33 Weeks 4 Days! (09/20/11)

As of last Friday, the 16th, I turned 33 weeks along. As you can see the baby is about the size of a honeydew. Mmmm, honeydew! Baby is about 17.2 - 18.7" long and weighs 4.2 - 5.8 lbs. Yikes!

How far along? 33 weeks 4 days

How I'm feeling? Pretty good other than I'm getting quite uncomfortable. I tired pretty easily also.

Weight? So far I stand at a 25 lb. weight gain. My OBGYN told me I'm allowed to gain 40 lbs. total during my pregnancy but I can't allow myself to do that. My goal was to gain only 30 lbs. but we'll see how that goes.

How I'm changing? I'm very moody and cry easily. I've lost times how many times I've cried in the past week. It's all over stupid silly stuff non-the-less. My hair gets greasy, my skin is actually better pregnant than not pregnant, I'm geting stretch marks (hello new road map ass, thighs and hips!) and I'm geting cellulite on my thighs. Ew!

What I miss? I'd give anything for a malibu bay breeze or a glass of wine. I miss my normal energy level too. *Sighs*

Cravings? Right now I crave salads and fruits. Yum! I actually think I'm going to have a nice big juicy granny smith apple after I finish typing this out!

Food Aversions? Meat on the bone.

Highlights this week? I got my first unemployment check yesterday. Woohoo! I also packed my diaper bag, DH's diaper bag and the baby's bath caddy.

30 Weeks! (08/26/11)

I'm 30 weeks today! Ekkk! Only 70 more days to go! Next week I'll hit 31 weeks and then have 9 weeks remaining. *Panicks* Baby is still about the size of a squash; 15.2 - 16.7" long and weighs 2.5 - 3.8 lbs.

At 30 weeks, your belly’s doing more than just making it tough to find a comfortable sleeping position. It’s made itself a conversation piece. Everywhere you go, someone seems to have a comment about your physical appearance, which isn’t always so fun. And no doubt, you’ve encountered quite a few people who don’t think before they speak and say something embarrassing or hurtful (what’s up with that?) Try not to take those comments seriously, but know which ones should be taken to heart. Like when they tell you you’re glowing, believe them! And take advantage of some of the perks (when someone offers you their seat on the train -- take it!) At week 30, your dreams might be getting even weirder -- if you’re actually sleeping, that is. That could be a result of anxiety, so consider doing some prep work to help you rest easier. One idea? Do a test drive to see exactly how long it really takes you to get to the hospital. Then maybe you’ll stop having nightmares about giving birth in your car.

- Her skin is getting smoother.
- But her brain is getting wrinklier -- to make way for all that essential brain tissue.
- She's now strong enough to grasp a finger!

I've been doing my kick counts nightly after dinner as that's usually when she's most active. Last night it took her awhile to get going and that worried me sick to the point where I felt nauseous. I even had DH put his hand on my belly and start talking to her, which usually gets her going but nadda. Once I went bed it was party time for her in there. Oh joy! Is this a sign of what's to come?

While watching Jersey Shore last night in bed I got to thinking about the things I'd miss once she joins us.
- Movement. Even though waking up from a deep sleep due to a kick in the ribs is uncomfortable I wouldn't trade it for the world.
- My OBGYN appointments. Oddly enough, I love going in and getting my blood pressure checked, getting weighed, listening to her heartbeat, asking my questions, bringing up concerns, etc. After each appointment I feel comforted.
- DH's loving and caring ways. Not that he's not loving and caring when I'm not pregnant but he seems to go a bit further and beyond than he normally does. Every time I stop dead in my tracks from a pain or an ache he immediately says "ARE YOU OK?!" "Yes, dear. I'm fine." He's been stepping up to the plate and helping me out any way that he can.
- Watching DH with other children and imagining him with Sophia. His Sister and 3 cousins have children of their own. It's absolutely priceless watching him interact with their children. He claims he's not scared of what's to come but I can tell that there's something there. He may not be scared but he may be nervous. I know he'll be an awesome Dad, no doubt in my mind. I actually fear that she'll be a Daddy's girl. No fair!
- Feeling the constant 24/7 bonding feeling. I'm carrying her with me 24/7 right now...I have been for 30 weeks now. There's no closer bond than that. I know when to expect her to start kicking, she kicks when I start getting hungry, certain foods that I eat make her go wild, I know when she gets the hiccups just by feeling them, loud noises scare her and she jumps, etc.

Yes, I may have cellulite. Yes, I may have stretch marks. Yes, I feel like a beached whale. Yes, I'm sick of the rude comments from some friends, family, co-workers and strangers. Yes, I hate being tired all the time. Yes, I hated throwing up for the first 16 weeks of my pregnany. Yes, I hate being so darn paranoid about this pregnancy. But you know what? I'm thankful and I wouldn't change it for the world. <3 Momma loves you Sophia Marie! <3

29 Weeks! (08/19/11)

As of today I'm 29 weeks along! 77 more days to go and only 8 more weeks until I'm full term. Ekkk! The baby is approximately the size of a squash, 15.2 - 16.7" long and weighs 2.5 - 3.8 lbs. She'll be about the size of a squash until week 33. She'll be gaining some baby chub until then.

Baby's energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath his skin. And since he's growing so fast (weight will triple by birth), things are getting kind of cramped in the womb. What all this means for you: Get ready for some more kicks and jabs to the ribs.

Nothing new to report here since yesterday. If you're interested in my currents symptoms check out yesterdays post.

DH and I are having a date night. We're going to a dine-in theater to see 30 Minutes or Less. We spotted the theater a few months ago and have been wanting to check it out since. We might as well go now before Sophia gets here because we wont get many date nights once she's here. Then tomorrow we may go on a double date with DH's friends to Medievil Times for dinner. DH isn't much of the "date-like" person so to me this is a big weekend. Two dates in 1 weekend. Yay! I couldn't be more excited about it either! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

25 Weeks! (07/25/11)

As of Friday I turned 25 weeks. The baby should be roughly about the size of an eggplant; 13.6 to 14.8" and 1.5 to 2.2 lbs. The baby will be about the size of an eggplant until I'm 29 weeks along. The baby is just getting slightly taller and gaining some baby chub each week. Only 3 more days until the double digit count down begins! Right now I have 102 days to go!

That oh-so-handy sense of equilibrium is kicking in, and baby's learning to distinguish right side up from upside down.

Not much to report here. Not last blog post but the one before I made a vow to myself that I'll start nesting and getting ready to move into a bigger room in the house and create a space for Sophia. Well I kept my vow and organized our bathroom and started throwing things away in the other bedroom that we intend to move into. I spent only about 5 hours cleaning and what not and felt like I got hit by a mack truck. My hips, back and thighs hurt so bad I was nearly in tears. So it'll be a slow work in progess with the help of my DH if he cooperates.

I'm officially starting to feel some stronger movement in my belly. Yesterday I was sitting on the couch with my feet up (damn cankles!) and resting my hands, which are folded, on my belly watching TV. She kicked so hard you could see my hands and belly moving. Then I felt a kick closer to my ribs. Times like that I could totally turn the TV off and just watch the movements on my belly! It's an amazing feeling and never gets old. This is probably the one pregnancy symptom I'll miss most once I give birth.

Last night I had my first baby dream while pregnant. I had a dream that I had a smooth premature birth at 35 weeks and she turned out to be beautiful. She had brown hair and brown eyes, very wide-eyed and alert. I kind of felt that "Mother's love" that everyone talks about in my dream when I got to hold her for the first time. It felt amazing. We took her home and she adapted to a schedule and was a very good baby, not too fussy or anything. And the biggest thing of all - we both did well breastfeeding! Then my alarm went off. BUMMER! I can't wait until she's actually here! Is it November yet?

24 Weeks! (07/15/11)

I'm 24 weeks today! The baby is still about the size of a papaya. The baby is actually the size of a papaya all of month 5 she's just gaining some baby chub.

Baby's skin is becoming more opaque as the fat starts to pack on. And, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, her newly thick skin is taking on a fresh pink glow.

Now that I'm getting further along I'm starting to freak myself out a bit. I still haven't started getting the baby's space ready, haven't ordered the crib or changing table, haven't started nesting yet, NOTHING! Why you ask? Because I have absolutely no stinkin' energy. At all! It's horrible. I would sleep a majority of the day if I could...everyday! Isn't that sad? I was so looking forward to that burst of energy you're suppose to get in 2nd tri but I just never go it.

Next Tuesday I go in for my monthly doctors appointment and I'll have a few questions to ask him during this appointment.

1. Is there something else we can do about my severe back pain?
2. I've been getting some pretty bad pains where my pelvic bone ends and where my thigh bone meets. It hurts to do any kind of movement that requires moving my hips or spreading my legs (ie: getting in and out of my car/bed, getting dressed, shaving my legs, walking, etc.) What is this and is there something I can do to make it more bearable?
3. I've gained 12 pounds so far. Is that too much considering I'm only 24 weeks along?
4. DH and I planned on taking a trip sometime in December to Florida for a short vacation. Would you clear us to fly?

I'm sure I'll think of more. I don't usually have any questions during my monthly visits but this time it seems like all these pains are coming down on me at once. I know I'm pregnant and it's normal to get pains to feel like you're basically falling apart. I just need to hear it from my OBGYN to believe it I guess. *Sigh*

This is nothing baby related but my promotion and raise finally went through at work. It only took 2 weeks which didn't take as long as I expected. My boss made it seem like I may or may not even be approved for it. I'm now making double of what I use to make. Woohoo! Too bad we're closing in exactly 2 months from today and I'm getting laid off. The way I look at it though is atleast I'll be able to collect unemployment and treat that time off as a getting ready for baby vacay (not so much a vacation when you have furniture to put together, painting to do, carpet to tear up, cleaning to do, etc.) and maternity leave. I plan to go back to work around February or March.

Since today is Friday and I'm bored I guess I'll share my weekend plans with you all. DH's Mom moved to Aberdeen, MD because her job got relocated. The original plan was to help her move into her apartment but that got pushed back to next week. However, she planned for a BBQ this weekend for helping her move so we're still going to go to the BBQ. Next weekend we'll return to help her move and go to the Monmouth County Fair. *Sqeeeee* I've been looking forward to that fair for weeks! I'm so excited!! Enjoy your weekend everybody!

22 Weeks! (07/03/11)

As of Friday I turned 22 weeks pregnant. As you can see the baby is roughly the size of a mango. The baby is about 10.5"-11.8" tall and weighs 12.7-20.8 oz.

Baby's settling into sleep cycles, snoozing about 12 to 14 hours a day. It shouldn't be hard to figure out when -- just pay attention to those kicks as they start and stop.

It's so hard to believe I'm 22 weeks pregnant already. It seems like yesterday I just tested positive. I created a list of things that need to be done before Sophia joins us and now I just feel overwhelmed. On the bright side, it makes me feel better to have a list of things written down so I feel somewhat organized. Does anyone else have a list of things to do before your baby is born?

You may notice that I changed the layout of the blog a bit. It's still very baby-ish but more girly than the other one. It may be just me but I feel like this layout seems more organized than the last one. I'm pretty pleased with it. What do you think? I also added a "About Us" page. Check it out! I re-did the "Belly Bump Photos" page. I added the links to the other blogs I follow as well. So there's quite a few changes, take a look around and enjoy!

21 Weeks! (06/24/11)

As of today I'm 21 weeks. As you can see the baby is roughly the size of a banana. The baby is about 10.5" tall and weighs 12.7 oz.

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion, and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, if baby is a girl, her womb is now stocked up with her lifetime supply of six million eggs (the number will drop to around one million by birth).

So you hear stories about pregnant women who go to work or school in mismatching shoes because they can't see their feet, right? Well my embarassing story would be yesterday I went to work sporting a pair of maternity pants that had a split going all the way down my ass. No one was nice enough to tell me either. How horrifying! Word of advice: always check out your own ass in the mirror before leaving the house and in the bathroom after every potty break! I'm not sure if they had the split all day or if it split during the day.

Current symptoms? My lower back is killing me to the point where I'm kind of sitting and walking funny. I woke up feeling kind of nauseated this morning...stay away M/S! You're not welcome! I've been sleeping pretty crappy. I just can't seem to get comfortable and once I do fall asleep I seem to wake myself up often to see if I'm on my side or not. If I'm not on my side I kind of freak myself out and it's hard to go back to sleep. Right now I'm not sure if it's allergies or a cold but my nose wont stop running, I'm pretty stuffy, I can't stop sneezing and feel like I got hit by a mac truck. Awesome. Just so you know - sneeze attacks are not for a pregnant woman. One word - sniss.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! I plan on resting up, watching some movies and working on my registry.

20 Weeks! (06/17/11)

As of today I'm 20 weeks along. As you can see the baby is roughly the size of a cantaloupe. The baby is about 6.5" tall and weighs about 10.6 oz.

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

I better eat those veggies (especially those greens that children typically hate)! I always told myself that I'm going to encourage my children to eat what is on the dinner table...no special meals for them! *Evil laughter*

For the most part I've been feeling pretty good. I just have been extremely tired and achey. I still get nausea spells but they quickly pass. I also noticed that if I let myself get too hungry I still start to feel queasy so I try to keep a baggie of nuts or something with me just in case.

Our anatomy scan is on Monday, the 20th, at 2PM and I could not be more nervous and excited about it. I know, weird combo right? Any pregnant woman on earth would understand. Nervous because there's always that what if. What if there's no heart beat? What is the baby's brain isn't developing like it's suppose to? What if they find an abnormality? I've been feeling the baby move often through out the day so I'm being unreasonable but that doesn't mean that he/she is perfectly healthy. I'm excited to see the beautiful little human DH and I created in there on the big screen monitor in the office while I lay there on the table. I'm excited to see him/her flip and move around while moving those limbs, fingers and toes. I'm excited to see DH's look on his face when he sees him/her. His facial expressions are priceless and he wont admit it but he's soooo in love already. I'm also excited to find out if the baby is a boy or girl! After our anatomy scan we're off to go start our registery followed by a nice dinner! I already made a list of high ticket items that I want to check out that have been sorted by category, price, where it can be purchased and their rating. Not to mention I've been researching non-stop on carseats, cribs, pack n' plays, booster seats, strollers, etc. How sick am I?

18 Weeks! (06/03/11)

As of today I'm 18 weeks. As you can see the baby is roughly the size of a sweet potato. The baby is about 5.6" tall and weighs 6.7 oz.

Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel her movements.

I haven't thrown up in almost 2 weeks. That's a huge milestone for me! I still get nausea spells but they quickly pass. I can't tell you the last time I took a Zofran pill either. Go me! This really excites me. As far as sleep goes, I still have some sleepless nights where I'm tossing and turning, can't get comfortable. Very rarely do I sleep like a rock.

I've been stressing out lately...big time. I'm in the process of getting promoted at my job but in the mean time I'm doing my old job and picking up my co-workers slack because she attends online classes while at work. That makes for a very stressed pregnant lady. I've also been nesting like nobody's business. I'm playing with the idea of DH and I moving into the spare bedroom and making our room the nursery. Before the baby comes we'd like to rip out the carpet and put down new flooring too. That's a lot of work and just thinking about it stresses me out and scares me that we wont be able to get it all done before baby arrives.

Well I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! I know I will. Saturday we have a 1st birthday party to go to. Sunday I'm cleaning my ass off because DH and I are expecting his Sister, her husband and 2 boys (our nephews, one we didn't get to meet yet). Happy Friday everyone!

16 Weeks! (05/20/11)

As of today I'm 16 weeks. Seems like just yesterday I tested positive and we told our families! It's all going by so fast. As you can see the baby is roughly the size of an avacado. The baby is about 4.6" tall and weighs 3.5 oz. I must admit that I was really looking forward to coming out of the first trimester because I was so sick. Well, today I'm 16 weeks and I threw up my mac and cheese dinner last night as well as my bagel and juice for breakfast this morning. What's up with that?! I'm also noticing a pattern...I'll be fine for a week then I'll be sick for 2 or 3 days. We'll see what happens I guess.

Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean he/she can now pick up your voice. A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming.

I added some tickers in the "Pregnancy Tickers" section. It's a ticker for different things baby related. Go check it out! My favorites are the developmental stages and the one that compares the baby to the approximate size of fruit.

14 Weeks! (05/6/11)

Today I'm 14 weeks, officially out of the 1st trimester! Where has the time gone? As you can see the baby is roughly the size of a lemon. The baby is about 3.4" tall and weighs 1.5 oz. Baby is getting there!

Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine, and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys, and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over her body for warmth.

I added a belly shot to the "Bump Photos" section. There's a bump there but I'm not sure if it's still bloat, chub or baby. It might be a mix of everything. I haven't been eating the healthiest lately. I've been eating what ever sounds good at the time. Speaking of that - if I don't throw up today that would make it 3 days in a row! That's huge for me! Considering I use to throw up every single morning and feel nauseous when I crawl into bed for the night. Lets hope that means that the ever-so-wonderful pregnancy symptom is on its way out. I've still had those nauseous spells through out the day but they usually quickly pass.

Overall I've been feeling a little better. My energy is coming back. Not like jump out of bed and run a marathon but I can actually do a few small simple tasks when I get out of work (put the laundry away, make the bed, clean up a bit, etc). I actually went to bed lastnight at 8:30 because all this week I've been going to bed at 11:00 and waking up so dead tired because I have to get up at 5:30... that's only 6.5 hours of sleep. I feel nice and refreshed this morning!

Well, I doubt I'll be back on before Mother's Day. I want to wish all of my Mommies and Mommy-to-bes a very happy Mother's Day! A special shout out to my Mom. She's the greatest Mom a girl could ever have. She's worked her ass off to support my brother and I, wiped every tear, comforted us when we needed it, protected us (a bit overprotective but now I totally understand why), taught us to respect our elders, always say please and thank you and most of all just to be ourselves. I love you more than words can say, Mom!

13 Weeks & NT Scan Results! (04/29/11)

Yay! As of today I'm 13 weeks. That means 3 more days until I'm officially out of the first trimester!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 4 lbs. I thought I'd be losing considering all the throwing up I've been doing. I'm doing something right.
Maternity Clothes: I've purchased 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of jeans and 2 pairs of capris so far. I can still manage to squeeze into my pants with out buttoning them and wearing my BeBand. However, I'll more than likely be moving into maternity pants pretty darn soon.
Stretch Marks: None yet. Hopefully it'll stay that way.
Sleep: I toss and turn at night struggling to get comfortable. I also wake up at 4 every morning to pee. Other than that I'd say I sleep ok.
Best Moment This Week: Getting my great NT Scan results and listening to the heart beat!
Movement: None yet. I can't wait to feel those first flutters.
Food Cravings: None really. Still trying to get passed that M/S stage. I'm sure once that is over with the cravings will come.
Gender: Still unknown. At my NT Scan the U/S tech guessed girl. We shall see!
Labor Signs: None.
Belly button in or out: In.
Wedding ring on/off: Off. I woke up so swollen this morning that I took it off in fear of it getting stuck on my finger.
Milestones: Another week down and another successful heartbeat.
What I miss: Being able to eat with out gagging.
What I am looking forward to: The anatomy scan!
Next appointment: My next OBGYN check-up appointment is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25th. I still need to schedule our anatomy scan appointment.

I got a phone call from my OBGYN's office yesterday afternoon on NT Scan results. They all came back negative...the U/S and the blood test! Woohoo! My OBGYN told me that the chances of my having a baby with an abnormality is 1 in 10,000. Wow! I couldn't be happier with my results. Now I'm just waiting on my austism carrier results. I have my fingers crossed that those come back negative as well. Happy Friday everyone!

11 Weeks! (04/15/11)

Today makes me 11 weeks along. The baby is about the size of a lime, 1.6" long and weighs .25 oz! I can't believe I'm 11 weeks aready. That means only 2 weeks and 3 days until I'm officially out of the 1st trimester! It seems like just yesterday I just got home from work and showed DH that digital HPT that read "Pregnant". Hopefully the rest of this pregnancy will fly by. I doubt that will happen once I hit the 3rd trimester though. Only one can hope!

So today I'm taking a long lunch from work and going for my NT scan consultation then I go in for the actual scan next Friday. I'm not going to lie I'm so nervous about that test for a few reasons. One, if the baby actually does have a risk of down syndrome or some other chromosomal abnormalities as well as major heart problems will DH and I be able to handle that? We will not terminate the baby if he/she does but will DH and I be able to handle any life changing abnormalities like that? I have to trust in God that he will not bless us with something we can't handle. I still can't help but be nervous about this test. Two, last week I blogged about not being able to keep anything down and went in to the doctors office for a quick check up and U/S to make sure the baby was ok. Well, it took awhile for the OBGYN to find the heart beat. What if I go to this U/S next week and there wont be a heart beat? I must admit my heart will crumble and I'll cry for days. They say your chances of a M/C goes down to 5% after seeing the heart beat for the first time but what if I fall into that 5%? Yes, that is a very small chance and the odds are against you but you just can't help but worry.

"Today I'm pregnant and I love my baby."