Time for a banana split

21 weeks: Baby is as long as a banana

Your baby has grown as big as a banana. (Length: about 10 inches from head to heel.)

We are having a fabulous time visiting family and friends for the holidays. Today, we are hitting the after Christmas sales in my favorite city in the world, Chicago! I promise, I'll try and be good. :-)

Merry Christmas to All!

Josh, Baby Banks, and I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas! We feel very blessed with everything we have been given this year. We hope all of you have a safe and wonderful holiday season with family and friends!

Lots of love,
The Banks Family

Baby Girl Knows What She Likes...

Diet Rite is one of the few diet sodas my OBGYN has said is completely safe to drink while pregnant. Although I miss Diet Coke, it didn't instill a lot of confidence when I was told by the nurse practitioner, "Yeah, we don't really know what effect aspartame has on fetuses. It's probably best to just avoid it." So, my very sweet husband went to pick-up a case for me so I could enjoy a soda while we visit family. Well, about 30 minutes or so after I began to drink it, I began to feel what I can only describe as being flicked from inside my tummy. This continued on and off for the next hour. I had a similar feeling today as I was getting my nails done. I think I am finally feeling Baby Girl moving about!

We have seen and heard her moving at various doctor's appointments, but I was unsure what it would feel like for me. I'm sure she thought it was hilarious to kick my bladder on Monday during the ultrasound. (For any who has or has not ever had to have that kind of ultra sound, you have to drink a TON of water in a short amount of time and then "hold it" until the ultrasound is over.)

The doctor said it will be about another month or so until Josh will be able to feel baby girl kicking or moving. You can bet that our house will be stocked with plenty of tangerine Diet Rite between now and then!

And now for the big reveal...

Well, the results are in! And true to form, Baby Banks was sleeping when they began the ultrasound. It took a little poking and prodding but eventually our DAUGHTER woke up, mooned the camera, and then showed her lady parts. The tech was "positive" it is a girl, because she saw confirmation from several different angles. But, most importantly our little girl is healthy and measuring right where she should be!

And how quickly has our daughter gotten Josh wrapped around her tiny fingers? Well, he joined Facebook so he could start sharing the news (which is something he swore he would NEVER do) within hours. And he bought her her first gift. He saw this and said,"I have to get this for my little girl":














Of course her mother decided she needed the matching outfit (even though I'm not a huge fan of pink). Not just because it is so cute but also so true!

Half Time!

20 weeks: Baby is the size of cantaloupe














Your baby has grown as big as a cantaloupe. (Length: about 6 1/2 inches from head to bottom, and 10 inches from head to heel.)

We have officially reached the half way point. Holy cow! Seriously?!? Today is a big day because we will get to find out if we are having a son or daughter! Originally, I thought I would just like to be surprised in the delivery room. Well, not surprisingly the suspense is killing me! I just can't wait that much longer, so I'm caving. Last night, I was like a child waiting for Santa to come! So please, please, please Baby Banks cooperate later today and let us know if you are a boy or a girl. We promise to love you either way!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

19 weeks: Baby is the size of mango

Your baby equals a mango in size and weighs 8 1/2 ounces. (length: 6 inches, head to bottom)

We are almost to the halfway point! Time is surely is flying by. From the weekly updates I receive, I'm told Baby Banks is now starting to hear sound. I have also read that the music babies hear in utero is often comforting to them on the "outside." If this is true Baby Banks will certainly have a varied taste in music! From Michael Buble to Jimmy Buffett and country (one of my schools plays it over the intercom) to Zumba music, Baby Banks hears a lot!

And in honor of all the snow, a "seasonal" belly pic:



















Stay warm everyone!

Family Portraits

Today we were very fortunate to have our good friend (and professional photog), Jackie Magdich of pbj photography, shoot our Christmas card as well as a few early baby bump photos. We could not be more pleased! Jackie is amazingly talented and obviously these photos are a few notches above the ones we take in our bathroom each week when I am in workout clothes! I hope you like them as much as we do!

Sweet little sweet potato

18 weeks: Baby is the size of a sweet potato

Your baby is now the size of a sweet potato and weights 6.7 ounces (Length 5.6 inches, head to bottom)

Christmas is in full swing at our house! I'm up to my eyeballs in shopping, decorating, etc. The house is a little chaotic as we have decided to take on a few last home improvement project before we have a third resident. It's a little hard for me to look around and see so many things in process, but I know it will be amazing when it is all done! That is if I don't lose my mind first! :-)

Ah, Michael Buble...

...your show never gets old! Even if you've seen it three times! Sigh...

My mom and I braved a snow storm to make it to the Allstate Arena in Chicago. As usual, Michael did not disappoint! We had amazing seats, but in my ultimate preggo brain moment I forgot to check the batteries on my camera before we got there. Lovely!

I did manage to get a few before the batteries died completely and also snagged a few on my cell phone.

It was funny the effect "Haven't Met You Yet" live had on me this time. This is a song I listen to ALL the time. I had obviously heard it in concert twice before. But, when I started to think back to the other concerts, I started to remember how at that point I was just wishing, hoping, and praying for Baby Banks to find his/her way to us. And Josh would always turn to me and say, "It will happen some day." Now here I am roughly 8 months after the first concert and Baby Banks is on the way! Needless to say there were tears (albeit them happy tears!)!

Thankfully, there was someone at the concert without preggo brain who captured one of my other favorite songs, "Everything" on video. Enjoy!