Remember December

   I should probably get at least one post done this month, being pregnant and all. *blushing emoji* I'll be 13 weeks on Monday (I was 11 weeks in the photo above with my "barely there" bump) and I'm so thankful for each day that passes where Chip remains safely snug in my body. Basic quick info/updates to remember- our first "real" doctor appointment for Chip was on December 2nd when we got a sonogram done at 9 weeks and 4 days. (The first appointment was November 30th but the sonogram nurse went home early.) Actually seeing a baby snowman growing -and dancing!- in my body was way better than only seeing an empty gestational sac like we did with Shrimp in March. I was smiling the whole time and kept looking over for Michael's reaction. He commented on seeing the heart flicker. Although we couldn't hear the heartbeat, the nurse measured it at 136 BPM! 

Our dancing snowman! ^^

   My next appointment was scheduled for the 22nd but I cancelled it because it was the genetic screening one and I didn't want that done. Even the eight viles of blood being taken from my arm seemed unnecessary if they can tell all the same stuff from safe digital measurements at the 20 week sonogram.  So the next appointment (just to talk to my doctor?) is January 5th, since she wasn't working at that office the day we had the sonogram done.

   I enrolled in the Pregnancy Program through my insurance so I will be sent a journal which I'll fill out for the next 6 months, then after Chip is born I should qualify for a $400 gift card. I have been to Gainesville both of my weekends off this month. The first was to meet my newest niece, baby Helena Rey. I really liked holding her as she slept on my chest since it made me dream about July when I'm doing the same with Chip!! 

   The second visit was because I wanted to do more holiday things and my mom is great about that. We made buckeye "cookies" (peanut butter rice crispy balls dipped in melted chocolate) while listening and dancing with Peyton to Christmas music. The next night we drove around the neighborhood looking at the pretty houses with lights and decorations outside, then watched Rudolph. Later in the week, back at home, I watched Love the Coopers, Christmas with the Kranks, and The Santa Clause. Apparently Elf is not on Netflix. Le sigh. I really want to start new/real traditions next year with Chip, like really decorating the tree with all of our ornaments (instead of me being lazy and only putting up 5 of the 15 "fun" ornaments- plus Michael's glass bobbles) and sending Christmas cards mid-month with a cute family photo. This year I asked Michael to pick up our tree himself because I felt like we waited too long to get it. (He bought it on the 5th.) 

   I have also been very thankful for all the time I've been able to spend with Michael this week. We've been on three dates and enjoyed time laughing in the car and holding hands while we ran errands. We ate at Bahama Breeze when I got back from Gainesville last Sunday. On Wednesday Michael got off work early so Sasha and I sat in the backyard and talked to him for two hours while he dug up more of the grass. (He is going to help me write a Pinterest-y post with lots of before/ during/ after pictures once it's all done!) Tonight he finished digging up the area he had marked off and he'll build a deck for our new patio furniture, which he is hoping to complete by New Years Eve. Then we had dinner at Chevy's and walked around Downtown Disney for about 30 minutes.  We went to Cracker Barrel on Thursday, then stopped into JoAnn Fabrics for ribbon.  Another big announcement is that Michael has lost *20 pounds* since mid November!! I am very proud of him and he likes that he's had to buy tighter pants and shirts. 

  How I've been feeling the past month: Sasha has kind of been annoying me because she has to go outside one to three times every night! That is not normal for her. She's slept through the night since we moved in here, especially since I'm permanently on day shift. Maybe because she is 9 years old- about 67 in dog years, but this is supposed to be the last few months I get peaceful sleep before it gets uncomfortable. I'm not ready to be getting up three times each night yet for someone else. At the beginning of the month my stomach felt very tight and kind of hurt. It felt like I had a balloon in my stomach that someone was slowly blowing up, but I assumed that was the baby growing and I'll feel it again soon. Chip is the size of a lime now, rather than a tiny seed like six weeks ago! I haven't gotten sick, but often feel crummy when I go too long without eating. Meaning I often feel bad each morning before work and sometimes don't know I need to eat until its "too late". But Michael reminds me that eating will make me feel better, and even feeling sick maybe once a day is still way better than feeling that way all day every day or actually getting sick a lot (Jessica) or having to get an IV for fluids (Lindsey). My prayers are with you!!

   Those are all of my updates for now, with pictures from my phone. I'll try to pull out the Canon for nice Christmas photos tomorrow and Monday then post those before 2017!! Michael has the week off from VAMP, but is working Grinchmas some of those days. He'll work on the patio some of the other times. Also here is one of the three beautiful fox water colors he has drawn and painted recently: This man is uncovering talents left and right this year!!