12 weeks to go!

I went in for a check up on Monday and I am measuring right on track. The baby's heart rate was 142. I have definitely grown a lot since my last appointment. The doctor said I was growing normal, but more and more people notice and comment now.

We had a great Christmas between Cedar Rapids and Wisconsin. We got to see all the relatives and show off the baby bump. Baby V is going to be one spoiled child if next Christmas is anything like this year. We are very lucky to have family that cares so much and gives us great gifts! Notre Dame and Packers gear will be a staple item no matter the gender I am afraid.

Here is a picture of me at 27 weeks before Christmas Eve service. During church my shirt moved from Baby kicking me. First time I noticed it through my shirt so I had Nick staring at my stomach seeing if we could see it again. Baby is very active and likes to punch/kick me when I am not paying attention.

I am almost officially in my 3rd trimester at 28 weeks! We will have our crib soon thanks to Grandpa Dave and Grandma Lois. I also got my Snoogle which has been great the last few nights for sleeping.



Amy, Nick and Baby

99 bottles...or days to go!

I am 26 weeks and have broken the 100 day mark. I can't believe how fast everything has gone. I just hope it continues, but I know I am looking at the hardest and most uncomfortable part coming up.

Here is a picture Nick took last night...26 weeks and growing hourly. Last dr. apppointment the heart rate was 136, lowest it has been, but still normal.

I can tell you baby has been punching and kicking up a storm. Sometimes it startles me how hard it kicks, jabs, jumps or whatever it is doing in there.

We bought paint for the nursery - green! We have to be gender neutral. We'll accent with pink or blue later. I have sold several items in my nesting phase on Craigs List so we actually have room to bring this baby home.

We are heading for our annual trip around the midwest next week for Christmas. First stop is Cedar Rapids and then to God's country - Wisconsin. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Merry Christmas to you all from the Varcoes. We are so blessed to have our families close to us this year in our exciting adventure. Thank you also for all the cards this year, we'll be sending out a birth annoucement so consider this your holiday card:)

Love,

Amy, Nick and Baby V

More babies!

Last weekend I attended a baby shower for my college roommate Lindy. She is expecting her second child in January and it is a boy. We went through the whole shower and we decided to take this photo with our other two roommates from Wartburg Rachel and Amy.

As we were taking the photo they turned to me and said there is a reason we are all taking this picture together...we are all pregnant!!

I am due in March, Lindy - January, Rachel - June and Amy in July.

We just laughed at 6 almost 7 years ago graduating from college and now all pregnant at the same time. You thought we were inseparable then...people would make fun of us knowing we were all pregnant and think we planned it this way. I couldn't be more excited to have our kids potentially all in the same grade. Maybe they will all go to Wartburg too!

Amy

Thanksgiving and Shopping

Baby Varcoe had a great Thanksgiving this year in mom's belly. At one point I think baby was full, but mom wasn't, so we had to take a break in eating. Grandpa Dave and Grandma Lois came to Des Moines and we celebrated with Eric and Susan and Susan's family.

Black Friday came early - first time for Nick and I. 5:20 we rolled out of bed and headed out on the hunt for a TV and ended up with a rocking chair and ottoman for the nursery. Oh how things have changed. We did attempt to get the TV at Target, but that was just plain crazy and they were out soon after the doors opened. Off to Babies 'R Us we went and purchased our chair.

Lou in Baby's new chair...I had to cover with a blanket since he is a little sneaky like that.

All our Christmas stuff is up and Baby V. even has their own stocking. My dad has been here all week framing our basement...with only a few set backs - including a leak in our pipe that we didn't know was there. Thanks Dad!!

I need to add some photos when I get a chance of the basement coming along very nicely. Here is one photo of my dad and his siblings with Grandpa Wieland at his 90th b-day party.

Amy, Baby and Nick

Baby meets extended family

I am 22 weeks this weekend and people are actually noticing my "bump". I don't mind, except people who don't know I am pregnant thinking maybe I ate too much prior to Thanksgiving.
Oh and I have really felt the baby moving around. For about a week baby thought it would be fun to wedge a limb under my rib and just sit there. It was very uncomfortable to say the least. Baby has been punching and kicking away which is kind of a weird feeling, but glad to know it is growing and moving.

Last weekend was Baby Varcoe's Great-Grandpa Wieland's 90th Birthday party in Wisconsin. It was a lot of fun to see the whole family and share our baby news with those we rarely get to see.

This is me, my Godfather Merrill and Nick at Grandpa Wieland's party.

I'll add more pictures when I get them. My dad is helping our finish the basement right now too. We have it insulated and will begin putting the studs up next weekend. We'll take all the free labor we can get!

I also think it might be too early to really say I am nesting, but last night I found myself on the kitchen floor arranging the pots and pans in the cubboard. Must be the burst in energy I have had lately.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Amy, Nick and Baby Varcoe

One little foot with all the little toes

I am 21 weeks and doing very well. I even stayed up the other night until 10:30 on a week night. If you ask Nick this doesn't happen very often. I had the stomach flu earlier this week, no fun!

We had a check up today and we saw the cutest foot and all the little toes to go with it.

Here is another picture with the profile of the baby. Their face is nuzzled in next to the placenta so it is hard to get a front view.

Baby punched itself in the head right away and had its hand next to its face the whole time. I am wondering if this is something it will continue to do after it is born. Maybe a comfort thing...all in all very amusing.

I think I have felt it moving, but just a little. I know for sure a couple of times, but others I think I am not even paying attention. Heartbeat was 141, the lowest it has been, so it must be pretty relaxing in my belly. :)

Don't forget to vote if you think it is a boy or girl on the poll.

Until next time...

Amy, Nick and Baby V.

Baby V.'s Anatomy it is the new Grey's Anatomy

Today I am 19 weeks and growing bigger each day. I had to actually start wearing my Bella Band this week with a few of my pants. A Bella Band is something that is like a tube top but you wear it around your waist so your regular pants can be unbuttoned without anyone knowing. Best invention out there - so far.

We had our "anatomy" ultrasound today where they measure all the limbs, check the heart valves and measure the head, look at all the organs to make sure baby is growing right on schedule. They showed the heart pumping in and out and even had red and blue color on the screen. All looked "perfect" said our doctor.

Baby Profile

Baby Spine - twisting and turning around

Nick and I had to shut our eyes and turn away while they were doing some measurements that might have let us see what gender our little one is. I told Nick it is like Christmas presents...you want to know, but the surprise is so fun!

Baby was very active today so it got a little harder for the ultrasound tech as our appointment went on...I guess baby was done being on the big screen.

love,

Amy, Nick and Baby V.

The life you want to live...

Today will be my first entry for Baby V and boy, it will be a doozy! I’m here to warn you that your life will not always be peaches and cream like your dear Aunt Lindsay. You will be welcomed by great grandparents, young and fun aunts and uncles like Eric, Caitlin and Erin and many other great family members and friends. None of them live the high life like your dear Aunt Lindsay.

You see, Lindsay has always led a good life. She was born three years after your daddy and was essentially raised by yours truly. Your dad taught Lindsay the finer things in life like Notre Dame Football, Peanut M&M’s, Saved by the Bell, love of college mascots, etc. These are all things that you will surely come to love as much as your dad does!

Aunt Lindsay has always lived under a shining star. For example, she once received a personal tour of Touchdown Jesus from Father Hesburgh at Notre Dame. Recently, Lindsay was able to view great playoff baseball at Fenway Park at face value. Such joys are rare to the average human being, but your Dear Aunt Lindsay makes them seem like commonplace.

Baby, you will learn people like Lindsay are not the norm, in more ways than one. Your dad recommends you mooch off her like he does, as often as possible with the hope you can live a life one half as grand as your Dear Aunt Lindsay.

Your dad,

Nick

Don't drink the water...

Below are a couple of pictures of my co-workers and me. We are all pregnant at the same time and hopefully can fill in the gaps during maternity leaves. We all are due within about 6 months of each other so our department will have a built in daycare when all the babies arrive. In a department of 12 people, 3 pregnant women can be interesting each day:)

One other interesting fact is we all graduated from Wartburg between 2000 and 2003. Be Orange I guess...better start saving if our babies want to go to Wartburg like their mommies:)

I am due Mar. 27, Erin (middle) is due Jan. 17 and Corey (right) delivered a baby boy, Logan on Oct. 2.

Side view...this is just a couple of weeks before Corey had her baby.

More baby pictures

We had our 16 week appointment today. I am almost 17 weeks so we are seeing some pretty good definition in the features. We had to tell the ultrasound tech to stay away from anything the would indicate boy or girl. I get nervous something will accidentally show up.

Baby V. wasn't very active until the very end when we think they had the hiccups. It woke up and was stretching all over the place and almost jumping a little. The ultrasound tech was wonderful and took her time and really let us take our time. She kept saying how cute the little feet were and showed us everything, except probably what most people want to know - boy or girl.

It is weighing in at around 4-5 ounces and is 4 inches head to rump and legs 2 more inches. Getting bigger each day!

Heart rate at 155

Profile with whole body

Chin on chest - resting like mommy:)

Nick and I love going to see the baby because it gets more and more real each day. Now that I feel good, I sometimes forget Baby V. is growing away in my tummy. I am sure once my belly grows more I will notice a lot more.

love,

Amy, Nick and Baby V.

Funny picture

So Nick and I had to run to the mall and had one stop to make. Right outside the store was an expecting mothers parking spot. So we figured this was made just for us. So as we got out, I posed with the sign and really stuck out my belly just in case people were wondering why we were parking there. I look so odd trying to stick out my belly.

For the most part you wouldn't be able to tell I was pregnant. The longer I can stay in my clothes the better.

Everything else with baby is going very well. Baby is stealing my energy after 9 p.m. but I can handle it. Sometimes I get little energy bursts and other times I feel I could sleep for days!

16 weeks this weekend. It is going quick and I know it will just got faster, until the day I want to deliver and baby doesn't cooperate.

Take care,

Amy

Almost 15 weeks!

We had another appointment today and got to see little peanut again. If the nurses and doctors weren't so busy I think I could have an ultrasound everyday to see the little one. I walk right by their office each day so it wouldn't be out of the way for me:)

The heartbeat is at 143 now, down from 188 two weeks ago. I guess that is perfectly normal. So here goes the speculation on what Baby V. is, a boy or girl. The ultrasound tech did ask if we wanted to try to see, but we didn't even want to be tempted.

Baby V. was very active this morning. Right when the monitor came up baby waved and then looked like it was rock climbing with one hand going up at a time. Nick said they were calling for the football saying they were open. Either way I think we will have an athlete on our hands.

It is so much fun to see how much baby is growing. We have the full measuring ultrasound in about a month so stay tuned to see how big this baby is going to be!

One side note...Happy Birthday to my mom today and congrats (almost) to Corey and Pat. Corey is a co-worker of mine and is in labor as I type this. They are having a little boy and naming him Logan. Another co-worker, Erin is due in January. We could start a daycare in our department with all the babies!

Amy

14 weeks and pictures

Here I am at 14 + weeks. I am starting to get a round little belly. I don't think anyone else can tell quite yet. A few of my pants are going to have to retire for awhile here soon.

This weekend we went to the pumpkin patch with 5 kids and their parents. It was so fun to watch all the kids trample through the patch to find "their" pumpkin. Nick said this picture makes him look like he is pregnant...or could it be he is standing very awkwardly.

Cora, Joey, Maggie, George and Nick.

Maggie, Cora, Bennett and Eric on the hay ride to the pumpkin patch.

I still get pretty tired at night, but it is a good excuse to go to bed! I know these days are few and far between in the future.

Amy

12 weeks 6 days!

Today we had another appointment. We got to do another ultrasound which was awesome. The baby had their arm by their ear and we got a picture of the feet kind of crossed on top of each other. Let's just hope it has my feet and not Nick's!

I told Nick the face picture looked like it had his bone structure already, which is really funny because it looks literally like an alien. He asked if I had an affair with an alien at some point:)

The baby jumped during the ultrasound so it was funny to see that on the screen. It was moving around pretty good. It's heart beat was 188. It has a stomach, kidneys and we could see the heart fluttering away. It is amazing so early on how much you can really see.

We aren't going to find out if it is a boy or girl, so sorry if I call the baby "it". I have been calling "it" him a lot, but for no other reason than I don't know what to call Baby V.

For now I am feeling good and eating more and more. I am still tired, but that is normal. The doctor told me today no vaccuuming! Sorry Nick!

That is it for now!

Amy

11 weeks and feeling better

I think I had a turn last week with my icky feeling. For the first time I ate a real dinner with Nick and capped it off with ice cream! I am so excited that I can find something that sounds good.

I am 11 weeks right now and Baby V. took another trip. This one was to the "holy land" according to Nick. We made our annual trip to Notre Dame for the first football game of the year. Notre Dame didn't look pretty, but the campus did, as always. The picture was from last year because we didn't get any good ones this time.

I felt pretty good throughout the game, but I think Nick was feeling the nausea from the way ND was playing:) We bought the baby's first Notre Dame onesie, cap, booties and bib...I couldn't resist and I supported the Catholics! (first for everything)

Off to Iowa vs. Iowa State this weekend and then I think we are done traveling!

Amy

Here we go...

We officially are telling people about Baby Varcoe now. It is so fun to tell people about our exciting news. I haven't been feeling very good, so it has been a tough few weeks. I am 10 weeks along so hopefully just a couple of more weeks of feeling bad.

Baby V. has been on two plane rides already to Atlanta and Vegas. I am sure Nick will be telling him/her all about Vegas when they are older. I suggest not traveling a lot in the first trimester on planes, trains or in the back of cars. (Bad train ride and I will never eat Frosted Flakes again.)

March 27 is the due date, so stay tuned to how fast "peanut" decides to grow. The picture is me the day we found out...nothing there yet!

Amy and Nick