Pregnancy Diary: 33 Weeks!

How Far Along? - 33 Weeks!

Total Weight Gain? - 14lbs. from pre-pregnancy weight. 

Maternity Clothes? - My maternity yoga pants are my best friend! I have two pairs that I have pretty much been wearing all the time. I also have some non-maternity cotton capri/shorts that I've been wearing. Oh the joys of justifying stretchy pants for daily wear! :) 

Stretch Marks? - None on the stomach! 

Sleep? - So, So. My groin pain is worse at night. It has pretty much subsided during daily activity but when I toss from left to right and right to left sides it gets achy. I also feel it when I get up to pee. I have to limp to the bathroom. Not fun. I like naps more often too. 

Best Moment This Week? -  Getting to spend time with some friends we hadn't seen in a while! It was so good to catch up! We also finished our 8 week Bradley birth class which was so great. We learned a ton and we have decided to hire our instructor, Shelley as our Doula. She will be there for us starting when I go in to labor at home all the way until after the baby is born. She will basically be assisting us in the process and she will be like a human cheat sheet for all we've learned. I feel so good about her being there and sharing her experience and knowledge to help our birth go smoothly and or smooth out the bumps along the way. 

Miss Anything? - Stomach sleeping (still), being comfortable, walking regularly :) It's all worth it though. 

Movement? - Yes, and I am beginning to think he is moving down (yay!). I've been feeling more pressure in my pelvis and his feet (the kicks) have moved closer to my ribs. It depends on the time of day though, he still has room to rotate around. I feel confident though. This morning when I rolled over on my back I looked down at my stomach and there was like a tiny mountain on the right side of my belly button, it was the funniest looking thing. Ben and I just laughed, wondering what it could have been, his hip, foot, knee, booty... it had to of been one of them!

Food Cravings? - Mmm Belgian waffles! We had some friends over for dinner the other weekend and they had mentioned always making waffles in the morning. We received a waffle maker as a wedding gift and used it quite a bit in our first year of marriage and then we stopped using it, and then it broke. SO, after that day I decided we'd order a new one from amazon, and ever since then I've been making waffles almost every morning. SO GOOD! 

Also, watermelon. I think I've eaten a whole one through out the past couple days. It's so so yummy. 

AND... I broke down and had two grilled hot dogs yesterday and they too were just delicious! Normally, I am not huge on hot dogs so it hasn't been a huge deal. It is said to be cautious with hot dogs, deli meats etc. when pregnant because of the risk of listeria and because of the crazy amounts of nitrates in them. If you do consume them, it is advised to heat them thoroughly so after they were off the grill, I microwaved them to make sure they were steaming hot. Yum! 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Nope!

Gender: - BOY! :) 

Labor Signs? - No

Symptoms? - Nothing new... occasional heart burn, growing aches, 

Belly Button in or out? - Out!

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - On, thankful I haven't had to switch to the fake ring yet! 

Happy or Moody most of the time? - Happy with a side of moody, depends on the day.

Looking forward to - Scheduling maternity pictures, second shower, the next appointment a week from Tuesday!  

Baby's Average Size -  4.9-5.8lbs. and 19-22 inches

Fun Facts:  - He's keeping his eyes open while awake. He's also starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. His bones are hardening. And he going through (more) major brain development -- that's one smart baby!

Pregnancy Diary: 32 Weeks!

How Far Along? - 32 Weeks and 1 Day! 

Total Weight Gain? - 14lbs. from pre-pregnancy weight. 

Maternity Clothes? - It is officially uncomfortable to sit in my jeans, even with the belly band. I still wear them occasionally but most often I'm wearing cotton sweats/capris. I am not a fan of maternity jeans, nor am I a fan of spending money on them when I'll only wear them for short time. Thank goodness I am a nanny and what I do doesn't require me to be in jeans or anything more!

Stretch Marks? - Still no marks on my stomach :) 

Sleep? - It's been good. I feel well rested for the most part. Naps are becoming my best friend through out the day though. 

Best Moment This Week? - Just got back from my 32 week appointment. Our little guy is doing great! I've been a little anxious lately in hopes that he will get his head down already (as you have probably heard me say...over and over!) and Leslie said he is still taking up vertical/sideways space, but she also said she feels plenty of room for him to move and she is totally confident that he will. She thinks once he gains some more weight he will slide right down. Yay! 

He is measuring 31weeks (mainly because of his position) and his heart beat is around 150 beats per minute. :) So grateful for a healthy pregnancy so far! 

Miss Anything? - Deli Sandwiches, stomach sleeping. 

Movement? - Yes, for sure. Last night was pretty funny... Ben and I usually have a glass of chocolate milk in the evening after dinner (our little dessert, delicious!) and as I was drinking it, baby was moving all over! My stomach kept moving around back and forth. Too fun! 

Food Cravings? - I just love food! Peanut Butter and Honey, baked beans, pineapple, chocolate and everything in between!  

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Nope!

Gender: - BOY! :) 

Labor Signs? - No

Symptoms? - Happy to say after the 2nd visit to the Chiro my groin pain has pretty much gone away. I still feel it mildly when turning at night but definitely much better! Occasional heartburn and a little stretchy/bloating feeling in my abdomen. 

Belly Button in or out? - Out!

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - On, thankful I haven't had to switch to the fake ring yet! 

Happy or Moody most of the time? - Happy with a side of moody, depends on the day.

Looking forward to - Hanging out with some good friends this weekend, getting more baby things accomplished, everything! :) 

Baby's Average Size -  4.5lbs. and 19 inches

Fun Facts:  - 

• He's getting ready for her descent -- he's likely in the head-down position now (not our baby... yet!!) And he's probably feeling a even more cramped.

Pregnancy Diary: 31 Weeks!

How Far Along? - 31 Weeks and 1 day!         9 Weeks to go! (give or take)

Total Weight Gain? - Up 22lbs. from the 10lbs. I lost. Up 12lbs. from my original pre- pregnancy weight.

Maternity Clothes? - Same as before... even though my weight keeps creeping up, I am still able to work my way into my jeans with the help of the belly band. But as said before, sweat pants and yoga pants are my best friends! 

Stretch Marks? - Still no marks on my stomach :) 

Sleep? - I've been feeling well rested despite the fact I get up three times a night to pee. Where is all this coming from?! haha

Best Moment This Week? - Went to a Time Out for Women Conference with a few friends and it was absolutely amazing! I had a great time listening to all the inspirational speakers and the beautiful music! I definitely want to go back every year if at all possible. Loved it! 

Miss Anything? - Hot showers, being comfortable, sleeping on my stomach. 

Movement? - I'm noticing a slight decrease only because he is getting bigger. But he is still consistent with his little pushes and shoves. Still oblique and still praying for him to find his way to my pelvis! 

Food Cravings? - I just love food :) I've been eating quite a bit of peanut butter lately. 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Nope!

Gender: - BOY! :) 

Labor Signs? - No

Symptoms? - Right groin pain... still. Went to a Chiro who specializes in prenatal care last week and had my pelvis adjusted. I go back today to see what more we can do to encourage baby to turn. We'll see what happens! Also having heartburn quite often. 

Belly Button in or out? - Out!

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - I finally got my ring back from the jewelers! It's all nice and sparkly and looks brand new all over again. Love it! However, I have noticed it is starting to fit a little snug. May have to switch back to the fake here soon. Bummer. 

Happy or Moody most of the time? - Happy, most of the time. 

Looking forward to - receiving some of the things we ordered in the mail! Diaper Bag, Moby Wrap, Swing etc. I love getting all this stuff out and set up! :) It's so fun setting up stuff! I wish we had an extra bedroom to create a nursery but we are making it work :) We'll see what happens come September and maybe we'll be out of here and in a bigger place! :) 

Baby's Average Size -  3.9lbs. and 19 inches

Fun Facts:  - He's going through major brain and nerve development. Eye development, too. His irises now react to light! All five of his senses are in 

working order.

Pregnancy Diary: 30 Weeks

How Far Along? - 30 Weeks and 2 Days! 

Total Weight Gain? - 19lbs.

Maternity Clothes? - Same as before... even though my weight keeps creeping up, I am still able to work my way into my jeans with the help of the belly band. But as said before, sweat pants and yoga pants are my best friends! 

Stretch Marks? - Still no marks on my stomach :) 

Sleep? - Tossing and Turning and getting up to pee at least twice a night. Last night, three times!! 

Best Moment This Week? - Hearing the consistent heartbeat of our little guy. I was measuring 26 weeks at my 28 week appointment so I was really hoping I'd be 2cm bigger this time around. Thankfully I was measuring 28cm at 30 weeks so I am on track. The reason I am not measuring 30cm-30wk is because baby boy is still in an oblique position.

Miss Anything? - Hot showers, being comfortable, sleeping on my stomach. 

Movement? - All the time. He loves to move the most between 9-10pm when we are relaxing on the couch and in the morning between 7am-9am. He moves through out the day as well and is pretty consistent. Have I told you how much I love feeling him move? 

Food Cravings? - I just love food :) 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Nope!

Gender: - BOY! :) 

Labor Signs? - No

Symptoms? - Right groin pain, slight headaches

Belly Button in or out? - Out!

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - I have a fake one on right now, waiting for my ring to get back from being refurbished (a tiny diamond fell out). I'll get it back tomorrow! Thankfully... my hands and feet have not swollen at all! :) 

Happy or Moody most of the time? - Happy, most of the time. 

Looking forward to - seeing a chiropractor today who specializes in prenatal care. Let's see what she can do about my groin pain! She is also certified in the Webster Technique which should help baby to get in optimal position for birth. I sure hope it helps! 

Baby's Average Size -  3.2lbs. and 18 inches

Fun Facts:  - His skin is getting smoother. But his brain is getting wrinklier -- to make way for all that essential brain tissue. He's now strong enough to grasp a finger!

Pregnancy Diary: Shower Weekend!

A few weeks ago my best friend Jess threw such a fun shower for me (& Ben of course).

It was a fun and busy weekend! It all started on Thursday evening when Jess and her sister Grace came in town from Missouri! We got started right away on crafting and organizing and getting things finished up for my shower. We spent Friday running errands and baking millions of cookies!! I don't know exactly how many dozen but it was A LOT!! My mother in law made her well-loved Chocolate Chip Banana Bars and my friend Allison made the delicious Sugar Cookies!! (Thanks y'all!)

On Saturday morning we ran a few more errands, got ready for the shower and headed out to Ben's Aunt's house where it would be hosted in order to start decorating etc.

The following pictures were taken by my Aunt Karen (Thank you!!!) I am so grateful she took pictures because I totally forgot to. Not that I was suppose to be the one to take pictures but I definitely wanted someone to get pictures of the Milk and Cookies before it all got cleaned up!

                                      

 I had such a great time and I hope everyone else did too! I am so grateful for my bestie, Jess who has put up with me for 9 whole years! I love her to pieces and so glad she was able to be here with me and all the time and effort she put into making my shower a success! :)

I love that Ben agreed to come for the gift opening, I loved having him there opening gifts with me. I'm pretty sure everyone else loved having him there as well.

I am also grateful for all the family and friends and the generosity of them all! We got tons of great gifts and they keep showing up! Baby William's arrival is just around the corner and we absolutely can't wait!

...and as if you haven't seen so many pictures already, the following pictures are of some of the shower gifts and a beautiful distressed dresser we picked up from Craigs List! I was originally looking for something that could be used through out the house and not just be specific to one room and my plan was to refinish it etc. However, I found this gorgeous piece already refinished and distressed in the perfect color for $75! Score!! I LOVE it!

If you've made it through this post, thanks for hanging in there! :) I hope you enjoy all the pictures as much as I do!

10 Weeks to go!!

Pregnancy Diary: 29 Weeks!

So Sorry it's taken so long to update!! We've been busy and tired and tired and busy.... and.... oh yea, forgetful!

(excuse the always frizzy hair but by the end of the day it especially goes crazy!)

How Far Along? - 29 Weeks and 5 Days!

Total Weight Gain? - 19lbs.

Maternity Clothes? - I find myself reaching for the stretchy pants pretty much everyday now, especially if I'm just going to run errands and take the kids around to practice etc. I can still wear the jeans with the belly band, but it's just easier to be comfortable in cotton pants. 

Stretch Marks? - Still no marks on my stomach :) 

Sleep? - So, So. I toss and turn quite a bit still... but some how I manage to feel well rested. 

Best Moment This Week? - Hearing the heart beat again for sure. Also, being safe from the crazy storms that came through yesterday.  

Miss Anything? - Being comfortable, energy to clean/organize our home... where are my "nesting" instincts at? I just have no motivation to get it done! It's not dirty, everything just needs to be put back where it belongs. sigh. 

Movement? - This little guy doesn't disappoint when it comes to movement. He is very active and it's so fun being able to discern between his head, butt and legs :) He is gradually starting to move head down, it felt like he was the other day because I was having some dull pains in my ribs... I'm not having those pains as much now but I think he still has space to move around in there. Before too long he will be nice and snug and hopefully where he should be for birth :)  

Food Cravings? - Nothing crazy... I was scarfing down a pineapple the other day until I thought, "Is pineapple good for pregnancy?" ... I looked it up and apparently you are only suppose to eat it every once in a while or it can cause false contractions. Yikes, I stopped eating them (even if it's not true, just to be safe). I've been eating quite a few peanut butter and honey sandwiches lately... yummy. 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick? - Nope!

Gender: - BOY! :) 

Labor Signs? - No

Symptoms? - Heartburn, Achy stomach (round ligament) and I've had pain in my right groin area for the past week. It's semi sharp but mostly achy and hurts the most when I am up walking around. No fun. 

Belly Button in or out? - Out!

Wedding Ring, On or Off? - Off right now, I had to send it in to get refurbished and get a tiny diamond replaced that fell out. Thankfully Ben bought the lifetime warranty when he bought the ring and it has saved us two times in the four years we've been married. I'd say it was totally worth it for sure! It's so nice to walk in, no questions asked and have it fixed at no extra cost! :) Can't wait to get it back! 

Happy or Moody most of the time? - Happy, most of the time. 

Looking forward to - Seeing some of my family this weekend and getting to hold my sweet baby cousin, Brylee! She is only a month and a half old and just so precious! :) 

Looking forward to celebrating Easter! 
Baby's Average Size -  3.1lbs. and 17 inches

Fun Facts:  - He's getting a little cramped in there, since he's growing so fast. But you probably already realize that, since you're getting all those jabs and kicks. He's growing white fat deposits under his skin, and his energy is surging because of it. Feel a subtle twitch? It might be baby hiccuping!

I am definitely feeling him hiccup. It's almost everyday but doesn't ever last too long. I am just amazed more and more every day that there is a precious little body forming inside me... that he can breath, move, hiccup, blink etc. right there in the womb. What a wonderful thing God created when he created our bodies! It's truly a miracle and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to house and raise this fragile life!