TIck, Tock....

Is it Wednesday yet??  Time just feels like it's dragging....

I love that all of my appointments have been on Wednesday, because it feels like the week leading up to them goes faster.  I realize the Wednesday before that, "Hey! I have an appointment next week!"  Then there's the weekend which always flies by.  And before I know it, it's Tuesday night and I get to go in in the morning.

But this week?  SO SLOW...This is our longest ultra sound by far and I think one of our last so I'm excited to see Baby T.  And I know my mom is dying for us to send her a picture of her first grandchild.  I told her that I'd hold off until this one since Baby T looked like a blob with little nubs on the last one (still super cute though :) ).  And with this one he/she will look like a real, little person :)

Constant Hunger

I am starving suddenly...ALL.OF.THE.TIME.  It just started Monday night and was in full swing on Tuesday.  According to everything I've read, Baby T is growing like crazy now, so I'm assuming this has something to do with it.  Usually, I can get away with having one afternoon snack at work and then I eat something small again when I get home depending on what time we are eating dinner (we've been eating late since Aaron is working late).  Tuesday, I ate my fruit and then was absolutely famished at 4.  I mean so hungry my stomach was growling and I felt sick.  I had no food!  I ran down to the vending machines and grabbed some baked Lays and pretzels.  I ate the chips and was STILL.STARVING.  So, I ate a few of the pretzels.  I left work and was starving again when I got home.  Thankfully, I had fruit reserves there and had some watermelon. 

My lunch and snacks consist of yogurt, pb&j, cheeze-its, pretzels left over from yesterday, tons of watermelon, and raspberries.  I'm hoping that this lasts until the end of the day.  I think if I space them out, I should be good.  I guess I really need to think about what to buy at the grocery store this weekend...

Aaron is convinced now that it's a boy.  He was catching up in our pregnancy book Monday night and the author said that you will be hungrier and need to eat more if it's a boy.  Who knows :)  I do think it's cute though that he's actually reading the book and comprehending :) :)

Week 18: Sweet Potato

How big is baby: Baby is the size of a sweet potato this week (5.6 in and 6.7 oz).  Baby T is growing rapidly which is why I am absolutely starving suddenly.      

Weight gain/loss:  Haven't checked.  

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Hip pain but not to the point where I can't sleep.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Fruit.  Pizza.  I wonder if these two will ever go away?  Aaron told his friend this weekend that I don't really have cravings.  I just always know what I DON'T want :)  At least I'm honest.

Exercise:  Lots of walking in Cali.  And I am forever spoiled because we had the most amazing views.

Gender: We'll find out in October!

Movement: A little more here and there.  I usually only notice at random points throughout the day when I'm really still.  Today at work especially :)

The belly:  It seems bigger compared to last week's picture.   

What I'm spazzing about:  Some spotting again.  Nothing more than the usual though so I'm trying to just ignore it.  It's gone for now.  I really think this is just going to be the norm for me.  

What I'm loving:  Being 18 weeks.  That's 2 weeks from the halfway mark!

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain.  Gagging.  Sore hips at night.  Some spotting.

What I'm looking forward to:  Our BIG ultra sound in one week!!!  I am so excited :)  The cleaning starts this weekend of the two rooms.  And we are planning to paint next weekend.  Non baby related, we are going on vacation in less than three weeks!  We haven't decided exactly where, but we decided to keep it Pure Michigan since Michigan in the summer is amazing :)      

Best moment of the week:  Spending an amazing weekend with my BFF, her husband, and their furbaby Wilma :)  I miss them already!

Weekend Recap: SoCal Style

I can't believe the trip has already come and gone.  Friday, we got up bright and early and headed to the airport.  I arrived safely in California early afternoon so we had half the day to spend together.  Our weekend consisted of several walks along the beach and harbor, delicious lunches and dinners, my fill of ice cream (which was nice since Aaron doesn't like desert), hanging out at the beach, going to a state park, eating pizza at sunset, and lots of time to chat.  It was absolutely perfect and exactly what I needed.  My photographer (Aaron) wasn't there, so I of course forgot to take a lot of pictures.  But these are a few that I actually remembered to take.  Thanks again Steph and Jon for the best Memorial Day weekend!

And thanks to my amazing husband for checking everything off my to-do list for the weekend while I was gone :)  

Waldo's World

I can't imagine that Wally hasn't done SOMETHING in the last few weeks to write about.  But I guess I've just forgotten....


We were out in the yard tonight weeding.  Well, I was weeding and Wally was trying to get me to throw his ball by putting it on every surface I touched.  He finally gave up and started wandering around.  I had my back turned to the garage and heard him poking around and kept hearing this banging.  I kept calling him and he wouldn't listen (what's new?).  Finally, annoyed, I got up to see what he was doing.  I wish I had my phone to take a video for Aaron.  We have a bunch of large sticks in our garage that Aaron had been saving for potential bonfires.  Wally LOVES to take them out of the garage and chew on them in the grass.  Let's just say these sticks are pretty big...think mini branches.  So there Wally is trying his hardest to get out of the garage with this stick/branch.  But he kept getting stuck everywhere he walked, because the stick was too long.  It was just the cutest thing ever.  I immediately called Aaron at work, and we both got a good laugh at Mr. Wally's expense :)  I finally helped him by moving a few things around so he could get out :)


Then Aaron proceeded to tell me that earlier in the week, Wally was at the fence watching our neighbor and he went to do his sitting/itching his ear pose.  Apparently, he lost his balance before he could get the itch and completely fell over on his back.  He was so freaked out that he started running around the yard in his spaz mode.


Of course, Wally then decided to rip apart one of my foam gardening kneelers...way to ruin a cute moment :)

Week 17: Onion

How big is baby: Baby is the size of an onion this week (5.1 in and 5.9 oz).  That's a pretty big onion...I don't know that I buy any ever that are this big. You'd think they could come up with a better fruit/veggie.  I did read this week that the baby is really starting to develop her hearing.  The book even said the loud noises baby hears now will get her used to sleeping through them when she's born.  In other words, the book is telling me that she's getting used to Wally's barking and it supposably won't bother her when she's born.  I don't know how much I buy it, but hey, it's making his barking a LITTLE less annoying :)      

Weight gain/loss:  Haven't checked.  

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Still no complaints!  Waking up with hip pain more often.  Some women on The Bump swear buy pregnancy/body pillows, others say they are a waste of money.  I turn all night (I like a cold pillow), so I'm not sure how a body pillow would work out for me.  We'll see how bad the hip pain gets.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Still loving fruit.  Back to craving pizza.  Grilled pizza (thanks Steph!), homemade pizza bagels, you name it.  While it sucks having Aaron gone at work every night, it has been nice to be able to eat whatever I want :)  Sunday, my mom and Aaron really wanted Slows BBQ.  Well, I wanted nothing of it.  All i wanted was a New York Bagel sandwich...and yes, I ate the exact same on Saturday for lunch :)  So I patiently waited while they got Slows and then we stopped at the bagel place on the way home.  I think Aaron is slowly learning not to mess with what I decide I want :)

Exercise:  Walking.  Does gardening count? :)

Gender: We'll find out in October!

Movement: Not too much since last week.  I found out on Saturday (more on that below) that I have an anterior placenta so it's very normal that I won't feel consistent movement for a while.

The belly:  It definitely seems bigger all day now.  I feel like I woke up Sunday and there it was!   

What I'm spazzing about:  Well, Saturday was quite the day.  Friday, I was concerned that I might POSSIBLY be leaking amniotic fluid.  I had stopped spotting so I needed something new to worry about, right?  I called the nurse and she immediately freaked out (and was very rude - she has her good days and bad).  The office was closing in an hour and they didn't have any openings.  So I needed to go to labor and delivery IMMEDIATELY.  Ok, way to freak out a pregnant lady.  I calmly continued to ask questions, did she really think it was necessary, did she think I could wait and see, etc. etc.  I didn't want to make any rash decisions.  I am becoming a frequent patient at Beaumont Hospital and for not so great things.  I just didn't want to go.  Obviously, if something was serious, ok, but I just had a gut feeling.  So I decided (against her judgement) to hold off and see how Saturday went.  

My mom was coming for the weekend and I mentioned the incident to her on Saturday and she asked if I still felt I was leaking.  To spare the details, the same thing that happened Friday happened again so I wasn't sure.  She suggested I call the on call doctor to get her opinion.  She wanted me to go in.  I of course start crying.  Again, every time I go to that hospital I don't leave with good news.  I was scared and I just wanted everything to be ok.  My mom went with me and kept reassuring me that everything would be fine (Aaron was out but said he'd meet us there...I told him a million times that it was ok, I'd call if something bad happened).  

The nurse and doctor were super nice.  They explained everything and said everything was fine.  I did find out that I apparently have an ectropian cervix (sorry, TMI but I want to remember that so I need to write it down) which is what was causing the spotting.  My mom also got to see the baby and hear the heart beat.  The baby is so much bigger now!  With a spine, and real arms and legs.  It was awesome :)  I can't wait for our anatomy scan in 2 weeks...I know baby will be so much bigger even by then!  But anyway, I was released with a clean bill of health an hour later.  I guess I got my first little glimpse of the labor and delivery area at Beaumont!  

I kept sobbing to my mom that it's just so hard.  I want to be excited and just be in the moment with this pregnancy.  But there are so many things that can go wrong.  There are so many things to worry about.  And for someone who already has an anxious personality, this is all just feeding gas to the fire.  I'm trying to accept that everything has been perfect so far even with all the scares.  That I just need to relax and enjoy these 9 months because soon enough it's all going to be over (which I know will start a whole new set of worries with a newborn).  

What I'm loving:  Seeing that everything was ok on Saturday.  I just wish I could relax and enjoy.

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain.  Gagging.  Sore hips at night.  

What I'm looking forward to:  Well...you know....there's my visit to Cali in just 2 days :)  Also, our big ultrasound in two weeks!  I'm hoping to start cleaning out the bedrooms and start painting/prep that next weekend.  I feel like we need to start checking stuff of our list!  At that point, I'll be about 19 weeks so almost halfway.    

Best moment of the week:  Seeing baby again!  Even if the original reason was scary.  Spending the weekend with my mom.  She was such a huge help in planting our flower pots and boxes too on Sunday.

Leavin' On a Jet Plane

Well, not yet exactly.  But in just one week, I'll be on my way to sunny, SoCal (did I say that right? I need to get the lingo down since I'll be there soon :) ).  I can't wait to see my BFF (and Jon and Wilma of course!).

When I think of California, so many things come to mind.

1. Real Housewives of Orange County.  This was my first true love with the RH empire.  This is the season that got me hooked.  And now I watch way too many of the others.  And my husband hates it :)

2. All of the songs that artists sing....California Girls by Katy Perry, California Love by Tupac, International Love by Pit Bull (I think they talk about Los Angeles or something).  Maybe I need to make a play list for my trip :)

3. Palm trees.  This is one of the things that just screams vacation to me.  As soon as I see one, I just know I'm on vacation.  I think it has something to do with going to Florida for spring break a lot when I was little.

And on and on....

While I might get lucky and see one of the RHs, I'm pretty sure a palm tree or two will definitely be seen...but now when I think of California, the first thing that comes to mind is my BFF.  Since I'm going to visit her first and foremost, I know I'll be able to knock that off my must see's while I'm there :)

One week and counting....

Week 16: Avocado

How big is baby: Baby is the size of an avocado this week (4.6 in and 3.5 oz).      

Weight gain/loss:  Haven't checked.  

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Still no complaints!  My hips are starting to hurt though (I only notice when I wake up to go to the bathroom).  I can't really sleep on my stomach and I'm not supposed to sleep on my back...my poor hips.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Still loving food :)  I can't get enough fruit.  

Exercise:  Walking, DVDs, and YMCA.

Gender: We'll find out in October!

Movement: I'm pretty sure I felt the baby yesterday for quite a while.  Nothing really today, but I know that at this stage, it won't be regular.

The belly:  To me, it doesn't really look much bigger than last week.   

What I'm spazzing about:  Some spotting.  But my Dr. office doesn't seem too concerned so I'm trying to just forget about it and be happy that everything is still ok.  

What I'm loving:  Feeling the baby for real!

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain.  Still gagging.  Sore hips at night.  Getting hungrier in the afternoon.  Small spotting.  Slight cramping here and there while things are growing.

What I'm looking forward to:  Not baby related, but getting to see my BFF next weekend!  I'm so excited and can't wait :)      

Best moment of the week:  Getting to spend the weekend with family.  We had such a great weekend.  I'm always sad to leave.  I'll see my mom again this weekend though...she's coming here for a few things we have planned.

A Weekend of Firsts

We had such a great weekend!  We found out that our friend Eric would be running the Riverbank Run as well, and we hadn't seen them since August (or at least I hadn't), so Kelly was kind enough to have us over for a big pasta dinner on Friday night before the race.  

Saturday, we woke up way too early for a weekend and headed downtown GR for the race.  Aaron ran the 25k and my mom and I walked the 5k.  The weather was perfect...only a few sprinkles for a few minutes.  Aaron came in almost right at his goal time.  My mom and I made it in under an hour :)  Considering I can't let my heart rate get too high, we were happy with that.  We all went home and relaxed and some napped.  Later that afternoon, Aaron and I went to his Grandpa's to share our good news.  He was very excited.  I went to church with my parents while Aaron took care of the dogs.  After, my in-laws were kind enough to host Mother's Day dinner for everyone.  It was delicious!  I didn't make it very long though considering how early we got up.

Sunday, my mom and I went shopping.  She found a few dresses for a few weddings, and I found some more maternity pants.  I think my collection is complete with the exception of some shorts once it gets warmer.  We came home and sat on the patio for a few hours.  My brother came home for dinner as well. 

It was a fast but great weekend!  I also got to celebrate my first what I'll call half Mother's Day since I'm still cooking the baby :)  My dad bought me a rose after church on Saturday.  And my mom and dad both got a little "tranquility" angel for me to put in my purse to give me peace and stop my worrying.  It's nice to have in there as a reminder whenever I start getting nervous.  Thanks mom and dad!

Eeek!!

I know I posted a couple weeks ago about possibly feeling movement once before bed realizing that it was probably my mind playing tricks on me or just gas bubbles that felt really weird.

Well...I can say that this weekend I felt them again, but I was moving around so they were REALLY faint, and I couldn't really dwell on them since I was walking around and doing other stuff.  However, I'm sitting here at my desk this morning going through e-mails, and those little "pops" are back with a vengeance!  They are definitely not gas bubbles.  It feels more like a twitch (like your eye twitching) really low in my stomach.  This is just the coolest thing ever :)  Thanks little baby for that reminder that everything is ok in there.

The doctor said I should "regularly" start feeling the baby at 20 weeks, but I've heard and read that 16 weeks isn't too early.  Maybe I'm still crazy and it's really not the baby...but I'm going with it this time :)

Why do I look?

I'm nosy...too nosy at times.  I read The Bump a few times a day to look at the posts that might apply to me, respond to a few if someone has a question on something I've been through.  It's a pretty large community so you get questions that are all over the spectrum and you get all kinds of different situations.  I keep trying to remember, it's a large community...

Every once in a while, there is a post with some type of title I know I shouldn't open..."Baby's gone", "Saying goodbye", "Our loss".  I know I shouldn't open the post.  While my heart breaks for the women who have to experience this at any stage, for my sanity, I shouldn't read them.  But for some reason, I usually always open them.  Today was no different.  A woman posted yesterday that she couldn't find the heart beat with her at home doppler.  She posted again that she had an appointment today for peace of mind.  This morning she posted that she had lost her baby last week (a missed miscarriage).  She would have been 19 weeks.

You get so excited to finally graduate from 1st tri and then something like this happens and kicks you in the gut with a reality check.  Something can always go wrong.  Thankfully, the statistic of you have a 1% chance of miscarrying once you make it through the first trimester means you have really good odds of being ok.  But someone has to make up that 1%. 

I wish I didn't have such an anxious personality.  I wish I didn't worry all of the time.  I know that it's all in God's hands and what's meant to be will be.  ...but I still worry.  Thankfully, Aaron is good at looking at the positive when I have these negative moments.  He "just knows that everything is going to be ok."  And that makes me feel better.

Week 15: Navel Orange

I feel like this bump is getting real! 

How big is baby: Baby is the size of a navel orange this week (4 in and 2.5 oz).      

Weight gain/loss:  Haven't checked since last week.  

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Still no complaints!

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Still loving food :)   

Exercise:  Walking, DVDs, and YMCA.

Gender: We'll find out in October!

Movement: Nothing more.

The belly:  I think it's definitely getting bigger.  My pants agree :)   

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing this week...furiously pounding on wood.  

What I'm loving:  Starting to make to-do lists.  Planning everything more.  Getting to see my belly growing.

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain.  Still gagging.  Feel some pressure when I get up from sitting for a while.  No idea if that's normal.

What I'm looking forward to:  Shopping with my mom this weekend!  I need some more work pants.      

Best moment of the week:  I don't think I look fat by any means.  And thankfully everything noticeable is around my belly so far..no weight gain anywhere else.  But there have been moments when I get a little worried that I look pretty big for only 15 weeks.  I haven't said anything about it to Aaron.  But he looked at me the other day and gave me a big hug when we were getting ready for work and told me how perfect I looked and how I look so amazing pregnant.  It just melted my heart and it came at the perfect time.  I have such an amazing husband :)