Nickerson News

Seth and I have been hoping for a snow day all winter and we finally got one! We are both home today and loving life. (and how special, it is Valentine’s Day) We kinda took a chance last night and thought we might get to stay home today, so we stay up late last night and watched a movie. It was so fun! But then all night we had a hard time sleeping since we heard the ice crashing down on our house.

Also, I just found out I am having Restless Leg Syndrome. I never knew there was such a thing. I was telling my pregger’s friend Linny about how much my legs hurt during the night and I have this urge to stretch them and she immediately knew what it was. I did some research and about 20% of pregnant women get this. Interesting.

Our cat, Allister, hates the snow and cold weather. He keeps us laughing all day long. He really wants to go outside, but then when we open the door and he sees the snow, he looks at us and cries as if he is saying, “Mom and Dad, please get rid of the snow so I can play outside.” He takes one step, literally 4 paw prints, and turns right back around and jumps back inside. This method goes on for about 1 hour. We open the door, he cries, steps out and jumps back in. It actually gets really annoying after awhile. Finally, he cries himself to sleep on the window bench dreaming that he is outside in the sunny weather.

On a baby note, Seth still hasn’t felt baby Nick move. I feel him constantly and I’m always like, hurry Seth come over here and feel him. Wouldn’t you know it, as soon as Seth puts his hand on my stomach, Baby Nick stops. Almost like he is playing a game with Seth. This has happened more times then I can count. I even have Seth talk to the baby, hoping he will get excited and start kicking. I really want Daddy Seth to feel his son. I feel him move all day long and I know Seth is anxiously awaiting his first kick.

Well, that’s all for now. Since we are home today, we are taking full advantage of this and are going to do some work on the house.

Happy Snow Day and Happy Valentine’s Day!

My weekend has been spent recuperating from my busy week. The wedding shoot went great. It looks like we got some really good shots. The couple was adorable. You could tell they were absolutely in love with each other.

I think I should start publishing the unbelievable rude comments other people have said to me since I’ve been pregnant. Friday night was BY FAR the most shocking. Not only am I shooting a wedding, but I’m almost 6 months pregnant. During dinner, Allison and I got to take a break from shooting and eat. The waitress who was serving us came up and ask me when I was due. I said, in June. She boldly said, “You’re HUGE!” I said. “Excuse me?” (I have Allison as my witness, she heard everything) She preceded to tell me that she couldn’t believe I was so big and said that I am going to get so big b/c I still have 4 months left….and as if I didn’t understand what she was saying, she kept going. “hunny, you got the rest of Feb, March, April, May…you are just HUGE”. I wasn’t going to be nice to this woman. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I ask her why she felt the need to tell me this and her response was, “It the honest truth, you’re huge. Do you want me to lie to you?” I said, “No, you don’t have to even talk to me. Did I ask your opinion? Why in the world are you telling me this?” I told her I was highly offended and that I couldn’t believe she was talking to me like this. I told her I’m 6 months pregnant and not only was I hurt by her comments, but b/c I’m pregnant I am even more emotional. She never once apologized and continues to let me know how big she thought I was for the next 10 minutes. It was literally shocking! So, the next day I called the manager and complained about her. She needs to get in trouble for her behavior.

I’ve learned not to dwell on rude comments, it can just get you down. It did help that one of the guest, some 18 year kid, kept asking me to dance. I told him, I couldn’t dance with him and that I was the photographer. After the 10^th time that he asked me, I ask him, “Why do you want to dance with me? I’m married, pregnant and the photographer”. He said, “I didn’t know you were pregnant and I just thought it would be fun to dance with you.” So one person thought I was huge and another didn’t even know I was pregnant. Life is interesting.

Here is what is happening in week 22: babycenter.com & pregnancy.org

Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 11 inches and almost 1 pound. (We know baby Nick is over the 1 lb mark). His skin will continue to appear wrinkled until she gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his head and body is now visible. His lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. His eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and his pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily. Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before! When you talk, read, or sing, expect him to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero. Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers. Be prepared for all those “Why” questions coming! Your baby’s brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what’s called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain’s amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday. With some help from mom, baby’s liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells. If your baby is male his testes begin their descent to the scrotum and Primitive sperm have formed and he is producing testosterone.

Here is a photo of a 22 week old baby in the womb. Isn’t he precious!

Pray for us! My Friend Allison and I are shooting our 2nd wedding tonight!!!

You can check out our first wedding at the link below (Ed and Joyce’s wedding) http://web.mac.com/allisonmorgan1/iWeb/Site/Galleries.html

Baby Nick is sure making his presence known. There is now no hiding the fact that I am pregnant, not like I was ever trying to hide it.

I am on the board for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) for the DC Chapter. (some of you may be thinking: there is actually a chapter of organizers) The National group has over 4,000 members and our DC chapter has around 115 members. It has been a wonderful experience and I truly feel like it has increased my business now that I am on the board. But my position ends in May and I am a bit relieved. It was a lot of work and all volunteer work for that matter. I just feel like I can’t commit to another year with Baby Nick on the way. Anyway, you are probably wondering where I am going with this. So, back to Baby Nick making his presence known. The group mainly consists of women and they have been so sweet about my pregnancy. Since I only see them once a month, I think I shocked them all this past Monday. Baby Nick is probably pushing close to 1 lb these days and I have really “popped”. I could tell from the looks on their faces they were surprised when I walked in the door, but they have been sending me emails all week telling me how nice and cute I looked. Even though I feel so far from cute right, it was nice to hear that since I have had some bad experience with “other women” being so rude about how I looked. Anyway, that paragraph just got way too long.

On a cooler note, I love how the Lord can use us even when we feel so unworthy. I have felt like the week has already been so long. Monday was madness and yesterday was just as crazy. Every Tuesday I volunteer at Care Net from 4-6 and I was so feeling so worn out and wondering how I could possibly help someone else being that I felt so tired. This is where I really see the Lord’s strength and not mine. Some days at the center are empty, other days are crazy busy and yesterday was one of those crazy days. As soon as I walked in the door, a client walked right in. I thought, do I have the strength to do this? She was a gem and I felt so happy talking with her. After an hour she left and I thought this would give me enough time to take my notes and then head out the door and get me that pizza I had been thinking about all day. As soon as she left, another young girl walked in the door. I thought, another one? Can I do this again? But the Lord showed himself faithful and I surprisingly had more energy after she left then when she walked in the door. I loved meeting her. She was due the exact day as me! I think which is why I felt so close to her. I didn’t get out of there till 6:30 and my pizza was cold by that time, but I was happier when I left Care Net then when I walked in there 2 1/2 hours earlier. I came home and was so energized by my night at Care Net. It really shows that when you take the focus off yourself, and let God use you, it puts a whole new prospective on your own life.

Enjoy your Tuesday. I get to spend it with my Mommy and sisters!