21 Weeks!

Well, I am a week behind. 

Sorry for the slack, but have you ever noticed how the Christmas holiday slowly creeps up and takes over the entirety of everyone's life? It definitely has to mine. Matt and I have been so busy ever since he returned home from tour (I am not complaining, I do appreciate how this pregnancy is flying by... especially since all I want to do is hold our little ball of baby rolls). But this was both of our last week at work before we could enjoy the Christmas holiday. And as you can probably imagine, we had a laundry list of things to accomplish before we could finally sit and veg out on the couch. 

This week was also our one year anniversary! I still can not believe that we have only been married for one year. Though we met in 2007, it feels like it has been forever... in a good way. We were talking about how thankful we are to be in the situation we are... married to each other and our first born son on the way!? Life is anything but boring and I have a feeling it is about to get so much more complex. We celebrated with a day together and a date night at Bonefish. Then of course we saved room for our new favorite, frozen yogurt. Hey, pregnant girl's gotta have fun too. Matt was super thoughtful and even surprised me with gerber daisies, B.O.G.O Kettle cooked Salt and Vinegar AND Cheddar and Sour Cream potato chips and a non alcoholic beer. Cheers, honey.

This week the belly is definitely poking out. In my running clothes, from the side, I look hilarious. My body is about the same proportions but my stomach is poking out like I swallowed a watermelon whole. I know baby is growing so rapidly because I can feel the tension in my ligaments and strain when I stand up too quickly. Also, he is moving around like crazy! So much, to the point, where if I don't feel him (at nights mostly) I get kind of paranoid and usually chug a glass of cold water to wake him up a bit. Just the reassurance that he is kicking makes me feel so much better. Man, I guess you could say motherly instincts. 

Also this week, we received this cute little boho outfit from Aunt Kirsten! I wish you could see the pants better... they are to die for. I think a pair of baby TOMS will be perfect for this little duo. Thanks Auntie! 

Well, like I said. I am a week behind. I know this is a post for 21 weeks. I am actually 22 weeks a of today (December 19, 2011). Hopefully I will be able to post on time this week so that my progress stays on track. Matt and I are headed to Montana for two weeks, so preggo pictures will have to be taken there (as the chalk board could obviously not come with). We'll think of something creative though!

Hello from BabyCenter! Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.>> Read more about this week Quick Clicks • How's your maternal instinct? • Are you at risk for fifth disease? • What it means if you're measuring large or small • Four chores to avoid now Overheard in your birth club "I'm at 21 weeks and I've never felt healthier, except my back and feet are killing me. It'll all be worth it when I hold my baby for the first time." – Amy >> See what others are saying at 21 weeks Your baby at 21 weeks Eyebrows are growing in.

     Week 21

10

by Amalah

Your Baby:

• Is about 10 1/2 inches long, head to toe.
• Passes time by sucking his or her thumb and even opening and closing his or her eyes. And you know, elbowing you in the vital organs.
• Is like, kicking for serious now, and the movements cannot only be felt from the outside, they can often be seen. Lie on your back and watch the weird ripples and dips of baby limbs. (For the full Jurassic Park effect, do this in the tub and watch the water rings vibrate out from your belly.)

You:

• Are possibly getting accosted in public with unsolicited belly rubs and unsolicited pregnancy advice. I’m not sure which is more annoying.
• Oh, so THREE of the pregnancy books I use to compile these bullet thingies mentioned that we should all be feeling downright awesome and fabulous right now. Not too big and uncomfortable, lots of energy, able to sleep through the night without peeing, etc. If that describes you, well…LA DEE FRICKING DA. HOW LOVELY THAT MUST BE FOR YOU.

How far along?: 21 Weeks; 6 Days

Total weight gain/loss: +16 Lbs.

Maternity clothes?: Um.... I definitely should be. 
My jeans are definitely snug. 

Stretch marks?: Nope!

Sleep: Well, considering I roll over 15 times a night.... 
pretty good. 

Best moment this week: Finishing work to start our 
Christmas vacation!

Miss Anything?: Red Wine.

Movement: Lots of kicks and squirms!

Food cravings: Cheese. Cheese. Cheese and Salt 
and Vinegar chips. ;)

Anything making you queasy or sick: No. Thankfully. 

Have you started to show yet: Yes. 

Gender: A stinky little Matt Jr.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out?: Flattening as we speak.

Wedding rings on or off?: On and loose.

Happy or Moody most of the time: So happy! 

Looking forward to: A White Christmas! No work 
for 2 weeks!

Until Next Time,

LP

20 Weeks!

I am hungry, so 

hungry... 

all of the time now. 

Apparently this side effect of the second trimester is only going to get increasingly worse. I am chomping down on celery and salsa as I type. Well. It's official. I am at the end of my 20th week! That means I am looking forward to a cold but baby kicking fifth month. Matt and I are heading to Montana in about one week and as far as I am concerned, I have nothing to wear. This belly of mine is getting rounder by the minute. Today I pulled together a few of my bigger sweaters and dug in to Matt's oversized ones as well. 

The in-laws have not gotten the chance to see or rub the baby bump (baby mound) yet and I can hardly wait for them to see it! I am telling you, this has been an out of body experience the whole time. I still look in the mirror and laugh at my kangaroo pouch that is blowing up rapidly. 

Finally, my running is starting to kick ass again. Hubby and I have been rocking the trails lately. He says it looks funny to see a pregnant woman still clipping along on runs. I'm telling you, my times have not been too shabby. This week I completed three consecutive days of five miles at 32:30... which is around 6:30 per mile. Just to think, during my first trimester I was so tired a 9 minute mile felt like I was flying. We'll see how I feel in the days to come. It is hard to imagine how much bigger I am still going to get. Maybe my body will slowly adjust to the baby weight to where I won't even notice it! Ha. 

Let me think.

As I have said, I've been really fortunate with this pregnancy so far. Being my first one, I really had no idea of what to expect and I will say... this has been better than I expected. Luckily I did not have any morning sickness (totally thought I would). I have not had terrible round ligament pain and no swelling in my feet, ankles, hands or face. And the cravings have not been crazy gross. My sleeping really has not suffered, except for the late night pees and I am able to do most everything I could do before I was pregnant. Minus the indulgence of alcoholic beverages, coffee, and soft cheeses.... damn. 

I am not trying to speak too soon, I know I sill have 20 more weeks. All I am saying is that I am very blessed and very thankful for how things have gone so far, especially since Matt was gone the entire first trimester. I just hope to God the next months aren't too hard. That's all.

Anyways... okay.

20 WEEKS.

Hello from BabyCenter! You're at the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (The way your baby is measured changes now.) He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (although some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).>> Read more about this week

Your baby at 20 weeks Your baby is practicing swallowing.

   Week 20

Your Baby:

• Is as big as (depending on which measurements from which pregnancy book you use and of course, Your Produce May Vary) a butternut squash, or as long as a banana, or possibly a carrot. I am getting the sense these comparisons are not really an exact science.
• Will be measured head-to-toe from this point on, instead of the head-to-rump measurements we’ve used so far. I remember choking on a bagel at 21 weeks last time because HOLY CRAP, MY CHILD JUST GREW FIVE INCHES IN A WEEK.
• Has a heartbeat that can be heard with just a regular old stethoscope now and not just the fancy doppler.
• Is swallowing and practicing other digestive skills, and can now produce meconium, which is essentially prenatal poop that sits in the bowels during pregnancy. You’ll see this awesome goopy stuff in person during your baby’s very first diaper change, or possibly even during labor like I did, as some babies like to take their first crap in the womb. Meconium in the fluid in considered a delivery complication, but it’s very common and not terribly dangerous — your doctor will just need to suction your baby’s nose and mouth immediately after delivery to prevent any meconium going into your baby’s lungs with their first breath.

You:

• Are HALFWAY THERE HALFWAY THERE HALFWAY THERE!
• Seriously. You are halfway through this pregnancy, which may bring to mind such deep thoughts like: “Yay!” or “Uh-oh” or “Whoa” or “Must. Organize. Kitchen. Cabinets.”

You can probably tell, Matt took these pictures.

How far along?: 20 Weeks; 6 Days

Total weight gain/loss: +16 Lbs.

Maternity clothes?: NOPE! Stretchy pants! Leggings! 
Hubby's pj pants.

Stretch marks?: No... I'm on Matt's lotion regime.

Sleep: Like a baby.

Best moment this week: Reaching the 5 month mark!

Miss Anything?: Enjoying wine or beer when Matt and 
I go out to dinner.

Movement: Oh yeah!

Food cravings: Cheese. Pasta. Mashed Potatoes. 
French Fries. Chips. Ranch. (Real healthy, huh)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Fish... gag me.

Have you started to show yet: You bet!

Gender: A stinky little Matt Jr.

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out?: In-ish.

Wedding rings on or off?: On and loose.

Happy or Moody most of the time: ECSTATIC! 
Although, sometimes I cry for really stupid reasons, 
like thinking about how much I love my family, dogs, Nola moms.

Looking forward to: Our One Year Anniversary! 
A White Christmas! No work for 2 weeks!

Again, I can not wait to meet our sweet, fat, little satin skin baby.

I am already obsessed with how small his hands and feet are going to be the first time I meet him.

Until Next Time,

LP

If This is Motherhood, I'll Take It.

Found by my friend, @Tessaeden.
So Perfect.

19 Weeks!

Last night...
I dreamt I was a middle school teacher and was getting fired because I drank a beer during a parent teacher conference. Any dream interpreters out there? I am thinking 2 things. 
1) I am dreading the day Baby P is a middle schooler.
2) I miss beer.
Yikes!

I have been so busy this week! Since Thanksgiving, Matt and I have not slowed down for one minute! My life at work has been consumed with a giant gingerbread house (which I will post about in our family blog after Tuesday... when it's finished). If fact, forgive me if I am all over the place with this blog post... I feel like my brain has turned into gingerbread, candy land mush.  

So let's see, let's see... Baby stuff.

Baby's first stuffed animal. $8 Ikea treasure, "Rosie."

We have been baby crazy lately... from stroller and car seat reviews to nursery decor, baby is slowly taking over our life... and our sanity. I am so glad to have Matt home during this holiday season and for the mere fact that I am beginning to need a foot rub at the end of each work day. Tonight, I came home to his famous "Sauce" (Spaghetti) and we had a wonderful dinner together, in the quietness of our amazing home. Ahh.. it's good to be loved; it's good to have someone take care of you.

We had another appointment this week on Wednesday! You know, the normal routine... nothing crazy. Baby is safe, healthy, and MOVING AROUND!!! Yep. Absolutely being a jitter bug. I am also healthy, the running is still going well (thankfully) andddd... I gained four pounds in one week. Thanks Turkey Day leftovers, four days in a row. Our midwife, Jane, tells us this is normal and that we should keep doing everything we have been doing for the past 19 weeks. I am getting to the awkward point where it is a little inconvenient to bend down and pick up stuff out of arms reach. This belly is getting big. 

Not to mention, one of the nurses at the appointment the other day gave me some advice. She said if I wanted to feel the baby, I should eat dinner and lay down 20-30 minutes later. It TOTALLY worked! He is still kind of hard to feel, but I can feel his lumpy little body moving from side to side in there. Also, Matt got to feel movement from the outside! So AMAZING! Now, it's my favorite part of every night. 

Okay... Baby Progress.

Hello from BabyCenter! Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. The hair on her scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.>> Read more about this week Quick Clicks • Cheeses to avoid during pregnancy • When are cramps a sign of danger? • Track your pregnancy weight gain Overheard in your birth club "My husband loves my growing belly. Being open and honest about how we are feeling has brought us closer together, which has made me feel at ease." – Melissa >> See what others are saying at 19 weeks Your baby at 19 weeks Your baby may be able to hear you now. >> See the big picture: 19 weeks

Your Baby:

• Is about 5 1/2 to six inches long and weighs around 7 ounces.
• Although your baby will weigh more than 15 times its current weight by the time it is born, the rapid-fire growth portion of pregnancy is over. Thus, I have nothing else interesting to say up here. Baby is fully assembled; just needs some fattening up and lengthening out.

You:

• May be able to feel your baby’s kicks from the outside of your belly, if you’re lucky. Jason felt his first kick last night, and it was pretty cool and rocking and all that. He only remembered the later, third-trimester wallops from last time — this was the first time we were able to catch one of the gentle, early kicks.
• How are your moods doing? I’m not about to tell anyone what’s “normal” at this point, except to say that whatever you’re feeling? Whether it be fear or worry or impatience or rage or weepiness or ecstatic joy or maybe a combination of all of the above in the span of 10 minutes? Yep. It’s probably normal.
• The moods are normal because things are probably becoming a whole lot more “real” right about now. The belly is undeniable, the movements are steady, perhaps you know whether it’s a boy or a girl and are deciding on names and picking out room decor. So maybe you ran out of the room crying during a movie where something bad happened to a small child. Or to an adult! Because THEY WERE SOMEONE’S BABY ONCE TOO! Congratulations! You’re officially bonding.

How far along?: 19 Weeks; 6 Days

Total weight gain/loss: +16 Lbs. = W.O.A.H.

Maternity clothes?: NOPE! Still in denial.

Stretch marks?: No...I'm on Matt's lotion regime.

Sleep: Completely weird dreams lately.

Best moment this week: We felt baby dancing away!

Miss Anything?: BEER! Bloody Marys! Red Wine.

Movement: Yes! Yes! Yes!

Food cravings: Cheese. ;)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Apparently 
the smell of molasses? Which sucks due to the fact 
that I am making 1,000 gingerbread people.

Have you started to show yet: Yeah... 16 LBS ago.

Gender: A Rotten Little Boy!

Labor Signs: No

Belly Button in or out?: In-ish.

Wedding rings on or off?: On.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy! 
How could I not be?! I have an amazing life.

Looking forward to: Christmas in Montana!!!!!!!!! 

16 Days!

So, what else am I stoked about?
Well. I have wanted to be a mom since I was about 20 years old.
But, lately, since it is close to Christmas,
I can't wait to do fun stuff like this!

"Elf Donuts" = Cheerios! Wow. So stinkin cute.  

I CAN NOT WAIT to use this! Wow, I am so excited. 

If you don't know about the "Elf on the Shelf" I will tell you....

This is a tool to keep your little ones behaved during the holidays!

Basically, the elf watches the kiddos all day long and reports "good/bad behavior to 

Santa" at night! When the babes wake up, the elf is in a pesky, unusual 

spot that the kids have to find!  

Anyways.

Have I mentioned that I can't wait until baby is here? 

Christina and Jack make me want that even more!

Until Next Time,

LP