Hi Baby Ritger!

We recently went for our 20 week ultrasound and got to see our little bundle of joy ! The baby is perfect with all parts and organs developing normally-10 fingers and 10 toes. We're now at about 1 whole pound! I couldn't believe how active the little one was during the ultrasound-kicking, punching, rolling around, and we could even see baby sucking his or her thumb and yawning. It is absolutely amazing to get to see the person growing inside of me, doing everything a baby does. I am so relieved that everything is right on track and healthy. I asked the ultrasound technician about a hundred and two questions about possible heart defects, cleft lip and palates, and brain hemispheres, when she eventually asked me what I did for a living. When I told her I'm a speech therapist, and I work with special needs children, she smiled and said "that explains all the questions" before reassuring me again that everything looked perfect :) As planned, we turned our head when promped and I did not give in to the urge to peek at the ever- popular between the legs shots! Take a look at our little one...I think he/she is absolutely adorable already, but that just might be my mommy instincts kicking in...

The above is a picture of baby making a fist and getting ready to punch mom in the belly (one of baby's favorite activities at the moment)...look at that muscle definition-hopefully he/she will get mom's calf muscles!

Here's a picture of me at 20 weeks examining my belly....however this was taken

3 weeks ago. We are now at 23 weeks, and I feel like I've about doubled in size since then. The baby is moving all the time now, and every once in a while I get a really hard punch or kick right in the ribs-its amazing! Almost 6 months along-I can't believe it. We've been busy working on the nursery and bathroom renovations. I've bought paint colors for both, picked out my bedding, and am searching for the perfect crib in addition to fabric for drapes that I need to start working on. We're all registered for all our baby gear, and are putting together a guest list for our shower at the end of August! We have our boy name picked out, but are still working on the perfect girl name-both to remain a surprise until baby arrives. We're signed up for childbirth classes and go on our hospital tour in a few weeks. I feel wonderful, and continue to have absolutely no complaints. The questions of the moment from complete strangers in the grocery line include "is it a boy or a girl?" "do you have names picked out?" "are you swelling?", and "can I touch your belly?"

In case you are wondering...no, I am not swelling, the heat doesn't bother me at all , and I do not mind at all if people I know touch my belly-but I would prefer the random old women in Kroger to back away from my baby.

4 years

On June 18th, Johnny and I celebrated 4 years of marriage ! I got a Bissel Steam Mop and he got a memory foam pillow! You know its love when you are happier about household items than diamonds :)

By the way...anyone who doesn't have a steam mop needs to get one pronto! They are amazing!

Summer in the City

Anyone from Atlanta knows how hot and miserable it can get in the summer...no one understands this better than Grady, our 20 pound fluffball of a cat. Typically he spends his summers on his back laying under a ceiling fan and next to the AC vent. His grouchiness goes through the roof, and my patience for the daily hairball clean-up runs out about mid July. So this summer I gave Johnny the go-ahead to shave him. I figure it would make him happier, and would cut down on the amount of cat hair in the house. I was a little nervous about how Grady would react to his new do given his temperamental nature, but to say he likes it is an understatement-he LOVES it! He prances around the house now like he's king of the roost, swishing his tail in the other cats faces and demanding that we pet his soft buzzed coat. I think he looks so silly with his official "lion cut", as does the mailman who made fun of him the other day, and Johnny, who calls him "ratcat" now...but Grady doesn't seem to mind...he's cool as a cucumber :)

Just thought I'd share a few pictures of our "lion" in case you're in need of a chuckle today....

Busy Busy May

We've had a busy month! Luckily, I'm still feeling great! Lots of energy, lots of appetite, and just starting to feel little flutters in my tummy letting me know someone is in there! We're almost at the halfway point already! We go in 2 weeks for our big ultrasound where we'll finally get to see our baby! We'll be going on our 4 year anniversary so it should be a fun present for us. Yes, this is the appointment when we could find out the sex of the baby; however to answer everyone's question we are going to close our eyes in that part and everyone will have to wait until November to find out! I think we get asked this question at least 10 times a day to which we get, without fail, one of two responses...1. "Oh! I could never wait, I'm too much of a planner" or 2. "we waited, and I highly recommend it, the surprise is wonderful"

I've posted some pictures below of the recent happenings around our house.....

18 weeks belly !! It's getting big! People are starting to rub my belly, and tell me things like "you're all belly" and "you look great!" or "you're just glowing!" which all make me feel really good as my waist disappears, even if they tell all pregnant ladies that :)


Memorial Day weekend on Tybee Island for Susie and Kevin's engagement party! It rained about half of the weekend, but we managed to still get some sun and beach time on our last day. Kevin's parents hosted a great engagement party at their home on the waterfront!


Chris and Whitney's wedding was this past weekend, and Johnny was a groomsman-doesn't he look handsome in his tux!?! It was a beautiful weekend for a wedding! We got to see lots of old friends, and of course eat A LOT of really good food. I learned that people in a buffet line will actually let pregnant ladies go ahead of them like we're starving animals.


Our vegetable garden is finally in the ground and growing like crazy! Johnny likes to say he's outside "farming" when he's working in the garden. Our crop this summer will include; tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, onions, 3 different varieties of peppers, watermelon, pumpkins, lettuce, blueberries, blackberries, and herbs. We'll have to set up shop at the farmer's market down the street to get rid of all these veggies!



The demo on the nursery has begun! I get a little nervous when I see the pile of rubble that will soon be my baby's room, but excited to see the process started. If you know anyone who needs a jacuzzi style garden tub-let us know :) I've been researching baby gear, and am getting ready to start registering soon! How exciting!





The AC officially went on for the first time today! Forecast was for a high of 94! This could potentially be our biggest argument all summer :) It's just so tempting to tweak the temp down a few degrees......



That's about it from our house...the pool is officially open and I'm thrilled to be able to swim laps a few times a week! I can float for the first time in my life!

Just one more picture because I think its so cute....

The Latest and Greatest

Here's the belly at 15 weeks! I can't believe how big it is compared to 12 weeks! I am hoping to start feeling this baby kicking around in there anyday now. I had a check-up at 13 weeks that was quick and easy. I heard the heartbeat and everything sounds great. I go back next week for another quick check up and then on June 18th, our 4 year anniversary we both get to go for our 20 week ultrasound! I'm so excited, Johnny took the day off from work, and I can't think of a better way to spend our anniversary than getting the first look at our baby. Of course, this is the day we could find out the sex, but after talking to many people, I am absolutely sure I do not want to know until delivery day!

I'm still feeling great! Lots of energy, and lots of projects going on! I am really getting into this whole nesting thing :)

In other news our new deck was finished up a few weeks ago! Take a look....we LOVE IT and can't wait to have everyone over for a BBQ!

Here comes the belly...

We figured it was time for the first shot of the belly since my pants are all officially a bit uncomfortable, and I bought my first maternity pants last weekend! The elastic waistband is amazing, I may never go back. Here I am at exactly 12 weeks...welcome 2nd trimester! It doesn't look like much in this picture when I look at it now, but it sure does feel huge when I look down at it everyday. I still feel great, honestly I can say that I feel better pregnant than I did before. My energy is coming back more and more everyday-I don't think I've taken a nap in weeks. My appetite is out of control-this baby is hungry all the time. I have to take a whole grocery bag of snacks to work everyday! I'm trying my hardest to keep it healthy so I don't end up putting on 90 pounds :)

My second doctor's appointment is next week, no pictures expected this time, but maybe we'll hear the heartbeat!

The nursery

For those who have been to our house you all have shared a chuckle with us about the luxury master suite complete with jacuzzi tub and zero privacy toilet. We now face our biggest renovation project. In the next 6 months we will revert this 1 super deluxe room back into 3 rooms, creating a nursery, private bathroom, and guest room. This is going to require the big guns of home renovation-plumbing, electrical, flooring, closet building, wall building, and wall destroying. We have a plan drawn out, and are ready to get started-bathroom is up first. Luckily, Johnny works best with time pressure and there's no greater reminder of the pressure than my growing belly! Once the walls are up, I can start on the nursery. A good friend of ours who is an artist, has offered to paint the room for us with a mural. We started planning our "theme" with him yesterday, and I am very excited about the plan! It should be an amazing nursery. Of course, like all things baby, we will be keeping you in suspense until the big reveal!

So here's a picture of the "before", I'll update with the in-progress pictures as we go!

In other home renovation news...we are getting a new deck built this week! We can finally have people over without having to worry that the deck will collapse!!!