Baby Valentine

We're having a baby!!!!

I've actually been writing this since June 23, 2010! That Wednesday was the precious day we found out our new little Turner had joined our family! I was 6.5 weeks along at that point, and we were so blessed and so surprised! Since then, I've had so many thoughts and stories...some funny, some sentimental, some just downright awesome. I wanted to chronicle all the things my "baby-brain" would surely forget, so here they are. It's mostly 1st Trimester stuff, but I've added "notes" to some of them to update to more current information. Our due date is February 14, 2011, (Baby Valentine!) and I am rounding the corner to 17 weeks! WOW! Here's a bit of what happened the 16 weeks prior to today...

The First Trimester

1. I'm not sure where the phrase "sicker than a dog" came from, but I'm pretty sure I've been sicker than a sillion dogs (note: "sillion" is my and David's way of saying "the very most, the highest number one can fathom.). I am told that morning all-day sickness means a healthy baby. For this I am thrilled, and just so you know, our baby is going to be very, VERY healthy. ***Note: after Week 9, my doctor took me off my prenatal vitamins and gave me separate supplements (e.g., folic acid, etc) and after a while this "morning" sickness was improved to allow me to function a bit more normally. Vitamins and I have always had issues. Even Flintstones. Now my "morning" sickness only comes at 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Like clockwork. ***Note: At about week 15, I went back on my prenatal vitamins and have been feeling great! YAY for Trimester 2!!!

2. I am so so thankful for SeaBands. My sister and a client's mom out here told me about them. I am so glad. By God's grace AND His mighty idea to give us a pressure point to control nausea and dizziness AND His mighty idea to create a person to make the SeaBands, I was able to get out of bed for one day before Week 9. To celebrate, I did laundry. ***Note: After wearing these SeaBands all day, I had the WORST NIGHT EVER. It was like the nausea and dizziness stored themselves up all day just to unleash with fury at night. I will not be using my beloved bands again.

3. There is nothing, NOTHING like telling your friends and family that you are expecting. The squeals, looks of shock and teetering tears are those that only miracles can evoke. We are so thankful to God for our Miracle and for all the people who will love him/her. We joke that we'll never see our Baby Valentine because he/she will always be snuggled by others, which we LOVE! There is nothing like a child surrounded by people and love! We are so blessed!

4. Though I attempt to joke about feeling lousy, it really is like nothing I've ever experienced. One day, as I was feeling particularly terrible (think bed-ridden, hoping the world will stop spinning and the purified air itself will stop smelling (p.s., at one point, I could smell China from my house, not kidding)), I couldn't help but think how much more Jesus endured for us, His children. This is just a small price to pay to bring a child of God into this world, and I am so honored.

5. Confession: I LOVE worship songs, but growing up, I never really cared for the song, "How Great Thou Art". If I'm honest, it probably is due to the fact that we used to sing it in SO high a key at church that nary a mouse could squeak it out. Today, I'm more mature and know that a song's key doesn't determine its worth as a worship song, and during this pregnancy, "How Great Thou Art" has become one of my favorites. I sing it every day to Baby Valentine. THIS is my favorite version. We serve such an amazing God. (Secretly, I hope Baby Valentine loves Country Music. Daddy hopes otherwise, although I suspect it has been growing on him -- two times I got in his car and the radio was set to a Country station! YES!).  :)

6. David is Super Husband. I am not even kidding. The man was amazing when I married him, but I am more in love with him every day. He does SO much everything around the house when I'm not able to move, and he takes care of me perfectly -- through the rollercoaster tears, laughter, sickness and milestones, he's right there. He is SO excited to be a Daddy. My favorite is when he talks and prays with baby, and of course, I'll never ever forget when he checked the "stick" for me and the first time we saw the baby on the Doctor's screen. He wasted NO time in buying me a special water bottle with "Mom" and the date we found out inscribed on it, and a video camera arrived just a day later as a surprise! He loves taping people for our baby and also found it very helpful to take videos for the plumber! (It's obviously a multi-talented recorder). I was gone for 2 weeks in Michigan and I came back to a TON of things done around the house (and many, many thanks to everyone who helped!). He went to the grocery store the other day and came home with Michigan Cherry Jelly, "Just so I could taste a little home." See, he's awesome! :) Marrying David will always be the second best decision I've ever made (to clarify, giving my life to Jesus will always be first).

7. About eating. Well, one day I went to the store one day for cheese and crackers. I came home with Cheetos and Oreos. Let me first explain to you that I NEVER eat Cheetos or Oreos, unless they're served at a party, and even then I'll probably decline. I just don't like the cheese all over my fingers and I DESPISE the Oreo crumbs in my teeth. However, they sounded kinda good on this particular trip to the store. Of course, by the time I got home, I couldn't even look at them. I was upstairs when David got home and heard him laughing. He came to find me (I was in the fetal position in bed, of course) and he said, "That baby's gonna be like Daddy." I looked at him, sort of confused by what he meant, until he reminded me that Cheetos and Oreos are his favorite. DUH! How could I forget? So so funny. I also LOVE bananas and yogurt. Two things I normally wouldn't touch. Guess who loves bananas and yogurt? You guessed it! Daddy David. I'm not a big fan of Italian food, which is strange because Daddy is Italian AND because the in first few weeks of pregnancy I'd down anything with tomatoes and/or sauce. I think it's because at the peak of sickness I caught a whiff of spaghetti being microwaved. Yeah, not a fan.

8. THIS is my favorite song of all time. I was just listening to it now and thought I would include it.

9. David was LOVING the effects of the pre-natal vitamins on my hair, and honestly, I can't say I was disappointed either. It was WAY too hot outside to making blow-drying the mop a daily activity, but the 2 times I did, it looked terrific. Folic acid and DHA don't have quite the same effect, but I'm cool with that. Speaking of hair, I'm hoping to dodge the "baby bangs" post-delivery. I had super short bangs spikes in 6th grade from perm-burn. It was not a good look for me. Trust me, it wasn't. Nor were the giant Sally Jesse Raphael plastic pink glasses, but I'm told they were in style. But back to the baby bangs -- now that I think about it, I don't remember them showing up on my sister... hmm. Maybe I'll be spared. ***Note: Back on the prenatals! Bring on the glorious hair!!!

10. Our house will be done in a few months!!!! Yay! God has been so good to us. Seriously, the people He has placed in our lives who have helped us - people at the store, to friends, to families of friends, to our Church body - have been beyond incredible. We are so blessed and could never have done it without them. As far as the house goes, our navy-colored, sailing-themed den will never be...alas,  David's man-room will quickly become the nursery. I actually had a dream about it very early on. I'll let Baby Valentine describe: "Dear Miss Sarah (Lundgren). I had a dream that you decorated my nursery with bunk beds, photos of you/mommy/Jamie/Aunt Kristi, flowers, and the cutest little night stand that you painted for me. And of course, you also decorated with/bought a Jessica Simpson album that was made to look vintage (it was a pretty cool concept, actually...I was so proud you/I thought of it in my sleep), jewelry and books. Miss Cassie was there, too."  Hahaha. Not sure where the Jessica Simpson album came in (I blame bedtime vitamins and People.com), but funny! We're thinking that the room will remain blue, and then we'll add some blue curtains or pink ones, depending on who pops out! Hahaha. How's THAT for creative? I'm thinking white crib/furniture and some cool wall decals of our favorite verses/sayings. And then the curtains, of course. The curtains are the piece de resistance!

11. My pedicurist/lip waxer, Kevin (yes, a man), took my appointment time to share with me all the "dos" and "don'ts" of pregnancy. He was so honest and sincere and loved telling me about his wife's pregnancies. He had great ideas, too! Just goes to show you that EVERYONE will tell you stories when you're pregnant.

12. Pregnant ladies can get away with nearly anything, of this I am sure (though I am always still amazed when it actually happens). For example, on my flight to Michigan, I REALLY had to go to the bathroom. I mean, REALLY had to go. I waited and waited and waited for the Captain to turn off the seatbelt sign. It never happened. Finally, I could wait no longer. I unbuckled, got up from my seat and went to the bathroom. I wasn't in there 1 minute when the flight attendant came over the loudspeaker to sternly announce, "Ladies and Gentlemen. The Captain has NOT turned off the seatbelt sign. Please return to your seats." Mr. Flight Attendant THEN came and KNOCKED ON THE BATHROOM DOOR (not kidding you) to inform me to return to my seat. I came out and he was clearly NOT happy with me. Like, at all. I looked sheepishly at him (obviously, by now the attention of every passenger was on me and my exit from the bathroom) and said, "I'm so sorry. I'm pregnant and really had to use the bathroom. I'd been waiting for the Captain to turn off the seatbelt sign, but I just couldn't wait any longer." His look of anger immediately disappeared at the word "pregnant" and he began shaking his head and hands at me and saying, "Oh, Miss, that's ok, yes, yes, please go ahead." Hahaha.

13. Sort-of related to #7. I'm a little worried that I'll never again like the foods that have made me nauseous. These are the foods I won't even mention because merely typing them sends a flow of "yuck" right through me. Most pregnant women say that these food triggers only happen during pregnancy and go away, but I'm thinking it won't be the same for me. ANY time in my life I've ever been sick on food, I've either not been able to touch it ever again or it's taken years for me to choke it down. For example, when I was about 12-ish, I didn't know I was coming down with the flu and I got sick on a McDonald's salad that my dad brought home for me for dinner. (I have no idea why I was eating salad from McDonald's). Anyway, I really wouldn't touch lettuce for years after that. Even now, unless smothered in the really good kind of Ranch or Caesar dressing (boo to Caesar being off-limits during pregnancy), I have issues with some salads, and I know which ones they'll be simply by reading the menu. Odd. However, the baby does love salad. Go figure. Oh, I also do not really care for sweets during this pregnancy. Baby Valentine clearly has limited Talicska genes in the eating department. On the other hand, I still love nachos and cabbage, and matsza balls sound incredible, so there's hope! :)

14. Baby Valentine LOVES LOVES LOVES Grammi, Poppi, Gma, Gpa, Aunt Kristi, Uncle Kyle, Uncle Joe, Aunt Jill, Aunt Sarah, Cousin Alex and all his/her "extended" friends and family so so much!!! Aunt Kristi calls Baby V her "neiphew" and we think that's very cool! Baby Valentine, (and Baby Valentine's Mommy and Daddy) were so spoiled with gifts when I visited Michigan and Baby V continues to be spoiled by amazing friends and family!!! So many people are praying for us and for our baby and we are eternally grateful. I love when people rub my belly because I know the Baby can feel how much he/she is wanted and loved. I always think of it like a little hug from outside! What a loved Baby we have!!! We are so blessed.

Well, that's a little of what's been going on around here! 

More to come! 

We love you!

Love,

David, Kelli and Baby V