Picture Perfect Babe

Today was our 'measuring' ultrasound appointment, and an eaaaaarly day for us! Not wanting to have to wait "forever", I agreed to a 7:20am appointment. (Before this, I didn't even know doctor's offices were open that early!) Our ultrasound tech was impressed with baby, telling us that our kiddo was incredibly active for its developmental stage, and quite "bouncy". It was amazing to see little "O" karate chop, kick, twirl and bound around in its tiny home. When I told my mother she simply said, "well of course, it's your baby" as if it would be abnormal for me to have a calm and serene child. Haha. All is well so far, double O's heart rate was 166, and all of its measurements were on track for our due date! I am definitely feeling the luck of the Irish with us today, and feel myself smiling and thinking of baby, wondering how I'll make it 6-8 more weeks until we find out a little more about this little babe! Torture!

The Big "Cleanout"

In our cozy little house, we didn't quite have enough furniture to fill the space when we moved in. Not only that, but we had lost our chairs (cheap ones we bought when we first moved in together) to the "great iron maiden incident of 2008" as Adam jokes. I had decided to recover our chairs, but in my excitement did not wait to make sure I had short enough nails. Thus, while the recovered versions were cute, they also doubled as iron maidens, torturing any person who had to sit. Luckily, we had friends that let us borrow both chairs for the table as well as a desk, love seat, and wing back chair for Adam's home office.

In recent weeks, things around the house have been slowly changing. Adam's office merged with mine, and the front room became the home for the Owens' crib they gave us, our matching garage sale find changing table, and various baby things that we've been given or discovered at sales. So, Monday, our friends came to collect the borrowed furniture we no longer needed. Unfortunately, they also needed their chairs back!

So, we are chair-less again, and on the hunt (did I mention I don't care and have no 'hunt' motivation? lol) and we emptied the drawers and took the decorations down off the desk. The old Kaitlin would have turned on some music and gone non-stop until everything looked 'perfect'. Instead, pregnant Kaitlin looked at the mess, sat on the couch, thought about the mess, drank some grape juice, talked about the mess, folded some pants that had been sitting on the wing back chair, and then laid down on the couch for a nap. I have lost my oomph! Poor Adam. I am just too tired and too nauseous to care. Since we're at 11.5wks, I'm hoping that in a few more weeks, super Kaitlin will emerge again, eager to clean, organize and abuse her label maker. Until then...let's all pull a 4th grader and shove the mess in the closet....No one will know...

Little Big Brother

Most days in the O'Connell-Owens household are pretty same old same old these days. I can't remember the last time we ate out (in our launch for savings), the last trip was at Christmas, there's church on sundays, glee on tuesdays and we go grocery shopping every two weeks. Talk about a routine! Now a days I feel like we've aged 40 years and embraced a homebody lifestyle we've teased others in the past about! But these next two weeks, we'll be getting a little injection of out of the ordinary--my "baby" brother, 3.5yrs younger then me, is coming to Texas on his spring break from Hawaii. (I know, backwards, right?)

He gets in Saturday at noon, and for about the first week he'll be in Austin with his closest friends, as a belated 21st birthday celebration! Originally, Adam and I were supposed to lead the team, but as life would have it we were unable to take the necessary time of somewhat last minute. We know he's in good hands and will have a wonderful time, but I have to admit it makes me feel like a heel to no longer be going along on the trip/party I put together for him. Hopefully we'll be able to make it up to him with a celebratory St Patricks day party for all of us, including his 'old' Amarillo friends that are home for the break.

As he flys this way on the red eye I plan to dust, mop, scrub and vaccuum to prepare; after all, we know how much cleanliness means to college boys, right? ;)

A Glimpse at Baby "O"

Today we had an appointment with Dr.Autry, and were able to get our first glimpse of baby "O" with a sonogram! Our first ultrasound is next Thursday, when we'll get a picture print out and actually hear the heartbeat as opposed to just seeing it (which was also amazing!). I had been feeling kind of down lately, and honestly wasn't even that excited about today's appointment until we saw the baby moving on the screen & the pulsating heartbeat. It was completely unreal, and still doesn't feel possible that we're pregnant. Maybe when I start to show it will start to feel more real! Until next time...here is our sonogram video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iShKNQdnus8

Me? A Grownup?

So, we've hit the part of our road where being adults isn't as fun and easy as I dreamed it would be when I was playing dress up in my mother's old clothes and pasting my lips with a bit too much watermelon pink lipstick. Adam and I are trying to figure out where we want to go next with our lives, talking about goals, and how to save money and best prepare for our future as a family of three. One of the ideas has been to step out of our cute rental house and down into an apartment since they've raised rent, which would give us a little more savings on both rent and utilities. We're both less then thrilled at the idea, but are trying to think long term as much as possible. Adam has also recently decided he knows what he'd like to go back to school for, and that is Economics. His new found love through his work with RDA and the openess of that job market, is something he'd love to pursue on top of his philosophy degree. I am more then ecstatic that he's found something he loves so much, and feels passionate about going back to school, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that it scares the bejeezes out of me! The idea of him juggling school & work, while we raise a baby is almost more then I can take! I wonder if we're strong enough to ride that for two years, if I'm strong enough to be the main parent for the two hardest years with our first child, if we can really make it all work on what seems to be a nearly invisible tightrope. I'm just worried. It all seems silly as I read what I write, but I wonder more and more "how the HECK are we going to make everything work?!?!" Adam, on the other hand, seems completely at peace. He keeps saying "We make a plan, and stick to the plan, that's all." Can it really be that simple? Part of me wishes I could climb into my mother's lap, curl my fingers through her hair and ask her what to do like I did growing up. I know that at this stage of the game her advice is invaluable, but the decision has to come from us whether I want to be a part of it or not. So, if we come into your thoughts, ask that I might get some peace and feel confident about our choices, because right now I feel like a confused little kid.

Cowtown 10k 9wks Pregnant

Last weekend we sped up to Fort Worth to spend the weekend with some of our dear friends and to make it to my second 10k, the Cowtown. Being 9wks pregnant, I was a little less then thrilled at the idea of running, but have really wanted to stick to my pre-pregnancy goals. Adam has been awesome, offering to go running with me, and cheering me on at the races. After this last race, he even flattered me, telling me how much he enjoyed going to my races and seeing me so focused. (his words, not mine!) Well, if I was looking for extra motivation this last race (I have been feeling less then stellar) I got it through my good friends who made matching race shirts & hats. My nickname back in DFW is PK (for Princess Kaitlin), there are people who don't even know my real name I'm introduced that way so often! (again, they gave me the nickname, I didn't create it!) The shirts and hats had a tiara and ivy surrounding PK and on the back of the shirts it read "Cowtown 2011" with the longhorn. :) It made my weekend and I was so so so excited to race in it! My time wasn't stellar, but not too bad either, 80min to go 6.4mi. My time was better in January, but given how little I ran since then due to snow and general yuck, and being pregnant I gave myself a gold star! The pictures aren't too flattering, and my weight gain is very apparent, but I'll share them anyhow! Happy Running!!

A little bit of update in your life...

Searching for something to say, I feel like a million things and nothing have all happened over the last month and a half. Pregnancy has been, what feels like, guiltily easy. Though I must admit, I don't feel like myself, nor do I always feel good, I have only thrown up once. Mostly, I'm tired. Unnaturally tired. I have always prided myself on how energetic I am, and my ability to 'go, go, go'. But lately...lately I'm a couch hugger, and a 5 o'clock napper. Lazy would be my 'word that describes you', should you ask.

I got away for a mini-trip to my cousin's in OKC during our two week blizzard here in the Panhandle. It was cute at first, and quickly escalated to obnoxious. (The snow that is, not the visit!) It was wonderful to get away and celebrate our pregnancies (she's pregnant with her 2nd), the snow, family, and talk. Oh, you have no idea how nice it is as a talker to meet someone who enjoys it as much as you. After the snow seemed to die down, I set off for Amarillo, only to be greeted by a new snow storm and back to being trapped inside.

I don't do well without change. Those people who fear it? Not me, I crave it. Even small change, if I can't have natural change I create it. Even if it means re-arranging the cabinets or furniture. Stir-crazy and trapped inside, I began moving around the house cleaning and re-organizing, but because of my new found energy limit, left half-done piles around the house to go lie down. Needless to say, in my attempt to 're-vamp' I simply made LOTS of messes. Many of which are still lying there, begging to be fixed. So far, their cries are not heard.

In nursery/baby updates, we have assembled the crib that my in-laws gave us. It's beautiful, and was Adam's as a baby which I find sweet & romantic. Several weeks ago at a garage sale we found a changing table in the same wood and style as the crib, unable to sell it the couple gave it to us for $8! So...while it looks a bit like a dumping ground, it does have an undeniable 'baby smell' already, and is slowly developing into something more then an extra room where baby things go! :) We're 8 1/2wks pregnant today, and we get to hear the heartbeat & see the baby for the first time on March 9th! Everything seems to both take forever, and fly by. I am beyond excited for the appointment, and keep trying to will it closer! Most every conversation seems to travel back to day dreams of the future with our unknown child and what life will be like...our anniversary (which is very close to our due date), Christmas, church, the beach...what will all these familiar events be like in the un-knowable future with this person we don't yet know? An addictive mystery, it seems to be all we think about, particularly me.

On a closing note: Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad! May the next 25yrs be just as fabulous!!!