Berkley is FINALLY here!!

Our sweet little princess is finally here. We are completely in love!! 

Berkley Lola Stephan

8/3/13 born at 1pm

6lbs 6oz 19inches long

Birth story & more pictures will come soon!! 

23 Weeks

--How Far Along: 23 weeks & 5 days
---Size of Baby: Weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces & measures about 10.5 to 11.8 inches from head to toe. This week she's forming little nipples (haha yeah, really!) Her face is fully formed now -- she just needs a little extra fat to fill it out. She's listening to your voice and your heartbeat -- and even to loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking.

---Total Weight Gain:  2 pounds.

---Maternity Clothes: No new outfits yet, hopefully soon. Loving Adam's shirts more than anything because some of mine (more than just one or two) are a little small!!

---Gender: GIRL!
---Movement: YES!! She loves kicking Daddy's hand when he puts it on my belly. She has gotten the hiccups ever so often & its a pretty funny feeling! :)
---What I Miss: Sleeping on my tummy & being able to sleep all night long without emptying my bladder. 
---Sleep: usually pretty good until my bladder wakes me up at 7am 
---Cravings: Salty things & sugary things 
---Aversions: same as always but tums seem to make me feel less sick!
---Symptoms: Frequent trips to the potty still, some back pain & horrible pelvic pain after sittting, sleeping or laying down. 
----Best Moment: She put her arm up close to my ribs & pushed out so i could see her arm pushing out of my tummy. It was super crazy to see & feel it. Once Daddy got around to see it though she got shy & pulled her arm down to hide it! & Adam's reaction to her kicking his hand & him seeing my stomach move like crazy! 

23 weeks & 5 days pregnant!

Diaper Bag

So finding a diaper bag is harder than you think!  After all, you need a bag that is cute enough to carry everywhere you go but one that is functional enough to actually use.  I looked at Target, Walmart, K-mart, JCPenney, and other stores in the mall but couldn't find one that I thought was cute.  After all, it's pretty much gonna be your purse as well so it better be cute!! 
Here is my criteria for a diaper bag:
- Stylish (so I'll want to carry it around everywhere)
- Doesn't cost an arm and a leg (like most adorable Petunia Pickle Bottom bags do)
- Lots of organizational pockets and space
- Includes a changing pad
- Comfortable to wear/carry everywhere

Unfortunately I don't really have the money to get the Petunia Pickle Bottom bag I wanted. I did a lot of research a found that I really like JJ Cole's diaper bags. This is the diaper bag I want to get.  I love that it has a padded strap, lots of organizational pockets, and a matching changing pad.  This bag is $60, much better than the $130-$760 for Petunia Pickle Bottom bags!!

22 weeks

--How Far Along: 22 weeks &2 days

---Size of Baby: Weighs about 1.2 lbs now & measures about 10.5-11.8 inches from head to toe. This week she's got more developed eyes and lips, she's looking even more like a newborn. She's sleeping in cycles-- about 12 to 14 hours per day.

---Total Weight Gain: Still at -1 pounds.

---Maternity Clothes: No new outfits yet, hopefully soon.

---Gender: GIRL!
---Movement: YES!! Whenever i sit for long periods of time she goes absolutely crazy!!

---What I Miss: Pizza (this will probably be my answer every time!) & sleeping on my stomach all night long.

---Sleep: usually pretty good

---Cravings: Salty things (chips, nuts, etc) & cereal
---Aversions: same as always 
---Symptoms: Frequent trips to the potty still, some back pain & horrible pelvic pain. 
----Best Moment: Same as last time... feeling her start to really kick. But the very best moment was when Adam felt her kick about 5-6 times in less than a minute!! &watching my stomach twitch when she kicks. I can usually talk to her & get her to kick when i want, its kinda funny!

22 weeks & 2 days pregnant!

21 Weeks

--How Far Along: 21weeks 

---Size of Baby: Weighs about 1pound now & measures about 10 1/2  inches from head to toe. This week she gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch. As her digestive system preps for the outside world, she's manufacturing meconium -- the tarry black substance you'll find in her first dirty diaper (ew)! Since it's a girl, she's already got a lifetime's supply of eggs in her womb -- about six million of them!

---Total Weight Gain: -1 pounds. I am just barely getting to the point where i want to eat food & its not always the healthiest choice of food!
---Maternity Clothes: No new outfits yet, hopefully soon.

---Gender:  It's a GIRL!
---Movement: YES!! She is such a wiggle worm! She woke me up the other morning because she was kicking so much & so hard (granted she isn't that big & i know bigger/stronger kicks are coming in the future) Adam felt her kick even! It was a happy moment!

---What I Miss: Pizza

---Sleep: usually pretty good, until i have to get up to pee at 7:30 every morning

---Cravings: Salty things (chips, nuts, etc) & cereal
---Aversions: same as always 
---Symptoms: Frequent trips to the potty still, some back pain & horrible pelvic pain. 
----Best Moment: Feeling her start to really kick. But the very best moment was when Adam felt her kick about 5-6 times in less than a minute!!

20 Weeks

Baby GIRL STEPHAN

---How Far Along: 20 weeks, 2 days
---Size of Baby: Weighs about 10+ oz & measures about 7  inches from head to toe. This week my baby has working taste buds & is gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day! Movement is usually felt around this week & further into the pregnancy.

---Total Weight Gain: -3 pounds. I am just barely getting to the point where i want to eat food!
---Maternity Clothes: I made my 2nd pair of maternity jeans, shorts to be exact a couple days ago. Still the best decision ever! I am so comfy & I don't even have to leave a button un-done to achieve that!! Love my maternity shirts but love Adams shirts more!!

---Gender:  It's a GIRL! We have known now since 16 weeks but I had my regular 20 week ultrasound appointment today & she is as cute as ever!! 
---Movement: YES!! I have felt her a few times here & there but nothing strong enough for Adam to feel yet! 

---What I Miss: Pizza & sleep (still)

---Sleep: It changes every night but for the most part I get a pretty decent nights sleep. My bladder does wake me up at 7 every morning which i am not too fond of!!

---Cravings: Salty things (chips, nuts, etc) & potato salad

---Aversions: Anything with melted cheese (grilled cheese, quesadillas,  pizza, Adam's favorite, etc), Garlic & Onion smells), Ketchup (smell & taste) Although I did eat 2 slices of pizza this past week & directly after I ate a few tums & it didn't seem to hurt as bad! (it was so delicious!!)
---Symptoms: Frequent trips to the potty still, back pain & pelvic pain (just the usual since the fall)
---Best Moment: Hearing the baby's heart beat for the first time at 12 weeks. Finding out its a GIRL! Her  first ever ultrasound at 16 weeks. Seeing her again at my 20 week ultrasound & hearing she is growing perfect & everything is normal! We love her so much already & can't wait for 19 weeks to meet her!!! :)

We can't wait to meet our sweet little princess

13 Weeks

I decided I am going to try this pregnancy update thing a few of my friends are doing, hopefully I can do it the whole time!!

How Far Along: 13 weeks, 5 days

Size of Baby: Weighs about .81 oz & measures about 2.9 inches from head to toe. This week my baby is forming teeth & vocal cords... savor this, their non-functional phase. Baby is approaching normal proportions, with a head now only one third the size of the body. Intestines are in the process of moving from the umbilical cord to the baby's tummy. (much more convenient)

Total Weight Gain: -5 pounds. I have been pretty sick since I found out I was pregnant shortly after Thanksgiving (which i totally pigged out at) but I haven't gained anything except a rounder belly!

Maternity Clothes: I made my first pair of maternity jeans about 2 weeks ago. I have decided that was the best make ever! I am so comfy & I don't even have to leave a button un-done to achieve that!! I have bought (thanks to Adam & my mom) 5-6 shirts most are a little big on me but good thing I'm growing so they'll fit perfectly or snug soon enough!!

Gender: We find out in 19 days! (not soon enough) I still have no idea what we're having. I want it to be a girl, but I will be happy if we're told we are having a boy. Adam really wants a boy but I think if we have a girl she would be wrapped around his finger & vise versa in a matter of seconds!

Movement: Nothing yet but hopefully very soon!!

What I Miss: Pizza & not getting a very good nights rest!

Sleep: In general I sleep pretty good at night thanks to Unisom & B12. I normally use the bathrrom right as my eyes are about to close & I can usually make it all the way through the night! The past week though I have had a rough time during the night & I have slept like crap which leaves me exhausted all day but I make it though ok....

Cravings: Pickles (Kosher-Dill Spears) & Cereal

Aversions: Pizza :( & anything with melted cheese (grilled cheese, quesadillas, pizza, Adam's favorite, etc), Ketchup (smell & taste)

Symptoms: Morning sickness in the morning now (verses the night), constant urge to pee like every 5 minutes! haha very achy lower back pain (because of the pregnancy & a fall I took at 6 weeks), the one time heart burn when i ate something spicy, the occasional charley horse that lasts about 1-2 minutes!!

Best Moment: Hearing the baby's heart beat for the first time at 12 weeks. Adam went with me to the doctor's appointment because we were gonna hear the babies heart beat for the first time. I know he was as happy as I was to hear that beautiful thumping noise but I also believe that he was just as nervous as I was that we wouldn't hear it!! For the first time I felt that this pregnancy was REAL, it was such a great feeling!!!

We can't wait to meet this little peanut!! 

Update on Life

I feel like a lot has happened since i blogged last (in June of last year) So i decided to do a quick post to catch you all up:

-We moved for time #3 since being married last May. We are very excited about this last move though. We are finally in our own apartment, no more basement apartments for us! We love our new little place & have enjoyed decorating it exactly how we want to!
 -We spent our Christmas Vacation/Break down in Southern Utah & loved every minute of being down there, minus the fact that we both got sick on Christmas Eve & were sick until we rang in the New Year at 11pm (we couldn't last another hour, 11 was pushing it... we are so old!! haha) (The sucky thing this year is my whole family(spendloves) were sick for Christmas. My two nephews down there got it first, then Adam & I then my Dad, who got so bad I (very nervously) had to give him an IVof fluids to help him feel better & then it ended with my Mom catching it!!) Nonetheless, We had a fantastic 1st Christmas together, Adam got a lot of tools he asked for & some new clothes, I however got mainly clothes & a few other odds & ins. For our "family" gifts we got a couple board games (Life & Yahtzee), a knife set & a few other things. We loved our break from Northern Utah but were happy to get back & no longer be living out of our suitcases.
-Adam is finally doing a job he loves! No more 9pm-1am custodial work for him! (which we are both ecstatic about!!) He is a Math tutor through the College for 2 High Schools in the area. Although he is working more hours so i don't see him as much, he is having a blast helping kids understand a subject he loves!
-We will be making our journey more north at the end of this year, beginning of next as Adam transfers to Weber State University for his program (Mechanical Engineer Technician) He could not be more happy with this decision since he will finally be doing stuff that will be related to his program instead of General like classes. I am not too happy with the decision to move to a colder environment &  further away from family but I am going to be happy because we'll be together! I love him & will go where he takes me for his schooling!!
-As for me I was working as a nanny up until after the New Year. I will miss the jobs that i have had doing this but I am now on the hunt for a new job. I would love one in the nanny field again but will take whatever I can get. (Nothing will ever trump the newborn twin job i had last year!! )
-We are excited to see what is in store for us this year! & We hope you all had a Happy New Year!
(more pictures to come!)