Week 17...

Week 17

How Big is the Baby at 17 Weeks Pregnant?

Your baby is anywhere from 4.4 to 4.8 inches by pregnancy week 17 and weighs almost 3 ½ ounces! If you were to hold your baby at 17 weeks pregnant, she would fit snuggly in the palm of your hand. Your baby is about the size of a small pomegranate by pregnancy 17 weeks.

Your Baby's Growth and DevelopmentYour baby during week 17 is now very mobile, gleefully moving his joints here, there and everywhere and will continue to do so as you continue your pregnancy week by week. The cartilage making up the skeleton in your baby's body is starting to transform into bone. At pregnancy 17 weeks time your baby should be hearing things. Your baby will start putting on some layers of fat in the weeks to come, though at this point in time your baby is made up of primarily water.

You may be feeling your baby move intermittently after pregnancy week 17, though as your pregnancy progresses you will likely start feeling your baby move more and more.
There are many natural health practitioners that believe in the power of touch. Though your little one is still very small, your touch may do much to help him feel safe and warm inside the womb. If you haven't started already, you might consider rubbing your 'pooch' in calming circular motions. This will not only help comfort your little one, but will help initiate the bonding process with you and your newborn baby throughout your pregnancy and after.
Other women find comfort when playing music to their unborn children. There is evidence suggesting that your baby responds to music even while in the womb. Thus, there is no harm in playing some calm and engaging music to your baby even while they are in the womb.

Here's a picture of me in Joseph's PBR shirt... yes a beer shirt. My brother Brandon got it for Joseph, I want to say for Christmas? I'm not sure why... but I took a picture of my pregnant self in it to show Joseph how classy I am :) (Truthfully its one of my most comfortable t-shirts to sleep in because its one of the few big tshirts that I own):

And here is a picture of me (after my haircut) with my kitty Malky:

Carlos should not have missed work....

Carlos is the only guy that wasn't at work today so Daniel and Cassidy had a brilliant idea. Why not astro-turf his desk? They recently laid astro-turf in our gym next to the basketball court for football conditioning and they had some left over. Here are the results:



I actually like how it turned out and I wouldn't mind having the green grass at my own desk. Grass doesn't look like this in Utah unless it's fake. :)

Trafalga with the Sales team

Here are some pictures from last night at Trafalga with the Pinnacle Security Inside Sales Team. We had a lot of fun! The pictures are small, but if you click on them you should be able to pull up a bigger version. Below the pictures I have listed what is going on in the pictures and who is in them.



1. Mini Golf, Mark Smith with Aaron Young on the side.

2. Another Mini Golf Shot. Brandon Buckner's wife and daughter are in the grass and Brenton Water's wife is the blonde one with the grey shirt.

3. Adam Young trying to make a difficult shot.

4. The group ahead of us. (Adam Young, Stephen Jett, Emma Smith, Cassidy Moss, Adam's fiance, Matt McDonald, Daniel Young, Melissa Lindsey, Aaron Young and Megan Young.)

5. Diedre Smith, Mark's wife

6. Mark Smith

7. Diedre and Mark

8. Stephen Jett off the course, trying to get back on

9. Adam Young and Matt McDonald

10. Aaron and Megan Young

11. Daniel Young and Melissa Lindsey (Yes, we have 3 Young brothers on the sales team)

12. Go karts!

13. Ian Bustamante (Guillermo's son) and me.

14. Audrey Bustamante and Ari Bustamante (Guillermo's wife and daughter)

15. Our group about to get started (Ian and I are #10)

16. Daniel Young and Stephen Jett

17. Melissa Lindsey and Daniel Young

18. Ari Bustamante playing Dance Dance Revolution

19. Ari Bustamante posing for the camera

20. Ian Bustamante

Here are some pictures of my baby belly taken last night:

Of course I couldn't keep my cat out of the picture. She has to be everywhere that I am ALL THE TIME. :)

Week 16

I am officially into my 16th week of pregnancy! Here's what the experts have to say about it:


By pregnancy week 16 your baby is more than 4.5 inches long and may weigh almost 3 ounces.

Changes In Your Growing Baby: Your baby is planning on a huge growth spurt in the upcoming weeks. During pregnancy week 16 your baby has grown strong enough to hold his head straighter. Your baby's eyes and ears are moving into their final position and your baby is focusing much of her energy on her circulation system. By 16 weeks pregnant your baby's heart is pumping roughly 25 quarts of blood each day! At 16 weeks pregnant your baby starts growing fine hair on the top of his head, though some babies will be born very bald despite their best efforts. The color of your baby's hair and even your baby's eyes may change shortly after birth. Many babies are born with blonde hair for example that falls out and turns brown a short time after birth. Still others are born with brown eyes that turn blue within a month or two after birth! Your baby will continue to amaze you in the weeks following pregnancy.


Your Body's Development: By pregnancy week 16 you can proudly boast a small belly. You may find you temporarily miss your waist, but remember that will come back just a short time after delivery. Many women love this stage of pregnancy where they are just big enough to look pregnant but not so big they feel bulky and clumsy.

By this time you might start needing some maternity clothes. While you may not fill them out entirely for a couple more weeks, you may still be more comfortable wearing something that gives you room to grow. Most of the time your maternity size corresponds to your pre-pregnancy size. Most maternity clothes come in small, medium, large and extra large sizes.

Changes In Your Body: Most women report their favorite part of pregnancy is feeling their baby move inside them. By 16 weeks pregnant you might start feeling little fluttering in your stomach for the first time. This sensation may be gas, but in many cases this far along it is often your baby's way of saying hello! Most babies are enjoying the vast amount of space they have to move around the uterus around 16 weeks pregnant, thus swim about vigorously. This can result in a variety of unusual sensations in your lower abdomen.






At this point I definitely feel that I am looking pregnant. I even had a stranger acknowledge the fact for the first time! He offered me his seat at the bus stop saying: "Looks like you and that baby could use a rest..." I was a little thrown off because no one has said anything about my stomach yet, not even people at work!


I'm excited to start feeling the baby move around, I am very aware of every feeling I have in my tummy, hoping that it's going to be the baby. Mainly I have a lot of sharp, stabbing pains around my lower abdomen. According to my doctor that is my ligaments and muscles being pulled as my belly gets bigger and it's nothing that I should worry about. I told Joseph that I should start feeling the baby move around within the next couple weeks and he said, "ALREADY?!" He was really shocked. I was like, well yeah, I am 4 months pregnant babe... I think him not being here to see the changes and see my experiences makes it seem a little surreal to him.


Today is a very slow Monday. It seems like we're missing a lot of sales guys and the strangest thing... we're missing Mark. He hasn't been in today. he hasn't called or emailed. He's not responding to calls or emails either, which is extremely unusual. So unusual, in fact, that I am actually worried. Strange.

In other news... my search for an apartment is still on. Unfortunately. I have decided that I'm just not going to talk about any exciting prospects because they seem to fall through the minute I do! Bleh, hopefully I'll come across something soon. Wish me luck!

House hunting continued....

Yesterday evening I came across an ad on craigslist for a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom basement apartment for $650 a month. The best part about this one is the fact that cable/internet as well as ALL UTILITIES are included! AND the place has a washer and dryer. It has been years since I have had a washer/dryer in my own apartment. The deposit is $300 and she will hold it for me for the month of June if I pay that deposit, not requiring me to pay rent until July. That would be amazing because everything I have found so far would have had me paying double rent in June and frankly, I can't afford that. I am going to see the place this evening and hopefully convince her to hold it for me until I can pay the deposit on Friday.

Aside from apartment hunting everyday life is extremely routine right now. I wake up at 6:30, I get ready for the day, listen to Mamma Mia, and then catch the bus. I get to work and do what I do here. I then catch the bus and go home. I usually get home around 6. From there I do one of the following:
Watch a movie.
Do Laundry.
Choose a room and clean it.
Cook dinner.
Walk to the grocery store.
Read a book.
Stare at the wall.
Sleep.
And believe, there are times when I actually sit and stare at the wall for long periods of time. It's very strange being alone for about 6 a day. That doesn't seem like much, but when I have no tv and no internet and no friends to talk to, it gets pretty lonely. I talk to my cat a lot. I fear that I am turning into a crazy cat lady at much to young of an age.

On a happier note... I enjoy journaling/blogging very much. I have kept an online journal since 2001. I always forget about my old deadjournal, which transitioned to livejournal, which I abandoned for Myspace, which I have now ditched for Facebook... and here I am on blogspot. Myspace and Facebook don't really give me the option of typing out my thoughts for people to read. It's more of a "look at me and leave me a note" deal. Although that is fun, I really do enjoy taking the time to spill my thoughts or my daily activities.

Anyway... I am glad that it's Wednesday and that the week is halfway done!

New look!

Obviously I made some changes to our blog. I will probably change it more than once.... I have a hard time deciding on a thing as important as my blog background.

Today I am attempting to find a new apartment. It is a lot harder than it sounds! I have had a few good leads, but they seem to fall through.

Here are my requests:

• 2 bedroom apartment, or very spacious 1 bedroom
• Cable/Internet and Water/Sewer included in rent
• Close to the bus line
• Under $700 a month

I know that is not too much to ask in this area. It just takes a lot of looking/emailing/calling!

A current prospect is a 1 bedroom apartment at the Lookoute Pointe complex above BYU. http://lookoutpointe.net/Apartments/module/company_property_info/

I am looking at taking over a lease with an option to renew after 3 months. I actually lived in this complex last year and I LOVED it, so I really hope this works out! Plus, if I were to be there for the next 3 months I can be put on a waiting list for a 2 bedroom, which would be ideal for when the baby comes. :) It is only $600 a month plus electricty. And there is no security deposit required. That would be perfect. We would be saving up to $400 a month! I meet with the tenant on Saturday and if all goes well, I will sign the contract. Joseph is also hyped up about this one because, like myself, he already loves the complex. I will keep you posted on the outcome of this place.

Now I will end with this: AARON YOUNG!!! I have to give you a shout-out and publicly thank you for being the first person to officially post a comment on our measly blog! Joseph and I both appreciate your friendship and are constantly blown-away by how genuinely nice of a guy you are.

Here is a picture of Aaron and his amazingly beautiful wife Megan. (I stole it from their blog!)

We are so lucky to have you as a friend!

Honest to blog?

I have decided that now would be a good time to start a blog, although Joseph strongly disagrees. (Mainly with the fact that I would post pictures of him for everyone to see.)

Right now is an exciting time for us. Joseph is working in Pittsburgh, PA installing alarm systems for Pinnacle Security. He is having a blast. He's always wanted to go to Pittrburgh, and what better a time than when the Penguins, his favorite hockey team, are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?! I'm having a hard time adjusting to life without him around. During the week I am occupied with work and exhausted in the evenings, but the weekends are when it gets rough! He gets a call from me every Saturday, sometimes Sunday, where I cry and tell him how bored I am and how much I hate taking the bus. He of course feels guilty and says that he'll come home. I, at that point, have to pull myself together and make sure that he stays out there! At least for the summer!

Here's a photo of Joseph driving around in Pittsburgh.


I'm at home in Orem, Utah. I work at Pinnacle Security as well in the corportate office. I work with the Inside Sales team and I love everyday of it. You couldn't pay me to leave right now!
Here's a photo of me and some guys from the Sales team in the box at a UVU baseball game in April.




I'm also 15 weeks and 1 day pregnant! We're very excited to be starting our family, and feeling a little unprepared! Some days it still doesn't feel very real to me, though I have a small bump that seems to get bigger everyday. I think it will feel much more real to me when I have my first ultrasound and finally get to see the little guy (or girl)!
Here's a current picture of my baby belly!




Overall we feel very lucky to be where we are right now. We're excited for the future and I am excited to be blogging about it every step of the way!

p.s. Here is an update of the baby at week 15.

Week 15 of Pregnancy
You might not yet be feeling it, but your baby is kicking those little legs and flexing those elbows, while — higher up — you may be coping with some dental weirdness. Pregnancy hormones are pretty rough on your body, especially the teeth and gums, causing inflammation and making them more susceptible to plaque and bacteria. Your formerly healthy gums may have become super-sensitive and prone to bleeding.In addition, you might be coping with a chronic stuffy nose or even nosebleeds during pregnancy, also brought on by progesterone surging through your system. Fear not — it'll all pass. In the meantime, focus on how much is happening with your baby. She's about the size of an orange this week, her ears have migrated to the sides of her head, and her eyes are moving to the front of her face. Plus, your little smarty-pants can now wiggle her fingers and toes and make breathing movements in preparation for life outside the womb.