The Gender Reveal (& other fun info)! [21 weeks]

To jump straight to Gender Reveal Party details, scroll stright through the 21 week update.  :-)

How far along: 21 weeks / 1st week of the 6th month

How big is baby: 10.5(ish) inches long (length of a full-sized carrot) 

Maternity clothes:  I bought some shirts at a big Old Navy sale, and was also given a large box of maternity clothes from my friend/coworker Charlotte.  I've been wearing some of those, but I have *yet* to get the much-needed maternity pants.  So the belly band and rubber-bands have been getting quite a bit of use (and also bottoms with elastic).

Sleep:  I've been sleeping through the night without getting up, which is AWESOME in itself!  (Though Nic tells me I toss and turn so much that he often thinks I'm awake.)  BUT I've also been having some pregnancy dreams.  I was actually quite a vivid dreamer pre-pregnancy (we're talking 2-3 per night that I could still remember in the morning), so dreaming in itself isn't all that strange.  What IS strange, though, is dreaming that I'm taking tumbling classes while pregnant and feeling scared that I'm going to fall on my stomach.  It's kind of fun to be thinking about little baby in my dreams.  :)

Gender:  This is the exciting part!  We had our Gender Reveal Party last week Monday (see end of post for party details), and it was AWESOME!  Through the party, everyone was able to find out that IT'S A GIRL!!!   Hurray, no more keeping secrets!  And her name is...

AUDRA KAYTE WILLIAMS!

How we picked the name:  Audra:  Nic and I both really like the name Audra.  It's been on our list since we first started thinking of having kids and talking about names.  Truth be told, though, I just couldn't decide.  I knew I liked Audra, but was it the one?  What about Kinley?  And Danika?  And Alyson (Ally)?  How do you decide on a name to last a LIFETIME?  Then, after we'd been talking about names for a while, the talk in the kitchen happened.  Nic and I were both in there, just standing (I think waiting on the microwave) and he did something that confirmed her name for me.  Out of excitement, I hugged him and said something like, "Babe, I'm so excited to be a little family with you!"  And he said, "Yea, just you, me, and (points to my belly) Audra."  That was the first time he called our baby by name with such conviction and intent... not as a suggestion, but as a statement.  My heart melted inside me.  Yes, that was it, no more wondering.  Her name is Audra.
      It's fun to think of baby Audra (which is what we call her), toddler Audra, elementary-aged Audra, middle and high school aged Audra... college-aged Audra (Lord help us), adult Audra, Mom Audra, and old lady Audra... it's a name that we feel can withstand centuries. We think it will fit her perfectly.  Right now as I type these words, I'm wondering how many times in my life I'll type the name Audra.  It doesn't flow freely from my fingertips YET but I know it will eventually.  :)
Kayte:  My mom's middle name is Kay, which she also gave to me.  I always knew I wanted to keep the 'Kay' tradition but I also wanted to put a spin on it and make it my own.  I thought of a lot of different options: Kaycey (after my brother's middle name Casey), Kaylee, Kayla, etc.  But the one I REALLY liked best was KAYTE.  Something about it is so feminine and cute, and now elegant (thanks to Kate Middleton); I just LOVE that name!  In fact, I thought of Kate for a first name, but decided it would fit more perfectly as a middle name with Audra to carry on the tradition.  And so it is.  :)

Movement:  About 3 days after my last post, I was laying on my stomach on our bed, playing on the computer.  I felt a little rumble, which demanded my attention.  At first I thought it might be gas (let's be real, it happens).  But then, I felt it again.  Each time, it was for only a few seconds, but I knew it was different from what I'd ever felt before.  The next day I felt it again, but only once.  For about half a week there, I was feeling it only once a day for just a few seconds.  Then toward the end of that week I would feel it twice or three times.  Now this week, I feel her multiple times throughout the day, but each time it's only fore a few seconds.  Almost like she's just shifting position to get comfortable and that's it.  I wish she would keep moving!  I know as she continues to get stronger I'll feel her more often and for longer periods of time.  It's the coolest thing for me!  Before I was pregnant, I'd always ask my pregnant friends what it felt like.  Some have described it "like a floppy fish" and some say "like a butterfly fluttering its wings."  For me, I guess the closest one would be the floppy fish.  Not like a little goldfish, that's too small.  More like a long fish you'd catch in a lake.  It just moves around so you can feel it in your whole stomach (well, uterus).  I know that's kind of weird to think about (because Audra will DEFINITELY be cuter than a fish) (yet will possibly come out equally slimy), but it's the best I can do.    

Belly-button:  Still an innie.  Is it weird to say I kind of like the look of it when it's stretched tight over my stomach?  Now if only I can make it look that tight AFTER being pregnant...

Exercise:  My goal of 3-4 times in one week was not met.  But 2 times in one week was!  Better that than nothing.  :)  Yesterday when we got to CrossFit, I put on my heart rate monitor and went to warm up.  I was surprised to see that my heart rate was already 155 before even beginning!  I tell you, I guess growing a baby and giving it blood and oxygen and nutrients and HOUSING it really does require a lot of work from your body, and particularly your heart.  It didn't make me not work out or anything, it's just shocking for me to see; I'm not used to it.  It WOULD explain the being more out of breath lately and how it's generally harder to breathe even when I'm just sitting in a booth at Cattle Barron eating my salad and NOT working out.  The CrossFit Mom workouts that were TOO easy in the beginning are just perfect right now.  I can complete the Advanced workouts and get a small sweat going, when before I felt like "What was the point in even coming? This was too easy." 

What I'm loving:  LIFE pretty much!  I love:  1) knowing the gender and calling her AUDRA!,  2) that we found a doula I think I'll love, 3) Nic being happy and excited for Officer Training (see next post), 4) the kids, particularly my "hardest" class being such a joy to teach lately, 5) feeling her move, 6) the fact that Nic put in his two weeks and they were actually happy for him and his future (HUGE relief for him), 7) all the travel plans we've made (also mentioned in next post), 8) registering for baby stuff!, 9) our sweet families and friends that are so eager to be there for us and help, what a blessing!, and 10)  being HEALTHY right now!  I've got so much to be thankful for, and I really am just one happy girl right now.

What I'm NOT loving:  1) the fact that breathing is getting harder, 2) people I don't know putting their hands on my belly... not cool..., 3) the lack of exercise happening despite the great desire within me, 4) that Nic is leaving exactly one month from today (see next post), 5) the HOURS of grading ahead of me this weekend, 6) Nic still working nights (but only for two more weeks!), 7) feeling hungry all the time even though I KNOW I just ate and can't possibly need more food, 8) how much all this cute baby stuff costs, 9) the lack of motivation to do house work, 10) having 3 months and 3 weeks to meet AUDRA.

What I miss:  My husband!  Our schedules were so opposite last week:  I had SMART board training right after school (which is when we usually have dinner together before he goes into work), then he had a staff meeting after he got off at 7 AM (preventing the 30 minutes we have together before I go to work).  It was about a 48 hour period that I didn't get to see him, yet he was in the house and one point and so was I.  It pretty much SUCKED.  I know I'll (obviously) go much longer without seeing him after he leaves for Officer Training, but that'll be different:  at least I'll know he's out of town.  It was no fun having him so close but yet not here.  :(  Thankfully he doesn't work too many more days until he's finished at the hospital here.  It will be nice to go to bed at night with him a few more times before he leaves.



The Gender Reveal Party! 
Hosted by:  Erin Vaubel (whom Nic met in nursing school) and also Lindsey Harkey (also a friend from Nic's nursing school) helped a lot.

Party Details:


Cast Your Vote:  I got a cheap chalkboard from Hobby Lobby and partiers put a mark for their prediction.  More people thought boy!

 
"What do the Old Wives Tales say?" Game:  I found this idea on another blog, and it worked out perfectly!  See the link for the Old Wives Tales we used.  (FYI- the Old Wives said it would be a BOY!)

Guess the arrival date:  This was one of Erin (the host)'s ideas.  She had a small chalkboard and people wrote when they thought the baby would arrive, judging from our due date of June 4.  These pics are of Erin and Lindsey, since they helped so much & it was Erin's idea.
These are also great photos to see one other thing we asked of guests:  wear blue or pink to cast your prediction. 

Food:  I had a "rainbow" cupcake theme in mind, and I think it turned out pretty cute!  To drink, we had the classic sherbert-ginger ale punch (but we also added ice cream to make it creamier).  We also had a counter of my cravings... just because I thought it was a cute idea and I didn't want all of the sweets to give people a sugar coma.

The Big Reveal:  Erin and Lindsey did a REALLY awesome job making the cake.  A few days before the party, Erin and I met to party plan- at which time I told her the gender.  She told Lindsey to get some cake assistance, but the two of them and Nic and I (well, and our doctor and ultrasound tech) were the only ones that knew!  After we played the Old Wives Tale game, everyone gathered around the cake/cupcake table (we took off the punch bowl) and Nic and I cut right in!  The grandparents and Nic's sister's reaction was priceless.  SO FUN to have everyone find out at once!

 The icing completely covered the inside, which reveals the gender...

 Excited to tell everyone...

 The cake was pink!  IT'S A GIRL!

So there you have it!  All the fun details of how we told everyone we're having a sweet little GIRL!

Sorry this post was so long, but I hope it found you well!