A belated gender reveal!

I typed this post a few weeks ago and I never sent it...Very belated! 

On Friday August 10th we found out we are having a little GIRL!!!

Darrin and I had an ultrasound at our hospital and we were amazed how big and real our baby is now! Seeing the baby move and actually wave to us, was unreal! Her nose, lips, hands and feet are just so adorable! We told the tech that we didn't want to know the gender in the appointment and I'm so glad we waited. We had to drive to DC right after, but we stopped at a really nice restaurant in downtown Salem for the reveal! The place was so quaint and a perfect spot for our special moment together. After ordering a glass of champagne (for Darrin) we unfolded the ultrasound picture that had "GIRL" written on it! We both looked at it for a few seconds in shock and then there were happy tears. We just couldn't believe it! The whole restaurant staff knew what we were doing and came over to congratulate us. We had a great dinner and then we were off to tell Darrin's family the news in person. Then the next day, I flew to CA for the weekend to tell my family and friends! 

How many weeks: 21 Weeks - 5 Months! 

Baby Size: Size of a long carrot. 10.5 inches. Over a 1lb

Weight gain so far: About 7 pounds
Maternity clothes: Belly band still, tank tops and I just got a lot of used maternity clothes from a family friend!

Stretch marks? I just bought Palmers Stretch Mark lotion, but I haven't done research on special lotions. We'll see if the standard one will work?

Sleep:  Even though I got the flu this past week, I was sleeping well. I had to take Nyquil PM some days;( The doctor said it was okay to take regular meds now... Its still really hard sleeping only on your sides though! 

Best moment this week: Flying home to CA and telling my family and friends the gender news! We were all in shock because we thought it was a boy. We are sooo thrilled it's a little girl though! My sister and Mom helped me register for the first time and it was a breeze. My sister told me all the things we really needed and all the things that would be a waste of money! She knows since having three kids what is crucial. 

Missing Anything: Saying goodbye to my family and friends again in Los Gatos. My nieces and nephew are growing up too fast!... Also, sleeping on my stomach and back!

Movement: I felt like she calmed down when I was on cold medicine, but she moves more in the morning and an hour before bed. The flutters are more like jabs now. I felt hiccups yesterday too!

Food cravings: I forgot to mention about carbs last time... Carbs, fruit and dairy have been a staple for me during my pregnancy. Pasta, cereal, cottage cheese, waffles, bagels and quesadillas, etc... are the usual. Before, I had a lot of salads and I need to get back to eating them more! 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Well having the flu and being pregnant was not fun;(

Gender: It's a GIRL!!!!

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Some lower back pains still and stomach tightness.

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it's not as deep anymore:(
Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: This week I was sooo tired and took my first sick day in a while. I needed to rest as much as I could to get rid of my flu, but still managed to keep busy doing house projects. Unfortunately, work has been super busy too. 
Looking forward to: To having my friends coming to visit for the first time! Kataneh, Morgan, their 15 month old son Emerson and Laura are staying for two days! They flew to Nashville and are driving to VA. Then we are all flying to upstate New York for our friend Mari's wedding! Then Darrin and I are taking Amtrak into Manhattan for a night! It will be busy, busy, but what a great trip we will spend together. 

Things to do still: We have been working so hard getting projects done in the house for my friends visit and the baby coming. Now, that Darrin finally painted our last room (guest room), we can try to focus on the babies room in the next couple of months. It helps that we know the gender now!

Due Date: December 29th! Christmas/New Years baby!

YAY!!

The reveal

Right after dinner. A double rainbow!

Telling my family! 

Pink sugar cookies for the reveal to my nieces and nephew

19 weeks – 5 days until gender day!!!

I have been following a cute blog, Schue Love for awhile and she posted a questionnaire weekly throughout her pregnancy. I was inspired, but I wasn't diligent in my first three months. Now, that I'm back to my normal self, I really want to keep track of my next five months. So, here I go!

How many weeks: 19 Weeks. - 5 Months! 

Baby Size: Size of a large mango. Six inches.

Weight gain so far: About 5 pounds - Finally have my appetite;)

Maternity clothes: Belly band is helping me wear my regular pants and I have a few maternity tops/pants. I never knew that maternity shopping was so hard.

Stretch marks? No, but I need to find a good lotion just in case.

Sleep: Sleeping well. Sleeping on my sides with my other boyfriend (full body pillow;) 

Best moment this week: Feeling more baby flutters

Missing Anything: A good margarita, coffee and sleeping on my stomach and back!

Movement: More movement this week from the little one!

Food cravings: I haven't had too many "pregnancy" cravings. The normal, thai, sushi and I was craving calamari last night.  

Anything making you queasy or sick: Since, I've haven't been sick in a few weeks (thank goodness), I still get yucky with coffee aroma and the cats food/litter. 

Gender: We find out this FRIDAY!!!!! 

Labor Signs: No

Symptoms: Some lower back pains throughout the day/night and my belly is tighter. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in, but it's not as deep anymore:(
Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood: Darrin tells me I've been pretty good throughout this whole pregnancy. So that's good! I haven't cried for anything. I have more normal energy back, yay!

Looking forward to: Finding out what this little berry is! It's amazing what a huge life change we will be experiencing this week. Also, I'm flying home to California to tell my family/friends in person and finally going baby shopping!

Things to do still: Lots to do in five months! Registry, baby shower venue in CA, finally attend a prenatal yoga class, finish reading baby books, and try to find more decor for the baby room. The list will never end...

Due Date: December 29th! Christmas/New Years baby!

Miss Maddie will be a great sis to her little brother or sister.

A little belated pic.

Summer's already half done?

Or as Darrin says, "his summer just ended since, 'The Dark Knight Rises' came out!" It was an incredible movie and sad that a sicko had to take innocent lives in Colorado. Very tragic. 


Recap of the beginning of July: The weekend of fourth of July was very memorable. Darrin and I, his brother, and Aunt and Uncle drove to Bluefield, WV to an outdoor country concert. We had been looking forward to the show since we went to it last year. It's the Best people watching Ever!! We were suppose to see Eric Church and Jake Owen until we had a rare type of tornado storm. We were in the football stadium no more than 30minutes until everyone had to evacuate and leave. We hoovered under the bleachers for some time, but finally drove home. The worst was when we got home. Our area was hit really hard. Fallen trees and power outages everywhere. Luckily, our house had power and thankful since it was sooo hot and humid that week. It was a big deal on the news and I'm still not used to these crazy thunderstorms here!...We spent the fourth at Claytor Lake like we do every year. Boat rides, swimming, corn hole, great food and ending the night by watching the guys blow up Tennessee fireworks! The coolest was seeing sheets of lightening across the sky at the same time.


I was finally feeling more like myself in the second weekend of July, thank goodness! So, Darrin and I took an improptu mini "babymoon" to Outer Banks, NC. We both had never been there and were anxious to see what the beaches were like. We got the best deal at an Inn on Roanoke Island, just outside of Nags Head. We stayed in the honeymoon suite of an old house right on the water. It was perfect. However, the humidity and heat was insane and my prego belly got burned on the beach:(... The Outer Banks was different than I expected, but so glad we went!

The last two weekends, Darrin has been hard at work painting! It's difficult to just watch him since I can't help, but I've been doing other projects throughout the house too. Our master bedroom and the NURSERY is finally painted and we now have cute curtains on the windows. We cleared out the baby room and are in the beginning stages to filling it with baby stuff. It's still a little surreal that I'm almost half way done with my pregnancy!


Pregnancy Milestones: We heard the babies heart beat again last week and everything is looking good!
Two total strangers asked about me about my pregnancy while shopping this weekend. Yep, I guess I'm showing!
Last, I felt flutters today! It was like butterfly wings scraping the side of my stomach.

Bluefield, WV – Right before we ALL had to evacuate 

Motorboatin' on the fouth

At 15 weeks, now 17.

The Booth House Inn, Manteo, NC

Right on the water

Our Honeymoon suite – The Innkeepers family antiques

Bath water

Darrin got his seafood!

We're having a....

It's been awhile since I posted on my little blog and there's a reason... I have had NO energy due to being 14 weeks PREGNANT!! Yes, Darrin and I are adding to our little family! It's so exciting to finally say it now!  We found out at five weeks and it's still crazy that I have a little bean growing inside of me. I've waited for this moment since I was a child and it's unreal that I will be a Mom by Christmas time!

My first trimester is exactly how I pictured it... Sick:( My Mom and my sister were both the same way when they were pregnant and I am just like them. Guess it runs in the family! Now, that I'm into my second trimester, I'm getting better and feeling more energy. Darrin's been so caring and understanding of how I have been feeling. He's taken on roles that I can't do and doesn't complain. He's an incredible husband and he will be an amazing father.

I just went maternity shopping the past two weekends because I'm starting to show. Things are getting a little snug;) We had our thirteen week appointment last week and heard the strong heartbeat. We also switched to a wonderful midwife in my practice because my original doctor left. We are so happy with her and she was so informative, which we need! We don't get another ultrasound until we know the sex, which is in six more weeks! We have our instincts on the gender, but who really knows? We just can't wait!

Since my last blog post in April, we haven't done too much since I haven't been the life of the party lately, but some things we have done:

-Beginning of May, we flew to CA to tell my family and friends the exciting news in person!

-Told my Dad at his 70th Birthday and will never forget his reaction;)
-We celebrated our one year anniversary!

-Finally had a small housewarming party.

-Maddie turned one and has been loving swimming in the lake a lot. She's a huge water dog!

-Lot's of positive changes at my work.

-I have been doing more freelance design work at night.

-My Mom retired after 32 years of teaching fourth grade! I'm so proud of her. 

We have a lot of projects to start this summer. I'm surprised that I haven't done any baby planning, but hope this trimester will be the time to get things done.

So, that's our exciting news! We are so happy and looking forward to the next six months until we meet baby Quesenberry!

First ultrasound

Right when we found out! The whole fam together.

The shirt Maddie wore to tell my family on Skype

Seven week ultrasound

12 weeks, first maternity shirt and a little bump showing

April in North Carolina

So, I'm getting caught up on my April North Carolina trips! I've been twice and plan on going again next weekend... In the beginning of April, Darrin and I went to stay with his younger brother in Raleigh. We went to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers play and it was an awesome show! I have never seen Darrin so pumped before! The next day, the guys took me around Duke University and I was in awe. The campus was so gorgeous and it made me want to be back in college again. Miss Maddie Duke got a picture in front of the chapel of course! We had lunch in Chapel Hill and saw UNC. Their sorority/fraternity row was so beautiful. It reminded me of the houses in Palo Alto.

Then last weekend, my Mom came to visit! She flew into Charlotte and we stayed the night. The next morning, I showed her around the area and she was very impressed. Then we headed off for a two hour drive to Asheville, NC. I had no idea this town was so artsy! I felt like I was in Santa Cruz again. We had lunch downtown at Mayfel's which is a New Orleans style restaurant. The fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and muffuletta were sooo good! This place had such a cool atmosphere and loved how they were dog friendly;)
I found this Antique Tobacco Barn that is #1 in the Western NC. My Mom and I drove up and our jaws dropped. This place was 77k sq. ft. and we had only an hour to look before they closed! This store was amazing and not like the crappy antique malls. I wanted everything, but found one item I will cherish forever! That will be a separate post:)
That night we wanted some Carolina bbq, so I found this cute place online that had great ratings. We had the best ribs, collard greens and mac and cheese! We had the best Bloody Mary's too! They make a BLT Bloody Mary, which we didn't try. It had bacon, lettuce and tomato all stuffed inside the drink. Talk about Southern! Yep, we ate pretty well on this trip.


Our last day was spent at the Biltmore Estate. One of the most beautiful house tours I've ever been too. It makes Hearst Castle look tiny!
This weekend we are going back to Asheville again and it will be fun to experience it with Darrin this time.

Miss Maddie Duke at Duke Chapel.
Who's named after her Daddy's favorite bball team.

HUGE!!

The Biltmore Estate

The Estates Backyard. It was a gorgeous day.

My big redneck NASCAR weekend!

My first NASCAR experience in Martinsville, VA was a great one! 

I remember watching a couple of races with my Dad on t.v. while growing up, but NASCAR is not a big deal on the west coast. I would have never imagined going to a race, but now that it's on in our house eleven months of the year on Sunday afternoon's, I am beginning to like it. Mostly, I like the goss on the racers and the wrecks. Then Darrin fills me in on the rest, ha!...The past weekend was quite an experience and quite a party! The weather was absolutely perfect, but the ticks were out in full-force! I had a total of 7 blood sucking ticks attached to my skin! I guess that's the nature of camping in a field;)...We had a group of about fourteen and we all wore our high fashions from Walmart! Goooood times!

"If you ain't first your last!"--Ricky Bobby

American pride.

Of course you have to have camo solo cups!

Camping field that was right next to the track.

Will's sweet mullet for the weekend!

So stylin'

Chuck who's creeping in the back.

Race time!!!

My man Tony #14 didn't win, but his team mate Ryan Newman won.