22 weeks...

How Far Along: 22 weeks and 2 days

Size of baby: 11 inches (think a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 lb!

Gender: BOY...Axel James Opperman

Movement: ALL THE TIME. The question is when ISN'T he moving?! Ha! He's starting to jiggle my whole stomach when he moves...so fun!

Sleep: Sleeping like a champ! For now, anyway;)

Symptoms: Not a whole lot right now!

What I miss: NOTHING. So worth it. I LOVE being pregnant.

Cravings: I think this could be a myth. Mine change day to day, but nothing has been consistent. Maybe it picks up as I get into my 3rd tri?! Who knows. I'm learning every body is different!

Best Moment this week: Getting our little man all registered. Brian had too much fun with the scan gun;)

What I am looking forward to: Our first meeting/appointment with our pediatrician next week. She told me to come with questions. Ha! She may regret that!

Birthday Madness

So I had a phenomenal birthday. It all started the week prior, when my mom gave me a family birthday dinner. I failed to take any pics...darn. But it was so amazing to celebrate with my family for the 1st time in 3 years.

Then "the girls" took me out for a birthday lunch and shopping. We had a great time chatting, laughing, being ridiculous, and spending money...ha!

And last but not least, my amazing hubby planned a fall fun day for me! It all started with pumpkin pancakes and ended with one of my favs...Jane Eyre. It was perfect. Since living in Sydney, I'd missed my birthday being in the fall.

And last, but not least, it was my first and only birthday 20 weeks {5 months} pregnant with Axel. Undescribable. I love that little man!

I'm such a blessed girl. See for yourself.

Birthday Dinner with B. I LOVE this pic of him. I still make him laugh.

Yummo!

Very proud of my pumkin. It only took an eternity to pick out the perfect one.

Cider Makin'

After my day out with the girls...sporting my Rachel Zoe fur vest!

Birthday Lunch with the girlies and Parker & Brycen. LOVE them. I'm so blessed with family friends;)

Yummy Birthday dessert!

What's in a Name?

Being my organized type A-self, I wanted a girl and boy name picked out and ready for our sonogram at 18 weeks. As the day approached we had both carefully selected. At the last minute I realized we did NOT check the meaning of the boy name we chose. And it wasn't a family name and it didn't have any significant personal meaning to us. We just liked it. So I checked. And it was awful. The meaning was terrible. And then my artsy self came out. And I remembered how significant the meaning of names were in the Bible. And I was convinced. We couldn't do that to our boy...IF we had a boy. So the BIG day came. And we did NOT have a boys' name selected. And sure enough...

Our little man at 18 weeks!

Our little man getting ready to suck his thumb...he's grown so much since his 12 week pics!

We are having a little man the 21st of February. I couldn't be more thrilled. I had a feeling. I like to say its my motherly instincts already;) Needless to say, we left the office ELATED that we had a growing healthy baby boy, but he was NAMELESS.

And then one day, I remembered a boy's name we heard in Sydney that I LOVED, and I was pretty sure B loved it too. So I rushed to the computer and checked the meaning. And it had a Hebrew meaning...and it was PERFECT. I presented all of this to B and we both KNEW it was perfect for our little man. Between the sentimenal value of Sydney and the Hebrew meaning...it was a NO brainer... we had a name!

He will be called...

AXEL JAMES OPPERMAN

Axel {"divine reward"}

James {his daddy's middle name & a family name on both sides}

We are so thrilled that we found a name so fitting & perfect for him. He's already lived up to his name. He is such a blessing to us, and truly, our divine reward.