Thanksgiving For Two (Three)

I think I will always remember Thanksgiving 2014 as one of my favorite Thanksgivings.  It didn't pan out exactly like we thought it would, but it ended up being just perfect.  

We had originally (albeit tentatively) planned to spend Thanksgiving in Austin with David's family.  My OB had said it was probably OK for me to travel there by car, but the general rule of thumb is that it's best to not go more than an hour away from your hospital when you are within 30 days of your due date.  We went back and forth about what to do, but we finally decided (perhaps in a bit of an anti-social move) to stay in Houston.  Once we made the decision, it was a huge relief. I was a little sad about our first Thanksgiving back in the US feeling a bit lonely, but I know we made the right decision.  

Some yummy pumkin bread I made the night before Thanksgiving

Thursday and Friday were David's first days off since moving back from Australia, so I know he especially was looking forward to a long weekend without any big obligations, road trips, etc. I ordered a pre-made turkey breast, stuffing, gravy, and some dinner rolls from Central Market (Texas' version of Whole foods), and then I made a few sides and my favorite apple pie.  It felt like such a cheat, but it was SO nice to just wait in a (not too long) line and pick up most of what we would need for dinner.  Plus, with just the two of us, we didn't need mass amounts of everything.  

Waiting in this line was a much better alternative to making my own turkey. Totally worth it!

I spent the morning and afternoon doing some cooking, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and just relaxing.  It was a beautiful day, and I even convinced David to take a little walk around the neighborhood with me.  One of the best parts of the day was that I didn't ever change out of my pajamas, put on makeup, or even take a shower- oops.  Dinner was great and so nice and low key.  We missed family and friends, but I think we also really appreciated spending the holiday together as a couple, since this will be our last kid-free holiday in a long time!  

Baking pies and babies. Also, please notice how my belly rests perfectly on the kitchen counter.

I even broke out the fancy china!

The spread

I swallowed the turkey!

Dessert time. The best time. 

On Friday I deep cleaned the nursery and then we got the new rug I ordered laid out.  I also did a little Black Friday shopping... from the comfort of my couch.  

Baby officially has the cleanest (and shiniest!) room in the house. 

Saturday was officially deemed "Baby Day."  We started the day off by having maternity photos taken. We really lucked out with a  beautiful day, and it was fun to spend time together documenting our soon-to-be family of three.  I'm still waiting on photos, otherwise, I would share some here.  After photos, we took a little break and then started in on checking tons of things off our baby list... things that really probably should have been done a while ago.  Whatever, we work well under pressure.  Here's what we accomplished: crib assembly, stroller assembly (so excited for my BOB!), co-sleeper/bassinet assembly, car seat is ready to go, and play yard/bassinet assembly (this will be our downstairs baby sleep/diaper station so we aren't constantly climbing stairs).  We were both exhausted by the end of the day, but it felt really good to finally get those things done!  

Can't believe a tiny human will be sleeping (hopefully) next to me so soon!

 

I will always have great memories of this Thanksgiving weekend as our last as just a family of two. I can't even wrap my mind around the fact that we will have a nearly one year old this time next year.  

34 Weeks - A Butternut Squash

November 6, 2014

Photo Thoughts: Acting like I painted the walls myself...

How I'm Feeling: Broken record here- still feeling good, all things considered. My lower back is really continuing to bother me though, and it seems to be getting worse- especially toward the end of the day.

Baby: Little guy is the size of a butternut squash this week. Yikes! Apparently he is now able to hear sounds and voices.  I'm a bad mom and haven't read any books, sang any lullabies, or played Mozart for my belly. Sorry, little man.  Instead, he is being subjected to my bad taste in music... Top 40 for us. I think he'll be smart anyways, right?

Bump: My bump is looking rounder and rounder. And actually, in the belly pictures I took below, you can see that he is lopsided to my left right now. I think that is his back along the left side.

Symptoms: Back pain was really getting me down this week. I'm hoping I just pulled a muscle or something and that it will go away soon. It's not unbearable by any means, but it does get worse as the day and night go on... especially if I've been on my feet and very active that day.  I've also noticed that if I have a really active day... usually if I'm doing lots of cleaning or other things around the house, my stomach starts to get really tight and the baby starts to feel "all balled up."  I'm pretty sure these are actually Braxton Hicks contractions now that I think about it.  They always stop though once I lay down for a while.

Weight: +3.0 (oops). Up 27 total. Baby growth spurt this week?  Or just a little too much Halloween candy?

What I'm Loving: It seemed like overnight (Halloween night actually), the weather instantly turned into fall weather. I'm loving the cooler temps, and it's so fun to feel Fall-ish, especially since I was basically living in year-round summer the past two years.

What I'm Stressing About/Worries: Imagining what I might end up looking like if I gain 3 pounds a week from here on out. I doubtful that will actually happen, but it did cross my mind.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I am definitely eating MORE than my fair share of Halloween candy!

Exercise: Still keeping up with my prenatal Pilate's/barre class twice a week, and I try to do either a class at the gym or a home workout video 2 other days a week. Working out is definitely getting harder, but I always feel better afterwards. And I also noticed that if I don't work out a couple days in a row, I get this weird restless leg feeling when I'm trying to fall asleep at night.

What a difference 13 weeks makes! 

Movement: Lots and lots of BIG movements. Most of the time, I feel the movements all over, but sometimes I do get some really strong (sometimes painful) kicks up near my ribs. My doctor confirmed this week that he is head down (please stay that way!!), so that makes sense that I'm feeling some strong karate kicks up top. Ouch!

Other Updates: At my doctor appointment this week, my OB confirmed that baby is head down right now. He still has more than enough room to possibly flip, but I'm hoping that he stays this way!  After my doctor's appointment, I had an appointment at hospital admissions to get my hospital registration out of the way.  Crazy to think that I am already checked into the hospital!  It was also crazy to sign all of the forms and identify my relationship to the soon-to-be-born patient as "mother."  I'm someone's mother?!

Highlights of the Week:

-Early in the week we tested the two paint samples from last week on the walls. We chose the one on the left side.  And just a few days later, the painter came and transformed the nursery into a very blue baby room.  It's so exciting to go in there now- I love it!

-Baby celebrated his first Halloween... kind of. We actually had a good crowd of trick-or-treaters, which I was happy about. It's wild to think that next Halloween, we will have a ten month old to dress up!

33 Weeks - A Durian Fruit OR A Squash

October 30, 2014

Photo Thoughts: This week's fruit was a Durian Fruit, and I have no idea where one would find such a fruit in Houston.  Plus, I think this is a smelly fruit, and I just don't want to deal with that anyways. So I figured that a squash was close enough in size (and in season!), so I went with that.  Oh, and that's an ice pack I'm holding on my head in the last photo.  More on that later.  

How I'm Feeling: Same. Good. No complaints from me.  Well, no pregnancy related complaints anyways. 

Baby/Bump: Baby is pretty busy in there this week- he's opening and closing his eyes, trying to coordinate breathing with sucking/swallowing (which might explain the hiccups I felt last week), and his bones are hardening (which also might explain why his little kicks and jabs are getting a lot more uncomfortable).  

Symptoms: My back still gets very sore by the end of the day, especially if I have been on my feet a lot.  It's nothing unbearable, but it's definitely not fun. Even though I've been getting pretty bored at my job recently, I am SO glad to have a job like this during pregnancy where I sit at a desk most of the day.  I can't imagine how much more pain I would be having if I was teaching this year and constantly on my feet and on the move.  

Weight: Forgot to weigh in this week. Womp.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I'm still really into OJ in the mornings, and I'm also really into peanut butter now. An English Muffin with PB is my go-to breakfast these days.  

What I'm Missing: I've been doing totally fine sleeping on my side, but sometimes I do just wish I could lie down on my stomach... even just for a little bit.  I catch myself sometimes walking into our bedroom and having the urge to just kind of throw myself onto the bed stomach first... but I can't, obviously. Soon enough.  

Sleep: Still good! Although I did wake up one night this week with the worst charlie horse cramp in my calf.  I sat straight up in bed and woke David up with all my thrashing about trying to get the cramp to stop.  Those things hurt so badly, and I was sore for the next couple days because of it. Supposedly leg cramps can be pretty common at this point in pregnancy though.  

Exercise: I'm still going to my prenatal Pilates/Barre class a couple times a week, and I'm also trying to do some of the videos from Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred 2-3 times a week.  I definitely have to modify the moves, but I love that the workouts are short and that I can do them at home.  

Movement: Lots!  And I can definitely tell that he is getting stronger with those kicks and jabs. I love feeling him move around in there- it's so crazy! But sometimes it is just SO much, that I'm like "calm down in there!"  It can get pretty uncomfortable sometimes. One day this week, I was on the freeway on my way home from work, and he was kicking me so hard, that I almost thought I was going to have to pull over since I was moving around so much to try and get him some more space in hopes of getting him to stop kicking me. Tiny ninja!  
Boy or Girl: Baby boy... I'm about to be outnumbered in our household. 

Highlights of the Week: 

-I picked out some paint samples for the nursery this week, and narrowed it down to my two favorites.  I bought samples of these two, and will try them out on one of the walls this weekend. Nursery progress- finally!  The lighting in this photo is awful- right below a yellow lamp- but I am deciding between the following two colors: right two color samples, second from the top on each.  

-Not exactly a highlight. A low light, in fact.  But worth mentioning here I guess.  This week baby boy got to experience surgery with me.  Long story, which I might write more about later, but the short version is I had my second and third basal cell skin cancers removed by MOH's surgery.  All three cancers have been on my scalp/in my hair line (the first one was about four years ago).  Luckily it wasn't super painful or invasive or anything, but it definitely wasn't fun.  And I was definitely upset about it, and quite honestly a little disappointed in myself.  Baby was just fine throughout the entire thing of course, although I did nearly pass out (that would have been a first for me), when they reclined me back in the chair for the procedure.  I guess I am officially at that point where laying on my back can make me nauseous and dizzy from the weight of the uterus pressing on a major artery.  But everything ended up going well, and I will go back in two weeks to get my stitches removed and have a final check.  I can only hope that this is the last time I have to deal with this AND I REALLY hope that my son will never have skin problems like his mom.  

32 Weeks - A Squash (Pumpkin)

October 23, 2014

Photo Thoughts:  A pumpkin is a squash, right?  I'm still having fun going through all these baby shower gifts- these baby chucks are a current favorite. I can't believe I will have my very own tiny human to wear these soon!

How I'm Feeling: In general? Good- can't complain too much.  But I am definitely starting to feel the effects of this protruding belly and that changing center of gravity putting stress on my body.  My back is pretty achy by the end of each day. 

Baby/Bump:

-Bub is starting to get cramped in there with less and less room to move around.  Babies are often in the head down position at this point, which was confirmed by my OB this week. 

-The bump is doing it's thing.. growing.  I'm not really sure what else there is to say about that...

Symptoms: It is definitely getting harder to be on my feet for extended periods of times.  Luckily, at work I am sitting at a desk the majority of the day.  So it's really in the evenings when I'm cooking or on the weekends when I'm doing lots of cleaning (ha!), errands, etc. that I start to feel the discomfort.  Sometimes on the weekends, I definitely think I overdo it with lots of bending over to move or clean things, laundry, and getting all the other things done I don't do during the week.  It's pretty obvious when I overdo it, because I pretty quickly get a bad backache and my stomach gets super tight and feels like it's in knots or that the baby is all balled up.  The baby usually kicks a lot after this, like he is mad at me or something.  Rightfully so, I guess. But if I lay down and drink some water, I usually feel better pretty quickly. 

Weight: +0.5 from last week. +23 pounds total.  I can deal with that. 

What I'm Anticipating: I got the invitation for my Houston baby shower in the mail this week!  I am so excited, and can't wait to see a lot of friends and old co-workers that I haven't seen in quite a while.

What I'm Stressing About/Worries: Same. Old. Thing. The ever-growing To Do List, and the never really progressing rate at which things are being crossed of that list.  I finally cracked down on myself this weekend and made myself clear out the nursery. During the move and unpacking process, the poor little nursery had basically become the dumping grounds/catch all for things that I hadn't found a home for yet or for things that I wanted to get rid of.  When people would ask me how the nursery was progressing I would send them these pictures saying things like "look how pretty the crib that I picked out is" (that giant box shoved behind the front door. And, "get a load of this pinworthy nursery!" I always thought I would be one of those moms who LOVED designing and creating the perfect little nursery, but it turns out I'm just not.  And sometimes I feel kind of guilty and down on myself about it, but hopefully something will come together eventually.  

But after this weekend, the nursery looks like this. Ready for baby, right? :-) 

Oh, and I still can't believe I have a closet full of baby things!  More organization is still needed here, but it's so fun to see all these baby things together in his closet.  

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I'm big into Orange Juice in the mornings now. So good.  I was never really a huge juice person in general, but OJ is a must in the mornings now. 

Sleep: After just a week, I've already abandoned the body pillow.  It was just bugging me more than anything, and I would wake up to find myself sleeping on my side with my back TO the pillow.  Obviously it just wasn't doing anything for me.  So I'm back to just hugging a regular-sized pillow on my side night, and I am perfectly happy- and well-rested.  David's glad there's no longer the equivalent of a third person in the bed anymore. 

Exercise: I am really enjoying the prenatal pilates/barre class I found!  It's a really good workout (half the class is cardio), and the stretching feels so great, too. I usually do that twice a week, and TRY to go to Zumba on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays, but that's just not happening as much (or as easily) as I would like it to.  It was so easy when I could just walk to the gym for that class. 

Movement: I felt baby hiccups for the first time this week AND I even managed to get a video of it! It was the strangest feeling. I swore I wouldn't share bare belly pictures on my blog, but I just have to share this little hiccup video. 

Boy or Girl: XY

Highlights of the Week:

-I had a great 32 week OB appointment.  It's fun going every two weeks now, and I really like my doctor.  I am SO glad I was kind of forced to switch doctors and practices.  This week I asked her if she could tell his position/orientation, since I never really seem to be able to identify that on my own.  She said he is head down (!!!) with his back along my left side.  That explains all the kicks I've been feeling on my upper right side, since that must be where his little feet are. 

-The neighborhood mom's group that I joined had a fun little "Moms' Night Out" dinner this Friday.  I was nervous to go since I didn't know anyone, and kind of felt like a mom imposter, since I'm not technically a mom just yet.  But I was so glad I went.  There were about 8 girls there, and they were all so nice.  We tried a new restaurant in the neighborhood, and enjoyed some great food, drinks (lemonade for me), and had fun just being around a group of females my age.  I'm really glad I went, and I'm hoping maybe there will be one more before the baby comes!

31 Weeks: A Pineapple

October 16, 2014

Photo Thoughts: Why have I never worn leggings before? These are one of the most comfortable things I've ever worn! Oh- and the cleaning stuff is to represent the big cleaning spree I felt compelled to go on this past weekend.

How I'm Feeling: Big.  My back aches off and on throughout the day. But all things considered, I guess there's not too much to complain about.

Baby/Bump: The experts say there is a big increase of brain activity that coincides with all 5 senses being just about fully developed this week. 

 

The bump is definitely growing OUT, and I've been feeling him up a lot higher than I used to.  I felt like he was so low for such a long time.

 

The view from above this week.

 



 



Symptoms: Lower/mid back aches if I'm on my feet for too long, and slightly swollen ankles most evenings. I'm also still experiencing shortness of breath throughout the day- even just randomly if I'm sitting down. But I also notice I get winded very easily.  I'm starting to resent the stairs in our house, as they are becoming more and more of a chore.

Weight: + 0 this week, so +22.0 total still. Yay for a little plateau!

What I'm Stressing About/Worries: Broken record on this one... just stressing about that ticking clock and that growing "To Do" list.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I've been really into peanut butter this week. I had been on a cereal kick for breakfast, but I was noticing that shortly after I would get to work I was feeling kind of gross.  I started to suspect it might be the milk since I really hardly ever drink milk.  So I took a break from cereal and milk and switched to an English Muffin with peanut butter.  SOOOO good!  And I am not feeling sick anymore, so... peanut butter FTW!

What I'm Missing: As the weather is ever so slightly changing, I am starting to miss my old clothes a little bit. And I really am hoping I won't have to buy a bunch of "cold weather" maternity clothes with so little time left...

Sleep: I finally got a body pillow this week (just a regular, non-pregnancy one).  It seems to be helping a little bit, although I wasn't really all that uncomfortable to begin with.  But I'm sure it will be good to have in the coming weeks.

Exercise: Still doing well about staying back on a regular workout schedule! AND, I started a prenatal pilates/barre class this week!  The studio is really close to where we live, and the lady runs it our of her house, so the classes are really small, which is nice. There were 6 people in the class, ranging from about 25 weeks to 38 weeks. It was a good workout, and it felt good to do some exercises and stretches that were really adapted for and aimed at a pregnant body.  I really liked it, and I'm excited to go again! 

Movement: Lots of movement, although still mostly unidentifiable. This week I got my first real "zinger" of a kick straight to the bladder. I was standing in an aisle at Target when it happened, and I was sure that when I looked down I would see a puddle at my feet. Luckily that didn't happen, but OW- that hurt!

Boy or Girl: In case you forgot- it's a boy!

Highlights of the Week: My Phoenix Baby Shower, of course!!!  My mom, sister, and cousin did an amazing job planning and putting it on- it was perfect! And it was so fun to catch up with family and friends. Baby H and I were definitely spoiled, and we received TONS of great baby gifts.  And because of the story book theme, baby boy's library is off to a pretty impressive start!  A friend of mine took pictures of the shower, and I'm still waiting to get my hands on those, but when I do, I will post some more photos of the big event!

Guest-made onesies- who knew my family and friends were so TALENTED?!

 

One of my very best friends, Kayli, was in town for work for a couple nights this week and she stay at our house. It was SO good to see her and spend some time together in between her work events. She even got to feel a few baby kicks!  But, major failure, we didn't even manage to get ONE photo of the two of us :-(

Oh, and also not to be overlooked in the "highlight" department... I took my very first pregnancy nap this week!  Crazy, I know. I am just NOT a napper- never have been (even as a baby, according to my mom).  But one day this week when I got home from work, I was beat, and a power nap (I set my alarm for 30 minutes) seemed like the only solution.

Most Entertaining Question/Comment of the Week: The pest control guy said out of nowhere, "So, when are you going to pop?"

30 Weeks: A Cucumber

October 9, 2014

Photo Thoughts: These photos are actually from my a few days past 30 weeks... my photos are always a little delayed.  These are actually baby shower photos where I was something like 30 weeks + 2 days.  It's just easier for me to take photos on the weekends. 

How I'm Feeling: Overall, I don't have much room to complain.  I am still noticing that the all around uncomfortable feeling is just kind of becoming a part of my every day.  Nothing awful, but the dull back aches and feet aches throughout the day are no fun. 

Baby/Bump: Baby boy's brain is showing lots of activity now as his 5 senses are becoming more and more refined.  Come on, Baby Einstein!  His previously wrinkly skin is starting to smooth out as he packs on the fat.  The chubbier, the better I say. 

My bump just gets bigger and bigger (duh, I guess).  I think I might be able to avoid the outie belly button.  Mine just seems to be stretching out flat.  Belly buttons are weird things. 

Symptoms: It's definitely unavoidable now that if I am on my feet for too long, my back and my feet will inevitably begin to ache.  I'm also still experiencing some shortness of breath- usually in the evenings.  Baby, stop crowding my lungs please. 

Weight: + 1.0... +22.0 total. (Plus that +10 I never lost from Australia... but I will just try not to factor that in.  For now.)

What I'm Anticipating: I am SO excited for my baby shower coming up this weekend.  My mom, sister, and cousin are hosting a shower for me in Phoenix, and I can't wait.  It will be so fun to see friends and family and celebrate Baby H. 

What I'm Stressing About/Worries: I'm not really stressing about it, but I am just really hoping that my flight to Phoenix goes smoothly.  I hope I can avoid the crazy ankle/feet swelling I experienced the last two times I've flown during this pregnancy. 

Also, on Sunday night, I was just minding my business... making dinner. And BAM, out of nowhere, I just started crying.  I started freaking out about the usual- how fast time is going, and how much I still have to accomplish.  I have no idea why it all hit me then, but it must have been a sight to see a pregnant lady crying over pizzas-in-progress.  I called my mom in tears and just talking it out a little bit helped me feel better.  Crisis averted. 

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I've been lucky to avoid any crazy cravings or aversions while pregnant, but the other day I was at CVS and walked past these Peanut Butter M&M's and just had to have them.  So worth it!

Sleep: I love sleep. I am SO glad I haven't really had any trouble with sleep so far (fingers crossed it stays this way for as long as possible).

Exercise: Still doing well with the 30 Day Shred DVD's.  It seems to be the perfect fit for me at this point- easy to modify the exercises, less than 30 minutes, and I still break a pretty good sweat.  Thanks, Jillian!

Movement: Lots!  I can definitely feel baby boy a lot more frequently throughout the day.  Each night, I usually lay in bed for a while and just try and spend some time watching him move.  He still plays shy and will completely stop moving when I try to put my hand on my belly to feel it from the outside or if I try to catch the movement on video.  I am still looking forward to when the movements become even bigger- to the point where I can make out a body part or figure out how he's oriented in there.  Oh! And I keep forgetting to include this, but I think the baby is scared of the blender.  Many afternoons when I get home from work, I make a smoothie.  The blender sits right at about my belly level on the counter top, and I have noticed that as soon as I turn the blender on, he will start squirming around until I turn it off.  Sorry, baby!

Boy or Girl: Team blue!

David Moment: One night this week, I was doing something in the kitchen and I saw David just staring at me. In an accusatory way, I asked him what he was staring at.  He responded, "Wow.  You're really pregnant."  It was pretty funny.  I guess it's taking a while to hit him, too. 

Milestones: Finally! A stranger in public (actually two in the same night) acknowledged/recognized that I'm pregnant!  And bonus: it wasn't in a rude way.  David and I were at the Greek Festival, waiting in a long line for some delicious Greek pastries.  There was a lady in the next booth over trying to get people to come over to her line for ice cream.  She pointed to me and said, "YOU!  You and that baby definitely need ice cream!"  And then later on that night, we were on the crowded shuttle bus on the way back to the parking lot.  There was standing room only when we got on, and an older man insisted that I take his seat.  It was really sweet. 

Spotted at the Greek Festival: Pregnant Lady

-Ok, now this is clearly not a real milestone (and I am embarrassed to even be discussing this), but I'm to the point where my belly is getting in the way of accomplishing a lot of tasks I used to never think twice about.  Well, I seriously felt like I deserved an award or some sort of public recognition after I completed the task of... cutting my toe nails.  That was seriously about a million times harder than I ever thought possible.  And baby was NOT happy with me afterwards for basically crushing him in the process.  Pedicures from here on out?  Sounds good to me!

Highlights of the Week: It was an eventful week...

-30 Week OB Appointment: I got my T-Dap vaccine to hopefully prevent the baby from getting pertussis.  My arm seriously hurt for days after that!  #wimp.  I also had a major "oh crap" moment when the doctor walked me through several pages of consents that I had to sign and initial in a million places basically acknowledging all of the risks for me and baby with the various types of birth/delivery.  I felt like I was signing my life away.  I still have almost zero ability to imagine myself being in that position in about ten weeks, but this made things feel very, very real.  I guess this really has to happen...

-Neighborhood Moms' Group: One evening David came home from work asking if I had seen all the cars parked outside and seen the park all lit up and crowded (I hadn't).  So we walked across the street to the park and stumbled upon "National Neighborhood Night Out."  Who knew? (Not us.)  There were several stations set up with food, music, local businesses advertising, and a few neighborhood organizations.  One of the tables we stopped at happened to be the newly formed "Moms' Group" for out little neighborhood.  I was SO excited to find out that this group existed.  The two ladies I talked to seemed very nice, and they told me all about the events they try to plan, the Facebook group, etc.  So it's official- I'm in a Moms' Group!  I kind of feel like an imposter, but I am excited that there is a network for this so close by for when I need support or socialization when baby arrives. 

29 Weeks - An Acorn Squash

October 2, 2014

Photo Thoughts: Acorn squash- just in time for Fall!  The registry/early Baby Shower gifts are starting to roll in. I can't believe I now own baby stuff! 

How I'm Feeling:  So far, so good. I have had a few experiences where I just felt all around uncomfortable in my body. One time I was just sitting on the couch and every position I sat in was just totally uncomfortable. I’m guessing those uncomfortable moments will be becoming more common.  I’m still feeling really overwhelmed with everything that needs to get done in the next few months.  I just feel like no matter how much I try to get things done, I’m just not being as productive as I need to be. When will those crazy nesting urges begin to kick in?

Baby/Bump:  Baby is the size of an acorn squash this week. He is packing on the fat slowly but surely, and moving more and more- even hiccups are common now. 

The bump is definitely growing out instead of just up now.  I got a few fun “bird’s eye view” photos of the bump this week that I thought gave a cool perspective.  I might try and do these every couple of weeks and watch the bump grow from this view, too. 

That is not an illusion, my legs really are almost as white as our stark white duvet cover

Bye bye, toes!

Symptoms:  My lower back really starts to ache if I’m either sitting or standing too long. I notice this especially when I’m cooking or doing dishes.  And my ankles are still swollen by the time bedtime rolls around most days.  Oh, and I’m experiencing some occasional shortness of breath.  It feels like the “tightness” in my chest I feel when my asthma starts to act up.  It’s not too bad though, and from what I’ve read it sounds like it is normal and just because the baby is beginning to crowd my lungs.  Rude. 

Weight:  +1.0 since last week. So +21.0 total. I'm ok with that.

What I'm Anticipating: I’m getting very excited for my baby shower in Phoenix! 

What I'm Stressing About/Worries:  The same as always- when/how will I get everything done?  I know no one ever “gets everything done,” per se, but I know I need to get as much done as possible before baby comes, and it’s a little overwhelming. 

Sleep:  I’m still doing pretty well in this area- so much so that one of my greatest daily struggles is dragging myself out of bed in the morning.  Sleep is just the best.  Oh, and one night this week I had the strangest dream.  I dreamt that we got a letter in the mail from the doctor’s office basically saying “oops, we forgot to tell you that you are actually having twins.”  I was a little nervous when I checked the mail the next day,  but obviously it was just a dream, and there is just one baby on the way. 

Exercise: Major progress in getting back on the exercise train this week!  I started Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred.  Obviously I’m not planning to “shred” anything over the next 30 days, but I’m just glad I found a way to work exercise back into my daily schedule.  I love that the workouts are short (only 20-25 minutes), but they get the job done, and I do feel better on the days that I workout.  It was so much easier when we lived in the apartment, because the gym was literally three doors down from our apartment AND 24 hour fitness was just a 5 minute walk down the street.  Getting back into home workouts is a good solution for me right now. 

Movement: Oh yes, lots of movement.  David and I both actually got to feel him having the hiccups for the first time this week.  And one night, David put his ear to my belly (I have no idea what he was expecting to hear), and the baby gave him a pretty big kick in the face.  Haha. He jerked his head up as said, “did my son just kick me in the face?”  In general though, I swear this baby must be shy.  Because many times I feel movement and then try to put my hand there to feel it, have David look, or even if I try to record it on my camera, I swear he just becomes totally still.  It’s the weirdest thing.

 

Boy or Girl:  Baby boy!

Milestones: Not a real milestone in the sense of any big accomplishment or development, but I did finally work up the nerve to park in the “Stork Parking” spot at the grocery store.  I felt a little guilty at first, thinking that there was probably someone way more pregnancy than me there that needed that spot.  But I got over that and enjoyed my front and center parking spot.  #pregnantladyperks

 

Highlight of the Week:  For my birthday, one of my best friends got me a gift certificate for a massage at a really nice spa in Houston.  This was way back in March, and somehow I still had not used it.  I finally went in for my massage on Sunday, and it was amazing.  They obviously had to make a few adjustments since I can’t lie on my stomach anymore, but it was so nice and relaxing still.  Although at one point when I was on my back, I did start to all of a sudden feel hot, a little nauseous, dizzy, and like my heart was beating really fast.  I told the massage therapist that I needed to switch back over to my side, and the feeling immediately disappeared. I think I must have been flat on my back for too long without my head propped up or anything.  So I guess what they say is true about trying to avoid laying on your back because the uterus then puts too much pressure on one of the major blood vessels that brings blood back to your heart.  It was a strange feeling, but it did go away quickly, and it definitely did not ruin my amazing massage!