Snug as a Bug

If you'll notice the pregnancy ticker across the top of the blog, it reads: 40 weeks and 2 days. That is no mistake. Apparently I have a very hospitable womb and Sutton is really enjoying his stay. I went back to the doctor on Wednesday and am still 1.5 cm dilated. I was sure that he was going to tell me that I was 2.5-3 cm dilated, not that there was NO CHANGE from last week!!

So, we had an ultrasound to check the amniotic fluid levels, which look good, and to see how he is doing. In order to pass the test, his diaphragm had to be moving up and down indicating he is practicing breathing (check), his growth had to be on track (check)and he had to move every extremity so many times all within 30 minutes. If he didn't pass the test, it would indicate that we may need to get him out. Well, for the first 20 minutes he would.not.budge. The ultrasound tech was poking and prodding him all over the place and he just wouldn't move. I told her that he wasn't a morning person. At this point, I was starting to get a bit worried, so she got out this buzzer and put it up to my belly and "buzzed" him. It sounded like the buzzer that goes off at the end of a basketball game and that got him going! So he passed that test and the stress test as well. The plan is that I will go back next Wednesday if he hasn't come already, check things out, and if things are still looking good we will schedule an induction for the 25th.

I really do not want to be induced if I don't have to, so please pray that he decides to come on his own before then. Any and all prayers for us in the next week would be greatly appreciated. Here's hoping that my next post will be announcing his arrival!

39 Weeks and Counting

No, I've NOT had the baby yet! Although everywhere I seem to go, people feel the need to tell me that I'm about ready to pop, like I don't already know this. I went to the doctor again today and am now 1.5cm dilated about 60% effaced. So, we're making progress slowly but surely! He said that if I hadn't had him by my next weekly appointment next Wed (will be 1 day past due date) that he wants to hook me to the fetal monitor to make sure his heart rate is ok and possiby do a sonogram to check for size, fluid levels, etc. He mentioned that if I wanted to schedule an induction at that point for next Friday, that I could but I'm going to try and let him come on his own. There are alot more complications and pain associated with induced labor, so I'm going to try and hold off as long as I can without intervening. I am going to try some self-induction methods though like walking (which I have already been doing), eating eggplant parmesan and pineapple, and accupressure (NOT to be confused with accupuncture!!). I figure that none of them could hurt, so what the heck? I've decided to avoid drinking castor oil and nipple stimulation for obvious reasons!

Since it's been awhile since I posted a picture, here I am in all my 39 week glory:
AND...when I went to the doctor this morning, I had lost 2 pounds. I figure it was just water weight or something, but that brings my total weight gain down to 28 pounds and I'm sticking with it! Please keep us all in your prayers over the next several weeks. We're getting so close to finally meeting our baby boy!!

38 Week Apointment

Had another appointment this morning and I am dilated 1 cm. I know that this is nothing to get too excited over since I could stay like this for 2 more weeks, but it's a step in the right direction! He said he is definitely head down, which I could have told him based on the amount of time I spend in the bathroom and the pressure I've been feeling lately. Everything else looked good: gained a pound, blood pressure normal and his heart rate was strong too. So, it could be tomorrow or it could be two weeks. I go back next Wednesday unless something happens before then.

Mom will be here tomorrow to stay until his arrival and my mother-in-law is coming with sewing/embroidery machine in tow to do some last minute monogramming. I am really looking forward to their visit, as I always enjoy spending time with these two ladies.

Hope you all have a good week!

Nursery Reveal

Ever since we found out that we were having a boy, I have been trying to decide the direction I wanted to take with the nursery. Of course had we been having a girl, I knew exactly what I wanted, but maybe next time! I knew that I didn't want anything with a theme (jungle, under the sea, race car, etc) like most of the boy stuff I found online was. I also knew that I wanted something that was "babyish" but could grow with him as well. The first purchases we made were the crib and glider and then a very sweet friend of ours offered to make the baby bedding as a gift for us. The fabric really was the inspiration for the whole room. Let me give a side shout out here to the Cotton Patch in Brookhaven...if you need fabric, it's $5 a yard!!! Well, the minky is $7 but it's definitely worth a trip down south if you are in the market for fabric. Anywho, I couldn't be more pleased with the way things turned out. Now all we need is a baby!

So without further ado, let me present to you Mr.Sutton's room. I am also going to post the "before" pic of the room since we did some transforming there as well. Oh, and forgive the quality of the pics because they are from my phone. My memory card on my camera was acting screwy. A trip to Wal-Mart will be needed soon!This is what the room looked like when we moved in. I originally loved the idea of the window seats with the storage, but they just took up too much room. One of these window seats now resides in my laundry room! Not even sure about the cabinets in the corner.

This is the view of his room looking in from the door inUp close of the big bed. I didn't want to have to lose a guest bedroom and I knew there might be nights we would be sleeping in the same room, so luckily we were able to fit in a full bed in his room.This is side of the room opposite the big bed. Thanks to Mimi and Poppy for our beautiful crib! Would really like some kind of mobile or something hanging over the crib, but I haven't found anything I really like just yet. Close up of the bedding for the crib. And yes, I know the big debate about not having bumpers on your baby's crib, but until he is old enough to move around in there I'm not really worried about it!
This is one of my favorite parts of the room. These are bookshelves that Sterling and I built together. One of my favorite things to do is curl up with a good book and this love of reading was instilled to me at an early age. I am so thankful that my parents took the time to read with me and teach me to read at an early age. Sterling's parents also did the same and I think it really makes a world of difference in a child's life (even though Sterling doesn't read much more that golf or hunting magazines these days!) It is my hope that Sutton will share this love of reading. We have already been rocking in our chair reading! The other special part of this is that most all of the books on the shelves were mine and Sterling's as a child. I had such a good time going through all of these books and remembering reading them when I was little.
Here is the other side of the room. The print by the door is an adorable ABC print I got from etsy. Notice the cute diaper stacker that matches all the bedding. This was a surprise in addition to all the bedding. I'm working on a large distressed picture frame that handy hubby of mine built to go above the changing table. Apparently my form of nesting has turned into crafting instead of cleaning!

So there you go! Let me know what you think, unless of course you don't like it :)

37 Weeks

As many of you have pointed out, yes I need to update. This is becoming a recurrent theme of going long periods of time with no updates. Some of you are so good at keeping up with your blog! At least I know that there are still people out there waiting to hear from me. Well, the countdown is on...only 18 more days till d-day!

How far along? 37 Weeks and 3 days

Total Weight Gain: 28 pounds. Still within the healthy 25-35 pound weight gain range. This was my goal to stay within. Yesterday, the doctor said if Sutton were born today, he would weigh about 6.5 pounds. If he goes full term, he'll be an 8 pounder!

Maternity Clothes: The only clothes that fit these days!

Stretch Marks: Somehow I still have none, even though my belly is bigger than I ever imagined it could get. I have to get Sterling to check for them since I can't even see the bottom of my belly anymore

Sleep? When we moved into our new house, we bought a new King bed which is heavenly! If I didn't have to get up to go to the bathroom so many times I would really be sleeping well

Best moment last week? Getting the nursery finished

Movement? His movement has changed more to rolls than kicks these days. It's so funny to watch him move across my belly. You can distinctly tell hands from feet now and it looks like an alien is trying to escape from my stomach. He's also been getting the hiccups alot

Food cravings? Nothing in particular. I'm just hungry all.the.time.

Gender? Sweet baby boy

Labor signs? When I went to the doctor yesterday, he said that he's head down, but I haven't dilated any. Definitely noticing the Braxton Hicks contractions more frequently and stronger

Belly button in/out? It's pretty flush. Still hoping it won't pop

What I miss? My independence. It's getting to the point where I have to ask Sterling to help me with even the smallest things. I know my limitations, but I'm just not used to needing so much help!

What I am looking forward to? Finally getting to meet our precious son and hold him in my arms.

Pics of the nursery and ever expanding belly (I believe the term "bump" is no longer applicable) to come soon and before-and-after pics of our new house. Have I mentioned how much I love my husband? He can do ANYTHING around the house! He's so handy to have around. Just wait until you see the pictures...you're gonna wish your husband was as handy (and good looking!) as mine!

Almost 30 weeks

I really need to get better at updating the blog...New Year's resolution maybe?! In the last couple of weeks, we have traveled the state visiting family and friends. We had wonderful Christmas celebrations and ate lots of food. To make things even more interesting, we have purchased a new house, which we hope to close on next week. We have lots of renovating to do in the next month or two, but hoped to be moved in the house by February 1st. The house will need its own post, so hopefully I will get to that soon! To make things even more hectic, we start childbirth classes this month on Thursday nights and breastfeeding classes on Thursday nights, and I start back to work next week. Then my poor husband has to pack and move the entire house without much help from me. January will be gone before we know it!

So for a quick update on the little bambino and mama:
How far along? 29 weeks and 4 days

Total Weight Gain: 18 pounds as of my last appointment (12/21). Doc says he weighs about 2.5-3 pounds and I can expect to gain about a pound a week from here on out.

Maternity Clothes: Still loving them!

Stretch Marks: Still none...thankful for this

Sleep? Not the greatest. Getting more uncomfortable. Lots of tossing and turning and bathroom trips. I think this is God's polite way for preparing me for sleepless nights to come

Best moment last week? My sweet sister and bestie RC hosted Sutton's first shower! It was absolutely adorable and deserves its own post, which I will hopefully also get to later. Oh and Presley spent a couple of nights with us and we had a blast. Have I mentioned how much I love her?!

Movement? All.the.time. He is a very active little boy. His new trick is to poke either his head or bottom (can't really tell which) into my right side and just press hard. You can clearly feel the outline of whatever body part it is. Most of the time with a little nudging, I can get him to give me a break

Food cravings? Nothing in particular; however, it's getting harder to eat. I get so full easily and my stomach just feels super tight. Space is becoming a commodity in there!

Gender? Sweet baby boy

Labor signs? None. The Braxton Hicks have actually let up, so that's good

Belly button in/out? Thinking it's going to make it's way out anyday now

What I miss? I am really trying to enjoy everything about these last weeks alone with my baby, so I really try not to focus on anything negative. It will be nice though to be able to bend down and tie my shoes and not have to visit the bathroom so often.

What I am looking forward to? Starting all of our classes, getting started on the house renovations and getting settled in, and our big shower at the end of the month!

Wishing all of you a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2011. I know we can't wait to see what God has in store for our family!!

Quick Crescent Caramel Rolls

It seems like the only recipes I have been posting lately have all been sweets, but I guess this is a reflection of my current state. I would like to note, though, that I always have a house full of boys who eat most of the sweets for me! This morning, I thought I would make the hubby a breakfast treat and they were easy and so good. If you are planning on having company over the holidays, you should definitely jot down this recipe and make them one morning...trust me, your company will thank you! Since there were only 2 of us eating (well technically 3), I halved the recipe, and this is what I got:
8T margarine, divided
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. water
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 cans crescent rolls
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

In ungreased 9X13, melt 5T margarine in oven. Stir in brown sugar, water, and pecans. I also added some vanilla here. Separate each can of dough into 4 rectangles and pinch to seal. Spread with 3T of margarine. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over dough. Starting with the shorter side, roll up each rectangle. Cut each triangle into 4 sliced, making 32 pieces. Place cut side down in pan. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Invert immediately to remove from pan.

In an attempt to lighten this recipe, I did the following and you could not tell one bit. I always buy reduced fat crescent rolls, used Splenda as well as Splenda Brown sugar blend. I wouldn't skimp on the 5T of margarine you melt in the pan, but I think you could easily reduce the 3T you spread on the crescent rolls. Enjoy!

100 Days to Go?!?!

According to the little blog ticker, we only have 100 days to go until my due date. OMG! On one hand, I can't wait to meet little Sutton, but on the other hand I am really enjoying this special time with him all nestled in my belly. I have a feeling that these next 100 days are going to fly by! The holidays will come and go before we know it and then we will be ringing in 2011. We start childbirth and breastfeeding classes in January, and February is Tootie month, then it will be March!

For those of you unfamiliar with Tootie month, let me explain...Sterling's nickname for me has been Tootie for as long as we have been together and this has also expanded to many of our friends calling me this as well. February is the only month of the year where Sterling is not involved in some hobby: football and hunting are over and golf has yet to start. Plus it's my birthday month! So, even though it is the shortest month of the year, it's my month and I get all the attention. I have a feeling by February, this mama is going to enjoy all the pampering she can get!! Speaking of mama...look at how much the belly has grown!How far along? 25 weeks and 5 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 15 pounds as of my appointment this week. I was VERY nervous stepping on the scales this week after all of Thanksgiving's indulgences, but am right on track

Maternity Clothes? Still loving them!

Stretch marks? Still none

Sleep? No trouble at all falling asleep, but still waking up often to go to the bathroom and to change sides. Hopefully I will start snoozing better when we get our new King size mattress in the next few weeks! Yippee!!!

Best moment last week? Getting to visit with all of my family. Presley was so sweet kissing my belly and giving it hugs. She can't wait for "Sudding" to get here!

Movement? Lots. We have a very active boy, although he tends to be a bit stubborn at times. He will be moving up a storm and I will tell someone to feel and he will stop. Poor Sarah wanted to feel him so bad the whole week and he just would not cooperate

Food cravings? Still on the sweets. I am really hoping this goes away after he arrives

Gender? Sweet little boy!

Labor Signs? Still having Braxton Hicks contractions. Almost had myself convinced I was going into early labor today, but I think I was just being paranoid.

Belly button in/out? Becoming less cavernous...starting to get a bit nervous it will pop out

What I miss? Sleeping on my back

What am I looking forward to? Being done with work on Wednesday, finally getting to meet little Jacob and visiting with his parents of course, the holidays, and our first baby shower

Busy as a Bee!

Long time no blog, I know, but in my defense things have been really busy around the Dahl house lately! For starters, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Mom, Dad, Sarah, and Presley came from Texas and stayed the week and it was so good to see them. We went wedding dress shopping for Sarah and I think she found THE ONE! We went to my grandparents' house in Bruce and then to Charleston to visit Sterling's grandmother. We ate LOTS of good food and enjoyed everyone's company. In between, we also took a little trip to Tupelo to take Presley to Disney Princesses on Ice, which she loved! I asked Sarah and her to show me their most excited faces before the show and this is what I got... LOVE them! Unfortunately, this was the only picture I managed to take over Thanksgiving.

I have all of our Christmas presents bought and wrapped and am winding down teaching for the semester. I have to give an exam Monday and Wednesday, then I am off for an entire month!! Have I mentioned before how much I love my job?!

We have also gotten some items for the nursery! We went to Woodland and got this crib and this chair for the nursery. The chair we bought is in a cream on cream chenille paisley pattern. It is a glider and is residing in our bedroom for now. I have really enjoyed watching TV and reading in the chair. I can't wait to snuggle and read bedtime stories to our little man once he arrives!

I'd like to say that once I am done with school, I will have lots of time for updating the blog, but I can't make any promises. In the meantime though, if you are a blog reader, please leave me a comment so that I know someone is still out there! Please, don't be shy...

Mug Cake and Frozen Delight

Since the sweet tooth is apparently not going away anytime soon, I have been scouring the Internet for low calorie desserts. I've come across two already that I have made and are too good not to share. Let me introduce you to the Mug Cake, which may quite possibly be the easiest dessert out there to make.

1 box Angel Food Cake mix
I box any other kind of cake mix WITHOUT the pudding in it (I used Devil's Food)
3 T water

Here's what you do: In a gallon ziploc bag, dump both the cake mixes and shake really well. Disregard any of the directions on the box...just dump in the dry mix. When you get ready for your cake, take 1/3c. of the cake mixture and add 3T water and microwave in a mug or bowl for 1 minute to 1 minute 15 seconds. THAT'S IT!! I topped mine with fat free Cool Whip and Ster topped his with vanilla ice cream since he's not watching his weight. I even Sharpeed the directions on the Ziploc bag so he can make a treat whenever he wants. I was a bit skeptical of first, but trust me on this one!

The second recipe is Frozen Delight. I had something similar at Flowerdale Cafe in Tupelo and have been searching for a recipe since then. After some modifying of the recipes, this is what I came up with:

1 8oz. block fat-free cream cheese
1/3 c Splenda
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce, NOT the jellied log kind
1 16 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 can mandarin oranges, drained well and cut in half
12 oz. lite or fat-free Cool Whip

Beat the cream cheese and splenda together until smooth and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients. At this point, you could just refrigerate and eat it this way, but it tastes even better frozen. Line 24 muffin cups with liners and fill them with the mixture. Freeze 4-6 hours until firm then pop out and store in a ziploc in the freezer until you are ready for one. They really taste alot like ice cream and are about 65 calories each.

If you have any other low calorie desserts, please feel free to share!

Shutterfly Promotion

I love a good bargain, and free is the best bargain there is! Shutterfly is giving away 50 FREE cards this holiday season. I have had a Shutterfly account for awhile now and I love all the things that you can do with your pictures on their site. They have the cutest photo books, wall calendars, picture stationary with matching address labels, and cards oh my! Here are a few of my favorites:

I like the simplicity of this card but generally would pick something more cutesy and funky

This card is definitely more my taste AND it benefits the American Lung Association. It's like killing two birds with one stone. They also have cards benefiting Livestrong and Heifer International

Last year, I gave my grandparents a wall calendar for Christmas with pictures of the entire family in each of the months and went ahead and put everyone's birthdays, anniversaries, etc. on the calendar. They loved it and it will become a tradition for me to do this for them every year. They have the cutest designs to choose from!

Of course, I didn't show you my actual favorite card design because many of you will be receiving it in the mail and I wanted it to be a surprise! So, if you're a blogger too, then head on over to this website and sign up for your 50 free cards. You can thank me later!

22 Weeks

How far along? 22 weeks and 3 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained 9 pounds as of last visit

Maternity Clothes? Pretty much all I wear these days. Some of my regular tops and most of my dresses still fit, but maternity pants are the way to go. I have been wearing regular pants with the Belly Band to work, but probably not for much longer!

Stretch marks? Still none...hoping this lasts

Sleep? Sleeping pretty well, but still waking up several times a night to go to the bathroom and/or switch sides because one side of my body is asleep

Best moment last week? Finding out that we are having a boy who appears healthy and has a strong heartbeat! Also, getting the fabric for the nursery. Can't wait to see it all come together

Movement? All the time! Sometimes it comes in the form of kicks or little jabs, but it seems lately he has been doing flips in my belly. The sonographer said he is still small enough that he can do this, but pretty soon his space will become more limited. I think the time change has gotten to him as well, so no more late night parties in my belly!

Food cravings? One of the things that I have always been able to say about myself is that I don't have a sweet tooth. I always prefer salty over sweet...until now! For the past 2 weeks, I have been craving anything and everything sweet. I've also been on a baking kick which hasn't really helped this. I've been making mostly muffins and bread to eat for breakfast and I make lots of substitutions which make them pretty healthy. Yesterday though, I finally caved into my cake craving and it was worth every calorie. Have any of you ever eaten Hummingbird Cake? Oh.my.goodness! Think carrot cake but take out the carrots and add bananas and pineapple. Slather this with cream cheese icing and talk about heaven! Hopefully, that will quench the craving for awhile.

Gender? BOY! Sutton Sterling Dahl

Labor Signs? I have started to have these cramps in my lower abdomen and back a few times a day. The doctor said not to worry about them unless they happen six times in one hour. Not sure if these are Braxton Hicks or not, but they aren't too fun

Belly button in/out: Still a deep, dark cave

What I miss? Nothing. I love everything about being pregnant!

What I am looking forward to? Finally, I have something new to post here! First, I am looking forward to being done with school for the semester. I've pretty much already checked out mentally, but only have a couple of weeks left. Getting excited about the holidays, seeing my family, and getting the nursery bedding made, and crib and chair bought. Lots of things on my to do list!

This week, I thought I would include a pic of me and the hubs. This was taken last weekend at his parents house. Isn't he the cutest? I envision little Sutton is going to be a mini version of his daddy. I am going to have the cutest boys in my life!

It's a ....

BOY! We found out Wednesday morning that we are having a son. When we went in for the sonogram, we asked the tech not to tell us what the gender was so we could try and figure it out first. Well, as soon as she turned the screen, his little doodler popped right on the screen and I screamed "It's a boy. Look, there it is!" It took Sterling a minute to figure out what I was seeing, but he quickly saw it too. There was no mistaking his manhood. Everything else looked great! We have a healthy baby who weighs 15 ounces now and the heart was beating strong around 142 bpm. We were really able to see alot and were surprised at how much he had grown since our last sonogram. He actually looked like a baby instead of a seahorse! We were able to see all four chambers of the heart, his legs which were crossed for most of the time, his arms which were around his face, his ribs, spinal cord, and just about everything else. It was really awesome!

We spent awhile chatting with the doctor about epidurals, inductions, delivery options, etc which really made everything seem real. I try not to think about having to get him out. For now, I am enjoying every minute of him being in my belly. Speaking of which, he is moving all over the place. We have really enjoyed laying in bed at night feeling him move all over the place. For the past couple of nights, he has had a party in my belly around 11pm. He is definitely a night owl like his daddy.

We have decided his name will be Sutton Sterling Dahl. Now, let the shopping and monogramming begin! Woo Hoo!!

Tomorrow, Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day! Will baby Dahl be SSD or MGD? Stay tuned for the big announcement...

Halfway There!

Tuesday marked 20 weeks, which means we're halfway there! We go back to the doctor on Tuesday for our 3D/4D anatomy scan and to find out if Baby Dahl is a HE or SHE! The first two weeks after my last appointment zoomed by, but these last two weeks have slowly crept by. Not that I am trying to wish away the pregnancy, because frankly I like having him/her safe in my belly, but I am dying to know the gender. I still have not made one purchase for the baby and I am getting a bit antsy to start getting stuff for the nursery ready. I know that these next few months will fly by with the holidays and I want to be prepared.

Before I move on to the official update, I want to congratulate our dear friends Andrew and Kayla on the birth of their son Jacob early yesterday morning. I stole this picture from her Facebook page, but I'm sure she will be posting more on her blog once they get home and settled. Isn't he a doll? I can't wait to get up to Little Rock to get me some sugars! It's so exciting to know that Jacob and Baby Dahl are going to be so close in age...I think we are going to have some trouble on our hands!

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And now for the update...

How far along? 20 weeks and 3 days

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm still sticking with 5 pounds since I haven't weighed since my last doctor's appointment. I'm sure this number will go up after Wednesday. From here on out, I should gain about a pound a week. Eek!

Maternity Clothes: Loving them!

Stretch marks? None so far

Sleep? Starting to get a bit more uncomfortable. Since I can only sleep on my sides, my stomach is starting to get heavy. I wake up several times and have to change sides because whichever side I was sleeping on will be aching. I think it may be time to invest in one of those pregnancy body pillows

Best moment last week? Getting to hear the heartbeat. My friend Ryan Claire is in school getting her Master's in Nursing and has an awesome stethescope that we were able to listen to the heartbeat with. Still the best sound...gets me everytime!

Movement? Definitely been feeling baby move. Sterling has been dying to feel too and everynight he puts his hand on my stomach and asks, is that it? Everytime the answer has been, "No, that's my pulse,"...until last night!! We were lying in the bed watching TV and my stomach got hard as a rock all of a sudden. I told him to feel how weird it was and as soon as he put is hand on my stomach, he got not one, but two strong kicks! His eyes got so wide and he was grinning from ear to ear. It was a priceless moment. Have I mentioned how much I love him?

Food cravings? Nothing really specific, just food in general. Sweets have been looking alot more appealing to me than usual, which isn't a good thing.

Gender? Find out Wednesday!

Labor signs? None

Belly button in/out? Still a deep cavern

What I miss? Nothing really

What I am looking forward to? Duh! I sound like a broken record, but finding out the sex. Luckily next week I will have something new to post here!

3 Years and Counting

Yesterday was our 3 year anniversary and I have to say that this one was pretty special. It's not that we went anywhere exotic or bought each other extravagant gifts, but there was something exciting about the fact that this will be our last year celebrating our marriage just the two of us. We had dinner at Cafe Ritz in West Point, which was so delish, then came home to watch the video my aunt made of our wedding. This was the first time we had gotten to watch it and I had forgotten how much I loved our wedding. To my surprise, she also taped some of the reception so we got to watch the first dance and there were some priceless moments of our grandmothers dancing. I am so glad to have all that on video so I will never forget those moments!

So in honor of our anniversary, here are 10 reasons why I love my sweet husband (in no particular order):

1. He does the dishes AND the laundry: 2 chores I hate! Who am I kidding? He probably cleans the house more than me!

2. He lets me hog the covers at night and warms my cold toes

3. He keeps me grounded. When I tend to get all dramatic and emotional, he keeps me in check

4. He makes me stop to appreciate the small things in life

5. He is very passionate. Even though the love for golf, all things football, and hunting tend to really get on my nerves sometimes, I know that those things make him really happy

6. He includes me in whatever he's doing. Whether he is going to the golf course or out to the land to piddle, he always asks me to come. He likes teaching me about his hobbies and how things work. This makes me feel special

7. He can build or fix anything. If he doesn't know how to do it, he will figure it out.

8. He is such a hard worker. I am so proud of the business that he has built. He is not afraid to go for what he wants and will work his butt off to make it happen

9. He always shares his food with me. Even if it is his last bite, he will let me have it

10. He is going to be the best daddy! He has become so protective of the belly. I catch him just staring at it and smiling. It's the cutest.

Here's to another year! Can't wait to see what God has in store for us this next year as we become Dahl:Party of 3!

What's Going on and 18 weeks

Before I get to this week's update, a few random thoughts:

1. My friend Michael I posted about is now home and recovering. Thanks for all your prayers

2. I made these Chicken and White Bean Stuffed Peppers last night and they were delish! I didn't have any adobo on hand, so I just added some salsa. We had baked sweet potatoes and mexican cornbread with it. I highly recommend checking out the Gina's Skinny Recipes if you are in a recipe rut.

3. How great has this weather been?! I feel like we are actually having a true fall this year instead of jumping straight from hot to cold. It has really put me in a festive mood! I've already made a new wreath for the front door and decorated the buffet with a cute fallscape of burlap and mini pumpkins! Hopefully we can get to Lowe's this weekend for some mums and I plan on making pumpkin bread. Yum!

4. How cute is this face?! We went for a visit to Austin last week and took Presley to this pumpkin patch festival. She got her face painted like a cat since she is going to be "Marie, darling" from the Aristocats for Halloween. I could just eat her up!

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And now for the 18 week update...

How far along? 18 weeks 3 days

Total weight gain/loss? Gained 5 pounds so far

Maternity clothes? Still able to wear many of my tops and all of my dresses. Thanks to Dirt Cheap for the Bella Band I bought for $1, I can wear many of my pants. I also lucked up on a pair on maternity leggings and footed tights, both for $1 each, and 3 maternity shirts from Target for $2 each! Man, I love a bargain!!

Stretch marks? Nope, although we are definitely growing

Sleep? Still getting plenty

Best moment last week? It's all amazing

Movement? Maybe? I pretty sure I have been feeling flutters but I'm not quite sure.

Food cravings? Chocolate milk (which is weird because I HATE milk, but I need the calcium, so I'm going with it), apples, sour gummy candy. I was trying to get my mid-term grades finished yesterday at work and was dying for some sour candy, but I refused to leave my office to go to the gas station. I thought that might have been a bit ridiculous.

Gender? Find out Nov 3!

Labor signs? No

Belly button in/out? Definitely in. In fact, it's getting really deep. If I wear a tight shirt you can see this big round "O" where my belly button is. Is this normal?!

What I miss? Wearing my David Yurman ring, which gives me a rash, and being able to breathe. The doctor says this both of these symptoms are common during pregnancy, but will go away after the baby is here.

What I am looking forward to? Our 3 year anniversary next week and Nov 3 when we find out the gender!

16 & 17 Weeks Update

Not much new going on since I posted an update at 15 weeks. We went to the doctor yesterday morning and everything looked great! I have now gained a total of 5 pounds and blood pressure and blood glucose both checked out. I did have to drink a 20 ounce Coke yesterday morning before my appointment. I started drinking it at 7:15 and had to finish it in 15 minutes! NOT the way I would have liked to start my day. I never drink real sodas and rarely drink diet sodas, so this was no easy task for me. After guzzling the entire coke, I felt nauseous for the first time in my pregnancy, and it had nothing to do with the baby. Sterling was jealous that I got to drink coke for breakfast...living with a dietitian he never gets to do this! We heard the heartbeat again, and it was 146 bmp. It is beginning to slow down a bit and become less sporadic as the brain is now regulating his/her heartbeat. I pleaded my case to be able to find out the gender, but he said that we would really get a better view of everything, not just the goods, at my next appointment. So, November 3rd it is!

We're headed to Austin this weekend to see my parents, newly engaged sister!, and of course Miss Presley! I promise to take a picture of the belly this weekend to you can see how we're growing.

One last thing, can you all please say a prayer for my friend Michael? He is from Jackson and is in ICU with what started as pneumonia in all four quadrants of his lungs and has now developed ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). He is on a ventilator now, but they are hoping he will start breathing on his own soon. Thanks so much!

Unnecessary Spending

As I've been browsing the Internet for baby products I've found a few things that I've just got to share. While there are a host of products out there that look like they would really make your life easier, there are equally as many products, in my opinion, that are just unnecessary. I mean, people actually pay money for these things? Obviously I'm no expert, so if some of you have any insight into any of these products that I'm just not getting, please enlighten me. In no particular order, here are my favorites:

Unborn Baby Kick and Movement Counter
Now, I understand the importance of monitoring the baby's kicks and movements. Since I have yet to feel even a flutter, I don't know what this feels like yet, but my friend Emily filled me in on how she does this and counts 10 kicks at a time. So, when I first saw this, I thought that you put this device up to your belly and it somehow detected the kicks and counted them for you. After reading a bit more about it, it does nothing of the sort. It just helps you count to 10 and plays a tune once you've reached 10. Seriously?! I hope that anyone getting ready to bring a child into this world can count to 10 on her own without the help of this device. Price: $20





Baby Crying Analyzer
According to its description "this product teaches new parents to distinguish the different types of cries of their baby and displays the answer on the easy to read LCD screen." Huh?! Apparently there are 5 different categories: Hungry, Bored, Annoyed, Tired, and Stressed. I have no clue how this product works and frankly don't care. I understand that babies cry for all reasons, including hungry, gassy, wet/dirty diaper,sleepy, etc. and sometimes parents can't seem to understand why the baby is crying. I don't think this gadget knows the child better than its parents. My favorite of the cries is "annoyed" Price: $100!!


The Zaky
This is a set of beanbags shaped like hands that cradle your baby while you are away. You can even wrap it around your neck to rub your scent off on it. I really have no words for this one. This picture just makes me laugh every time i look at it. Price: $50

There are lots more out there, but these are the ones I found to be the most unnecessary. Feel free to leave a comment if you or anyone you know has tried any of these products. I'm pretty sure my mom didn't have any of these products when I was a baby and I think she made out just fine! Stay tuned for a post of things that really look worth the money...in MY opinion of course. After all, it's MY blog!

15 Week Update

How far along? 15 weeks and 2 days

Total weight gain/loss? Don't own a scale, so I'm still sticking with a weight gain of 2 pounds

Maternity Clothes? All my regular clothes with the exception of maternity jeans. Dresses are definitely the most comfortable.

Stretch Marks? Still none!

Sleep? Still getting plenty

Best moment last week? It's all amazing

Movement? Not yet

Food Cravings? Still on the oranges...

Gender? Apparently most of you are thinking girl along with Sterling. I still have no clue!

Labor signs? Thank God, no

Belly button In/out? Again, thank God, In

What I miss? Nothing really. I have had no complaints throughout my pregnancy so far and am still doing all the same things I did before.

What I am looking forward to? Finding out if this baby is a boy or girl and feeling him/her move

And what you're all really here for...a picture of the "bump." Please excuse the concealer eyes. I promise they did not look like that in real life...must have been the flash!