28 weeks - 3rd trimester (update)! :)

How far along? 28 weeks

28 weeks - first week of 3rd Trimester! 

 

Total weight gain/loss: Weighed last on February 3rd and I had gained about 5 lbs. I will be having another appointment though (March 7th) and this could have changed since then.
 

Maternity Clothes? Definitely...some of them are even getting tighter.

Stretch marks? Yes a little. Not too bad

Sleep: Eh it's okay - I sleep, but I feel more antsy, I am awake a lot more thinking about stuff, and so I end up not sleeping as much as I'd like.

Best moment this week: This week was very special for my baby shower that my sister Jen and my Mom hosted at my home. It was wonderful! So many special memories!

 

 Mom and Jen kissing my belly :)

 The girls! :)

 

Miss Anything? I miss being able to sleep certain ways. I think sleep right now is the hardest.

 

Movement? Definitely...anytime there is a meal, he loves to move!

Food Cravings? I did have a Butterfinger craving for about a week or so, but that was quickly killed after I got sick. So no more Butterfingers. But I will say, when I find something that I just love and tastes so good, I become a little obsessed about it. I will make sure I get to have it as much as I want. For instance, my mom made this wonderful spinach dip for my shower, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. So I have eaten a decent amount of that just in the past day! :)

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope. Only time I get sick is in the morning when I might have a coughing fit, and then I cough so much that it upsets my stomach. I then end up sick. Otherwise, nothing really makes me sick to my stomach.

Have you started to show? Just look at my photo...definitely showing!

Labor Signs? No! And he can stay in there for another 12 weeks. :)

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? They are still on :)

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy :) Though now that I am officially on my 3rd trimester, I am starting to get a little moody because I realize how quickly he is going to be here. I don't feel ready, and I'm pretty nervous. So prayers are appreciated! :)

Wisdom: I will reflect some of the wisdom my mom, Sue Ann, and Reva gave me at my shower yesterday. They told me that every first time mom feels the way I do (anxiety, how am I going to do this, etc). And I do feel more of those things. It's like 28 weeks arrived, and I am suddenly filled with nervous feelings! They told me that when they first left the hospital, they didn't know if they could do it either. But they reminded me that God gave me instincts that make us mom's. And that I need to trust those instincts and not get bogged down by what I think others might say or do. This little guy is my baby and God gave him to me for a reason. Essentially, they told me I need to trust myself more and trust that God is going to give me everything I need. I appreciated that advice, but I will say, I need to reflect and pray on that more.

Looking forward to: I look forward to hearing and seeing Caleb again this upcoming week. Will he have moved from the breach position - don't know. But I'm praying he does. He really is a cuddler. I look forward to him moving MUCH more though so that hopefully Todd gets to feel him. I so want him to feel him!

 

Celebrating our little Valentine - 26 week update!

How far along? 26 weeks exactly!

 

Profile view - 26 weeks

 

 

Valentines Day - Love this boy!

 

Total weight gain/loss: Weighed last on February 3rd and I had gained about 5 lbs. 

Maternity Clothes? Oh yes - and so thankful for them!

 

Stretch marks? Yes a little. Not too bad

Sleep: The past 3 weeks have been awful because of bronchitis, but I am thankful that I am finally getting better sleep. :)

Best moment this week: Feeling MUCH better and feeling Caleb play "drums" inside me! :) So thankful for our little valentine! <3

Miss Anything? not really...thankful that I can breathe, sleep, and eat again.

Movement? Oh yes...playing drums on Mommy this week

Food Cravings? Not especially....

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope

Have you started to show? Oh yes...I was too sick to update this back at 24 weeks, and it's amazing how much bigger I look and feel since the last time I took photos at 22 weeks

Labor Signs? No! Thankful for that...keeping on baking in there, Caleb!

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? They are still on :)

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy :)

Wisdom: I learned over the past few weeks how amazing this whole pregnancy thing really is. I mean I knew that before, but all the changes and watching the growth of the belly, and learning about your baby's personality already. Nothing short of a miracle! But I have also learned it's so hard! Being sick and trying to overcome the illness while pregnant, was really tough. Feeling every ache and pain is hard, and I learned how awful my attitude was before pregnancy about women who would complain. Pregnancy isn't all rainbows and flowers. There are some definite tough times in there. And just because a woman might complain about a pain she is feeling, doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate the gift. I know I wish I hadn't felt as awful as I did, and the back aches and rib aches are not all that wonderful. But I'm also incredibly thankful for this gift too. I think it was a good wake up call to me.

Looking forward to: Well my shower is in 2 weeks!! :) I can't wait to see my sister and spend the Friday before with her! :) I look forward to seeing my Mom and all the dear friends and family who are able to come as well and celebrate little Caleb! I also continue to wait and hope that Todd will feel Caleb soon. I know he wants to feel him SOOO bad! :)

 

 

22 weeks and counting...

How far along? 22 weeks exactly!

 

 

 My profile - 22 weeks

 22 weeks - showing off my new shirt :)

 

 

Total weight gain/loss: Haven't been weighed since my last appointment. As of 12/31/13, I was up 4 lbs.  

Maternity Clothes? Yes - I love my new shirt showcasing Caleb

Stretch marks? Yes a little

Sleep: I've been sick this week, so I haven't slept very well. I have a cold and so that has been hard. I feel  bad because I know I cough and sneeze a lot, and I am sure Caleb feels all of it. I sleep the best on my side.

Best moment this week: Playing a game with Caleb! It was 3:30 in the morning and I was trying to go back to sleep after visiting the restroom for the millionth time. Anyways...I was laying down, and then I felt him push me. So then, I pushed him (gently) back. And then he responded and pushed me back. It went like that for a while. It was soo fun! That made me laugh and just love this interaction with my baby boy! This is the first time I have had true Mommy-Caleb interaction! :) It was so fun!

Miss Anything? This week because I am sick, I miss taking Nyquil! That would normally help me sleep when I am sick. But no Nyquil for me and Caleb. But that's okay...if he is okay, then I will just deal with it.

Movement? Amazing how it's changed in 2 weeks time. I feel him move a little bit everyday!

Food Cravings? Not especially....

Anything making you queasy or sick? No. Just this cold!

Have you started to show? Oh yes...when I look at photos from a few weeks ago, I am like "wow, I am really getting bigger!"

Labor Signs? No and I am praying that I won't for a long time.

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? On still. But when I've been moving around doing stuff, the rings feel tighter

Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy mostly this week!

Wisdom: There is nothing like carrying a baby! I'm not saying it gives me purpose or that all woman should experience this. But, it's truly amazing when you are doing your own thing, and then suddenly you feel a big "pow" in your stomach. It takes me off guard sometimes, but I smile EVERYTIME. So if you are fortunate to experience this wonderful gift, enjoy every minute. I know I am thankful!

Looking forward to: I am looking forward to my next appointment to hear his heartbeat again. Plus, the week after, I have another ultrasound because Caleb didn't allow the technician to see his heart. I wasn't expecting to see him so often, but it will be fun to see him again. I also look forward to Todd being able to feel him. I hope that's soon. Poor guy...he really wants to feel Caleb! :)

 

20 weeks (Halfway There)!!

How far along? 20 weeks exactly!

 Approximately 20 weeks

 

Total weight gain/loss: Gained 4 lbs since December 3rd. Now a little over half of a pound of that is the baby. But that is the first time I have gained any weight since the beginning of my pregnancy.
 

Maternity Clothes? Yes! A few things that I do love. I love maternity pants. :)

 

Stretch marks? just a tiny bit

Sleep: I've been sleeping okay once I am asleep, but I believe I have pregnancy rhinitis, which essentially means I am very congested (even though I am not sick). So it does make it harder to sleep. I am taking some medicine periodically to help me because I do need the sleep!

Best moment this week: Best moment this week was seeing Caleb on the ultrasound! We saw him stretch, move his hand into a fist and then flex his fingers, and then obviously we found out he is a boy! We were lucky because he is a snuggler and doesn't want to be bothered! ;) (sounds like his Daddy). In fact, because he didn't want to move enough to help the technician, I have to have another ultrasound on Monday (1/6) because they need to see his heart better. His heart was beating fast (157), but they wanted to see the chambers of his heart, and he wasn't cooperating. ;) It was amazing seeing his little feet too! I tell you what - I knew I was pregnant before, but seeing him look like a little person (instead of a little blob), was just incredible. I am growing a person! How anyone can think of life anything other than a miracle, I don't know. I have been in complete awe through this pregnancy at just how amazing it all is! How amazing God is! :)

That's our boy! Caleb Isaac Taber! 

Miss Anything? I still miss caffeine. But - I am learning to get over it. ;)

Movement? A few flutters here and there...not all the time. But, I know he's there!

Food Cravings? Not really anymore...still love cereal! I think I get bored of food that we eat too much of (except for bread and cereal).

Anything making you queasy or sick? Anything spicy. I used to love spicy, but now I can't handle it.
 

Have you started to show? Yep...people noticed at the New Years Eve party that I am really showing. :)

Labor Signs? No and I am praying that I won't for a long time.

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? On still.

Happy or Moody most of the time? Well this week...this week I've been a complete mess! Ask my family! I'm really trying hard not to be this way...I really do cry at most anything.

Wisdom: My mantra - enjoy every moment you have! Enjoy each week and celebrate it! Prepare for the future, but also enjoy it!

Looking forward to: Well I have another ultrasound on Monday (and I am hoping Caleb moves enough so they can see what they need to see). I also look forward to feeling his actual kicks instead of flutters. I still sometimes question whether I am feeling him or I am feeling other things.  

What's in a Name?

 

That's our little prince!

So we've announced that our baby is a BOY! :) I am sure you can all tell by my Facebook page! Truth is - we were ecstatic regardless if we were having a boy or a girl. I can't say I know a lot about little boys, but this boy's momma does love monster trucks, playing in the dirt, playing with Legos, etc. So I can do it! :) And I know my husband will be amazing!

People asked us what we were going to name our kids. We had them picked out for years. And we took a lot of time and thought into it. From the Bible days, people named their children strong names...something that ended up saying a lot about those children. People didn't name their kids randomly...it was a big deal. Your name says a lot about you! So - we named him Caleb Isaac for a reason...

Caleb - I had this name for years now. I always loved the story of Caleb from the Bible. If you don't know the story (because not everyone does), God had promised Moses that the Israelites would be led into the Promised Land. The Israelites sent 12 spies into the land to check out who was there and develop strategies to defeat them. Well one of those spies was Caleb! When they came back, all of them except for Caleb and Joshua came back with a very negative report. They expressed fear and said there were giants and didn't trust that they could do it! But Caleb (and Joshua) trusted in his God enough because look at what happened with the Red Sea (come on now...how can you not trust in God after you see that?!). He had faith that even though they were bigger, they would defeat the enemies and still be able to settle in the land God had promised. He was faithful! And because of his faithfulness, only Joshua, Caleb, and the younger generation were allowed to go in. And I just found his faith so amazing and right on with what I want from my own boy! I want my son to be so close and so faithful to God all his life. I pray that Todd and I will instill that in him! 

Isaac - We originally were going with another middle name. But it was changed when I first found out I was pregnant with him. As you have read, I had a couple of negative tests, and so when I took the last test, I didn't think it would be positive. In fact, I only saw one line at first. But then...there was the 2nd line. And I laughed. I mean it - I was laughing so hard because it was just AMAZING! I was laughing because after all those fertility treatments, God did it on His own! And I found myself relating to Sarah from the Bible from a different perspective. She was very old to have a child and she laughed at the thought of having a son (even though God promised). I also had my moments of doubt and laughed at the idea because the only thing I experienced was pain (losing at least one child) and then struggling to get pregnant. But then - when it happened, all I could do was laugh and say "Wow you got me God!" We laugh because He gave us this beautiful little boy out of the heartache and pain. And I truly believe, our son (wow so awesome to say that) will live up to his name. He will bring us laughter. That I am sure!

So our dear, sweet Caleb Isaac is coming! And we are most thankful for him this year! Seriously - I haven't even met him face to face and looked into his eyes, and we are in love with this sweet boy. He is our little prince! This year has been such a crazy ride, and there have been joyous moments and a lot of hard times too! But, it was just so fitting to end the year knowing we were having a baby boy and starting 2014 with a bang!

And if there is anything I can say as we say goodbye to 2013 and welcome in 2014 - appreciate all the moments and never give up on your dreams! Never!

I wish all of you a wonderful and blessed 2014!

Love,
Todd, Sarah, and Caleb :)

18 week update! :)

How far along? 18 weeks, 5 days

Total weight gain/loss: I haven't weighed myself, but my next Dr's appt. is coming up.

Maternity Clothes? Yes! My sister and Mom took me shopping (and it was sooo much fun!). I got some cute clothes for sure and they feel great! Below is a picture of my favorite top that I got.

 

 My favorite shirt that I got when we went shopping.

 

Stretch marks? just a tiny bit

Sleep: I get up a lot in the night due to a variety of reasons. However, mostly it's been because I have been coughing a lot lately.

Best moment this week: Christmas fun with family! :) Below shows an awesome gift from my parents. They made this cute penguin for the baby's room. Mom designed the penguin and Dad helped cut it out. So cute and perfect!

Cute little penguin to go on the wall in the baby's room

 

My sister is so excited about being an aunt! ;)

Miss Anything? I still miss caffeine. I also miss being able to eat mexican food without feeling bad!

Movement? Just little flutters every now and then. I felt them for the first time at 16 weeks and 6 days on 12/13/14. So fun! And I do believe I felt him or her on Christmas day. Just slight flutters!

Food Cravings? Eh not really. I LOVE cereal. That has been the one constant through this pregnancy so far. Cereal is my favorite thing in the world to eat! But then, it's always been!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Anything with a kick to it...we went out to get some mexican, and I couldn't eat it very long. Mexican is my favorite food, but this baby definitely has an adversion to it.

Have you started to show? Yeah I think so. I think the maternity clothes really "show" it off! :)

Labor Signs? No and I am praying that I won't for a long time.

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? On still.

Happy or Moody most of the time? Oh so moody! When I think I am feeling normal, then there comes a moment where I get all sad or mad or whatever for no reason at all. My poor husband! Pray for him ;) He is such a super Daddy. He has been more than patient and shows me so much love and concern, even when I'm moody brat! ;)

Wisdom: I still say - enjoy every moment of pregnancy. There are plenty of people who would love to be able to carry a baby/be pregnant. I don't take it for granted.

Looking forward to: We just had a wonderful Christmas, and now I am looking forward to New Years Eve. We have a Dr's appointment on New Years Eve and hopefully find out the baby's gender! I am praying that Baby Taber lets us see! :) Plus, it will just be fun being with friends that night and spending New Years with my sweets!  

 

Todd and I in front of my parent's Christmas tree! I love this man!

Baby Taber - Pregnancy Update for 16 weeks!!

So I wanted to have some fun with this blog and share some of the pregnancy experiences. The past 16 weeks have been a roller coaster of emotions, but mostly thankfulness because we have gotten this far! So here is where I am at 16 weeks. I have posted some belly shots. The last time I posted a belly shot, I was 7 weeks, so I thought it was important to show a difference since then.

 Baby Taber at 16 weeks (profile)

 

Just the belly looking down

 

How far along? 16 weeks exactly

Total weight gain/loss: apparently I haven't gained any weight since September. However, my Dr. says it's okay. He didn't want me to gain too much and too fast. So he isn't concerned. However, I am hoping I gain some weight in the next few weeks so I feel like baby is getting the food he or she needs!

Maternity Clothes? No - just the Bella Band, which only sometimes works. But, I can't wait to go shopping with my Mom and sister.

Stretch marks? just a tiny bit

Sleep: It's been rough. I have a lot of vivid dreams and nightmares. Plus, I get up more in the night because I have to use the restroom.

Best moment this week: Hands down - Hearing baby's heartbeat at 15 weeks, 3 days! We also learned that the baby can hear our voices this week, so we are reading this book that my family used to read at Christmas time called "A Story A Day Til Christmas." We take turns reading the little short stories, and Todd really gets into it! He loves talking to the baby!

Miss Anything? Sometimes I miss caffeine. I want a Cherry Zero bad! I also want to eat a subway sandwich, but I can't eat deli meat.

Movement? Not yet, and from what I hear, I won't know right away that what I am feeling is the baby. But I can't wait to know for sure whether baby is moving!

Food Cravings? Nothing out of the ordinary. For the first couple of months, I wanted pizza all of the time! Now, not so much. I still do love bread!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Not really. I sometimes feel a little icky after eating something with a tomato base to it.

Have you started to show? A little, but I am not sure if it is real "baby bump." Right now, I feel more fat than anything ;) As long as baby is okay, that's all that matters.

Labor Signs? NO!

Belly button in or out? In

Wedding rings off or on? On still.

Happy or Moody most of the time? Moody sometimes because of stress from work, etc. But I don't know that it is due to my pregnancy. But I am happy for sure!

Wisdom: Enjoy every second! I spent my first trimester in panic mode, and I was always worrying. I am tired of that attitude and I want to enjoy every minute!

Looking forward to: I am looking forward to Christmas for sure with my family! I can't wait to see my sister and she hasn't seen me in person since I announced our pregnancy! Plus, I can't wait until New Year's Eve when we see our baby and hopefully find out whether we are having a boy or girl. We don't care what we have, but we can't wait to just know. Because then, we can start calling him or her by his or her name!  

 

A Story A Day Til Christmas - what we read to Baby Taber during Christmastime

 

 

We also go to hang our family ornament up this year, and I just love it! So perfect for this year!

 



 

Last but certainly not least - we recorded our baby's heartbeat at the Dr's this week. I wanted to have something to keep with me always and hear his or her heartbeat! :) Nothing to see, just hear! :)

 



 

So there is guaranteed to be more exciting updates in the future, so please stay tuned! :)