Everyone Needs a Nudge of Inspiration.

In this journey and adventure of pregnancy and pre-motherhood, I am lucky to have insightful friends who have shared and are sharing the same experiences.

During the hard moments of "am I doing this right?" I find myself completely engulfed and overwhelmed by the information and rights and wrongs about everything. From what I eat to which side of my body I sleep on, there is an opinion, a theory if you will, about every single thing. 

While trying to figure out this unpredictable, unexperienced road, I find myself feeling guilty for not just enjoying each individual moment. And to think, I am only in pre-motherhood. I can not imagine the pressure I am going to feel once baby is born. The thought of raising another individual is beyond comprehensive to me right now.  

I'll admit, sometimes I get caught up in the moments of Matt's absence, I stress about the trivial, and I rush through the day counting down each moment until the next. With a forever racing mind, in a completely foreign journey, my prayer is that I am cherishing every last moment that matters. I never want to look back with regret saying, "wow that time went too by too fast."

I am sure my days will come where my screaming baby makes me doubt my reasoning or when I am frantically seeking Matt's help so I don't explode from overwhelming emotions. But until then my hope is to trust in the beauty of instinct that I am doing everything in my power to get it right. 

These links are two powerful, thoughtful opinions on the same source. 

[Christina sent them to me today and they couldn't have been better received. 

Friends through a lifetime of crazy experiences and still, 

she has the power to make me feel 100% better.

I am thankful.]

Don't Carpe Diem.

Dear Baby Blog, Response.

And this, my friends, is the moment I want to live in... 

[An excerpt taken from one of my favorite blogs, 

I could not put this feeling into more appropriate words.] 

“Sometimes I sit quietly with my hands on either side of my belly and feel you move. I feel the hardness of your little hands and feet as you push against me and I am overcome with peace. Your presence there inside me, envelops me head to toe with the deepest of faiths. In the same way in which I have learned to follow God, In the way I have learned to make a life with your father, In the way I have learned to care for your sister - with that same faith I will trust you to come into this world in your own individual way.

And I will keep brushing away the preconceived notions of who you will be - those unfounded comments on what I should expect - because I feel you speaking to me already. And with every roll of my belly, you say to me “I am here, becoming. And I will be the exact boy you need in your life, mama. No more or no less”

-Dear Baby Blog 

-LP-

26 Weeks!

Okay. 

I take back what I have been saying.

This is absolutely the first week where pregnancy 

has not been a bowl of peaches. 

I have round ligament pain.

My back hurts.

My groin hurts.

And running?

It's hard.

Yep.

And I'm ready for a beer.

Really ready.

That is why I have begun the countdown.

In 14 weeks (hopefully) we will be holding a sweet little baby

and I will be walking this weight right off. 

I guess this has been the hardest week for a couple of reasons.

On Monday, Matt and I went to our 26 week OBGYN appointment. 

We met the third and final midwife at the practice and she sprung a laundry list of overwhelming questions on us! 

1. Have you thought about taking a birthing class?

2. Have you chosen a pediatrician?

3. Have you thought about a birth control method, after the baby is born?

Well yes, oh insightful midwife, we have. But geez. Am I running out of time or what? 

I know it is their job to keep us on track but let me tell you, those are all questions that we both really have to think about and thinking about them all at once on a Monday morning was the last thing we wanted to be faced with. 

Annnndd.... I may or may not have gained a few LB's since the holiday season (which I am not surprised about). When we were in Montana I know baby hit one of his major growth spurts. In weeks 22 to 26, baby doubles in weight!

At first, I was absolutely stressing about it. 

Am I hurting the baby?

Did I gain too much weight? 

Is he too big?

Damn. Its so easy to get down on yourself in a situation like this, but I am so lucky to have Matt and amazing friends. Matt, Christina and my friend Lesley assured me everything was fine. 

Aka: They talked the crazy out of me. 

Then to compile the fun, on Wednesday at 6:45 am, I had my blood glucose test. 

If chugging Hi-C Fruit Punch at the crack of dawn is not back enough, add having your blood taken twice by some guy who looks like he's just about to graduate high school. Honestly, the guy looked like he was wearing his dad's lab coat. He walked in and I immediately panicked. I was SO close to asking for the supervisor (or someone over the age of 21). 

So, we'll see at the next appointment if I passed. 

Until then I will watch my sugar intake as to not send babe into a sugar coma.

Lastly, Matt leaves this week.

And, as an "A Type" planner, I can not help but to have all my ducks in a row before he leaves.

- Do we have a birth plan?

- We need to take a tour of the hospital.

- Are we on the same page about labor?

- OMG. This is really going to hurt. Do you think it's going to hurt?

- Do we know infant CPR?

- Are we both familiar of how to change a diaper? A boy's diaper?

Yes. Yes my head is about to explode and so is my poor husband's. 

But I know why you won't be surprised to learn that he has been both amazing and understanding during the pregnancy freak outs. He brings me back down to normality when I have a panic tangent. 

I am so thankful he is my partner. 

Anyways. 26 Weeks. Here it is.

Hello from BabyCenter! The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days.>> Read more about this week Your baby at 26 weeks Baby fat is building up under your baby's skin. >> See the big picture: 26 weeks

      Week 26

15

Your Baby:

• Is almost two pounds. Celebrate this milestone with a two-pound box of chocolates. You know, in order to really get a good VISUAL.
• Remember those early bubbly butterfly kicks? Yeah. Those have been replaced by something akin to a rabid mongoose flippin’ out inside a burlap sack.
• If you DO occasionally feel smaller, rhythmic movements in your belly, it’s probably your baby hiccuping. Babies actually get hiccups from late in the first trimester on, but most women don’t pick on them the second trimester or later.
• All five senses are fully developed. Whoa.

You:

• Are in the last and final week of the second trimester! (At least according to the books I’ve chosen to listen to — some mark the beginning of the third trimester as week 27, while some make you wait until week 28. Look, we’re all big and lumpy and ridiculously cranky, let’s get this final trimester STARTED.)
• Of course, the end of the second trimester also marks the end of the so-called “honeymoon” phase of pregnancy, as the final three months can get awfully uncomfortable. Back and joint pain, swollen ankles, restless nights and Braxton-Hicks contractions, ahoy!
• You’ll gain about 1/2 inch in belly/fundal size EVERY WEEK from this point on, oh mah gah. I guess I should stop being so smug about those pre-pregnancy lowrise jeans I’ve been wearing (with just a little help from my trusty rubber band).
• The books say we’ve gained about 16-22 pounds, so long as we’ve been following a “nutritious and sensible diet plan.” Bite me, books.

How far along?: 26 Weeks; 5 Days

Total weight gain/loss: 22 pounds... gained total so far! 
And I feel it.

Maternity clothes?: Just one pair of Maternity Jeans and 
my maternity leggings...

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Interesting. The peeing once an hour is back. 
I toss and turn all night long.

Best moment this week: Finishing Glucose Test.

Miss Anything?: Running fast. Drinking cold beer at 
5pm after a long day.

Movement: Unbelievably active. 

Food cravings: Grapefruit with Salt... still.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing is too bad.

Have you started to show yet: Ha.

Gender: A Stinky wiener.

Labor Signs: Braxton Hicks. 

Belly Button in or out?: Flat!

Wedding rings on or off?: On and loose.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Obviously happy, 
just overwhelmed.

Looking forward to: Being a mommy.

Until Next Time,

LP

25 Weeks!

Yay for handy husbands!

Matt and I have been so busy this week! With both of us working and then coming home to work on the nursery at night... we are pooped. Between painting, door installation, crib assembly, clothing organization, mini blind installation and individualized art work, I think we could open a nursery decorating company! 

After we painted, and I mopped the floor about 20 times, we moved an armoire and recliner in the room. Matt then installed the refinished door to make the room a "room." On Thursday the crib arrived and Matt assembled it while I watched and brought the moral support. 

While arranging furniture in a limited space room, I started my hunt for the perfect piece of furniture to act as a changing table. Looking on Craigslist and just about every vintage/thrift store in Tallahassee proved to be pointless. I needed something with the dimensions 30 (L) x 20 (W) to fit in between the recliner and multifunctional armoire and I was failing at the search. Of course I toyed with the idea of buying a changing table online, but I was not satisfied with the look/price of any of the ones out there and the room is simply not big enough for a small dresser to fit. Defeated, Krysta and I tried one more place. 

Secondhand Sandies (on North Monroe) was the last and obviously only place we had not scoured. The place is interesting, to say the least, and finding something good was going to be like finding a diamond in the rough. You definitely have to walk in to Sandie's shop with an open mind and a plan to refurbish whatever it is that you will purchase. Greeted by two feral cats and a stray mutt upon walking into the store, sorting through her collection of history was just the right call. 

We finally found a perfect sewing table that measures 30 x 20 and has cabinet space underneath for diapers, wipes, etc. I was thrilled. For only $30 we walked out proud. I can't wait until Matt and I get to paint and change out the hardware... the piece is perfect. And when I become over ambitious one day, I might buy a sewing machine and use the table appropriately. Maybe.

Door view from the living room; Door view from inside the nursery.

Left corner and rocker of the nursery; Right corner and armoire of the nursery.

Dad gathering crib pieces.

Before

During

Crib after; Changing table pre up-cycled $30; Vintage Crochet Florida Blossom Blanket $15.

Wall Art.
So Matt and I have been doing our research on Etsy and storing away good ideas, but we are the type of people who can "do that ourselves." So today we went to Jo-Ann's and picked up some supplies to begin the crafting. The large USA print is a gem from Z-Gallerie, which we received as a wedding gift from a good friend and brother of ours. We decided to use this as the focal point for which we could pull colors and what-nots from. When the boy is old enough we will use a marker of some sort on the glass to keep track of where dad is, when he is on the road touring.
The other two are handmade. 

Wall Art. Created by the Mr. and Mrs... Still need one more on the left. 

GORGEOUS USA License Plate Print [Courtesy of Justin Smith]

And of course, we had to incorporate Montana's western beauty somehow.

25 WEEKS.

Oh baby. I feel it. 

I run slow. 

I barrel roll to get out of bed.

And I get heartburn when I think about spicy food. 

My back hurts in the morning.

I bend over like and 88 year old granny.

And I have round ligament pain like it's my freaking job.

Okay. Enough complaining. A beautiful thing is happening inside of me and in 15 weeks Sweet P and I will be gazing into each other's eyes wondering, what the hell do I do now?

Hello from BabyCenter! Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.>> Read more about this week Your baby at 25 weeks Your baby's hair has color and texture. >> See the big picture: 25 weeks

          Week 25

09
       Weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and is 13 1/2 inches long.

Your Baby:

• Is growing more hair, with a distinctive color and texture and everything.

You:

• Have a uterus the size of a soccer ball.
• Have probably noticed a decent increase in your belly size over the past few weeks — your fundal measurements (the length between your pubic bone and the top of your uterus) grew about an inch-and-a-half in the past four weeks alone.
• May start experiencing uterine contractions soon, if you haven’t already.

No, I didn't cut my hair. ;)

How far along?: 25 Weeks; 6 Days

Total weight gain/loss: We'll see at the 26 week check-up tomorrow! 
Uh oh.

Maternity clothes?: Just one pair of Maternity Jeans and my maternity 
leggings...

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: My lower back is starting to ache every morning, but that is a 

small price to pay if you ask me. 

Best moment this week: Nursery Assembly! Nursery Decor!

Miss Anything?: Running normal. It is going to feel awesome to get 
back in to shape after Baby P is born. 

Movement: MORE THAN EVER! He's so so so active. We are going 
to be in trouble.

Food cravings: Grapefruit with Salt?! I have one every single night. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Fish smell.

Have you started to show yet: Yes.

Gender: Sweet Baby Boy.

Labor Signs: None this week.

Belly Button in or out?: Flat!

Wedding rings on or off?: On and loose.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Ben Fold's said it first, "That I am, 

the Luckiest."

Looking forward to: Holding our sweet, soft little puddle of baby 
fat in 3 months. Being obsessed with his little hands and feet. 
And of course baby dress up.

I love being pregnant. 

Every time he kicks, I grin. 

Matt thinks it is awesome and so bizarre at the same time

and I feel special that Sweet P and I already have a secret connection.

Until Next Time, 

LP