Second trimester

The second trimester for baby Storck

Weeks 14- 27

November 12th - February 11th

Week 15

Yes, I know my eyes are closed. Yes, it makes me sad.

Week 17 Yorktown Lighted Boat Parade
(Santa in his sleigh being pulled by reindeer)

I hear that being pregnant makes you take really, really good photographs. As you can tell by the above pictures that I must be REALLLLY pregnant. The pictures are so focused, centered, and up close. Hold please, Barry Brooks is calling in.

This night made my heart very, very happy. A small boating community, hot chocolate, carolers, the fife and drum, snuggling with the hubby. It was like a scene out of a movie.

Week 18

Week 19 Christmas Town

This night made my Christmas heart very happy as well. If you ever have the chance to come to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, I highly recommend it. They did a fabulous job at intertwining the religious aspect verses the commercial side of Christmas and did so respectfully. We would walk around and look at ALL of the lights and then go inside to warm up and watch a show. Loved, loved, loved it! It really was magical. The above picture is Greg and I on the train. They played Christmas carols over the intercom and we had our hot chocolate in hand. We were all snuggled together, riding around the park looking at the millions of lights. I think at one point my hormonal ass looked at Greg and said "I'm just so happy". He didn't have a response.

No wait. I remember now. He just smiled and rolled his eyes.

And then the train whistle blew.

Gender reveal

Week 20

We didn't find out the gender right away. My ultrasound was December 23rd and with it so close to Christmas, I thought it would be sweet if we waited until everyone was around the Christmas tree and we were opening presents all together. We did the big reveal in Charlotte at Uncle Bill and Aunt Carol's house on Christmas Eve. Greg and I decided to let Brenda (my mother in law) open the envelope. Since the ultrasound font was so small and the room wasn't lit very well, she couldn't read it. She kept trying to make out what it said, and finally had to get up and go to the lamp. We were all on the edge of our seats! As soon as she figured it out, she turned to us and with tears in her eyes said "It's a boy!" The whole room erupted in tears, cheers and hugs. It was so sweet and I am so glad we did it that way. It is something I will never forget. Never ever.

We woke up Christmas morning in Charlotte, got in the car and headed towards Roanoke to celebrate Christmas afternoon with my family. After driving in horrible snowy conditions we finally pulled into my mother's drive way. Everyone knew that we already knew what the gender was. Trying to keep a straight face until my mom had her chance to open the envelope was impossible. In fact, several times I referred to "him" as "he" and blew my cover. You just can't fool MaJO! Everyone was equally as excited when mom announced that it was a boy. I was glad to be keeping in English sister tradition and have a boy first.

I think he looks just like Greg. No one else sees it....but I do. 100%
Actually, Em said she sees it, but she doesn't count. We share a brain anyway.

It's a MAN!
I can't flip the picture, but instead of the ultrasound tech writing "boy" in the top left corner, she wrote, "It's a man!" Hence why Brenda couldn't make it out without her glasses.

Emily had to help me "see" the picture. I thought a buttcheck was a torso, the other buttcheck, his legs....I was all upside down.

Week 20 Half way point! Christmas 2010

20.5 Weeks
A huge Christmas blizzard hit and dumped up to 10 inches of snow in Williamsburg. No one knew what to do with themselves! This town is just not used to that much snow.
It was simply gorgeous.

December 31, 2011

21 Weeks

Kim and Matt came down to Williamsburg for New Year's Eve. Such good friends to sit around with an old, boring pregnant woman on NYE! It was such a relaxing night. We ate at a Chinese restaurant, came home and watched a movie, watched the ball drop, skyped with family members and reminisced. Oh the stories.... Kim and I have spend many a NYE s together and although I will never forget a one, this one we might actually remember ;) Love my Kim! And Matt! And Butters!

Jan 9, 2011

22 Weeks

This is who has been behind the camera all of this time taking my belly shots. I wanted to get a picture of what Greg looked like during all of this. I know it will mean something in 20 years. After all, it better damn it! He put up a little fight when I grabbed the camera from him for his "22 week" shot.

The second trimester was actually nice and the little guy was good to me. It was the most energy I had throughout my pregnancy. I was able to start shopping for my little boy and it was nice to finally know what we were having! I was also able to get started on the nursery. (I'll do a separate post on that!) But for the most part, Greg and I hibernated. We typically do this anyway in the winter time, but with the pregnancy I found we did it even more. We didn't really travel a lot and we watched A LOT of movies (in bed - my favorite movie watching spot!) and had the fire place roaring at all times.

Biggest hormonal moment: Wowza. This one is embarrassing. So embarrassing in fact that I am not going to go into details, but let's just say there were tears. Big ANGRY tears. And me throwing the contents of our tupperware drawer up in the air like confetti.

Greg and Maggie hid for the rest of the night.

Best milestone: Around the middle of January (22-23 weeks) I finally felt the baby kick. I actually went from feeling nothing at all to feeling him several times a day. The sweetest thing about it was that Greg and I felt it at the same time. We were laying in bed, reading and watching TV, when bam, he kicked me on my lower right side. I let Greg know immediately, that there was no denying what I just felt, was in deed a kick. Greg put his hand in the same spot and about a minute later he kicked again. I will never forget the look on his face. Finally, his first physical connection with our baby boy.

We're trucking right along. On to the 3rd trimester....

First Trimester

The first Trimester for ye ole Storck baby.

I found out that we were expecting about 3 weeks in. (P.S. I love how you get 2 "free" weeks.) Greg and I decided to keep it a secret for as long as possible or at least until after my first doctor's appointment at 8 weeks.

I loved that special time when it was just Greg and I that knew.

The winks across a crowded room, planning the response for when someone asked me why I wasn't drinking, the smile that Greg would get when he heard my outrageous lie as to why I wasn't drinking, the arm nudges and whispers when a baby stroller would pass us by.

I will never forget those special weeks and the sweet unique bond we shared by keeping the biggest. secret. ever. Just us.

Labor Day 2010 ~ We have a secret!

When it was closer to the time of my first doctor's appointment, we started telling family and some close friends. We were busting at the seams. Everyone was thrilled of course.

My first doctor's appointment was Wednesday October 6th.

Out of all of my doctor's appointments so far, that first one was the most intense. At that point, all Greg and I knew was that an extra blue line popped up on a pee stick. That meant I was pregnant? Our lives were about to change forever because of one extra blue line? This type A needed more than that before I started picking out cribs.

After the ultrasound tech started, all was quiet for the first few moments. All I could concentrate on was how fast she was typing the keyboard and clicking the joystick. Greg had full on vision at the screen she was looking at. I did not. Her machine was blocking my view of the screen on the wall. The minutes seems like hours. I finally broke the aqwkard silence.

"Well.....?" I asked.

"Oh everything's fine. Looks good" She said.

We all breathed a sigh of relief.

I'm pretty certain I followed it with a big case of the English nervous giggles.

Greg's first question was "There's only one right?"

She then moved the ultrasound machine and that's when I saw the first picture of my brand new chapter in life.

Compared to other horror stories I have heard about first trimesters, mine was not that bad.

Weeks 1- 6

August 6th- September 17th

Symptoms: I had some night time nausea, but never threw up. After work during those first weeks, I would come home and crash. I had no motivation to do anything - I was just so tired! I had some light cramping (felt like menstrual cramps) but nothing that ever scared me.

Everything was still sinking in at this point. I remember being around our friends and thinking "they are going to die when we finally tell them!" Cause I was lying my face off as to why I wasn't participating in my normal festive activities.

I didn't have any food aversions at this point and I really wasn't craving anything either. Butttt, Greg and I were out running errands one day when I mentioned how good a strawberry milkshake sounded. If I could have read his mind, I am sure he was thinking "me and this pregnancy are going to get along just fine". He then found the closest McDonald's.

Weeks 7-13

September 18th - November 5th

Week 9: We went to Alexandria for Heather's wedding! We still weren't telling people and this was the "biggest show" I had to put on. "No bar tender, I KNOW it's a virgin drink, but I need it in a rocks glass, mkay?" It was GREAT seeing all of the old Ferrum kids and we really enjoyed the whole wedding weekend. The wedding was beautiful and Heather was even more gorgeous! Congrats Heather and Bobby! We love you guys! P.S. Thanks for the steak Jay! :)

Week 10: The in laws had their beach house that weekend and we went to join them. They also invited some old friends and their daughter came as well! It was such a relaxing, beautiful weather, hand holding, sea glass finding type of weekend!

Symptoms: Bring on the food aversions! At 6:36pm a salad sounded do able. After a prep time of 10 mins, I'd drizzle some salad dressing on it, grab a fork and plop down on the couch, and then wanted NOTHING to do with that mesly salad. Before I knew it, we had fired up the Chevy and were headed to McDonald's. That's right I said McDonald's. Remember the previous "I'm a health nut now" post? Yeap, that was out the window and it was game on Golden Arches. I always thought that I would be a "tofo lovin', nothing but organic veggies" type of pregnant woman. Honestly, eating healthy was harder than I thought it would be in the first trimester. Things that I loved before like a fresh salad, salmon, yogurt, etc, I didn't want anything to do with. Now before you go and call CPS on me, I sucked it up and as my first selfless motherly act, I forced these things down my throat. But, I always saved room for carbs, carbs, and more carbs. I was drawn to things that my grandmother used to make me growing up (analyze that Dr. Phil). Things like frozen chicken nuggets, frozen french fries, instant oatmeal, hotdogs, etc. Gross right?! (For the record, my grandmother was a fabulous cook, she just catered to the finickiness of a 6 year old.)

Oh, I added mustard and ketchup to everything. No, I mean everything. Again, gross. I know.

My nausea finally tapered off towards the end of the trimester. Butttttt, I had my worst night of it, the night that the Chilean miners were rescued (October 13th). In between crying hormonal tears of joy, I had to hang my head over a bucket. Although I never got sick, that night was definitely the closest I came. To this day, I am on a no puking streak.

Biggest pregnancy brain moment: I would start a load of laundry - add the soap, fabric softner, clothes - and then just walk away. Leaving the top wide open. (Our washing machine does not operate with the lid open) Greg would come behind me a few hours later, water ice cold by then, and holler down to me about me "doing it again". After the fifth or sixth time of excuses, i.e. "I'm just letting them soak honey", he would just silently shut the lid. Sigh.

Biggest hormonal moment: Crying, sobbing actually, because I missed the only trick or treaters that we had had in 3 years.

Due to poor planning on my part, I was still getting ready for that night's Halloween party. Since I was still half dressed (literally) I couldn't answer the door to pass out the candy. Which meant Greg had to answer the door, and I had to control our killer dog. Which meant that I had to literally sit on her at the top of stairs. Which meant, from my view, I only got to see the bottom half of a PEZ dispenser, a taco, and princess. Which meant, that a naked hormonal pregnant chick at the top of some stairs cried over some trick or treaters. Normal. Very, very normal.

Some exciting news....

I have some exciting news to share with you guys! I have been wanting to share this news with you guys for quite some time, but wanted to make sure that we were in the clear and everything was right on track. And now's the time.....

Josh Groban has finally released his new album - Illuminations.

And. it. is. fabulous.

I may or may not have pre ordered it. I may or may not have listened to the CD on repeat for hours the night I got it. I may or may not have all of the songs memorized by heart.

Joshie Poo's gift could not have come at a more perfect time of year. Between his Christmas album and the new album, my little kitchen boom box has been extremely busy. Chances are that if you were to walk through my front door, his delicious voice would smack you right in the face.

And he can smack me all he wants.

Speaking of smacking. I should be smacked for the lack of blogging lately. You will have to forgive me though but I have been pretty pooped lately. You see, I am working on a pretttttty big project. A project that actually won't be done until mid May.

That's right folks. A baby.

Greggie and I are beyond exicted and to tell you the truth it really hasn't hit me yet. Or Greg. Or Maggie.

And I know, I know. Some of you knew exactly where this blog post was going the minute you read the title ;) You weren't fooled one bit by the Joshie Poo diversion.

I knew something was different around the end of August/beginning of September, as I felt really dizzy. I knew it was still a little early, but I went ahead and took a pregnancy test. The first one I took was one that my nurse roommate (at the time) gave me. Since it came from her work it didn't come with instructions, and I proceeded to take it like I was the nurse and I knew exactly what I was doing. The test had two windows in it, like all of the OTC ones do. The first blue line popped up soon after and I kept waiting and waiting for the second line to appear in the second window. Nothing. I called Greggie into the bathroom, shared the bad news, threw away the test and went on about my night. The next day the dizziness continued. We had big plans for the upcoming Labor Day weekend. I knew that an obscene amount of adult beverages would be in store, so I took one more test just to be on the safe side. One of my own tests. And lo and behold I had a second blue line pop up within seconds. That feeling of sweetness engulfed me and my smile was instantaneous. I of course didn't stop at one test either. I kept going. I figured 3 was a good number. After the third positive test, I started to think of creative ways to tell Greg who was at an evening work function.

Several hours later he came running through the door and up the stairs.

I meet him in the hallway.

"Come on Amy. Everyone is waiting for us"

Confused I asked "What? Who? Where are they?"

"The marina. EVERYONE is there. We have to go. Come ON."

"Oh" I said. "I don't think I'm going to go tonight"

"What?!" Greggie said "You love the marina. Come ON already"

With a huge grin on my face I said, "No. I don't think I'll be going to the marina for the next 9 months."

(SEE.....reallllll creative)

Then Greggie joined me with his very own permanent grin and we hugged right there in front of the washing machine.

It was September 2, 2010. 9.02.10 day. We celebrated by going to the Peach Pit for dinner.

Oh I kid.

8 Weeks

I'll update again with details from my first trimester. Promise.

15 Weeks

Since we were rushed to meet friends for dinner, I thought it was a good idea to stop and have Greggie take my belly picture.

When I asked him how it turned out he said "looks great - now let's go". He threw the camera in my purse and we were out the door.

It wasn't until I got in the car that I looked at the picture.

I bit my lip and shed a hormonal tear.

Negative 0 Weeks and 2 hours ;)

Oh. Too much?

After we told our friends, I asked Heather about the pregnancy test she had given me. I questioned if I was supposed to have a blue line in the second window. Her response - "Oh no, that's the control window. All you need is the one blue line."

Ohhhh. Woops.

Sorry baby. No picture of the positive home pregnancy test to put in your baby book.

Your Momma's an idiot and she threw the test away.

Do I even know myself?

What a summer this has been!

We had a few trips to the beach, Dave Matthews Concert, pool fun, boat trips, a trip to Baltimore for a wedding, Busch Gardens, a trip to the "Rivah" and I feel like I am leaving something out. For the most part we have stayed close to home but were able to have several mini vacations! It has been so nice!

This summer has also brought on some lifestyles changes.... after all I did turn 30 *body shiver*

Things just aren't bouncing back the way they used to.

I have started taking vitamins (more than just a multi vitamin thank. you. very. much.) *body shiver*

I have stopped eating McDonald's *body shiver*

No longer take fill in the blank, stopped fill in the blank, and cut back on fill in the blank *MAJOR body shiver*

I check labels for high fructose corn syrup, cut coupons, stay away from sodas.

I mean - who am I??

My 21 year old self is pointing and laughing at my 30 year old self. And really, at this point, it's havin' a good ole' belly laugh.

According to my 21 year old self, the only cool thing going my way is my love for reality TV. The really really trashy ones too.

If there is a 'Real Housewives' in the title, it's on the DVR.

But the most jaw dropping change that has happened to me this summer is - are you ready? -

I exercise now. For the first time in at least 10 years folks I am pounding the pavement, doing sit ups, and attempting to do pushups.

I don't even know who I am.

FAIL

**Edit to post**
I had to switch out the pictures.
Greggie was really happy that I put our address on the world wide web. No, really. He was. **

Really?

Every. Name. Is. Misspelled.

I can understand the last name- that damn "c" gets 'ya everytime. But "Amiee" ....really?

And please don't get me started on the "Joe".

The sad part though. The really sad, sad part.

This was a marketing blitz for a friend of ours. As in, a friend close enough that they should know how to spell at least one name correctly.

Don't worry Dex. Amiee and Gregg still love you.

Wen, can ya help our boy out and get this fixed right up?

God Bless Texas

This was my cousin Brian's wedding on April 2, 2010 in Humble, TX. (Actually, I think the actually wedding was in another county, but I am not known for my memory...)

I had a fabulous time!
It was great to spend time with family and meet the newest additions to the Taylor clan! Ashley is a sweetheart and has the cutest little boy - she and my cousin make an adorable family! The wedding was absolutely beautiful, we really had a wonderful time. And I know I gained some weight while on my trip. We ate and ate and ate and ate. One afternoon, Unkie brought home some lunch - it was the best Bar-B-Que -lawrd a mercy. Another day, my cousin T Tay, was the hostess with the mostess, and brought us a Texan treat - crawfish! And she even taught us how to crack and eat them! They weren't half bad!

My sisters weren't able to go, and it was nice to have my momma all to myself! I really had a good time with Jo and Kenny. And of course the TAYLOR'S!

After you have viewed the slide show I know that you are going to have some questions about the pictures. Let me see if I can't clear some things up for you lost ones.

1. My mom and I did not go dress shopping together. I swear. Out of all the dresses in the whole wide world, we still picked out the same material / designer. Crazy huh? You have now enter the Twilight Zone.
2. My cousins are some dancers. They got that from their mother.
3. Yes, the grooms cake is a cooler 0f beers. Yes, that is the Browning symbol on the cooler. And yes, it is on the same table as the Bible.
4. I am a new advocate for spray on tans.
5. I am single handedly trying to bring back the push up bra. (you know what picture I'm talkin' bout ) *** edit to post*** obviously Em DOESN'T know what picture I'm talkin' bout.... hello ladies.

Pretty Swaggin Funny!

For all you moms and dads out there, this one's for you!

http://www.youtube.com/sienna?adly_id=796569208#p/c/30DA2DAB5702C7D1/7/ql-N3F1FhW4

There are several other videos by the same family.
Be sure to watch them! I don't even has kids and I am rolling. Like OMG, ROTFL.