Baby girl Collier- 18 weeks

 How far along: 18 weeks

Food comparison: Sweet potato (5.6 inches long)

Weight gain: 7 pounds

Sleep: sleeping great with the body pillow,  Very worn out and tired still.

Best moment of the week: Thanksgiving celebrations with family, feeling her move several times a day.

Movement: I can feel her tapping a lot more.  I can't wait until Caleb can feel her kick!

Food cravings/aversions:  Hungry, but get full really fast.

What I miss: nothing

Workouts: I did 30 minutes of P90x yoga and was sore for 2 days. Sheesh. It's been too cold to walk Manning this week.  Maybe this weekend we can bundle up and go!

Stretch marks: none

Maternity clothes: yes.

Belly button: in but really hard

Gender:  Sweet baby girl.  I've been given so many nice things this week already: cute clothes, blankets, baby dolls from family, friends and patients! This girl is loved already!

Symptoms: Face and neck still breaking out, round ligament stretching/pain, tired, heartburn

Rings: on

Mood: ecstatic!

Labor signs: no

Upcoming appts/events: Getting nursery furniture soon.  Re-finishing my bookcase and toy chest from when I was a baby.  I can't wait to organize all the clothes we've gotten so far.  20 week anatomy scan and another gender confirmation Dec 10th!

Chandler's a GIRL! (Baby Collier- 17 weeks)

Anyone who knows me knows I love Friends.  The past month the general public (friends, relatives, patients, strangers) have convinced me I was having a boy.  The only reason I thought it could be a girl was the fact I was breaking out like a high school senior on prom night.  So today, when we had our gender scan the first thing I see is the butt and NOTHING between the legs.  So like on the show when the last triplet to be named Chandler turned out to be a girl therefore going through my head today was "CHANDLER'S a GIRL!"  You can watch the clip here if you are confused: Friends clip Most everything in life can be applied to Friends. My sister in law Sarah can vouch for that.  And NO, the name is not going to be Chandler.  Caleb would think that's way to feminine (for the boy I thought we were having) and trendy.  Hence, we may not have a name for years.  Ah, teachers.  This name will for sure be: unique, meaningful, southern and NOT trendy.  Count on that.

 How far along: 17 weeks

Food comparison: Onion (5.1 inches long)

Weight gain: 7 pounds

Sleep: sleeping great with the body pillow.  Actually slept all night without an early morning bathroom break one night!

Best moment of the week: seeing baby again on ultrasound (had been 9 weeks) and how much SHE has grown! God's work is truly amazing.  She was quite upset we disturbed her nap and kept putting her hands in front of her face, had her feet crossed and playing with the cord.  Cutest thing ever.  I made the ultrasound lady convince me scientifically several times in several views that it was a girl and not a boy. I really expected to see a penis today. Ha-ha.

Movement: oh yeah.  It's so cool.  and weird. 

Food cravings/aversions:  Somewhat normal again.  Definitely hungry.

What I miss: nothing

Workouts: Zumba and walking my Manning

Stretch marks: none

Maternity clothes: pants and shirts. I have mostly outgrown my shirts but I'm swimming in maternity clothes.  I look like a hobo. 

Belly button: in but really hard

Gender:  GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL GIRL!!!

our announcement

first pink item

Symptoms: Face and neck still breaking out, round ligament stretching/pain, sore abs, sore aching feet.

Rings: on

Mood: ecstatic!

Labor signs: no

Upcoming appts/events: Thanksgiving.  20 week anatomy scan and another gender confirmation Dec 10th!

Baby Collier 16 weeks!

How far along: 16 weeks

Fruit comparison: Avocado (yum!!) (4.6 inches long)

Weight gain: 5 pounds

Sleep: tossing and turning more.  Getting up at least once to go to the bathroom at 2:30 am precisely, but I did that pre-pregnancy sometimes it's just more consistent now.  On my way to Target right now to invest in a body pillow.

Best moment of the week: hearing baby's heart beat again today (149 bpm), crib shopping last week with my sweet mom.  The crib set should be ready next weekend.  I also discovered that my old book shelf and toy chest were in my closet back home, so I cannot wait to paint them and spruce them up for baby C!

Movement: flutters for sure

Food cravings/aversions:  No major cravings lately and I'm slowly getting back to eating my normal food again.  I was able to eat Mexican food again including grilled chicken fajitas.  Progress!  I'm ALWAYS hungry.

What I miss: wearing all my regular pants

Workouts: Zumba and walking my Manning

Stretch marks: none

Maternity clothes: pants and shirts. Leggings and dresses on the weekends. There is no hiding the bump at all. My patients are starting to notice and I can tell when I am stretching shoulders how much further it sticks out now!

Belly button: in but really hard

Gender:  We find out FRIDAY!! I simply cannot wait!  The planning and registering can really begin then.  I have started a registry at Target and Babies R Us, but nothing gender specific yet. 

Symptoms: Face and neck still breaking out, round ligament stretching/pain, more energy than in 1st trimester but I can't go like I used to.  I am still falling asleep by 9pm on the couch.

Rings: on

Mood: just completely blessed.

Labor signs: no

Upcoming appts/events: gender scan on the 22, then Thanksgiving at Caleb's Mamaw's with all the Ohio peeps and some mighty good food and fun/games! I will be doing a gender post next week and may start doing weekly updates if I can find the time!

So go ahead and make your guess about the gender.  According to the Chinese calendar, it's a boy.  Others have told me I'm carrying low and all up front which also means boy.  The heart rate decreased to 149 this time.  Rachell Farmer's fool proof necklace wrist test also indicated boy.  So my guess is a sweet little boy!

Hopefully baby will cooperate during the gender scan and we will know by Friday afternoon! I'm so excited to find out and get a name for this baby!

Baby Collier- 14 weeks!

How far along: 14 weeks (officially by ALL medical opinions and baby apps in the 2nd trimester!)

Fruit comparison: Lemon (3.4 inches long)

Weight gain: actually lost 2 since I've been more consistent with Zumba and eating better.  So total is 3 lbs!

Sleep: oh so good.  Prone is not happening much anymore though.

Best moment of the week: not baby related but the Bucs winning their 6th District title against undefeated Silverdale (their rivals who have never beaten Boyd in football, ever) in overtime going for a 2 point conversion.  I'm sure this baby wonders what in the world all the commotion was about during that game. 

Movement: sometimes I feel my stomach turning flip flops at night.  Maybe not baby but I'm not sure!

Food cravings/aversions:  Craving: meatball subs (wish Subway had turkey meatballs) and strawberry cake.  Caleb got me my favorite strawberry patch cake from the Acropolis and totally surprised me! The church pot luck was the best I've eaten in 10 weeks.  There was so much to choose from so I could just get what I wanted that instant! There have been a couple occasions when I have not been able to eat what I ordered (Mexican and Italian).  Caleb thinks I'm crazy but it's HIS child doing this to me! haha Aversions are getting better but grilled chicken still is a big turn off.

What I miss: nothing! I am loving this 2nd trimester!

Workouts: Zumba and shaking a milk jug full of rocks for 60 minutes is a great tricep workout at the game!

Stretch marks: none

Maternity clothes: pants are a must for comfort. 

Belly button: in but it does feel funny

Gender:  We find out in 20 days!!!! Just in time for black Friday! (not that I shop, but others do!  I may shop online for the first gender specific item!)

Symptoms: Energy is returning.  Still super tired by 9:30 and sleep like a rock! (Guess I should now while I still can)

Rings: on

Mood: excited, happy, loving to show off this baby bump that is looking less like a beer belly now

Labor signs: no

Upcoming appts/events: Mom's birthday, Christmas and crib shopping. Next apt Nov 15th for bloodwork and another heartbeat listen.  I scheduled a gender scan at Cloud 9 at 17 weeks on Nov. 22nd! The reveal tentatively depends on playoffs but we will announce that day somehow! :)




I don't have any sad songs to post this time.  Just glory, praise and honor to the Creator for allowing me to get through the first trimester.  My nerves are more at ease now but I still pray for this baby daily.  I hope you still will too as we want he or she to be 100% healthy as can be!


This past Sunday, our minister quoted the verse we loved the day we got our first ultrasound- Psalms 27:13,
"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."  But that day of our first appt it was the "verse of the day" in my Bible app so I didn't see the next verse, Psalms 27:14 stating "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Life is a waiting game.  It's all about His timing.  There is no need to rush or force things as it will happen when it's supposed to, as it's supposed to. That concept was very hard for me to grasp for the past 28 years of my life.  We waited for Him to grant us this pregnancy and now we are waiting for our little one to perfectly develop and grow before it's arrival this spring.  The goodness of the Lord will be seen in the land of the living, if you are patient enough to wait for it.  It's a true test of one's faith and trust in the Lord.  I'm so thankful for this.  I've never been a very patient person but it's getting better every day and I know I will be a better wife, mother, friend and Christian because of it. 

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.