6 1/2 Months Pregnant

Yesterday marked 26 Weeks pregnant! It feels like I have been pregnant forever. The other day my husband reminded me that I feel that way because I have already been pregnant for about 10 months (I had a miscarriage in January and then became pregnant again 2 weeks later) which totally makes sense why I feel so deprived of my normal life lol. This week our little girl's eyes have opened and she can see. She now the size of a head of lettuce and there is nearly 2 lbs of baby in my belly. I don't feel like I'm carrying around 2lbs of baby but my back sure does take a toll on me after standing for long periods of time.


I had a rough week this week of not feeling that good. I was out shopping all day Saturday and wasn't feeling too hot the next day or a few days later. I had an awful migraine that kicked in Monday, body aches and no appetite. I stayed in bed and slept most of the day. My husband brought home 7Up and soup for me that night and it was pretty much the only thing I could stomach all day. The following day I felt a little better but the migraine was still lingering so I stayed home from work again and caught up on more rest. I’m feeling much better now. I’m hoping my body was just undergoing a lot of change this week and that I won’t have to experience feeling like that again. This is the last week of my second trimester. I’m a little nervous of what the third trimester is going to bring! One thing I’m proud of thus far is my consistency with working out. I worked out nearly every day during my first trimester and at least 4/5 days a week during my second trimester. If the third trimester gives me a hard time at least I can say I worked out a majority of my pregnancy and be proud of that.

Our little one’s nursery is just about done! My wonderful husband did such an amazing job on her room! I’m hoping to share pictures with you guys soon. I’m so in love with the crib and dresser we decided on. Oh, and my new glider, it’s just perfect! Her room is done in a light gray and white and is suppose to have light pink accents but we haven’t added any pink just yet. I need to find the perfect light pink curtains still.

Today I scheduled an apportionment for our 4D ultrasound. It’s scheduled for August 18th when I’m 29 weeks and 4 days. I wanted to do it at 32 weeks but unfortunately we have something going on almost every weekend for a month straight. We also wanted our family to be able to make it so we had to schedule it when they could come too. We are so excited to see our little one up close and personal. I wonder who she will look like.

Our 5 years wedding anniversary is coming up on August 23. Normally my husband and I go on a big vacation for our anniversary. Last year we went to South Africa and decided that we were ready to settle down and start a family. Now here we are a year later starting a family. It feels weird not having a vacation planned for once in 7 years we have been together. A few days ago my husband sent me a text saying he just booked a mini getaway for us on our anniversary weekend but he’s not telling me where we are going. So excited to just get away, even if it’s just for a few days and especially if it means alone time relaxing with the one I love. After all, this will be our last little getaway for quite some time.

How far along: 26 weeks (6 1/2 months)

Weight Gain: Last time I went to the doctor I was up a total of 12 lbs. My next appointment is on August 5th so we will see where I'm at then.

Stretch Marks: None although I had a horrible dream that I had them lol

Belly Button: Still In preparing its self to go flat in another month or so.

Wedding Rings On/Off: - On

Movement: She rolls around a lot and I swear she's sideways in my stomach because she also kicks my left side when I switch sides during the middle of the night. There’s definitely a head on my right side (that’s where I feel the big rolling movements) and just today she decided to park herself right under my rib. She’s definitely more active during the day than at night. I rarely feel her at night. If this is a sign of her sleeping habits once she’s born then YIPPY!

Feeling: Better than I was at the beginning of this week now that the migraines have stopped and my energy levels are back up again.

Cravings: Still not craving much of anything. I still continue to eat as healthy as I can.

Symptoms: Bad migraines a few days this week. I'm not sure if the flu or if I was just going through a phase but the beginning of this week was just awful. I feel great now.

Missing: Being comfortable. I feel really uncomfortable when sitting, sleeping and walking for long periods.

Looking forward to: Our 4D ultrasound in the next couple of weeks and our little getaway!

Sleep: Hasn't been the best this week. Lots of tossing and turning at night to try and get comfortable.

25 Weeks Pregnant!

Today I am 25 weeks and this little nugget is now the size of a head of cauliflower, woah that just seems so crazy to me! She's weighs about 1.5 lbs which could explain why I'm hungry more often now. She now knows which way is up and down in my tummy and her hair and fat are growing rapidly.


These past few days I've noticed my appetite increasing. This is something I have yet to experience until now. My appetite since being pregnant has pretty much been the same as before so I haven't really felt the need to eat more than I normally do. However, now I notice myself getting hungry about 2 hours after breakfast and right before falling asleep at night. My 10:30 a.m. snack has been wheat thins and cherries and at night I'll feel myself getting hungry but I'm too tired to get up and eat so I end up falling asleep and not eating anything. We eat dinner pretty late so chances are my food is still settling from dinner anyway. My favorite snack when I get home from work is still wheat crackers and cheese : ) The only thing I have changed diet wise since finding out I was pregnant is I’ve increased my carb and fiber intake. I use to moderate my carb intake based on my workouts and that’s pretty much went out the door since being pregnant because I know my body needs more carbs right now. Most of my fiber comes from fruit. I eat way more fruit now that I ever have. It’s pretty standard that I have blueberries, raspberries, cherries and a banana every single day. So far eating this way, along with working out, has really kept my metabolism going.

Last week I only got 4 days of working out in. We had a super busy week so my time was limited. The one great thing about being pregnant is not stressing over my workouts if I miss a day or two. I think I worked out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday. I did cardio for 25 minutes all four days and then 30 minutes of lifting each day as well. For cardio I walked uphill (inclined at 10 and walked at 3.5) because my back was pretty bad last week so I thought running would be a bad idea. I also switched up my lifting and did full body workouts 3 days out of the week and legs on the 4th day. Each day I did 2 different chest workouts, 2 shoulder workout, 2 back workouts, a bicep and a triceps workout. I did supersets each workout and did 3 sets of 15 per each workout. I’m still lifting fairly heavy while I have the energy. I’m only a couple weeks away from the third trimester so I want to make sure and take advantage as much as possible. This week I’ve decided to switch up my routine again to keep my body guessing. I’m doing full body workouts (2 of each muscle group) but in a circuit. Tuesday was day one of circuit training and I was going into failure by the second round. I’m also getting 25 minutes of jogging in before lifting (I’m currently jogging at 6.0 on the treadmill. That seems to be the perfect speed without killing my back and lower stomach). I have to say these past two days have been the best workouts I’ve had in a long time. I’ve had so much energy during my workouts these past two days.

My 6 months doctor's appointment was a week late because my doctor was on vacation so I had it this week. At 25 weeks I've gained a total of 12 lbs so far, which is pretty average, I think. When the doctor went to listen to this little ones heartbeat she was moving around so much that all we could hear is her kicking noises. Shortly after, we found her heartbeat down near my pelvic bone. People think I'm carrying high, but it's really just the way my tummy grows because she sits very low, it's rare that she's ever above or even near my belly button. I have an ultrasound scheduled for next Friday, so excited to see our little girl again! August 5th is the dreaded glucose appointment. I'm so not looking forward to it.

This past weekend my husband and I bought all the furniture for the baby's nursery. We picked out everything a few months ago but because we were in limbo about our home situation we didn't want to purchase anything until we knew what we were doing. Last week we cleared out our spare room so we could start prepping the nursery. Once my husband had it all painted we were eager to go buy the furniture for her room. We went to Buy Buy Baby and purchased a beautiful gray glider chair. I was having the hardest time finding a glider to match her room and finally found the perfect one. I didn't want a glider with any wood and almost all of the ones we came across had a wood frame. So thankful for the lady at Babies "R" Us who recommended we check out Buy Buy Baby. We went back to Babies "R" Us after purchasing the glider and bought her crib and dresser set. Both my husband and I fell in love with Heidi Klum's Truly Scrumptious line and had our eyes set on this beautiful whitish/grayish crib and dresser. We looked at soooooo many different cribs and kept going back to this particular one. So of course we bought it : ) My husband doesn't want me posting pictures of anything until the room is complete. So once the room is complete I will share pictures with all of you. I'm so excited to see how the room turns out! We are also redoing our own room once the baby's room is done.

Our next few weeks are so busy. Aside from work we pretty much have something going on every single weekend. Once August arrives we will be just as busy! I have my first shower in August, a 4D ultrasound and maternity photos the beginning of September along with our big co-ed shower. I have a feeling these next few months of being pregnant are going to fly on by.

Although I'm not someone who loves being pregnant, I do have to say I love my husband for being so amazing during my pregnancy. I feel completely blessed that he is so interested in every aspect of my pregnancy. He makes me feel so special and so taken care of constantly. I don't have to ask a thing of him he takes care of everything with no questions asked. On top of that he gets excited to do all these things for both the baby and I. Every day I come home to something new he’s done to her room or to our room to make me more comfortable. Every night after dinner he makes me stay on the couch while he takes my plate away and washes the dishes. Not a day goes by without him asking me how I’m feeling and if she’s moving around. On Tuesday he texted me and said “I’m taking a half day at work so I can go pick up the crib and build it”. I came home and the crib was built and blinds were hung in her room. He also picked out two cute little outfits for her and hung them in her closet. God had truly blessed me with an amazing husband. I haven’t had to do much to prepare for this baby (other than carry her in my belly lol) because he’s done it all for me. I cannot wait to experience parenthood with this man.

How far along: 25 weeks

Weight Gain: 12 lbs, so I’ve gained 5 lbs in the last 6 weeks.

Stretch Marks: None

Belly Button: In, I’m sure it will go flat by the last month.

Wedding Rings On/Off: - On

Movement: Her movements are big but I don’t feel her as often as I did a month/month ½ ago. I wonder if she’s running out of room in there already and waiting for my stomach to expand some.

Feeling: Content and a little anxious now that her room is partially done. It’s so weird to think we are only a few months away from it just being the two of us. This little girl will forever change our lives and that empty crib won’t be empty for too much longer.

Cravings: No cravings. I more so want fresh fruit and salads as often as possible.

Symptoms: Really tired by 9:30 at night and super tired when waking up in the morning but my energy levels are up during the day so I guess I can’t complaint. I’m also starting to get short of breath after eating big meals or walking to and from my car. I feel like my lungs are starting to get crowded. Not liking that feeling and I know it has only begun.

Missing: Sleeping on my back, champagne, my body….sleeping close to my husband without a pregnancy pillow between us, blah!

Looking forward to: Completing the nursery and our room.

Sleep: Sleep is wonderful. My hips get cramped about ½ through the night so I have to switch sides often.

Here are a couple of updated belly pics.  We moved my closet room so lighting is horrible in the mornings.  The first picture was taken the night before right when I got home from work.  I think my stomach looks a bit smaller because all my food had settled from the day and also because the lighting is a bit brighter.  The second picture was taken this morning after drinking 32 ounces of water which could be why I look a little more popped out.

Hello Month 6!

Yesterday I hit the 6 month mark (24 weeks), yay!  Someone told me that everything goes by so fast after the 20 week mark and boy were they right.  Baby girl is now the size of a cantaloupe. She’s almost a foot long now and about 1.25 lbs, holy heck, maybe that’s why my stomach has suddenly grown.  Within the last two days her movements have become so strong.  I feel either a head/butt pressed up against my stomach. It's such a weird feeling! It’s getting harder to stand for long periods of time.  My back has been killing me and standing for longer than 20 minutes really takes a toll on me. I never thought I would dread grocery shopping or shopping in general.  I’ve been able to continue to workout at least 4/5 days a week (I think last week I actually got 6 days in).  My workouts haven’t changed a whole lot.  I’m still lifting 4 days a week (shoulders/bis, chest/tris, back and legs) and doing cardio at least 4 days a week, however, I find myself walking at a 10 incline more than I do jogging.  I jog the days I can but when my back has been sore all day, I skip jogging and just walk on incline.  It seems to burn the same amount of calories anyway.  I think keeping active during this pregnancy helps with my energy levels and also helps keep my metabolism up.  I’ve been very fortunate this far and haven’t had to deal with constipation/hemorrhoids yet, which is something I’ve been warned about during both the second and third trimester.  I’m three weeks away from the dreaded third trimester, I hope it’s good to me!

Last week my husband and I made a big decision and that was to take our house off the market and stay put!  It was becoming extremely difficult for us to show the house during the week with our work schedules and with my due date only being 3 ½ months away, we kinds need to start preparing for this little ones arrival.  We decided it was best to work with what we have for now and then add on next year (which was our ideal plan from the start).  This past weekend we rearranged our own room and bought some new furniture and paint for it (our room is getting a total makeover).  We also cleared out our spare room so we can start the nursery.  We bought the paint for the nursery and my husband is actually starting that project today. So far, everything is working out great and we finally feel at peace with our decision to stay.  I think our animals are happy too!  Once our room is complete and the nursery is complete I will share pictures with you guys.

Aside from the back pain I’ve been having I have also had a lot of side pain.  I had two days of intense right side pain.  It was the kind of pain I felt when I had that large cyst a while back.  I know cysts are common during pregnancy so it could very well be that.  I was ready to make a doctor appointment if the pain didn’t go away but it subsided the third day.  I still can’t get up to quick or roll over in bed too fast or it hurts but at least it doesn’t feel like a sharp shooting pain all day long. I have an appointment Monday so I plan on talking to the doctor then.  It doesn’t feel like ligament pain, it definitely feels more like pain from a cyst.

Last but not least, whoever says the love/loved being pregnant is crazy haha!  I am definitely not one of those women who LOVE being pregnant.  Although, my pregnancy has been pretty easy thus far I really do miss the little things I can’t do right now and I can’t wait until I can do them again.  I miss feeling comfortable in my own body for the most part and I miss my nice skin! Oh and for those who are thinking about becoming pregnant, try and avoid being pregnant during summer, it’s horrible!  The only bright side to being pregnant during summer is maternity leave is during winter and I get to stay home and cozy up on the couch with my little one when it’s cold out and not stress over holiday stuff because I have to work so much.  

Last night my husband and I are had dinner with some friends we met in Cost Rica two years ago.  We met this older couple (I think they are in their 60’s) back in 2011 when we were in Costa Rica.  We talked to them just about every day we were there and found out that we’ve traveled to a lot of the same places.  They live on their boat and end up somewhere different every few months (what a great life huh).  We exchanged e-mails and told them to keep in touch so we can continue to talk about our traveling experiences. Well, it just so happened they were about an hour away from us last night and wanted to meet up for dinner so they could see all our pictures from Africa.  Of course we jumped on this opportunity and headed out to see them last night.  They prepared a wonderful dinner and appetizers for us on their boat docked in Dana Point.  It was so awesome to catch up, exchange traveling stories and share pictures.  They have been married for 30 years and have such an amazing life together full of so much love.  They were so excited to hear we were pregnant and starting a new journey.

How far along: 24 weeks (6 months)

Weight Gain: I’m guessing somewhere around 10/12 lbs.  My doctor’s appointment was canceled last week so I go this upcoming Monday and will find out then.  The last time I went to the doctor (about 6 weeks ago) I was up a total of 7lbs.

Stretch Marks: Still clear of them.

Belly Button:  Still In.

Wedding Rings On/Off:  On, although my fingers swell when incline walking in the heat and it’s hard to get off.

Movement: Her movements are so big now compared to a month ago. I can tell the difference between one of her limbs poking me and her head/butt bumping me haha. Sometimes she sits so far back towards my back that when she moves all I feel is popping I my stomach.  Those are the days my back kills me.  These last two days she's moved up closer to my belly and her movements are so strong it still trips me out.  Speaking of movement, there’s a head/butt pressed up against my pelvic area right now, not comfortable lol.

Feeling: A lot more relaxed these days since we figured out our housing status.  I’m also starting to feel a lot more back pain.  I can’t stand for long periods of time without my back killing me.

Cravings: I really don’t crave anything….weird, I know.

Symptoms:  I’ve felt a little nauseous this week.  Usually only in the mornings and even water makes me gag.  I’ve also had a lot of side pain (right side) that was pretty consistent for two days.

Missing: Running, sleeping comfortable and being able to stand for longer than a few minutes without feeling like I need to sit down right away.

Looking forward to: Working on the nursery these next few weeks.

Sleep: I love that I can fall into a deep sleep now but I hate that I cannot sleep on my back.  I wake up multiple times to switch positions.  The last two mornings I overslept by 20 minutes...oopppps!

Here are updated 6 months pics for those who are not following me on instagram:

 

 

 

22 Week Update/Belly Picture

I forgot to do an update at 21 weeks. We have had something going on almost every weekend so I haven't had much time to catch up on much. It's hard for me to maintain posts on my page these days, hence the reason I hardly post anything anymore. I try and post picture updates as much as possible on Instagram though. These next few weekends are all busy too, ugh. I just want one free weekend!


Anyway, today I am 22 weeks (5 1/2 months) and this little belly has started to grow finally. Our little girl is now the size of a papaya and weighs about a pound. I swear she went through a growth spurt this past week because all of a sudden I work up one day this week and had a little belly. She still tends to sit very low, near my bladder. Right when I hit 5 months I started to have a hard time running due to how low she sits. My bladder would hurt and my back would just kill me. As some of you suggested, I purchased a belly band for running and it has been such a lifesaver! The one I bought is thicker around the back area so it supports your back and then it scoops down under your belly and kind of lifts your belly up. It makes a hell of a difference when jogging (I don't really run anymore I jog at 6.0) and I'm able to do 3 or 4 miles with no problems. Some days when I'm a bit tired I will walk uphill for 30 minutes and I've found that's just as effective as my jogging. I'm only doing cardio about 4/5 days a week and lifting about 5 days a week at this point.


I also have to let you all know that I finally bought one of those Snoogle pregnancy pillows you all told me about and HOLY COW that pillow is such a blessing! I was using a body pillow before buying that and it was just not working for me at all. I can honestly say I sleep 100% better with the Snoogle. I even use it at night when we are watching TV on the couch, it helps support my back so much! My husband often makes fun of me and says it looks like I'm sitting in a large inner tube ha ha. Speaking of sleeping, the other night I woke up to my right leg cramping so bad! My leg was so cramped I couldn't even move it. After about a minute of it being stiff and cramped I was finally able to relax my leg a bit. The next morning when i woke up my leg was sore from how cramped up it had got. Has anyone ever had this happen? Holy cow that hurt!

How far along: 22 weeks (5 1/2 months)

Weight Gain: The last time I went to the doctor I was up a total of 7lbs. That was about 3 weeks ago. I have another appointment on Tuesday so we will see how much I have gained since my last appointment. I feel like she's done a lot of growing since then so I expect to have gained a few more.

Stretch Marks: No stretch marks or cellulite yet. I'm hoping I have my mom's genes because she didn't get stretch marks or cellulite.

Belly Button: Still an in. I don't think it will pop out because I have a pretty deep belly button, but it's definitely stretching.

Wedding Rings On/Off:  On, please let me be one of those lucky people that gets to keep it on the whole pregnancy. I love my ring and would really miss it if I had to take it off due to swelling.

Movement: I always feel her after I eat, Josh get's to feel her every night before bed. She's getting stronger each passing week, those little love taps aren't so little anymore. She kicks hard sometimes and it always trips me out. I also feel big rolling movements from her, such a strange feeling. It's almost like the feeling you get when your stomach drops at the top of a roller coaster ride.

Feeling: A little overwhelmed right now, mostly because of our housing status. It's getting harder to show the house because we have been so busy this past month.

Cravings: People think I'm crazy but I really don't crave anything. There are a few things I can't eat so I resort to the same foods for breakfast and dinner, but nothing that I HAVE to have.

Symptoms:  The last two days I've gotten really tired after lunch and I've had two nights of bad headaches. This happens every couple of weeks or so.

Missing: Running like I use to, sleeping on my back/stomach and having a drink on a nice summer night with my husband. It's the simple little things I miss right now.

Looking Forward to: More baby shower planning, maternity photos and seeing our baby in 4D. We are 2 months away from all that, but I'm still excited : )

Sleep: I'm sleeping better than I ever have because I actually fall into a deep sleep now. Although I do wake up multiple time during the night to switch my sleeping position, I fall back to sleep within seconds. Before becoming pregnant I would wake up several times a night and not be able to fall back to sleep for at least an hour.


And for those who don't follow me on instagram, here is an updated belly pic:

5 months Pregnant - Update

I forgot to do a 19 week update so I’m jumping straight into my 20 week update. Today marks 20 weeks (5 months, YAY - happy dance) baby girl is now the size of a banana weighing about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches long. She moves around constantly. The little tapping I once felt now feels like a baseball rolling around on the inside of my stomach. It’s such a weird feeling. I could be having a horrible day at work and then this little one starts moving around like crazy and it brightens my whole day!


I had a 19 week checkup last week and the doctor said everything was looking great. She said I'm tiny and probably won’t gain much during my pregnancy. I'm guessing I will gain at least 25lbs regardless of what she thinks. We will see. My last appointment was a month ago and since then I have gained 4 lbs. That puts me at a 7 lb gain so far, although I'm pretty sure half of that has gone to my boobs and my thighs haha. Within seconds of her holding the Doppler up to me belly i could hear this little one loud and clear. I was able to record her heartbeat for my husband to hear : ) Next time I go to the doctor I will be nearly 6 months, I'm hoping she will schedule another ultrasound soon thereafter. We are planning on doing a 4D ultrasound when I'm near 32 weeks in September, I cannot wait to do that and have our whole family come see her too. We also have our maternity photo's scheduled for September 1, 2013 and our baby shower on September 22, 2013. September is going to be a busy exciting month and then the following month (fingers crossed) baby girl should be here!

Speaking of our baby shower, I need to start registering or at least making a list if things I want to register for. We plan on registering at Babies R’ Us and on Amazon. So far, the only thing I have picked out is her bedroom set (crib, dressers and crib bedding). My husband and I are buying her bedroom set and my mother-in-law offered to buy her bedding so none of those are things we need to register for. I also have the stroller/car seat set I want picked out but other than that I have a whole lot of looking around and learning to do. Please leave a comment below if there are any MUST have items I should have on my registry and any items that are not worth buying. I hear a ton of moms say that received a bunch of stuff that they thought they needed but ended up not needing. I would love to hear what some of that stuff is.

This past week I've actually started feeling pregnant. My back has been hurting when standing too long, running has gotten a tad bit harder within the last 2 days and sleeping involves a lot of tossing and turning all night long. I'm constantly having to switch sides or I get sore and uncomfortable. I can't wait until I can sleep on my back and stomach again. This pregnancy has been pretty easy this far so I really hope I continue down this path because I feel extremely lucky. I was sick with a bad cold last week and had two days of being really sick and completely drained and then a day later I was back to my normal self and feeling great. I’m still working out and staying active as much as possible and my eating hasn’t been bad either. I rarely get cravings and when I do, it’s not usually for bad food. My husband has been so incredibly supportive. He constantly reminds me how beautiful he thinks I am and offers to help do everything for me. I am so not a lazy pregnant woman and I think sometimes he wishes I was so that he could do more for me. Maybe when I get further along I’ll ask for help more often : ) The other day he said someone at work asked him how life was living with a complaining pregnant wife. Josh said he just laughed and said “I’m actually really lucky because she never complains about anything”. I'm just not a complainer, I'll suck it up and be tough before I start complaining and if I do complain then you know something is definitley wrong. Every night Josh asks me if I can feel the baby moving and if I do feel her move he wants me to let him know so he can feel her too. I love that he is so excited and involved. I feel extremely blessed to have an amazing husband by my side through all of this.

I've been debating on taking some kind of pregnancy classes/breast feeding classes and decided that I rather just go with the flow of things and not take any classes. I'm such an easy go with the flow kind of person and I feel our bodies were designed to do this so it's all just going to come natural. I rather learn as I go and not have a "plan" for everything. Afterall, nothing goes as planned anyway...

How far along: 20 weeks (5 months) Yay for being half way through this pregnancy. Man time sure is flying fast and there is still so much to do!

Symptoms: Feeling short of breath very easily. This was giving me a little bit of anxiety at first but I'm slowly getting use to the feeling. My back and feet also get really sore when standing for long periods of time, again, something I'm trying to adjust to. Before being pregnant I was the energizer bunny who never sat down! It’s hard to slow your role when you're kind of forced to.

Clothes: I don't want to talk about it haha. None of my old "going out" dresses fit any longer, I was hoping at least one would fit for an upcoming Vegas wedding we're going to attend. The sad part is my stomach isn't the problem, it's my thighs and butt that won’t allow any of my dresses to fit, sigh. I feel most comfortable in leggings/maxi dresses although my regular size 0 pants still fit with the help of a hair tie/belly band it's just not so comfortable bending over in them lol.

How I’m feeling: Aside from being sick this past week I feel pretty dang good. I’ve had a day or two of major back pain and so I know to rest those days but other than that I’m still running when I can, lifting and going about each day just fine.

Cravings: Crackers and cheese, mangos, BLT’s, tomatoes and cherries.

My Fears of late: Getting our house situation together before the baby gets here. We are in limbo right now with either buying another house or staying and adding on to our house, ugh! This has put a stop on starting our nursery : (

Movement: She's rolling around in there and her movements have become fairly big now. It’s crazy how big her movements got in a matter of a couple days. Both my husband and I can both feel her now. She tends to be most active every other day in the mornings and throughout the day. At night, she’s much less active which is weird because most people say their babies were most active at night.

Excited for: Baby shower planning progress! We have set a date of September 22, 2013 which is some time away but my mother-in-law is in charge of it and she’s already on top of everything! I cannot wait to see it all come together. We decided on a co-ed shower since my husband really wants to be involved as much as possible. I love that he is just as excited about everything as I am.

Missing: Being able to move around like I use to, I have to remember to slow down and be careful because when I move too fast it hurts! I also miss the nice skin I once had. I've never had skin problems until being pregnant. Now I breakout all the time and it drives me nuts! I thought I would be missing champagne by now, but the truth is the smell of it grosses me out. We went to a wedding this past weekend and there was tons of champagne around me and the smell had me feeling sick.

18 Week Update

I'm a day late on this post because yesterday was crazy and I worked until 7:00 p.m.  I was so exhausted when I got home last night.

Week 18 - Baby has doubled in size over the past 2 weeks and is now the size of a sweet potato! This little sweet potato enjoys sitting on my bladder these days making me feel like I have to pee really bad all the time when I really don't have to go that bad. I'm continuing to feel her roll around in there when lying really still in bed at night or first thing in the morning when I wake up. Yesterday I felt the biggest movements from her, she was pretty much nonstop all day. I usually feel her every other day or so and it's such a refreshing feeling. I'm still feeling really good, although I do feel a bit more "weighed down" this week as everything on my body continued to grow. At the beginning of this pregnancy I started noticing changes in my boobs, thighs and butt first. To this day, both continue to grow and I'm ready for the growing to stop now LOL. I have continued to not only run at least 4/5 days a week but workout legs/glutes once a week as well, in hopes that my lower half at least stays somewhat toned while growing. At this rate my belly is going to be the last thing to catch up. A lot of people seem to think carrying a girl/boy makes a difference as to where and when you gain weight but I asked my doctor and she said it has nothing to do with that and everything to do with your own body on how you carry. Jamie Eason is pregnant with a boy right now and I'm having a girl and I've noticed that I'm carrying very similar to her. I truly think it has everything to do with the shapes of our bodies. I know having a shorter torso is one big reason why I'm carrying the way I am. My mom carried both my brother and I the same way and she also said she didn't even start showing until she was near 6 months.




I have a doctor's appointment next week. It's just a check-up and I think we are also starting blood work that week as well. It's crazy to think I'm almost half way through this pregnancy already. Although I was dreading being pregnant during summer, I'm extremely excited that I'm going to be on maternity leave during my favorite time of the year (winter) and during the holidays. I plan on working as long as I can until this baby is due so that I can enjoy more time off after. I've always debated on going back to work part-time as my boss said he would not have a problem with that at all, but as I thought about it more I decided I rather continue to work full-time. I have a great schedule now and my boss is so accommodating if I need to leave early, come in late or take days off so why not continue to make more money rather than less.

How far along: 18 weeks

Symptoms: Nothing new really other than right knee pain/leg pain I get every now and then.


Clothes: Living in maxi dresses and if I do wear pants I use the rubber band trick, but let's be honest pants really are not that comfortable these days and when i do wear them I cannot wait to take them off.


How I’m feeling: Feeling great, missing my summer body though when I read about how everyone is getting ready for summer. It's crazy looking back at pictures of my body this time last year. I never realized how hard I worked to have the body I wanted until I look back at pictures. I cannot wait to get back there again after this baby is born. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge!

Cravings: Crackers and cheese and mangos.

My Fears of late: Having everything ready when the baby arrives.

Movement: I feel her every other day or so, her movements get a bit stronger every time. If her nonstop movements are any indication of her future sleeping schedule, we are SCREWED lol she is so active all day long when I do feel her.

Excited for: My mother in law said she wants to start talking about planning my baby shower, I'm excited to start planning that with her! I also just booked our maternity photo session for September (I had to book way in advance because this girl books fast). Super excited about that too!

Missing: Nothing much, I can't wait to have champagne nights with my husband again though : )

Sleep: It was really good at the start of this week and then towards the end of the week work became stressful and I had one awful sleepless night. I stayed up all night thinking about WORK UGH! I felt horrible the next day for not having slept.

I know I posted a picture 2 days ago, but here is an 18 week picture taken exactly when I hit 18 weeks (yesterday).  I also attached a picture of what my belly looks like sitting down.  If I had a dollar for every person that said there is no way you are 4 1/2 months pregnant right now, I would be one rich girl!  My belly will pop eventually!

17 Weeks Pregnant

I forgot to do a 16 week update last week, however, my 16 week update was basically that baby girl is suppose to double in size over the next couple of weeks! I am now at 17 weeks yay. Baby girl is now the size of an onion and 3 nights ago I felt her move for the first time! My husband and I had a late dinner and after dinner we were laying down watching The Voice when all of a sudden I felt a little squirm that made me jump. It freaked me out and first until I realized it was her moving around. Shortly after I felt a few little pokes about five minutes apart and then she stopped. It was such an awesome reassuring feeling. I didn't think I would feel her for another few weeks but either the Caesar salad I had, the one bite of chili cheese fries my husband gave me or Adam Levine's voice excited her : ) The next day I didn’t feel her at all and then yesterday morning after eating breakfast and while I was eating lunch I felt her again! I felt little jabs (felt like popcorn popping in my belly) about every 20/30 seconds for about 5 minutes straight. Little girl must have been loving the bananas and blueberries I had for breakfast and the french fries I got into at lunch time because she was on a roll, it was so cool to feel her once again. It’s crazy because once you know the feeling of feeling them move around, you can identify it right away when you feel it again. I cannot wait for these movements to get stronger and I cannot wait for my husband to be able to feel her move, it's so awesome. I've also started feeling a lot of stretching in my abdomen/pelvic area. If I get up too quickly/sneeze it feels almost as if I'm going to tear my lower stomach muscles. I haven't had this pain since the start of my first trimester. I have also gained a little bit of a belly now. It’s pretty safe to say my stomach is no longer flat, it still has muscle to it, but it’s not flat and it definitely looks bigger at night after I have had all my meals than it does in the morning. I tried fitting into my biggest pair of size 0 pants this morning and they no longer fit without the help of a hair tie/belly band. My boobs are also going through another growth spurt right now and they hurt and itch constantly (TMI – I know). They have already doubled in size and I am not looking forward to them growing any more. I went shopping at Lululemon this past weekend and wasn’t very happy when my boobs wouldn’t fit into the size I would normally wear. I had to ask for a bigger size (size 6) and I was still squishing my boobs to fit in that size *sigh*. I’m going to need a boob lift after this baby lol.



I’m happy to report that my skin has been clearing up, however, I do have a few pimples that have been there for about a month and won't go away : ( The migraines have also stopped, woohoo! I find myself hungrier a bit more often but nothing too extreme. I’ve become really picky with my meals and pretty much only want to eat salads loaded with veggies and cheese but have a hard time eating the meat in them, homemade tacos topped with Greek yogurt, spinach, tomatoes, avocado and cheese and cold sandwiches with spinach, cucumber and avocado in them. Oh and cereal and fruit for breakfast every morning! I want everything cold and as fresh as possible. Anything hot/too much meat sounds gross to me. As far as snacking goes, I am obsessed with crackers and cheese right now and always keep Ben & Jerry’s frozen yogurt (Half Baked) in my freezer for nights : ). My workouts have felt amazing lately. I have the same amount of energy I had before I was pregnant which is awesome because it makes my workouts more enjoyable. I’m still maintaining about 4 days of cardio and 5 days of lifting (I usually skip cardio on leg day).


On another note, one of my pregnancy updates just told me I shouldn't be sleeping on my back at night after my first trimester. I wasn't aware of this and have been totally falling asleep on my back, it's the only way I can get comfortable at night. I haven't been able to sleep on my stomach for a while being my boobs from day one have hurt really bad and sleeping on my side hurts them too. Although I normally fall asleep on my back, I do end up on my side sometime during the night. I don't know how I'm going to avoid sleeping this way, ugh!


How far along: 17 Weeks. Going on month 5 already ahhhh


Symptoms: None really I feel great.


Clothes: Wearing a lot of long dresses and skirts these days, anything loose and comfortable. I feel most uncomfortable in pants and I think that’s because I’m not really showing yet and in the morning when I put pants on I feel fine but as I eat throughout the day my stomach starts to expand and I start feeling uncomfortable in them.


How I’m feeling: I absolutely love this trimester, I hardly feel pregnant most days, I feel great!


Cravings: Cracker and cheeses, MY homemade tacos and fruit.


My Fears of late: I do not fear a whole lot just more so hoping we get through these next few crazy busy months ahead of us. So much to do so little time!

Movement: At 6 weeks and 5 days I finally felt her move, love feeling her presence!


Excited for: Feeling her movements get stronger and for my husband to get to feel her too : ) Also excited about making another ultrasound appointment in a few weeks, love getting to see her.


Missing: I really don’t miss much other than when we have a big event coming up that everyone will be drinking at and I can’t drink : ( We have two weddings to go to next month. One is in Vegas and this is the first time we will be making a Vegas trip and won’t be able to party, boo! Speaking of weddings, I’ll be 20 weeks when we go to the first wedding and I need to find a dress that will look flattering on me. Any suggestions?!? Oh and I also miss fitting into my normal pants. Right now I can fit into them with the help of a hair tie/belly band but I just feel like I look extremely bloated not pregnant. I’m so use to being in great shape that I’m having a hard time adjusting to the way I now look in my pants, blah! I’m sure once my belly looks more like a pregnant belly I’ll feel much better about it.


Sleep: Sleep has been amazing, I’m a light sleeper normally but somehow this stage of pregnancy has allowed for some great sleep with no waking up to go to the bathroom or tossing and turning – I wonder how long this will last haha