Nursery is underway!

So Shane and I have decided on our nursery theme/bedding.....sort of. It obviously depends on what the sex of the baby is (finding out March 6th), but I have done my hours and hours of research and decided that no matter what, we want to incorporate Shane's Hawaiian heritage into our baby's nursery. I'm slightly partial to the boy bedding, just because Shane's grandma Bev made this quilt (my inspiration for the boy nursery). I'm sure if we have a girl, we will use it for something for her :)

We FOR SURE have decided on the furniture, it's the DaVinci Kalani line (another Hawaiian name that I love) in the color Espresso.

DaVinci Kalani Furniture

Boy Bedding/Theme

Girl Bedding/Theme

14 Weeks.....

.....and yes, I plan to do this EVERY week - I'm that anal. So this week I am really starting to feel pregnant physically. I think my belly is really starting to "come out" as well as my clothes feeling tighter and tighter. No complaints here, I was hoping to show sooner - so I welcome my protruding tummy with open arms What do you think? I don't think I've necessarily "popped" yet - I can still "hide" my belly, but it's fun to let it all hang out :)

14 weeks

As for Shane and I, we signed up for a program called "Becoming Parents". I saw an ad on Craigslist for this research study for pregnant couples and for showing up you get a $50 Fred Meyer gift card. I thought what the heck, it's on Saturday and we aren't doing anything! So I had to drag Shane there promising him Little Caesars Pizza for lunch - and it turns out this research study is going to be very beneficial to us. This program focuses on marriages during the first year of having a child. We go to workshops, take surveys, get interviewed, they offer date nights...basically, they want to teach us that happy parents equal a happy baby and study us to see if their program works. The best part is that it's ALL FREE! Shane and I have been desperately looking for something we can do together to connect better - and that is FREE. We start our first workshop on February 14th - I'll update you on how it goes :)

Keiki on Board!!!!!

Yesterday Brianne and I had our 13.5 week ultrasound which is different from the usually scheduled 12 week/ 16 week, etc. appointments, but who said anything about us being normal :) Yesterday we were able to see our little bundle of joy and all those emotions that we had during the first ultrasound came roaring back. We are both most concerned about health for our child but when the technician Tiffany said, "My guess is boy," my mind immediately went to all the things I could buy and teach this little guy. Seahawks gear, toy trucks, jumpshots, etc... All those things instantly flashed in my head. Ofcourse we don't find out until the next ultrasound on March 6th the official sex, and I won't be disappointed one bit if I have to buy dresses and ponies instead ;)

On a different note, my Grandfather passed away last Thursday at the age of 80. He lived a long and fruitful life and I am sad to see him pass on before meeting his future great grand baby. I loved my Grandpa, and although I didn't see him too often, I always knew that he loved me and took care of us as best he could. I am thankful that he was a part of my life and am thankful our parents will be a part of this baby's life.

Whether it's a kane or a wahine, this baby will be loved for sure!

13.5 week appoinment

So yesterday we had our 13.5 week appointment for the Nuchal Translucency Scan. This scan done via ultrasound and blood work detects (70% accuracy) if the baby has Trisomy 18 and/or Downs Syndrome. This test is completely optional, and Shane and I decided that we want to be as informed as possible - so we opted to do it. PLUS, did I say it's done via ultrasound?!??! Another chance to see our baby? HELL YES we are doing it. At our last appointment (at 9 weeks) our sonographer, Tiffany, told us that she would try and guess the baby's gender - so that gave us that much more excitement to schedule this appointment.

We saw our little baby, heard the heartbeat and just fell in love all over again with this little human being inside of me. Tiffany took the measurements she needed and said the baby looks good (which of course is our #1 priority). Then she said, "alright, let's guess the sex!". Well, the baby (just like his mother) did not want to cooperate! He/She was facing away from us, or would flip upside down, or would just keep moving long enough so Tiffany would just miss checking out his/her junk. After about 10 minutes of me going on my right side, then my left side, then flipping onto my back like a beached whale she finally said, "Boy, my guess is a boy". She also said to keep in mind that with how active "he" was, don't go out and buy boy clothes - but she also said she's only been wrong once. So as of now, baby Makanani is TEAM BLUE! We find out for sure the gender of our baby on March 6th - the Friday before our FIRST Anniversary (Sunday, March 8th), what a way to celebrate!

Doctor said he'll let us know in about a week or so how the tests come back - but right now, we are as positive as can be. We are still blown away how far the baby has come in 4 weeks. He/she went from a blob with nubs, to human with a head & limbs. Shane and I definitely HEART our baby!!! Keep growing little keiki, keep growing big and strong, we love you!

Eve of our 2nd Ultrasound

With all the excitement flying in the air, (new job, car, etc.), what could be more exciting then to see another picture of your baby? I can't think of anything at this point. In the last 5 weeks, our baby has grown from the size of a lentil bean (1/4 inch) to the size of a medium shrimp (2 1/2 inches) Crazy! That's like going from newborn to high school student in size!

I'm also excited to share this amazing experience w/ Brianne as she's been very supportive throughout our short lives together. I really can't imagine where I'd be without her. Apologies for the short length of this post, but my brain is fried after all going through so much today at my new job. It's entirely outside of what I have ever done and presents a unique challenge, but I am up for it. I have to be. I have a wife, baby, and a dog to support ;)

13 weeks!

Today is 13 weeks YEAH! We officially made it through the first trimester successfully. The only disappointing thing is that my appetite hasn't really come back yet :( I guess I was just expecting it to magically come back, along with a burst of energy....not so much. So I am taking matters into my own hands - I am going to begin an exercise regimen and go grocery shopping and force myself into eating and exercising....mind over matter, right?

13 week bellyOn the job front for the Makanani family we have GREAT news. Last Wednesday Shane got offered a job at Adobe in Ballard!!!! It's a year long contract job - and pays more than he was making at his last job. I FIRMLY believe that it's not what you know, it's WHO you know - that saying has always worked for me, and in Shane's case, it worked for him when he needed it most. A family friend, Rick, is pretty high up at Adobe and offered Shane the job and he started last Thursday. It's pretty overwhelming, considering Shane has never done software sales before, but I know he is going to do so great - he does at everything!!

Lastly, Shane and I were invited to an 80's themed rollerskating party for our friend Serina's 30th Birthday party on Saturday night. As always, when it comes to costume parties - Shane and I didn't hold back. What a fun idea to dress up in 80's gear - and surprisingly, it's TOTALLY coming back and I found my outfit in under 30 minutes at the mall.....totally radical dude!


Me & Shane

Me & Serina (the birthday girl)

Bub Bergstrom, Shane and Jason Bergstrom
(doesn't Jason look like Matt Dillon on Something About Mary?)

12 weeks today!

Whew! What a relief! 1st trimester is almost over which marks a MAJOR milestone for me!!! I have always read that the chance of miscarriage drops significantly after 12 weeks - so today, I celebrate. Shane and I have both been counting down the days until today, and now we get to create a new countdown, the day until we find out the sex of our little one. I think it goes without saying, this new countdown is much more positive :)

I am also excited to hopefully be getting my appetite back! I think living off of cereal, bagels, oranges and mac & cheese isn't very healthy - much less appetizing, but that's what I'm working with here. Poor Shane just begs me to eat protein, but I just can't do it, the sight or thought of it makes me just gag!

Well, here's my 12 week picture, still looks the same to me as 11 weeks....hopefully, I'll really pop soon, I can't WAIT!

I feel so blessed

For those of you that don't know (I haven't really shouted it from the rooftops), I was laid-off the first week in November. Not only was I completely shocked as I was told by the partners in the company, "Brianne, you will NEVER be laid off, you are too valuable, flexible and an asset to this company" but also, this is the FIRST time in 14 years that I have gone more than 2 months without working. I have ALWAYS been able to find a job, nail an interview, WOW potential employers.....and here I am, 2 months later and haven't had ONE interview. It is VERY humbling indeed. I feel blessed however, because 2 weeks after being laid-off, we found out we were pregnant. I think it was a blessing in disguise, a sign that my job with Murray Franklyn was preventing me from getting pregnant (always sick, stressed, on my feet all day, losing sleep at night, etc.). So I am thankful that I was pushed of the ledge so that I could have what I have always wanted, a child.

Since Shane's job was strong, I put my AMAZING budgeting skills to work and we decided that we could afford for me to stay home with the baby (something I have always dreamed of). I am collecting unemployment while still looking for a job on a daily basis, but once the unemployment runs out, I may need to find a part-time job to keep us afloat for a bit (which is no big deal at all). All was fine and dandy :)

Then last week we were hit by a mack truck; Shane got laid off. I can't begin to tell you how much panic set in. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS HOUSE! WE HAVE A BABY ON THE WAY! WE HAVE NO JOBS! I REFUSE TO COLLECT WELFARE! WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO!??!? I seriously thought I was going to have a panic attack, but after many talks with each other as well as our parents we realized: If this is the worst that can happen to us, we are pretty
damn lucky. We still have our baby growing inside of me, we have food in the cupboards, we have a car that takes us where we need to go, we have clothes, a roof over our heads, a family that loves us, and friends that want to stand by our side.

Within hours the emails and phone calls started flooding in....
"What can I do to help?"
" I know a friend that has a job opening"
" Can I drop off baby stuff?
" Let me buy you dinner"
" Can I please give you a discount on my service?"
" I can help with your mortgage"

The list goes on and on....and that's when I truly realized how blessed we are to have the family and friends in our lives. Shane and I (especially me) have NEVER been huge on accepting charity, I feel like you make choices in life and you must suffer the consequences - for the first time in my life, I am willing to accept the struggles that are put in front of us right now and swallow my pride. I have never felt so loved in my life - and I just hope that if this sort of thing happens to one of my friends and/or family, that I can be that person that steps up to help.

I will never forget this time in my life, and those that have held our hands.....

Belly Pics

Well, my belly is finally starting to grow a little bit....it's probably ALL bloat, but I rub it everyday (Shane, every night) and say a prayer & some words of encouragement to him/her to keep on growing big and strong!

To those pregnant friends or mommies out there - does it look like bloat? Or maybe that there could actually be a baby in there :)

Here are the pictures from Week 11 (current), Week 10 and Week 9.

Our first blog!

Today is the first day of blogging and I am very excited for this. I told myself that the day we found out we were pregnant, I'd start one, but yet, I have been fearful and I just figured out why. I have always been an open book, never hold anything back because my hope is that people will learn from my experiences and my regrets. But now, I am making myself and my family REALLY open. I will never censor myself, I will tell it like it is - and now it's in "print".

I don't know what I will say, when I will say it, or how I will say it - but I am eager to share our journey in pregnancy, childbirth, holidays, birthdays, special occasions, struggles, sad occasions -and life experiences in general. I have no agenda, but to give you a look into the Makanani Family lifestyle. Welcome to our journey.....