20 weeks... Half way there!

I absolutely CAN NOT believe I am 5 months pregnant! It still hasn't totally set in that I am pregnant. I think it will feel more real when I feel little Jack kick me. We are feeling super blessed to be half way through our pregnancy. Having struggled with fertility for over three years, there isn't a moment where I am not overwhelmed with gratitude that their is a little life growing inside my tummy.

 It certainly has been hectic around here with moving to two services at church and also, moving into a new office space in Huntington Beach. We feel so blessed to be apart of such a wonderful church and group of people. Caleb and I are definitely working on finding a healthy balance of work and us time. We have had such a busy last year- two moves, new jobs, a pregnancy... But hey, its kinda what we do best. Since we have been married we have had lots of moves and emotional heartache. What I love most about our marriage is that we are committed to each other and committed to communicating with each other even when it is difficult.

I would be lying if I wasn't still heart-sick that I am not sharing this season of life with my Kimi. I do have some beautiful pictures of her from when she had Aaron and I that I would love to incorporate into the nursery somehow.

20 weeks, half way there.

Cravings- I mean I could eat a million Puyallup Fair scones if they were around... Luckily Monica's mom flew in with a little scone care package, they were amazing. I'm pretty sure the scones have dominated my every thought for the last couple of weeks.
Aversions- Caleb has been eating this BBQ rib thing- it totally turns me off.
Weight Gain- 7 pounds, But remember I gained 10 pounds throughout the IVF process so I'm NOT feeling my best!
Movements- None yet.
Pregnancy Bonuses- Aside from the obvious excitement about our baby that we are being blessed with, Great foot and shoulder rubs from Caleb.
Aches and Pains- Oh man, there has been lots of little aches and pains that have alarmed me. I suppose you could call me a worry wart. Went to the Dr. a couple times last week because I thought I was having cervical pain- turns out everything looks great.
Growth- OH man I have had a huge growth spurt this past week. I feel like my tummy has doubled in size. I am starting to BUMP!
Nursery- Gma Pat and Gpa Jake bought me our crib that arrived this week. It needs to be put together, which concerns me a lot bit considering how bad Caleb and I are at constructing furniture together. SO, we will accept any and all help. Grandma and Grandpa Anderson bought us a beautiful chair for the nursery, it reclines and glides. I have had so many friends say- spend money on a good chair because you will live in it. We are SO excited for our new nursery additions.
Size- Mango, 6.5 Inches crown to rump, 10 inches crown to heel.
Workouts- Doctors advised a quick break the past week until some of my aches and pains are gone. I've had a hard time finding the right balance with working out, I've accidentally overdone it a couple times.

What's in a name????

Most often couples have a difficult time landing on a name for their child- The boy typically doesn't agree with the Girl's choice and visa versa. Luckily for us that was not the case. We have had a long time to brainstorm baby names, over three years to be exact. While we still don't know what we would name a girl, we have always known what we would name our boy. It's a popular name, I've had many friend's name their son's this name... But, my reason has nothing to do with popularity and everything to do with honor, pride and hopes that my child embodies all the qualities I love in some of my favorite family members!

Yes I said family members- plural! Starting with my Great Grandpa Jack, my Grandpa Jack, and my Uncle Jack.  If you are from Gig Harbor, you might know my grandpa as Jake Bujacich but his real name is Jack, His friends began calling him Jake a long time ago- and it stuck (a little gig harbor trivia for you!) My uncle Jack was my grandparent's only son, and he had two beautiful girls- so no Jack's in that generation... And unfortunately no more Bujacichs.

I don't know a ton about my Great Grandpa Jack, he died before I was born. I do know that he sailed from Croatia around the horn to America when he was only 13... He never saw his parents again! So we know he was brave!!! He originally landed in San Francisco, and migrated over to Colorado where he worked in the coal mines. In 1917, Jack moved to Gig Harbor where he met and married Winnie Ross, whom I've been told was a complete angel. They had 5 children together.  Jack was a carpenter and fisherman. He built his own boat; The Majestic and his home.  He passed away in 1970, at the age of 76.

Now my Grandpa Jack (Jake): Born and raised in Gig Harbor, Washington. The 8th grade was as far as my grandpa made it in school and yet still, he is one of the wisest men I know.  He was elected City Counsilman, Mayor of Gig Harbor and then went on to become the County Commissioner. What I love most about my all of my grandfather's impressive job titles was how he was elected. I think he was a shoe-in for mayor--everyone respected and loved Jake. He was told he was crazy to run for County Commissioner--that there was no way he could win, and not to waste his time.  His opponent tried to convince Jake not to even try--that he himself had 2/3 of the votes. Jake believed he could make a difference in the community and bring justice and integrity to the county, which he did but it wasn't easy getting elected. He figured people just needed to meet him, so he decided to go door to door with family and friends, introducing himself. Starting in Renton and ending in Dupont, he knocked on all the doors and double backed on the important houses. He spent his days knocking on doors from February to September and working as a longshoreman at night to make money to put food on the table. He beat his opponent 2:1.


Jake's Determination, Work Ethic, and Integrity are what go him his jobs but his loyalty, generosity and caring nature is what wins everyone's hearts. He has always been my biggest cheerleader, alongside his beautiful bride Pat. They never missed a volleyball game, soccer game or track meet of their four grand-kids. I tease my grandparents because their house has a revolving door--EVERYONE drops by to visit them! They probably have at least 5 visitors a day. It doesn't hurt that my Jake is a fabulous cook, and Pat a fabulous baker! Grandpa learned to cook on the fishing boats, and loved it. He gets so much joy from cooking and has always cooked for our family--he is the MASTER! And if you cant find him in the kitchen, he is probably in his garden.

Gpa Jake with his firstborn Kimi, my mom.

My Uncle Jack also married extremely well. My Auntie Cindy is the sweetest lady you could ever meet. My uncle is his father's son... He was lucky enough to follow in his father's footsteps in so many ways. My uncle Jack studied for YEARS to become a Pilot. He is a Puget Sound pilot, one of the 54 elite mariners who guide vessels around the Sound because of their knowledge of local waters and skill in maneuvering big ships. It is a stressful job that requires continuous education. Jack worked tremendously hard studying for this job not to mention the years as a captain of Crowley tug boats. But my Uncle Jack has something that studying and education doesn't get you... Confidence and great instincts. Having been raised in a fishing family and worked his whole life in the Puget Sound, he is who you want on your boat.

My Uncle Jack is also a kid at heart, he loves buying toys for his cabin on Carney Lake. He loves to laugh and have fun--always the life of the party. He has been successful and with that is so generous. He doesn't just like to share his lake place--he genuinely loves it when people enjoy and use his house with him. Much like his father, Jack is a fabulous cook.

Uncle Jack

Hopefully you can get a taste for how blessed I have been to have so many wonderful Jacks in my life. I can only hope and pray that my son takes after their legacy. And there you have it Jack Thomas Anderson. In a future post, we will tell you about Caleb's grandpa Tommy. :)

Thanks for reading
Hilary
 

Baby BOY

Like most girls these days, I wanted a huge gender reveal party I had dreamed about it for years... Typically at gender reveal parties, couples invite friends and family to share in the excitement of revealing their babys gender. There are many ways the gender can be revealed--- couples often cut into a plain white cake revealing either pink or blue frosting between the layers- or open a box and pink or blue balloons come out, you get the gist. I talked about it with Caleb, and he was on board too or at least he thought he was on board. When we were at our 14 week ultrasound the Doctor asked if we wanted to know the gender- Caleb quickly said "yes." I looked at Caleb funny and said- "no we don't, we are waiting for our gender reveal party." Caleb's eyes half popped out of his head and said, "NO WAY.. I know before our friends know." I (rather frustrated) said, " No the point of the gender party is to reveal the gender to everyone- including us." Caleb looked at me crazy like I tricked him or something. Perhaps he was just hearing what he wanted to hear? After some talks, Caleb was on board again- but now I wasn't. How could I do something that I KNEW Caleb really didn't want to do? It is his child too, his opinion should be just as important. So I brainstormed an idea that I thought we could both enjoy. What I really love are surprises, so I figured I could just surprise Caleb and that would satisfy my quench for a big surprise party. I also wanted to surprise myself, which I still managed to do- here is how I pulled it off-

Our mid-way check up is set up for Sept. 4th, where we would likely find out the gender. I knew I needed to find out before then in order to surprise Caleb. Luckily, we have a sweet friend at our church, Lori who offered to give me ultrasounds whenever I wanted. So I asked her if she would do a secret ultrasound for me to see if she could find out the gender. I went in on Monday to get my ultrasound... We were both giddy with excitement. She was looking at the babe taking pictures and chatting with me. She then turned and looked at me and said, "well I know what it is!" I smiled at her and giggled. She then wrote down the gender and sealed the envelope up for me to bring to a bakery. She also sealed up the ultrasound pictures that revealed the gender for Caleb and I to look at later! I gave Lori a HUGE thank you hug and headed off to the bakery.  I found the cutest bakery in Orange county called Suzie Cakes... Unfortunately, they couldn't change the frosting in the layers of carrot cake- our favorite- so that left us with plain white cake, AND it would take 3 days to pull off. I COULD NOT wait 3 days, and white cake really isn't my favorite. But before I left I saw these precious little cupcakes and asked if they put them in boxes, they said yes.

So, I handed them the sealed envelope that revealed the gender of our babe and I waited outside while they boxed up two cupcakes, blue for boy and pink cupcakes for girl. The bakery was a buzz with excitement and thanked me multiple times for sharing my special occasion with them. Everyone from the back came out to see the gender. When they asked what I thought it was I said boy. I wrapped the box of cupcakes in a bag with lots of tissue paper, and got a card for Caleb as well. I wrote him a sweet note revealing to him what I had been up to. I wanted him to know that he is more important to me then a gender reveal party and that I was willing to compromise.

When Caleb got home from work I told him we were going to dinner because he had been working so hard lately. I told him I bought him a little gift for working so hard. He kept trying to make me leave the present at home-or in the car... are you starting to get it? He does NOT like to draw attention to himself. Me--- BRING IT ON!  I calmly grabbed the present and brought it in with me to the resturaunt. I called ahead and explained to the manager what I was doing and she informed the server. Caleb and I had a lovely dinner, we talked about his job, our move to Huntington Beach, and all the things we are grateful for. After dinner plates were picked up the server brought over two dessert plates and forks, I asked her for a glass of milk (Caleb can't eat dessert without a glass of milk) and pulled out caleb's present. He looked at me, smiling and asked, "My present is dessert?" I told him to read his card. He wouldn't be mad if I told you he started to cry. He was so surprised and LOVED that I had been so thoughtful to sacrifice my desire for a big party so that we could celebrate alone. We pulled out the box and opened it to find.....

We had always guessed boy from the beginning. We tearfully ate our delicious blue cupcakes.

Here is a picture of our ultrasound, I love what Lori wrote! :) so cute! We do have a boy name- I will tell you more about it in my next blog!

hilary

Week 16

We have had a very eventful past couple of weeks! For starters, I decided to run my finger through my Cuisinart hand mixer blade. I was whipping up my craving for fresh whipped cream when it all went down. While cleaning under the sharp blade I accidentally hit the power button, which lodged my finger between the guard and the blade. Caleb was unable to get the blade/cuisinart off my finger so we wrapped the whole bloody mess and drove to the ER. They got me in right away and used a bolt cutter to get the machine off my finger. The blade chipped my finger bone and left me with 5 stitches. I have never broken a bone nor have I ever had stitches- pregnant and unable to take pain meds was probably the worst time to attempt a break/stitches but I survived. They gave me some antibiotics and a tetanus shot.

We had another ultrasound this past week.. The babe was hiding the goods so we don't know the sex yet! :)  I teared up thinking about it being a girl. I would love to be a mama to a girl... But, we have thought it was a boy all along. I just CAN'T wait to know! I'm still not showing much yet- sometimes after dinner I get a bump, but I think it's just food. My mom growing up always made my dresses for dances and would comment on how long my waist was when she would measure me. I'm sure there is just plenty of waist- space for the babe to hide in.

Cravings- Obviously fresh homemade whip cream-not cool whip or out of a spray can, Oranges, Bagels with cream cheese, Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry lemonade with sparkling water,  If I was in Washington, I would want my aunt to make me Beef Stroganof!!! Red meat- any which way i can get it.
Aversions- Chicken, still. Avocados- normally a favorite of mine, something about the texture and fat turns me off. Chinese food. Fried food sounds terrible-not that I ever liked it. Vegetables that are like even a day old- CANT do it!!!!!!
Weight Gain- 5 pounds- and I'm seriously not showing AT ALL other then my hips are wider and I have a little muffin top- nothing says pregnant like a muffin top!
Pregnancy Symptoms- Occasionally I feel nauseous- or weak otherwise I feel great!
Exercise- I'm getting back at it! We generally ride our bikes to 24 hour fitness, I be-bop around on all the cardio equipment, lift with caleb, do some planks- drink lots of water!

Week 13 almost 14! :)

OH MAN what an adventure we have been on for the past couple weeks. We took a trip to Laramie, Wyoming to see our good friends get married, Josh and Jules Moen. It was a fun trip for us, although I wasn't feeling my absolute best yet. The wedding was beautiful, Jules walking down the aisle took my breath away... she was absolutely stunning, and such a wonderful bride. It started to rain and they had to move the wedding indoors, she was sad- and who wouldn't be... But, she certainly didn't let it ruin her big day. She bounced back better then I could have! Josh is a lucky man, and he knows it! On our way out of Wyoming we stopped in Denver to see Deb and Albus Brooks... Albus is a good friend of Caleb's from High School. Deb and I had so much fun laughing at our husbands similarities. I wish we had more time with them, we might have to head back out there soon!  I'm so grateful Caleb has been so blessed with so many wonderful guy friends. It was fun to be with two of them back to back... they make Caleb a better man.

We flew from Denver to Washington I was very excited to get to the northwest. I'm in love with the smell of Washington air. Landing in Seattle, right when you come off the plane there is always a crisp fresh air scent. I LOVE it. I kept thinking it was going to make my nausea go away... and it totally worked. My Auntie Cindy and Uncle Jack picked us up at the airport at 10pm (they are amazing) and had fresh sweet peas and a cute sign to welcome us to the Northwest. They also loaned us a car for the week- they are double amazing. My gma, also had fresh sweet peas picked for me when we went to her house for breakfast. My Auntie Karen joined us for Gpas famous Pan-i-cakes. After breakfast we headed out to the beach place. I spent my summers their as a child with my dad's parents... So many great memories of clam digging, beach walks, fishing, looking for aegots, roasting smores, boat rides, playing in the sand. It will always feel like home to me. We didn't put too much on our calendar other then family time... I had felt so sick the last couple weeks it was hard for me to make plans I was fearful I would have to cancel on. So- I will apologize now if I didn't see you!

We loved relaxing at the beach, Caleb has been working so much lately it was nice to relax at the beach and smell the fresh sea air. HEAVEN pure HEAVEN. Our beach neighbors, The Pinneo's were out for the week and I LOVED talking baby with Janey over morning coffee. Dave arranged two family dinners for us, which was so wonderful. The bujacichs came out on a HOT night, so hot we had to go for a boat ride after dinner! The Howe's came out on Saturday, I loved seeing everyone- especially James Jr. and Hallie jane (my niece and nephew) They have grown so much. I even got a very special lunch date with my Dad and Kathy, they drove over from Wenatchee to see me! Our last day there we got to celebrate my sweet Gma Pat's birthday. What a blessing she is in our lives. She is the sweetest, most loving and silly gma there is. She takes such good care of all her babies (including the ones who married in). I think everyone who knows her would I agree I hit the Gma jackpot!

Next on our journey was Park City, Utah. Family friends of the Andersons let us borrow their POSH Park City pad for the week. (thank you Sweeneys!) It was the perfect setting for a little family time. Everyone was able to come except my fabulous sister in law Amber- because she got an amazing job promotion, could not be more proud and excited for her! Josh and Kimberly brought their 4 adorable kids... It was soooooo fun seeing how they have changed in a year and to play with them. When I first met Lucy she called me heelary- in an almost russian accent. Now, it's a perfect clear Hilary. Ruby, on the other hand would flap her hands and say hi hi-ary. Swoon. Every night we shared about what has been going on in our lives, only pausing to watch a Michael Phelps swim. Each night a couple made dinner for everyone. My favorite was Uncle Double's Ruth's Chris inspired Steak and mashed potatoes. People who know me well are probably surprised-yes, I liked (loved) a steak! The second morning there Gina, Kimberly and Lucy had a special baby breakfast prepared for Caleb and I. Lucy was so sweet, preparing all the yogurt parfaits. Gina brought some of Caleb's baby clothes and other gifts. Kimberly had each of the kids create a onsie for our babe. It was sooooooo precious and sweet. We are beyond blessed to have not just one, but two families that love us so much. I'm so grateful that Caleb's brothers are like best friends, and that they love being together so much.

Today we had a checkup with Dr. Hong, Caleb met her for the first time. When she saw Caleb was with me, she went and grabbed the ultrasound machine so he could see the babe. As she left the room to grab the machine, Caleb got the BIGGEST smile and said, "I can see why you like her so much." She showed us the babe it was my first on top of the tummy ultrasound! :)  Caleb was shocked to see the changes since week 8. She did some reconnaissance to see if she could detect the gender- Caleb swore he saw a boy part- she did NOT confirm though... But it seems like everyone thinks we are having a boy. I did this necklace trick where you hold a necklace over your left wrist and if the necklace swings side to side its a boy and if it goes in a circle its a girl. We are boy everytime. My friend Tracie did the trick and the necklace said girl, she had an ultrasound to confirm it! :) We will have to wait a couple more weeks to find out the gender for sure. Caleb and I grabbed lunch after and talked about how blessed we are to have found the perfect Doctor. I like her so much it makes me want to cry, after so many years of infertility it is just so nice to feel comfortable and extremely cared for. She never rushes us in the least bit... Asks a couple times if I have any additional questions. What a HUGE BLESSING!

Profile pic of baby sucking thumb and other hand in the distance.

Weight gain- 3 pounds.

Cravings- Fruit, Cereal, Mashed potatoes, Red meat, Apple Juice, Wheat bagel w cream cheese from starbucks, Cheese, California rolls with extra ginger

Food Aversions- Chicken (still), Rootbeer, Mexican food.

Pregnancy symptoms- Dehydration, Exhaustion, Light headed, Nauseous-- but, as of the last week I've been feeling GREAT!
Sleeping- AMAZINGLY!
Gender prediction- Boy (because of necklace trick!
Working out- I jogged a little with Caleb, lots of walking and lunges. :)
Baby Size- Peach

Week 11

Week 11

Last week I graduated from Dr. Acacio's fertility office. It was an emotional day for me to say goodbye to all my friends. Dr. Acacio did one parting ultrasound and progesterone checkup. Good news is no more progesterone shots! :) The ultrasound was great too, baby A was a little wiggle worm. I loved looking at the babe and checking out the strong heartbeat. Dr. A also found a little empty sack to the side of my babe. He suspected that both babies implanted and then only one stuck. That was probably why my HCG numbers didn't double like we wanted.

10 Week Ultrasound

Today I had another appointment with my new Dr. Hong. She was excited to see me, and very excited to see our babe. Baby A did not disappoint, he/she was punching and kicking. She said Baby was measuring perfectly. It was a great appointment, although I got the feeling they didn't like the fact that I declined the genetic testing.  I asked her plainly if they can do anything about a disorder in-utero she said no... So I didn't really see the point to it. We certainly aren't going to have an abortion... It felt good to be in charge of my health care a little bit.

Week 11 Ultrasound

Weight gain- . 5 pound.

Cravings- Yogurt, In-N-Out cheeseburger- although that was a huge mistake. Fruit, Cereal.

Food Aversions- Chicken, Asian food, Pizza.

Pregnancy symptoms- Dehydration, Exhaustion, Light headed, Nauseous, Heartburn
Sleeping- No more Dexamethasone (steroid) and still not sleeping great. My typical 3am potty trip keeps me awake until 5am- don't worry I normally get a nap in! :)
Baby's heart beat- 160
Working out- Walking to the beach, and some pilates.
Baby Size- Fig

Week 9

Ok, so no real bump yet. I did gain 10 pounds from the ivf process so I'm not feeling my best. This week we moved into our new condo (renting) in Huntington Beach. So far so great, moving for me was not really my favorite. I was pretty tired and dizzy which made it a slow process. I had my first appointment with my real Doctor, and I loved her! She was so excited for me and sensitive to what I have been through. Even though she is in San Juan Capistrano, I think I will stick with her. It's so important for me to feel comfortable and cared for, which I do.

Weight gain- none since week 5.

Cravings- Yogurt, Spaghetti with meat sauce, Smoothies, Mac and Cheese.

Food Aversions- Chicken, Blue cheese, Spicy food.

Pregnancy symptoms- Dehydration, Exhaustion, Light headed, Nauseous- only one throw up.
Sleeping- Not great, I am still on Dexamethasone (steroid) which I think makes my heart race. And many trips to the bathroom is keeping me (and Caleb) awake.
Baby's heart beat- went up to 165... hurray!
Working out- moving is my working out. ugh.
Baby Size- Grape