21, 22, & 23 Weeks: I am a slacker!

The infant carseat that we purchased: Graco Snugride 35 (holds up to 35 pounds)

22 Weeks 6 Days Bump Picture: The day Mom, Carol, and I registered for baby stuff

The baby bedding! Due to Internet difficulties, this is the best picture that I could copy into the blog. Isn't it adorable!!

The stroller frame that the infant carseat snaps into, in order to become a stroller.

(P.S. Sorry for the random order of the pictures. I've been fighting blogger for the last hour!)

So, I've only been a mom for 23 weeks, and I'm already a slacker! Not only has it been 3 weeks since my last blog, but it's been 3 weeks since Ty and I last saw a movie! Whoa is me, already letting my child down! ) ;

So, what did I do with my time when I was dodging my blogging and movie-going responsibilites? Well, I must admit that I did keep rather busy! As most of you know, during my blogging haitus, Ty was offered and accepted a job in Osceola! He will be the chief financial officer/city clerk for the city of Osceola, his hometown. So....we're moving! His first day of work will be June 1st, and I will follow him to Osceola on June 26th.

The job is an awesome opportunity for our family: finally, the beginning of Ty's career in his field of choice, an increase in Ty's pay, better benefits, extended maternity leave for me, raising Beau in a small town, having grandparents located in the same town.... the benefits go on! We are so excited to move on to this next phase in our lives! I can't believe that, a year ago this coming September, I will go from being an Omaha resident, full time student, full time employee, studying for comprehensive exams, and completing my counseling internship to.... a stay at home mother living in Osceola, Iowa. Ah! Please pray for Ty and I as we make this exciting transition into our new vocations.

Now, back to the main attraction: Mr. William Beau.... Beau appears to be doing fantastic! Nothing much to report. I've now gained about 15 pounds, the belly just keeps growin' and growin'! I told Ty and a couple of coworkers that I give my belly button 2 weeks before it completely disappears. Beau continues to move and groove like crazy!

Since learning about the move to Osceola, the nesting instinct has been kicked into high gear. The past 3 weeks have been filled with making baby purchases! Carol (Ty's mom), my mom, and I registered for baby stuff last weekend. Wow....never did I know the amount of stuff necessary to care for an infant. And the choices! Oh my goodness, the choices are overwhelming! And I used to think that choosing baby items was all based upon aesthetics! Oh, no, one must consider a plethora of various baby-related factors when making a purchase as simple as a set of bottles! Whew, let me just say that I was so grateful to have the two grandmas alongside me for the ride!

And baby Beau, your father and I have made 2 very large purchases for you in the past week. First (with the help of the grandmas) we finally chose a stoller/carseat. And, drumroll please.... we finally picked out your bedding! Yay!! I had been searching the Internet for weeks, trying to find just the right bedding. I think the dinosaur bedding that we chose is perfect for you! The light colors compliment the dark wood in the crib very well.

Well, thanks for your patience since my last blog. For your information, the baby is now the size of a "papaya". And if anyone can tell me what a papaya looks like, I would appreciate it! To give more specific growth statistics, Beau should be about 10.5 to 12 inches long & weigh anywhere from 13 to 20 ounces.

Coming Next Week: How our 24 Week Appointment and Babymoon Went!

Week 20: Date Night & The Big Ultrasound

21 Weeks Pregnant: I feel humongous! Don't I look pleased?

Baby's Profile and Leg

Blurred Picture of Baby's Profile

Yep, that's the foot right up by the face...

See the little hand in the middle?

Hand and foot, side by side.... Resting by the head?? (I think...)

1 Leg, 2 Legs, 3 Legs???? Hmmm....Uhhh......It's a boy!
Yep, still a boy...

Week 20: Date Night (13)

Gonna keep the movie review brief this week. I mean, Steve Carrell and Tina Fey? How much could there possibly be to say?!? The movie was very enjoyable! It was kinda one of of those flicks where all the funny parts are already shown in the previews, though... Regardless, Ty and I still enjoyed the film. The comedic timing between Steve Carrell and Tina Fey was very entertaining. If you're looking for a friviolous, cute little movie, Date Night should trick your trigger. (Sunday, 04/11/10, Oakview)

Well, I'll start with the big news.... It's a boy! The technician's guess at our 12 week ultrasound was correct. We're having a little boy! Ty and I have talked baby names for a very long time, and we've always had a front contender: William Beau. Well, although we tried to give fair consideration to other names.... we just can't shake it off. Most likely, the baby will be named William Beau Wheeler. And, like his father, he'll go by his middle name "Beau". Ty and I already refer to the baby as "Beau" (or affectionately nicknamed Bilbo, after the Lord of the Rings character). Neat historical tidbit: Ty's parents considered naming him "Beau", and Ty had a cat in Canada named "Bilbo". So, Beau just seemed meant to be! From henceforth, I will likely refer to the baby as "Beau" during blog entries.

Well, I must say, Beau is an active little squirt! While it was amazing to watch him wiggle during the ultrasound, he wiggled so much that our ultrasound tech had difficulty getting all the necessary medical measurements. As a result, our appointment ran long; therefore..... we didn't have any time to "play" with the 4D ultrasound technology! I was so disappointed! I was so eager to see how Beau actually looking like a real baby, that it really knocked the wind out of my sails.... So, after a couple post-ultrasound tears, the rational part of me kicked in, and I felt simply grateful for a healthy baby! (Also, Ty's concession that he would consider spending the money for an elective 3D ultrasound may have eased my suffering, too....)

Beau weighed 11 ounces on the day of our ultrasound, right on track. It still baffles me how my child doesn't even weigh 1 pound, yet his mommy has now gained a whopping 14 pounds! Yep, I've gained about 6 pounds in two and a half weeks.... Looking at my 21 Week picture, I think my bump looks huge! You should see my belly button! The skin above it is stretched so tight! It feels uncomfortable after large meals... Like I mentioned last week, I think Beau and I are having a growth spurt. I've been more tired than usual, taking ridicously lengthy naps. And my appetite appears to have mildly increased, as well.

Back to having an active baby, Beau has just been kicking up a storm over the past week! I feel him throughout the day now, not just when lying down in the early morning and bed time. For the first time, I felt a "dragging" sensation: I felt the baby kick then drag an appendage about an inch across my stomach. And yesterday, I saw the baby kick for the first time. (That was weird! It was like my stomache was bubbling!) So far, I think feeling movement is my favorite part of pregnancy. I brag to Ty that Beau and I already get to "play". Ty just responds by leaning down to my belly and saying, "Kick! Kick, Beau! Kick, Mommy's bladder!"

Beau should now measure about 10.5 inches long, weighing about 13 ounces: the size of a banana. As of today, only 130 days left! We already love our little man....

Week 18 & 19: Time Travel & Titans, Grooving Baby

Week 18: Hot Tub Time Machine (11)

Wow. What a name for a movie, right? I mean, talk about a premise destined to make a movie of epic-ly disasterous proportions, right? Well, wrong! Ty and I both thoroughly enjoyed Hot Tub Time Machine! Granted, we went into the movie with an open mind and a silly attitude. I mean, we didn't expect Shakespeare here! And the movie adequately presented an hour of enjoyable goofiness! The 80s references were highly entertaining, and between a couple of goofy characters and fantastic one-liners... we had a fabulous night! (03/26/10, Friday, The Rave)

Week 18 was pretty low key for baby and I. Once the weather turned nice, we went on a couple long walks outside. Man, I run out of breath fast now! Especially going up hills! Did I mention that we're doing prenatal yoga, too? That's really helped me relax after a long day at work. (I guess that I'm not lying to my patients when I tell them that simple deep breathing can work miracles!) Baby started moving a little more often during Week 18. When I concentrate real hard, I can usually feel it once a day or so.

Week 19: Clash of the Titans (12)

So, does anyone else remember watching the 1980s version of this movie in Mr. Johnson's sophomore English class? I just remember giggling and giggling and giggling at the fantastic special effects. Well, this Clash of the Titans was a little more high-tech in its special effects. ( ; And while it may not have stayed true to the mythology of Perseus, Ty and I both really enjoyed the movie. The pacing of the movie was fantastic: the hour and a half flew by. And unlike other movies about Greek mythology, I was actually able to completely follow the storyline! Liam Neeson was great as the mighty Zeus. (Doesn't he play God-figures well? Although I still think that I prefer him as Aslan.) And Ralph Fiennes played a great Hades (And doesn't he play evil-characters well? Although I still think that I prefer him as Voldemort.) Anyway, I'd definitely recommend this movie to others.

Week 19 was a little busier for the little one and I. I'm pretty sure we were experiencing a growth spurt! Every day I took at least a two hour nap after work. And then I'd still sleep for a solid 8 hours! And my bump is rapidly growing, too. Dear goodness gracious, you should see my poor, mis-shapen belly button! Already, it's super shallow and stretched sideways. It's bizarre! But the biggest news of Week 19 is that our baby has finally discovered it's dancing feet. The frequency of movement appears to have exponentially increased! I now feel movement at various times throughout the day, several movements at a time. Baby's getting strong!! And, most importantly....

Ty got to feel the baby move! On Friday night, our little one was kicking up a storm, so I had Ty try to feel. Sure enough, he jerked this hand away right after I felt a kick. Ya know, I was really looking forward to seeing Ty's reaction after feeling movement for the first time..... I always imagined him looking so happy and awe-inspired. Instead, he was weirded out! First, it was "Oh. Wow. We really are gonna have a baby!" Next, it was "Ugh. As much as that weirds me out, I can't imagine what that must be like for you!" Schmuck! ( : Then last night, Ty got to feel the baby move 3 separate times. This time, he just started giggling! He said, "What's the baby doing in there? Like, karate-chopping your uterus? I mean, what's the point of all this random kicking?" Then he just continued giggling as he pictured our child fruitlessly wiggling around. Poor baby! ( :

Finally, Ty, baby, and I had a great Easter. Grandma Susan made the baby an Easter basket, filled with several baby books and a pack of white onesies. And, my mom actually got to feel the baby move, too! I also revealed the baby's gender to my side of the family. Yay!! After Grandpa Jay and Grandma Carol get the chance to find out the gender in person, I will let everyone else know, too.

Our big 20 Week Ultrasound was yesterday! But I'm gonna keep you hanging for details until next week's 20 week post..... Happy Easter!