What Was That?!

So I'm in my 18th week now and I have hit a major milestone in my pregnancy -- I felt the baby move! Well, at least I think I did. It was like a little spasm. It has happened pretty much everyday since last Friday, so I'm fairly certain that it's our lil one letting his or her presence be known.

Headaches and heartburn have paid me a few visits this week. In addition, the nighttime visits to the potty seem to be increasing. Matt's a bit grumpy about it because I wake him at least 3 times a night when I get in and out of bed.

Another reason I have trouble sleeping is because I am trying to sleep on my left side. Apparently sleeping on my back, which is how I normally sleep, is not conducive to optimal blood flow for me and the baby. It's hard to get used to. I wake up numerous times a night to Matt saying "on your side." Hopefully tonight will be better because my wonderful mom and grandma just brought me a body pillow to help me sleep on my side more comfortably.

On Sunday, we picked up the crib, changing table and dresser from Babies R Us. The color looks black on the site, but it is dark brown. I have chosen this bedding set if it's a boy. It has the cutest accessories! For a girl, I haven't been able to find anything yet that I love.

The countdown continues...

Check back next Tuesday to find out if it's a boy or a girl!

Juliana's Birthday

I cannot believe it has been a whole year since we were blessed with Juliana! For those of you who don't know, Juliana is my precious niece, my sister Jennifer's daughter. She has brought so much joy to our family over the past year. I am amazed at how quickly she is growing and changing! To celebrate, we had a party yesterday. Everyone pitched in to decorate...even Matt!

The colors were pink and purple and the theme was cupcakes.

Juliana was so happy the whole day.

To continue the celebration today on her actual birthday, we took her to the Philadelphia Zoo. To see photos from the zoo and more photos from her birthday party, check out our Shutterfly Site.

Blogs, Babies and Apples

I must give credit to Rebecca Lewis for inspiring me to start this blog! Rebecca is my sister-in-law's neighbor and friend in Kansas City, MO. She started a blog a few months ago and I love reading about her beautiful family and keeping up with all of the KC happenings. Be sure to check out "The Lewis Family" blog. Guest appearances by the Midwest Leluga family are a sure thing!

Being that I am an aspiring freelance writer (by aspiring, I am nicely stating that I have yet to acquire any clients), I thought that I should start a blog. Since graduating from Kutztown University in December 2007 with a BA in English/Professional Writing, I have not been writing much except for poetry. Unfortunately, even that has dwindled to the occasional scribbling on scraps which just get lost on the desk I occupy at my "real" job.

In addition to using this as a springboard for my random ramblings, I plan on using this blog to keep my friends and family updated on the progress of my pregnancy. I'm 17 weeks in and I feel wonderful. No complaints. I've had zero morning sickness and I am very grateful. The only symptom I've had is headaches, but even those are infrequent. Oh and my skin is suffering a bit, but it's a small sacrifice for the miracle of life. My pants no longer fit and I had to break down and buy maternity jeans, which I love by the way. If you have never experienced a buffet while wearing maternity pants, I highly recommend it!

Everyone asks about the cravings. The only "craving" I've had is for apples and apple juice. A few weeks ago, I discovered the greatest apple ever to exist: the honeycrisp. The $3.00/lb. price tag is well worth every bite.

These sweet crispy spheres = love.

Other than that, basically I'm just eating more of everything. I attribute this to the fact that I quit smoking the minute I found out I was pregnant. Extra weight is well worth the benefits of quitting smoking. It was very easy to quit, which I was surprised at considering the numerous times I had tried to quit before I got pregnant. I believe that having a reason other than myself allowed me to do so. I just hope I don't go back after the baby is born.

Speaking of pregnancy and babies, my sister-in-law Cristina gave birth to Viviana Rose on August 20th. I can't wait to meet her at Thanksgiving!

I hope you don't mind that I borrowed this photo from you Rebecca!

Cristina and Joe chose not to find out the sex of the baby; however, we will not be following in their footsteps. Patience is a virtue of which I do not possess! Matt and I will find out the sex two weeks from today on October 28th. Who wants to place a bet? My guess is...