FAQs - Baby Boy Banks

Howdy!!
So people keep asking us many of the same questions, so I thought I'd blog a little FAQ w/answers just in case you are wondering too...and also because I am totally obsessed with my darling Baby Boy Banks!!

Q1. Have we decided on a name?
A1. No, we have actually decided on 4 names that we just absolutely love. Since we can't think of any way to narrow them down, we have decided to wait to meet our Baby Boy and let him determine which name fits him best. Isn't that exciting?!?! We think so!
(Now a sub-? to that answer that I hear a lot is...Are we going to tell people the 4 names? And the answer is: We have told some people, but I am a little nervous to blog our "Favorite 4" Names, as I currently know 10 other PG women & 4 of them are due before me, so I don't want to publish the names at the risk of losing one of our "Fav 4" as that would be horrible (and probably unforgivable, j/k!). I hope that answers that ? well enough....sorry, but I just can't risk blogging the "Fav 4"!)

Q2. Am I going back to work after the Baby Boy Banks is born?
A2. The answer is yes, but we are still praying & thinking out what exactly "yes" means. We are currently working out a Day Care situation that we are both very excited about & thrilled to have available to us! I thank the Lord, as we have the utmost confidence in this provider & friend!!

Q3. Am I craving certain foods?
A3. Well I haven't really had "cravings" where I had to have something this second (or God help the person who stands between that item & me that I have read some women have), but I definitely want: Chips, Breads, Dill Pickles and SPICY food (like I am talking Buffalo Sauce type of spicy!) on a DAILY bases. Before being PG most of those items where a weekly or monthly item on my menu....surely not daily.
However the odd thing is, I cannot even stand the thought of Mexican food (ugh, even thinking & typing it right now makes me feel yucky) and before I was PG Mexican food was high on my list favorites & most often eaten foods. In fact at our local Mexican restaurant, many of the waiters know me by name....but they haven't seen me since October! I wonder if they are worried about me, LOL?!?

Q4. Do we have a theme for the baby's room?
A4. YES, Winnie-the-Pooh, all the way!!! (And not Classic Pooh either, the regular-old, modern day Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends is our theme, woo-hoo!!)
However we are NOT painting his room...remember our Christmas Letter and how we painted Emily's room last Summer & how we all learned we hate painting. LOL! I don't think he'll be scared for life or anything just b-cuz we didn't paint his room...it's currently a nice off-white, kind of tan-ish color & it will be just fine.

Q5. Have I felt the baby move yet?
A5. YES, he is a mover and a shaker!
I 1st felt him move, just tiny little bumps on 1/9/09 and since then I have felt him everyday, several times a day. Lately his movements are much stronger and harder. His very favorite time to move is between 4-6am...ugh! Everyday he makes me laugh though!!! Sometimes I will push in a little at him and he pushes right back, LOL, that just cracks me up! Oh and just last week I felt him kind of like scrap or drag along my abdomen. I have felt that twice now.
I have not yet felt hiccups, or felt him flip or turn...unless the scraps/dragging is him turning....I guess time will tell.

Q6. Am I having a Baby Shower?
A6. Why yes I am & it was just decided last weekend that I would! I want to have a big ole party to celebrate my Baby Boy! I have already had 3 wonderful friends and my sister, Emily, all volunteer to plan it. So now we just have to figure out the details. (I don't even know when I should have one yet...so we have lots of work to do, obviously!)

Q7. Are you excited "it" is a boy?
A7. YES, we are both SUPER excited to have a son on the way!!! Most of all we prayed and still pray for a healthy baby above all else, but Andrew really wanted a boy. I honestly didn't have a preference, but I did hope "it" was a boy for Andrew & we are just thrilled to know "it" is a he!!! I don't really have experience with boys, but just can't wait to learn with ours!

Q8. Do you like being PG?
A8. I have to say....no, I really don't love it. I don't hate it, but I don't love. I don't sleep well, I am up all night to use the bathroom & when Baby Boy Banks gets a kicking between 4-6am, I get lots of headaches and nosebleeds and I am just tired of being tired....so that is taking away some of the fun I am sure. But I LOVE this baby! And I am so delighted that, according to my Mid-Wives, everything is going well concerning his health and development. Again, I thank the Lord!!

Okay, so that is it for the FAQs, but if more arise I will add them.

Oh, I almost forgot...fun story....on 2/13, I had an ultrasound done at our local Pregnancy Resource Center (to help with their certification) and Baby Boy Banks was so cute, he was just bouncing around in there and the best part was he was sucking on his hand & it looked like he was blowing bubbles too!!!! Can they do that?? Isn't that precious?!?! I just can't tell you how much joy this boy brings me already!!! I so can't wait to hold him!

By the way, I am now in my 23rd week and the baby is 11 inches long & weighs over 1 pound. Seems like the 1st 1/2 of this PG went really slow, but now things seem to be picking up...June will be here before I know. Yikes...fear of giving birth.....breath, breath! LOL! I'll be fine, I can do this!

Will you please keep praying for our baby's continued health & development, and a safe birth?
Thank you for reading this!
Love, Shannon

Andrew's B-day; Week 21; Ground Hog's Day

Hi there,
We have lots to update you on today.
Today is Andrew's birthday! Woot, woot! Happy Birthday Andrew!!! We will celebrate with cake and presents after he gets home from school tonight.
We are at Week 21 in our pregnancy and here is a photo from today! My belly has finally started showing a noticeable bump-check it out!! We are now 1/2 way until "D" day which brings amazing excitement and deep fear for me as well. I just can't wait to meet our baby boy, oh what joy that will be, but OUCH....is there ANY other way...I mean seriously!?!!?! I am so terrified of giving birth!!! Though I know he'll be worth it.

Finally, it is Ground Hog's Day and as I understand it that rodent saw his shadow this morning...which (ugh!) means 6 more weeks of winter. I just want to cry! However when Emily heard this she said, "Yes, only 6 more weeks of winter!" with delight. I thought about it a minute and she's right...here in Midland, MI, we could easily have 2-3 more months of winter...so I think I need to change my attitude! Tee-hee! I just HATE the cold so much!
Have a great day everyone! Thanks for checking in! Tah-Tah for now! SMB