18 weeks - I. Love. Surprises.

Don't worry - there's no alcohol in that ;)

Last week was so strange...everyone was so random!  Thursday Kiel actually ASKED to go to the grocery store.  I'm pretty sure he would pay me to go to the store on top of paying for the groceries rather then ever having to set foot in a grocery store ever again so I was a little shocked, but didn't argue.  He bought Bud Select which is the kind of beer I drink...way to rub it in...because it was "on sale."  Friday my sister did my dishes and cleaned my whole kitchen while I watched a movie with the twins.  A random but appreciated first.  Saturday morning, Kiel actually sorted through old shirts (I have been asking him to do this for months!) and helped me clean up his clothes that have been all over the spare room while my dad has been working on the dressers.  I'm not sure what was the strangest though...either him dusting the living room or suggesting we watch the Hunger Games.  I should have known something was up when he got the windex out.  Turns out he had a motive.  Two of my friends from college were making the 3 hour drive to surprise me :)  Their 3 hour drive turned into a 7 hour adventure when they got a flat tire an hour into their trip.  Long day!  Poor Kiel had a heck of a time keeping the secret from me.  My dad accidentally sent me a text meant for Kiel almost giving everything away, but luckily he recovered quickly and it went over my head.  Kiel got high blood pressure trying to stall me from leaving the house on Saturday (hence watching the Hunger Games lol) so he finally had them call me and fill me in on the surprise.  Still just as exciting as if they'd shown up on the front door!  It was the first time Suzy & Nicole had ever visited Pontiac and I couldn't be happier they made the trip up!  I hadn't seen Nicole in over a year and it had been about 4 months since I'd seen Suzy.  It was so great to see both of them and I just love that even though we don't get to see each other very often it's like nothing has changed each time we do!  And I think even with all the work, Kiel was glad the girls came too.  After all, he got a guys night out and a chance to play night golf for the first time.  He deserved it for being such a trooper, love him. 

Bud Select for the girls....it all makes sense!

They came bearing gifts too!  A "big" cookie (my nickname in college was Big because there are 2 Nicole's & I'm the tallest) and margarita flavored crystal light for the big margarita glasses they brought.  So thoughtful to bring alcohol free beverages to the pregnant lady lol  Oh and a cubs scratcher....I know that was hard for the Cardinal fans to buy.








Still waiting on the background check to be completed with Ameren so no more news just yet on Kiel's job.
 

18 weeks

Had my monthly check up Tuesday the 28th and found out we get to find out what our little sweet potato is in just 2 weeks!  September 11th is the big day and we seriously CAN'T WAIT!  It's really starting to go fast.  I can't believe in just 2 weeks we'll be half way through...only 5 months left!  I should have had my blood drawn for the down syndrome screening this week, but my insurance doesn't cover genetic testing so Kiel & I decided to waive that option.  While it would be nice to be able to prepare for something like that, it wouldn't change the course of the pregnancy so it really isn't necessary.


I'm not sure if it's the baby or the fact that my book & Dr say I should feel the baby move anytime now, but a couple nights this week I've felt some faint "fluttering" right under my belly button while laying in bed.  The best way to describe it is like there are tiny fingers lightly touching the inside of my belly.  Such a strange feeling, if that's what it really is!  I'm sure I'll know for sure in the upcoming weeks as baby grows bigger.  Heartbeat was 152 at the appointment...still the best sound ever.

Your baby's the size of a sweet potato!

She's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and she keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.)

• Can you believe she's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing?
• And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it!

Henry asked the dreaded question this past Friday..."Aunt Nicole, how is that baby gonna get out of your belly?"  I took the easy way out and told him to ask his mom.  Since she was just in the other room he wasted no time.  Thankfully he accepted her response that the Dr. helps it come out and he'll learn more about it when he gets older.  So glad she was there!

-Nicole

    



 

17 weeks - 1st Grade Shout Out

Where does the time go?  The little boy we once called "baby Henry" for months before he was born, started 1st grade yesterday.  He's definitely excited about school, but I think he was more excited about his sweet new kicks then anything.  Can you blame him?    

And look at these 2 beauties, growing like weeds!  1st Grade in a new school and mama went back to work after 7 years of being a SAHM - lots of changes for the Schaffer's this last week.  Can't wait to hear all about their first week!!

17 weeks

Seems like I've officially "popped" as Kiel's been saying.  I know I have a long way to go, but I just cannot get over how big my belly has gotten!  Each night after dinner, I feel stretched to the max, but each week it somehow gets bigger.  I should have been taking pictures of my belly button this whole time because my very deep innie is becoming an outie very quickly.  My mom just pointed it out a couple of days ago and when I woke up this morning I noticed it was a little tender.  I've also noticed an increase in hair on my belly & face...like I needed any help there.  Such strange changes.  I've gained 8-9 lbs depending on the day which is within the 5-10 lbs range "they" say you should have gained by now.  I officially only have 1 pair of non-maternity pants, but on the bright side, maternity jeans sure have come a long way even since my sister had the twins just 3 years ago.  I don't remember the last time I slept through the entire night without getting up to pee at least once and I have NEVER needed to do that.  I've officially made it this whole week without needing a snack between lunch and when I get off work...I know that sounds like a silly thing to mention, but for a few weeks there I felt like I would die if I didn't get an afternoon snack.  I'm VERY hopeful this keeps up since snacking "healthy" isn't always easy.  I've had little to zero cravings at all, but tonight at the grocery store the aisle with all the cookies seemed like it was glowing as we walked down it.  And lastly, I started walking about 30 minutes each night after work.  After sitting all day at work, it's actually really refreshing - I really hope I can keep that up seeing as how I'm not very motivated when it comes to exercising.

your baby's the size of an onion!

Baby continues to beef up. Now she's about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces. 

• Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
• And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.
• She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too!

Before - Blonde 

After - white :)

Since being retired, my dad has picked up lots of side projects to keep himself busy...very busy.  His newest project has been updating the dressers I've in my room since I was little to use in the baby's room.  We were a little skeptical about how they were going to turn out, but so far so good!  I forgot to take a picture of the short dresser before he sanded, primed, and painted it so the before pick is of the tall dresser after I already took 2 drawers out, but it gets the point across....the change is much more dramatic in person.  Just need to get some new hardware and we'll be in business!  Grandpa Gregg is the best!

Kiel got the "official" call from Ameren this week saying hey've started his background check and all that fun stuff so now we wait for a start date whoop whoop!!

159 days to go!
-Nicole

16 weeks - Everything Happens for a Reason

Wirewalking

Big update....

Back in November 2011, Kiel made the decision to quit his job as an aerial lineman for Havefield where he'd been for 5 years.  Up until the middle of last year he'd been working out of Joliet so he was home every night and actually enjoyed what he did.  Things had started to change a lot with the company and Kiel had started a traveling schedule where he was gone for 21 days and home for 10.  As much as I hated it, I'm pretty sure Kiel hated it more so he turned in his resignation just after Thanksgiving.  What we thought would be a couple month job hunt turned into rejection email after rejection email.  It seemed like you had to know somebody just to get your foot in the door.  Almost 10 months later (which in this economy really isn't that long), here he was still looking with no real "leads".  Luckily, he knows some great people he used to work for and has had a steady job the majority of the time he has been looking.

  

As cool as it looks, I'm so glad he's done with this

The last application he turned in was for an Apprentice Lineman position in Washington, IL with Ameren IP.  Out of 500 applicants, Kiel got a call for a phone interview.  A week later, he got another call to come in for a face to face interview.  And then, just a few days after that he got word he had been one of the 12 selected to participate in the 4 day evaluations (climbing & skills assessment) in Decatur, IL.  At this point, we just kept saying, we're not going to get our hopes up, but deep down we were both PEEING OUR PANTS!  Even though evals were hard & he was a little rusty, Kiel came home feeling pretty good about his chances...there was just one problem.  The other guy up for Washington had an uncle who worked for Ameren.  Ugh!  He was fresh out of line school, a flawless climber, and he knew someone.  Luckily, Kiel knew someone too....Alex.  Alex was a friend from Flanagan who'd been hired on with Ameren the previous year and put in more then a few good words for Kiel.  I don't think we can ever thank Alex enough for whatever he said because he is a big reason that Kiel got selected out of those 500 applicants, and then out of however many that interviewed to come to evals, and then for the actual position in Washington....yes, we found out yesterday KIEL GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!  It all happened so fast it's almost unbelievable.  We are beyond excited & grateful for this opportunity he's been given!  It's what he went to school for...it's what he enjoys and that's the most important part.  It will be hard as all linemen know, there are lots of overtime hours and missed holidays, but it will all be worth it.

I've said more then once this year, it happened this way for a reason.  Even though quitting Haverfield seemed crazy at the time, and even though he didn't get the job with Com-Ed he really wanted...it all brought him here.  All of the choices we've made have led us both to this exact moment in our lives when even though it feels like we're doing things a little backwards...it's all coming together.  We've had our moments (and I'm sure we'll have more), but I like to think this is the start of something really amazing.

He should find out specifics of when he starts and all that jazz next week sometime so I'll be sure to include that in my next post.  Until then, we'll be celebrating Kiel's new job...hopefully someone can have a few drinks for me :)

And now for baby news...we're 16 weeks in!  Our next appointment is at 18 weeks, August 28th.  I'm really hoping we'll get an ultra sound scheduled so we don't have to wait until the next monthly appointment to find out the sex.  I can't believe we're almost there already!

I wish I could blame this belly on all the food I ate last night, but it doesn't look any smaller today before dinner so....

Still feeling great and hungry!  I do have one minor complaint so far...this whole not being able to sleep on my stomach or lie on my back seems like torture! I usually fall asleep best on my stomach so this rolling from side to side is not my favorite pregnant activity, but whatever's best for the baby right??!!

Your baby's the size of an avocado!

Now, she's about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and she's big enough that your doctor may be able to hear her heartbeat. 

• She's listening to your voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in her ears.
• She's growing hair, lashes and eyebrows.
• And she's forming taste buds

In other happenings...I went with my sister & her family to Brookfield Zoo this weekend and it was so much fun to watch Henry and the twins get excited about all the animals!  The dolphin show was the biggest hit with the boys.  And I think the people watching was the adult fav!  Everyone else had the same idea so it was pretty crowded, but the weather was perfect and the kids had a blast so the rest gets forgotten. 

Picnic in the van!

Penguins!

Nemo & Dori!!!!

-Nicole

   

_________________________________________________________________________________

RIP Maci Jo Russell 8/3/2012 - 8/3/2012
My cousin Barry and his wife Kristi lost the newest addition to their family the first weekend in August.  Maci may have only lived an hour, but I know she will be loved and remembered for much longer then that.   

                           

14 weeks - Heartbeats & Humor

Our big event in week 14 was our appointment on the 31st.  Kiel finally got to meet Dr Ingram and her introduction to him was hilarious.  She walked into the room and after congratulating us looked at Kiel and said, "Nice to meet you, wouldn't be here without you would we?"  HA!  He opted out of staying for the "fun" part of the visit (my exam) to which Dr responded...."You're going to be here for the birth right?"  Of course he is, but decided he didn't need to know what happens with that plastic thing on the table lol!  After he left she jokingly looked at me and said, "We've got some work to do with him don't we?"  She's pretty funny and I think she won Kiel over immediately.  She assured us everything looks great and thankfully I haven't had any major health issues so no red flags.  Aside from Dr's humor, the best part of the appt was by far hearing our baby's heartbeat.  It took what felt like an eternity for her to find it, but the minute she did, it was unmistakeably real!  I don't think I've been emotional due to pregnancy, but the minute I heard that beautiful sound the tears just started rolling down my face as I lay there listening looking from Kiel to Dr. Ingram back to Kiel in amazement.  We had planned to record it on Kiel's phone, but it was all so overwhelming I completely forgot until we were already in the car.  Not that it matters, I don't think I'll ever forget that moment.  I got it together and made it to the elevator before completely losing it.  Poor Kiel.  When he asked me why I was crying I could barely get out, "I don't know."  I honestly think a very large part of me thought there was a good chance there would be no heartbeat and the Dr would disappointingly tell us there was no pregnancy.  That heartbeat made everything 100% real...we're going to have a baby :)

Henry officially confirmed it's starting to look like I have a baby in there :) 

  

14 weeks

We also went ahead and made our big news facebook official.  Part of me wishes I could tell everyone in person because usually the reactions are my favorite part.  I love that we weren't the only ones that almost fell over, but quickly got excited.

What they say about the end of the first trimester has proven to be pretty accurate for me.  My nausea is almost non-existent and even with the heat I don't get tired as easily as I did even last week.  I've gained about 6 lbs which seems like a lot compared to a lot of people, but I have to keep reminding myself I never went through periods of not being able to eat or losing whatever I ate after I ate it.  I've been hungry since minute 1 and have kept it all in!  I have noticed in the last day or 2 my hunger isn't so demanding so maybe it will level for a bit anyways...knock on wood!  I'm getting to the point where nothing sounds good because I'm ALWAYS eating!  But like I've said before, it could be much worse.  Over all I feel great and overwhelmed and very thankful for belly bands & maternity jeans :)

your baby's the size of a lemon!

At week 14, your baby is 3.4 inches and 1.5 ounces, he's almost doubled in weight since last week and keeps on growing.

your baby at 14 weeks

• He's probably sucking his thumb and wiggling his toes in there!
• His kidneys are making urine, and his liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too.
• And he's growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over his body -- it will help him keep warm!

__________________________________________________

This isn't a pleasant part of this weeks post, but life isn't always heartbeats and humor so I want to remember all of it.  One of Kiel's classmate's father had a heart attack at the young age of 52 this past weekend and passed away.  Kiel had the opportunity to work with Paul a little the last month or so which he's grateful for.  I think we all know one day we'll be in that same boat as his boys, but it's always an eye opener when it happens to someone you've known you're whole life.

A classmate of mine, a year older, also passed away this week.  I haven't had much contact with Ryan since HS, but he was always a great person to be around and he will truly be missed.  Our thoughts & prayers are with the Jones & Bertsche families this week as they deal with these major losses.