27 Week Bumpdate

WEEK 27

Baby is the size of a bunch of bananas!

I'm starting to get really sick of those same questions every week...and a lot of the answers are the same besides the best moments of the week and new pregnancy symptoms...so from now on I'm just going to write about any changes that happen from here on out.

this is my last week in the second trimester!!!  I can't believe it.  I am almost really going to be a mom over here!  I already feel like a mom actually...well, I feel super protective and so much love for this precious little babe inside me.  I'm pretty sure baby already knows my voice because whenever I feel kicks, I can't help but say, "hi babe!" and proceed to talk to the baby instead of talking to myself, because let's face it, I do that all the time!

little peanut has been moving up a storm over here lately...the movements have gotten so strong!  they make me gasp when they come on unexpectedly and watching my tummy contort into different positions never gets old!

this anemia thing is kicking my butt!  at least once a day I have a pretty bad spell where all of a sudden I feel super dizzy, exhausted, nauseous and my heart starts racing.  it's so annoying and it usually hits while I've been sitting for awhile (always happens during church!) but I just got my iron supplements so hopefully I will start feeling better soon.

sleeping has become a nightmare!  I'm always exhausted but cannot get comfortable for the life of me.  I currently use 3 pillows and have yet to buy a true pregnancy pillow, mostly because I'm not sure what mark would do since he is the craziest sleeper around!  maybe it would force him to stay on his side of the bed all night...

been craving smoothies and ice blended drinks this week...strawberries & creme frap from starbucks = heaven

terrible indigestion after eating continues and is the worst at night!  whenever I lie down I immediately have to sit back up to burp...this happens for the first hour after getting into bed and is so annoying, disgusting and just uncomfortable!  there are lots of things about pregnancy that are very uncomfortable (this baby is getting heavy!) and while I am so grateful I can carry my baby around in my belly, I am really banking on baby coming early!  I can't imagine what being 40 weeks pregnant (or more!) would be like!

latest in nursery purchases...mark's parents got us the most beautiful rocker in the whole world!  this beauty will be awaiting us when we get to texas...

so in love!  best present ever!!!  we also bought all our crib accessories from rh baby & child

washed satin crib skirt in dove grey

trellis print crib sheet in silver mist

bouclé embroidered pillow in dream

cuddle plush changing pad cover in dove grey

can't wait to get everything all set up!  also looking forward to...my baby shower this saturday!  and the third trimester!!!

glucose challenge test

I have been dreading this test pretty much my entire pregnancy.  I remember reading about it in my birth club at the start of my pregnancy and all the horror stories of how gross the stuff you have to drink is when you're already nauseous!  I read about the best flavor to pick if you have a choice, how you should request it be cold and if possible, take the stuff at home before you get there so you can mentally prepare yourself.  well, as life would have it, I was able to do none of that!

after my prenatal appointment, they sent me over to the lab to take the test.  I had known I would be taking it today so I just had two hard boiled eggs for breakfast.  they warned against drinking juice or eating anything with sugar in it so I steered clear.  I was a little worried though because I finished the eggs in the waiting room at my appointment and it only lasted about half an hour so I had literally just finished eating right before I took the test.  I was all mad at myself, especially after reading forums where people said you should fast even though they say you don't have to because you will fail the test otherwise and the 3 hour test is the WORST!  ahhh!

well, I arrived at the lab, signed in, and let them know I was there for the glucose test.  the lady opened a drawer and pulled out a small bottle with clear liquid in it (looked like a water bottle).  she told me I had three minutes to drink it and then I'd have to wait an hour before the test.  she advised to take lots of deep breaths while I was drinking it because some people throw up!  also, I wasn't allowed to leave the waiting room before the test...so what happened if I needed to throw up?  I was terrified!

after she handed me the bottle, she told me to get drinking!  right there, while she was still inputting my insurance!  I figured it was probably best to do it quick and not think about it anyway so I took my first sip.  it wasn't that bad!  it honestly tasted like an off brand of sprite but a little sweeter and thicker.  that was the first sip...after about 10 more sips, I started to feel sick.  I had to mentally chant things to myself to keep drinking it.  I wasn't sure if it was all in my head because of everything I had read or if it really was that bad but I was so happy when I finished it!  I figured the worst was over and I went to wait.

I was doing pretty good for the first half hour.  then I don't know what happened but I started to feel awful!  I felt nauseous, dizzy, exhausted and short of breath.  I really just wanted to take a walk but I wasn't allowed to leave.  I had brought all kinds of things to do to keep myself busy...my dayplanner, journal, pregnancy books, but it took all my concentration just to sit there and not throw up or pass out.  finally, they called my name and I went to have my blood drawn.  the whole thing was over in less than 5 minutes and I was so relieved!

but on the drive home I again started feeling terrible!  I think it was partly from not having enough food in me and just having my blood drawn but nothing sounded good to eat!  I drove straight home (luckily it's only about a 10 minute drive), threw all my clothes off because I felt like I couldn't breathe and just laid in bed.  I spent the rest of the day taking it super easy and forced myself to eat an almond butter and banana sandwich with a glass of milk.

the next day I got a voicemail letting me know they had my results.  I was so scared!!!  what if I failed the test?  I mean, I really didn't think I had diabetes but I read about a whole bunch of people saying they failed it because they ate right before and they had to take the three hour test and kept throwing up and had a miserable experience all to find out they did not have diabetes!  I decided if it came out positive I would just refuse to re-take the test again and demand they find out some other way!  well, turns out I do NOT have diabetes but I AM anemic!!!

I had no idea what that meant so I quickly asked all kinds of questions.  she told me I don't have enough iron in my blood because the baby takes it all and so I have to take iron supplements twice a day for the rest of my pregnancy!  she said that having anemia makes you really tired and dizzy...other symptoms include increased heart rate, shortness of breath and just feeling weak in general.  that pretty much describes me perfectly this past month!  it's been awful and I was wondering why I am always so tired and sleeping all the time!!

so hopefully with these supplements I will be able to get back to my old chipper self and get my energy back!  and to those of you pregnant people who still have to take the dreaded glucose test...may the force be with you!

26 Week Bumpdate

WEEK 26

Baby is the size of a butternut squash!

Total weight gain/loss?  No weight gain this week...I had my 5th prenatal appointment today.  Isn't it crazy I've only had 5 appointments??  Well, that doesn't include ultrasounds and blood work, just regular OB appointments.  Anyway, I found out I've actually only gained one pound since my last appt (a month ago).  So not sure how that happened...I wonder if my scale is accurate?

How far along?  26 weeks, 2 days

Maternity clothes?  If I don't leave the house I just stay in pajamas all day and then change into workout clothes for my walk.  Unfortunately, all of my workout pants are getting so tight!  Even though they're stretchy I can't stand how tight they are on my belly and I have to roll them down super far and just wear a long shirt.  I have a few pairs of old dance capri's with drawstrings so those have been my go to.

Stretch marks?  Nope!  I've got a strong linea nigra going though :)

Best moment this week?  On Sunday I really wanted to fast for Mark to be able to find a job.  I told him I thought I would try it but he said that just wanting to fast was good enough and Heavenly Father would understand why I had to eat.  So I made myself breakfast and while I was getting ready for church, Mark told me he had received a text from an anonymous person (turned out to be my Aunt Tara) about how easy it is to get certified to be a teacher if you have a degree.  You can even get a job teaching while you're working towards your certification!  She told him the fact that he could coach soccer is a plus and that the districts start to see how many teachers they will need for the next school year in April so if he's interested he should look into it.  Mark is VERY interested...it's always been a dream of his to be a soccer coach (right now he coaches our three year old nephew and his friends!) and I can totally see Mark as a Freshman high-school teacher!  He would be so great at it, he has the perfect personality and the kids would love him!  So I took that as a very quick answer to my fast and prayer and now Mark is looking into a program to get certified!

Miss anything?   I'm actually kind of loving pregnancy right now...I pretty much feel normal and I'm scared for the third trimester exhaustion and soreness to set in.  Right in time for our move!

Movement?  Baby's still going strong!  I am so in love with this bouncy little babe that when I actually stop and think that there is really a little baby inside of me moving all around, I cry every time!  What a precious little miracle!  I am so in love with you baby.

Food cravings?  Fruit!  I'm pretty sure baby is going to come out a strawberry from how many strawberries, strawberry smoothies, strawberry yogurt, and strawberry everything I eat!!!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  YES!  The glucose test I took today.  I'll have to talk about it in another post because four hours later I'm still not feeling so great and really do not want to re-live it.

Have you started to show yet?  Yup, yup, yup!

Gender?  Still a surprise!

Labor signs?  No way

Belly Button in or out?  Still in!

Wedding rings on or off?  On

Happy or Moody most of the time?  I've been feeling a little happier this week but I still have moments where I freak out on Mark and get super stressed and overwhelmed.  There is just SO much going on in our lives!  A move, a baby, a job change...every big life event is happening all at once!  Thank goodness we're already married, HA!

Looking forward to?  My baby shower in a few weeks!  Two of my cousins are coming and Esther's baby shower is later that afternoon and it's just going to be a super fun weekend!!  Can't wait!!

Nursery Inspiration

since we aren't moving for another month, I have been busy mentally arranging and decorating the nursery!  ha!  I am such a detail oriented person and hate waiting till the last minute to do anything so waiting until april to put the nursery together is really driving me crazy!  It has given me a lot of time to brainstorm and pick out all the little details so come april, I will be so ready!

my inspiration for the whole nursery came from the baby animal prints in the middle...I was looking at RH Baby & Child for ideas (because anything they do is flawless) and saw those prints in a few of their room galleries and fell in love.  so little baby animals became our nursery theme!

one thing I love about RH is how simple and classy their nurseries are.  they are full of natural light, simple, elegant decor and use very neutral color schemes...white, cream, soft grey, and any color they do have is very subtle and understated...lilac, canary yellow, pale pinks and blues,.  our nursery colors will be white, dove grey and icy mint!  here's what we've got so far...

(1) Knit Animal Friends Crib Mobile - I love how sweet and gentle this mobile is, gender neutral, and the knit animals are just precious!  the colors are soft and delicate, perfect for baby :)

(2) Little Darlings Animal Prints - my favorite part of our nursery!  we're putting these above the crib and the four we're getting are the giraffe, bear cub, baby fox, and baby bobcat!

(3) Forest Pop Wall Decor - a perfect pop of color for the walls and I love how modern and fun these animals look!

(4) Pottery Barn Kendall Crib - we got a great deal on this crib!  normally $599 they had it on sale for $399 (it's still on sale!) and we had an old gift card from our wedding plus a 20% off coupon so we got this beauty for under $300!  It's currently sitting at my parents' house with our PUJ tub...  Also we're getting our crib skirt in dove grey from RH along with these beautiful mint sheets but no bumper unfortunately because I love the look of one but baby's safety comes first!

(5) Silver Changing Table Diaper Caddy - isn't this a beauty?  I registered for a set of these changing storage baskets to go on top of our dresser which will double as a changing table.  these are so sleek and elegant...perfect for our color scheme!

(6) Stay Wild Framed Wall Art - I saw these at Urban Outfitters for $7 per letter and thought it would be a fun DIY nursery project!  so Mark and I bought all the craft letters and three types of material all for $15!  we're just going to follow a tutorial on pinterest so I'll do another post on how it turns out!

(7) Pottery Barn Wingback Rocker - I love everything about this traditional rocker! first of all, it's gorgeous and timeless!  I prefer the look of a rocker rather than a glider (especially the ones with the mechanism showing!) because they're just so classic!  I still want to be comfortable though so wooden rockers are out.  this one has a high back so you can rest your head, a wide roomy seat and they have a million different materials to choose from!  I'm torn between a few and haven't decided if we'll get it in ivory or soft grey but either way this is definitely one of my most favorite items for our nursery!  (this will be our most expensive item and both sets of parents will be helping with this!)

(8) Mini Woodland Bunny Nightlight - we sort of have a bunny theme going on on top of our baby animal theme.  it started when my mom got baby a little jellycat bunny soother blanket for christmas that is so soft and precious!!!  it's the perfect shade of grey for our nursery colors so we have been leaning towards a lot of bunny items, simply because they are grey and go with our colors (also because bunnies are adorable!)  look at these bunny slippers!!

(9) IKEA Hemnes 8-Drawer Dresser - while I had my heart set on this dresser from pottery barn, we are probably going to go with a similar one from ikea.  hopefully it's good quality because I love the look of it!  I wanted an extra wide dresser because it's going to double as our changing table. maybe for the next baby we will be able to afford a dresser from pottery barn!

so there you have it!  I hope the nursery comes together in real life as beautifully as it has in my mind :)

25 Week Bumpdate

WEEK 25

Baby is the size of a prairie dog!

Total weight gain/loss?  20 pounds!!  I honestly am not worried even though I know that seems like a lot.  I'm still a healthy weight for my height (even if I wasn't pregnant...my BMI has just gone up from 19 to 23!) and my doctor isn't worried at all.  If I had started out overweight then that would be a problem but I'm naturally pretty thin and I honestly have been doing my best so I think this is just how my body handles pregnancy!  I still am gaining half a pound to a pound a week so I plan on gaining about 35 pounds total.

How far along?  25 weeks, 3 days

Maternity clothes?  I'm already sick of them!  HA!  I actually am trying to put off wearing them as long as possible and have been figuring out my new favorite outfits with my regular clothes...pretty much all my baggy (or once baggy) tees and leggings or maxi skirts.  It's always hilarious when I go for an old favorite baggy shirt of mine and find that it's now form fitting!  So this is what getting fat feels like...

Stretch marks?  Nada

Best moment this week?  Going to church!  Such a simple thing but I really needed it.  Not being able to sleep at night has interfered with being able to make it to church some Sundays and I felt like I hadn't been in forever.  Such a peaceful feeling there.

Miss anything?   Not constantly having to burp, being able to do everyday tasks without my heart racing and being on a normal sleep schedule!  It's so hard to make myself get up early when I don't have to be anywhere and this baby keeps me up all night (already) so what do I do during the day?  Sleep!

Movement?  Getting stronger and stronger!  It's crazy how much baby moves.  Is this normal?  I actually haven't been too worried about stuff with the baby, I'm just pretty confident our little one is going to be perfectly healthy but all of a sudden the other day I had my first worry: what if baby has like ADD or something and comes out super hyper active?!  I've been feeling movement since 17 weeks, which is pretty early for a first timer, and now baby moves so much my stomach literally contorts in different shapes.  Isn't it too early for that?  I don't mind if baby is super active, although that will be a very different temperament than Mark and I!  Just hope all of this movement is normal...

Food cravings?  Not really...I've been on a weird eating schedule lately too.  Since I sleep half the day away, I only eat two meals a day...and it's usually just whatever I can scrounge up.  I've been SO lazy about meal planning and grocery shopping!  We haven't had real food in the house for weeks and finally Mark went grocery shopping last night after I complained that if I don't do anything around here, nothing gets done.  He then put away all the laundry, went shopping, made us dinner and cleaned the kitchen.  Oops, sorry hubby!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  All of the burping!  Every time I burp, I feel like I could throw up if I wanted to and I have to hold it back.  I HATE the indigestion part of pregnancy!  I wonder if I'll ever be normal again?!

Have you started to show yet?  Yes but still trying to hide it for strangers!  Not sure if it's working...

Gender?  My grandma told me if the baby moves a lot it's a boy...in that case, it's definitely a boy!

Labor signs?  Nope, thank goodness!  But I take relief in each week that passes knowing that if baby were to come early, the chances of survival are just getting higher and higher!

Belly Button in or out?  Okay.  Let's talk.  It's still far from an outie but my innie is no longer super deep!  After I eat or when I push my stomach out, my belly button still goes in but is closer to being flat then before!  Ahhh, how far out do belly buttons go when they become outies?  Not ready for this...

Wedding rings on or off?  Actually, they're off right now.  I take them off every day to put on my body butter and I forgot to put them back on a few days ago.  I guess I was getting annoyed of having to take them on and off but I'm going to try and wear them throughout the pregnancy.  So far no signs of swelling!

Happy or Moody most of the time?  Definitely moody...I don't know what's been up with me lately but I just haven't been feeling like myself.  I'm always anxious and overwhelmed about something and I feel like I have no time to do anything!  I'm also getting worried about adjusting to life after baby.  How will I cope after being used to getting 10-12 hours of sleep every day??  Going from that to what, 2 hour stretches?  For months??  I have no idea how I'm going to adjust and I just hope we get all moved in and set up before baby gets here.

Looking forward to?  We're going to RH Baby & Child this weekend to look at bedding!  I'm splurging and getting our crib skirt, sheets and changing pad cover from there.   I mean, look at this gorgeousness!!!

We're getting 4 of those animal prints to go above the crib!  They sell them at RH for $199....each.  They also sell them here for $25 each ;)

That's the crib skirt we're getting!  A washed satin in dove gray...so beautiful!  I'll do another post on our nursery inspiration and all my ideas...maybe that will ease my anxiety about getting started on our babe's nursery already!

doughnuts & nostalgia

made some changes to our little blog now that it's no longer going to be just the two of us!  I figured I wouldn't have time once the baby arrives and also I've been going crazy the past few days with Mark gone!!!  I have never been so bored!  I know, I know, I will definitely never be bored again after the baby but right now that sounds pretty good.  It's also been so lonely...constantly coming back to an empty apartment with no one there to greet me or wonder where I've been.  how did I do it before I was married?  standard meal times have flown out the window...I eat when I'm hungry (or when baby's hungry) and I eat whatever I want!

oh can we talk about pregnancy cravings??  I have been craving doughnuts for a few weeks now...seeing them everywhere...pinterest, instagram, tv shows, youtube...and I may or may not have been looking at the krispy kreme website frequently!  HA!  so, two days ago I caved and bought a dozen assorted doughnuts from krispy kreme!!!

this was partly because I can never decide what kind to get, partly because all the different kinds looked soooo good, and partly because they were all individually cheaper if you bought a dozen.  well after two days of having a dozen doughnuts in the house (the empty house, remember) I don't care if I never see another doughnut again as long as I live!  haha, so I guess mission accomplished?

I've been feeling pretty nostalgic lately, what with moving and being pregnant and all.  so many changes!  I went on my familiar walk through our beautiful neighborhood yesterday and realized that there would come a day when I might not remember what it looked like!

I might forget the spot where I first told Mark I love him...

or the park where we always play volleyball with family and friends...

where we celebrated Jake's 1st birthday and Mark introduced me to everyone as his fiancé...

this was a really, really good day :)

the old witch's house from hansel and gretel...

okay we've never met her but her house looks like it's made of candy plus she has a sign in her front yard that says how much she loves her grandchildren...creepy!

our Snow White house we were going to live in someday by being friends with the people who lived there (who we assumed must be old) and being so good to them they'd leave it to us in their will...

the Romeo and Juliet house covered in ivy...

I'm just now realizing our neighborhood is like a living fairy tale!

O Romeo, Romeo!  Wherefore art thou Romeo?

the dragon tail we always trip on in the neighborhood entrance to the park that I was planning on making a game with for our baby...

okay it's just part of a tree coming out of a fence but the first time I saw it was at night and let me tell you...I truly thought it was some huge creature's tail!  a dragon came to mind...

the new apartments they just finished building down the street that are going for $4300 a month (those were our second choice before moving to Texas, haha)

and basically just our home!  coming home after vacations or long days of work and being so grateful to see our woodsy little apartment that has become home the past two years...

home sweet home

Mark is more confident about us falling in love with Texas than I am...I really hate change.  I spent my entire life moving all around the country and I just want it to end!  this is actually the longest I've lived in one place (two years) since I was 15!  that was back in Texas so I guess it's fitting that I've come full circle.  I hope my old home can feel as much like home as LA has become.  It will be different because I'll have my own family this time and honestly that's all that matters.

wherever they are is home.

23 & 24 Week Bumpdate

WEEKS 23 & 24

Baby is the size of a grapefruit & a cantaloupe!

Taken the day before 24 weeks

Side Note: So I realized this week that I've been posting all my bumpdates a week late...the only time Mark is home when it's still light out (to take my picture) is on the weekends so we usually take the pictures Saturday morning, the day before I turn the next week.  That means I'm pretty much already at the next week when I write about the previous week!  So I'm combining these two weeks so I can get back on track and because Mark will be out of town in Texas and won't be able to take my picture next Saturday.

Total weight gain/loss?  Another pound for the books...with baby doubling its size this month, I don't think I have any control anymore!  Planning to gain a pound a week the rest of my pregnancy which will put me at 34 pounds total, one pound shy of the recommended max!  Unless baby comes early...let's hope because I am getting SO anxious to hold my little one!!!

How far along?  Currently 24 weeks!

Maternity clothes?  A combination of maternity and anything else that makes the bump look good!  I am discovering my own personal style (lots of flowy tees, maxi skirts and tunics) actually works really well with pregnancy!  Every time I decide to try out an old shirt, I am often pleasantly surprised that some of them can still almost hide my growing belly!  I am already at the point where I'm sick of it being the center of attention (not the baby, the belly!) and am trying to get away with hiding it as long as possible before it takes over!!

Stretch marks?  Happily no!

Best moment this week?  Saturday was a really good day.  We slept in, made a fancy breakfast and our nephews came over to play :)

We spent the rest of the day laying in bed doing absolutely nothing...taking turns napping and cuddling each other awake, watching "Worst Chefs in America" and they made homemade pizza in the episode so we made one of our own!

I have to say this was the BEST pizza I've ever had in my life!

It was basically just a typical lazy Saturday, a day in the life that we pretty much take for granted and are sure to miss like crazy once baby makes its arrival!

Miss anything?   Being on a normal sleep schedule...I have pretty much almost reverted to being nocturnal.  For some reason, at night it's like my oxygen levels decrease in half.  I can't breathe or get comfortable until I'm so tired that it finally doesn't matter and I pass out.  Going to bed at 2 and waking up between 10 and 11 am has become the norm...it's terrible!  The one good thing is that it's when baby is the most active so it's sort of our special little time together.  I get the strongest kicks and rolls and it makes me so happy...but on second thought, maybe that's half the reason I can't get to sleep!  HA!

Movement?  They're getting so much stronger!  My stomach physically moves all the time now from baby moving and whenever it happens I freeze whatever I'm doing and immediately lift up my shirt to watch.  Then when I see it, I get so happy and sing to baby :)

Food cravings?  They come at random times...the other day I was craving chicken enchiladas so this happened...

White Chicken Enchiladas - they were divine!

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Nope!

Have you started to show yet?   Pretty much all the time...

Gender?  Still surprise but we have picked a middle name despite the gender!  It's a family name and I LOVE it!!  We have our top favorite girl and boy names (plus an extra 10 of each just in case) and this name pretty much goes with any of them!

Labor signs?  I think I had a real contraction at work the other day!  It felt like my stomach was wringing itself out right in the center, like a wet towel.  It was super painful for a second and then it was gone!  Then baby did a somersault.

Belly Button in or out?  No signs of it popping out anytime soon

Wedding rings on or off?  On

Happy or Moody most of the time?  Can I just say weepy??  My mom sent me this video of a lady washing her baby in the sink that made me so sad!!!  She just held the baby like a doll and let the water run over its head and used more shampoo than I use for myself!!  That pooooor innocent  baby...I felt so anxious to calm him.  Also, whenever we watch a show where a baby is born and then kidnapped (strangely enough, we watch lots of shows where this happens!  Jane the Virgin, Once Upon A Time, and I think it happened in a movie we watched recently)  I start BAWLING!!!  Like my crying starts a second before the actor moms in the show.  No one should EVER have their baby taken away from them!  Especially the second after its born!!  Those first few hours of bonding time are sooo important!!

Looking forward to?  Moving already!