Half Way

20 weeks pregnant tommorow so we are half way there! This last week I have been able to feel her more, she's getting stronger! Before it was more like bubbles, now she does little jabs too & I feel them more & more frequently. I especially can expect to feel them when I'm hungry or right after eating, and mainly when I am relaxing at home rather than running around at work. So exciting, sweet & strange feeling at the same time! I kinda jump everytime she does it! I am so excited for Brett to feel her someday too. Also, note the belly, it is popping more & more lately, yikes . . . but as long as she's growing I guess! Can't wait for our little princess girl to get here in April :) As for names, we've decided we're not saying anything until she is here. We're not set on any yet, might g & buy a baby name book . . .

18 weeks

I almost forgot, here is a belly pic at 18 weeks, it's coming . . . lol

It's a . . .

GIRL!!! We went for our 18 week ultrasound today & found out we are having a baby girl! I always thought she was a girl, but everyone at work and everything thought it was boy, saying they knew it. And Brett comes from a family of all boys, so I tried to convince myself it was a boy too. But I thought it was a girl. Still, when the nurse told me there were 3 lines, and it was a girl, I was shocked. I asked if it really, really was. Our Dr. even said at our 14 week ultrasound that it looked boyish and might be a boy. We are so excited! And Brett's mom is so so excited, she finally has a little girl to spoil! I think Brett is a little concerned for our money though, he knows I will buy everything girly! We are going to have our Dr. confirm it again on Wednesday, but there was no doubt in the nurses voice . . . here are the pictures: Above you can see she's a girl.

Profile, if you look at her fingers it looks like she's making a peace sign. Profile, and you can see her spine too.

Above, you can see her leg.
Another girl picture.
Her lying on her side. This is her back. You can even see a little ear! And . . . her butt.

Profile
Her foot. She seemed to love to show them to us. She kept flinging them up to her mouth too, and reaching for them with her hands.
Some 3D pictures, the top one you can kinda see her little face. She's all skin & bones right now though, she hasn't fattened up yet!

Happy Halloween!

The week before Halloween Brett & I carved our pumpkins . . . his is on the left & mine is on the right. Jewels basically just stalked us the entire time, and ended up getting away with some chunks of pumpkin. A few days after we did these, it snowed & they got all demented looking & mine lost some teeth. Here we are on Halloween. Brett has been wanting to get some cuts from the Halloween store & be something really creepy for the last couple of years, so he did that this year. At first he thought he could do it himself but something you should know about Brett, he never follows instructions, like, EVER. So he glued them on & the make-up & camoflauging was left up to me. It took hours! And even I was pretty impressed with how real it looked. Bretts grandma throws a little Halloween party every year so when little trick or treaters would come by they'd just stare and stare at him, I'll admit it was creepy. I was so glad when he washed all that stuff off! As for me & Jewels I made us some tutus, I was a witch, she was supposed to be put before I made her a hat we decided she probably wouldn't wear it anyway. So she ended up being some sort of goth ballerina or something?!Here's the little Fava family, lumberjacks! I thought it was pretty creative & cute! This is the best picture I could get, I think little Nicky was eating a cookie or something. Besides, I found out that night that many kids won't sit still for pictures, especially when hyped-up on sugar & excitement! Puppies too, for that matter.

Here's Brennan, Brett's cousins little boy. Originally he came as Spiderman, his mom painted his face so cute! But this is him in his pjs, running around with a broom & my witch hat. I heard at one point he was sporting an easter basket too, I suppose you could say he was a little holiday challenged that night, lol

After the family party (his grandma is so cute she bakes all these treats & gives everyone goodies. She even thought to make Jewels a little treat bag with doggy treats) Brett, Nick & Elle & I headed to another party. One of Vinny's neighbors throws a huge one every year, this year we decided to go. It was pretty fun!

And here's a belly picture at 15 weeks. I took it at Brett's grandmas house, I swear I am bigger at night, it's not as noticeable in the morning. But as you can see it is coming! I finally schedueled my ultrasound and it's for the Monday before Thanksgiving.

Also, I still haven't tried our new scanner yet, but hopefully I'll have the latest ultrasound picture up soon! It turned out cute, with the baby looking as us right as he took the picture!

Belated Big News

So, I'm going to post this, even though most everyone already knows, via word of mouth & facebook (my mother-in-law was excited & posted it pretty early, so I did the same). In late August, the night before Brett's birthday, we found out we are expecting a little baby in April! April 25th. We weren't really expecting it, and it take some getting used to, but we are so excited! Though it is nerveracking to wait! We hadn't been married quite a year even, but all the same we can't wait! My 10 week appointment was actually the day after our anniversary. It was so amazing to hear that fast little heart(at the time it was 189bpm) and see that little baby moving. Though I must confess that since my mother-in-law & I both work at the hospital we'd snuck 2 ultrasounds already. But this one was special because it looked more like a baby, and we could hear it's little heart together. I can't feel it moving yet, but they say that may come soon. As for sickness, yes I've been sick . . . but I am hoping to get better soon since I'm officially in my second trimester. Haven't gained any weight yet, actually lost about 8-10 pounds, but I'm sure the weight gaining is just around the corner! It's hard to think of gaining so much, but I have to remind myself it's for the baby. Monday I had my 2nd appointment, at 14 weeks, and I was actually lucky enough to get yet another ultrasound. And, the baby's heartbeat has slowed down quite a bit (which it's suppossed to by now) to 149bpm. Dr. Gatherum winked & said that's a boys heartbeat, I looked it up & it said above 140 is girl below is boy . . . we shall see! Janet (Brett's mom) came with me to this one to hear the heart, and during the ultrasound she asked if we could even see what the sex was. The baby has grown so much! I will post the newest picture as soon as I can figure out how to work our new scanner. Anyway, the doctor tried to see "the goods" but the baby had it's legs indian style and wouldn't open up! From what the Dr. saw he said it maybe, might look kinda boyish but not to buy clothes 'cause he can't tell. I looked that up too & it says boys & girls look the same at this stage, basically, so again we shall see! We are excited for whichever! Although Brett's mom has all boys so a lot of people are thinking that's what it'll be . . . but Brett & I can't agree on any boy names so I guess we better start trying harder! I get to really find out about 3 weeks from Sunday. Also, I am as of like this week, starting to get a little belly. It happens so fast, one day Brett just says, "Holy Crap it's bigger!" Yeah, thanks honey. My mom always said she didn't start showing until about 6 months, apparently not me. It's not too obvious yet with clothes, I still fit into all of my stuff, but by the time winter really hits I'm sure it'll be more obvious! Speaking of winter I hate driving in snow, hate being cold, yet love snow at the same time. I was excited for the snow this week! And I am so excited for Thanksgiving & Christmas!

First Anniversary

Last month, September 27th, was our first anniversary! A lot has happened in the past year, and it was a great first year. Our anniversary fell on a Sunday this year, so Friday night we celebrated. We ate at the Ninja, so yummy! The little boy sitting at our table was playing with his silverware, trying to be like the chef! Then we did something kinda childish & went to see Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs in 3d. Cute movie. Our anniversary present to ourselves was a new washer & dryer, we went & picked them out on Saturday. Our first house already had a washer & dyer, and in this new townhome we had a lovely wash room but no washer & dryer! So it was time to get a set! Sunday Brett's mom invited us over to her house for dinner to celebrate with family. They bought us a cake, as shown above. We also had our top teir from our wedding cake that had been frozzen ever since. Somehow, it wasn't as cute as a year ago, but still moist! We each ate a piece at home & then just threw the rest away, the fact that it was a year old didn't make me want to eat much of it! All in all a great year & we're looking forward to whatever comes next!

Didn't realize this picture was blurry, but it's the only one like it so oh well!

Unwrapping the top teir, which my father-in-law Chris wrapped to withstand a bombing, I swear! It was under layers & layers of plastic wrap & aluminum foil, he wasn't messing around! Pretty sure no air got in there!

And all I got . . .

Were these dorky shoes: So, today I told Brett that I needed to go shopping for some new shoes for my job. The little number you see above is what I am supposed to wear, I guess. I don't know, I just never fell into that trend, I don't love them on me. I feel kinda dorky. They are uber comfy though. But while shopping of course I tried on a dozen + other shoes . . . I have an addiction. But since Brett was with me I did good & only bought what I came for. Not to mention it sure helped that he ket reminding me just exactly why were out & about shopping. But my birthday is next week so I have been making sure to point out what I want, and my sizes . . . in everything from shoes to aprons to clothes . . . actually he can just get me gift cards. Or nothing at all I still love him, well him & those Steve Madden shoes I tried on today . . . Hello, my name is Shae Malachowski, and I am a shopaholic, as Brett makes sure to point out to me.

Also today we went on a very long hike/run/walk with Jewels which made us feel very good & tired! Except for of course Jewels she is still wired, I thought for sure it would wear her out! Brett even had the bright idea to climb up these off roading-made hills . . . there was so much gravel! I am such a chicken and it wasn't about the incline it was about all the gravel I am a clutz & knowing me I was sure to loose my footing and roll down the hill jack & jill style! Once we made it to the top though, that was a whole other story! The whole falling down the hill was the same, the fear greater. Brett kept telling me, "to just run down it, so I will not fall" HA. With so much loose gravel that it looks like a rock river, you expect me to "just run down it" without totally biffing it on my face? He then proceeded to run down it several times with Jewels in toe (I had her leash earlier but she got frustrated with me, she started barking to run down with Brett. Traitor) They were happy to show me about 3 times how I should just run down it. I considered going down on my butt, but who am I kidding that would hurt too. That sucker was steep. Oh, and let's not forget the creepy guy in the red shirt who was outside his door watching our every move, or the family sitting on their porch. What a view. And Brett made sure to point them out and how they probably thought I was retarded. Well I would look retarded even more so falling down the dang thing. In the end, after watchig the impressive though not too convincing demonstrations, I opted for an alternate route, side stepped most the way down & 3 feet from the bottom, "ran down it". And creeper guy in the red shirt was watching all the while. Hello, my name is Shae and I am also a woose . . .

On the way home we got an icee, counter-productive? I felt bad for the poor girl . . . she can't have been getting too many orders all the way our there, it was in a random spot! It's across from Fiddlers movie theater & that car wash. They should have put it by Wal-Mart not to mention she was basically sweating to death. The Icee stand was actually my very frist job, but this gal had a fan, and a tv with a dvd player! Oh, and we found out that she is only going to be a Junior in high school and the brand new yellow chevy cobalt was thanks to her "daddy". Right about then I started to not feel quite so bad for her :)

But, it was a fun walk! Jewels made some mexican friends by the park & got some cat-calls from numerous dogs in the backs of trucks. And behind fences. And she even got to play in the gutter with the running water, which she tried to chase! Oh boy, I feel a bath time coming on . . .