September 20th Update

Ok, so we got the 3D sono gram done this past week and WOW, how amazing this is!

Look at Justin!

It's a little long so enjoy the baby music, but try not to fall asleep.

Here's a cute pic from the session too.

We thought we saw him open his eyes at one point but we couldn't really tell.

Who do you think he looks like? He's got cute lips and a cute little nose.

I don't know but I think he's gonna be cute!!!!!!

This just makes us even more anxious for the big day to arrive, and we still have a ways to go.

Not long though about 10wks, hopefully he wants to come early, that would be fine with me.

It makes the fact that I weigh more or the same as most guys I know and my waist is a 42.5

a little bit more tolerable. I guess there is still more growing to do.

I have my next Dr.visit on Oct 1st where we will do another sono to see how things are technically looking in there, so I'll let you know more then.

Emily, Eric's sister, had her baby this weekend, Laila Faith. On the 18th .She is so precious!

We are so happy that she's here: Uncle Eric and Aunt Jennifer!

(boy I need a make over)

Here are the proud ( and tired) parents> Greg and Emily

September 14th Update

Eric here.

Jennifer asked me to do a post and I thought it sounded like a good idea.

This is my first time and I’m not sure what to say, but let’s find out.

I’ve had fun lately watching Justin getting bigger. I always knew that Jennifer would be one of those women who would be just as beautiful when pregnant as she is when she’s not…and I was right! She thinks she has gained more weight than she’s supposed to, but I don’t think so.

We went to church this recently to see a friend be ordained in the priesthood and while we were there, Jennifer suddenly jumped. I quickly put my hand on her belly and felt Justin wiggling around…more so than I had felt to that point! It was so cool! We think it was his knee and foot that we felt. The pews in our church are pretty uncomfortable, so maybe he was trying to find a better lounging position! I’ve always been told that I was a wiggly baby, and I guess I passed on that trait.

I’m starting to get pretty excited about doing all the “guy” things that Justin and I will get to enjoy. This is opening weekend of football season, and it makes really look forward to sitting in my chair and holding him while we watch the Cowboys together. I’ll have to keep my emotions in check though, so I don’t accidentally drop him when there's an interception! I’m sure he’ll get pretty mad about it, too! I also can’t wait to take him up to Roaring River in Missouri. It’s the perfect place to teach kid’s how to fly fish and it’s also where Paw Paw (Mom’s dad) used to go. I always think about him when I’m there and it’ll be great to pass that connection on to Justin.

I’m also really excited about meeting Laila for the first time…hopefully next week! And, I can’t wait to introduce her and Justin. I’m sure they’ll the best cousins!

We’re pretty well done with his room, except for a few touchups. Jennifer and I have worked together on it quite a bit and we haven’t really argued once! That’s very unusual for us when we’re working on a project together. Usually, we have to take turns working on it so that we can continue to live in the same house. But not this time. I guess it’s because we’re both so excited about the purpose of our work.

I guess that’s about it for now.

Aug. 27th Update

ok. So to update you on the doctor visit, I had a glucose screening to see if my body is metabolizing glucose properly, or whatever it's supposed to be doing, and it is- so everything is good there. I am sure they tested for other stuff but there was nothing negative that they had to tell me about.

With doing another sono, we got to see Justin again! He looks a little different than last time, more fat on so we can see him better, and he's much bigger. His weight is 2 lbs 14 oz. !

We won't talk about my weight, although, with my exercise, I was able to keep it normal this time, I only gained 4lbs.

Anway, He was so cute . We got to see him do a big yawn- it was cool to see! We must have been disturbing his sleep because he had his hand over his face, just like his daddy sleeps. Everything looks fine with him.

Now as for the placenta, it hadn't moved much away from my cervix to be considered even in the "gray area" of being ok for normal delivery. But she still says that if it moves just 3-4 cm, we should be fine, and as my uterus grows, it could grow up and out of harms way.

So it's still up in the air and she'll want to do another sono next time, but I may ask to see if we can wait until the next appt. so we can 1.) save the money 2.) let it move even more if it's going to move. I think it's on 9/24th, then I'll be 31 weeks.

She did put me on some restrictions and to start taking it easy, which I think my body is doing that for me. I am getting tired easier now when I try to do stuff, and just carrying around the weight is a chore. So I guess we'll still have to wait to see how things progress.

I wish I could just know: c-section or not.

Anyway here are some more pics:

08.01.09

(I didn't know Eric was taking this, my hair is pretty.)

My Mom and I are going through some clothes that we got from one of Eric's friends.

They had a boy in the month of October so the sizes and seasons match up pretty cloth to when Justin will need them. They gave us clothes from newborn to 24 months.

We are so grateful to them it will really help out to have a selection of clothes already.

It was fun to wash them and put them in the drawers, which are full now.

08.16-Here we are with Eric's niece and nephew after a weekend at the zoo and swimmin'. They had a blast, we do too and the long nap was great after it was all over. They wore us out! But it was so good to have them here.

The room is pretty much done, we still have some finishing touches: ( I promised much better pics, here are some pretty good ones)

Here I am in Justin's room 08.04.09

Here I am one day after work, 09.04.09. I was kind of dressed up so I had Eric take a decent pic of me for a change.

Next post, I think I will have Eric add something. I think it would be nice to here his perspective.

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July 31 Update

Justin is a very active fellow these days. Or it may be just that he is getting bigger and stronger that I feel him more. Not just the little flutter that feels like gas, I still get those too.

I can actually feel him moving around and sometimes he gets the hiccups.

Eric wonders how they can get the hiccups when there's no air in there. 

I don't know, it's all very weird.

We watch him jump around at night, Eric likes to watch or feel him moving.

I've read that he's the size of a letter envelope right now.  I'll wait for everyone to go get an envelope to look and see....

Isn't that amazing?

At this month's checkup it was fairly boring nothing like when we got the sonogram last month.

But we did get some interesting news from the doctor she didn't tell us last time.

My placenta was kind of low next to my cervix which could be dangerous and birth causing us to move to a c-section. She said it wasn't really anything to worry about but next month she wants to do another sono to see if it has moved.  Then we can talk about options at that point but she says most of the time it corrects it self, but she just wants to make sure.

So we get to see Justin again!!!

Also she wants me to start exercising more, to counter act the calories I'm putting in.  I've already gained 20 lbs. and I have a ways to go still.  I gained 7 lbs since last time.  

It's only supposed to be 1 lbs a week.  Maybe too much ice cream?  Or not exercising?

It's not too bad but before it gets out of hand she wants me to at least walk everyday for 30mins.  I try to do that now but it is so hot and every other excuse I can think of.

But I am going to start going to the gym at the city rec. center to do the elliptical or treadmill, 

that way I will have no excuse but time to do it.

Also, she is going to do a glucose screening to determined whether my body is metabolizing glucose.  If not that could be a factor of my weight gain which could lead to diabetes later in pregnancy.  I don't want that, so will see later this month when I have my next appt.

July 25th we started the painting, it began with removing the painting popcorn on the ceiling to update it a bit.We intend to do the entire house but will go one room at a time. 

 What a pain when it's painted!!

  

We also are texturing the walls.

Then we selected the colors based on the bedding we are going to be getting.  Here's the valance from the set.

OH yeah! Half way into priming and painting ( 7/27)  I was gathering paint rollers and brushed from the garage and didn't clear the door all the way and stubbed the #?!{$%  out of my pinkie toe. 

I think I actually dislocated it or maybe even fractured it somewhere in the little knuckles.

I have never stubbed a toe like this before, I wanted to cry and felt a little sick to my stomach.

It quickly started to swell and turned blue later that afternoon. 

Don't be shocked it has alway been ugly, just look at the colors and swelling.

It has returned to a normal color now (7/31), but it's very sore. Wearing shoes is a pain.  Hopefully it heals properly.

But the painting must go on!!  In case you are wondering about all those paint fumes, 

Yes I do wear a mask.

Hear are some pics of our progress, hopefully we'll be done soon.

 Can you see the texture?

 

June 25th Update

IT'S A BOY!!!!!   Justin Alexander Beck

More details to come.

Here's a preview:

Profile- He's looking up at me.

Looking down at his face

Here's the proof!

more comments later, we can't stop smiling and looking at the pics.

Ok, I tried to update this blog once but I accidentally closed my post with out posting it.

That was after an hour and a half of typing and uploading pics.

My pregnancy brain is wreaking havoc on me this days.

Ok so, a lot has happened since the wonderful sonogram seeing the sex of our baby, Justin.

I will be brief since I have done this once already.  Here goes:

So the same day we had the sonogram appt., earlier that morning my mom fell down the stairs at work, 

fracturing both of her ankles. 

I know!  We were so afraid that she certainly messed up her hips, since they were both recently replaced. 

She ended up staying with me so I could take care of her until she could "get on her feet" and return to work and back to her place without me worrying if she would trip over herself and those cumbersome boots she had to wear.

It was about 2 wks, we found her a much smaller boot, and she only needed to wear one by that time so she was able to walk with her crutch or a cane for support.  Luckily she didn't need surgery or a cast, just one of those things that would heal on it own.

She is wearing shoes now,  from the last I heard.  They are still sore, but starting to get better after a month.

That was also the day Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett  died.  Farrah we saw coming, it was sad.

Michael's death was a big shock and we still are hearing about it with the investigations surrounding it.

I wonder how much my Thriller LP will be worth now?   

Within the next couple of days, I was running around doing errands and coming back from checking on my mom's cat,

(she's staying with me at this  point)  and stopped at Target for groceries.  I ended up leaving my wallet at the checkout counter!

The cashier didn't even say anything, neither did the mother and daughter that was behind me in line.

My guess is that the 2 behind me gave it to the cashier and she said she would turn it in but kept it.

I went back a couple of hours later when I discovered I didn't have it, the same cashier was there and she said she never saw or was she given a wallets.  

Somebody got it because an hour later there was a gas transaction on one of our checking accounts.

So my License, Social Security card and debit cards, $15 cash, and HSA card were in someone else's hands.

That was fun canceling and waiting for new ones, I still haven't received my new DL or SS card, or HSA card.

I really could use the HSA to pay for baby bills too.  It's supposed to be in the mail, that's what "they" say.

I like my new wallet even better, even though there isn't really anything in it.

Some fun stuff now....

We had a reunion on the Beck's side later that weekend.  It was good to see everyone again and meet some new people or ones that I probably met once but can't remember.  They got to see the baby bump and we got to compare Emily's and mine: she's 2 months ahead of me.

 

This summer has been fun swimming in the pool and having friends over to play.  I try to swim when I can and get exercise, it makes moving around a lot easier.

 

(I can't believe I am posting swimsuit pics of myself.)

Here's some pics from the 4th of July:

  

To celebrate the 4th we went ahead and got Justin's baby furniture! 

 

 My mom and Dad were generous enough to spring for it all. 

Crib, Dresser and Chest of Drawers. So he is set for life really, the crib turns into a full size bed when he's ready for it.

It's really nice!  We couldn't wait and put the crib together right away.

Now its down to painting and decorating.  First we had to change it from Eric's Office to Justin's room.

So Eric shares his office with the guest room, it was so nice of him to do that for his little boy.

Then we could put the rest of the furniture in the room to get it out of the garage and see how it all looked.

(By the way, these are the worst pics I've taken of a room and actually posted on the internet.)

We still have to paint but we just wanted to see.

05.28.09 Update

14 Wks!  What a difference!  I'm not so sluggish and I feel like actually doing stuff.

My belly is showing a little now and clothes are definitely getting snug.

Mom and I have been having fun going shopping for maternity clothes, but I am still in the in between stage so they don't fit quite right yet. I can't even imagine fitting in them, but I know I will eventually.  If anyone knows of anyone that has any maternity closes to borrow or buy cheaply, please let me know.

I enjoyed Mother's Day.  It's not official, but I think I qualify.

Stress levels have increased with the news of our non-existent maternity insurance coverage.  We thought we were covered, but it turns out we were only covered for complications.  It was not good news to hear to say the least.

With the economy like it is, and with our commission-based jobs, just making ends meet was difficult already.  Now we are having to save money to pay the Dr. and Hospital and make ends meet.  It's not going to be easy or fun.

I do have some jobs in the works and have even been looking for part-time work, no luck yet in the part-time search.

I am trying to look at the positives of the situation and keep Eric uplifted to do the same, he is having a tougher time dealing with everything going on.

We know it will all be worth it in the end so I look at it that way.

Anyway, more fun stuff....

The baby is about as big as a fist now and I think I feel little flutters sometimes. 

That could just be me though, I'm not sure.

We are anxious to find out what it's going to be!  That will be the next Dr. appointment, 6/25th.

Then we can start focusing on baby names.  We have a few worked out for a boy, but we can't come up with one that we agree on for a girl.  That makes me think it's going to be a girl. (Things are supposed to be difficult for us, that's is just the way it is.)

We are also, getting closer to working on the baby's room!  That should be fun, although we aren't sure of the theme.  It's either Vintage Circus, Carnival, or gender themed. Choices choices!  My nephew Zachary is a talented artist I think I will put to work this summer on helping me create the best room ever.

I am looking at the classes that the hospital offers for Childbirth and safety to take pretty soon.

They also give you a tour of the Maternity area to show us our options.  That seems like it would be exciting, but Eric hates hospitals so he may not enjoy that.  Anything that takes us closer the the "big day" is exciting to me.

 I guess that's really all for now.  I'll try to get some more pictures up here soon.

 There should be one in my maternity bathing suit soon for sure, it's pool time!

Until next time.....