Baby Belknap Week 16 Check in

Hello everyone,

Hope this email finds you all well. We have officially started week 16. Almost half way there. I have been feeling pretty good this week. Having more energy and loving it! Still having moments of nausea but feel it is due to being over hungry. I am trying to eat every two hours but it doesn't always workout that way.
I was able to hit the weights three times this week and get cardio in three times as well. Clients at the gym are starting to ask their trainers if I am pregnant due to them not noticing me ever having a pooch before. So, guess there is no more hiding the belly.
I am still holding down one pound but I can tell you the body has made some changes. The waist is thick and my stomach has start to stick out. I can finally tell this week for sure that I am pregnant..as far as I look that is. As far as cravings this week...still enjoying spaghetti and meat sauce. Yum. Had it four days this week. Go figure. I am sad to report that Chipotle does not sound appealing at all. Jason and Enrique are not happy about this as we go to Chipotle every Monday night.
I had to go out and get some new pants this week. Shirts are becoming short and my pants are not tight but feel as if they are just cutting into my new found belly and it feels uncomfortable. Bought some workout pants as well as some cargo style pants that can work at work and my real life. I am not sure who I am fooling though, I am always at work.
I believe that I felt the baby move this week. I think actually last Saturday when I was in Illinois that I felt the rolling or butterflies feeling in my stomach at night. On Tuesday however, I felt four fast twitches in a row on the right side of my lower abdomen. To me it felt just like when your eye twitches. So surreal. I have felt nothing more to date but anxious to feel it again.
One of Jason's old coworkers walked into his work this week carrying a diaper bag full of baby goodies. Diapers, wipes, sleepers, a cute little outfit, health kit and a baby mirror for the car. Jason admitted he was a little embarrassed having to carry this bag with diapers sticking out of the top home from work. Just another sign our lives are changing quickly. Grandma Sue sent us a fun baby gift as well. She sent the silver holders for the baby's first tooth, first curl and of course first spoon and fork. They are so precious, we can't wait to use them.
My girlfriend Angela, also showered me with more maternity clothes. Which I am excited about. She had a lot of summer clothes which I can wear now. Plus, she has way more fashion sense then I could ever dream of so I am really excited to start wearing them. She also dropped off a boppy, baby bath chair and is letting us borrow a swing. All these gifts this week are making the baby much more real.
Our friends, Angela and Josh were over on Friday teasing us for our first baby "gadget" purchase. They told us we had made a rookie mistake. With having three kids they sure know what they are talking about. I hope we can make it look as easy as they do. We went to Babies R Us today to get some furniture ideas for the nursery. We walked out more confused than when we walked in. We did test out a lot of the rocking chairs though. I think this seemed the least intimidating to us both. Jason asked me today while shopping if we needed to get a toothbrush for the baby and how in the world were we going to be able to brush their teeth? It was so cute, I gave him a friendly reminder that babies don't start out with teeth. We both got a good laugh from this. Clearly we both have a lot to learn.
We are heading to Illinois this week to enjoy the Fair! Sure hope my aversion to sugar disappears before we arrive. Ha. Below I have included the the babycenter.com week 16 report as well as my latest photos.

Lots of love,

Julie and Jason


www.babycenter.com Week 16
How your baby's growing:
At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.

Baby Belknap Week 15 Check in

Week 15 here we are! This has been a big week for baby Belknap. Sunday-Wednesday I was so tired I was taking 2-3 hour naps daily. Then come Thursday I had some energy, same thing with Friday. Both days I only had to take a 40 minute nap. Which let me tell you was so great. I only worked out Thursday and Friday this week. I believe that the energy you have all told me about is really starting to surface. Finally!!!!!

I think the baby must have grown a lot this week since I was so tired. On Tuesday all the sudden my stomach was sticking out. Clearly there is not stopping me now. I have gained back 2 of the 3 pounds I have lost. Bye bye skinny girl jeans. Ha.

I received a great new tank top from my girlfriend Colleen this week as well, it says "Baby Bump." I don't fill it out just yet but soon! I can't wait to wear all these fun shirts. I also received some more great clothes from another trainers client this week. I can't believe how generous people have been already. I went to Motherhood Maternity store this week to get my girlfriend a gift card and well, clearly I am not to be trusted alone in a store. I bought some cute pants and shirts for when I am bigger.

Jason finally told his coworkers we are expecting,. He took the M&M's from John and Moe to work this week to tell everyone our great news. He put them in a nice bowl so when people stopped by to get their usual sugary treat from his office they were very surprised to read that the M&M's said we were pregnant. How fun. All the ladies were going crazy, of course.

This week I was still craving spaghetti sauce so naturally Jason picked us up some Spaghetti and Meatball from Maggianos and not only did I eat it Monday night for dinner. I ate it for lunch and dinner on Tuesday and Wednesday and when I finally ran out made some spaghetti of my own on Thursday. Talk about a craving. Had that same red sauce on my pizza Thursday and Friday nights as well as Sunday. Ha. Not a picture of perfect health but hey it is what he/she wants...

I felt nauseous on Tuesday morning. I was thinking I was done with all this since it had been a couple of weeks since I had felt this way.However, Sunday morning showed me I was not done just yet. I had a glass of V8 Splash and well, it just didn't work for me. After that I had my usual cheese and all was back to normal. So clearly, still not tolerating sugar well.

This weekend I flew to Chicago for my girlfriend Carries, 30th birthday party. Carrie is also pregnant and is just two weeks behind me. So we always have fun stuff to talk about. I have enclosed a picture of both of us. Amazing to see how each woman is so different in pregnancy. We are both enjoying the benefits of the larger breasts however! Ha. To bad they are so sore..Go figure.
Went out to breakfast with the whole Winckler crew and friends, Andy, Melanie, Chrissy and Abdel. Chrissy bought me the cutest book called "Rockstar Momma" It is going to keep me fashionable and hip through my whole pregnancy. Now, as most of you may know I am not a big reader. Colleen and I have been in a book club for the past four years or so together and I still haven't even finished the first book. Ha. Well, I am proud to say I more than halfway already. It is so cute and has already given me some very helpful tips.

My family said I don't look any different yet. Maybe just a little up top! I was able to get my mom to notice the bulge Jason and I can see on Saturday when I changed from jeans to a skirt. Really at this point is still depends on what I am wearing as to how pregnant or thick I look. That is what I notice most of all is how thick my waist line has become. So clearly in that transition stage between looking thick still and not really looking pregnant. I know, I know, it is just hiding around the corner.

I have also been suffering very badly from pregnancy brain this week more so. I tell you, I pride myself in having a great memory and being on point with things and I have taken a big dive into the deep end. I can't remember anything. Naturally Jason is so excited about this and it didn't stop my friends from making fun of me this weekend either. I am having to resort to telling clients to email me to remind me when they need something or about thier schedule. I have been making lots of lists and hope everything I need to do is on the list. AHHHH.

I am really looking forward to moving into this second trimester and holding onto to this new found energy!!!!! Below are my usual weekly photos as well as the picture of Carrie and I with our belly's. Also, below is the babycenter.com week 15 changes for the baby.

Love you all,

Julie and Jason


Babycenter.com Week 15
How your baby's growing:
At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but his taste buds are beginning to form. And if you have an ultrasound, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or girl! (Don't be disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down the sex depends somewhat on how clear the picture is and the position of your baby during the ultrasound; he may be curled or turned in such a way as to keep you in suspense.)

Baby Belknap Check in Week 14

Here we go with yet another week! I tell you I think you are all lying to me.
I am never going to be able to stay awake again. This baby is truly taking
everything out of me. I am so tired all the time I am not sure how I am even
standing. I can say I seem to be rounding the corner on the energy but still am holding strong with at least two hour daily naps. Poor Jason, between Enrique who had his wisdom teeth out and me being so tired he felt like he spent the weekend alone. Even though we were all together the only one talking was Jason. And we all know how rare
that is.

Our baby is currently holding the title of a “Georgia Peach” at least that is the size
this week. Wow from a lime to a peach! How fun to be compared to fruit huh. Ha.

We dog sat last weekend for Natascha’s dog, Maddi. We are trying to
earn some extra cash for Baby B. Since I was to tired to workout this past
weekend at least someone used our new treadmill. Yep, that is right. Jason put
the dog on the treadmill to work her out. Mind you Maddi is a miniature
Pincher who weighs about 7 pounds. It was so funny. Sadly, it did not wear her
out. This dog has so much energy. Maybe she is the one stealing all of mine.
We really like to go that extra mile when we dog sit to ensure the dog is happy
and healthy.

One of my clients, Edith gave me all of her maternity clothes. She has a seven
Week old baby girl and figured if she kept holding onto them she would never
Get out of them. So, I help her…she helps me. I had another woman at the gym who is not even my client give me more clothes this past weekend. I told Jason regardless of how tired I am we are going to have to be social as I grow since I have so many cute outfits to wear. Works out great I am pretty set now with all these clothes. Now we just have to get this stomach to grow.

I have had a couple of clients this week claim they see a bump. I surely felt like there
was a bump going on on Monday and Tuesday. On the 4th there appeared to be one as
well. However the rest of the week guess based on what I was wearing I felt like you
could not tell. I even got to wear my skinny girl jeans to church today. How fun. Ha.
I worked out again this week three times. It really gives me so much energy.

My stomach is starting to feel different. I can feel the ligaments starting to stretch out and it is very hard right below my belly button. No real food cravings going on yet. Still just holding strong with wanting berries...not "Julie berries" so no need to worry! Still am not able to eat a lot at one sitting. Last night we hung out with my friend Natascha, she had us over along with two other pregnant women. One who is a week ahead of me and one who is due in late August. So that was really fun to be able to get some good information on what is to come and to compare some stories.
I have included some pictures from Saturday which is the start of week 14. Also, one from the fourth with "the belly." Hope you are all well.

Lots of love,

Julie and Jason

Below is the babycenter.com weekly report:

How your baby's growing:Head to bottom, your baby's 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. Her body's growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body (called lanugo). Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells. She's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (which are now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.

Baby Belknap Report Week 12/13

I am happy to report again that I was able to work out last week and this week. I believe four times both weeks. This is great since I have not had the energy in weeks to workout. I have found that I am so energized after working out which helps me so much. Guess what I tell my clients about exercise is true; it does do a body good! One of my client’s gave us a treadmill last week. So I am hopeful to use that as well. I better after I made Jason, Enrique and Valasco move it down so many flights of stairs!
I am sorry to report that I still don’t look any different. Sometimes at night we feel like there is a small bump in the stomach. I am however waiting patiently as I know it is right around the corner!

Julie and Jason

Below is the report from www.babycenter.com from week 12/13

Week 12
How your baby's growing: Your baby's hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce. Her face is beginning to look more human. Her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, have moved closer together on her face, and her ears are near their final positions on the sides of her head. Your baby's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into her abdominal cavity about now. Her kidneys are secreting urine into her bladder. Her nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. Your baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and she'll even squirm if you prod your abdomen, though you still won't be able to feel her movement for several weeks

Week 13
How your baby's growing: Your belly may soon be big enough to announce to the world that you're expecting, but your baby is still tiny. In fact, he's only about 3 inches long crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite the small proportions, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now. Much more proportional than it was a few weeks ago, his head is now only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage will drop considerably.