""Flutterings""

It is an amazing thing to feel something moving around inside of your body that you know is the act of another person.  The first time it happened, I thought I had a stomach ache from a huge meal.  Then, she continued to jump and spin in the mornings and evenings that followed and I was able to distinguish the feeling from that of anything else.  The literature says she is close to one pound and is about the size of a small doll at this point.  At her size, she is still free to move in all directions within the womb without restrictions.  I am enjoying picturing this tiny being swimming around inside me.  With each bump into the wall, I hope that my husband can feel her from the outside.  But, unfortunately she hasn't reached this level of intense exercise yet.  Soon enough, I hope! 

The Word Is Out

Finally.  Everyone knows.  I was able to share the news with all my coworkers, students and parents last week.  I was nervous about the response to me needing to leave work for six weeks in the middle of the school year, however everyone has been really supportive so far.  The only worry was about who would replace me during March and April, which we do not have an answer to yet, but we are searching.  The kids have been excited to offer name suggestions.  The funniest one yet has been "Creekstar" which was suggested because apparently I love hiking and this is the name my student saw on a trailhead one time.  "Amber" was another suggestion because a student thought my daughter should be named after a stone, like me!  It is a great relief to have everything out in the open now.  It's amazing that in less than four months there will be a little person to show for all this.    

Nesting

The last two weeks have been grueling, yet quite rewarding, as we moved up the street into our new rental house!  You would think that moving four houses away would be a nice, easy move.  However, the closer move proved to a challenge.  Being pregnant at any stage while moving is not fun.  I am so glad we did it now though, versus in a few months.  I was already challenged by maneuvering boxes around my growing belly.  Thank goodness for friends who were willing to lend a hand!

The house was built in the 1940s and has been a family home for many, many years.  It is filled with charm.  We especially love all the beautiful built-ins, detailed ceiling in the living room, and the amazing sunroom with an ocean view.

As we've set up the house, we have had baby-proofing in mind.  Here are some photos of some of the nearly finished rooms in our new nest:

The living room (still in need of curtains) and bright sunroom:



The dining room and neat archway leading into the living room:



The sunroom, which will transition into a playroom for Baby Foley:

The beautifully detailed ceiling in the living room which makes it feel so beachy and bright:

Our newest adopted addition to the family: Cookie 



We are so lucky to have found this terrific home!  We look forward to starting many new memories here with Baby Foley.  Her room will one of the next fun projects.

It's a girl!!

We had our mid-pregnancy ultrasound today.  We saw a little baby girl on the screen!  She is 19 weeks and two days old.  She currently weighs 11 ounces, and based on this and some other measurements, she is now due on March 17, 2012.  She might be a St. Paddy's Day baby after all!  We were a bit surprised by the news of a girl but I redid the Ancient Chinese Birth Chart predictor using this new due date and sure enough, it said "GIRL" this time around. 

The technician seemed very positive while viewing all Baby Foley's little organs so this is a huge relief.  The following photos show a side view, a face front view, and a lovely one of me and my belly (not my favorite picture, I must say).

Changes, Changes

It's been a crazy month!  The start of the school year was insane.  I also just returned from a week long trip to the Santa Monica mountains with the fifth and sixth grade.  Camping with middle-schoolers while pregnant was not the most enjoyable experience, but the kids had a blast.  I spent many a sleepless night, bringing kids back and forth to the bathroom and sitting with those who were so homesick they could not sleep.  I also struggled to refrain from coffee during the most desperate hours of tiredness.  However, I made it!

The Assistant Head of School now knows I am pregnant and he is quite happy for me.  He recommended I wait until before Thanksgiving to share the news with the whole staff and the students.  I am planning to tell the middle school staff on Tuesday, which will be a major relief.  It was hard not to share with my teaching partner as I struggled through camp last week.  I just hope my tummy doesn't pop out too much before Turkey Day!

Our most recent news is that we are moving.  We found a wonderful two bedroom place only a few houses away from our current home here at the beach.  The house has the same view as our current place, but much more space.  It will be perfect for our new family of three (plus the kitty).  Life is changing quite a bit for us these days, but we are excited by these changes.

Below is a picture of my belly at the end of the first trimester.  I am now into my 17th week of pregnancy and am feeling a little bulge in my tummy.  I plan to take a photo at the end of each trimester in order to compare.  My pants are getting tight!      

Overall, I feel great.  More to come soon...

Trimester One

Yesterday we officially finished the first trimester!  Time is certainly flying by.  Only 6 months to go.  WOW!!

Baby Foley suddenly had a craving for ice cream today.  Is this a second trimester thing?  I haven't really had any cravings yet.  I am an ice cream fan so I guess it's hard to say if this is directly related to Baby Foley's wishes or just a natural response to the hot weather we have been having.  Either way, I am completely fine with it! ;)

Back to School

I have had the luxury of relaxing for most of the summer since I am a teacher.  I do work part-time with students, but my days during the summer are nothing compared to the craziness ensued during the school year.  However, tomorrow is my first official day with my fifth and sixth graders, so I am gearing up for a very tiring month ahead. 

I feel fortunate that I was able to spend most of my time at home this summer, while I fought off morning sickness and extreme fatigue. I have been feeling really good these past few weeks so perhaps the timing is perfect.  I will find the most relief once I have been able to share the news with the staff, students, and parents though.  I have been dodging free coffee and Happy Hours for weeks now and it is a lot of work to do so without offending anyone!  My plan is to share the news with my job at the end of September, once all the back-to-school craze has settled a bit.  I am quite nervous about this, but I believe everyone will understand.  There is another teacher who is pregnant at the school, so at least I will not be the only one!

Wish me luck...  ;)