22 Weeks!

Well, well!  Somebody has been swamped and has fallen behind in updates!  Fear not, I have an excellent reason why this tragedy has occurred.  

It's called AUGUST.  22 amazing, sweet, new first graders entered my life!  I have fallen in love all over again and become engrossed in my work.  Combine that with weekend birthday parties, weddings, friends, family, sore achy feet around 6:00p.m., and doctor's appointments..... and you have the perfect recipe for a lack of blogging.  

I had the best of intentions.  See Exhibit A for proof:

                                                                      Exhibit A

I made this the first week that school started (3 weeks ago).  Unfortunately, that was as far as I got.  

Well, that's enough of my "I feel guilty for not updating, and I am trying to convince you that I have very legitimate reasons...." rant.  

Things are getting exciting around the Klaus House!  Now that we know we are having a girl, we have entered into dreaming and planning mode!  I have been thinking about nursery ideas and slowly, but surely building my registry.  Nick has been talking about how awesome and well-rounded our little girl will be.  She'll be sweet and kind, while at the same time, in love with Batman and all the things her Daddy will teach her about.  He is going to teach her how to change her oil (Note: Her Momma doesn't even know how to do this) and have self-defense skills.  

My pregnancy is going great.  I feel relatively normal (beside the belly).  I feel great during the day and have energy!  By the end of the day, I am quite exhausted, but that's generally the case after a long day at work.  Baby Girl has been kicking for a few weeks now.  I love feeling each and every jab... it reminds me that she is growing, active, and well.  

22 weeks down and only 18 to go!  

P.S.-- She already LOVES her Batman rain boots.  

IT'S A.......

The big day finally arrived!!!  We had been counting down the days until the big gender reveal ultrasound.  

It took the ultrasound technician no time at all to determine the gender because our little one was a big wiggle worm!!  Baby was very active... and the only sugar I had eaten all day was a nectarine hours before.  Maybe it was excited that we were checking it out and it was showing us all it's new tricks like bending joints and waving??  

Well, the big moment came and we found out that it is a....

                                    GIRL!!!!!!!!

We are so excited to have a daughter!  She already has captured both of our hearts and we can't wait to meet her!  

We were having a dinner party at our house that evening, so we decided to throw in a little "gender reveal" portion as well!  

Note: To all of you who have been asking why I have been waiting so long to tell you the gender (the ultrasound was on Monday), I have a great answer.  It was really important to us to tell both of our parents in person!  We have since done so (balloons with my family and cupcakes with pink frosting inside for Nick's family)!  Sorry about the lag time ;)

Hallelujah!!

Week 17 was my favorite week of pregnancy so far... besides the week that I found out I was pregnant!  

Remember when I previously mentioned how I THOUGHT I would wake up on the first day of my second trimester and feel perfect?!  Well, for me, it didn't happen until the first day of my 17th week!  Nausea GONE.  I mean, vanished!  In fact, I started feeling so great, that I had a few moments of: Baby?? Are you still in there??  Hello??  Needless to say, I am SO thankful.  I am especially thankful that it decided to go away two weeks before school starts up again.  I was starting to have nightmares of 2+2=.. excuse me while I puke into the trashcan.... 4.  

My belly is definitely a belly at this point, which is exciting.  I like the fact that I can still hide it or show it off... depending on how I feel that day.  Pretty soon there will be no more hiding it!

Another exciting development during Weeks 17 and 18 was feeling the baby move.  It started as little flutters, almost like a little butterfly flying around in my belly.  What a miracle!  

The next few weeks are bound to be wild since school is beginning.  I am looking forward to meeting my new bunch of first graders and starting a new year.  I am also nervous about all the changes that will take place this year... like maternity leave and trying to sit criss-cross apple sauce while being nine months pregnant!  It's bound to be an adventure!

Our Favorite Thumb-Sucker in the Whole World

Second trimester, second trimester... woohoo, yah, yah!  That was my little second trimester song and dance!  

This was a huge milestone for me.  I didn't feel comfortable telling anyone (other than those closest to Nick and I) that we were expecting before the second trimester.  Of course, those closest to us were anxious for the world to know the big secret!  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed my little 14 week secret.  I felt like I was holding onto a special secret and I really cherished those weeks.  However, the fourth of July seemed like the perfect day to share our celebratory news with the world.  The kind words and response was overwhelming!  Talk about feeling LOVED and supported!  

During this week, we had an ultrasound scheduled.  I was counting down the days until this appointment because we hadn't seen the baby on screen since week nine, and I knew that the growth was going to be substantial.  It was incredible!  At first, baby was laying on his/her tummy!  The technician poked and prodded and tried to get baby to flip over... but it took a LONG time!  You could tell that baby was a little annoyed at the disturbing movements invading it's space!  

                             Upside down and quite content to stay just so!

Once baby flipped over, he/she started sucking it's thumb!  Talk about MELTING.OUR.HEARTS. Completely in love with this child.  I can't imagine how much that love will grow once we actually meet him/her.  

I was amazed at how completely and perfectly formed the baby is at this stage of pregnancy.  Measuring a mere three inches, the baby already can make facial expressions (frown, squint) and act like a baby (suck thumb, wiggle and move).  It's not just a blob of cells.  It's a tiny, living person who grows at an incredible rate.  Miraculous.  

I was still sick at 14 weeks pregnant.  I really thought I was going to wake up on the first day of my second trimester and feel perfect.  The good news is that my nausea didn't last ALL day anymore, but rather just half the day.  I'll take it!  Improvement is improvement.  Since my afternoons were easier, I started going back to the gym to do some light cardio and weights.  It felt so great and helped me to feel like "me" again.  

Flowy shirts and comfy yoga pants became my best friend this week.  My regular clothes still fit, but they are uncomfortable!  I guess some shopping is in my near future!  Friends who have been recently pregnant: Any great recommendations for maternity clothes?  Which shops/items did you love?  

Traveling Baby

Baby Klaus had an exciting Week 10 and 11!  Nick and I took the baby on his/her first trip to Alaska during Week 10.  I am pretty sure baby's favorite part of Alaska was the decadent food and fact that Momma could sleep in past 6:15a.m. (first week of summer vacation)!  Okay, fine.  That was actually Momma's favorite part.

During Week 10, all my clothes felt TIGHT.  The tightness was definitely due to pregnancy hormones causing bloating AND all the lovely 4-course nightly dinners in Alaska.  

The cruise to Alaska was planned before we knew that a baby was on board.  There were a couple rocky days at sea... those were interesting for an already nauseous lady.  Ginger, Saltines, and peppermint tea were my best friends on those days.   

                                Ten weeks pregnant and enjoying beautiful Alaska! 

When we got home from Alaska (mid-June), I was thrilled that summer vacation was in full swing, because working would have been really rough for me!  There isn't much to tell you about the next few weeks because all I did was spend a lot of time on the couch eating Saltines.  Not fun, but totally worth it.  

Note: If you are viewing this on a phone, it may be blurry.  You might need to view from a computer for a clear picture!

The print on the bottom of the board was a little small (learning curve)!  
Here's what it says:
Dad is hungry all the time because Momma is either:
a) too tired to cook
b) too nauseous to cook
c) only wants cheese
d) all of the above

Can you guess the answer?  

Nick and I continue to feel extremely blessed and thankful for a healthy pregnancy.  Growing a baby is nothing short of a miracle!  

The Grandest Adventure of Them All!

The Klaus Family is expanding!

We are beyond excited to meet our little one who will be making his or her entrance into the world at the beginning of January 2014!  

I am currently fifteen weeks pregnant, so I will be backtracking a little and showing you my chalkboard updates from a few weeks ago.  

In this picture, I was seven weeks pregnant (middle of May)! At this point of my pregnancy, I was feeling quite nauseous and exhausted!!  I would work full days and come home and SLEEP!  Growing a baby is hard work!  

At our seven week ultrasound, we got to see our little munchkin who was just a tiny little bean!  Baby was only one centimeter long.  The best part of the ultrasound was hearing the strong heart beat.  Talk about having your own heart skip a beat... such an incredible moment.  

Nick and I have enjoyed dreaming about our life with a baby.  We know it will be very different and full of new adventures and changes, but we are ready and excited for all that it will encompass!  

Alaska!

I didn't waste any time starting my summer vacation!  

I arrived home a couple days ago from SUNNY Alaska!  Yup, you read it correctly, sunny!  

It was the trip of a lifetime and I have wonderful memories that will last forever.  

Let me back track and explain why we chose Alaska.

About six months ago, I began dreaming of taking a vacation this summer with Nick.  I thought that this summer was the perfect time because we could celebrate three year anniversary (June 26) and to relax since we worked our booties off renovating the house this past year.  

Naturally, I began researching places in the Caribbean.  Sunshine, fruity cocktails, and the ocean.  Glory!  I have been on a few cruises and think it is such a fun, great way to travel.  I love waking up each morning in a new place ready for a day of exploration.  I found a couple of cruises that fit our budget and desired time frame.  Being the sweet man that he is, Nick went along with all my dreams and was happy to do whatever.  I held off on booking the trip, because I was still trying to decide between two different cruises.

About a week later, we went out to dinner with my parents.  During dinner, they mentioned that they had just booked a cruise to Alaska in June with my grandparents and Aunt Vera.  They planned their trip because my grandparents are both in their 80's and my grandma has always had a dream of traveling.  My parents wanted to make that dream a reality.   

As we were discussing my parent's upcoming trip, something happened that I didn't expect.  Nick's eyes lit up and he couldn't stop asking questions about the various ports and adventures my parents had planned in Alaska.  He talked more about their Alaskan cruise during that dinner than he had about the Caribbean during the previous couple months.  In that moment, an idea came to me... instead of fulfilling my desires of a warm, tropical vacation, we could have an adventurous, icy vacation.  I mean... we have traveled to Cancun and Cabo the past two years... so maybe we were due for something different.  

When I mentioned my idea to Nick, he was over the moon.  He preceded to tell me that it has been a dream to travel to Alaska since he was 16.  Done.  Sold.  

Within the next 48 hours, we booked a balcony suite on Holland America's cruise line and were set to go!  My parents were thrilled to have more company.. the more the merrier, right?  Well, it didn't stop there!  

Within a couple of days, my sisters heard that the grandparent/parents Alaska trip included us... and they couldn't bear the thought of being left out.  So within a few days, they had books rooms as well.  So with a week, the four person trip, turned into a nine person trip!  Our family really likes each other.  What a blessing.  

So, that is the back story of WHY we chose Alaska.  It was a fabulous, different trip, and I am so thankful we had the opportunity to explore the beautiful state of Alaska.  

Here are some photos of my favorite parts of our trip.  Get ready for photo overload!

We started our trip off in the beautiful city of Seattle.  We visited one of my favorite place... Pike's market!  Beautiful food and gorgeous flowers... what more could you want?!

                                                                       Sisters!

                                                                    Space Needle

       

Leaving our port in Seattle.  We caught Seattle on a gorgeous, sunny day!

 Our third day of the cruise we entered the Tracy Arm Fjord.  It was a peaceful, slow cruise all the way to the end where we got to view the breathtaking Sawyer Glacier.  We also saw a black bear just chilling on the shore!

                                                                     Pure beauty!

On day four, we spent the day in Alaska's capital, Juneau.  We rented a sea plane and had a pilot take us on a forty-five minute tour of Alaska's ice field and glaciers.  Breathtaking is an understatement.  Incredible!

                                          Nick sat in the pilot's co-seat... lucky!!

The size of the glaciers blew me away.  I had no clue that some of them run for hundreds of miles.

On day five, we spent time in the city of Sitka.  It was a charming down.  We enjoyed walking through shops and talking to locals. 

Only in Alaska.... their winters are cold, ya know?!

We took a hike through a lush, beautiful forest.  We saw a bald eagle just chilling in the tree and LOTS of totem poles!

Our next stop was in the lovely town of Ketchiken.  I must say that it was my favorite port.  The town was interesting and full of history.  We also got to meet an owl and an eagle up close... which was just amazing!

The last port was in Victoria B.C., Canada.  I didn't know much about Victoria, and wow, was I surprised!  It was by far the most beautiful city I have ever been in.  The gardens, downtown, and The Empress Hotel... amazing. 

When we arrived back in Seattle, we celebrated Father's Day by having lunch at a delicious seafood restaurant.  Best way to the end the trip!

Everything about this trip was phenomenal.  However, one of my favorite parts was spending time with my grandparents and seeing the smiles on their faces.  They were pampered, taken care of, and saw places that they had never dreamed of.  I know that this trip will always be very special to my family because our Deda and Baba were a part of it.