BOY OR GIRL???

Finally that time! We had our monthly appointment (19 weeks) on Friday---healthy heart-rate and everything looking great. We followed it with our halfway ultrasound to determine if Baby Z is a boy or girl! I cannot tell you how anxious we were to find out. We didn't have a preference one way or another but just a 'feeling'. The weeks leading up the the appointment were filled with guessing from family and friends. I had always loved the idea of a gender reveal with family and friends so we decided to take those guesses and have some fun with it!

We decided on the cake reveal for our family and closest friends. If the inside of the cake was pink- girl, blue- boy. Our intention was to be surprised with everyone at the party. As soon as the ultrasound tech asked 'Do you want to know?', I quickly responded that we did! We were too excited to wait! let me tell you...it was the longest 24 hours until we revealed and painful to deny that we did in fact know from those who know us best (especially since I'm a terrible liar!). The party was simple---cake, cookies and punch---all in pink and blue of course!

Steve wanted to add a little extra fun to the growing anticipation, so he cut the bottom layer first, revealing.......white cake! We would be having a white baby! Then came the good stuff; the real deal; the big reveal! We sliced the top layer and revealed a baby pink colored cake sharing with our family and friends that we'd be expecting a baby GIRL!!!

As if the day wasn't exciting enough, we also revealed another surprise---that we'd decided on a name for our little girl. For months, we'd been asked and hadn't yet decided so no one expected us to have one at the party, making it more exciting to share! Elizabeth Leigh Ziebka- Ellie for short- will be joining us in May!

The name we chose comes with a very great story as well---we had finally decided on it only a week or two ago but had chosen not to share just yet. When the ultrasound tech asked if we'd chosen a name, I only replied that we had a few in mind. She decided to name the little baby on the screen herself based on what struck her about 'the adorable little one'. She happened to think our little girl looked like an Elizabeth. I was shocked and had to have her repeat what she'd said! I looked at Steve and just said 'It's a sign. That's our baby's name.' Meant to be!

We're overjoyed about our baby Ellie and so thankful for our family and friends that joined us at the reveal! Ellie is so loved!

On a different note, Ellie (so nice to stop saying 'it' or 'the baby' or 'baby z') started kicking a little over two weeks ago! It was very subtle at first and I barely noticed but over the last week, she's been more active or the kicks get stronger all the time! I kept hearing that her kicks would feel like gas bubbles or butterflies but of course, I'd compare it to a workout---when I have an intense workout and my heart feels like it will beat out of my chest; the kicks to me feel like one strong intense heart-beat, in my stomach of course. She's either more active when I'm lying down/resting or that's just when I notice so far. Hopefully in the next few weeks, she'll get more active and stronger so her daddy can feel her moving!

Finally, I'll share two really great pictures from our ultrasound...

the first is a great picture of our baby's full body. All measurements came in close to 20 weeks (a week ahead) so we're told she's developing well and the tech said she looks strong and healthy!

Daddy's little girl---the second is Steve's favorite! Little Ellie flexed her muscles for us!

Just about halfway there and the excitement of Ellie is just beginning....

Bloated.

16 weeks and counting! We had another great doctor's appointment for four months---healthy heart-rate and everything looking good. Good news this month too---up to 5 lbs weight gain! After being told I 'need to gain more weight' I was happy to have an appointment following Thanksgiving. Of course now I'm just feeling bloated and not so pregnant:

My appetite is back and the nausea has gone from all day, everyday to only when I'm hungry. Eating snacks every few hours has helped with that. This baby is still a health nut though, wanting mostly salads, fruits and veggies and making me feel pretty crummy after too much sugar. I'd love to enjoy some ice cream but the baby has removed that craving altogether! Steve has begun to have his own 'pregnancy symptoms' whilst craving pasta constantly and complaining of sore muscles and troubled sleep. Who's pregnant here :)

Absolutely exciting moment of this week---scheduled our 5 month ultrasound to find out the gender of Baby Z! We have an ultrasound scheduled for the 28th this month and planning to reveal to family and friends on the 29th! We're undecided on when/if Steve and I will find out before or wait until the cake reveal with everyone else. (Before we were even pregnant I loved the idea of cutting a cake to reveal a pink or blue interior as a reveal to family and friends.) We're both very anxious to find out but both know I'll struggle to keep my mouth shut. We're not leaning one way or another, by preference or intuition, but will be thrilled with a healthy baby of either gender. One thing's for sure though---either a Bears jersey or cheerleading uniform :)

How far along: 16 weeks

Baby size: avocado

Current Weight: 129 lbs

Maternity clothes? - not yet but leggings are definitely more comfortable :)

Sleep? - restless

Best moment: everytime we hear the heartbeat, it's amazing!

Miss anything: caesar salad

Movement? not yet but I'm told it should be soon

Anything makes you queasy or sick: red meat still but craving a burger

Showing yet? - looking bloated

Gender: ultrasound scheduled for the 28th!

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: loving being pregnant

Looking forward to: finding out if Baby Z with be our daughter or son J

Baby Z received its first Christmas presents this week:

Buddy the Elf onesie from Eileen---which will go nicely with Steve and I's Christmas tradition each year----the day after Thanksgiving we put up the tree and Christmas decorations while watching Elf!

Sophie the Giraffe came from Shane and Allie---said to be the best teether out there so hopeful to ease some crabbiness later!

Baby Z is already so loved by many! We're blessed to have so many incredible family and friends supporting us now. Knowing our baby will be surrounded with that same love and support means the world to us!

Goodbye First Trimester!

Happy Fall from the Ziebka's!!!

This week is the end of the first trimester and I couldn't be any happier to welcome the second! I'm hoping with it comes less/no nausea and more energy! I actually was able to run a full mile today, which is huge improvement where four months ago I was running five to less than one in these last three months. 

I'm starting to 'round out' but people still tell me they don't notice. We surely do...and soon my pants will be telling me! I've been working on getting lots of leggings to save me when that happens :)

How far along: 12 weeks

Baby size: plum

Starting Weight: 125 lbs

Maternity clothes? - not yet but leggings are definitely more comfortable :)

Sleep? - better with the snoogle

Best moment: hearing our little runner's heartbeat!

Miss anything: my energy

Movement? no...but we read that the baby could feel us poke 'it' now

Anything makes you queasy or sick: red meat; last night, BBQ pork....ugh

Showing yet? - rounding out!

Gender: should find out around Christmas

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited!

Looking forward to: the next 6 months J

We've got a runner in the oven!

We've officially announced our exciting news! As you can see, even Bailey is excited...anxious to be a big sister!

We had our 11 week appointment on Friday and got to hear Baby Z's heartbeat again---175 bpm! Our doctor says this is a very healthy, normal heart rate. I think it sounds like the baby just ran a marathon---I'm glad someone's getting some exercise though because I'm still exhausted! They checked all my levels and say everything looks and sounds great so we're happy to know we have a healthy baby!

This week we have a 'baby shower' at the hospital. They have set up tours and informational sessions to help teach us all about what to expect and what they provide at the hospital on the big day and in preparation! We're anxious to see and learn more about the hospital where Baby Z will be born!

This week---anxious to start the second trimester and hopefully regain some energy and start feeling better :)

Our baby looks like a turtle :)

Well, it's been a few weeks since I've posted---a few slow weeks followed by a hectic and exciting week last week! After several weeks of nausea and extreme anticipation, we had two doctors appointments. After an initial not-so-good appointment---I've been quite spoiled by my wonderful relationship with my primary nurse practitioner Renee and was hopeful to find this in our OBGYN---in simplest words, the first was not the one. The second appointment, however, went fantastically! Our doctor made us feel comfortable and confident. It was an easy choice!
At our first appointment we were able to see little Baby Ziebka on the ultrasound and hear the heartbeat. I must say, next to our darling nephew's giggle, it was one of the most incredible things I've ever heard! Steve and I couldn't take our eyes off the screen as the doctor showed us our baby and explained what we were seeing. Our baby's heartbeat came in at 161 bpm ---healthy and developing well! The doctor told us after seeing this that we have less than a 5% chance of miscarriage at this point, which was very reassuring.

While taking measurements though, he did discover that we were about ten days less than we had thought, making me currently 8.5 weeks. On our 'chalkboard progression', I'm technically 8.5 weeks so growing to the size of a green olive this week.

I weighed myself today and have actually lost two pounds. It's probably the nausea and aversion to eating that's doing it :(

It's crazy now knowing we found out at only 3 weeks that we had a baby on the way! The last 6 weeks of knowing have been made even more exciting by gradually sharing the news with good friends and family. We're hoping to share the news with everyone else throughout the week!

How far along: 8.5 weeks

Baby size: green olive

Starting Weight: 123 lbs

Maternity clothes? - hopefully not for awhile!

Sleep? - wake up at least once and struggle to fall back asleep

Best moment: hearing our baby's heartbeat!

Miss anything: being able to run long distanceà exhausted!

Movement?

Anything makes you queasy or sick: nauseous all day; red meat is a definite NO

Showing yet? - nope

Gender: should find out around Christmas

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited!

Looking forward to: sharing the news with friends this week!

Goodbye Abs!

I'm currently 6 weeks along and am saying my last farewells to a flat belly! Goodbye wine. Goodbye sushi. Goodbye belly-button ring. Goodbye skinny jeans. And goodbye distance runs.

I received this chalkboard idea and questions via another blog (thanks for the referral, Allie!). Mine will serve to show you my belly growth and how far along Baby Z is. I'll try to keep up with the baby's size in relation to fruit as well. We find it to be a fun comparison. This week Baby Z is the size of a sweet pea!

Our first ultrasound is October 9th when we'll get to hear the heartbeat :)

I'll also try to post the answers to these questions sporadically:

How far along: 6 weeks

Baby size: sweet pea

Starting Weight: 125 lbs

Maternity clothes? - hopefully not for awhile!

Sleep? - anxious

Best moment: positive pregnancy test!

Miss anything: being able to run long distanceà exhausted!

Movement?

Anything makes you queasy or sick: been nauseous all week but not 'sick' yet

Showing yet? - I'd hope not!

Gender: should find out around Christmas

Labor signs: no

Wedding rings on/off? -  on

Mood: excited!

Looking forward to: the next 9 months J

Blessed!

As planners Steve and I had been discussing growing our family for quite awhile. We'd decided the end of the year would be a good time after being married two years and so that, by the time we had the baby, we'd (hopefully) be in a bigger home. But after holding our precious nephew, Landyn, we kinda got 'the fever'. We decided that our trip to San Diego would be our 'Baby-moon' before we'd stop preventing and let God take over. We were convinced that it would take quite some time so we'd still be on schedule for the end of the year. God had other plans for us :)

As we neared our second anniversary, I began to struggle on my runs. I attributed it to the excessive heat we'd been having and my crazy hormone imbalance. Of course, as Steve would tell me, I'm stubborn so fought through it and continued to run. A few weeks later I came down with a cold/sinus infection and began having some cramping. I assumed I'd be starting soon so again, brushed it off. At Steve's softball game, I was discussing these issues with a nurse friend of ours as she gave me strange looks. She responded with 'have you taken a pregnancy test', which of course received a quick, 'Of course not! I'm not pregnant.' I'd told Steve about this which led him to return to what seemed like everything I said 'Oh, it's probably because you're pregnant.' (little did he know!) 

The next evening, Wednesday, September 12th, I began to replay her question incessantly, prompting me to research all the known pregnancy symptoms. Mind you, this is at about 10 pm when Steve is determined to go to bed. I begin to read off about 4/5 symptoms that match mine perfectly including susceptibility to colds, extreme fatigue, breakouts, cramping and constant urination (which is really nothing out of the ordinary if you ask my father-in-law who calls me the 'water sprinkler'). Of course, I enter freak-out mode. "Should I take a test?!"; so Steve decided for me . That way we'd know for sure and he could get some sleep and I'd stop driving him crazy.

As we waited for the results, I paced back and forth saying how I knew it'd be negative and I was completely okay with that; Steve's still trying to sleep----longest two minutes ever. From the guest bathroom, I yell, "Hon, can you come in here?" As Steve stares at the test dumbfounded (because of course he's never seen a test, let alone knows how to read it), and his first response, in true Steve fashion......"Is that your urine on the stick?"

I slept very little that night, just waiting for 7 am when Renee's (if you know me, you know I'm on a first name basis with my amazing doctor!) office opens. I was at the office by 7:45, taking a test. Renee takes me into the testing room and tells me that she still has two minutes remaining on the test and can already affirm that I'm pregnant. Naturally, the two of us shriek and hug. I can honestly say, it was my favorite trip to the doctor...so far :)

A whirlwind of emotions ensued for us after this---shock, a little stress, anxiety, worry but mostly excitement. We quickly sprung into action making a list of our family and friends to share the news with and when we felt appropriate to do so. Convenient for us, we would be having dinner with my parents the next evening and with Jan's birthday the following week, we'd be making our trip to Charleston! We couldn't be any more excited to share the news with Baby Z's grandparents, aunts and uncles!

Ive decided to begin this blog to keep family and friends updated. Don't worry, posts will not typically be this long. This will give you each the opportunity to see Baby Z's progress and how he/she is making me feel as we go along. While we aren't quite ready to make our news public just yet, we appreciate the prayers and support of those who know.