23 weeks, my detachment Saturday in Lake Chelan and my most recent doc appt

23 weeks and feeling great. I do have my moments but overall I feel healthy and excited. I will say for the California females who want to know the nitty gritty, I do get swollen feet and ankles and I am getting winded easier but like I said, it is all good. I did go on a little getaway to Lake Chelan with my friend, Kelly this last weekend as you can see from the above. The idea was that I would detach from Vader and Chad before we have a little baby and take one more weekend just for me and only me. I ended up bringing Vader because the thought of being away from him was too rough. I think I am addicted to loving him. Chad too, but he had to work so that took care of that. Kelly and I had a great time. I did some pregnant nail painting and watched her and her grandma drink wine. We really did have a great time. I had another doc appt today that was pretty basic. I heard the heartbeat again and it was just boomin. Love that. Everything else looked good and that was it. I have the gestational diabetes/glucose test next time and I also get my first Rhogam shot for RH Negative. Things are moving along! Dutch has been kicking and moving alot which I love. It is still pretty soft but it has finally gotten to the point where Chad feels it often. He usually talks to my belly when he gets home from work and Dutch loves to kick him in the face. It is awesome. Being pregnant is making me realize that I am actually living some of the happiest times in my life. Its sounds cheesy but when Chad talks to my tummy, I just think, "this is what it's all about for me." I will need to remember that when Dutch is shooting pee at me or when he sneaks out for the first time. I am also excited for the other babies in my family that are on the way and they seem to be popping out all over the place. Yay for babies!

Dutch Verdieck Phillips

We had our 20 week ultra sound and it was the most incredible thing I have ever seen in my life. The technician did not tell us the sex until the end so she could take all of her measurements and so she could be 99% sure. Apparently, Chad saw the twig and berries right away when she was measuring his femur's. He did not say anything and the ultra sound went along with some ooh's and ahh's from the proud parents. It got to the end and the technician closed up on something and her and Chad just looked at me. I was like, "what?" Chad was like, dont you see it?!!! I said, "see what." He said, "it's a boy!" The Technician said, yes, you are having a boy. She circled the parts with her mouse and I still had no idea what they were talking about. It made me feel better that Chad could see it clear as day. She said she was not able to say 100% but she is as sure as she can be, 99%. Chad and I both started tearing up and it was just amazing. She gave us a few pictures and we were on our way to the next appt. where the midwife explained how perfect he already is. They did say he is a "mover" and I knew that already. I am excited for Chad to start feeling more kicks as we go along. WE LOVE YOU DUTCH!

Knocked up bowling at 19 weeks

Chad and I went bowling with my team from work and I am 19 weeks prego here. We had a blast! The baby has really started kicking this week. Last week it was light taps and this week they are definately getting harder but they are still light. Chad was able to feel one which was so awesome. It's tough because I will say, "Chad, the baby is kicking!" and he will go to feel it and he cant because its so light or it stopped. He finally got a good one and his face just lit up. He is going to be such a good dad. We find out the sex and see how the baby is growing on Monday. I am excited to finally get to use my baby's name whatever the sex. We are both excited just to see a picture of the baby again and see how beautifully it is growing. I have to go into work on Monday but I have the next two days off work just to go register. :) It is fun because now all the people I work with and often customers can tell I am prego. I have gotten alot of comments and it is really fun for me to talk about the baby. The ladies from catering all look at me with the side tilt and the "she is going to be a mother" smile. I love that. They always ask how I am doing and it is really nice. Off to the dump today to make room for the nursery! We are going to make our dining room into a cute little nursery in the near future.

week 18

My latest belly pic is once again in the awesome PJ outfit- but that seems to be when I want to take these pics. The tummy has really popped out since week 17. I have felt our little baby fluttering around quite a bit in the last week. It feels as if I have alka seltzer in my tummy. No, it is not gas, it is my baby! I can tell the difference, trust me. I have been eating alot more healthy in my second trimester and I do feel like exercizing a bit more than in the first trimester. I have decided alot of pregnancy books out there are very negative and that does not really interest me right now. I heard Jenny McCarthy's book was great so I got it and all she did was complain the whole time about being pregnant and she tried to be funny about it. Maybe that is funny for someone who was pregnant in the past and can look back and laugh but for me, I really want to surround myself with positive messages. I want to be excited to meet my baby, not fear it. I want to embrace my changing body, not make fun of it. Okay-maybe a little teasing here and there but Jenny was too much. I am glad I have reached this decision because it has led me to my favorite prego learning tool out there. The podcast, pregtastic. I love it. It has a bunch of pregnant women and they have guests and they talk about every angle. If they talk about cloth diapers, they talk about disposable. If they talk about breast feeding, the next show is on bottle feeding. They really let the mom decide and they honor every woman's right to make her own choices. I love that. That is why I have decided to do a hypnobabies course. It is basically hypnosis for a natural child birth. Hypnosis is basically meditation which I already know has amazing benefits. Hypnobabies teaches you to be happy about giving birth and to feel positive about the experience rather than be scared. They teach you that your body knows what to do because it is a natural thing. No matter what happens in the delivery room, I am glad this course is teaching me not to be afraid. Chad is very supportive, which means the world to me. Two weeks until we find out what private parts our baby has! Trycia or Dutch? Hmmmmm....

Shauna's wedding

We went to Chad's sisters wedding this weekend and it was a pregnant woman's dream. A DRY WEDDING! Even the toast was sparkling apple cider and they had the most wonderful buffet. It was so great and I felt really good about my dress! I have posted a couple pics.

This post might not be for all of you. Maybe just the women. :) Dad and Bob, dont read this one, kay?!

Chad's sister Shauna is getting married tomorrow. I love weddings and I love Chad's family, which is now my family, so it will be fun. Trying to find a dress is not easy. It is so amazing to be pregnant and I love every second of it...........well, almost every second. Trying to find a dress that looked good on me was tough. I am really surprised at how hard it is for me to accept my huge butt and huge tummy and huge everything else. I know my body needs to grow to make this baby, I know I am making healthy choices about 70% of the time. I know I am exercizing and kegeling and cat-cowing (yoga move, peeps).....so why is it I still think I need to look like I did when I wasnt pregnant in times that require a dress?! I can look at other prego's and think they look super cute. Sometimes I think I look super cute but then I put the dress on and the ta ta's spill out and the hips are wider than ever and I feel.........big. I went to about five different stores trying to find something that fit and looked good. Not an easy task. I think that is why I only found one dress that was half way decent at Kohl's. I brought it home and asked Chad what he thought. He was very nice but I could tell he was not in love with this dress. I asked him why and he said it was the wierd frilly things on the sleeves. WHAT?! Why are guys so random? I was showing cleavage! You would think that would be a bigger bonus than the cute ruffly sleeves that he didn't like. I give Chad credit though because he said it in a very good way. "Case-I just love your shoulders and those sleeves cover them up." I love him. BUT, just as I was about to say screw it and wear my t-shirt maternity dress to the wedding, Chad's sister, Rachel, brings me two maternity dresses to the rehersal dinner last night. OUT OF NO WHERE?! They were the most adorable dresses in the world. They were perfect. This is another reminder that pregnancy is a great teacher for me. I really need to let go of appearances and appreciate what life is about!!!! Making beautiful babies and having and awesome family, no matter what anyone looks like.
p.s. Pregnant bonus-the wedding is dry so no one will be able to drink without me!!!!!! :)

QFC is the best store on earth and the heartbeat

I showered up and got ready for my day yesterday thinking I looked like a huge gray tent in this maternity dress I was wearing. I did not feel like I looked cute-huge, meaning, pregnant-huge. I was just going through some rude self talk that I tried to ignore. I was at QFC looking for Chad's protein powder when this delightful QFC worker asked me when I was due. I was so caught off guard and I felt this woosh of emotions run through my body. I was so filled with joy all of a sudden I did not know what to do! I thanked her and told her she made my day, I was due in January, and so on. I asked her how she knew and she said I had that pregnancy glow. I left the store and instantly started bawling crying in the parking lot because I was so honored. I felt in that moment that reality that I am now a mother. Being a mother is such an amazing and incredible honor and when she asked me when I was due, I just felt such gratitude for my situation that I could not handle it. It was awesome.

Today was our second doc appt and it was a quickie. It was alot of question and answer and I realize that Chad is not embarrased by anything. I have put the disclaimer out there twice for Chad before I ask my questions. I say, "Chad, you might be embarrased, but I am going to ask her about my xxx." Every time he says, I am not embarrased, Case. You dont need to say that every time!" I probably still will because I think I say it more for me than him. Anyways, everything looks great and we finally heard the heartbeat. It was loud and strong and about 160bpm. I was surprised it did not make me emotional but it was awesome to hear. I did get my dad in trouble when I was discussing labor and delivery with the midwife. We were discussing natural vs. medicated births and I told her I think I want drugs. She said, why have you changed your mind since last time and I said because my dad told me not to be some "sort of crazy health muffin." I think our midwife is a lesbian so that might be why the word muffin seemed to really strike a chord. She was not happy with that advice and she really would not let it go. She kept saying muffin under her breath the rest of the appointment. I thought it was hilarious.
August 31 is our ultra sound appt when we get to see the baby and find out if baby is a boy or a girl. Sorry Bob and Mona! We are going to find out and I cant wait! :)