Wednesday, February 25, 2009

10 Ounces!


That is the approximate weight of our baby right now. The average for this stage of the pregnancy is around 6.5 oz., so this baby looks to be a big one so far! Click on the above image for a larger picture of the baby. That large foot is known as a Housley foot, since Brandie's side of the family are known for their height and size of feet , so we are anticipating a basketball player that will give us an early retirement! We went to get the baby checked out for any genetic defects or abnormalities, and we are glad to say that baby looks perfect! We also were anxious to find out the sex, and we found out the baby is......



SHY. Every time the technician would try to position the equipment to get a good look and determine the sex, Baby would either move out of the way or cross its legs to prevent our intrusion. Now we have to wait a few more weeks before finding out that tidbit of information, but that is fine with us because as long as the baby is healthy we don't care if it is a boy or a girl.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Beat the Hell outta t.u.



We have been exposing baby as much as possible to the Aggie way of life. Listing to the games by radio, watching them on t.v., and even going to the games in person. We have season tickets for Aggie Women's Hoops, so the baby has been in regular attendance at games listening to the fight song, doing the yells, and swaying to the War Hymn. Ray makes sure to talk to the baby and we are constantly using Aggie phrases like "good bull" , "gig' em", and "whoop." I even talk Aggie sports myself as often as possible. Being surrounded by the t-sip fans is a constant annoyance in this area, but one that gives me an opportunity to talk Ag Shop with the baby listening to every word.

Today the girls played t.u. in a big conference game. The Aggies started out slowly, playing sloppily and couldn't hit a basket. They were down by 7 at one point, but then kicked up the intensity. They retook the lead before halftime and never looked back, winning 76-65!

The Roller Coaster of Life

This week was a bit like being on a roller coaster going full blast with many different twist and turns. Throughout this week we have tried to make sure that we have been there in that supporting role of husband, wife, daughter, son, and confidant during the events that took place.

Monday started out with a bit of a scare for me and baby, but we went to the doctor and everything turned out fine, it was just my body being normal for what is normal during pregnancy. Ray's mom came into town on business and stayed with us. It is always a joy to have family come for a visit. She has been really supportive of us and always wants to know what she can do to help.

Tuesday we attended the pain management classes that discuss the different options a laboring woman has for pain relief. I have already done my research, watched videos, and talked to many of my friends who have had their own children; but Ray and I were curious about the class and wanted to know specifically what options I would have at the location where we will deliver. It was a good class and we learned that due to my lower back issues that we can set up a private meeting with an anesthesiologist to go over my individual options. Ray's mom went with us to the class before leaving to go home and spend time with Big Ray and EC.

Wednesday was a bit stressful and I am sure Ray was once again chewing on his nails because his father was having his gall bladder removed. Big Ray had been having some gall bladder attacks and went in for tests and found out that, yes, it was going bad and needed to be removed. The procedure went very well and he came out like a champ. During the procedure the surgeon did not like the look of his liver and decided to take a biopsy of it and send it off for testing. Now we are all trying to wait patiently for the results to come back in two weeks. Everyone is staying positive and Big Ray is recovering at home right now.

Thursday was a normal day for both Ray and I at work and at home. We have both been busy with work, meetings, and trying to keep up with everything else... It did mark our 18th week of pregnancy so we were smiling like loons and we have been taking pictures to track the pregnancy through the lens as a keepsake for our child.

Friday came and went with no surprises. I did have a tasty day at work. We do a Fat Friday once a month where people bring food and share during lunch. Baby enjoyed some really spicy taco salad with strawberry cake to top it off. Ray put in his 12 hours then relaxed with friends over cards before coming home to spend some quality time with baby and me.

Now we are anxiously awaiting our next appointment to come next week. We are excited about learning about all the changes the baby has been going through. We read the week by week pregnancy information you can find on the web. Ray even got out the measuring tape to give me a visual of how big the baby is right now.

Needless to say Ray and I feel very blessed to be experiencing this miracle in our life at this time. We want to thank everyone who has emailed and called, as well as expressed their thoughts about Big Ray during this time.

Please continue to feel free to email, call, or post comments.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Take a Tour of the Nursery




Come one, come all to preview the nursery that will be the safe haven of the next generation of Pheris. We do not have it decorated yet, since we still do not know the sex, but we are ready to go with the furniture and a fresh coat of paint. Reggie calls it his bedroom for now, but he will soon have to learn to share. We are going to have a baby shower here at the house on April 25th, and we should have the nursery fully set up by then. Give us a call and stop by to see it in all of its splendor!

Baby Classes

Howdy from Aggieland!

It has really been a busy time for us lately. I hope all is well with all of our friends and family. We love getting emails, phone calls, and comments on the blog!

Ray and I are both well and busy with work. We started attending classes to learn what to expect when the big day gets here. We attended our first class Tuesday. The class went over what to expect when the baby was born in the hospital. It covered the different procedures that the baby will go through, the bath of the baby, alarm system, blood test, immunization, and we even got to meet a delivery nurse, NICU doctor, and the Chief of Pediatrics. The class lasted for an hour and Ray's mom came up for the class as back up.

The next class we go to is this Tuesday and it will cover pain management. I have read literature, looked up information on the internet, and we just purchased the book What to Expect When Expecting" so I hope to be fully prepared so I can remain calm and not become scared during the birthing.

Our next doctor appointment is on Tuesday, February 24th. We will go over my results from my blood work, do some genetic screening, and we will have an ultrasound. We will be focusing on the development of the baby's organs and physical features. We do hope to find out the sex of the baby, but we are more concerned with the overall well being of the baby.

Well I am going to go now, make sure to keep up with my blog for the latest information.

God Bless!

Brandie and Ray

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Progress


I am now 16 weeks as of Thursday, February 5, 2009 and baby and I are doing well. Our next checkup is at the end of this month. So far I have had no morning sickness, but I can say I am more sensitive to different smells.

Ray and I went through some paint samples a couple of months back and decided on a shade of white for the wall and that we would decorate and add accents for whichever gender God decides to bless us with. Ray's Dad came into town today to help us with painting the nursery, so father and son are working to prepare the room for the next generation to come.

We are excited and eagerly awaiting all the neat and exciting things that comes with the birth of a child. We have been researching different products, reading literature on the changes the baby is experiencing in its growth, as well as registering for classes for us to take in preparation for the big day.