I wanna hear you laugh like you really mean it; Collapse into me, tired with joy...

So, I thought I would post some ultrasound pics on here. I went to the doctor Monday, and since it was at Northside instead of my regular OB, they ultrasound is much clearer! They got some great shots and said she's growing really well and looks very healthy! WAHOO! They also said they won't need to see me back there unless my regular doc sends me back because of problems, but I think we should be fine. The reason that they are concerned and have done so many ultrasounds on me is because of my vasculitis. Since they don't know what causes it, and I have had 2 outbreaks of it (the first one which stuck around for like a year and then I had all the prednisone issues.... and then in February when I got super sick and had a viral infection, I broke out again. This time I went to the doctor the day it broke out and he started me on a 2 week round of prednisone and it went away. Have I ever mentioned how I hate that stuff?) So to make sure that everything is going well and that the baby is healthy, they have done more ultrasounds. She's a rock star and they said she looks great! Wahoo! I'm so relieved.

Here is her blog debut :)

Rainbow's are visions, they're only illusions and rainbows have nothing to hide...

I haven't really talked to much about my pregnancy so far, and I thought it would be interesting to see where I am at and track it a little more. The first half of the journey has been good, and I'm glad to be over the halfway point. Lots of changes are ahead, and I'm trying to get ready for them the best I can. It's exciting, fun and scary to me all at once. Jacob has been great in keeping me calm, being excited too and just being a great husband. I'm pretty lucky to have him!!

How far along: 24 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: + 3 lbs
Gender: It's a GIRL! I don't think I've said anything on here about it, so there ya go. She will be here on December 10th, and we are so excited. So is our family! I may have already bought some adorable clothes...I couldn't help myself! Now to start planning everything... We decided to not mess with anything until we knew the gender, and now that we do, a whole new reality has set in - yikes! But a good yikes. There is a lot to do before she gets here! Bowser will be so excited to have a little girl to play with :)

Maternity clothes?: I finally bought some and it was the best decision ever. I'm so much more comfy now, and I don't look like I'm just trying to fit in my normal clothes.

Sleep: Sleep is awful these days. I consistently wake up between 3 and 5 in the morning and can't fall back asleep until about 20 minutes before the alarm goes off. I look exhausted and I feel exhausted! Plus, I get either really hot or really cold and my nose is so stuffy that I can't breathe well. So, between all of that...sleep and I are apparently taking a break. I hope we get back together soon...I really miss it.

Best moment this week: Hmm...this week's best moment would probably be the realization that I will be parting ways with my job at the end of September. I've known and talked to them about it back in July, but the reality is finally starting to sink it. While it's sad and weird to think about not working, I'm grateful for the 2 months before the little one comes that I will have to "myself" to get things done that really need it. Plus, then I can reunite with sleep, because if my body will let me sleep - I don't care what time it is, I'm gonna do it!

Movement: I am feeling her move around a lot more these days - it's crazy! I didn't really know what to expect when you read about feeling the baby, but it's kinda cool. She isn't doing any ninja kicks yet, but I can feel light little kicks and lots of flutters. I can't wait for Jacob to be able to feel it too.

Food cravings: My cravings have been kind of weird. Nothing has been consistent, but when something hits, I really want it! One of my favorite ones is the Philly cheese-steak sandwich from Philly Connection....oh man, so good. Crap, now I want one!!

What I'll miss: As of right now, I can't really think of anything I will miss about being pregnant. Maybe feeling her moving around...

Milestones: I don't really feel like this is a milestone exactly, but I've started with the heartburn. It makes me feel officially pregnant and it's not my favorite. Luckily, I'm enjoying tropical flavored Tums, so that makes it a little better...but I'd rather not deal with it at all. I guess I need to make sure to stay away from tomato sauce and onions...at least those are a few of the triggers I have noticed so far.
Theme: The theme of the week would have to be lack of sleep and heartburn. I won't repeat what I've already said...but gosh, I miss my sleep.
Extra: One of my favorite things that has been happening over the last few months has to do with Bowser. I'm not really sure how he knows, but it has become a normal thing for me to sit on the floor with him and for him to rub his head on my tummy. I feel like he knows something is going on, but he doesn't know what. It might sound super silly, but I love that he does that! He is also super protective too. We had a friend come over last week to see us for a bit, and he laid at my feet the whole time, wouldn't go near the guy and when he came over to shake my hand before he left - Bowser stood up and watched his every move. It was adorable! I feel bad for the guy though...he just wanted to pet Bowser, but that wasn't gonna happen. I like the non aggressive approach Bowser uses. Typically, he warms right up to people after he hesitates for a minute, so this was interesting to see. Bowser is already taking care of the little one!