We are having a girl!

And here she is making her debut! The ultrasound tech said she was measuring right on for her due date of January 5th. She is weighing in between 12-13 ounces. We could see that the brain is fully formed as well as all four chambers of the heart. Her little mouth and lips looked good which means no cleft palate. She was running her mouth the whole time we were peeking in on her. I know you all find it hard to believe that she would be talking already. She is clearly related to me. Ha. To bad we couldn't hear what she was saying. I have attached the pictures that were taken today. We are so excited!
Jason is not quite sure what to do with the fact that we are having a girl but he is really excited. My mom and Dennis were able to be in the room with us which was really neat. We all also got to hear the heartbeat today as well. Her heartbeat was 140. I think we have all been smiling from ear to ear all day! Of course when we called Momma Sue she was all tears. Do you think she is excited?

Lots of love,

Julie, Jason and baby girl Belknap
And here she is making her debut! The ultrasound tech said she was measuring right on for her due date of January 5th. She is weighing in between 12-13 ounces. We could see that the brain is fully formed as well as all four chambers of the heart. Her little mouth and lips looked good which means no cleft palate. She was running her mouth the whole time we were peeking in on her. I know you all find it hard to believe that she would be talking already. She is clearly related to me. Ha. To bad we couldn't hear what she was saying. I have attached the pictures that were taken today. We are so excited!
Jason is not quite sure what to do with the fact that we are having a girl but he is really excited. My mom and Dennis were able to be in the room with us which was really neat. We all also got to hear the heartbeat today as well. Her heartbeat was 140. I think we have all been smiling from ear to ear all day! Of course when we called Momma Sue she was all tears. Do you think she is excited?

Lots of love,

Julie, Jason and baby girl Belknap

Baby Belknap Week 20 Check In

Hello to All,

Five months! Half way there. Only 20 short weeks to go. Wishful thinking that it will go by fast. I feel like I have had a little more going on this week then last week.

I know you will all be happy to hear that I gained two pounds this past week. I have still been very tired all week. I did get four workouts in last week which was great considering how tired I was. Wednesday afternoon is the best I have felt in weeks. After waking up from my nap I felt so energized, it was great. Then the rest of the week back to being tired. I have felt only a couple of movements from the baby this last couple of weeks. I believe the baby is letting me know he/she is there in other ways...

I officially threw up on the job for the first time on Tuesday. I was training a client in his home and had to make a mad dash for the restroom. Talk about embarrassing. Of course I felt great afterward. I also had the pleasure of getting sick again on Sunday morning. I tell you, I thought this was suppose to be gone by now. I really can't complain to much, I haven't been sick too many times.

I have noticed when I am trying to show client's different exercises especially abdominal exercises that I am having a harder time getting up and down off the ground. Also, just trying to get into the lying on my back position to show a bench press or something along those lines. There just isn't the same amount of movement going on in my abdominal anymore. I know this is nothing but it has already begun. I am so used to being able to just pop right up from my back. Now, I am having to do the whole roll to my side thing. It just makes me laugh.

We went swimming last weekend and I have always heard that the water takes the pressure off of pregnant women and how great it feels. To be honest, I thought it felt weird on my stomach to be in the water. I can't really describe the sensation besides it felt weird. I guess it just made me really aware that I had a stomach for the first time.

I have noticed a huge change in my clothes this week as well. There is officially a bump and now I am finding every morning I am late to work as I stand in my closet trying to find something that will work. The problem being my normal clothes are getting to tight and most of my pregnancy clothes are still to big. I tell you it makes getting dressed a challenge at 5am. My hair is still falling out like crazy. Strange since everyone keeps telling me you typically don't loose much hair during pregnancy it is usually afterward. It is to the point now where it has become annoying as I am always feeling hair tickling my arm or face. Not to mention the large clumps I pull out every time I shower or brush my hair. Good thing I have so much.
I am still suffering heavily from pregnancy brain. I just feel like an airhead half the time. After talking to my girlfriend Missy, who just had her baby last week she informed me that after the baby it is even worse. Just something else to look forward to. Ha.

We are starting to think about what to do about day care or having a nanny. There has been a lot of talk but we just haven't made the time to call around just yet. We need to get going as the waiting lists are long. The plan currently is for me to work three days a week after the baby is born. That is the challenge with day care as far as my strange hours and wanting to go part time. This is the point at which one of the grandma's should just step up and move to Atlanta to watch the baby...what do you think? We are willing to negotiate a competitive salary as well as a benefits package. Really this is priceless opportunity. Do we have any takers? We are willing to take "non blood" applicants as well. (Winckler Joke)

We think we found a crib this week as well. My mom and Dennis will be in town tomorrow so we will take them to give their professional advice. It is a crib that turns into a toddler bed and then into a full size bed. Once we find out the sex of the baby on Wednesday we will then be able to finally start picking colors and get the registry going. I have a couple of girlfriends who have offered to assist me with the registry as I have no idea what to get besides diapers and bottles.

We are really looking forward to finding out this week. Only two more days till we know! I can't wait! If I can remember, you will all receive an email or phone call on Wednesday with the exciting news. Ha.

As always, included are pictures of me from this weekend. I included me in my normal clothes that as you can see are starting not to fit as well as in a maternity outfit which fits so much better! Also attached is the babycenter.com week 19 report.

All our love,

Julie and Jason


www.babycenter.com Your pregnancy: 20 weeks
How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to her bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against her torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats her entire body to protect her skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in her first messy diaper (although a few babies pass it in utero or during delivery).

Baby Belknap Report Weeks 17 and 18

Hello to All,

The past few weeks have been busy ones for us. We spent week 17 at the DuPage County Fair! Woo hoo. Had to get baby Belknap broken in right away. As most of you know the fair is mandatory for all Winckler's every year and now the Belknaps!
I felt pretty good all week at the fair. Pushing myself a little more than usual as far as not taking any naps and staying up till at least midnight or later each day. With this I did feel the baby move almost each night as I finally laid down for bed. I was so excited to eat "fair food" and sad to report it wasn't as appetizing as I had imagined it would be. I have been craving hot dogs so I did finally indulge on those. I have not eaten a hot dog in about 15 years. Yikes. It was so delicious too. Sugar is still bothering me but I had to take one for the team and did eat the usual chocolate chip cookies each night of the fair. It did leave me feel nauseated but come on..it was the fair. What's a girl to do. Ha.
I babysat my nine month old niece, Shannon for half a day. I was so nervous, but to my surprise she was so easy. Eat, sleep, poop, and don't forget spit up! She is crawling all around so she kept me very busy. Don't think she didn't show her appreciation by puking down the front of my pants at the fair. I have learned now not to only bring extra clothes for baby but for me too. Jason and I took our 3 year old nephew, AJ, to ride the carnival rides and within five minutes he had already bumped into Jason and fell face first in the dirt. We left him with a nice strawberry on his forehead. We have lots to learn!
While we were there we got to enjoy the company of our pregnant friends. Don't drink the water! When I first arrived in IL on Wednesday Katy, Dennis's daughter was having contractions about 3 minutes apart. It was a great reality check for me. However to her disappointment her baby was still not ready to join us. Went to dinner with Laura who is due in October and our friends Chrissy and Abdel. Laura has a very cute little bump! Carrie drove from Bourbonnais to spend a few hours at the fair. Carrie is my friend who is due two weeks after me. We both are finally starting to really have a bump. My girlfriend Missy and her husband Jeff also drove out to have breakfast with us. She is due any minute. She is looking and feeling great.
There is an official bump this week. My clothes have started not to fit and seems like my stomach is really sticking out. Pretty exciting at this point. This transition phase is difficult for my body image. I can officially say I have gained one whole pound and maternity clothes are feeling wonderful. I sure wish it was acceptable to wear them all the time! This past two weeks I have noticed that my stomach has been itching. Guess that means it is stretching. My hair is still falling out like crazy too. I am still taking my naps and feeling tired more so. I think I was playing catch up from the fair. I can feel myself being more hormonal these days. I feel that I am getting more irritated with all the little things. Poor Jason! No real food cravings currently going on. Still wanting pasta a lot. I didn't workout at all the week of the fair but made up for it this past week. I was able to get in five workouts! Felt so great to be back on track.
We went to the doctor this week as well. We got to hear the heartbeat which was between 140-150bpm. It was the first time Jason got to hear it. He was very cute with how excited he was. We also found out that I am RH negative. Which means I have to have a shot around 28 weeks and one after I deliver. There is not suppose to be a threat to my baby now but I am to get the shots so in case we have more kids my body will not build up antibodies and try to attach any future fetuses. We go back to the doctor on August 22 to have our twenty week ultrasound. So excited. If the baby cooperates we will find out the sex. It also just happens that my mom and Dennis will be in town so they will get to go with us. How fun. Wish Momma Sue could be there too!
We went to a engagement party last night for my friend Sonia, who will be our labor and delivery nurse. While we were there we got to socialize with my OB doctor. Isn't there some kind of rule you are not suppose to see them outside of the office? The best part was that one of my clients introduced me to my doctor, not knowing she clearly already knows all about me. It was funny. She had delivered at least two of the women at the party. Jason kept telling her he was going over to ask for references and demand he see all the belly buttons of babies she had delivered to see her work. She got a good laugh.
Also wanted to announce that Katy had a baby boy, Jack, this morning. Both mom and Jack are doing well. Congrats Katy and John.

Thanks for allowing me to ramble on. Hope you are all well. I have attached the babycenter.com week 17 and 18 reports. I have also included some fun pictures. First one is week 17 and it is of Willie and I. Can you tell me who is further along? The next is Carrie, Missy and I with our "bellies" The next one is Laura and I. The last are week 18. See the bump really is out. =)

All our love,

Julie and Jason


Week 17:
How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

Week 18:
How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.