Updates & Randoms

Hi there! I haven't totally forgotten about my little piece of the blog world! Taking time to sit down at the computer is not high on my priority list right now, but there are times I really do miss blogging. Does anyone else still read blogs?? I still check in with my favorites but have definitely whittled down that list… 

Anyway, life has been both very full and very slow this summer. In case you didn't know, we are expecting our 3rd little nugget this winter!! Insert all the shocked and surprised emojiis in the book. I didn't quite make it to TLC I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant status, but you could have knocked both hubby and I down with a feather for quite a while after discovering this little babe. 

And as crazy as it seems, the first trimester horrors are over and I am 18 weeks along. Eeeek! I haven't been as diligent about taking the weekly belly pics, but we do have some that I'll share in a post soon. And we already know the sex! More details to come. :)

In other news, this summer is quickly drifting by. We didn't plan too much this year, other than swim lessons and visits from the grandparents. There have been days when I wished I had signed Evie up for a camp or two, especially when it's too hot to even consider going outside. Yuck. And I'm definitely not brave enough to take both kiddos to the pool by myself. Beckett is SO busy and would rather wander all over the place, eating snacks, than sit calmly in a baby float in the water. I can't even imagine what next year will be like with three! 

Did you catch the premier of the new Jim Gaffigan show on TV Land? We have always loved his stand-up and the pilot was really, really good. He and his wife have 5 kids and live in a 2 bedroom apartment in NYC, so all the parenting humor is hilarious and really hits home. I highly recommend. 

I recently came across this blog series about Motherhood Around the World on Cup of Jo and read all of them in one sitting. It's fascinating! They interviewed American mothers living in other countries, so you can really see some of the differences in motherhood/parenting in other cultures. 

While I was on her site, I also came across this gem of a video. So funny.

Happy Summer!

Bumpdate 2.0 {30 Weeks}

How far along? 30 Weeks
Weight Gain: 17 big ones! There is absolutely NO WAY I'm not going to surpass my weight gain with Evie. I feel like I'm already the size I was when I delivered her. TEN MORE WEEKS!!

How Big is Baby? Big! 3lbs at least

Maternity Clothes? Nothing new. Oh, except a big girl bra. I nearly cried in the dressing room.

Stretch Marks? Nope- PTL!

Sleep: Meh. It's getting harder and harder to get comfortable and I've officially broken up with my preggo pillow.

Best Moment of the Week: Not related to MY pregnancy, but- my nephew was born yesterday!! I'm officially an aunt and I couldn't be more excited or more bummed that they live across the country. All I want to do is hold and snuggle him!

Movement: Oh yes. It's crazy, but he also kicks me in the exact.same.spot on my right side that Evie always kicked me. Nothing on my left side. So bizarre, especially since he's still flipping all around. At yesterday's appointment he was totally breech and I can pretty much tell when he is transverse, because it's really uncomfortable. There must be a little bullseye in there that they aim for!

Food Cravings: Sweets!

Gender: BOY!

What I Miss: Being comfortable when I sit and lay down.

What I'm looking forward to: Snuggling a teeny baby. Mine OR my nephew!

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, some low back pain and general largeness.

Emotions: Back on the up and down. Pretty sure I've cried at least every other day in the past week.

It's becoming more and more real that this boy will be here very soon. I can hardly believe it's April and this month is already shaping up to be a doozy in the calendar department. I MUST start working on the nursery and getting this place ready for our boy! The sweet girls in my bible study threw me a little shower/dinner last night, which was really fun. So we can check a few of the items we need off the list! Yay!

Bumpdate 2.0 {27 Weeks}

How far along? 27 Weeks
Weight Gain: 14 lbs

How Big is Baby? The size of a cauliflower or rutabaga 

Maternity Clothes? Still only my 2 pairs of jeans. I think I'm in denial. I even purchased some regular workout leggings (for allll the working out I'm doing), that will clearly only work for a limited amount of time. Denial. I can't wait until it's full on dress weather around here.

Stretch Marks? None

Sleep: It's okay. Not great, not horrible. I have been getting tired in the afternoons again, but who has time for a nap!? 

Best Moment of the Week: Honestly? Enjoying the total spring weather that finally decided to show up. The warm sun on my face has never felt so good!

Movement: Yes, tons! It's been cool to actually see them from the outside.

Food Cravings: Sweets after dinner

Gender: BOY!

What I Miss: Feeling comfortable laying down and an adult beverage every now and then.

What I'm looking forward to: Working on the nursery. I MUST make this a priority!

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, some low back pain and general largeness.

Emotions: They're good! The crying still happens, but you know, 3 year olds will do that to you. ;)

Here I am at 27 weeks with Evie, if you want to compare!

Bumpdate 2.0 {23 Weeks}

 

How far along? 23 Weeks
Weight Gain: 11 lbs !!!! To say he (and I) have had a growth spurt seems like an understatement.

I.feel.huge.

At our appointment this week, he was measuring nearly a full week ahead, size-wise, so at least I know it's not just me! Evie was just so teeny the whole time, that this is new territory for me. I feel like I'm the size of being 7 or 8 months pregnant with her! I went back and found my 23 week picture with Evie and the difference is insane. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw my little bitty burrito tummy in a swim suit.

 

How Big is Baby? A large mango. Yum!

Maternity Clothes? Still just the one pair of jeans. Not sure how long that will last!

Stretch Marks? Nope, praise Jesus. I've been freaking out about them with this growth.

Sleep: Eh. I'm currently hating my preggo pillow. And Evie's had a pretty good cold, so that has interrupted sleep for everyone lately.

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing our boy again! We get to have an ultrasound each time and our doc will switch it to 3D, which is awesome. I think the little guy is already sporting daddy's profile! Especially in the upper lip and chin region. Just like Evie. :)

Movement: Oh yeah. An all night dance party went down Saturday night!

Food Cravings: No. Just food.

Gender: BOY!

What I Miss: Nothing right now!

What I'm looking forward to: Sweet baby snuggles.

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks and just general aches and growing pains. Sometimes after I eat I feel so huge and full and uncomfortable. 

Emotions: Good! I can still cry at the drop of a hat, but, you know. :) I'm feeling good.

Bumpdate 2.0 {21 Weeks}

How far along? 21 Weeks
Weight Gain: 7 lbs

How Big is Baby? The size of a large banana. Or a pomegranate. Dealer's choice.

Maternity Clothes? I broke out a pair of my maternity jeans! Not sure if I I'll use my other pair or not. That's it so far.

Stretch Marks? Nope

Sleep: This weekend we picked up a preggo body pillow. So far, so good! Though Little Miss thinks it's for her...

 

Best Moment of the Week: I'm loving all of Evie's references and discussions about the baby. Last night she wanted to see him move, so pulled up all 63 layers of my clothing, cupped her hands around her eyes like goggles and peered into my belly button. Then declared she could see him moving around in there. :)

Movement: Oh yes. He is very busy! At our last appointment (at 19 weeks), the dr. mentioned that he's laying in there horizontally, which isn't typical, and I guess could make me more uncomfortable than normal. This made a lot of sense to me, since I already have decent sized hips and don't seem to get very big out front when I'm pregnant. I think most babes are positioned something like this:

 

Food Cravings: Not really, but I'm wishing I did! I did pick up some ice cream at the store the other day and have been having some before bed. Not majorly craving it or anything, but I'm not hating an excuse for ice cream every night, either. :)

Gender: BOY!

What I Miss: Energy

What I'm looking forward to: Still need to tackle the nursery, but I've made some progress on Evie's big girl room, so I am happy about that! One kid/room at a time.

Symptoms: I've had some major back and sciatica pain lately. I really need to start doing my pregnant Pilates video. Also, pretty sure I'm having Braxton Hicks already! Not my favorite.

Emotions: They've been good.

All in all, I'm thrilled to be halfway there! I can hardly believe it though... it kind of feels like I've been pregnant forever!

 

Bumpdate 2.0 {17 Weeks}

Happy New Year!!!

 

How far along?  17 Weeks

Weight Gain: 5 big ones

How Big is Baby? The size of an onion! Yuck.

Maternity Clothes? None yet. Leggings and a few pairs of skinny jeans are still working for me.

Stretch Marks? Nope

Sleep: Up and down, though lately the rough nights are due to Little Miss Evie
and her crib-jumping antics, rather than baby boy! 

Best Moment of the Week: All sorts of Christmas fun with our family

Movement: YES! I started to feel him the weekend before Christmas! Each night when I lay down in bed or to watch TV (around 9 or 10), I feel lots of little kicks and rolls. It's seriously the BEST thing, ever. I can't wait until Daddy can start to feel them from the outside.

Food Cravings: Nothing in particular. I still have a nasty taste in my mouth a lot of the time, which kind of ruins it for me. :/

Gender: BOY!

What I Miss: A cold beer would be nice!

What I'm looking forward to: Getting organized and cleaning out the room that will become his nursery.

Symptoms: Growing aches and pains, gagging when I brush my teeth, sciatica pain.

Emotions: Good!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year's Eve!! You'll find us lounging around, watching the boob tube with some take-out. :) I seriously doubt I'll stay awake long enough to see the ball drop, but I'm good with that. Can't wait to see all that 2014 has in store!
 

Bumpdate 2.0 {14 Weeks}

How far along?  14 Weeks

Weight Gain: 2-3 lbs? I feel very large and in charge after this snowed-in weekend where I mainly just made it my business to eat the pantry clean.
How Big is Baby? The size of my clenched fist
Maternity Clothes? not yet
Stretch Marks? Nope
Sleep: Blergh. Not great. Especially lately with this nasty head cold I've had.
Best Moment of the Week: Getting to play in the snow! (I know- totes baby-related)
Movement: not yet
Food Cravings: Food. All the foods.
Gender: We should know at our next appointment!!
What I Miss: Energy and feeling like myself. I'm not sure I've ever felt so unmotivated, in general.
What I'm looking forward to: 2nd trimester goodness
Symptoms: Growing pains, exhaustion, breakouts, hormonal roller coaster rides
Emotions: See above. I cried profusely and inexplicably for the better part of Saturday. Fun times.

 All in all, I am SUPER excited to be entering the 2nd trimester. I already feel so much bigger than I did with Evie at this point, and all that early pregnancy bloat is gone, so I can't even throw the blame that way. But frankly? I don't care. I know my bump is still not fully noticeable to others (as in, I just look chubby), but being comfortable is all I care about right now, so I'm letting it all hang out. :)

Another little turkey!

Most already know, but we are so beyond excited to be expecting a sweet little babe next June!

I am 13 weeks along and had planned on posting something last week, but with all the Thanksgiving and birthday shenanigans, it just never happened. So here is last week's belly shot:

This is the main reason I have been such an absent friend, wife, business owner, blogger lately. This baby has totally given me a run for my money. The all day queasiness and sheer exhaustion set in at about 5.5 weeks and has only recently let up. I still get a sour tummy in the evenings but my days are slowly returning to normal. Naps (or at least a good rest in bed) are still a necessity when Evie is napping and I'm typically in my pj's and lounging in bed as soon as my girl is tucked in. My poor husband has to spend most evenings by himself and has been such a trooper and help during all of this. I truly don't know what I would do without him!

I keep trying to decide if this time around is worse than with Evie or if it just seems like it, since I'm chasing a toddler around all day. Ultimately, I do think this pregnancy has been harder. There were some really dark days in there and I am so thankful that they have passed. I also just think that with moving, having my appendix out and going back to work all in the space of 2 months really did me in.

But moving on! To say that we are thrilled to be expecting again is the understatement of the year. We are just so, so thankful and amazed at God's faithfulness. It has been a long, heartbreaking journey to add to our little family, but I know that so many go through so much worse. I feel the weight and significance of getting to mother another little person and don't take that lightly. I can't wait to snuggle another little newborn neck. I can't wait to see my husband's proud and happy face at the sight of his new son or daughter. And I truly cannot wait to see my girl as a big sister. She is going to be amazing.

So get ready for regular belly updates. I am hoping to at least keep up and track things like I did with Evie's Bumpdates.

And as for what we're having? We should know for sure in a few weeks, but I'm thinking all BOY! :)

One year ago today...

 

... we were getting ready to head to the hospital and meet our sweet baby girl. 

I can still remember it so clearly. Wandering around Target, crying on the phone to my friend Sarah and my mom, excited to finally meet her and scared about having to be induced. And finally, my hubby coming home from work to hold me and reassure me that everything would work out just right.

And it sure did. 

These are My (Pregnancy) Confessions

{Confession 1}: My pants are rigged.
A few weeks ago, lightening struck and I had the genius idea to rifle around in my underwear drawer for what could be the answer to my maternity pants crisis. Success! I found just what I was looking for: a heather gray, Ralph Lauren bandeau bra circa 2001 that I knew could double as a belly band and serve as the missing link to my non-pregnancy jeans. Please don't ask me why I have one of these bras, if I ever wore it (as a bra) or why it's still in my possession. All I know is my frequent TJ Maxx and NBC shopping trips during college are now paying off in spades as my pregnancy wardrobe expands with my belly.

{Confession 2}: Dreft is for the birds.
Yeah, I'm not a fan. And this is apparently a problem, as everything that touches the baby is (supposedly) to be washed in it. UGH. I mean, have you smelled it?? The first time I did a load, over a month ago, I walked in the laundry room to put the clothes in the dryer and nearly had to turn around and walk right back out. And now every time I open her closet I'm hit with a wave of the sickly sweet smell. I'm sure this has everything to do with my Basset Hound of a pregnant nose, but eeeegads. I am hoping and praying that as soon as she pops out I'll get my regular old nose back find the scent to be lovely and baby fresh. We'll see.

Update: I have since done many more loads of baby laundry with The Dreft. While it's still not my favorite smell, it's potency has worn off a bit.. thankfully.

{Confession 3}: Pregnancy nose is for the birds.
Expanding on number 2- I will not be at all sorry to lose this flippin nose. It is downright exhausting, sometimes. My poor hubby has bore the brunt of this little symptom. Case in point: he's had a touch of high blood pressure recently, and started taking some garlic pills as a suggested natural remedy. No big deal right? He was even thoughtful enough to pick up the "unscented" variety. WRONG. Every so often we'll be sitting on the couch watching Modern Family or driving to QT and my nose goes in the air and I give him a sideways glance that says "I know what you've been up to, buddy boy." GARLIC. And other times I'll sniff around him for no reason, maybe trying to decipher what he had for lunch, and there's that hummus smell for miles. WHAT IN THE WORLD, PEOPLE?? Now, in his defense, no one but me can smell this. Cause I've asked around. So don't think you're going to pop on by our house and start sniffing around my husband, because I'm the only one who gets away with that sort of thing. He smells just fine to the rest of the world. I've already requested that he stop taking these pills as d-day approaches. I can't be leaning on him, trying to get my cleansing breath on and feel like I'm in a Greek restaurant to give birth.

{Confession 4}: I cannot WAIT for maternity leave.
I feel bad writing this, because I know that hubby would love a 12 week break from work as much as I would. And I use the term "break" loosely, because we all know it won't be a bed of roses. I'm just sayin'. Having an actual end in site to the current full-time work schedule is music to my ears. I'm sure I'm deluding myself by thinking I'll have all this time to do stuff around the house, but I'm excited about it nonetheless.

{Confession 5}: I have an overconfidence in my mothering skills.
I have to admit, I have about zero apprehensions/fears about bringing home this little babe. Why?.. Oh, I don't know, naivety, I guess. Hubby and I will discuss this every now and then, and he'll share his honest thoughts and apprehensions about being responsible for another human life and taking care of her and everything involved. You know, normal stuff. But me? I seem to have absolutely no fears at all. Now I know it's not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, but I'm just not worried. What does this all mean? I'm thinking it means that I'll either skate on through or am about to be hit with a Mack truck of real life with a newborn. I'll keep you posted.


{Confession 6}: I fully expect to birth a Mini Me.
If you know me at all, this comes as no surprise to you. I have long made it clear that I hope my little girl is born with lots of dark hair and dark eyes like I was.. I seriously came out with more hair on my head than hubby has now. (Not that he's losing his hair or anything- but he wears it pretty short). If we had lived in the Carribean, I think my mom would have let the nurses braid and put beads in my hair before we checked out of the hospital. :) But doesn't everyone feel this way?? I just want her to look like me. Is that too much to ask?? Don't get me wrong- when we have a little boy, I want him to look just like hubby.. with tan-able skin and carmel colored hair and eyes.. think Kelly Ripa's youngest son. So I'm not trying to discriminate or anything. Oh, and also? I want her to be brown.

{Confession 7}: Pregnancy Brain is REAL. And no joke.
This is one of those "symptoms" that I wasn't really sure I believed in at first. Even when people I knew told me that they started forgetting things while pregnant, I thought it was all in their head. Not so. My brain will draw a total blank at times, as words and names and other facts that I've known for years fly right out of my head at the most inopportune times. For example, a few weeks ago, I could not for the life of me think of the work Reconcile. I was at work and it was the end of the month, so I was working some of our sales/accounting records. And what did I need to do with another employee??? RECONCILE our monthly sales spreadsheet. Yet I spent the better part of the morning just trying to think of the d*mn word so that I could email her and let her know that I was ready to get the fun accounting party started. I even tried explaining to my co-workers and looking up synonyms online and still couldn't figure it out! At approximately 2pm the next day, the word finally came to me.

{Confession 8}: I'm hoping to have as natural a labor and delivery as possible.
No home birth, no water birth.. I don't have a midwife or a doula. But I am really hoping to labor at home as long as possible and have very few interventions at the hospital. I've always thought I could probably deliver without an epidural.. my mom didn't have one for either of us kids and honestly, I think I have a higher pain tolerance than my mom. She didn't want that big needle in her back. I'm not so scared about that aspect, I just want to try it on my own. The way I see it, women have been having babies without medicine as pain relief since the beginning of time. We were created to carry babies and deliver them when the time comes. So why should I doubt that my body can do it, too?
Sidenote- I did go ahead and sign up for the epidural, since you can't change your mind and request one in the throes of labor if you haven't signed up ahead of time. And hubby and I have a safe word, should it come to that. :)

{Confession 9}: Sometimes I wish men had to experience pregnancy, too.
There have been times throughout this experience when I really just wished hubby had an inkling of what I was feeling or experiencing. The weird pains and sensations.. the emotions.. the bizarre changes in your body. Because, frankly, trying to explain what bloat feels like just doesn't do it justice. And I don't think the term Lightening Crotch carries the same weight for a guy. Also, try as I may, I just don't think there is a way to explain how amazing and unreal it feels when a baby kicks you and moves inside of you... There is just nothing like it.

{Confession 10}: This pregnancy has been... a dream.
Seriously. I know I rant and rave on here, but in all honesty, I am one lucky duck. Or rather, really, really blessed, because I don't necessarily believe in luck. I do, however, believe in good genes, and I've clearly been blessed with those in spades for this pregnancy! Thanks Mom! A few notables: though nauseous in the first trimester, I never actually got sick.. I have felt great overall the entire 10 months.. I've managed to avoid the dreaded "pregnancy face".. (if you don't agree with me here and think I look a little bloated, I don't want to hear it!).. my ankles/feet only get mildly bloated at the end of the day or if I've been standing too long.. no stretch marks!!!!... I have not had any heartburn... and the kicker- no excessive or alarming gas! Okay, okay, I was pretty burpy in the first trimester, but I think we can all agree that it could have been MUCH worse.

{BONUS Confession}: Skinny jeans on boys/men make me want to retch.
No, this has nothing to do with being pregnant.. I feel the exact same way in any season of my life. But it needed to be said. I seriously stop and stare and shake my head disapprovingly any time I see a male in jeans tighter than mine. NOT GOOD. NOT CUTE. MOVE ALONG.
That's all I have to say about that.

38 Week Bumpdate

Holy Smokes!!

Every week, when I see the number go up, I am shocked and amazed once again! I CANNOT believe that I have been cooking this baby for 38 flippin weeks! It seriously feels like I've been pregnant FOR-E-VERRRRRR.

:)

But in a good way.

No doctor's appointment to look forward to this week, since it's Thanksgiving. Also, my doc is out of town for the holiday weekend, so I have mixed feelings about having her while he's gone.. frankly, I think the part of me that's ready to just meet her already wins out over having my own doctor deliver her. Hubby does not agree. :) He keeps telling her to stay in a litte while longer and I'm coercing her to get on out here every chance I get. Poor thing. All these mixed messages!

Who are you talking to, Mom?

Yes, that's a birthing/exercise ball next to me. I'm bouncing as I blog.

Happy Thanksgiving! I'll let you know if we have a little, Tiny Turkey Dancer!

37 Week Update

How Far Along? 37 Weeks. FULL TERM!

Weight Gain: 19lbs for the past 2 weeks.. maybe I've hit the limit?? Fingers crossed!

How Big is Baby? I"m going to guess around 5lbs

Maternity Clothes? I actually bought a maternity shirt at Target last week.. then I realized I would probably only wear the thing twice, so I took it back.

Stretch Marks? Nope!

Sleep: Actually not too bad lately. The tough part is getting comfortable when I lay down..

Best Moment of the Week: We had an informal couples shower with a group of friends that hubby went to college with this past weekend. They totally surprised us by going in to get the breast pump! I was so floored- I thought everyone would just bring diapers!

Movement: Still pretty active. Still always kicking me on my right side!

Food Cravings: Um, no.

Gender: A little girl

What I Miss: A life without Braxton Hicks
What I'm looking forward to: Just meeting her already! And finding out at my appointment tomorrow if there's been any progress.
Emotions: Same old story. Had a breakdown the other night for no other reason than I just felt like crying. Seriously. That was it. I just felt like I needed/had to cry. So I did.

I can't believe she could be here at any time! I kept thinking she would be here before Thanksgiving, but now I'm not so sure.. but I wouldn't mind! And we finally went and toured the hospital last night, so that's checked off the list.
The countdown is on!

36 Week Bumpdate

9 months!!!!

Do we think this hat makes me look a little too Jenny from the Block??

Shoot me straight, people. I asked hubby, but I'm not entirely convinced his answer wasn't fueled by a healthy fear of pregnancy-induced rage..

I think I'm officially ready to have this baby.

Not in the nursery is done and my hospital bag is packed and loose ends at work have been tied up and everything is in place and ready to bring her home kind of way.

Yeah, none of that, really.

Just me. And my body. We're ready.

I have no idea if she's actually dropped, but boy howdy, some days it certainly feels like she's primed and ready.

Did I tell you all that everything is back on track and she's not measuring small anymore?? Well she's not! They do an ultrasound every time and when I looked at the monitor, they had me at 36 weeks and 3 days, when in fact I was 35 weeks, 3 days. So we're thinking the system was probably off the week before, which is why her measurements came up so small.

Technical difficulties.

HHMMMMPPPPHHH.

So anyway, it's great news, really, and Tiny Dancer measured in the 30th percentile. Also, we were able to see her lungs moving as she practiced her breathing!

The little over-achiever! :)

Here are a couple more hats I knit up over the weekend:

And no, I'm not worried that baby girl will look a thing like J.Lo.

35 Week Bumpdate

How far along? 35 Weeks
Weight Gain: 18 big ones
How Big is Baby? A little over 4 lbs.. hopefully growing and growing every day!
Maternity Clothes? Oh, we've talked about this.
Stretch Marks? Bwaaahhhaaahahaaaa!! NOPE.
Sleep: Seriously, good ok and bad. Last night was pretty good. The night before I was up from 3:30am to about 5. Just wide awake and thinking of the 46 billion things I need to take care of before the big day.
Best Moment of the Week: Yesterday, my bosses and coworkers had a little lunch shower for me at a yummy local restaurant. One of my presents was the afternoon off and a scheduled mani/pedi at a nearby spa!! Oooohhh, how lovely! If you had seen the horrible state of my toes, you would understand why this was pure music to my ears! Sooo thoughtful of them!
Movement: Yes ma'am.
Food Cravings: Nope.
Gender: GIRL. As evidenced by all the pink ruffly items she received at the shower this weekend.

What I Miss: Not much! Okay, maybe just normal, everyday comfortableness.
What I'm looking forward to: Seeing the little darlin' tomorrow AM at my appointment and finding out how things are progressing.
Symptoms: A belly button stretched beyond recognition.

Emotions: Up, down, up, down, up, down. Rinse and repeat.

Tiny Dancer Update

Happy Friday!

I just had my 34 week appointment this morning.. Our baby girl looks great, but is measuring a little small. Is anyone surprised?? I'm not. She's our teeny tiny girl!

Anyway the doctor is not overly concerned, but wants me to start coming in every week. Typically my weekly appointments wouldn't start until after 36 weeks. He's guessing she weighs about 4lbs 2oz right now (but we all know how accurate those estimations are- they're almost never correct!) and is measuring in the 11th percentile. That's where the potential concern comes in. Basically they get concerned when a baby is in the top or bottom 10 percent. So she's not in that zone, but pretty close.

The reason she's small has nothing to do with calories or how much I'm eating- it has to do with blood supply from the placenta. So they need to keep an eye on things to make sure the blood flow is good and on track to keep her healthy. Obviously if they see a problem with that, it's an immediate emergency, because she needs it to live! BUT, we're not worried about it right now- everything looks like it's working and flowing correctly.

So what this means is that my doctor may want to deliver me early. At like 37 weeks, depending on how things go.

(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I'm not at all thrilled with the idea of inducing, but of course want what's best for this precious baby! I've had some feelings lately that she would be coming early, so that's not a problem for me.. I just can't wait to meet her, I just want her to be healthy and whole and to come in His perfect timing!

So I'm asking for prayers to cover myself and this baby girl.. that she would stay inside of me for as long as she needs to, to grow big and strong.. that my body would continue to nourish and care for her the way it's intended to do so.. and that she would come on her own, at exactly the right time! Also, that we would have a safe (and short!) delivery.

Thank you!!

P.S. This little girl was in the perfect, head-down position today. :)

34 Week Bumpdate

Holy Moses, folks, we only have 6 weeks to go!!!

34 Weeks and change

Lots of growing going on this week! I feel aches and pains and pressure below decks all.the.time. And every day I come home from work and check out my belly button. I swear it gets flatter and flatter by the day. Sooo weird!

Also? The indigestion has settled in. I frankly think Tiny Dancer has squashed all of my internal organs within an inch of their life... Or it could be that I like to lay around in bed at night and eat oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and milk, and my expectations of proper digestion at a horizontal level are too high. Whatever.

I think my boss is freaking out that I might have this baby at any time. Both of her kids were early- one premature at like 27 or 28 weeks (he's fine now!) and her daughter was born at 35 weeks, full term and just fine. I'm not quite so worried about it, but wouldn't be too upset if she decided to make her debut in the next few weeks!


On my lunch break yesterday I went to Baby Gap. Big mistake.
I don't know what line it is, but I just love all the little black and gray outfits they have right now for girls! I am not a frilly/giant pink bow/frou frou type girl, and my baby won't be either!

So needless to say I hit the sales rack and found some sassy little items that I can't wait to dress her in:

How cute are these??

Also, I saw this tote that I LOVE and think would be so cute as a diaper bag!
(hint hint Hubby!)

Denim "Love" Tote

I did receive an actual diaper bag from Pottery Barn at my first shower, which is very cute, but I just can't decide if I should keep it or not. I'm not sure if I'm really the type to carry a full-on diaper bag. I like big tote bags and hobo purses anyway, so I'm thinking I may prefer to use something like this GAP bag, that I can throw everything into, including my wallet and keys.. thoughts??

Stretchy Pants: Part 2

After a long day of suffering in (semi) silence yesterday, I made the executive decision last night to remove a pair of my maternity jeans from the rotation. :(

This left me sad and angsty for a number of reasons.. That number being 2.

1. I only have 2 maternity items in my entire closet.
2. I have now cut my wardrobe down by 50%.

I knew when I purchased the two pairs of jeans that one of them was a little snugger than the other. One pair is regular/boot cut fit and the other are skinnies. My very first pair of skinny jeans. So of course they're a tighter fit in general. And yesterday was the flippin straw that broke the camel's back when I couldn't even sit at my desk in reasonable comfort and the drive home from work had me laying and cavorting all over the passenger seat. There also may have been some moaning and gnashing of teeth, but the details are fuzzy.

So once we got home and I was able to peel those suckers off, baby girl and I did a quick lap around the house to George Michael's "Freedom" and then I set out to fashion myself a replacement pair.

I had already checked the Forever 21 site and they no longer have their maternity jeans for sale, so that was out.
Is anyone else but me mildly disturbed that I seem to be the new, pregnant face of Forever 21?? I should be getting paid for this.

I feel you, buddy.

You guessed it. I cut up a pair of regular jeans to refashion them into what I affectionately call "stretchies". I nearly finished them last night, but then ran out of steam at the end. They should be completed tonight!

It wasn't too difficult of a project, but I was really hoping to make it to the end with both of my original stretchies in tact. The tough part for me is that I wear jeans constantly. And I've already exhausted a long list of pros and cons to try and reason my way into wearing yoga pants to the office. Not gonna happen. Of anyone in my building, I think I could pull it off, but everyone's a little miffed at me ever since the scale in the break room mysteriously stopped working, so I need to stay on good terms with HR. I have my own theories on who stepped on that baby for the last time, but I guess I can't blame them for pointing the finger at the scale-happy pregnant gal.

So hopefully I'll be able to show you my new pair soon! I'm also planning to share a few of my recent Tiny Dancer projects, in their various states of completion. I've got a lot to do!

33 Week Bumpdate

33 Weeks

A bathroom photo shoot, for your enjoyment.

How far along? 33Weeks (!!!)
Weight Gain: Drumroll please......... 17 lbs!!
And that was at last week's appointment, so no telling what kind of poundage I've managed to pack on in the space of 7 days.
How Big is Baby? Around 4lbs ??
Maternity Clothes? Still no. I did do some shopping while we were in Cali, but you'll be happy/alarmed/shocked to know that it was at Forever 21 (the store was 3 times the size of our local joint). Yeah, that's right. FOREVER 21. Because clearly I'm mourning the death of my youth along with my waistline in this pregnancy. But boy was I excited. And for me right now, it's all about getting a few cute items that look good with my bump and have a chance of still fitting when I'm toting baby girl around on the outside. Oh and also? They're CHEAP, which just happens to be one of my love languages.
Stretch Marks? Still no! Cue the hallelujah chorus!
Sleep: Meeeehhhhh.. not the best.
Best Moment of the Week: I'll be honest. When my doctor said he saw some hair on her teeny tiny head. These are the magic words I have been longing to hear. I just can't picture myself with a bald baby..
Movement: You betcha.
Food Cravings: Not really.
Gender: All girl.

What I Miss: Rational thought processes. And a full range of breathing abilities.
What I'm looking forward to: Another fun shower in a few weeks! So excited!
Symptoms: Here's a fun one- about 5 times a day, I will let out a single, violent hiccup. Just one. Very very bizarre.
Also, my lower legs and feet have started to feel like tree stumps in the evening. Especially when we go for walks. Don't get excited- the blue haired old ladies down the street walk faster than me at this point- and yet I find a leisurely stroll somewhat taxing.. sigh.

Emotions: Oh you know- a straight roller coaster. I have been feeling a tad overwhelmed with all that I feel like I have to do before she gets here. But it comes and goes and I know I'm the only one expecting me to get everything done.

One other thing- at my appointment with my regular OB last week, he noted that Tiny Dancer was in a breech position. And then his next comment was "so we'll either have to do a c-section or she'll need to flip." To which I replied, "well let's flip her!"

I haven't mentioned it much on here, but I am all about a natural labor and delivery. And by that I mean, as drug free as possible. I'm no dummy- I signed up for an epidural last week- but I'm really hoping to do all I can with breathing and walking and focus and LOTS OF PRAYER to have this little girl on my own. And if it gets to be too much, well, I guess I'll take an elephant needle in the back.

So needless to say, I wasn't thrilled with his answer. And when I asked him if there was anything I could be doing to help flip her, he said no. Huh. Pretty sure that's not true, but I like the guy enough and want to keep my stress and sanity intact here at the end, so I'm not switching docs or anything. I just logged on to the Google Machine and found a few DIY tips I could try at home.

So I'll keep you posted. If sister doesn't get with the program, chances are you'll find me on my hands and knees scrubbing our hardwoods and upside down on an ironing board in the days leading up to her arrival.