Week 30 of Pregnancy

TEN more weeks to go!  This number is very welcomed in our book!  It seems so far along 3-0 weeks!

Our Baby:

This week isn’t too exciting with new growth.  Our baby is about 3 pounds and still the same length as last week (~17 inches).  The only big difference (which is quite a big difference) is that our baby’s brain is beginning to form folds for more surface area.  The baby is kicking and doing back flips like no one’s business but I can tell when I need to take it a lot slower because the baby will starts to slow down a little… that is my sign to just lay down and catch up on some rest.. 

How I am feeling:

I was feeling pretty dang good during the first part of this week but then one day I had a really horrible stomach ache and I felt extremely lousy.  I finally put two and two together and discovered that I am becoming either lactose intolerant or sensitive.  Surprisingly, this is quite common during pregnancy.  Your body is so focused on growing a baby and supplying all the hormones that the pregnancy needs that it stops wanting to do some things… like digest lactose.   I don’t know about you, but I have never heard of a pregnant woman not being able to eat ice cream by the pint or gallon-full.  Luckily, Mike ran out and got me some coconut milk “ice cream” which eased my craving. 

Water works can be turned on in seconds flat… that is all I will say about that. 

Physical changes:

I’m noticing that my feet are getting a lot more swollen through the day.  My hips have started to put the hormone, relaxin, to use and they have been quite sore from spreading.  I look at my profile and I hardly recognize the body that I have now.  I’m starting to embrace my growing belly more and more… especially when I see it move and jive during the day but my hips, butt, and thighs are a whole different story… they can go bye-bye!

Braxton Hicks’ contractions have started and they keep me on my toes.  Sometimes they hurt and sometimes they are just really uncomfortable. 

What I am eating:

I didn’t write about this last week but these were cravings from then.  I had a huge craving for powdered donuts.  Mike and I polished off a box of them in a day (It was my reward for passing my glucose test!).  I also had a sample of Malt Vinegar and sea salt chips from Costco… I couldn’t stop thinking about them so we got a bag.  I skillfully polished those off in two days flat.  Carbs are my best friend and I only eat chicken and fish because I have to. 

Odds and Ends:

We finished our childbirth class.  I was probably the worst student in there.  Mike tried to make me participate in “practice” exercises but I just do not believe that practicing on how I should breath will make a difference come labor.  I’ve never been a fan of synchronized breathing and I don’t think I will even think about it when I’m doubled over in pain with a contraction. I did discover that I liked the rebozo (a labor tool which is really just a large scarf or pashmina used to take pressure off of your back) and the birthing ball.  We also learned some labor positions that will hopefully help.  So, I guess it wasn't all a waste.

Mike has been great and he knows exactly what I want during the birth process.  There was an exercise in class where we were given 15 or so cards with two outcomes and he chose all the right outcomes really quickly.  I was looking around the room and most of the other guys looked clueless and I saw the women just grab the cards from them and place them how they wanted them.  I think he will do great come D-day!

Here’s to 30 weeks with 10 or so more to go! 

Week 26 of Pregnancy

Our Baby:

Our little one is now as long as an English cucumber and weighs in around 1 2/3 lb.  It is starting to open his/her eyes and is starting to sense light (when a flashlight is shown on my belly… it wiggles a little)!  Hair and eye color are starting to become distinguished and it is also starting to plump!  The baby is growing by leaps and bounds and will start to gain ½ lb every week soon.

How I am feeling:

I am feeling pretty good, though I am really tired and I can’t sleep too well.  I’m also starting to get very nervous and anxious…however, I can’t pinpoint what it is.  I feel a little overwhelmed with what has to be done to the house before we get a little one here.  Our bathtub needs to be changed out, we are building a closet in our bedroom, the carpets and couch need to be professionally cleaned, the nursery needs to be painted, I still have to pick out everything for the nursery, our office needs to be moved, and the house needs a deep cleaning.  Every Friday that passes by, I start panicking a little more.  Plus, with not being able to set up the nursery, I feel so unprepared.  Just lots to do!

Physical Changes:

No real changes here except for my weight and my bigger belly.  I am up 1.3 lbs from last week, making my total weight gain +17 lbs.  My belly button is starting to become shallower and shallower.  A lot of aches and pains in my hip and leg regions are starting.  Swimming helps a bunch with relieving those plus it is a pretty easy exercise for me to do…because walking sometimes becomes cumbersome. 

What I am craving:

My diet has pretty much leveled out now and I don’t necessarily have many cravings.  I’ll sometimes crave Cheetos but that is about it.  My cranberry kick has died down a bit but it still tastes very good!

Odds and Ends:

This baby’s Aunt’s birthday is today!  Happy Birthday to the best sister in the world!

Week 25 of Pregnancy

Our Baby

This week our baby is as big as an eggplant!  Weighing in at about 1 ½ lb!  The lungs are almost fully developed and the nostrils are starting to open up which allows for some practice breaths before birth.

  

How I am feeling:

I am feeling pretty great!  I seriously do not have anything to complain about this week! 

Mike and I went swimming for the first time this summer and it felt great!  I did get a little ligament pain afterwards but I think it helped get my energy level up again.  I’ll most likely be buying a pool pass for the summer. 

The baby is kicking on a very regular basis already and seems to have a schedule set!  Kicks early in the morning to wake me up, then stops after I eat breakfast, starts again around 2 or 3, then stops for a nap around 4, tells me to eat around 7, then stops after dinner, then starts up around 8-9, and I think it sleeps throughout the night… hopeful thinking?

Physical changes:

I don’t know if I am overanalyzing things or what… my belly seems to growing at a constant pace but I feel like my hips and butt have once again doubled in size! 

My weight gain for this week was 1.9 lbs for a total of +15.7 lbs!

Things I am craving:

I’m still craving Eggo waffles and cranberry juice.  Not too much news on this front!  

Some things you don’t really know before getting pregnant:

1. You get back fat and love handles… I’ve heard moms talk about this but I never thought it would happen to me L

2. You get cellulite… I am hoping this goes away after the baby is born!  Not to sound condescending but, I never knew I valued my body so much. 

3. Once your bump starts getting large enough to tell you are pregnant… you join a secret community of pregnant moms.  You notice every single one and they notice you. 

  

Week 24 of Pregnancy

Our Baby

I’m pretty awestruck that I am 6 months pregnant already.  Time has sure flown!

The baby is as long as an ear of corn and weighs about 1 ½ pounds!  It has gained 4oz  (ish) in just one week!  Crazy… It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that we were excited that it was 1oz. 

Our little one is starting to sprout hair, though the color is not apparent yet… fitting for the ear of corn! 

How I am feeling

Much better than last week.  Around midweek I started to get my energy back and my ligament pains got much better.  I’m sleeping better, although, I am getting up to pee a lot more… maybe because I am keeping up with my water intake finally.  I think I am doing better emotionally, however, if any of you reading this know me, you know how shy I can be.  This week I have noticed that I have gone even more inward than normal.  It isn’t so much shyness as it is just a lot of thinking, mostly about the baby but about my family, Mike, finances etc as well. I think I’m just starting to prepare myself for what is coming in the next 16 weeks and how it may or may not turn everything upside down for a while. 

Physical Changes

My belly is still, of course, getting bigger.  My linea nigra is becoming more apparent and I feel like I am getting small dark spots around my mouth, which indicates the “mask of pregnancy.”   I gained 1.6 pounds making my total weight gain +13.8 and right on target.  I am kind of surprised I didn’t gain more because I have been extremely hungry this week.  Speaking of hunger…

What I am craving

Sadly, I am craving Cheetos, Cranberry juice, and Eggo Waffles (Not together…yikes).  Mike and I were at Home Depot this week and I got an overwhelming craving for a hot dog and Cheetos.  The hot dog craving went away but I had to have Cheetos.  I blame Home Depot.  I’ve gone through a box of Eggo Waffles this week (at least they are the whole wheat ones…).  Last night was the first night that I had a midnight craving for cranberry juice… drank right out of the container, which is totally not something I would do. 

All together, it has been a much better week and I’m happy to report that there are only 16 weeks left!

Weeks 22 and 23 of Pregnancy

So… I kind of slacked off on my 22 week pregnancy update, mostly because we left for Seattle last Friday and the fact that I have been extremely exhausted ever since we got back.  So I am going to link weeks 22 and 23 together in this post.

Seattle really took a lot out of me with the walking and traveling aspect.  This week I have been really emotional and frankly worn out.  I even had to sell our tickets to one of our favorite band’s concert, Postal Service.  Wild guess, but I believe this won’t be the last time we cancel plans because of our little jelly belly.

Our Baby

Last week the baby was the size of a Spaghetti Squash (crazy) and weighed in at about 15oz.  This week, the little one is the size of a Papaya and is now 11 inches long and weighs in at about 1.1-1.2 pounds!  We have reached the poundage mark, people!  Over the next few weeks the baby will double in size again!

In Seattle, the baby was not moving much.  Maybe it was just as tired as I was or it was the different altitude or who knows.  I kept trying to make it move throughout the day because I started getting worried.  But as soon as I got on the plane… Mr/Ms. Jelly belly started moving all over the place again and hasn’t stopped much since.  I joked that we have a little homebody on our hands.

 Physical Changes

Of course my belly has gotten bigger and people now can see that I am pregnant.  Not many have pointed it out until either Mike or I say something about it.  Last week I gained 1.5 pounds making it a total of +11 pounds pre-pregnancy.  This week, I am up another 1.2 pounds making my total weight gain to date, +12.2 pounds.  Those spandex-y maternity pants/shorts are now all I want to wear.

How I am feeling

During week 22, I was very energetic and was able to get a lot of stuff done around the house.  This week, however, Mike has picked up a lot of my slack… plus he has been working almost everyday since we got back.  While I was still waking up yesterday, Mike had mowed the lawn, did the dishes, and started the mound of laundry we have collected.  And all without me even asking.  I have to give him a lot of credit here and kind of brag about what a great husband I have.

Here is my view of the belly!

The Round Ligament pain I was feeling a few weeks back, well that was nothing.  I now can’t get comfortable in any position without something twinging or aching.  I’m hoping I either get used to it in the weeks to come or it goes away for a little while before the 3^rd trimester woes start (which is only another 5 weeks away).

Emotionally, I am a wreck.  My tears can be switched “on” in a matter of seconds if something makes me upset… that has usually always been the case but it is much worse now.  I can’t even remember some of the things that have made me tear-up/cry in the past week but I know most of them were pretty stupid.  For instance, I couldn’t get a good shot for my pregnancy picture so I gave up after about 5 tries and went inside and cried a little.  That is why this post is late… I had to wait for Mike to take a picture of me.

What I am craving

I am still on a nectarine kick but cherries have now been added to my summer fruit cravings.  I am really starting to hate cooking, especially dinner, because I just can’t come up with good dishes.  As you could see in my Seattle post, I still love sweets and have to keep them out of the house or else I’ll eat way too much sugar.  I always thought that a pregnant woman in her 2^nd trimester was supposed to want to eat everything in sight… not this pregnant lady. 

What I am missing

I started missing my flat tummy this week.  I know I am not huge but I still feel like I am.  I also miss being able to walk long distances without taking a break every 5 minutes to catch my breath.  And wine… I could have gone for many glasses of wine while in Seattle and now that I’m back home, sangria on the porch sounds amazing.  

That’s all for now! 

Weekend Update: Pancakes, Farmer's Markets, and 13th Birthday Parties

Mike only had this Saturday off but it was a very full Saturday.  He has this Monday and Tuesday off but we are planning on finally finishing those garden boxes and finally planting.

Early Saturday, I really felt like some pancakes.  We didn’t have any eggs so I looked up a no-egg pancake recipe… tried it and threw away the two pancakes I made and the batter.  YUK!  

Instead of going to the store to buy eggs or even some pancake mix (like most normal people), we decided (since it was the 1^st and all… our monthiversary!) to go out to breakfast.  

We were also planning on going to the farmer’s market to walk around a bit, so Mike called up his mom and sister to join us. 

I had exclaimed earlier in the day that I wanted some rhubarb for a rhubarb crisp and that the neighbors behind us had a whole bunch that they never use.  While I was drying my hair, Mike had gone over and “borrowed” some of the “never-used-was-going-to-waste” rhubarb.  Recipe to follow…

We went to Jelly’s U Café by DU. It was pretty packed but we were able to be seated early over by the “window bar” because I was starting to get pretty hungry by that point.  I ordered the Buttermilk pancakes and Mike got The Wisco Scramble with Bacon, cheddar, Brie, and Swiss cheeses.  Yummy!

We finished breakfast and headed over to the Cherry Creek Saturday Farmer’s Market to meet his mom, sister, and adorable niece.  We couldn’t stay too long because we had my niece’s 13^th birthday party to go to.  His mom bought us two huge artichokes and we got some baby/people/dog watching in.

We hurried home, took quick showers, and were out the door to my niece’s birthday.  Let me just tell you how I feel about this birthday.  I remember her 1^st birthday party like it was yesterday (the chubby little cheeks eating cake and all)… but the fact is, I was just a couple years older than she is now at her 1^st birthday.  It made me realize just how fast kids grow up without even realizing it.  And, it almost made me a little sad because it is going to go so much quicker with my own.  

Side Note:

Here is a fun fact about our family:

                                                  My biological mom was 15 years old when my sister was born.

My sister was 12 years old when I was born

I was 14 years old when my niece was born

… and my niece will be 13 years old when my baby is born

12, 13, 14, 15.  So my niece is going to have to have a baby when this little one is either 11 or 16 (ugh… I don’t even want to think about those ages yet).  Just kidding!

Another fun fact:

             My mom was 27 when she had me, my sister was 27 when she had my niece, and I will be 27 when I have this baby. 

Anyways, my sisters gave my niece a great 13^th birthday party full of teenage fun… karaoke, dancing, and of course lots of presents!  I had never seen my niece the way she acted yesterday… so grown up and really funny!  She is usually pretty reserved when she is around the family but get her friends into the mix... and she becomes so outgoing and talkative (well, she is always talkative though :)). 

Today is her actual birthday so… Happy 13^th Birthday, A! I love you!

Here’s to a full Saturday of pancake cravings, farmer’s markets, and 13^th birthdays!

Week 21 of Pregnancy

I’ve had a pretty crazy week and I am sorry for the delay of this weekly update. 

We did our anatomy scan this week and had a glimpse at our future.  I think we were disturbing the little munchkin because it wasn’t moving a whole bunch and had its hands in front of his/her face pretty much the whole time.  Everything with the scan went perfectly.  Our baby is growing flawlessly and is even ahead of schedule by a few days.  We are very happy and blessed.

This week has been quite a whirlwind and a little hectic.  I’ve been dealing with refinancing the house and trying to figure out the budget for when baby comes.  It is quite stressful.  Luckily, we get to close on the house tonight, so that will take a whole bunch of stress out of my daily life. 

Our baby

Our baby is now as long as a carrot and is supposed to be weighing in at 10oz, however at the ultrasound, our little jelly belly weighed in at 13oz. 

We felt our little one kick through my belly for the first time this week.  I can feel the baby doing back flips and flops usually at night around 8pm, it has even woken me up a few times in the middle of the night!  It will also start moving a bunch if it is around the time I should eat.  I know that once the baby starts moving, I better get something in my stomach fast or else I’ll get nauseous and lightheaded… and very, very cranky.

How I’ve been feeling:

Other than being stressed, I’ve felt really good this week.  I’ve been working in the yard almost daily and I planted some colorful flowers that make me smile every time I look at them.  I even built a fountain for our backyard… all by myself (Mike did help with the bag of heavy rocks, though).  Mike got our garden boxes in the ground this week and we will be filling them with soil and lots of veggies when we get back from our anniversary trip to Seattle. 

I have started to get daily headaches but I think that is more attributed to spring time and being outside a lot.  Sleep on the other hand hasn’t been great but it comes with the territory.  This has been about the easiest week as far as the pregnancy goes. 

Physical Changes:

None that I can recount from this week.  I gained one pound, so I am now up 9.5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.  The doctor said I was gaining weight perfectly and to keep doing what I am doing.

 

What I am eating/craving:

I still am not in the mood for food too much.  Sweets have been my go-to lately and I am still craving crumb cake with orange juice (though I haven’t really had orange juice due of heartburn) and cheesecake.  I could eat an individual cheesecake everyday at this point.   I also still cannot get enough peaches, nectarines, or apricots. 

It is amazing how fast these last five months have passed.  It seems so long while going through them but looking back, they have flashed before our eyes.  I’m just hoping the next 4.5 months go just as fast if not faster.  

Our dogs are carrot fanatics, so they were swarming around me during this photo shoot

Half Way There - Week 20 of Pregnancy

We have reached the halfway mark!  20ish more weeks and we get to meet our little monkey.  

Our baby is now as big as a small cantaloupe and as long as a banana; weighing in at 9-10 oz and measuring 10 inches from head to their little toes.  This week marks the time when the baby is measured from head to toe rather than head to rump.  

 I can really tell that this little one is on the move during the morning… no more sleeping in for this lady once he/she is born. 

How I am feeling

I think round ligament pain is here to stay for a while.  Other than that, I don’t really have any complaints.  I’m sleeping pretty well, but I’m not sure if it is a good deep sleep ever.  My emotions are still wacky too.

Physical changes

My belly is starting to pop out even more.  Yesterday, I got the first, “When are you due?”  I was a little taken back and speechless for a minute but it felt good to know that I’m not in that awkward phase anymore.  It was actually a pretty funny encounter, she had just found out that she was a getting a nephew and she was on the biggest high and could have talked about it for hours with us.  Babies bring out the best in almost everyone!

Another change occurring, my boobs are again growing… and this time it hurts!

I am up a 1/2 pound since last week, which makes my weight gain at +8.5 pounds.

What I’ve been craving

Stone fruits.  Our grocery store finally got in their “first of the season” summer fruits.  I think I was dancing around once I got home eating the first peach of the year.  I guess I know where our grocery budget will be hit this summer.  I’ve also eaten almost an entire watermelon this week.

Fun Facts
-My wedding ring still fits but I can feel it getting snug late in the day

-I’ve never liked the smell of garlic but I think its about 10x as worse pregnant

-I crave a Ginger Ale at lunchtime everyday

-We have two names picked out (one for a boy and one for a girl)

-Mike loves my pregnant belly and smiles and laughs a little every time he notices it

Previous Pregnancy updates

Weeks 4-15

Week 16

Week 17

Week 18

Week 19