2014 in Review

We have had the best year! We feel so lucky to have had such wonderful experiences and to know such incredible people.  Here's are some Witt Family Highlights:

>> Kurt {and his team} won the championship of the 

Salt Lake City Basketball League

>> We celebrated our 1 year anniversary

>> My roommate McKenzie and my twin sister Christine got married

{those may not be highlights for Kurt, but I was a bridesmaid 2 times 

in the span of 7 days. I love marriage and weddings!}

>> We went to Disneyland {Kurt's first time going}

>> Kurt went to his first Bar Mitzvah

>> Kurt got a new job

>> I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah College of Dental Hygiene with my 

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

>>  I passed all my Dental Hygiene board exams

>> Kurt taught me how to drive stick shift

>> We moved into a 2 bedroom apartment

>> We found out we are going to be PARENTS

>> We celebrated Thanksgiving in Santa Barbara, California

>> We celebrated Christmas with just the 2 of us for the first time

>> I had my first white Christmas

At the beginning of the year, I made some goals that I really wanted to follow through with this year.  The important thing about goals though is that they really never end- if you make a goal to "become fit" in 2014...don't you want to make a goal to still be fit or become more fit in 2015? So I made sure to set goals that I could build upon and even maintain.

>> Study hard, Play hard: This was a big time goal for me this year because I was in school.  I didn't want life to become all about studying so I made a point to study and do my best so I could go out and have fun without feeling bad about it.  So I was in a couple of weddings, took weekend trips, etc. and I didn't feel bad about it.

>> Create a House of Order and a House of Prayer:  This is a constant goal for me and I will have this goal until the end of my life.  I have come to learn that a House of Order is so much easier to live in.  Now I understand that kids and life can get in the way and the house can get messy.  Kurt has really taught me how to have a house of order, and it is definitely easier to have a House of Prayer when you have a House of Order.  Kurt and I have prayed so much for so many things this year, and they have all happened, even if they didn't happen in the timing we hoped for; The Lord answered our prayers 100%.

>> Don't let the actions of others determine my own happiness: By far my hardest and most difficult goal to conquer.  I had a really rough time in school this year and feeling left out of so many things.  I felt really overwhelmed because I felt like I had so many one way friendships with people and Kurt saw how hard it was on me.  It ruined my confidence and prevented me from making new friends with those around me because I was so tired of trying to keep friendships that only I was contributing to.  I would get so sad when plans would fall through, when others didn't value my time the way I valued theirs, or when people would do things that would hurt me, even though it was not intentional.   It took a long time, but finally I realized that I can be happy independent of the way other people treated me.  Life became so much easier- I made new friends, I developed new talents, and I became myself again.

>> Be dedicated to Church callings:  for those of you don't know, a "calling" is a position you are asked to serve in in the church.  My callings this year were First Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency and Primary Chorister.  I'll be honest, a lot of times I felt completely inadequate to be serving in either one of those callings.  Not to sound like I'm so great, but the Lord definitely edifies & qualifies those He calls.  I am so grateful for the new skills I've been able to develop and for the talents I now have because the Lord gave me the opportunity to learn and grow in different aspects of life.

>> Attend the Temple every month: I am so proud and happy to say that Kurt and I have done this all year.  We've grown so much closer to each other and to God because of our goal to attend the temple.  We would still like to keep up with this goal in 2015 and are hoping that once Peanut comes we can find someone who will support us in our goal and watch Peanut for a few hours.

We are looking forward to so many things in 2015, but the most exciting thing we are looking forward to is having a baby! I still can't believe we are going to be parents.  There are so many things Kurt does everyday that remind me of how great of a father he is going to be.  If Kurt keeps this up, it'll make up for the very frequent "mom fails" that I will have.  Most of 2015 will be pretty baby-related.  There will be a lot of Firsts for us this year as we become parents.  We can't wait for Peanut to join our family!

We hope you all had a beautiful Christmas and we wish you all a Happy New Year!

2014 in Review

We have had the best year! We feel so lucky to have had such wonderful experiences and to know such incredible people.  Here's are some Witt Family Highlights:

>> Kurt {and his team} won the championship of the 

Salt Lake City Basketball League

>> We celebrated our 1 year anniversary

>> My roommate McKenzie and my twin sister Christine got married

{those may not be highlights for Kurt, but I was a bridesmaid 2 times 

in the span of 7 days. I love marriage and weddings!}

>> We went to Disneyland {Kurt's first time going}

>> Kurt went to his first Bar Mitzvah

>> Kurt got a new job

>> I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Utah College of Dental Hygiene with my 

Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene.

>>  I passed all my Dental Hygiene board exams

>> Kurt taught me how to drive stick shift

>> We moved into a 2 bedroom apartment

>> We found out we are going to be PARENTS

>> We celebrated Thanksgiving in Santa Barbara, California

>> We celebrated Christmas with just the 2 of us for the first time

>> I had my first white Christmas

At the beginning of the year, I made some goals that I really wanted to follow through with this year.  The important thing about goals though is that they really never end- if you make a goal to "become fit" in 2014...don't you want to make a goal to still be fit or become more fit in 2015? So I made sure to set goals that I could build upon and even maintain.

>> Study hard, Play hard: This was a big time goal for me this year because I was in school.  I didn't want life to become all about studying so I made a point to study and do my best so I could go out and have fun without feeling bad about it.  So I was in a couple of weddings, took weekend trips, etc. and I didn't feel bad about it.

>> Create a House of Order and a House of Prayer:  This is a constant goal for me and I will have this goal until the end of my life.  I have come to learn that a House of Order is so much easier to live in.  Now I understand that kids and life can get in the way and the house can get messy.  Kurt has really taught me how to have a house of order, and it is definitely easier to have a House of Prayer when you have a House of Order.  Kurt and I have prayed so much for so many things this year, and they have all happened, even if they didn't happen in the timing we hoped for; The Lord answered our prayers 100%.

>> Don't let the actions of others determine my own happiness: By far my hardest and most difficult goal to conquer.  I had a really rough time in school this year and feeling left out of so many things.  I felt really overwhelmed because I felt like I had so many one way friendships with people and Kurt saw how hard it was on me.  It ruined my confidence and prevented me from making new friends with those around me because I was so tired of trying to keep friendships that only I was contributing to.  I would get so sad when plans would fall through, when others didn't value my time the way I valued theirs, or when people would do things that would hurt me, even though it was not intentional.   It took a long time, but finally I realized that I can be happy independent of the way other people treated me.  Life became so much easier- I made new friends, I developed new talents, and I became myself again.

>> Be dedicated to Church callings:  for those of you don't know, a "calling" is a position you are asked to serve in in the church.  My callings this year were First Counselor in the Young Women's Presidency and Primary Chorister.  I'll be honest, a lot of times I felt completely inadequate to be serving in either one of those callings.  Not to sound like I'm so great, but the Lord definitely edifies & qualifies those He calls.  I am so grateful for the new skills I've been able to develop and for the talents I now have because the Lord gave me the opportunity to learn and grow in different aspects of life.

>> Attend the Temple every month: I am so proud and happy to say that Kurt and I have done this all year.  We've grown so much closer to each other and to God because of our goal to attend the temple.  We would still like to keep up with this goal in 2015 and are hoping that once Peanut comes we can find someone who will support us in our goal and watch Peanut for a few hours.

We are looking forward to so many things in 2015, but the most exciting thing we are looking forward to is having a baby! I still can't believe we are going to be parents.  There are so many things Kurt does everyday that remind me of how great of a father he is going to be.  If Kurt keeps this up, it'll make up for the very frequent "mom fails" that I will have.  Most of 2015 will be pretty baby-related.  There will be a lot of Firsts for us this year as we become parents.  We can't wait for Peanut to join our family!

We hope you all had a beautiful Christmas and we wish you all a Happy New Year!

16 Weeks

16 WEEKS

Size: Avocado {4.6" long}

Gender: We don't know yet, but we will find out on January 20th!

Baby Names?: We've narrowed it down to 1 name for each gender.  So as soon as we find out whether Peanut is a boy or a girl we will have a name picked out {but that doesn't mean the name is set in stone- still subject to change}

Cravings: Chick-fil-A & white chocolate hot cocoa

Aversions: Guacamole, Salsa, and leftovers

Symptoms: My back aches have gotten almost unbearable, but I'm still getting through it.  I've been working a lot lately so that's been taxing on my body along with the toll pregnancy has taken. I had some heartburn on and off but it has gone away.

Maternity Clothes: Still stretching my wardrobe {literally} & it's been working out so far. I've come to the conclusion that I need maternity jeans.  My jeans are no longer comfortable.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On. I finally have my wedding band back! My fingers get really swollen in the morning so I have to remember not to fall asleep with my ring on.

Best Moment of the Week: At the beginning of the week we went to the doctor and heard Peanut's heartbeat again.  This time I recorded so I can listen to it whenever I want. It's a very comforting sound.

Worst Moment of the Week: No specific moment, but the moments when my leg tingles and falls asleep because Peanut is sitting on the nerve that connects to my leg.  It's just really uncomfortable.

Looking Forward To: Christmas! I can't wait until Christmas!

Nausea/Sickness: No nausea lately unless I'm walking around for a really long time or don't eat ever couple of hours.

Sleep: Sleep is getting better! It's still not easy for me to sleep at night but I only wake up once at night now and that's been nice.  I still need around 10 hours of sleep.


I'll be honest...I've been really self conscious lately about how "big" I am.  You can definitely tell I'm pregnant, but I haven't left that stage between looking "chubby" and looking pregnant yet so I just feel...bleh. Instead of just having a baby bump, my entire stomach has just expanded like crazy. I keep getting reassured that everyone is different and all that but I'm only human {and a woman} so I have my moments where I compare myself to others and can't believe that I look so...different.  {And it doesn't help when someone who is further along says, "Wow...you're only a couple weeks behind me and you are way bigger than I am." Um...not helpful!} Anyways, sometimes I just need to vent and Kurt does his absolute best to reassure me that I look normal and just fine. But I shouldn't complain- I'm growing my family and expecting the cutest baby of  2015.  No matter what, I just would like a healthy baby and I have just that.

Things are exciting {and overwhelming} and we can't wait to learn and grow more together.  It'll be our last Christmas without any children! I can't believe it!
Thanks for everyone who has been there for Kurt and me during these last couple of weeks. 

P.S. I'm such a planner, so I've been collecting a list of the most needed/best baby items out there.  If you have a preference in brand or you have something that you as a mother can't live without or your baby can't live without, please let me know! Thanks!

16 Weeks

16 WEEKS

Size: Avocado {4.6" long}

Gender: We don't know yet, but we will find out on January 20th!

Baby Names?: We've narrowed it down to 1 name for each gender.  So as soon as we find out whether Peanut is a boy or a girl we will have a name picked out {but that doesn't mean the name is set in stone- still subject to change}

Cravings: Chick-fil-A & white chocolate hot cocoa

Aversions: Guacamole, Salsa, and leftovers

Symptoms: My back aches have gotten almost unbearable, but I'm still getting through it.  I've been working a lot lately so that's been taxing on my body along with the toll pregnancy has taken. I had some heartburn on and off but it has gone away.

Maternity Clothes: Still stretching my wardrobe {literally} & it's been working out so far. I've come to the conclusion that I need maternity jeans.  My jeans are no longer comfortable.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On. I finally have my wedding band back! My fingers get really swollen in the morning so I have to remember not to fall asleep with my ring on.

Best Moment of the Week: At the beginning of the week we went to the doctor and heard Peanut's heartbeat again.  This time I recorded so I can listen to it whenever I want. It's a very comforting sound.

Worst Moment of the Week: No specific moment, but the moments when my leg tingles and falls asleep because Peanut is sitting on the nerve that connects to my leg.  It's just really uncomfortable.

Looking Forward To: Christmas! I can't wait until Christmas!

Nausea/Sickness: No nausea lately unless I'm walking around for a really long time or don't eat ever couple of hours.

Sleep: Sleep is getting better! It's still not easy for me to sleep at night but I only wake up once at night now and that's been nice.  I still need around 10 hours of sleep.


I'll be honest...I've been really self conscious lately about how "big" I am.  You can definitely tell I'm pregnant, but I haven't left that stage between looking "chubby" and looking pregnant yet so I just feel...bleh. Instead of just having a baby bump, my entire stomach has just expanded like crazy. I keep getting reassured that everyone is different and all that but I'm only human {and a woman} so I have my moments where I compare myself to others and can't believe that I look so...different.  {And it doesn't help when someone who is further along says, "Wow...you're only a couple weeks behind me and you are way bigger than I am." Um...not helpful!} Anyways, sometimes I just need to vent and Kurt does his absolute best to reassure me that I look normal and just fine. But I shouldn't complain- I'm growing my family and expecting the cutest baby of  2015.  No matter what, I just would like a healthy baby and I have just that.

Things are exciting {and overwhelming} and we can't wait to learn and grow more together.  It'll be our last Christmas without any children! I can't believe it!
Thanks for everyone who has been there for Kurt and me during these last couple of weeks. 

P.S. I'm such a planner, so I've been collecting a list of the most needed/best baby items out there.  If you have a preference in brand or you have something that you as a mother can't live without or your baby can't live without, please let me know! Thanks!

15 Weeks

15 WEEKS

Size: Apple {4.0" long}

Gender: I went a while this week thinking it was a boy, but I keep switching back to girl. I don't want to say it's "mother's intuition" because I really have no idea.  Maybe twins?? My dream is to have twins- one a boy & one a girl...you never know!
Kurt and I would like to find out, tell our family, and then swear everyone to secrecy.  I would like to know the gender so I can mentally/emotionally/spiritually/physically prepare myself & I want to keep it a secret from everyone one else for a time {that sounds weird, but Kurt and I have really enjoyed a lot of the privacy we've had during my pregnancy so far}. I have no idea whether I can keep something like this a secret though! I can hardly keep birthday presents a surprise for people...

Baby Names?: Still thinking about some...Kurt and I have different "tastes" in names, but have still found ones we both like.  I ran a couple by my twin sister and best friend and got their stamp of approval on a couple names {it'll be so hard to keep the baby's name from them when we finally pick one...!} .

Cravings: Fruit snacks! I went to Walmart for the first time in forever {* burst out into Frozen soundtrack here *}, and I went straight for the fruit snacks.  I have 2-4 packs of fruit snacks a day.  Don't worry though - I bought the ones with the highest real fruit content and the least amount of sugar.

Aversions: Still leftovers...and still Mexican food.  Also - Walmart.  I haven't been mentioning that because it's not a food, but I hate going to Walmart.  It smells so gross all the time that I can't go grocery shopping without getting a headache and dry heaving.

Symptoms: My skin is so dry - probably a combination of pregnancy and the weather.  I drink a lot of water to try to help with it.  My back pain has increased and it's pretty difficult for me to sleep at night.  I am no longer sick! I don't throw up anymore, but sometimes I'm still nauseous.

Maternity Clothes: I wore a maternity shirt for the first time this week.  They are still a little big, but much more comfortable.  I feel quite "big" for being 15 weeks, so the maternity shirts make me feel better about that.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On :)

Best Moment of the Week: Kurt and I went to our Ward Christmas Party and Kurt's work Christmas party.  It's been really nice eating quality food without having to prepare any of it.

Worst Moment of the Week: It's not one specific moment, but it's been difficult not having a super consistent work schedule right now.  I still haven't found a dental hygiene job that is more than 1 day a week.  Oh well...something will come :)

Looking Forward To: My doctor's appointment on Monday! I always get really nervous for my appointments, so hopefully we can go in on Monday and have my nerves calmed, hear Peanut's heart beat, find out how to make my pregnancy as stress-less as possible, and then go from there.

*I had my 15 week appointment today {I'm technically 15 weeks and 2 days} Since I'm a little behind on this I'll just write a quick summary of how my appointment went: Everything is great! The baby is healthy & I'm healthy. I still need to see a specialist, but my doctor said not to worry and that as long as I'm monitored well through my pregnancy, he doesn't see why we shouldn't have a healthy, lively baby at the end of all of this!

*By the way, I love my doctor! He is so kind, very funny, and has really helped me worry less and enjoy this stage of life that I'm in. He's made every appointment a positive experience and I'm so glad Google led me to him.  {Yeah...I didn't like my last OBGYN and I didn't know where to go.  Good thing Google has my back!}

Nausea/Sickness: Nausea is really starting to go in and out, which is better than always feeling crummy.  I'm still feeling more sick at night than I do during the day.

Sleep: Sleep and I have developed a love/hate relationship.  I'm always really tired starting around 9:30.  I'm usually in bed by 10:30 but I still wake up in the middle of the night with back pain.  I'm lucky to not wake up all the time because I need to visit the lou, but I'd rather not be waking up with back pain. Oh well, I just need to count my blessings.


Kurt and I are enjoying the journey we are on to becoming parents! We do our best to keep everyone in the loop with things & have appreciated all the love and support we have received from so many people. We love you all!

15 Weeks

15 WEEKS

Size: Apple {4.0" long}

Gender: I went a while this week thinking it was a boy, but I keep switching back to girl. I don't want to say it's "mother's intuition" because I really have no idea.  Maybe twins?? My dream is to have twins- one a boy & one a girl...you never know!
Kurt and I would like to find out, tell our family, and then swear everyone to secrecy.  I would like to know the gender so I can mentally/emotionally/spiritually/physically prepare myself & I want to keep it a secret from everyone one else for a time {that sounds weird, but Kurt and I have really enjoyed a lot of the privacy we've had during my pregnancy so far}. I have no idea whether I can keep something like this a secret though! I can hardly keep birthday presents a surprise for people...

Baby Names?: Still thinking about some...Kurt and I have different "tastes" in names, but have still found ones we both like.  I ran a couple by my twin sister and best friend and got their stamp of approval on a couple names {it'll be so hard to keep the baby's name from them when we finally pick one...!} .

Cravings: Fruit snacks! I went to Walmart for the first time in forever {* burst out into Frozen soundtrack here *}, and I went straight for the fruit snacks.  I have 2-4 packs of fruit snacks a day.  Don't worry though - I bought the ones with the highest real fruit content and the least amount of sugar.

Aversions: Still leftovers...and still Mexican food.  Also - Walmart.  I haven't been mentioning that because it's not a food, but I hate going to Walmart.  It smells so gross all the time that I can't go grocery shopping without getting a headache and dry heaving.

Symptoms: My skin is so dry - probably a combination of pregnancy and the weather.  I drink a lot of water to try to help with it.  My back pain has increased and it's pretty difficult for me to sleep at night.  I am no longer sick! I don't throw up anymore, but sometimes I'm still nauseous.

Maternity Clothes: I wore a maternity shirt for the first time this week.  They are still a little big, but much more comfortable.  I feel quite "big" for being 15 weeks, so the maternity shirts make me feel better about that.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On :)

Best Moment of the Week: Kurt and I went to our Ward Christmas Party and Kurt's work Christmas party.  It's been really nice eating quality food without having to prepare any of it.

Worst Moment of the Week: It's not one specific moment, but it's been difficult not having a super consistent work schedule right now.  I still haven't found a dental hygiene job that is more than 1 day a week.  Oh well...something will come :)

Looking Forward To: My doctor's appointment on Monday! I always get really nervous for my appointments, so hopefully we can go in on Monday and have my nerves calmed, hear Peanut's heart beat, find out how to make my pregnancy as stress-less as possible, and then go from there.

*I had my 15 week appointment today {I'm technically 15 weeks and 2 days} Since I'm a little behind on this I'll just write a quick summary of how my appointment went: Everything is great! The baby is healthy & I'm healthy. I still need to see a specialist, but my doctor said not to worry and that as long as I'm monitored well through my pregnancy, he doesn't see why we shouldn't have a healthy, lively baby at the end of all of this!

*By the way, I love my doctor! He is so kind, very funny, and has really helped me worry less and enjoy this stage of life that I'm in. He's made every appointment a positive experience and I'm so glad Google led me to him.  {Yeah...I didn't like my last OBGYN and I didn't know where to go.  Good thing Google has my back!}

Nausea/Sickness: Nausea is really starting to go in and out, which is better than always feeling crummy.  I'm still feeling more sick at night than I do during the day.

Sleep: Sleep and I have developed a love/hate relationship.  I'm always really tired starting around 9:30.  I'm usually in bed by 10:30 but I still wake up in the middle of the night with back pain.  I'm lucky to not wake up all the time because I need to visit the lou, but I'd rather not be waking up with back pain. Oh well, I just need to count my blessings.


Kurt and I are enjoying the journey we are on to becoming parents! We do our best to keep everyone in the loop with things & have appreciated all the love and support we have received from so many people. We love you all!

13 & 14 Weeks

I'm finally getting caught up on these updates!

I've loved decorating this board every week. It's been fun to see & read about how our little baby is growing & developing {and it's been fun showing/telling people how Peanut is doing}

13 WEEKS

Size: Peach {2.9" long}

Gender: We keep guessing, and I can never stick to my guess. I'm always changing my mind.  Surprisingly, Kurt and I are getting less anxious about it, and are just excited for our baby in general.  We aren't in any rush to find out {but I'm sure I'll change my mind over the next couple of weeks and be dying to find out!}

Cravings: Meat - because I was home for Thanksgiving, it was very nice that all food was available to me {thank you Mom & Dad!!!}.  I ate prime rib {twice}, hamburgers, a lot of beef, shrimp, etc.  It was really nice to get some protein in me.  I feel like Peanut and I definitely were taken care of.

Aversions: Leftovers, Salsa, Guacamole {Mexican food in general}.

Symptoms: I've been pretty under the weather lately with how I'm feeling.  Some days are good, and other days seem like I will never be able to get out of bed.  I'm getting sick less, but still getting sick.  My skin is itchy, which tells me that I need to drink more water and lotion up a lot more.

Maternity Clothes: I caved and bought some.  I love new clothes in general and can't wait to wear new clothes when I buy them.  I need to wait to put on maternity clothes though because most are still a little too big.  My normal clothes are still fitting me now.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On!

Best Moment of the Week: Telling my parents and my sisters! I was so excited to tell everyone and it took every part of me not to tell them before I saw them in person.  Every phone/Skype/FaceTime call was so hard because I was keeping the biggest secret ever!  I told my family by wrapping up two picture books - "How to Babysit a Grandma" & "How to Babysit a Grandpa".  They're the cutest little picture books you'll ever read.  My mom has lots of picture books at home, so I thought these would fit right in.  My older sister was on Skype with my Aunt & Uncle in Virginia, and I had my parents open up their presents in front of them and with my sister Christine and her husband, Payton, there as well.  Overall, I think it was such a special moment for Kurt and I to tell my family and it was a success!

Worst Moment of the Week: The drive to Santa Barbara and the drive back.  We have learned that long drives and pregnant women just don't go together.  It's hard sitting down for so long, and I ended up throwing up anything I ate because I wasn't able to digest food well just sitting in a car for hours {sorry...TMI}.

Looking Forward To: No morning sickness.  Everyone keeps telling me that it will get easier and things will get better. I'm hoping so!

Sleep: I wasn't grateful enough for how well I was able to sleep because I no longer sleep through the night.  I'm alwasy too hot, or too cold, or my pillow isn't in the right spot, etc.  Plus I've been getting really bad lower back pain.  I've heard that it probably won't go away but oh well.  I'll take whatever I can get as long as my cute little Peanut is doing alright.

14 WEEKS

Size: Lemon {3.4" long}

Gender: Like I said at 13 weeks, I keep changing my mind.  I think we both want a boy, but I would totally be happy with a girl! As of right now I'm thinking it's a girl, but I change my mind so much.

Baby Names?: Kurt and I have been talking about baby names a lot.  Whatever ones we like, I write down.  We have decided to keep our favorites {and ultimately, the baby's name} a secret from everyone.  Whenever we decide on a name, we'll probably be the only two who know until Peanut arrives.  Now that I'm pregnant, I've come to realize that naming a baby is a very personal experience.  As of right now I don't care about baby name trends, who named their baby what, who else has named their little one the same name, etc.  I personally don't want to repeat too many family names, but I'm all for naming your little baby whatever you would like.  There are 3 Christine's on my dad's side of the family and 3 Alexis's on my mom's side of the family - I don't see a problem with that.

Cravings: Pierogi - it's a Polish food that's best described as potato dumplings.  It's dough stuffed with a cheesy potato mix that is then boiled and fried.  They are soooo good.  We've had a lot of those this week.  Of course you can't have pierogi without kielbasa!  Also, boiled eggs. I've been loving those this week, especially because I've had to snack so much.

Aversions: Leftovers & Mexican food.  I'm kind of tired of writing the same things every week, but I'm glad that I'm not having aversions to more food.

Symptoms: Dry skin.  My hands are always dry, which might come from my obsession with washing my hands and using and handsanitizer or might be because I'm not drinking enough water. 

Maternity Clothes: The maternity clothes I bought arrived and I like most of what I got.  I'm returning some - it's so frustrating when you buy something and it looks different in the picture on the website than it does when you receive it and see it in person. ugh. But, I'm not wearing any yet, still just belly bands for my jeans and since I normally wear looser clothing, my normal shirts are fitting just fine.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On - my fingers are swelling less, so they are a lot more comfortable to wear.  My wedding band has been at the jewelers for 2 weeks now and I can't wait to get it back!

Best Moment of the Week: Applying and getting accepted to have insurance starting January 1, 2015.  We are so excited that we'll be able to have Peanut with insurance and my doctor appointments will no longer have to be paid out of pocket.

Worst Moment of the Week: We learned my pregnancy may be a little more complicated than we anticipated.  The fact that we will have insurance once I start seeing a specialist is a huge plus! We don't exaclty know too many details but for now Peanut and I are doing very well and we are praying for a safe pregnancy.

Looking Forward To: Watching this bump get bigger.  I know it's not ideal for a woman to want to watch herself grow, but I get so excited taking my "bump update" picture every week because I love seeing that our little baby is growing.

Nausea/Sickness: I am feeling so much better! I still feel queasy at night but I'm feeling a lot better during the day.  Since I still have a super sense of smell it's hard for me to go grocery shopping and cook. Other than that, I'm starting to get better at having a more normal routine and leave the house more often.

Sleep: Getting worse! I'm getting some bad back pains that wake me up in the middle of the night and I wake up once or twice during the night now. Nothing I can't handle though.  Plus, it's getting really dry so I wake up with a dry throat, chapped lips, and in the need of a giant bottle of water.  I have a humidifier; I just need to be better at using it.

* A very kind woman let me know that I look much farther along than 14 weeks {um...thank you??}.  No matter how far along I look or how big or small I am compared to other pregnant women, I'm just happy to be pregnant and I love the fact that I have a little companion with me wherever I go.


Overall, my pregnancy has been a lot harder than I thought it would be, but at the same time I have it so easy.  I could complain about how hard everything is and how sick I am and my annoying back pain at night {and don't get me wrong...I know I do}, but it could be a lot worse.  I'm so blessed to have a body that's been able to handle this pregnancy well.  It's such a divine thing, becoming a mother. It's only been 14 weeks, but I fall more in love every day.  We are excited to see what adventures Peanut is going to bring our way.  No matter what comes our way, we will be grateful for it.

13 & 14 Weeks

I'm finally getting caught up on these updates!

I've loved decorating this board every week. It's been fun to see & read about how our little baby is growing & developing {and it's been fun showing/telling people how Peanut is doing}

13 WEEKS

Size: Peach {2.9" long}

Gender: We keep guessing, and I can never stick to my guess. I'm always changing my mind.  Surprisingly, Kurt and I are getting less anxious about it, and are just excited for our baby in general.  We aren't in any rush to find out {but I'm sure I'll change my mind over the next couple of weeks and be dying to find out!}

Cravings: Meat - because I was home for Thanksgiving, it was very nice that all food was available to me {thank you Mom & Dad!!!}.  I ate prime rib {twice}, hamburgers, a lot of beef, shrimp, etc.  It was really nice to get some protein in me.  I feel like Peanut and I definitely were taken care of.

Aversions: Leftovers, Salsa, Guacamole {Mexican food in general}.

Symptoms: I've been pretty under the weather lately with how I'm feeling.  Some days are good, and other days seem like I will never be able to get out of bed.  I'm getting sick less, but still getting sick.  My skin is itchy, which tells me that I need to drink more water and lotion up a lot more.

Maternity Clothes: I caved and bought some.  I love new clothes in general and can't wait to wear new clothes when I buy them.  I need to wait to put on maternity clothes though because most are still a little too big.  My normal clothes are still fitting me now.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On!

Best Moment of the Week: Telling my parents and my sisters! I was so excited to tell everyone and it took every part of me not to tell them before I saw them in person.  Every phone/Skype/FaceTime call was so hard because I was keeping the biggest secret ever!  I told my family by wrapping up two picture books - "How to Babysit a Grandma" & "How to Babysit a Grandpa".  They're the cutest little picture books you'll ever read.  My mom has lots of picture books at home, so I thought these would fit right in.  My older sister was on Skype with my Aunt & Uncle in Virginia, and I had my parents open up their presents in front of them and with my sister Christine and her husband, Payton, there as well.  Overall, I think it was such a special moment for Kurt and I to tell my family and it was a success!

Worst Moment of the Week: The drive to Santa Barbara and the drive back.  We have learned that long drives and pregnant women just don't go together.  It's hard sitting down for so long, and I ended up throwing up anything I ate because I wasn't able to digest food well just sitting in a car for hours {sorry...TMI}.

Looking Forward To: No morning sickness.  Everyone keeps telling me that it will get easier and things will get better. I'm hoping so!

Sleep: I wasn't grateful enough for how well I was able to sleep because I no longer sleep through the night.  I'm alwasy too hot, or too cold, or my pillow isn't in the right spot, etc.  Plus I've been getting really bad lower back pain.  I've heard that it probably won't go away but oh well.  I'll take whatever I can get as long as my cute little Peanut is doing alright.

14 WEEKS

Size: Lemon {3.4" long}

Gender: Like I said at 13 weeks, I keep changing my mind.  I think we both want a boy, but I would totally be happy with a girl! As of right now I'm thinking it's a girl, but I change my mind so much.

Baby Names?: Kurt and I have been talking about baby names a lot.  Whatever ones we like, I write down.  We have decided to keep our favorites {and ultimately, the baby's name} a secret from everyone.  Whenever we decide on a name, we'll probably be the only two who know until Peanut arrives.  Now that I'm pregnant, I've come to realize that naming a baby is a very personal experience.  As of right now I don't care about baby name trends, who named their baby what, who else has named their little one the same name, etc.  I personally don't want to repeat too many family names, but I'm all for naming your little baby whatever you would like.  There are 3 Christine's on my dad's side of the family and 3 Alexis's on my mom's side of the family - I don't see a problem with that.

Cravings: Pierogi - it's a Polish food that's best described as potato dumplings.  It's dough stuffed with a cheesy potato mix that is then boiled and fried.  They are soooo good.  We've had a lot of those this week.  Of course you can't have pierogi without kielbasa!  Also, boiled eggs. I've been loving those this week, especially because I've had to snack so much.

Aversions: Leftovers & Mexican food.  I'm kind of tired of writing the same things every week, but I'm glad that I'm not having aversions to more food.

Symptoms: Dry skin.  My hands are always dry, which might come from my obsession with washing my hands and using and handsanitizer or might be because I'm not drinking enough water. 

Maternity Clothes: The maternity clothes I bought arrived and I like most of what I got.  I'm returning some - it's so frustrating when you buy something and it looks different in the picture on the website than it does when you receive it and see it in person. ugh. But, I'm not wearing any yet, still just belly bands for my jeans and since I normally wear looser clothing, my normal shirts are fitting just fine.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On - my fingers are swelling less, so they are a lot more comfortable to wear.  My wedding band has been at the jewelers for 2 weeks now and I can't wait to get it back!

Best Moment of the Week: Applying and getting accepted to have insurance starting January 1, 2015.  We are so excited that we'll be able to have Peanut with insurance and my doctor appointments will no longer have to be paid out of pocket.

Worst Moment of the Week: We learned my pregnancy may be a little more complicated than we anticipated.  The fact that we will have insurance once I start seeing a specialist is a huge plus! We don't exaclty know too many details but for now Peanut and I are doing very well and we are praying for a safe pregnancy.

Looking Forward To: Watching this bump get bigger.  I know it's not ideal for a woman to want to watch herself grow, but I get so excited taking my "bump update" picture every week because I love seeing that our little baby is growing.

Nausea/Sickness: I am feeling so much better! I still feel queasy at night but I'm feeling a lot better during the day.  Since I still have a super sense of smell it's hard for me to go grocery shopping and cook. Other than that, I'm starting to get better at having a more normal routine and leave the house more often.

Sleep: Getting worse! I'm getting some bad back pains that wake me up in the middle of the night and I wake up once or twice during the night now. Nothing I can't handle though.  Plus, it's getting really dry so I wake up with a dry throat, chapped lips, and in the need of a giant bottle of water.  I have a humidifier; I just need to be better at using it.

* A very kind woman let me know that I look much farther along than 14 weeks {um...thank you??}.  No matter how far along I look or how big or small I am compared to other pregnant women, I'm just happy to be pregnant and I love the fact that I have a little companion with me wherever I go.


Overall, my pregnancy has been a lot harder than I thought it would be, but at the same time I have it so easy.  I could complain about how hard everything is and how sick I am and my annoying back pain at night {and don't get me wrong...I know I do}, but it could be a lot worse.  I'm so blessed to have a body that's been able to handle this pregnancy well.  It's such a divine thing, becoming a mother. It's only been 14 weeks, but I fall more in love every day.  We are excited to see what adventures Peanut is going to bring our way.  No matter what comes our way, we will be grateful for it.

Weeks 9-12

We are so excited to announce that we are going to have a baby! It still hasn't fully sunk in that this is really happening.  Our little baby will be the first grandkid on my side of the family, and the 6th on Kurt's side of the family.  We are unbelievably grateful for the love and support we have already received by friends and family since we announced our news on Saturday.

PC: Christine Thompson

Here's a little update on how I'm doing overall.  My due date is June 6, 2015 - but I highly doubt Peanut will be coming on that very day, so I usually just say the beginning of June.  I'm 13 weeks pregnant and am starting to show it.  Thank you to all who said I don't look pregnant, but let's face it...everyone can tell I've gained some pounds.  I'm quite nauseous 24/7 and I need to eat every 2 hours in order to feel like my normal self. We just got back from California for Thanksgiving and recently discovered that I don't do well on long car rides.

Surprisingly, the number one question I got was along the lines of, "So, what are you going to have your kids call your parents?" I assumed that this question was referring to how we are going to distinguish Grandpa & Grandma Sienick vs. Grandpa & Grandma Witt.  I thought this was a very odd question, but surprisingly I've always known the answer to this.  My dad is 100% Polish {making me 50%}, so we will be calling my parents Dziadziu & Babci {Polish for Grandpa & Grandma}.  Those names look like a mouthful, but could you imagine our little kiddies trying to say Grandpa Sienicki? Yeah...no.

Anyways, I've been writing weekly updates on how my pregnancy is going, and this seems to be a very popular and common thing, so I jumped on the bandwagon.  No, I will probably not be updating you on how much weight I am gaining or the awkward pregnancy symptoms that no one really needs to know about {except for myself}, so I'll try to keep it as fun, carefree, and uplifting {and not awkward} as possible.  I'm leaving the first few weeks out {I've been keeping track of the answers to these little questionnaires since 5 weeks, but I really don't think all of you want to be reading about my first 7 weeks of pregnancy haha}. Also, I'm already behind a week, but bare with me. I might even add a few more questions here and there depending on how tired I get of answering the same questions every week!

* We call our baby, Peanut.  I just can't stand when someone calls there baby "It", so I decided on a gender neutral little nickname.  It'll probably stick long enough that we will call him/her Peanut after he/she is born.  But if you see that name floating around the blog, it's in reference to our growing little baby.

9 WEEKS
Size: Green Olive {about 1" long}

Gender: Still don't know yet, but all those Wives Tales are mostly predicting GIRL right now. But in all honesty, who knows!

Cravings: Toast. Lots and LOTS of toast.

Aversions: Salsa & anything that's left overs.  Also, I cannot do the dishes without dry heaving.

Symptoms: Nausea and unfortunately the throwing up has come.  It's not all the time, but it's still enough that it's annoying. Still thirsty and still tired.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet.  I bought a couple of those bands so I can wear my normal pants longer.  I haven't had to use them yet, but maybe that's because I've been in a serious sweatpants phase right now.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On.

Best Moment of the Week: Finding out that we are officially moving!  It's still in our same apartment complex, but we're finally upgrading in life and moving into a 2 bedroom place.  It'll be nice for when Baby Witt joins us.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Moving! {Can you tell I'm excited about having a bigger apartment?}

Sleep: I haven't had too many problems sleeping right now.  The problems come once I wake up.  I have to eat almost every time I wake up if I want to fall asleep again.  I can't sleep if I'm nauseous, so granola bars are my best friend right now.

10 WEEKS
Size: Prune {1.2" long}

Gender: Still don't know

Cravings: Bread & Butter

Aversions: Salsa, Chicken & Dirty Dishes.

Symptoms: I'm always nauseous.  I've come to learn that if I eat every 2 hours, I'm okay.  It's really annoying having to eat every 2 hours but being nauseous is even more annoying than that.  I'm also always tired.  I've been so tired lately, especially with us moving and everything.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but my jeans are getting tighter.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On

Best Moment of the Week: Moving into a new apartment! It's been so wonderful having a bigger apartment.  I almost don't know what to do with all the space, but as soon as our little baby arrives, we will definitely be using the extra space for things for the baby.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  My first doctor's appointment is coming up next week! I'm super excited to learn more about our little one :)

Sleep: I feel like I don't sleep enough, even though I sleep for almost 10 hours a night.  My Snoogle pillow has changed my life, so I actually sleep through the night every night which is something I probably take for granted.  I haven't had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or anything since I found out I was pregnant.  I am super grateful I sleep well every night. Hopefully it stays that way!

11 WEEKS
Size: Lime {1.6" long}

Gender: I keep thinking it's a girl...but I honestly don't know.

Cravings: Extra Cheesy Goldfish, Toast, Orange Juice

Aversions: Mexican Food, Leftovers, anything that has a strong smell.

Symptoms: Nausea, backache, heartburn

Maternity Clothes: Not yet! But my wonderful sister-in-law is letting me borrow some of hers so I have something to wear when the time comes that none of my clothes fit.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On

Best Moment of the Week: I felt more like myself because I worked 4 days this week.  Keeping myself busy helps me not get nauseous and makes me feel better.  Plus, I made some money which I can't complain about.

Looking Forward To: Meeting my Dr. and hearing the baby's heartbeat next week!

Sleep: Good, not great, but good.  I could complain, but the fact that I'm not getting up in the middle of the night to use the loo.

12 WEEKS
Size: Plum {2.1" long}

Gender: Still don't know...but getting really anxious about finding out!

Cravings: Bread still. I just love carbs.  I also am really loving Ritz crackers right now.

Aversions: Mexican food

Symptoms: Nausea, dry skin, headaches.  I know the key for the dry skin and headaches is drinking lots of water.  It's hard, but I'm getting better at drinking half my body weight in ounces of water a day {that's gotten to almost 70 oz a day...and if you really want to do the math, you now know how much I weigh}

Maternity Clothes: Not yet...but I have had to break out those bands that keep my pants from falling down because I can't button them anymore.  It's not like that with all of my clothes, but some of my jeans don't fit, and skirts are getting tighter.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On!

Best Moment of the Week: We got to hear Peanut's little heartbeat for the first time! It was such an incredible experience for both Kurt and me.  Kurt, of course, thought it was really cool.  But I had more of an emotional attachment to the experience.  Now I didn't cry, but I thought I was going to.  It was so incredible knowing that there is a tiny little heart beating inside my body that belongs to someone else.  The experience of growing a little baby has really changed my life.

Looking Forward To: Telling my parents and my family! I am so unbelievably excited.  We have already told Kurt's family.  It was a little harder to keep it a secret from them, especially because we see them so often.  But since my parents haven't been there to see me get sick and all the physical changes that have taken place, it was a lot easier to hide it from them.  But now I finally get to tell them and I am so excited!

Sleep: Sleep is getting a little more difficult.  I'm having more back pains than normal, and the later I stay up the more nauseous I get.  If I go to bed early and relax and stretch before I go to bed, I do alright during the night. I now have been starting to have to get up in the middle of the night for loo breaks, but they haven't been killing me, so I'm okay with that.

You can definitely tell I was starting to show at 11 weeks.

I didn't exactly wear the best "showing off the bump" shirt at 12 weeks, but it was a no make-up kind of day and I forgot to take this picture so I put on the first thing I could find. :)

In another blog post I'll share how I told my family, how our Thanksgiving was, and other things that are important, but not pregnancy related :)

Thank you again for all the love and support! We really appreciate it.

Weeks 9-12

We are so excited to announce that we are going to have a baby! It still hasn't fully sunk in that this is really happening.  Our little baby will be the first grandkid on my side of the family, and the 6th on Kurt's side of the family.  We are unbelievably grateful for the love and support we have already received by friends and family since we announced our news on Saturday.

PC: Christine Thompson

Here's a little update on how I'm doing overall.  My due date is June 6, 2015 - but I highly doubt Peanut will be coming on that very day, so I usually just say the beginning of June.  I'm 13 weeks pregnant and am starting to show it.  Thank you to all who said I don't look pregnant, but let's face it...everyone can tell I've gained some pounds.  I'm quite nauseous 24/7 and I need to eat every 2 hours in order to feel like my normal self. We just got back from California for Thanksgiving and recently discovered that I don't do well on long car rides.

Surprisingly, the number one question I got was along the lines of, "So, what are you going to have your kids call your parents?" I assumed that this question was referring to how we are going to distinguish Grandpa & Grandma Sienick vs. Grandpa & Grandma Witt.  I thought this was a very odd question, but surprisingly I've always known the answer to this.  My dad is 100% Polish {making me 50%}, so we will be calling my parents Dziadziu & Babci {Polish for Grandpa & Grandma}.  Those names look like a mouthful, but could you imagine our little kiddies trying to say Grandpa Sienicki? Yeah...no.

Anyways, I've been writing weekly updates on how my pregnancy is going, and this seems to be a very popular and common thing, so I jumped on the bandwagon.  No, I will probably not be updating you on how much weight I am gaining or the awkward pregnancy symptoms that no one really needs to know about {except for myself}, so I'll try to keep it as fun, carefree, and uplifting {and not awkward} as possible.  I'm leaving the first few weeks out {I've been keeping track of the answers to these little questionnaires since 5 weeks, but I really don't think all of you want to be reading about my first 7 weeks of pregnancy haha}. Also, I'm already behind a week, but bare with me. I might even add a few more questions here and there depending on how tired I get of answering the same questions every week!

* We call our baby, Peanut.  I just can't stand when someone calls there baby "It", so I decided on a gender neutral little nickname.  It'll probably stick long enough that we will call him/her Peanut after he/she is born.  But if you see that name floating around the blog, it's in reference to our growing little baby.

9 WEEKS
Size: Green Olive {about 1" long}

Gender: Still don't know yet, but all those Wives Tales are mostly predicting GIRL right now. But in all honesty, who knows!

Cravings: Toast. Lots and LOTS of toast.

Aversions: Salsa & anything that's left overs.  Also, I cannot do the dishes without dry heaving.

Symptoms: Nausea and unfortunately the throwing up has come.  It's not all the time, but it's still enough that it's annoying. Still thirsty and still tired.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet.  I bought a couple of those bands so I can wear my normal pants longer.  I haven't had to use them yet, but maybe that's because I've been in a serious sweatpants phase right now.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On.

Best Moment of the Week: Finding out that we are officially moving!  It's still in our same apartment complex, but we're finally upgrading in life and moving into a 2 bedroom place.  It'll be nice for when Baby Witt joins us.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Moving! {Can you tell I'm excited about having a bigger apartment?}

Sleep: I haven't had too many problems sleeping right now.  The problems come once I wake up.  I have to eat almost every time I wake up if I want to fall asleep again.  I can't sleep if I'm nauseous, so granola bars are my best friend right now.

10 WEEKS
Size: Prune {1.2" long}

Gender: Still don't know

Cravings: Bread & Butter

Aversions: Salsa, Chicken & Dirty Dishes.

Symptoms: I'm always nauseous.  I've come to learn that if I eat every 2 hours, I'm okay.  It's really annoying having to eat every 2 hours but being nauseous is even more annoying than that.  I'm also always tired.  I've been so tired lately, especially with us moving and everything.

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, but my jeans are getting tighter.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On

Best Moment of the Week: Moving into a new apartment! It's been so wonderful having a bigger apartment.  I almost don't know what to do with all the space, but as soon as our little baby arrives, we will definitely be using the extra space for things for the baby.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  My first doctor's appointment is coming up next week! I'm super excited to learn more about our little one :)

Sleep: I feel like I don't sleep enough, even though I sleep for almost 10 hours a night.  My Snoogle pillow has changed my life, so I actually sleep through the night every night which is something I probably take for granted.  I haven't had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom or anything since I found out I was pregnant.  I am super grateful I sleep well every night. Hopefully it stays that way!

11 WEEKS
Size: Lime {1.6" long}

Gender: I keep thinking it's a girl...but I honestly don't know.

Cravings: Extra Cheesy Goldfish, Toast, Orange Juice

Aversions: Mexican Food, Leftovers, anything that has a strong smell.

Symptoms: Nausea, backache, heartburn

Maternity Clothes: Not yet! But my wonderful sister-in-law is letting me borrow some of hers so I have something to wear when the time comes that none of my clothes fit.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On

Best Moment of the Week: I felt more like myself because I worked 4 days this week.  Keeping myself busy helps me not get nauseous and makes me feel better.  Plus, I made some money which I can't complain about.

Looking Forward To: Meeting my Dr. and hearing the baby's heartbeat next week!

Sleep: Good, not great, but good.  I could complain, but the fact that I'm not getting up in the middle of the night to use the loo.

12 WEEKS
Size: Plum {2.1" long}

Gender: Still don't know...but getting really anxious about finding out!

Cravings: Bread still. I just love carbs.  I also am really loving Ritz crackers right now.

Aversions: Mexican food

Symptoms: Nausea, dry skin, headaches.  I know the key for the dry skin and headaches is drinking lots of water.  It's hard, but I'm getting better at drinking half my body weight in ounces of water a day {that's gotten to almost 70 oz a day...and if you really want to do the math, you now know how much I weigh}

Maternity Clothes: Not yet...but I have had to break out those bands that keep my pants from falling down because I can't button them anymore.  It's not like that with all of my clothes, but some of my jeans don't fit, and skirts are getting tighter.

Wedding Ring On or Off?: On!

Best Moment of the Week: We got to hear Peanut's little heartbeat for the first time! It was such an incredible experience for both Kurt and me.  Kurt, of course, thought it was really cool.  But I had more of an emotional attachment to the experience.  Now I didn't cry, but I thought I was going to.  It was so incredible knowing that there is a tiny little heart beating inside my body that belongs to someone else.  The experience of growing a little baby has really changed my life.

Looking Forward To: Telling my parents and my family! I am so unbelievably excited.  We have already told Kurt's family.  It was a little harder to keep it a secret from them, especially because we see them so often.  But since my parents haven't been there to see me get sick and all the physical changes that have taken place, it was a lot easier to hide it from them.  But now I finally get to tell them and I am so excited!

Sleep: Sleep is getting a little more difficult.  I'm having more back pains than normal, and the later I stay up the more nauseous I get.  If I go to bed early and relax and stretch before I go to bed, I do alright during the night. I now have been starting to have to get up in the middle of the night for loo breaks, but they haven't been killing me, so I'm okay with that.

You can definitely tell I was starting to show at 11 weeks.

I didn't exactly wear the best "showing off the bump" shirt at 12 weeks, but it was a no make-up kind of day and I forgot to take this picture so I put on the first thing I could find. :)

In another blog post I'll share how I told my family, how our Thanksgiving was, and other things that are important, but not pregnancy related :)

Thank you again for all the love and support! We really appreciate it.