Showing posts with label Baby Girl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Girl. Show all posts

Friday, June 10, 2011

The Last Seventeen Days...And Today.

Today Nik and I celebrate our 2nd Anniversary.
I would go into detail about where we went to dinner and all our reminiscing but then I would be going out of order.
I need to catch you up on what happened SEVENTEEN(17) days ago!

It started out like this...

...and continued to this.
Happiness.

I will post more...but I need to do it in order.
Next...Tatum's Story.
After that...Our Anniversary

Life couldn't get any better than this!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Baby Names

Nik and I bought a book of baby names and I've had some fun this weekend looking through it.
I have started a list of names that I find in there to be interesting.
We want to have a couple names to choose from when she gets here
But it hasn't been the easiest to agree on any.
Nik seems to like the traditional names
But I would prefer something different so they don't go to class with 2 other "whatevers."
I mean, not off-the-wall different and weird...but not the usuals.
Hope that makes sense.
I never went to school with another Dawna or Donna
But Nik has always had to deal with other Nicks.
So far we have agreed upon one name...
Ayrika
I saw that name from my Stake President's daughter and have loved it ever since.
Her middle name will be
Genette
Just like mine and my mom and grandma.
That will be passed down and we agree on that 100%.
As for the other names...we are still working on more.
But let me share one awesome name that just might trump them all!

Dawnika
(African American)
meaning: dawn

How AWESOME is that?!?!
hahaha.
Ok, we just think it is funny and cute and silly and really...kinda cool
But we won't name our baby girl that.
That would be weird.
Honestly....can YOU do that with your spouse?!?!
Make one real name using both names.

We joke about naming our girl
Nikole
and our boy
Donald
But that is just fun talk.
And whenever we talked about kids in the past we always called them
Our little Nikawna or Dawnik just to be funny.
And then to see our names combined FOR REALS!
hahahahaha.

Honestly....if you can do that with your names...I wanna know about it!

Dawnika Genette Berry.
Has a nice ring to it, eh?!?
haha

Thursday, March 31, 2011

3rd Trimester...Ready or Not, Here We Come!

Wow.
Is this really happening?!
I cannot believe it.
I remember being in my 1st Tri begging for it to be over
and that 13 weeks took FOREVER!
Now I only have 12 left?!
agh!

I say I have 11 weeks and 6 days left
because it would be awesome for our Baby Girl to arrive on June 22nd.
If she comes early, fine by me, but here is my silly reason for the 22nd.

I was born September 22nd.
My next sister, Carrot (Caren), was born December 22nd.
Then Bagel (Baylee), the next sister, was born November 22nd.
And then the failure begins...
...ok, it was because of the doctor,
And it would have worked but things were overlooked at the time
So, Boog (Hannah), my last sister, was born July 26th...
...although the doctor admitted she could have arrive on the 22nd because she WAS full grown.
WTHeck!?!?!
Wanna know how we know...
...July 26th she arrived at 9lbs 11oz.
HUGE!

Well it just so happened that my "official due date" is June 24th
But I told the doctor,
Because he is the same one that delivered me and all my sisters
and knows the "tradition"
I told him if she is still not here by June 22nd, I want her then.
He smiled and nodded, saying he can make that happen!
=]
Silly??
I don't think so.
Just so happened that way!

People do fun things with names...
like get this...
I just so happened to be born on the 22nd
and then Caren just so happened on the 22nd as well.
According to my mom, that just worked out that way.
So when she was having the next one, she tried to have Baylee on the 22nd as well...
...walking around the mall the night before and such.
So our names went D - C - B - and then that was it because we couldn't agree on an A name.
So Hannah is as close as we will get to an A name.

Anywho...people do fun things with names, and if it so happens I can have our children on the 22nd
of any given month....you better believe I will do that.
Silly? Yes.
Fun? You bet!

Anywho....enough with that sillyness.
This has been one fun ride.
How I only have 83ish days left, I have no idea!
Our Little Jewel has been getting stronger and stronger.
It has been fun and uncomfortable all at the same time.
But I am so happy to be here experiencing this.

Last night I was on the phone with Nik as he was driving home from work
And She had the hiccups.
It was so cute!
You could see a steady beat right on my belly.
It lasted just over 3 minutes.
It was so cute.
I interrupted Nik real quick to tell him and he just laughed and smiled.
He is so in love with her already!

Oh, and not sure if you remember me mentioning my lower back and hips always hurting...
...well Nik and I bought a mattress topper and it has made a HUGE difference.
I no longer wake up in pain.
It is wonderful!
Wish we would have gotten on sooner
But we didn't. Oh well.
I'm happy now!
And Nik says his back hasn't hurt as badly either.
YAY!

But now I have a question...
...and if you are still reading this, yay!
Does gravity effect the baby while in the womb?
Honestly.
Lately I have felt her feet on my right side
and when I lay on my right side (just for a little bit)
she gets her tap moves on like crazy...
...or so it feels like.
And it REALLY hurts!
Such a weird feeling.
So I will then roll over to my left and I stay that way 95% of the time.
Well, is she landing on her head with a headstand or what?
Might be a silly question,
But I really wanna know.
So...let me know what you think or if you really know the answer.

I guess that is all.
Thanks for your attention.
So excited to meet this little girl....but right now I gotta go feed her.
Yay for breakfast!

*And sorry I don't go through and proof read it before submitting it
So hopefully it makes sense.
Just what is happening in this Pregnant Brain of mine.
=]
Loves!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

DOUBLE DIGITS, BABY!!!

My friends and family call me a Numbers Freak.
I love to count down.
I became a pro while Nik was on his mission...
...and am now perfecting my skills even further with this pregnancy.

As of today....
99 DAYS LEFT!
Nope, not excited...
And I am DEFINITELY NOT the one counting
*sheepish grin*
I'M ECSTATIC!
And if you didn't already calculate...
...that makes it only 14 weeks from tomorrow!
June 22, 2011...HERE WE COME!

Double Digits.
Gosh, this feels good.
To think about the day I found out
I had 246 Days to go.
CRAZY!

If you have been to my house you might have seen the Mission Countdown Board Nik made for us hanging in the hallway.
Well, that board has been used numerous times since.
Any time there is something big to count down to, 
my family puts the days back up, just to remove them one night at a time counting down.
They used it for when we moved back home to AZ...FOR GOOD this time.
And now I use it for the arrival of our Sweet Baby Girl.
There are only 2 rows and 3 days left.
(I tried to get a good picture of it but the board is so large and the hall is so small,
it didn't quite work.)
Crazy Talk!

I guess I ought to post pictures of this glorious time
And show off The Bump.
Our Little Princess is approximately the size of an eggplant.
13 inches and around 1.5lbs.
I have my next appointment this Monday so we might actually get an accurate measurement.
We'll see.

25weeks 2days
(not my room.
this was the Random Room for my sister-in-laws wedding this last weekend.
i wish that suitcase in the back was mine for a cruise.
someday.)
Here is a closer picture.
(p.s. I LOVE my skirt.
got it at Ross.
super cute. super silky.)

 And I can't leave out the cute couple.
I just LOVE her!
Just when I thought I had ENOUGH sisters...
...cuz 3 is a lot when that is all you have...
...I join her family and we get along so well!
Love my Amy!
And I am so happy for her and Tim
Can't forget that!
What a happy day that was and what a happy life they will have...
...always giggling and having fun.
(I just hope they aren't sick on their cruise right now...
...because a bug has been passed around the Berry Family
this last week.)
Oh and what is even better...
they are staying here for the summer rather than going to San Diego!
My little girl will have 4 Aunts and 4 Uncles!

Oh, remember that sick note a minute ago...
...that brings me to my next piece.
Nik was sick with a Stomach Bug all Sunday
And we just thought it was some Ranch he had with his Pizza.
THAT'S a JOKE!
Cuz I didn't eat that Ranch....and now I'm sick.
It has not been a fun 24 hours
ESPECIALLY as the Baby is practicing her Gymnastics Routine in MY BELLY!
EXCUSE ME!
Not today, please.
Okok....I am so grateful she is well and kicking....but she has never been this continuously active.
Everrrrr.
And on the day when I am most nauseous she decides to play around.
I could feel her doing somersaults and cartwheels.
It was insane.
It was awesome at some points and then others would make my eyes go cross.
But...really....I'm glad I have an active baby and that everything is good and well.
I can't wait to meet her!
So...we pray this sickness will leave soon.
Nik just has some lingering side effects and hopefully it will be gone...
...because how long he is out is a sign of my days ahead.
YUCK!

So...that is what is new.
Don't forget...

DOUBLE DIGITS, BABY!!!
 

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Pregnancy...Still Happening

Well, I guess I ought to let everyone know I am still alive.
Not much has changed since I last posted...
...other than the fact I am getting bigger.
I don't feel like I LOOK bigger
But I am definitely growing.

I finally had to break out the box of Maternity shirts from my friend.
BriHo is so nice to let me borrow them!
I had to go find another pair of bottoms to wear
Because all my basketball shorts are finally too small.
This is all becoming more and more real to me.
I am so excited!

While I was at Kohl's the other night buying my pants
I just ended up in the baby section.
GOSH!
That stuff is so cute...
....and I almost wanna say cuter than Target.

Look at this!
My sister, Caren, is in LOVE with Giraffes and so I sent her the pic too.
I about died from cuteness
The cutest little jumper...everrrr!
I had to immediately turn and walk out of the section or I was gonna lose my self-control.
I went home and told Nik what I found but that I had the self-control to NOT buy it right away...
...to wait for it to go on sale,
And he was very proud of me.
Got a good pat on the back!
yay!

Other than that....our little girl had hiccups for the first time that I could recognize.
Yesterday morning the same rhythmic pattern lasted for over a minute.
It was so cute...little tiny hiccups!
And then she decided to do a full, sprawled out somersault....and made me nauseous.
I had to laugh after I gained my composure...it was quite the trip.

I have loved my pregnancy thus far and am so happy to have this opportunity.
June 22nd is only 16 weeks from today!
Wow!
THAT.IS.NOTHING!

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

It's A Girl!

Yesterday was QUITE THE DAY! Let me tell you a little story, k?

December 20th was a day of GREAT IMPATIENCE. Nik and I heard about this little urine kit that would be able to determine the gender of the baby after 10 weeks. Well, I was past that at 13 weeks and figured it would be a little more accurate being farther along and caved into the idea.
I mean, wouldn't it be fun to find out a little earlier what the baby is going to be?
So I took the test and it was suppose to read the level of testosterone or estrogen in my urine as I am supposedly passing the baby's urine as well. The test came back CLEARLY a BOY.

Yep, a boy! 
I had a feeling it would be a boy and when looking back through Nik's line, there is a majority in boys. So, I was going to have a boy. FUN! Totally new to me but a piece of cake for Nik. I only know girls....that's all I have, 3 little sisters and 0 little brothers. And majority of my cousins (that I know) on both sides are girls. But a boy would be fun.
Nik and I both talked about how this test could be wrong and that we weren't going to plan plan plan for a boy until the doctor confirmed it. It was fun talking about boy names and passing on the Berry name. Fun seeing all my friends that have boys and to wonder how mine was going to be. 

Well, my mom, so anxiously excited to be a grandma, started in on a quilt a little early. Just 3 weeks too soon. See, we had told a few people about the urine test we took but we also made it clear that the test wasn't 100% positive...that this is just a good starting point but that was it.
Back to grandma...she started on the cutest little green and brown owl quilt for Baby Berry. It was and still is adorable! I feel in love with the collection from Scrapbooks Etc and she ran with it. Oh, it was so fun planning the placements of the patterns and the little elephant she sewed on the front. So adorable.

Yesterday comes along and she has me come with her to pick out the backing for the quilt. She had just completed the whole top the night before. So down to Scrapbooks Etc we went and picked out the last of the fabric. I left her there for her quilting class and I went to my doctor's appointment.
My dad was the only one of both families that didn't have work and I wanted someone with me when we found out the gender. Nik couldn't get work off, my mom had her class, my father-in-law was in California, and my mother-in-law had work as well. So my dad came with me to the appointment and I was excited and nervous, still thinking it was a boy, but knowing this appointment could change everything.
I even called my cousin, Eden, the hour before the appointment and told her how nervous I was, that she could end up being a girl...which would be exciting, SO EXCITING, but a complete 180 from what I've been thinking.
Anywho, we get in the room with Dr. Beck and he checks around.
THERE IS A BABY IN THERE! It was amazing! I mean, of course there is but the last time I had an ultrasound, the baby was still a peanut.
I mean, of course that's a baby, but that was all I had seen since November...and my belly has ever so slowly grown, making it feel like "am I really pregnant?"

Ok ok, back to this wonderful ultrasound. Dr Beck checked and the baby has all 4 limbs moving like they should, the brain looks properly developed, and there is not cleft palate...the baby looks great!
Then he looks for the gender. He keeps moving the little instrument all over my belly just looking and looking and looking some more....then he says
"Well, looks like we have a girl."
Now I swore to myself that I wouldn't say what I was about to say...but it just fell out. In shock I asked "ARE you SURE?"
Gosh, I felt so dumb! OF COURSE he is sure...he's the doctor, been doing this for over 22 years! Duh, Dawna.
I started to cry...little tears of joy. I looked over at my dad and he had little tears of happiness in his eyes too. It was such a special moment.
NIK AND I ARE HAVING A GIRL!!!! A GIRL!
I kinda felt silly for doing that little urine test and getting my hopes up so high on a boy but a girl is just as great and something I am a little more comfortable with anyways. I don't want her to ever feel that she was not wanted because we thought a boy for so long, because that just is not true. We are so excited to have her in our family an can't wait to meet her.
Yes, it is fun saying HER and SHE. Oh, so surreal. This is REALLY happening!

 I won't add the picture that proves she's a girl...because heck,
I can't even tell that well.
So we'll just take Dr Becks word on it.

She was moving around so much during the ultrasound. Her hands were up to her head and then down to her feet and then back up again...like she was having her own little dance party in there. Then the cutest thing happened...she gave this GIANT YAWN. It was so precious. I couldn't believe it. All of a sudden we could see her jaw bones open so wide in a nice long yawn. She's real. She is really there, growing and moving around. Oh, how wonderful that appointment was. I wish I could have gotten that on dvd but maybe Dr Beck doesn't do that or maybe he does it later on. I am not too sure but how real that moment was to me.

I am in love. Ya know the feeling? I haven't even met her in person yet and I love her so much. I didn't understand and couldn't comprehend how possible that was. How was I going to find room in my heart that Nik as already filled up? How was I ever going to make room or feel that real love for anyone else? Well, it's happening. It's real. Nik and I have this little family. We are her parents. She is here because of our love, our love that will last through the eternities. She is ours and we are so excited to meet her.

Well, I finished up my appointment and went to tell the families. Hannah came with but I made her stay in the lobby because this was a special moment of my first baby and just wanted it to be me and my dad. But as soon as I got out to the lobby you could tell she was just DYING to find out what the baby is...and so I told her and showed her the pictures. Her eyes got so big and she jumped up and down. Hannah does this really cute thing when she gets really excited, she folds her arms so tight almost as if she is going to burst from excitement. She did just that and I could tell she was happy to have a little niece to play with even though I know she would have been just as happy with a nephew.

I called my mom as she was still in her quilting class and told her that that quilt was going to have to sit in Grandma's Quilt Stash a little longer. lol. She screamed and laughed all at the same time "IT'S A GIRL?!?!" It was such a funny moment and one that will go down in history. So, onto picking another collection for another quilt! Then I texted my sister in Utah and I could tell she was screaming cuz her texts came back in all caps. haha. I let my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Colby (my dad's siblings, Allreds) know and Lisa replied "Girls are all we know to make ;-)" and Colby said he called it, which he did.
See, on the Allred side my grandpa is the only boy with 4 sisters. Then there is my dad who has 1 sister and 1 brother and then for grandchildren there are 10 girls and 2 boys. Let's add in the babies of that generation and so far there have been 2 girls and then my girl to add to that. So, girls are the majority of what us Allred's know how to make.

We waited to tell Nik's family until they all got back in town or off work and then we met up last night. I showed the pictures to my mother- and sister-in-law, Randee and Amy, and they tried to guess what it was. They guessed a boy cuz heck, how are we suppose to read these grainy little pictures? We aren't doctors. haha. So then I told them it was a girl and everyone screamed. It was so fun! Nik keeps telling me she can be a girl but only as long as she knows how to hunt and camp and play sports. I just laugh and tell him that is fine because that is just what the Berry's do! It is going to be so fun!

 Here I am the day we found out.
January 17, 2011
17weeks 3days

So, that is our wonderful story of finding out the gender of our little baby.
IT'S A GIRL! YAY!
In the poll I posted, there were 12 Girl votes to 9 Boy votes.
Next time we'll just go off the votes rather than a urine test.
lol. 

Dear Baby Berry,
We are so excited to have you in our future,
and right now as you play around in mamma's belly.
Being a girl is so much fun!
Your daddy is so excited and has already been plotting
his threats to any boys who do you wrong.
You are going to be so pretty and have lots of pretty girl things
but daddy wants to make sure you know how to hunt and camp
and do all the Berry stuff...cuz after all, you ARE a Berry now.
Don't worry...you can still look cute while you do that, it's okay.
And mamma is excited to pass on her middle name to you.
This has been a tradition for 3, going on 4, generations.
You are so loved and we are excited to meet you
and your sweet personality.
I sit here waiting for you to make some sort of movement
that I can make out is you, but I will wait as long as it takes.
I've heard you can be pretty forceful in there as you run out of room,
so take your time making your stay known.
Just about 5 more sweet months until you are in our arms...
and can we please talk about the 22nd of June?
It would be pretty rad if you could be born on that day.
Just letting you know.
I'll explain when you get here.
Can't wait til you come out!
Love,
Your Mamma