20-23 weeks

Late as usual with updating. I suppose it's merely training for what life will be like when little Wagner arrives. We have had a super eventful couple of weeks, including two ultrasounds of the little one. We've managed to hang on and not ask the sex of our baby, but it gets harder and harder as we try diligently to come up with some names! So here's what's been happening:

How Far Along: 21 weeks in this picture. I felt cute this day and haven't had the courage to take another photo because this kiddo is getting BIG and so am I...

Size of baby: The baby is the length of a spaghetti squash and as of yesterday's ultrasound weighs in at a whopping 1 1/2 lbs (at 23 weeks). This apparently puts our little nugget in the 80%tile for weight and I'm measuring a week ahead of my due date. Gulp!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: So I managed to catch up with a vengeance. 18lbs! My OB gently suggested I slow it down. How do you turn off the eating switch?!

Maternity Clothes: Full on maternity clothes working here. I recently went and purchased more maternity shirts as I no longer can wear ANY of my shirts, including tshirts. Stephen's closet has been raided many a time.

Gender: It's getting harder not to know, but we are still encouraged by the surprise we will get on the day the little bug makes his/her appearance. Our coworkers seem to be frustrated with our ability to hold out.

Movement: Holy cow this kid moves! I get woken up at 5 am on a regular basis to the little one doing acrobats in my tummy. The other day Stephen had his hand on my belly while we were watching TV and the baby karate chopped me right where Stephen's hand was! I thought Stephen had flicked me in the stomach because it was such a powerful jab that it made me jump! Stephen was just as surprised as I was. You can also begin to tell the baby's movements just by looking at my belly. This morning after breakfast I just sat there and watched my belly jump. Silly kiddo.

Cravings: Decaf vanilla lattes. The first official craving. I'm hoping that it's a craving for milk so I try to avoid going to Starbucks 3 times a day and instead attempt to drink some milk.

Aversions: Vegetables. I gotta get on board with them though. They just taste so yucky.

Symptoms: BACK PAIN. This kid is so heavy. That and hip pain from laying weirdly although I've remedied that with the purchase of a pregnancy pillow. Still super emotional. I almost cried when Stephen came home from work at 5 AM with a bag of Whataburger that did not include breakfast for me. Ridiculous.

Labor Signs: So glad to still be saying no to this one.

What I miss: Beer. Does that make me a bad person? I have a husband who works in beer, people who've been coming into town and having get togethers....it just sucks. In the grand scheme of things I know it's not a big deal, but if I'm being honest...well then, I miss beer.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting things on our registry (which we finally started), working more diligently on the baby's room now that we've come up with a nursery theme, and CHRISTMAS. We are going home and I get to see my family and just soak up some love. So excited.

Words of Wisdom: Don't knock a pregnancy product till you try it. I had a couple of people telling me for MONTHS to get the pregnancy pillow but I continued to scoff at them thinking it was ridiculous to pay $50 for a pillow you'll use for such a short period of time. Oh man did I eat my words. About 2 weeks ago I really started having trouble sleeping and it was showing at work. Last week I finally broke down when I saw the pillow on sale on Amazon and had it overnighted. After using it for about a week I have gotten multiple comments about my increased energy and "well rested" look. Having said this, I totally recommend the boppy pregnancy pillow and will be more accepting of advice from people who've already been through it!

Best Moment this week: It is definitely seeing our baby for the second time at Friday's ultrasound. The baby was moving and you could see his/her little facial expressions! The part I could not (and still can't) get over was seeing very VERY distinctive feet just like his/her daddy's on that screen. This kiddo has some STRONG Wagner qualities. And now I know what has been kicking the heck out of me lately!

Here are some pictures of our beautiful baby! I cannot believe we will be meeting this little person in 3 1/2 months!

Sweet little profile

It's hard to tell but the baby is facing the camera and smiling with his/her little hand near their face

The Wagner foot complete with ET toes. So precious.

Two perfect little hands. One closed, one open.

I have been feeling so blessed in this pregnancy. Not only do I get to have a wonderful, beautiful child with my best friend but this pregnancy has been without any huge complications or worries. I have a coworker who is having twins and has had a tough road with them. With so many blessings of my own, I just ask you keep Hannah, Abigail, Lindsey and Keith Jones in your thoughts as they work to be the best family they can be. 

16 weeks!

So this post is a bit late, but I thought I'd do a little catch up on little baby Wagner. A friend did this while she was pregnant and I thought it was a great way to remember what it was like. :)

How Far Along: 16 -17 weeks in this picture. Did I not just POP all of the sudden?

Size of baby: He/She is the size of a sweet potato.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have had trouble gaining weight, but with the help of lots of milkshakes I am up 5 lbs.

Maternity Clothes: Wearing anything and everything with elastic/spandex. My shirts are too short and I haven't worn regular pants in like a month and a half. Maternity pants and shirts all the way.

Gender: We aren't going to find out! I think that's really surprising for most people to hear, but we're pretty excited about the surprise.

Movement: I started feeling the baby at 17 weeks. I wasn't sure about it at first, but now I can definitely tell there are little limbs poking me and little twirls right before I eat. It. Is. Awesome!

Cravings: None really. Stephen says that when we talk about food I have very distinct ideas that I am then very excited about. I don't know about all that. I do really like chocolate milk.

Aversions: Chicken breasts. Why? No clue. I do, however, really like eggs.

Symptoms: Some round ligament pain, but nothing too bad. I definitely am super sensitive to smells which is annoying when trying to work in a medical setting with children. I also have AWESOME nosebleeds and stuffiness. Oh, and my moods are freakishly unpredictable. So...pretty great.

Labor Signs: None. Glad to say that one.

What I miss: Sleeping through the night, having a stable/predictable emotions, sleeping on my stomach, not being sleepy at work....do you see a theme? Seriously though, I am so grateful for this little person swimming around in my belly.

What I'm looking forward to: Pulling together a gift registry, getting the baby's room in order, seeing our baby again on the ultrasound in a few weeks. We haven't seen him/her since week 8!

Weekly Wisdom: Unsolicited advice comes with the territory. Learning how to politely accept this information is a gift. It's just really hard to be super nice and receptive all the time while simultaneously reproducing.

Best Moment this week: Feeling the baby's movements get stronger and stronger. I think Stephen is a little jealous. I can't wait till he can also feel the baby. 

Week 20 is right around the corner and we will finally get to see our baby for the first time in 12 weeks! So looking forward to that moment!

Our New Adventure

So now that the last two years has been recounted, we feel it's time to let you in on the next big adventure in our lives......

Parenthood!


Most of our friends and family are aware, but March 11, 2012 Stephen and I will be welcoming our first little Wagner into the world. Because we are still far enough away from most of our loved ones that they don't get to be a daily part of the adventure, I thought updating our blog on the happenings of the newest little Waggle would ensure the information was getting out there. So feel free to stop here if you don't need the details, but below is a timeline of the last 13 weeks for our new little family!


July 3rd 2011: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes


I had been feeling weird for a couple of days, sore and just generally icky. Our good friend Drew and his girlfriend Cat were in town for the 4th of July, so I had told myself it must be all the excitement. The last time I took a pregnancy test I was really upset when it was negative, so I kept putting it off. Finally, I told Stephen about how I was feeling and he told me that I needed to buck up and take a test. So that morning while everyone slept and Stephen was at work, I took the dreaded test. And this was what I saw...

I cried. And then I waited and took three more. When Stephen came home from work he knew I had took the test, but I hadn't told him the results. All he had to do was look at my face and he knew. It was such a special moment for us. The next week we were going on a cruise with Stephen's family for his Dad's 70th birthday so we had to keep our traps shut until then.

That next week...


Since Stephen's parents' birthdays are just 11 days apart, we decided to get them a baby-themed gift for their birthdays to give to them on the cruise. We picked out these sweet little onesies for both sets of grandparents to be and waited for a day to skype with my parents to break the news.

Since we would be spending the week on a cruise with Stephen's parents, we skyped with my parents a couple days before. I told my parents I wanted to show them a cute outfit I had picked up and brought out the onesie. The look on their faces was PERFECT. I was sure my dad was going to cry. My parents are so supportive and they were just gushing about the new little one. We swore them to secrecy until we could tell Stephen's parents and go to the doctor.

Then our attention turned to Stephen's parents. On our way to Florida for our cruise we shared the last leg of the flight with Stephen's mom and dad. We were all very excited for this trip and Stephen's dad suggested we celebrate with in-flight cocktails. Haha....Stephen and I really had to do some quick talking to get around that one...and my constant need to use the restroom...and the green-ish hue I took on several times during the flight. Somehow we managed to avoid spilling the beans long enough to get into our hotel room and develop a game plan. We had the onesie wrapped and cards ready for Mom & Dad Wagner's "birthday" gift and decided to tell them prior to meeting the rest of the Wagner family for dinner in Tampa. 

Stephen asked his parents to read the cards first (which were just happy birthday, we love you types) while I stole their cameras to take pictures. You could tell they both knew as soon as they took that tiny piece of clothing out of the packaging. Stephen's mom just sat their with her mouth wide open for several seconds while Stephen's dad laughed and laughed! After that there was much congratulating, hugging and tears. It was a great way to start our vacation.

The Cruise aka 5 wks pregnant

Allow me to make a recommendation. Do not go on a cruise in your first trimester of pregnancy. All I have to say is Nausea + Sea Sickness. I have never been on a cruise before nor have I been pregnant before so the only way I could've known what was ahead was to experience it myself. Please learn from my experience. It is not great.

We still ended up having a great time though. Stephen's family and especially my wonderful husband were wonderfully helpful to me in keeping my hydrated and distracted while the boat rocked and I attempted to keep my food down. We went through the Western Caribbean and it was absolutely breath -taking. See for yourself!

It was such a wonderful time to reconnect with Stephen's family, relax and get used the fact that there is going to be a new Wagner joining the clan very soon!

6 weeks pregnant


After our wonderful vacation, it was back to reality and time for our first doctor's visit. I was really nervous because it was phrased by the receptionist as an either/or situation: if I was pregnant, I would get a vaginal ultrasound and full work up; if not, it would be a normal gyno exam. I was not pleased with this phrasing but remained optimistic.

So at the doctor's office by myself, I provided a "sample" for the official test and waited in an exam room. After what seemed like forever, the nurse told me it was positive! I was relieved and moved into an ultrasound room to change and prepare for the ultrasound and exam. It was my first time meeting my doctor so the anxiety of course shot right back up. Would I like her? Would she be kind and responsive? The list goes on and on.

Dr. Brigger came in and was everything I could hope for. Very sweet, professional and quick. Then it came time for the ultrasound...

I'm trying to point at the tiny little heart

 It took my breath away. Dr. Brigger showed me our baby's tiny little heart flickering on the screen and she showed me the egg came from my left ovary, which is very interesting...at least for me. She printed out several pictures of the baby for me, gave me a prescription for anti-nausea med, and told me she'd see me in two weeks. I left and called Stephen, sent him a picture of the baby and tried to keep my feet on the ground.

8 weeks pregnant


We had another doctor's appointment at 8 weeks to check the baby's growth and follow up on the results from the battery of tests they ran during my first visit. Stephen came with me. Dr. Brigger did another ultrasound to check the baby's growth and lucky for us, this meant more pictures.

There's our little nugget, swimming upside down. Dr. Brigger kept using the terms "perfect" and "everything looks great" which for me, were big confidence boosters. I looked over at Stephen several times during this ultrasound and the looks of utter amazement were just priceless. When we left the doctor that day, I could tell he felt much like I did that first visit.

Luckily by this time I was no longer feeling nauseous, just exhausted. I seriously count my blessings that I was only tired and didn't have the extra burden of feeling sick. Work was going well and I could manage to get through the day without people noticing a large change in my behavior. Since I was (and am) still new on the job, I wanted to wait to disclose the news until I had finished my first big project to inspire confidence in my manager's that this pregnancy would not hinder my work and that I was fully committed to the institution and to my family.

9-11 weeks pregnant

These weeks went by faster than I expected. I had developed a routine to compensate for my EXTREME exhaustion that I think made everything go by that much quicker. Typically I would keep myself awake at work by walking, eating and drinking constantly (never EVER sitting down) then come home, sleep for 2 hours, make dinner, eat, go to bed. I felt very guilty because Stephen (when he wasn't working) and I hardly had any time together that wasn't being in bed. He was super understanding the entire time, following me to bed at 8:30 and watching TV in our room until I fell asleep.

I was ( and still am) super emotional during these weeks as well. I know that this is very normal during pregnancy, but as a person who is typically very in control of their emotions, this was not a fun surprise for me. Stephen of course got the majority of these crazy pregnancy rantings and again, I felt totally guilty because as soon as words and tears would come, I would realize how insane I sounded and wished I could control it. Again, my husband was so patient and understanding that even though it was rough on the both of us, we managed to get to a level of mutual understanding.

It wasn't all serious and sad though. I had many hilarious emotional outbursts as well. Here are just a few:

• Any time ANY Christmas episode came on TV, I cried, called Stephen and told him I wished it were Christmas.
• I cried at work because a baby "didn't like me" (now keep in mind this was before telling anyone I was pregnant which of course adds to people's perceptions of my crazy)
• At 11 weeks I felt like I was showing (although now I think it might've just been gas). I told Stephen about it and he said "Are you sure you're supposed to be that big right now?" When these words were processed by my crazy pregnant brain it meant that for the next week I spent every free moment googling "11 weeks pregnant first baby" and looking at EVERY pregnant belly I could find with that criteria to ensure that I was NOT fat, faking it, or someone growing a tumor. 

Somewhere in these weeks, my Aunt Katy sent me several pregnancy books as well as a few goodies for the little one. I have since delved into the world of pregnancy, reading these books, downloading apps on my phone and reading the many MANY emails that I receive from various mommy-to-be websites.

At 11 weeks, I felt comfortable enough to tell my supervisors that I was expecting. I was really nervous because of the short time I had been employed, etc. Both my supervisors met my news with genuine excitement and understanding which was such a relief. I really love my job and have no intention of leaving, but I know that women in my field are notorious for becoming "stay at home moms" which is a personal choice every one has to make, but not one I feel ready to undertake. Anyway, I feel very fortunate to have had such a supportive response to my news that a weight seemed to be lifted and I finally felt ready to spread the news far and wide.

12 weeks pregnant


Another doctor's appointment awaited us and once again I was on edge. At my 8 wk appointment, I met with the OB group's insurance coordinator who basically laid out my whole pregnancy, its cost, what our insurance would cover, and our out of pocket expenses. Because I had chosen a group that was in the Texas Medical Center (as is MD Anderson) we share the same insurance and thus the Wagners enjoy an extra little discount for being super in-network. In fact, Stephen was a little surprised at how "little" our baby's care would cost us. Ha. Anyway, this is not why I was nervous. I was told during this meeting what to expect at every appointment, which I diligently noted next to my schedule. So at this visit we were going to try to hear the baby's heartbeat. I had read that 12 weeks was an iffy time to hear the heartbeat and in a couple of weeks it might be easier to find. I knew it would be normal if we couldn't hear it...but crazy pregnancy brain (CPB) would not let me believe it. CPB convinced me that if we didn't here it, something would be wrong.

So at the Doctor's office I began to get more and more nervous... and Stephen could tell. He kept reassuring me everything would be ok. I really adore him for always calming me down and being the voice of reason when CPB kicks in.

Then it was time....

Shirt up, jelly on, doppler positioned. Stephen held my hand and I could feel myself hyperventilating. I couldn't help it. Thank God I was laying down. I began to repeat the mantra "It's normal if they can't hear it. It's normal if they can't hear it..." then as if in reply to this, we heard it! Our little nugget's heartbeat. I just cried and cried. Stephen was smiling like a huge goof. I'm sure the nurse thought we were crazy. I was just so amazed and grateful to hear that little galloping noise and so in awe of the great treasure that Stephen and I are charged with. After the nurse left, Stephen and I just blubbered (well I blubbered, Stephen talked) in amazement of our latest family milestone. Dr. Brigger joined us soon after and said the baby's heartbeat was great at 154 bpm and that we were still looking great.

Stephen took me back to work and we ate lunch in the car. For some reason, those moments after the doctor's appointment and eating in the car were just so special to me. I felt relieved and excited and just loving our family moments. It was an excellent day.

So week 12 ended with me finally showing for reals. For me this was super exciting because from week 10 I wasn't able to fit into my normal clothes and needed a BeBand to hold my pants up until I could get some maternity clothes. Here's the nugget's first belly shot:

As I write this we are entering our 14th week! I can't believe it. Through everything I just feel so blessed by my amazing husband, my wonderful family, supportive friends and coworkers and of course by the wonderful miracle growing inside me. What a beautiful expression of life and love!

Two Years Later....

 I feel as though no one is really that out of the loop when it comes to the Wagners. Through luck or by the grace of God, we've had the opportunity to come in contact with most if not all of our precious friends these past two years. I'll say it again and again, we are SO blessed with amazing friends and family who have supported and loved us through two years of transitions and changes. In order to catch this blog up, I will attempt to bullet the last two years with pictures and words.

• May - August 2009 Athens, GA: Stephen continued to work at Copper Creek Brewing Company and I had the excellent fortune of working at a summer day camp for children with developmental disabilities called Extra Special People. An amazing opportunity and growing experience that added to my future knowledge as a Child Life Specialist. 

ESP kiddos and me

We also had wonderful visitors including Stephen's parents and our bestie Drew for his annual 4th of July visit. The boys had an excellent time and we even met the ever elusive Michael Stipe at a bar in downtown Athens.

Drew & Stephen, the morning after July 4

Epic night where we met Michael Stipe

• August 2009 - December 2009 Dallas, TX & Athens, GA: In August, Stephen and I celebrated 2 years of marriage in Charleston, SC. I had accepted an internship at Children's Medical Center Dallas and began my training to become a Certified Child Life Specialist....which meant moving to Dallas and living with my wonderful Grandma for 3 months. This also meant Stephen and I would spend 3 months apart; he had to keep working so we wouldn't drown in debt so that meant separate houses for a while. I won't lie, as exciting a time as it was for me professionally, it was stressful, frustrating, and sad for both of us. We spent several trips going back and forth between Dallas and Athens to ease the burden and so I could complete my thesis in the hopes of graduating in December 2009. As hard as it was, I feel so thankful to have had such a supportive and selfless husband willing to sacrifice a LOT to help me achieve my goals. 

Anniversary in Charleston

Halloween at Children's Dallas

Dallas Family Fun

• December 2009 - March 2010 Athens, GA: I completed my internship in Dallas and moved quickly back to Athens to graduate with my Masters in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia. Unfortunately, things didn't magically fall into place for us and we began a very difficult 6 month journey in which we lived in an extended stay motel for 3 months in Athens. We were hopeful I would get a job and didn't want to be tied down by a lease so 3 long months were spent with only a bed, bathroom and kitchenette separating Stephen and I. Stephen continued working at Copper Creek while I applied/interviewed for positions all over the country, substituted at the Child Development Lab at UGA, and helped on some research with a former professor of mine. 

Graduation with my Major Professor and Mentor Charlie

So glad to be done!

Trying to make Inn Town Suites fun

Some found it harder than others...

Wicked snowfall in GA

•  March 2010 - May 2010 El Paso, TX: We had hit a slump and weren't sure what to do. I still hadn't found a job and the Inn Town Suites was getting smaller every day. Stephen's parents suggested we move home to El Paso and regroup. We were so ready for a change we up and left Athens after three years! While at home we rested, spent LOTS of quality time with both our families, and even bought a new car! This trip home really raised our spirits and helped us get out of our slump...

Our first glimpse of TX sky

Stella enjoys Grandma & Grandpa Wagner's Pool

Stephen at the Races in NM

New Car Face!

New Car Owner

• May 2010 El Paso, Austin, then on to our new home Gainesville, FL: May 2010 was CRAZY for us! I finally secured my first job as a Child Life Specialist at Shands Children's Hospital in Gainesville, FL. At the same time, Stephen's family had planned to have a reunion in conjunction with his nephew David's graduation from TAMU. So... we did it all! Stephen and I made the road trip to Austin/College Station for the reunion/graduation and proceeded on to our new home in Gainesville, FL home of the UF Gator nation.

Stephen and David at Graduation

Wagner Family Reunion 

Welcome to Sunny Florida!

• May 2010 - May 2011 Gainesville, FL: We began to settle in and learn the newest SEC city we were inhabiting. We lived in an apartment complex that mimicked a little community with a store, restaurant, gym, etc in it. Stephen eventually took a job at the restaurant below our apt and moved into a management position. I began to navigate my first year as a child life specialist. It was very difficult for me, because although I had tremendous support from my colleagues, I found the hospital environment to be very different then any of my previous experiences. Respect for my position was very hard to find and the children/teens I was working with were severely lacking in concrete and psychosocial resources. I worked really hard to develop relationships with staff and most importantly with my patients and families. Meanwhile, Stephen and I struggled to create friendships, find a church home, and adapt to the culture of a small college town such as Gainesville. Although we had said many a time that we disliked Athens, after three years it became home to us and we found a niche with friends that made the experience worthwhile. We told ourselves that it would take time in Gainesville to do the same and we attempted patience and leaned on each other for support and comfort. 

My first "real" job

Redneck 4th of July

Complete with a Drew visit

Halloween at Shands with the Child Life Staff

New TV November!

Bringing TX to FL

Happy Holidays from the Wagners

Poster Presentation about Child Life at Shands

As the year wore on, Stephen and I were still unsure of what to do about Gainesville. We had wanted so badly to commit to a location, stop moving for a while and just be...however, we never know what's on the road ahead and I one day randomly saw a post for position open in Houston at MD Anderson. The institution is highly regarded for its work with all kinds of cancer and the child life program is held in high esteem as well. I didn't really think I had a shot, but applied anyway. A month after applying I was offered a position and Stephen and I again found ourselves on the move!

• June 2011 to now Houston, TX: In May/June we moved to Houston and with the help of an apartment locator found a home in the West U/Upper Kirby area. Stephen started working/managing at the Flying Saucer Beer Emporium in downtown Houston and I began my new role as a Certified Child Life Specialist for MD Anderson's Proton Therapy Center. So far, we have been exceedingly blessed with excellent work environments, co-workers, and many, many visitors in our brief time here. 

New Job, New Badge

Trying on the mask my kids at work wear

Houston Beer Fest

Cruise July 2011

Happy Cruise faces

Looking back, it's amazing to see the adventures we've had in two short years. We've endured hardships, but have also learned valuable lessons that we hope to carry with us on this next phase of our journey. We are so grateful for every person, place, and thing that has touched our lives in a unique and profound way during our time in Georgia, Florida, and Texas. I can see now that these experiences were a form of preparation for the next great adventure ahead of us.