Watch it grow...23 weeks!

How far along?23 weeks
Size of Baby Baker: Mango (yummy!) About 11 inches long and weighing about 1lb

Total weight gain/loss: Not really weighing at home anymore but when I did the other day, I think I might be up 3lbs from the last Dr. visit...ekk! That is a 1.5 weight gain a week no the recommended .5 to 1lb, probably should not give in to all those cravings from here on out. Especially since they are mostly sweet ones!
Maternity clothes? Yep! She (more like mom) DOES NOT like to be restricted at all! I love PJ pants
Best moment this week: Feeling her move all the time!
Worst Moment:  Nothing
Miss Anything? Nope
Movement: All the time! I think she thinks my bladder is a trampoline
Food cravings: Tootsie Rolls and hot chocolate 
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope
Have you started to show yet?:Yes, but people still say I am "small". Some days I can hide it good or some days it shows alot... really depends on the clothing. To the ones that say I am still small, I always say "well, you haven't seen me naked!" LOL
Gender prediction: GIRL! Mary-Miller Dunlap Baker, Mary is obviously a family name for me. Miller is Ted's grandfather and brother's middle name. Dunlap is my great grandmother's maiden name...my grandfather on my mom's side mom. When doing her monogram and such, here initials will still just be MMB (or mBm) since everyone will call her Mary-Miller and most won't really know about the Dunlap name unless they ask or just know. I wanted to use Dunlap and thought it would be excuse to give her a "middle" name. I was always asked growing up if I had a middle name. Plus on paper work I had to put Mary as my first name and either "K" or Kathryn for my middle name so people would call me Mary until I corrected them. So maybe this will eliminate that for her.
What is Baby Baker up to? 
In the coming weeks, she will continue to grow and mature at a fast rate, gaining about 6 ounces of weight a week. By week 23, the blood vessels in her lungs, important for breathing outside the womb, are developing. Her lips are becoming more distinct and her eyes continue to develop, though they still lack color. Also, by this week, the bones in her middle ear start to harden. Her skin is still wrinkled but the pigments that will give her skin color are currently being deposited.

In other Baker news: The nursery is being painted this weekend! I have also decided to go with a breathable bumper in the crib instead of the traditional style so I will instead of getting that made with all the pretty fabrics I picked out, I will get the twin bed custom bedding made out of those fabrics. Really makes more sense anyway since she will be able to use it way longer than the crib. We also ordered the crib this week. Ted's mom and stepdad, also known as GiGi and Chief, always buy the crib for the new little ones that come in the family so we are very blessed we didn't have to worry with that. Especially since Baby Girl is already proving to be expensive, or really it might be her momma making her that way! :-) Everywhere I go, I see cute things for her. Most have been a great deal that I can't pass up but it all adds up quickly!

I also dropped off the rocker to be reupholstered yesterday. This rocker has been in my family for years so I am very excited to get to use it. And by looking online at the pricing of upholstered rockers and gliders, we will  be coming out cheaper on the cheaper end but like I said... it all adds up quick!

Our first baby shower invites also are going out this week!
Excited things are moving along.

Gender Reveal Party!

This was by far the one of the most exciting times in my life! I am so glad that Ted and I decided to wait and were able to go this with our family and friends. We originally had the idea, since we were not patience enough to tell our families in person that we were expecting, to do something fun for the gender reveal.

Here is the night in photos:

 All her little ultrasound pictures.

 Everyone had to choose Team Pink or Team Blue and then wear a "name tag" with their choice.

This was to help them decided what team they were on.

MG was on Team Pink!

Cutting into the cake and seeing the PINK! I love this picture!

My friend Ashely actually went with us to the ultrasound. The u/s tech gave her the photo with "the shot" on it and she is the one that took it and had the cake made with the appropriate color inside. She knew 24 hours before anyone else did! And did not crack one bit!

Skyping with Ted's parents. MG was so excited.

Even though it was so hard to wait, I am so glad that we did and were able to 

make this so special for our little family!

Watch it grow...22 weeks & 1 day!

 

(she looks like she is "poking" out more on the bottom of my tummy for sure)

How far along? 22 weeks and 1 day
Size of Baby Baker: size of a small banana

Total weight gain/loss: I haven't weighed at home since last week, so not sure.
Maternity clothes? All pants. 
Best moment this week: Finding out Baby B is a GIRL!!!!!
Worst Moment:  Nothing
Miss Anything? Nothing really besides being able to move around things on my own. I have always been a do it myself kind of girl. Moving furniture, etc. but can't really do that anymore so Ted has to help me. Kind of miss not have to wait on help... I am a impatient person! :-)
Movement: She is moving right now!
Food cravings: Oatmeal Cream Pies... LOVE them this week!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope
Have you started to show yet?: Yep! I had to go to LA Sunday - Wednesday this week and coming back home at LAX I was actually moved to the short family line to go through security when the security guard noticed my baby bump!
Gender prediction: GIRL! And we couldn't be more excited! Mary-Miller Baker. I think we are also adding a "middle" name so her first name will officially be "Mary-Miller". The middle name will just be for paperwork and such. People asked me all my life if I had a middle name. We have one in mind but still aren't 100% sure yet. Her monogram will still just use the MM and B since most won't even know she has the "middle" name.
What is Baby Baker up to? By week 22, her pancreas, a key player in hormone production, is developing steadily. Her skin may appear wrinkled at this point, but in the coming weeks, she will be gaining enough weight to fill it out.
Her eyes have developed but her irises still lack color. Even though her irises will have color by the time she is born, you won't know her permanent eye color until she is at least 9 months old. Most parents wait until their child's first birthday to determine what their permanent color will be. (source)


In other Baker news....The Gender Party was a great success! I will do another post just on it with the pictures. I am so glad we waited and were able to do that. It is something that we will always remember.

And now that we know she is a she... the nursery is in full swing. I finally had decided on the fabrics to use. My friend Ashley called me Saturday morning and told me that she saw some bedding at a yard sale in a really nice neighborhood so she thought I might want to take a look at it. I went and fell in love! Well, with once piece of it anyway. The crib bed skirt! It was pink and white striped linen. It was beautiful and exactly what I knew I would love mixed with some other pieces. The set also came with 2 curtains, a table skirt and bumper... all custom made. It is a pink and white toile, which my mom and Ted's mom love, but is a bit too girly for me. However I can use the form from the bumper to make the new bumper so that should save me some money there. The whole set was $25! No telling just what the linen fabric had cost alone originally! So now I will be selling the "blue" things I bought a few weeks ago. I thought that even if it was a girl I might still use it but now I have a new color scheme going. We are ordering the crib next week and also getting the room and closet painted. So excited to finally get going on her nursery. Here is a picture of the fabrics I am using...the solid tan is what we are recovering the rocking chair with and the "demask" looking one will be for the outside the the bumper and then the other one will be probably for the inside of the bumper. I don't want it to be too busy looking on the part that she will see when she goes to sleep...I want it to be more calming to look at.You can see the skirt under all the fabric samples in this photo. (and a touch of the toile that we aren't using, but is pretty)

I also remembered I had cream duponi silk curtains that I bought a while back and forgot about so that is what we will use for the drapes.
Mom and I went and registered last Saturday after the Gender Reveal Party. It was just a good time since she was in town and I already knew mostly everything I wanted. I also ordered her baby book. A store here in town makes custom baby books that are so pretty. They are much like our wedding book, made of duponi silk (I really like duponi silk!) and monogrammed. We used some banners at our wedding and I thought it would be so neat if since the books were custom made, we could use some of the fabric from those to make the baby book, and they were able to do it! So her baby book will be made from banners from our wedding! I think it is so neat! I will upload a photo once it comes in.
My wheels have been turning and I am sure won't stop for awhile! :-)
(guess that was my reason for getting up at 2 this morning and not being able to go back to sleep till after 4)

Watch it grow...21 weeks

How far along? 21 weeks
Size of Baby Baker: 14oz to be exact from Dr. this afternoon...or length of carrot

Total weight gain/loss: Officially from the Dr's scale this afternoon: up 7lbs
Maternity clothes? Same as last week. Jeans and knit shirts.
Best moment this week: Ted was able to finally feel Baby B move Monday night for the first time. He/She is moving more and more every day! Love feeling him/her all the time. AND seeing him/her move all over the screen during the ultrasound today! It is crazy how much movement is going on.
Worst Moment:  Besides being ill every once in awhile, thanks hormones!, nothing!
Miss Anything? Nope!
Movement: Yes! We have a mover and groovier on our hands!
Food cravings: Pubix glazed doughnuts, jello and fruit!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope... not this week.
Have you started to show yet?: Little bump is getting bigger and bigger. Still not too noticeable to strangers yet but to everyone else that knows me... they can see it for sure.
Gender prediction: I am writing this after my Dr. appt so the U/S tech knows, the Dr. knows and my friend Ashley knows! She was in charge of doing the cake for tomorrow night so she had to know. I can't wait to cut the cake and see what Baby B is.
Baby Baker Gender Pool is still up and going if you want to make a guess!
Pass code is "baby".
What is Baby Baker up to? May soon feel like Baby B is practicing martial arts. I may also discover a pattern to the activity as you get to know him/her better. In other developments,the baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

In other Baker news.... My mom is town for tomorrow night's reveal party. Then Saturday we are going out and about to register! I can't wait! Our first baby shower is November 12th so since the invitations will be going out soon, we need to get registered at some places. So since mom is in town, this will be the perfect weekend to do it. I think all this will really become "real" once we know what Baby B is and we are registering for baby things! Time is flying by. I also hope to have fabric and paint picked out for the nursery so we can get started on it in the next two weeks. I would love to have things somewhat organized by November 12th so we can come home and start placing things in the room, washing, putting away, etc. All the fun stuff to get ready for baby. For some, this might be a bit early, but for those who know me, they know this is just the way that I am! I would rather be on top of it and get it done early then wait till the last minute. I also like to take my time! It is hard for me to make up my mind on things sometimes but once I do, get out of my way, I am on a mission to get it done! This was probably a the main reason we were engaged for a year and a half! But I think once I officially know boy or girl, my brainstorming on the nursery will calm down a bit and I will be able to make some choices.
 

No bull about it...

Literally! As I had mentioned before,  Ted is the BIG 3-0 this Friday, the 14th but we had his party this past Friday the 7th. And in true 30 year old fashion, of course we had to have some kind of entertainment. So what else would we do but get a mechanical bull! However, that didn't turn out the way we planned.

The bull company got there and was taking awhile to set the thing up. I was wondering what was going on but was busy making sure everything was out and in it's place. Then Ted found me and said "we have a problem". Basically they could not locate the cord that connects the bull to the computer which controls the bull. Without that, there is no bull. And it is not something you can just go and buy. They felt awful as I did too. I mean, I had koozies made for this!!!  But they were extremely nice and offered us a full refund plus them coming out another night. It isn't going to be Ted's 30th birthday party, but what can you do? So they had a basketball thing they set up instead. (see photo below)

I was busy planning away the week leading up to the big party, getting food together, cleaning, ordering the custom koozies.. everything was looking like it would be a successful party. Obviously the bull was beyond my control. If I had been the owner of the company and in charge of the bull there would have been no problems! :-)

I love to party plan! It is one of my favorite things to do. I won't lie, I do get a bit stressed the week leading up to the main event but I love doing it! Guess that is one reason we are having parties back to back weekends! The birthday last weekend and the Gender Reveal this weekend.
Here shots of around the house:

Ted collage from when he was little.

I always say it isn't a party unless you have French Onion Dip!

I found this cute little pre-made chalkboard cards at Hobby Lobby when I was home a few weeks ago. 

I miss that store so much!

 I also used little mini pumpkins as card holders.

Food Set Up

Bar area on deck outside

The koozies... I had joked that we needed to put a big "X" on the bull and draw a basketball instead.

Even had a little bar area in the garage. 

 There is the Birthday Boy! :-) I believe this was during and intense game of "Beer Pong"

And this was our "bull" for the night. At least they had something to give us in the bull's place.

Watch it grow...20 weeks!

How far along? 20 Weeks - Half way there!
Size of Baby Baker: Length of a banana
Total weight gain/loss: Think I might be up about 4 lbs
Maternity clothes? Not full time yet but I have been wearing my jeans and little knit shirts. I really like them.
Best moment this week: Still feeling Baby B move. Not tons yet but more and more. Yesterday was the first time I felt him/her while not just laying down. I felt some little nudges at work.
Worst Moment:  I have been a bit of an "ill pill" yesterday and today but nothing really.
Miss Anything? Not this week!
Movement: Still just here and there but it is not only when I am laying down now. Can't wait till I feel more often and Ted can fill those little nudges.
Food cravings: Nothing really this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick? Same ole, same ole... not a huge meat fan but nothing is really making me sick.
Have you started to show yet?: First stranger noticed that I was pregnant Tuesday! I was at Cindy Cinnamon Rolls at the galleria so that might have also gave her a little clue! :-)
Gender prediction: ONE MORE WEEK! I am so anxious! Especially with several other girls I know finding out who are a whole month behind me! I am assuming most got the gender ultrasound done early and I will be 21 weeks when we find out.
Baby Baker Gender Pool is still up and going if you want to make a guess!
Pass code is "baby".
What is Baby Baker up to? Baby B is now around 6 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 10 1/2 ounces! Baby B can hear also hear! Might eve cover her ears with her hands if the sounds are too loud and may "jump" inside if the sounds startle him/her. (I have a feeling he/she will be doing alot of this tomorrow night at Daddy's 30th Birthday party... especially since there is a mechanical bull involved.)


In other Baker news.... We are gearing up for an eventful weekend. Ted's 30th birthday party tomorrow night and Homecoming at Alabama this weekend. My sorority sisters and I plan on going to the parade Saturday morning and heading to the AOII house to relive the good ole days.

Also, we are making more and more progress in the nursery department. Last week we purchase the twin bed to go in the room. For those nights Baby B isn't feeling well, one can sleep in the room and since we have lots of spend the night company, this will at least give us an extra space for one person to sleep instead of losing a whole guest room. My brother came this week to bring the rocking chair that I will have recovered and also take back the bedroom suite that was in the now nursery. We will order the crib next week or so and then once we know the sex, I will get busy trying to nail down the nursery colors. I am just so lost on this one but I think it is because I don't know the sex yet. Once I do, I think I will really be able to narrow things down.

Speaking of which, my co-worker, Ashley, had been trying to tell me to go the this Kids Kloset Consignment sale and I was just not wanting to go since I would have no idea what to buy. Well, yesterday was the last day and everything was half off so she talked me into going just to look around. I am certainly glad I did! This is what all I got:

- Contoured Changing Pad with 2 white minky dot covers

- 2 brand new still in package white crib sheets

- a vinyl changing pad to just have in the car or in the Pack-N-Play

- a whole box of plug in things for all the outlets, I think there was like 20 in the box

- one cradle fitted sheet

- a bag of 5 solid white onies size 3 to 6 mths 

- And then a package that included all the following:

        Pique Pottery Barn Bumper - retails for $99.00

        Pique Pottery Barn dust ruffle - retails for $59.00

        Custom made 84" drapes, throw pillow and round table skirt

        2 pottery barn crib sheets

GRAND TOTAL for all of this - $55.00!!!!!!!!!!

And I am almost 100% positive the bumper and dust ruffle has never been used. I think the bumper was still in the original package. 

Here is a photo of it. 

 

www.potterybarn.com

Now what is Baby is is a girl and not a boy???? Well, I love the look of blue and pink together. 

Something similar to this:

 

Source here

Here is the closest thing I could find to the fabric that the custom drapes, 

table skirt and pillow are made out of:

It is a little bit brighter in person though. Either way, with the whole set being $30, I can't lose even if I decide not to use anything of it and sell it on Craigslist or something.

We plan on having the nursery painted before 1st of November so after the 14th, we will be well on our way to hopefully getting the nursery all in order!