Happy Holidays - Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

Ben and I received our best Christmas gift ever this year, the birth of our son, Samuel. We were released from the hospital on Wednesday, just in time to be home together as a family for the holiday. Due to the serious weather conditions we had this week, a lot of our family had to drive back home, so it was a small Christmas with Samuel, my mother, Ben and I. Even with this we had a great day just spending time with our favorite gift. This is just one of the many many pictures we took on Christmas of Samuel in his Santa suit. We put Sam in 4 different outfits throughout the day so he could wear all of the cute little holiday outfits that we had gotten for him. We are pretty sure Samuel already thinks his parents are crazy forcing him into all of these outfits and taking tons of pictures, sorry Samuel hopefully when you grow up you will forgive us.

We have been so fortunate to have my mother here with us, it has made the transition home from the hospital a great one and allowed us to really spend time with our son. She has been such a great help, Samuel is so fortunate to have such an amazing grandmother that loves him so much! She is leaving this week and we can't imagine how different it will be without her.

Samuel is adjusting well, I got my first present from him while changing his 1st diaper after we got home. He is eating well, and sleeping about 3 hours at a time at night, allowing Ben and I to get pretty good sleep. With each day he is more and more alert, loving to look at the lights on the Christmas tree. We spend most of our days watching him and even fighting to get to be the one to change his diaper (how crazy are we.)

Thank you to everyone for your support and calls over the last week. We will continue to update his blog as he grows.

Samuel Joseph Levy

Well, I got what I wished for. Samuel Joseph Levy was born, yesterday December 21st at 2:15pm. It was an amazing experience and Ben and I couldn't be happier. My water broke early in the morning and we headed into the hospital. We were shocked (and we are not sure why) when they told us we were going to have a son in just a few hours.

Ben was fantastic and so supportive. And from the minute he arrived, they have had such a great bond. Ben can't go more than 20 minutes without holding him, it is so cute and I feel so fortunate to have a husband that is going to be such a great father.

All of our family has made it to Kansas City and had the chance to meet our new addition. We feel so fortunate that he has so much love surrounding him. Here is a family picture to get you started, we will send more when we get home.

With Love, Ben, Noelle and Samuel

Family in Waiting

We are 39 weeks, and you guessed it we are still waiting for Little Levy to make his debut. I have never been a very patient person, but this is like torture. As most of you know I am a VERY type A person and I do not have the means or tools to understand what is going on. Normally, when a difficult situation arises, I assess, figure out my options and what I need and then execute. Unfortunately, when I did that with trying to get little Levy to arrive I have come up unsuccessful. And yes, I have tried it ALL!! I have read all the websites, blogs and ideas in books on how to induce your own labor and all have failed. The only thing I have not tried is acupuncture which I may consider this week. People at the gym think I am crazy. I am there for hours every day trying to walk this guy out of me, but with no success. Hopefully it will help with my recovery. What I should see is that we are fortunate that he has stayed in this long as he has, as he could have arrived 10 weeks ago. Ben keeps reminding me that his ACTUAL due date is still 6 days away which is true, but I can't handle it anymore, not because I am uncomfortable because for the most part I feel great, I am just so excited to meet him.

On another note, our doctors appointment went well and we are still right on track she thinks he is still in the 7.5 lbs range and has a heart rate of 130-140. My doctor actually told me she was surprised she didn't get a call from us over the weekend while she was on call. We did however discuss the idea of having a resident appear in the delivery room when he does arrive and she promised me it will not happen.
I guess I am just so excited to meet our son, see what he looks like and start the next chapter in our life, that I am impatient. I have been talking to him for so long I really just want to get to do it face to face. But we are in the home stretch and within 10 days he will be here.

Ben and I have also gotten to continue our empty nest activities. We are eating out and seeing lots of movies. If you need any suggestions on what to see with your family over the holidays just let me know, we've seen em all!!

Ben and I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends, and that 2010 is full of happiness!!

38 Weeks

This week was a week of to do's. I have been putting off a lot of things until my maternity leave started and they all came due this week. We now have an inspected car seat, Kansas pediatrician, insurance approval and savings/investment plan for little Levy. These little things are helping me to sleep a little better each day, which is getting harder and harder to come by.
We also had another baby shower this week. Ben's school threw us a very nice baby shower on Friday after classes. We got a lot more monkey toys, books and clothes for little Levy, and received some amazing hand made blankets that are the softest things I have ever felt. It was great to get to meet the people he works with every day.
Our doctors appointment this week was pretty uneventful. Things are right on track, but from what she can tell he is growing very quickly. Don't know for sure how big he is, but she said she thinks he was around 7 or 7.5 lbs. on Wednesday.
Ben and I are really trying to live these last few weeks up. Seeing movies, going to nice dinners and just relaxing at home with not a care in the world!!
We hope we have some news for all of you in the next 10 days, so keep your fingers crossed. I am such an impatient person that not knowing each day when he will come is exciting, but so hard!!

Full Term - 37 Weeks

So according to all the books and information 37-42 weeks is considered full term, so we have made it. I can't believe 37 weeks have gone by, and at most we have 23 days left to meet little Levy.

We took our final class this week on how to feed little Levy, so hopefully we have all of the essential information. We also did our hospital registration and tour. Shawnee Mission is really a great place, and so supportive during this time. Ben and I keep thinking we should have to pass an exam before all of this happens to determine if we are really ready. "Have they met us. do they know Ben has never changed a diaper?"

My last day of work was Friday, and I still don't think it has set in that I have the next four and a half months off. I am excited to have these next few weeks to relax and hopefully get through some of the reading I have been procrastinating. I still can't believe how fortunate I am to have this time off and to be able to spend it with our new son.

We had another doctors appointment this week and things are moving along. It still could be 23 days but she said it could be sooner. Last night when we thought Nebraska had won the big 12 championship I jumped so high in the air I thought I had for sure induced labor on my own. I had to sit down for a while to catch my breath and realize it was just little Levy having his own little party. A Husker fan so early, really makes his dad proud.

So all of you have patiently waited for this picture, and like I promised it is a doozy. If you took a woman's basketball and put it under your shirt we could probably be twins.

Our Bags Are Packed

Another week down and even more exciting a week closer to meeting little Levy. We are now on weekly doctors exams and we were able to get some of our big questions answered? How big do we think he is, when do we think he will come and what if he doesn't come on time. Well I say we got answers but truly we got a lot of "I think" or "maybe" from our physician. She thinks he is close to six pounds and we have made progress to the finish line, but as all of you mothers know and I am learning that doesn't mean a whole lot. We did decide that if he does not come on his own we will be inducing on December 29th at 8am. That means we will definitely have little Levy here to ring in the new year we can't wait.
Even though we are still waiting we are having a lot of action with little Levy. I have had 2 days of greater than 6 hours of contractions, nothing to painful but we believe he is getting ready to come. These contractions aren't very painful but I can definitely feel them, and worry what the real thing will bring.
Our bags are packed!! I finally found pajamas for the hospital and decided to put all of our things together. I got snacks for Ben, and even brought his swimsuit (who would of thought that would be on the list.) We also have a very special outfit for little Levy that my grandmother knitted for him, that is so special. He also has matching booties, and I am hoping to knit a hat during my time off.
That brings up the other exciting news, I have 5 days left of work and I can't believe it. I love what I do, but I am excited to have time away. I am hoping to not come back until mid to late April which will be 4 entire monts. I will miss it, but will make the most of my time off.
Sorry there isn't a picture of me this week, Ben went up to Minneapolis this weekend to see the Vikings play the Bears, some what of his last getaway before little Levy arrives. He has had this trip planned for a while and I think now that it has come that also makes little Levy's arrival that much more real.
Stay tuned... I promise a new picture next week, and if you didn't think I could get any bigger you were mistaken!!

The Nursery

THE NURSERY IS COMPLETE!!! Each day beyond 34 weeks has been a victory for Ben and I. We are thrilled to be writing a post at home on the Sunday past our 35th week. We couldn't be more excited to meet little Levy but are really happy he has decided to stay put for a little longer.

This was my last week of travel for work, and I am over the moon that it is done. Driving and flying were getting to be too much, but the idea of not leaving Kansas City for atleast the next 2-3 months seems crazy. I don't think I have done that in the 4 years we have lived in Kansas City. This weekend was perfect it was the most relaxing weekend I have had in months, and I loved it. We saw the years best movie on Friday "The Blind Side" and then went to a nice dinner just the two of us. We spent Saturday finishing our shopping for little Levy and putting together all of the wonderful items he will need once he is here. I was amazed at how handy Ben has become, while I could barely get the batteries in the monitors.

The room is done and we have put together the swing, and loaded our car seats. I am scared to say it, but I think we are ready!!

I have included pictures of the nursery for all of you to see. It turned out better than we expected. We have one empty wall as you will see from the pictures and this is four our first family pictures and other pictures of little Levy in his first few days. I hope you like the nursery and if you look closely you can see the name we have selected for little Levy's. Even though he could be here in just a few weeks it will probably be some time before he spends too much time in his new room.

Only 8 days left of work, I'm excited but somewhat unsure what I will do with my time. I have not had this much time off from working since I was 14. I think Ben will probably hide my computer and turn off my phone to help me relax and focus on whats really important during this time. We hope everyone has a great Turkey day with friends and family.

KC Baby Shower

This was a busy week for Little Levy. On Wednesday night Ben and I took our first baby class "Infant Care" which was definitely an eye opener at times. As I thought about it I realized I knew a lot about baby girls but next to nothing about boys. It was good lessons learned especially when it comes to changing a boys diaper, we are now prepared for anything tricks he may try to pull! We also had to swaddle the baby and Ben and I received ackolades for how good we did, little did they know that I had been practicing with James our cabbage patch kid for 2 weeks.

This week was also my last baby shower. Erica and Molly threw a great finale to Little Levy's showers. She had a spice cake made, that was to die for, I am thankful that I was busy catching up for people or I may have eaten the entire thing. All the women at the shower gave me a piece of advice to remember after he arrives. Thank you to everyone for your advice, I will try to sleep when the baby sleeps, not get stressed over the small stuff and remember its not just Little Levy and I in the house I have a husband that lives here too.

It looks like little Levy is ready for his debut with all of his adorable clothes and items, I don't think its possible to be more prepared on that end, and its all because of our great friends and family that we are so lucky to have.

My mom was here this weekend as well and brought us a bassinet that moves and plays music, which I love, it matches the nursery so well. This bassinet takes care of 2 of the 5 S's for little Levy all on its own (how great is that!)

Overall, I am feeling wonderful not too much pain and I am still sleeping really well. I can't believe he will be here in just over a month, where have the last 8 months gone. I am putting the last touches on his room so should be able to put up pictures of the nursery next weekend.

Starting to Practice

This week we had another check up and everything is right on track with Little Levy. We are really glad things are starting to calm down a few weeks ago we weren't sure we would get to this point with how busy Little Levy was keeping us, but we made it to 32-weeks. In my mind and when talking to friends this is the point in that I felt if we could get Little Levy to he could do the rest. His heart rate was 142 and seems to be growing at a good pace (no not too large).

On Thursday my friends that I play volleyball with threw me a mini surprise baby shower. It was a lot of fun and really sweet of them. I can't believe that with 8 of 10 of them being guys they could do such a great job, but my friend Anita told me she rained them in or I probably would have gotten a 6 pack of beer. Thanks everyone I love it all especially the "butt paste."

This week is the first week in months Ben and I have both been at home and not had company. We were able to go to a wedding of some good friends of ours and relax for the rest. I have started reading my baby books about what to expect when Little Levy arrives. I can only read for a little bit before I get to anxious and have to put the book down. These books have great tips and insight but they also scare me with how little I know and after about 30 pages I have to put them down and Ben reminds me we will be just fine. Below is a picture of "James" Ben's cabbage patch doll as a kid that I pulled out of the closet today to use as a practice baby. YES, we are practicing with a fake baby or better I am practicing and I think Ben thinks I have lost my mind. Within the first 10 seconds both of our dogs started sniffing James feet and couldn't figure out what I was holding. Then I tried to swaddle the baby (which I am definitely not a natural at) and the dogs wanted to sit on the blanket and be wrapped up with James. But, it was cute to see the dogs sniff James head and then get down and sit right beside me like they were trying to protect James and I.

Overall, things are coming togehter and we are great. We are getting really excited to meet Little Levy and can't believe he will be here in just around 50 days.

Baby Moon

Waking up at 10am and laying by a pool all day soaking up the sun are soon to become days of our past. This past weekend Ben and I took our final trip as empty nesters. We went to Naples for 4 amazing days. It is sureal that these times are ending. For the last 5+ years it has just been Ben and I day in and day out. We spent the last 4 days relaxing, pampering ourselves and doing all the things we know we won't get to do as frequently when Little Levy arrives. We ate at "adult" restaurants that don't carry high-chairs or have kids meals, that barely have enough light to see your food. The trip was all we could have asked for and more, but surprisingly all we could think about were the exciting times to come. Taking Little Levy out to the pool, having him see the Gulf of Mexico, and building sand castles until his hearts content. While we will both miss having our one on one time and relaxing without a care in the world, we are even more excited for what will come when he arrives.

Before we left we had another surprise. Last week I was diagnosed with the H1N1 flu. I finally went to the doctor when I thought I had broken a rib from coughing so hard. This was not something I thought would happen, but was able to get some medicine and began feeling better quickly. If you are at all able GET THE FLU SHOT!! It wasn't so bad except for the cough that wouldn't go away. As is becoming custom in our house, Ben took great care of me, and lets me see how great of a dad he will be in the very near future.

Words of Wisdom

The wisdom in the room this weekend at my second baby shower was amazing. From my great aunt that just turned 77 to my good friend Karla that just had twin girls 4 months ago today, there was a ton of baby care knowledge. Nikki and Sonia threw a great baby shower and had a scrapbook for everyone to sign and put words of wisdom for Ben and I with Little Levy and then added a picture with me and everyone that came to the shower. We had friends and family travel in town for this shower and it really meant a lot to me to have them all there. Everyone all also designed their own onesies for Little Levy and added their own touch which was really cute. Thanks everyone for a great baby shower.

We also received more art work for Little Levy which will almost complete our room. I will be posting pictures of the nursery soon for everyone to see. We just need to get a few more things and add the final touches and we should be complete.

Finally, we had another appointment this week to check how things are going and Dr. Giedt was very pleased and actually cleared me to go to Florida next week. She believes Little Levy is doing well and right on track. It was a great confirmation for Ben and I that he is going to be hanging out in there for atleast a few more weeks. We are in the 30's now so not much time left, and I can't wait for him to be here. My aunt actually shared that she had 7 ultrasounds with her daughter and each one said she was having a boy, how is that possible!! So we really hope technology has improved and that "he" is really a he in there. Here is my latest picture and wow how does it keep growing!

Time to slow down

For the first 28 weeks of my pregnancy things were going pretty smooth minus the nausea and dry eyes, but this past week Little Levy told me it was time to slow down. This past week we were actually hospitalized for a few days because of some complications. The great news is that Little Levy has been perfect and healthy throughout it all. I have been on bed rest this week, which has given me a lot of time to read and organize things for little Levy's room. We went back to the doctor a couple of times and things are looking great and back on track. I think this was a wake up call for me to start slowing things down. Sometimes I forget that I am taking care of a little baby in addition to myself with everything I do. The doctors and us would really like to see him stay inside for atleast another 6 weeks. But because of all of the tests we were able to get another high-definition sonogram and find out more about Little Levy. Currently, he is between 2.5 and 3.0 lbs, and has long arms and legs (definitely the Levy in him.) He is at the 50% and right on track, which gave me a little piece of mind that we weren't going to be having the 10lb baby I have been so worried about. The picture looks like he is talking to someone (definitely the Frigo side of him.) I need to also thank our friends and family for all of their support this past week. It makes me feel so lucky to have such great people in our lives. We didn't have to lift a finger all week, friends made us great dinners and ran errands for us. Ben has also been a champ and so supportive throughout it all, really taking over anything I was doing to make sure I relax.

Then this weekend my mom and Denny came to visit and again we were spoiled. They came down and took care of everything. They did lots of projects for us to help get ready for Little Levy. The biggest help was new shelves in our garage so we would have room for the stroller, jogger and all of his other toys. They worked all day and all night. They also got us (Ben) a brand new grill, I think they thought Ben needed a gift since Little Levy and I were getting all of the attention. Thank you so much mom and Denny for all you did, we are so thankful.

Here is my latest picture, which is crazy to look at what a difference a week can make.

Omaha Shower

My first baby shower was AMAZING!! The shower was last Saturday and I can't believe it is just now that I am updating my blog. Christy, Gina, Karen, Kate, Katie, Tara did an awesome job, from a diaper cake to wonderful food it was a great day. The picture above is some of the girls helping me cut one of the best tasting cakes I have ever had. They did a jungle theme which was really cute and creative. It was so great to catch up with so many of my friends in Omaha, and made me realize this is really happening. All of the gifts were wonderful, the girls got us our car seat so we actually bring little Levy home (a critical item) and so many people actually made something on their own which was amazing. The picture below is an incredibly soft and gorgeous blanket that my friend Kate made. I love it, and feel lucky to get one of the 1st in what I hope blossoms into another career for her as she is great at making these items.

And then we did games and I started to get really nervous. It was obvious of the mothers in the room as they won all 3 knowledge games. With each question my heart started to beat a little faster. Did you know that the 19lb baby last week was not the largest the largest baby actually weighed 23 lbs and 10 oz. (are you serious??), or that 1 woman had 69 children in her lifetime......WHAT!!!! And finally that little Levy is born without kneecaps, and actually has 300 bones?? I only got 5 of the questions correct and have nightmares that he is going to be a 23 lb baby. But as everyone left my mom reassured me that everything would be okay. I feel very lucky to have such a great example of a mother in my mom. At the end of the day I know if I love little Levy like she has unconditionally loved me that Little Levy will be just fine!! Thanks mom for all you have done.

26.5 Weeks

So, I missed my usual Sunday post. Time seems to be getting away from me. On Sunday, my girlfriend Sarah and I went to a dogs and storks class. It was very interesting, and made me think of the 50 things we need to do between now and when the baby to get our two stubborn dogs in shape. Surprisingly, we have started to work on a few of them and I think they are responding. We have spoiled our dogs for many years and they have gotten away with the world. Now they are starting to get a real dose of reality. It's so cute to see them try.

This week we also had a mural artist come out and paint a mural in the nursery. Can I say better than life. Ben and I couldn't have asked for anything better. I feel like she was in my mind and did exactly what we were looking for. The nursery looks so cute and the monkeys are just perfect. I will send out pictures soon as we get more done. If you want to do something different she is amazing and I would recommend her to EVERYONE!!

Last I want to apologize in advance to all of my friends for my frequent panic attacks. I feel like any time I read the paper, or look on TV there is another story of a freak accident with a pregnant woman or newborn child. I am starting to worry about the silliest of things but I can't seem to help myself. So thank you to each of you that has listened to my crazy stories and supported me through my alternate personality.

Yellow it is...

The nursery has been painted! Ben's parents came down this weekend and turned our plain bedroom into the beginnings of a wonderful baby nursery. It was so nice of them to do this and help us transform the room. This paired with the furniture we got this week makes things feel like they are really coming together. The one piece of nursery furniture we still need is a glider for me to spend my future endless nights in. These companies are making a fortune on this item alone, I can't believe the price it costs to make these chairs are anywhere near the price they charge all of us. If they are they better come with a guarantee that Little Levy will fall asleep in 10 minutes or less or I am going to want my money back. I keep looking for sales but even then my mouth drops to the ground. Who know if things continue this way maybe I will just stand the entire time.

Everyone knows that major changes occur during your pregnancy, but some of them no one talks about. Over the past few weeks I have begun getting charlie horses in the middle of the night, and feels like someone has twisted my leg so tight it may break off. Nothing seems to work until I get out of bed and walk around for a few minutes. By that point, I have to go to the bathrooom and then I realize I am thirsty. By the end of all of this I am wide awake and try to go back to sleep. I think this is Little Levy's way of preparing me for our sleepless nights to come. My friend, Lauren told me that club soda can help so I am going to try that and hope to get a full nights rest tonight. So friends that have had children please help and let me know what other "wonderful" changes I can anticipate over the next few months so I don't wake up screaming thinking I have lost a leg!!

24 Weeks

We had another check up this week. Baby Levy is right on track according to our doctor, my bump is measuring 23 inches and he has a heart rate of 145. I also asked if Little Levy's constant activities were something to worry about, but my doctor assured me the more activity the better. Knowing little Levy is healthy and growing makes me breath just a little easier each day.
Then this weekend I was able to go to Minneapolis to help throw an engagement party for some great friends. We are so excited for Christy and Wade, they are such a great couple. It was great to catch up with friends and get their input on the many decisions I can't seem to answer and I think they even helped me finalize little Levy's name. Ben and I were down to 2 names and I couldn't pull the triger but they helped me weigh the pro's and con's of each one. Just remember ladies if Little Levy grows up and doesn't like his name its on you too (JK!!)
Finally, yesterday we went to Lowes and USA Baby. We selected a paint color for the nursery and then were able to select Little Levy's 1st baby bedding. USA Baby had a fun sale that if you told them you were going into labor (because of the Labor Day Holiday) you received an additional 10% off of your purchase. Thanks Sarah for the tip. We ended up picking out bedding that we hadn't seen before that we love, and will be fun for little Levy. We decided on a jungle theme, and should have pictures to share soon.
Feels good to have some big decisions out of the way!! Stay tuned for more.

Little Levy takes on France

Baby Levy went to France. This is a picture of some of my family in France at my aunt's house. I love these pictures because I look taller than anyone which is so rare for me. I had an amazing time with my family in France, getting to catch up with everyone and being able to eat Pain au Chocolat every day and having it not taste like a kit kat in a pastry. The next picture is my grandma and I she is such a sweet woman but understands zero english, or our country she even asked if we had mountains in the US (one of only the many things she thought we lived without.) The great thing is that Little Levy did a lot of kicking for grandma which made her smile from ear to ear. Her and everyone else is trying to recruit him to play French Football!! This is my adorable cousin's daughter Sidonnie. She is always happy, laughs at everything and is the most outgoing little girl ever. I hope little Levy takes after his cousin. She and I watched Finding Nemo in French atleast 4 times this week, she just can't get enough of Nemo. The other picture is of my cousins Pierre and Benoit at "Central Park" in Lyon. It was a perfect day riding bikes, visiting the zoo and having ice cream at the park. They tried to compare it to Central Park of New York and there is definitely no question NYC for sure!!

It was wonderful to see family, but I spent A LOT of time on this trip shopping and not for me. I was able to get little Levy some awesome outfits. It is true, there really is no better place for fashion than France. This little guy is going to be styling to say the least. His grandmother even had an outfit knit for him that I think little Levy will be wearing home from the hospital. I am glad I didn't know the exchange rate because I couldn't help myself with all of their great clothes. We got some great gifts from the family as well. Thank you to the family for helping us get ready for little Levy, and hope they will be able to come to the states to see him wearing and using all of the things they got. We also can't wait to take him to France with us when he gets a little older to see all of his family.

This week we have our next big check up and I am really excited to see the doctor to talk about how active Little Levy is being and try to find out how big he is. Our baby furniture is also coming this week and can't wait to see it in the room. Last but not least, here is my updated bump, it is getting bigger each day.

Can't Hide it Any More

I decided I would send a quick update before I head off on my trip that the belly is here. It finally happened. I had my first experience of someone asking me if I was pregnant this morning. I was walking in a store and the woman asked how many months I was. I couldn't decide if I was excited or shocked that she was willing to ask me. I am sure me rubbing my stomach because little Levy was moving around so much had something to do with it. The funny part is she is 2 months pregnant and asked me "Am I really going to get that big?" WOW! I couldn't believe it, am I really that big and did it happen over night?? I wanted to tell her this isn't the end it is going to get even bigger. I left thinking that the baby definitely has Ben's genes and looks like we could be in for a 9 + lb baby boy!

On another note, today is Ben and I's 5 year wedding anniversary. This is a great milestone but even more than that it is a point in our marriage when so much is happening and changing. We are so excited about our new addition that I feel like I didn't do much for today (sorry Ben.) As most of you know I am pretty independent and don't rely to much on others, but this pregnancy has changed all of that. I ask him questions for support and verification that I have never done before and he is so patient with me as I ask the same question for the 100th time that day. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have a husband like mine that is so caring, supportive and funny.

Happy Anniversary Ben!!

5 years has been great, can't wait for the next 50!

Week 21

I did it. I went and registered this weekend and wow what a new world we have entered. I was really lucky to have a girlfriend of mine come with me or I may have backed out due to shear fear of the entire process. When you get married you know the things you would like or need, but when it comes to registering for a baby I really had no clue. There are 20 different pacifiers alone and how should I know which is best or the one our baby will like. With the help of Erica I was able to navigate through and hopefully register for the critical items. A word for future mothers, NEVER register on a Saturday unless you want to be surrounded with 50 other women looking just as overwhelmed and confused as you and will only add to your anxiety!!

For the past 5 months when people find out that I am pregnant they tend to ask the same three questions. All are sincere and wonderful to show they care but unfortunately I have pretty dull answers. The first is how far along are you, and people seem surprised that I have already passed 5 months. The next two questions are usually how are you feeling, you must be finished with the feeling sick and nautious period, and are you having any cravings. I am waiting for the day that I can tell people that I am feeling great but I am not there. Most days, I am still getting sick on and off throughout the day. I envy but am so happy for all the women that don't have to go through this. I guess I dread this question because I don't want to sound like a complainer, or that this nausea isn't worth the great gift of our son, because it is more than worth it. I do hope it ends soon, but as many of you know I have come to terms that it may be 4 more months of this but it will end.

The last question people ask is are you having any cravings. I think I may be in the minority, but I think "cravings" are a myth. I do like to eat more, and have used this as an excuse to eat an extra cookie at night but they are not cravings. Eating pickles with peanut butter or ice cream with ketchup sounds horrible and I don't know why pregnancy would make it taste better. So for everyone that asks, I have not had any cravings unless just eating more of what I love is a craving.

Thank you for everyone for your care and support I do love the questions but always laugh that my responses are so dull and not more positive. I am leaving for France this week to see my family, so it may be a couple of weeks before I can write again, but will try and take some great family pictures to share.

5 months complete!

We felt it. I have been wondering for the last few weeks if the many feelings I have been having are little kicks by our son. I now am sure that it exactly what I have been feeling. Our son is incredibly active, and moving all day. I try to tell Ben it feels like the kicks of a future soccer player but he just laughs. When I got home from Austin on Wednesday Ben and I were sitting on the couch and he was able to feel his son kick for the first time. Ben beamed from ear to ear and was yet another moment that made this experience even more real for him. It makes me so excited to see his face when things like this happen.

Before this week it had been pretty unnoticeable that I was pregnant. Noone has yet asked me in public and I have been able to continue wearing regular clothes. This week was a whole different story, the bump has appeared. It is amazing to wake up in the morning and see the bump and know that our son will be here in 4 short months. I have also started talking to our son throughout the day and including him in family discusssions.

My friend talked on her blog about people touching her stomach during pregnancy and how odd it is as no one touches your stomach when you are not pregnant. In addition, my friend told me Elizabteh Hasslebeck also talked about this very subject on the view last week. I couldn't agree more with them and have not had to deal with it much (yet) but last night was the 2nd time when a complete stranger found out I was pregnant and dove right in and I had to stop him before he began rubbing in circles.

Then this weekend my highschool girlfriends came to town. It was great to see them and catch up with all of them. A lot of them have children and were able to give me some great advice. It is great to get "real" moms perspective on things and what to really expect. Thank you girls for all of your help!!

We are going to try and go register this week, I will keep you all posted on how that scary project unfolds.

It's a BOY!!

We are having a BOY! I think we are both still in shock. We went in on Friday and just as we told our sonographer that we wanted to know the sex little Levy showed us he was a boy. The sonographer and my physician told us we have a show off and better get prepared. We were amazed by all the things we could see and found out that he is right on track. We included pictures of his little feet and profile, but as usual he was moving the entire time. They told me that if he continues to be this active I am in for a real ride as soon as I begin to feel it.

As soon as we left we called all of our family and everyone is thrilled, but not surprised, if you were like them you thought it was a boy the entire time. All of the signs that I read told me I was having a girl like morning sickness, cravings and others sure had me fooled because I was certain it was a girl. We then went to look for our first baby boy outfit, no surprise a Chicago Cubs tee. We looked but were unsuccessful, and Ben would not allow us to buy a KC Royals outfit as that may test the gods of baseball and not make our son a Cubs fan. Lucky for us as soon as we got home my friend Katie was here with a present, and sure enough she found us a Cubs baby tee in Chicago where she lives. It was perfect, thanks Katie for knowing exactly what we were thinking of.

Now that we know we are having a boy the true adventure can begin. We had settled on a girls name and now are back to square one as far as names go and are so much more challenging for us than girls names. Yesterday, Ben and I spent close to 6 hours looking at baby furniture around the city, and today we went and ordered the furniture for little Levy's room. Thanks to Baby bargins we got exactly what we were looking for. Ben's favorite part is that they come to the house and assemble the furniture for $10. I think he was a little worried on how it would turn out if he had to do it himself.

At the beginning of this week I never knew it could turn out this great. We are beyond the moon that we are having a son. Ben has been talking about all the things he will get to do with his son and all of his friends have talked about how this means a left handed pitcher for the major leagues! I think they are imagining (hoping) for a Cy Young by 20 years old. Just knowing that baby Levy is a boy makes this entire experience more real and I feel so much closeer to my son than I ever thought I could. I can't even imagine what it will be like when he is born. Thanks for all of your messages and love we feel so blessed to have all of you in our lives.

Five Days Until The Big Surprise

Friday is the big day. We find out if we are having a boy or a girl. Please keep your fingers crossed that little Levy cooperates with us. Ben also told me he now thinks we are having a boy. The waiting is driving us both crazy. Yesterday, Ben walked into the babies closet and came out having a small panic attack and said "This is really happening." I had hung all the clothes, and placed the hats, bibs, blankets and shoes on the shelves versus in the boxes we were keeping them. I think with each day he gets more excited to be a dad. He is going to be an amazing father and I can't wait to see his face when he gets to hold our little one for the first time.

Our appointment is at 2:30 and as soon as we find out we will share it with all of you!!

17 Weeks

This week I was in New York all week for work. I have finally begun telling people at work that Ben and I are expecting. Some were extremely surprised while others said they thought something seemed a little different. I feel really lucky how supportive and excited everyone for work has been about our news.

We had friends in town for the weekend and it was great to spend time unwinding and really good for me to not spend endless hours on the internet or at baby shops trying to figure out what we really need. I am beginning to see how quickly babies take over your life and how excited we are for our little one to join our family. 12 days left until we find out if we are having a boy or a girl, and Ben and I can hardly wait. I am beginning to think it may be a boy now, but Ben still believes it's a girl.

Today we went to look for engagement invitations for friends of ours that are getting married next year. As we looked for invitations we realized this was a great place to look for baby names. We found a lot more ideas and names that we loved, and even names we had never seen in the baby books or on-line. If you have any new names let us know!!

4 months complete!!

This week we began the crazy task of finding baby furniture. I think we have looked at over 100 cribs on-line. It is amazing how many options there are and how many different places sell baby furniture. A friend of ours gave us some great tips and helped us find a book "baby bargains" that gives consumer reports on all the major brands and items you need to buy for the baby. Thanks Sarah this book is a life saver.
We are now 16 weeks pregnant and at this point we may begin to feel little Levy moving and kicking. Ben and I can't wait for this to happen after all of the ultrasounds we have had with little Levy rolling around. Our little one is now the size of an avacado and growing quickly which is having me headed to the bathroom every fifteen minutes. One of the many joys of pregnancy.
This weekend Ben's parents came to visit and again little Levy is getting spoiled. Ben's Mother brought his baby books from his first few years and it is really exciting to see pictures of him as a baby and what our little one may look like. He was 9 pounds 2 ounces at birth a really BIG baby. We also begun hanging the clothes little Levy has and they are so cute. We feel so lucky for our little one to have such amazing grandparents that are so loving and full of excitement to meet their first grandchild.

4th of July

We had another ultrasound this week and baby Levy continues to be very active. He/She had a heartrate of 152 and even though that is only a theory more and more people are thinking its a boy. Our bet is still that it is a girl. We will find out on July 3oth what we are having if little Levy cooperates so between now and then let us know what you think!
We were also able to spend this past weekend with a lot of friends in Okoboji for the 4th of July. It was great to see my dad and spend time with friends. Sure isn't the same as last year but got to spend time with my friend Maggie's son Isaac and made me so excited about the coming months. He is adorable, Jeff and Maggie you definitely hit the jackpot! Also our friend Gina was so sweet and didn't want me to feel left out so she made me my own virgin pomegranite sangria it was great, even though she tried endlessly to get me to taste other beverages (you know what you did ha-ha!) And finally for all who haven't tried it the people of Boji Boats got their first taste of the "Lebomb Shots" truly a first in my book.

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July!!

Week 14

Little levy has been busy since we talked with you last.We have hadd two more utlrasounds, and it was a real challenge getting this picture as baby Levy is very active, and enjoys doing barrell rolls in my stomach each time the nurse trys to snap a photo. We still don't know if it is a boy or a girl but we did see the ten fingers and ten toes. It's amazing to see how much they grow in just a week. Ben was amazed that there really is a baby inside me and how much he/she already looks like a person. We only have four more weeks until we find out what we are having. Ben is 100% confident it is a girl, and I think he is probably right, but either way it goes it will be perfect.
We were also able to celebrate Ben's first father day last weekend. We went out to breakfast and tried to come up with more names for the baby. If you have any ideas please send them on, we have a lot of ideas but haven't been locked into any of them. Ben is getting more and more excited with each day, and this baby is so lucky to have a father like him.

Last, many of you have asked for me to include pictures of me as I grow on this site so here is the first installment. Things are deffinitely starting to grow. It doesn't look like much yet, but I can deffinitely feel my pants getting a little tighter.

So We're Finally Expecting!!

SURPRISE!!!

Ben and I are expecting a little baby Levy!

Our little boy or girl is due on December 26th!!

I know getting this email for many of you is going to be a shock, and we have debated how to tell all of you for over 8 weeks. Ben and I are expecting our first child on Christmas!! We couldn't be more excited. We have had a lot going on but all we can talk about is how excited we are to become parents.

This was a big surprise for both of us. I actually went to the doctor to get a clean bill of health when I found out we were expecting.

Things have gone good so far, except the daily sickness and extreme fatigue. Our parents are both so excited and are ready for their first grandchild. If the first few months are any indication this child is going to be spoiled. My mom just came to visit with boxes of clothes and gifts for the baby. Guess Ben and I can count ourselves out for a while!!

I will try and update this website every few weeks and let you know whats going on with us. We are moved into our new home and have a room already picked out for the baby!!