13 weeks

**Still no bump!! I'm wondering when I will pop out.  I hear it's usually anywhere from 12-18 weeks.

how far along?  13 weeks

how are you measuring? 13 weeks

size of baby? about an 3 inches, the size of a medium shrimp, and 1 ounce

heartbeat? 183 bpm (at our 8/9 week sono)
total weight gain/loss? -1.4 pound (I have no idea how I lost this week??)
maternity clothes? No baby bump, so no maternity clothes. 
stretch marks? No
sleep? My crazy Kindergarteners are wearing me out at school, so I've been sleeping good lately!!
best moment this week? One of my Mom's friend's has a daughter who just had their second child.  She came over and brought me a lot of her maternity clothes.

movement? Not yet!

food cravings? No cravings.  I kind of don't think they are really real!  Ha!! If I'm hungry for pizza all the time, I wouldn't consider that a craving.  It's just something that sounds good to me.  I think crazy cravings are just an excuse to eat whatever you want.  I'll only consider it a craving if it's something that I wouldn't normally eat, like pickles, hot dogs, tuna or coffee. I don't really see me ever eating those, so I have a feeling I'm going to have a craving free pregnancy.
gender predictions? I honestly have no idea.  Seven more weeks until we find out though!!
what i miss: Still missing lunchmeat.  I don't know if I can go 27 more weeks without a Sierra Turkey Sandwich from Panera Bread. 
what i'm looking forward to: I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday.  I'm pretty sure nothing exciting will be happening at the appointment.  It's just reassuring to hear the doctor say "Everything is looking good!" Oh and 4 more days until Christmas break!!
how are you feeling? I've been extremely tired this week.  Little Link must really be growing this week.  I still haven't had any morning sickness, but every evening this week I had a really bad tummy ache and gas.  (Sorry, TMI, but I want to remember all the little details of my pregnancy!) Overall, I'm loving being pregnant though!!

meal planning monday

Monday: Fried Rice & Egg Rolls

Tuesday: Fajita Chicken Braid, Rice & Beans

Wednesday: Free WhataChick'n Sandwich @ Whataburger http://whataburger.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=30064775174

Thursday: Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce, Sauteed Squash & Zuchinni, & Garlic Toast

Friday: Biscuit Pizzas

Saturday Breakfast: Cream Cheese & Sausage Roll Ups

Saturday Lunch: Grilled Cheese & Soup

Saturday Dinner: Crispy Chicken Salad

Sunday Lunch: Frito Pie

Sunday Dinner: Tortilla Soup

a holly jolly good time

Last night we hosted our ABF's Christmas party.  We had lots of yummy appetizers and desserts and hot apple cider!!  Our favorite part about our Christmas party each year is the gag gift exchange.  I love seeing what everyone comes up with!!

Jenny and Tim got an awesome Santa hat!

 Joel opened up some elf boxers, but they quickly got stolen!

 Jared actually loved his deer lamp that someone had received as a wedding gift!

 I ended up with a cute lunchbox.  Being a teacher, I actually put this to good use!!
Matt was at the party, but I somehow managed to get zero pictures of him.

 Courtney and Paxton started out with a lovely picture of Tammy, but it also quickly got stolen. Not because everyone wanted a picture of Tammy, but because it had a Starbucks giftcard attached!!

The Kennedys actually ended up with the gift I brought!!

 Hehe!! I thought it was funny!!

Alicia and Ray got a cute little Grinch which is perfect since Alicia is working as a teacher's aid now!!

Denise got some bookends, which she was thrilled about because she needed some.  She didn't care what they looked like, she just wanted some bookends for her classroom.   Chase got some finger lights. I'm not sure how he plans on using them, but he must have really wanted them, because he stole them from somebody!!

Michel and Julie ended up with a disturbing little figurine of a baby in two hands. I have a feeling this gift might show up at another White Elephant gift exchange in the future.

Tammy got a smoke alarm, battery included! And Jonathan got Lassy Legs for all his unwanted hair.  For some reason, he wasn't very excited about it!!

Carissa got a picture frame with messages of despair and Joel ended up with a ton of random Tony Chachere's cooking items including injectable butter!

Julie and Eric got a giant bucket of cheese balls.  Mmmm...those look so good.  I haven't had those in forever!!

The last gift to be opened was a lovely nightgown.  Bryan said he would model it for us if tom would model his new boxers.  Crazy guys!!

After all the gifts were opened, we walked over to the house with the coolest Christmas lights ever.  

Everyone loved the Christmas lights!!

 And when we returned and everyone had left, I found this in my bed!!

Thanks alot Bryan!!

crazy pregnancy dreams

I've heard that women have some pretty crazy dreams during pregnancy, but I didn't know quite how crazy they could be until the other night!!

I had been asleep for about and hour when I woke up screaming bloody murder.  I crawled under the covers and grabbed Matt's legs.  

Matt said he about had a heart attack.  When Matt finally got me to wake up, he asked me what I was dreaming. I just started laughing because I remembered it so vividly.  I had dreamt that a giant beetle that looked just like this.....

.....but was the size of a shoe, had flown into our bed.  It was huge and it was trying to bite me.  So of course I screamed, hid under the covers and clung to my husband!!

coolest christmas lights ever

We went to dinner tonight with some friends, and on the way home they insisted that they show us this house with Christmas lights.  I've seen these types of Christmas lights on houses on YouTube, but these are right down the street from us!!  We tuned in our radio to the station they had flashing on the train and just couldn't take our eyes off of the lights!!

Did I mention these lights are right down the street from our house??

I think I might drive by this house every night!!

12 weeks

**I try to take my belly picture pictures on Sunday afternoon.  This Sunday we went and cheered on our friends who ran the White Rock.  As soon as we got home I put my PJ's on and took a nice long nap, which is the reason for the sleepy PJ belly picture.  (Or I guess I should say "bellyless" or "bumpless" picture.  I'm still waiting for my bump!!)

how far along? 12 weeks

how are you measuring? 12 weeks

size of baby? about 2 inches, the size of a lime and a half an ounce
heartbeat? 183 bpm (at our 8/9 week sono)
total weight gain/loss? 0 pounds.  I'm back to where I started. I guess it's about time to start gaining some weight, huh?
maternity clothes? I'm still wearing my normal clothes and they fit just fine!! My undergarments are starting to feel a little snug. Ha!!
stretch marks? No
sleep? I'm still going to the bathroom 1-2 times a night.  As long as it's not 3 times, it doesn't really bother me.  I've also started having some CRAZY dreams at night.  
best moment this week? Having enough energy to clean the entire house for our Christmas Party we are hosting on Wednesday!
movement? I'm not feeling anything yet, but my iPhone BabyCenter app says that I can prod my abdomen and my baby will squirm in response, although I still won't feel it.  But how cool is that!!

food cravings? Nothing really. No crazy cravings yet. 
gender predictions? I honestly have no idea. Eight more weeks until we find out though!!
what i miss: Diet Coke with Vanilla from Sonic.  My doctor said that I can have one small coke a day if I want, but I just feel better about giving it up completely.  Plus, since I have to stop by Sonic each morning to pick up a little boy for school, it forces me to get a Route 44 Ice Water which is way better for me.  It really hasn't been that hard, but I'm really starting to miss my Sonic stops.  I don't miss coke from a can or coke at restaurants, I just miss my Route 44 Diet Coke with Vanilla each day!!
what i'm looking forward to: Christmas parties.  Again, this has nothing to do with pregnancy, but I have 4 parties this week! I'm so excited!!
how are you feeling? I'm still feeling great!! No morning sickness here!!  

meal planning monday

Monday: Matt: On his own Me: Staff Christmas Party

Tuesday: Dinner @ The Havards

Wednesday: ABF Christmas Party @ Our House

Thursday: Chef Boyardee Pizza @ My Parents

Friday: BJ's & Christmas Lights with The Hoopers

Saturday Breakfast: Waffles

Saturday Lunch: Out Shopping

Saturday Dinner: Chicken Poppyseed Casserole

Sunday Lunch: Taco Soup

Sunday Dinner: Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tostadas

baby's first photo

We had our first sonogram on November 18th, when I thought I was 8 weeks 4 days pregnant.  When they measured the baby, I was measuring 9 weeks and 3 days along.  This is why they changed our due date from June 26th to June 20th.  

My doctor only does two sonograms during the entire pregnancy.  The first one is at 8 weeks to check and make sure everything is okay and the second one is at 20 weeks to see if it's a boy or a girl.  I'm kind of bummed that I only get to see our sweet babe 2 times during my pregnancy, because I know some friends who have had sonograms all the time.  I'm trying to look at the positive side though.  My Mom didn't have any sonograms with me and my brothers, so I get two more than she had.  And, if we aren't getting sonograms, then we aren't paying for sonograms.  I guess our checkbook will thank us later!!

Our next sonogram is scheduled for February 3rd, and I can not wait!!

december desktop

Happy December!!

11 weeks

how far along?  11 weeks

how are you measuring? 11 weeks

size of baby? about an 1 1/2 inches or the size of a fig
heartbeat? 183 bpm (at our 8/9 week sono)
total weight gain/loss? -1.2 pounds (no weight gain yet!!)
maternity clothes? I'm still wearing my normal clothes and they fit just fine!!
stretch marks? No
sleep? For as long as I can remember I have gotten up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.  One trip to the bathroom at night is normal, but lately it's been 2 and sometimes 3 trips.  After the second or third trip to the bathroom, I start having trouble falling back asleep, because my mind starts to wonder off about what it will be like to be a Mom, bedding and baby registry etc.
best moment this week? Spending time with my sweet college roomie and her new baby Kinsley.  Erin really let me "pretend" to be a Mommy for the few days I was there.  I changed a few diapers, put her in and out of her carseat, pushed her around in her stroller and loved on her a bunch. Erin was an open book and really answered alot of my questions.  It was so great to spend time with an old friend!!

movement? I'm not feeling anything yet, but apparently he/she is moving all around.  (according to all my books) I just can't feel it yet. I can't wait until I can feel him/her.

food cravings? Ice Water. I have to have ice cold water with me at all times.  I'm so thirsty.
gender predictions? I honestly have no idea.  Nine more weeks until we find out though!!
what i miss: Working out.  I haven't really worked out since I found out I was pregnant.  I've just been too tired.  And now that it's getting cold outside and it's dark so early, I don't even have any motivation to go for a walk.  And......on Saturday I got this awful cramp in my hip.  My Mom said she had it when she was pregnant, and it didn't go away until she delivered.  Supposedly, it has to do with hormones, but I don't really know.  It isn't hurting so much today, so maybe I should go for a walk!!  Ehh.....maybe tomorrow!!
what i'm looking forward to: Christmas Break.  I know that doesn't really have anything to do with pregnancy, but after a wonderful week off of Thanksgiving, I am so ready for those 2 weeks at Christmas!!  More time to read all my books, think about baby stuff and look at all the things that we will need for our sweet babe!!
how are you feeling? I'm still feeling great!! I really feel like I'm cheating pregnancy since I haven't been sick at all.  I'm still tired, but I do feel like I'm getting some energy back.  I'm not going to bed at 8 or 8:30.  I can now make it to 9:00 and sometimes even 10:00!! My hip cramp was really bothering me on Saturday and Sunday, but it seems to be better.  I'm hoping that was a 2 day thing and it doesn't happen again. We'll see though!

meal planning monday

Monday: Dinner @ My Parent's House

Tuesday: Cranberry Stuffed Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, & Salad

Wednesday: Baked Spaghetti, Garlic Toast, Green Beans, & Salad

Thursday: Dinner @ My Parents House

Friday: Goodfella's Pizza

Saturday Breakfast: Matt-Guy's Bible Study Me- on my own

Saturday Lunch: Grilled Cheese & Chips

Saturday Dinner: Chicken Spaghetti, Rolls, & Veggies

Sunday Lunch: Out with our ABF

Sunday Dinner: Snackin'

crumbs

Izzie is going to be so excited when there is a little crumb dropper at our house!!

 

Izzie loves crumbs!!

happy thanksgiving

This year we had Thanksgiving at Matt's parents house!! 

Izzie stood under the table the entire time while Stan carved the turkey.  She was in heaven with all the little crumbs that were dropped throughout the day!

 Our dinner included ham, chipotle corn, sweet potato casserole,

 dressing, masshed potatoes, turkey, gravy, celery & peanut butter, rolls, waldorf salad, green beans, cranberry relish and jellied cranberries, and hot fruit compote.  

 We all stuffed ourselves silly!!

Izzie loved being with the family.  All the little kids played with her and loved on her so much.

 She was worn out at the end of the day though.

 Matt and I have so much to be thankful for this year.

We are most thankful this year for the sweet little baby growing inside of me!!

gobble! gobble!

Last Christmas, I made these for my neices and nephews.  They absolutely loved them, so I searched the internet and found these for Thanksgiving. 

Here's was you'll need to make these cute little turkeys.

 Whoppers

Oreos

Candy Corn

Reece's Cups

Icing

These directions are straight off the Tasty Kitchen website.

FEATHERS:

The easiest way to start these turkeys is to do the feathers first. Put frosting on the back of an Oreo and put 5 or so candy corns, point down, in the frosting, so that the wide end is sticking off the edge. I left them laying down so the frosting could dry and harden.

BASE:

Next put a blob of frosting near one edge of another Oreo, and stand one of the feathered Oreos in the frosting. You don’t want to leave the Oreo laying down on its feathers, because the feathers will cause the turkey to lean when standing if you do so. Instead prop them up against a book or wall so they can dry without being too top heavy and falling over.

BODY:

While the bases are drying, cut off the bottom edge (fat end) of a bunch of candy corns, and then “glue” one to each Whopper with the point out. (For the beak.) Then put each whopper head on one round side of the Reese’s cups.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Once all of these are stable, add the Reese’s/Whopper bodies to the Oreos, standing them in front of the feathered Oreo.

I used a little too much icing, but the kids definitely approved.

Now I need to find another cute dessert for Christmas!!

how we told everyone

As soon as I saw the positive pregnancy test, my wheels started turning on how I would tell everyone that we were expecting.  I didn't want to be boring and just tell everyone with a phone call or a visit, so I tried to come up with a fun way to tell everyone!!

Here's how we told.....

• my parents
• Matt's parents
• our ABF
• facebook
• my school
• and if you missed it.....my blog

telling lolly & pops

We went to our first doctors appointment on Thursday, November 4th, and we had decided to keep our pregnancy a secret until we went to that appointment.  

After keeping it a secret for a little over 2 weeks, I was so ready to tell my parents.  I talk to my every day so it was extremely hard not to say anything to her.  I really wanted to tell them right after our appointment, but I also wanted to tell them in a fun way, so we decided to wait until Friday evening.  After school on Friday, I went to the candy store and bought a giant lollipop.  I made a cute little card and attached it to the lollipop. 

My nephew Carson calls my parents Lolly & Pops, so I thought it would only be fitting to tell them with a lollipop. 

Earlier in the day, I had called my Mom to see if they wanted to try out a new restaurant in town.  She didn't really sound all that interested in going and let me know that my Dad had wanted to see a movie either that afternoon or evening.  I didn't want it to be obvious that we wanted to meet with them to tell them something, so I just told her I would call her later because we needed to come over so I look at some diaper bags for a friend and Matt could talk to my Dad about some sprinkler issues.  When Matt got home I immediately called my parents house.  My little brother answered the phone and said that they had just left for a 6:00 movie.  I was so bummed, because now we were going to have to wait until their movie was over and for them to go to dinner afterwards.  I called my Dad and told him to call us when they got home so we could come over when they got home.  Matt and I ended up trying out Matt's Ranco Martinez without my parents then came home and watched some TV while we waited for them to get home.  We waited and waited and waited.  Around 9:30, I finally texted my Dad asking if they were home.  He called me right back and said, "Come on over."  I think he had forgotten to call me!!

When we got over there, we chatted for a bit and then I busted out the lollipop.  They were so excited for us!!

My Mom said that she had just thought that we might be coming over to tell them we were expecting.  My Dad on the other hand had no idea!!

telling grammy & granddaddy

On Sunday November 7th, we were supposed to have our pictures made in McKinney.  Since Matt's parents live about 30 minutes from McKinney we thought we would have them meet us for dinner after our pictures.  We ended up not getting our pictures taken that day, but we didn't want to cancel our dinner plans because we wanted to tell them our good news!!

As soon as we got there Matt pulled the little card out of my purse and showed them.  

Matt's Dad had to look at it for a minute for it to sink it, but his Mom was so excited I'm pretty sure the whole restuarant heard her screaming!!  

It was so fun to see them get so excited even though this is their 6th grandbaby!!  I know it's an extra special one though because it's their baby's baby and it will be the first grandbaby with the last name Link!! Matt has two sisters, so all the other grandkids are LeBlancs and Reeds!!

telling our ABF

A few weeks ago when I went to coffee with a friend, I was actually meeting our ABF director to tell her that we were expecting.  Her husband is in charge of our "ice-breaker" games at the beginning of class, so I told her to tell him to come up with a game in which we could announce that we were expecting.

On Sunday November 14th, Tom had us all get in a circle.  He would say things like, "Stand up and move to the left if you have traveled to more than 3 contintents" or "Stand up and move to the right if you have ever."

Towards the end of the game he said...

"Stand up and move if you and your spouse have thought about having kids."

Everyone moved, because we have all talked about having kids at some point.

Then he said...

"Stand up and move if you have thought about your kids names."

Almost all the guys stayed seated, and all the girls moved!!

Then he said....

"Stand up and move if you have recently found out that you are having a baby and want to share it with the class!!

We stood up and totally surprised everybody!!

telling the world facebook

On Thursday night I posted this picture as my profile picture then updated my status to......

Katy Link We are thrilled to announce that we're having a baby!!!

November 18 at 6:51pm ·  · Comment

Matt cracked me up and posted this on Twitter.....

@mlink10

Matt Link

@katylink is gonna be my baby momma........ this dad to be is super excited!

18 Nov via web Favorite Retweet Reply

and posted this on Facebook.....

Matt Link We're having a baby (well Katy Link is.....)!

November 18 at 7:05pm ·  · Comment · Remove Tag

All evening and all day Friday, my phone was beeping like crazy with all the comments people left on my facebook.  It really made my day to have so many people sbow love and excitement for our baby!!