Growing Gunnells

If you haven't heard the news yet, we're having a baby! The little Gunnell family is finally getting a little bigger! Speaking of which, we've been doing a lot of growing lately in the Gunnell home. 

For starters, there is nothing more up close and personal than a prenatal exam...seriously, I don't think I could ever be embarrassed again. Okay, that might be an exaggeration but I really don't think (maybe with the exception of getting a pap smear) I have felt so personally "invaded" in my life thus far. It was super uncomfortable but super worth it. My doctor, Dr. Randall Pace, is wonderful. I think he is fantastic already. He is younger, friendly, and very sensitive to my concerns and feelings. He was considerate of Dalin and included him (even in some ways that I was not expecting, let's just say...) and I felt as though I was important as an individual patient and not just another number.

The most wonderful part of the appointment was when Dr. Pace told me he was going to give me a free mini ultrasound! I was so excited though admittedly nervous. That feeling never goes away no matter how reassuring an appointment is. What if there was no baby in there? Or even worse--no heartbeat. The screen on the ultrasound machine (which was like a thick tablet) was small--like the size of an iPhone. It took a second to find the baby--during which I silently freaked out--but I was so relieved when they did and better yet, we all could see the small flutterings showing us that his (or her) heart was beating!!! I was so thankful that Dalin and Mom (JeNeale) were there and that they could see it pretty clearly (I couldn't from the angle I was at). They looked at the head and little flailing arms and legs. To me, the white splotches that represented our baby looked more like a blob than a little human, but I was just so relieved to see him or her moving around that I didn't really care. 

After the appointment, I just felt so excited that we had been able to get a glimpse at our sweet lime-sized baby. Our little boy or girl was doing well and I was feeling good. I called my mom right away and let her know that everything was more than okay. 

I wish I could have a picture of that moment we first saw the baby and found her little heartbeat. But it was so special and intimate to see that tiny spirit child that in a way I want to keep that memory in my heart. I am so blessed to know that families are forever. It brings me so much comfort to know that should anything happen to our child, it will not be the end. I will have him or her for eternity no matter what. I am thankful to have been sealed to Dalin not just for time, but for all eternity, and that because of this blessing we will have each child in our family forever. 

Now all we can do is wait and pray things stay good. I cannot wait to see my little baby again! Every day I feel closer to him. I try holding really still to see if I can feel him wiggling around because at this point he can move quite a lot. Also, I am so excited to find out the gender! My mom did not find out for any of us but Dalin and I just do not have that kind of self-control. We cannot wait to know if we have a baby girl or a baby boy in there. We are hoping to find out at 18 weeks because both my mother and my mother-in-law will be around for Shaina's wedding! We thought it would be fun to have both of them involved. I am so excited. I just hope we can tell!!!

I am feeling much better than I did weeks 7-10...When the baby is hungry, she let's me know, but that's about the only time that I feel sick. I am completely exhausted but I feel like I sleep enough. Maybe more naps are in order (though it is kind of difficult to take naps when I work until 5:30, then pick up Dalin at 6:30...). I certainly feel thicker around the waist than I do normally. I'm usually pretty thin so having a belly at all--as tiny as it is--is weird for me. I am fairly certain that I've never weighed as much as I do now. My pants are definitely too tight to button. The other day at an ice skating activity I was hosting for King Henry, a girl even told me kindly, "Did you know your pants aren't buttoned?" I laughed and told her, "Yes, it's because I'm pregnant and they don't fit when they're buttoned." Then I said, "Great, probably everyone feels bad for me thinking I don't know my pants aren't buttoned up." I think since then, I've been better at hiding my unbuttoned pants though. Hopefully ;)

What techniques have you used to keep your pants up while pregnant? 
I've used a hair elastic on my buttonhole mostly, but I did try on some maternity pants which were surprisingly comfortable. I did not want to pay for a pair just yet though. I am thinking I would like to try a belly band but have not gotten around to buying one yet. 
Pregnant or not, what are your thoughts?