First Movements!!

Coolest, weirdest thing EVER! I'd been feeling weirdness going on in my belly, but I'd been writing it off as just gas. My stomach has always made crazy noises and gurgled even before I was pregnant. Starting about 2 weeks ago, while laying in bed, I felt really tiny hardness (that's the best way I can explain it) in my belly. But Sunday, we were laying on the couch watching t.v. and I felt a push/pressure in my lower right part of my belly. And it stayed there for a while. It was really cool. Jack even got to feel it. It just feels really hard in one place. Now baby girl is moving all over and I feel this pressure all the time in different places on my belly. I feel her moving the most at night while laying in bed. Last night it kept me up.

Here is a picture from this past weekend. I'm 18 weeks! Almost halfway there. We went hiking on Saturday and it's amazing how exhausted I get now. But I'm trying to stay active and keep up with exercising by walking and lifting light weights. I'm really trying not to be a heffer for Julie's wedding, June 26th. So far I've only gained 5 pounds....but I wasn't my ideal weight before I got pregnant. My goal is to only gain 30 pounds (I'm sure you are all laughing at me...but that's what the "books" say I should gain). We'll see. Second trimester I'm supposed to gain a pound a week, which I haven't done so far. But I'm sure I'll start packing on the LB's soon enough.

Jack and I are headed to St. Louis this weekend for the St. Patrick's Day parade and Denny's 30th Birthday (Jack's BFF). Very excited to see everyone and show off my growing belly. Not so excited to be sober for the first time at the parade, but at least I'm feeling good now. And it's my niece Hailey's 3rd birthday party. Can't wait to see the kiddos. Sunday is Jack's mom's birthday celebration. His step-sister is pregnant and due in September so it will be fun to compare our bellies. There are going to be LOTS of babies around the French/Brommelhorst house this year. Haley is 1, Zachary is 3 months, Baby French will be here in early August, and baby Sarah & Dave (forgot his last name) will be here in mid-September!!! So fun.

And on the Stevens' side, my cousin Lindsay is due with her second baby girl in May, I'm due in August, and my cousin's girlfriend is due in September. Holy Cousins!!!

Very excited to start registering. My BFF Lauren is coming to Dallas March 20th to help me register! She just had a baby girl in September. So happy to have her help and to have another pair of eyes on Jack so he doesn't go "gun crazy" with the registry gun like he did for our wedding registry!

And we are FINALLY leaving the apartment life behind us and can start "nesting" for baby girl. March 26th we move into our townhouse!! We're just renting, but it's a giant step up from our less than 1000 SF apartment to a 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2000 SF townhouse. We are pumped.