Bump Watch and Gender Guesses

Here we are at almost 5 months into the pregnancy (wow), and I just started to really show last week. I feel like I've been showing for about a month now, but not everyone would agree with me (hey, I think I know my body best!). I guess I offically "popped," belly button and all, at 18 weeks (Brett gets a chuckle out of that term, which I did not know even existed until I started reading pregnancy books). My doc said that since I am taller and have a long torso the baby has lots of room to stretch out, and that most women do not show until later for their first pregnancy. Well, the day has finally come when my belly broke that barrier. Whoohoo!

14 weeks

I am still wearing most of my usual clothes (barely), with the help of the Bella Band (thanks, Clarisse!), and I am also sporting lots of free-flowing dresses and peasant tops. If I dress the bun just right, people don't look at me strangely now when I say I am expecting. Hooray! I am looking forward to wearing all of the maternity duds that I got from Craigslist and Motherhood.

Sporting the 16-week belly (and a new haircut!)

Here are some pics of the updated belly...at first, it looked like I just finished eating an entire pizza, but now it has started to take shape. Fun stuff! We'll be sure to keep you posted.

Front view (Brett's idea :)

19 weeks

Also, we are only one week away from finding out if our little bambino will be a member of Team Pink or Team Blue! With all the excitement, Brett and I are counting down the days (okay, maybe hours), and I am having a difficult time concentrating and falling asleep at night. Any predictions? I have added a little poll to the top left of this posting...feel free to guess away!

Trilogy...

Of symptoms...pregnancy symptoms, to be exact. Sorry to disappoint those who were looking at the blog based on the subject and who may have gotten their hopes up on some talk of a Sci-Fi movie or the latest must-have reads. I'm not a creative writer, so it's the least I could do to lure readers in.

Although I've lucked out on the morning sickness/nausea front, I have still experienced my fair share of symptoms that go along with being preggo. My top three (not my favorite three, just the three that seem to keep reappearing) are: allergies, headaches, and heartburn (oh-my!). Now, these are by no way new to me or my body, but they have definitely been amplified over the last several months. Being a native Texan, and living in Dallas now for almost three years, allergies are apparent and come with the territory. So, I didn't expect them to disappear. However, my books tell me that with pregnancy, women fall into three categories when it comes to their allergies: 1/3 will improve, 1/3 will stay the same, and the other third will get worse. Guess which group I'm in! Well, I tried to tough it out and not take anything at first (I'm an anti-medication kinda girl...or maybe just cheap), but when my sleep and work were being interrupted, I had to break down. Needless to say, Zyrtec has been a must-have the last couple of weeks!

To go along with the sniffles and congestion, my head has been feeling the pain. My doctor said headaches are most common in the second trimester, mostly due to hormones...but I have diagnosed mine as allergy-related (I hope my self-diagnosis makes all of my med-school and doctor friends laugh :) I have heard for some time now that Tylenol is about the only thing you can take during pregnancy...wrong. I still have not buckled under the headache pressure, but when I do, I'll let you know the remedy. And the third symptom I have been blessed with is...dun, dun dun: heartburn. I won't go into the details, but those who know me well know that I have had an issue with acid reflux for several years (it usually came down to me either A) eating my lunch too quickly at work, or B) eating and then hunching over books or a computer during grad school). And I hear it only gets worse in the third trimester! Goodness...

With more exciting (and probably less TMI) news, I went to the doctor last week for our 16-week check up. Everything is looking great! My doctor tried to play her hand in gender prediction, but she ended up canceling out any guess. She said, based on my symptoms (i.e., hunger, lack of morning sickness, etc.), she would guess we are having a boy. Then, she listened to the baby's heartbeat (ah, breath-taking), and changed her mind saying based on the rate, she would say it's a girl. She didn't tell me the reading, but at our 10-week check, we heard the heartbeat and it registered at 140 bpm (smack-dab in the middle). So, I am just as neutral as I've been...I guess I don't have the best maternal instinct. I hope I do, just not when it comes to my own body!

I digress, but the most exciting news is that we go in on May 4th to find out if we're having a little Brett or Courtney. That day couldn't get here any sooner!

March Celebrations!

We traveled the last two weekends in March to take part in great get-togethers for loved ones and their special occasions. Two weeks ago my friend Lindi and I drove to Abilene for our gal pal, Wendy's, baby shower. She and her husband, RJ, will be welcoming a little girl into the world sometime in May. How exciting!

It was a wonderful shower, with fantastic food and fun games (the ones that Wendy allowed :) We had so much fun showering them with gifts and cute outfits (so precious) and helping them get a little more prepared for when their baby girl gets here. Awwww....here is a picture of her sweet nursery. The last weekend we drove to Boerne (north of San Antonio) for Brett's grandmother, GiGi's, 90th birthday celebration. It was so much fun!

Here's a shot of our niece, Riley (drool and all), during our road trip! She sang most of the time that she was awake, which helped keep us awake. What a cutie-pie!

Over fifty people from across the country (Texas mainly, California, Oklahoma, and Illinois) came in for the special occasion. We had a great time watching old family videos (tape reel and projector screen included), hearing about special memories and stories of GiGi, visiting with family and friends and, of course, eating great food!

A picture of the Winters crew...Brett (looking off) and me, Jared and Bryn (they are having a girl in July!), Cade and Jessica, with their girls Ruby and Riley, Will Ed and Cynthia (a.k.a., Papa and Granny), and the guest of honor GiGi, Gussie Turnbough, at the bottom/center of the picture. We were without Kayla, who is in American Samoa. We miss you, Kayla!

It was such a nice time, and we were so happy to be there. With six children, 20 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren (and four more on the way!), GiGi has been a big influence in everyone's lives. As a wonderful mother/grandmother/great-grandmother, Christian, artist, singer, cook, story-teller (the list could go on and on!), she is one special person and an inspiration to many.

FEED ME!!

No, I don't feel like some crazy monster from a movie, but my stomach is keeping me busy eating like one!! Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right?!

I feel super blessed because I have felt pretty good throughout the first three + months of pregnancy, considering all the symptoms that can occur. So, I can't complain...but I can poke fun at myself!

Besides fatigue my other symptom would have to be that I feel like I can't eat enough! I have always been a breakfast enthusiast ("It's the most important meal of the day!"), and those who know me well know that when I am hungry I can get a little cranky. And with pregnancy those sentiments have been definitely reiterated for me!

Some mornings I have to eat right when I wake up...I usually make a b-line to the kitchen for some juice or fruit. And then I eat my real breakfast around 7:30 before I head to work. I used to be able to make it until noon for lunch, but things sure have changed! My co-workers will hear me rustling around in my office, eating trail mix or a granola bar for a mid-morning snack. My desk drawers look like the insides of a snack machine!

Here is a list I'll call "Courtney's Cravings:"

• Cheese-especially mozzarella or provolone! We have a stash of string cheese at home that I visit often.

• Oranges-juice, popsicles, the fruit itself...can't get enough!

• Chicken strips with Honey Mustard-Weird one...never been a huge fan, but for some reason it sounds good all the time! I have even contemplated it for two meals in a row :)

• Other sour treats- lemonade, cranberry juice, lime popsicles, and Starburst jelly beans (since it's Easter-time, this craving may be seasonal :)

And last, but definitely not least:

• Taco Bell-Kayla, you're rubbing off on me! I've always been a Bueno fan, but that restaurant is a little out of the way from our house. I even called my sister, Lynnlee, one night to ask her what we ordered from Taco Bell this past summer after a concert we went to: cheesy, bean and rice burritos...mmmm, healthy right?

I have read that cravings (and food aversions) can change throughout pregnancy, so I'll be sure to keep you posted. And speaking of aversions, I have not had too many of those yet :) At the rate that I'm going, I just hope that our baby is getting lots of nourishment (and good eats)!

Parents-to-be and the big reveal

As we recently posted, we are expecting our first child in September! We are so excited to begin this next chapter in our lives, and I know Brett's going to be a wonderful father!

We originally started this blog with the hopes that we would be able to write about this subject one day...we just didn't know WHEN that would be, as with many things in life. To make a long story short, Brett and I have been talking about starting a family for awhile...we have been married almost three years and have dated since we were 19. We had hoped to have a baby during late Spring of this year (after "busy season," of course), but God had other plans for us. Although it was hard to deal with at the time, we grew from that experience both individually and as a couple. During those months, we learned patience and perseverance in faith. We know even more now that He has a plan for everything, and we feel so blessed to become parents!

We found out the great news on Januray 13th...and this is how it all went down: starting this year I go in late on Tuesday mornings, and Brett left for work at his usual time that morning while I was planning on going to the gym. I took a pregnancy test that previous weekend, but it was negative. I took another one that morning, and lo and behold, it was positive! I could not believe it. My heart started racing and I was crying (happy tears). All I wanted to do was call Brett and tell him the great news, but I wanted to wait and tell him in person that night.

So, along with all the other emotions running through my mind, I started thinking about how I was going to tell him. I have always imagined coming up with some creative and memorable way of letting him know when the day finally came. What should I do to surprise him? And, much more, how was I going to keep this from him ALL day while we were both at work?

After work that night I drove to Target to get some stuff for dinner and a pair of red (gender neutral, right?) baby socks. I cooked an extravagant dinner (ha, no way...I had way too much on my mind! I stuck with something simple (that I could not mess up!) and one of the usuals around our house: pasta, salad, and bread). Also, I didn't want to cook anything too elaborate because I didn't want him to know that something was up right off the bat :) Before he got home I wrapped up the baby socks in a gift bag.

Only two weeks into "busy season" at that time, he had already been putting in a lot of hours. So, I gave him the gift after dinner, telling him it was a late Christmas present and something to get him through the next several months of work. Not really knowing what to think of this random present, he opened the bag and saw the baby socks. He looked at me, and I had tears welling up in my eyes, which made him get a little teary-eyed. He was speechless at first, and all he could say was, "Are you really!?" That night we talked and talked about how excited we were, when we were going to tell our family and friends, etc., etc. Ever since then we have been reliving that day in our minds and also preparing for the months to come!

And baby makes THREE!

Brett and I are excited to tell everyone our BIG news: we will become parents soon! This has been the hardest secret to keep in, and we are so glad to be able to finally let it out.

I am about 12 weeks along and feel great! I have not had morning sickness at all, so I feel like I have really lucked out (especially after hearing some of my friends'/family members'/co-workers' accounts). As I've told many, I just seem to be hungry ALL the time, and bouts of tiredness hit me out of the blue. The only nausea I've felt has been in the mornings, when I am hungry!!! So, all in all, I would say I have felt better than I ever anticipated. I'll have to post something soon about my weird and constant cravings :)

Just treatin' the symptoms: nap time. This has become a common occurrence at least one day during the weekend, maybe both days! And Marley-bear is so sweet to keep me company :)

Our little bambino's due date is September 24th, although it has been changed several times already. At first it was the 16th, but the last two doctor's appointments have stuck with the 24th due date. Here's our fist sonogram:

7 weeks along-Wish the sonographer would have zoomed in a little. But we could hear the heartbeat, and that was so great!

And here a couple of pictures to document the "baby bump:"

8 weeks10 weeks12 weeks

I know, I know...not a lot to see, but it's so exciting! My clothes are starting to feel a little snug (hence the loose-fitting garments in the pictures above :) So, time will tell on when I will have to break out the maternity clothes. One thing's for sure: it's going to be one hot summer, but oh-so worth it!

We'll be sure to keep you posted with all the details as we prepare for baby Winters!

Renovations 101-Part 1

We have been in the middle of some major renovations to our house over the last several months (whoa...no, it's been more like eight months to be exact!). Since we have been homeowners for over two years now, and with the "flipping" of a house in Lubbock (which Brett's family did last year), we felt like we finally had enough experience under our belts to do it ourselves. Well, I should clarify...Brett's done a majority of the work :)

First renovation we did was right when we moved in (but I felt it needed to be included in this post). Brett re-tiled the floors in the laundry room with slate (thin, white tile was there before).

My job was the grouting, and it was a lot of fun!

Ever since we started the demo/renovation all throughout the house last summer, we have found that the "to-do" list just keeps getting longer and longer. And every time we begin a new project, we wonder why we didn't just hire contractors! We definitely could have gotten it all done a lot more quickly if that had been the case...

First, there was the guest bathroom, in which Brett took up the tile/carpet and laid travertine. My job was the one wall behind the mirror (the other walls are the same khaki color all throughout our house).

Before shot of the guest bathroom (Notice the striped wallpaper and Hollywood lighting...nice)

Up came the carpet (carpet in a bathroom is a no-no)!

Down came the mirror and the wallpaper (doozy of a job...that's why I primed over the wallpaper in our master bath....that renovation is still in the works, so more pics to come!)

Brett laid and grouted the travertine

I primed, textured, primed again, and painted the wall a chocolate brown color.

Finished product (despite the shower, later post)

All we have left to do in there is install new faucets, and Brett's almost done working on the shower. We were able to keep the "Safari" theme, centered off of a picture of a giraffe that Brett's grandmother, GiGi, painted in 1981.

Next was the entry-way...I did not get a before shot :( But the finished product is great! There was builder's grade (dated, white cafeteria-style) tile there before. Brett started this project thinking it was not going to take too long (it's a smaller space, no hard cuts, right?)...however, it turned into one heck-uva job!

It took several weekends and a couple of new tools :) to get the mortar up (plus, lots of dusting on my part)!

What can I say, we like travertine! After all the tiling he has done, I tell him that if he tires of the CPA career, he's got another job!

Next up: the dining room. It was in definite need of a facelift! Without a lot of extra space in that room, we opted to spring only for a new table and to keep the rustic mini-hutch I had before we got married. I recovered the chairs of our older dining room set (to get rid of that 80's-inspired print), and we handed that down to my sis and her hubby.

Before pic

I also made use of the light fixture, or shall we say brass chandelier (which was there when we bought the house…UG-LY) by simply priming and spray-painting it with a textured paint.

I think it turned out okay (light fixtures are pricey!). It will do for now...

We love, love, love our new dining room table (it has a long bench on one side). It has already been at the center of some great memories, with many more to come! Also, I got the painting in the background at an estate sale.

The biggest renovation by far has been our kitchen. We had white formica (yep) for our countertops and white appliances that we have wanted to change out since we moved in. And, after saving up and doing some price-shopping, we finally went through with it all!

Before shots of the kitchen (white GE appliances and all)

In went the Jenn-Air stainless steel fridge, microwave, dishwasher, sink, and double oven! Brett installed the microwave, ovens, and dishwasher himself...what a handyman!

I was able to break in the double oven over the holidays :) I love our updated kitchen!

Santa Cecilia Extra (I liked it because of the red garnet)

Granite galore!

And Marlie (above, on the floor) blends in with the granite now! The dogs love to lay on the rugs in there, right under our feet :)

DFW Granite installed the granite (we just had to pick it out of the 100's that we liked), the cooktop (gas, whoohoo), and sink. They also did the backsplash tile, which I got to pick out :) We love our new kitchen, and spend lots of time in there cooking/baking up a storm!

All we have left to do is to refinish the pickled cabinets (which we want to do all throughout the house), because we think they need a little splash of contemporary! We thought about staining them, but that is a BIG job. So, we are going to try and glaze them (I will first experiment on the tool cabinets in the garage).

Now, we still have a couple of projects on our list. AHHH! Like I said, never-ending. Brett wants to re-tile the fireplace in all of his spare time. And I have textured and painted the master bath. Plus we want stained concrete for the floors in the bathroom, a frameless shower, and saloon doors/wood floors for the closet. Can you tell we are going for an "old-western" theme? We'll be sure to post pictures of the master and guest bathrooms once they are complete!

Went to the chapel...

My younger sister, Lynnlee, is now hitched! She married Thomas Crow on December 20th in Wichita Falls. It was a beautiful wedding and a joyous occasion for our family! Lynnlee looked stunning, and she beamed with happiness! So happy for them :)

These are just a couple of pictures from my camera...I'll be sure to upload the professional ones when we get them :)

Lynnlee and Mom

Thomas and Lynnlee at the reception, so happy (and giddy)!

My youngest sister, Maggie, and I were honored to be a part of their special day. As maid and matron of honor, we were so proud of her! She surprised everyone by being so laid-back during the pre-wedding activities...she was the polar opposite of a bridezilla!

She was even helping us with OUR hairstyles...very composed, to say the least!

Signing the shoes (Vans in Lynnlee's case :)...getting to be a Stewart gal tradition!

It was a very touching ceremony, with Thomas' dad doing the honors. He gave a very personal and sweet sermon. Lynnlee, being so good with words, wrote their vows, which they read together. It was very moving (not a dry eye in the house)!

First Dance

And the reception was a blast! With good eats (including her cupcake wedding cake that she, yes the bride-to-be, thought of and made herself along with the help of Thomas, who made the tier), great music, and some roasts/toasts thrown in, it was a very memorable night spent with our family and friends!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Crow!!

Babies Abound!!

In the last two weeks, three babies have been born to our friends and family members. And what's even greater is that they arrived safely and healthily. Praise God!

Last Monday, Camden Ray Hopkins entered the world, with proud parents, Kim and Nathan, ever-so-ready for him to get here! I was able to drive up to Frisco Tuesday night before we headed out for Thanksgiving to meet him. He's a cutie!

This Tuesday, Adam Hunter Cross made his debut. Mommy Brenda and Daddy Stephen have a handsome boy on their hands! We hope to get out to Abilene to see them very soon.

And the newest addition to the Winters clan was also born this week. Ruby Kay Winters, the second girl for Jessica and Cade, gave us all something to smile about. She's a beauty!

Proud Uncle Brett

And our other niece, Riley, seems like she's ready to take on the role of big sister. We headed out to Rockwall as soon as we could to see her and her proud mom and dad, Granny and Papa, and uncles and aunts!

Granny admiring Ruby

What an exciting weekend (and past two weeks) it has been witnessing these tiny miracles!