20 weeks!

We are now officially halfway to seeing our little baby boy!

Here's what's going on with him now at 20 weeks:
Baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel —the length of a banana. He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (Yum!)--that can be AJ's 1st diaper!!

Here's a pic of me at 19ks and 3 days....slowly getting that baby bump! Feels like it gets bigger every day though!

Last Saturday AJ and I made our way up to the Edinburgh outlet malls where I was able to expand my maternity wardroe....btw, those belly pillows they have in the dressing rooms to show what you may expect to look like in 3 months are great---boy did that catch AJ off guard!
After we finished shopping there we made our way to Bloomington---it was so good to be back there!! We walked around campus for awhile and got our little guy a head start on his future favorite big ten school:

So cute!!

Then we met up for dinner at Scotty's with our good friends Jake and Kelley, who are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their baby girl soon...don't worry the marriage has already been arranged between Baby W and Baby Voelkel :)

On Sunday I felt the baby have the hiccups for the first time...amazing!!! He's moving so much more now and I absolutely love feeling him in there. We are now trying to make plans for the nursery and decide on how we want to decorate it....so much to do.....only 20 more weeks to go!!!

IT'S A.......

BOY!!! Yay! We are so excited....especially AJ!! What a proud Papa! We had the ultrasound today and everything went well...he weighs approximately 10 ounces and everything is developing appropriately! He was so adorable on there....we even saw him swallowing amniotic fluid! It was so amazing. Here are some pix of Baby Voelkel:

He is looking at us with his hand on his head

Profile pic with right arm up there waving

Another profile pic with arm up...can see spine better (he was so curled up in there!)

Giving us the "thumbs up"!

Can't wait to meet him in December!!

19 weeks!

Today is our big day!!! We get to see our little one!!
But here's what's going on with him/her now that we are 19wks along:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Check back later for pix!

Sarah & AJ (+1)

That's right everyone.....no I don't mean Nala as the +1....although we love Nala bunches....isn't she so adorable!!

BUT.....our biggest news that we're just now really getting out there is BABY VOELKEL IS ON HIS/HER WAY!!! That's right.....we are due December 17th!! We are very excited! We found out right away in April, didn't tell anyone until Mother's Day weekend/AJ's med school graduation weekend when we told our mothers by giving them a cake that said Happy Mother's Day Granny and Grandma....it took them a few seconds, but they finally caught on!! Now we're letting everyone know.
We are 18wks now and we will get our ultrasound next week.....can't wait to see the little one!! I can feel him/her moving now but AJ can't just yet.....I'm sure he will shortly though!
We have a lot ahead of us now...especially putting the nursery together....here's what the baby's room looks like now:

Too bad the baby can't sleep on a queen or twin size bed! Oh well....we're excited and it's so much fun looking at all the baby stuff!! Can't wait to put it all together!
AJ has now started his residency with UofL so schedules are pretty hectic, but we vow to get this stuff done BEFORE the baby comes!!

New Pics of Home

Well I'm not really sure where to start....so much has happened since the last post (as always it seems like since I'm so slow on updating!!).
We closed on our home May 22nd and then early June we moved in with the very generous help of close friends and family!! It was quite a chore, but we got it all done in one day! Here are some pics of the new Voelkel home:

The entryway from front door

Formal "red" room to left of entryway

Dining room (gotta get a table!)

Kitchen-love all the counter space!!

Eat-in kitchen

Family room (sorry no pics hung on walls yet....can't quite decide what I want to with it just yet!)

Entry to the unfinished walk-out basement

View from backyard

Deck

1st floor half-bath

Upstairs guest bathroom

Upstairs laundry room