VaGaGa (pronounced va-jay-jay)

21 weeks, Dan's 1st REAL Interview and Baby Mason is here!

Well there is a ton to report this week!

#1 Mason Andrew Minner was born 5.5 weeks early on March 10 at 8:51pm!

Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz

Length: 18 1/4 inches

Jamie was going to go on a Women's retreat with her church this weekend and went to the doctor to check on her swelling and weight gain and Dr. Allen said they would have to take the baby by C-Section immediately because she had extreme preclampsia. They were more worried about Jamie than the baby at the time. Jamie is doing much better and still being closely monitored and baby Mason is doing amazing for being a preemie! They are giving him medication for his blood sugar but other than that he is just being monitored and was even able to take a bottle!

Here are some pictures of our 4th little nephew:

He looks so much like his big brother Jackson already!

Little Yawn!

#2 I am 21 Weeks Pregnant!

Danny was unable to attend the 1st Bradley birthing class with me so I caught him up this week and we watched the 1st class video together. We also had homework in our workbook and exercises to do together. The funny thing is that Danny was on ME about not eating enough protein when they told him yesterday that his blood pressure is high at the dentist. I haven't had the appetite for meat since I have been pregnant so I am going to look into some gluten free protein shakes because on the video and in the book it says I should have 80-120 grams a day. Everything else I am eating is perfect.

The baby is the size of a banana and has begun her main project for the rest of my pregnancy: gaining weight! I am happy that little baby still has plenty of room to twist, turn, move and dance around in there before it gets to cramped in there. I am still waiting to feel her move!

21 Weeks

Big Belly Shot!

# 3 Danny has a big interview!

This is Danny's 3rd Interview with a company in Melville, New York. While this is one of his ideal jobs we wish it wasn't so far away. I was doing some demographic research about the company and the only thing I could find out is that they have a "Spa Day" every year where they have mini treatments for everyone. I also found out that they has a free on site gym and was able to see some really neat pictures of the inside of the building with micro-biology pictures when you first walk in.

His interview is on Tuesday, March 15 and we are all wishing him good luck!

Itty Bitty Polka Dot Bikini

I had to add a picture of the cute little bikini I bought for the baby! This is the first thing I have bought and while it's not so practical...I had to get it!

and it matches my suit!

20 Weeks - Half way there!

20 weeks!

The baby is about 6.5 inches long and weighs about 11 oz, the size of a banana!

I started getting sinus sick again but luckily it didn't last too long. I am really tired of being congested all the time! This is one of the prenancy symptoms I have experienced the most but it is better than puking all the time right? But a positive from this week is that I have been successfully working out the whole time I have been pregnant for 20 weeks! Before I got pregnant I was doing a lot of intense, boot camp style of conditioning 6-7 days a week but have toned it down to yoga, weights, the stationary bike, walking/jogging and of course still doing zumba! It is getting a little bit harder to keep up but I am really proud of myself so far and hope it helps tremendously during birth.

I am hoping to feel the baby move soon but the ultrasound technician said that I have an anterior placenta and the baby is in the back so I might not feel her. The location of the placenta doesn't mean anything for the delivery at this point. Hopefully the baby is able to shift the placenta a little so I can feel her moving!

Danny was sick on Thursday and couldn't attend the Bradley Classes with me but luckily Danny's mom, Trina was able to go! Right now the plan is to have Danny, Trina, my mom, and my sister Carmen in the delivery room so it was perfect that Trina was able to be there and I could catch Danny up on the things we went over in class. We learned about different exercises to do each day like squats, butterflies, pelvic rocks, tailor sitting, relaxation and walking/exercising. There is a lot of work involved but I feel like this is the least I can do for my body and the baby:) I am already going to the gym 4-5 days a week so adding these workouts to my daily schedule shouldn't be too hard.