Monday, July 30, 2012

Third Trimester

Holy crap....you read the title right.  I am now in the third trimester!  That means I am two thirds of the way through this pregnancy.  Just about 3 months left to go.  Am I starting to freak out?  Slightly.  How is Wally going to handle being a big brother?  He does great with kids, I just don't want him to feel unloved since our attention is going to be shifted.  How will Aaron and I handle this new addition into our lives?  How will we handle running on no sleep?  Etc, etc, etc. 

It's just so hard to fathom that I'm going to be The Mom.  No more looking to someone else for instruction or handing back a crying baby.

But thankfully, those moments of anxiety are few and far between the moments of excitement.  I can't wait to meet this little person and love all over those squishy little newborn cheeks.   

Current to do list:
- Sell my old car
- Buy Etsy prints for nursery and frames for the prints
- Buy rug for nursery
- Nursery DIY art (not sure yet exactly what we want to do, but I have a few Pinterest ideas)
- DIY mobile (made with love by Aaron)
- Interview pediatricians (dates scheduled)
- Tour day cares (this whole 6 months off has been a curse in this department)
- DIY guest room desk (Aaron said this is on hold because of the car in the driveway)
- DIY crib skirt? (not sure if we'll actually get to this so I have a backup on our registry)
- Have ducts cleaned out
- Ottoman for nursery, nursing stool? (undecided as of yet)

This seems so long...but I know it's significantly trimmed down from where it started.  And thankfully, a lot of it is just for looks and the baby will survive just fine if we don't get some of it done.  We'll get there :)

Out With the Old...In With the New

Another item to check off our list!  Well...partially at least. 

When I graduated from college, it was time to get my own wheels.  I was very, very fortunate that my parents bought us cars to borrow from them all throughout high school and college.  They were by no means fancy (our first was the Pontiac Sunbird that shook uncontrollably going any speed over 55 mph...highway driving was interesting), but they did the trick and were GREATLY appreciated.

In December 2006, I bought this beauty...a 2006 G6 GT.  She had a great run, but now has quite a few miles so we decided we either needed to run her into the ground or sell her now while we could still get some money.  We chose the latter now that we have a baby on the way.  She's now posted on Craig's List and waiting for her new home.  We've had several bites over the past week, but nothing too serious yet.  Fingers crossed she's gone in the next month.  I don't want to have to renew the registration again!




We've (and by we I mean Aaron) been researching my new car for quite some time.  I knew I wanted a crossover/SUV.  I knew I either wanted an Edge, an Equinox, or a Terrain.  The next step was for Aaron to do his magic and research the heck out of each of them.  After much debate, we chose the Edge.  Now, I come from a GM family.  My grandpa, grandma, great aunt, and dad all worked at GM for life.  I would be the first in my family to venture into new territory.  At one point years ago, I planted the seed with my dad that we may get another brand and we were told we wouldn't be able to park in the driveway (he was kidding....I think).  I was a little nervous to tell him our choice to say the least.  He took it very well.  But the Edge just made more sense...it was wider which would be more comfortable for Baby T and Wally when they ride together and it would be better when we have two kids and need to fit two car seats.  The trunk space is also huge compared to the other two we were considering.  And I LOVE it!  It has so many fancy bells and whistles I've never had before :)  And without further ado...my new wheels!




Aaron was unfortunate to get pulled over the FIRST night we had her.  Luckily, it was just for not having our headlights on and the officer was very understanding since A. we had just pulled off the road to figure out how to turn them on and B. we had proof we had just purchased the car and had no idea what we were doing. 

Friday, July 27, 2012

A Wedding, a Surprise, and a Family Weekend!

It has been a whirlwind few days here, but it's all been great!  This past weekend, we headed to Ohio for my brother's wedding.  He and his fiance, Nick, tied the knot on Saturday, July 21.  We all met in Ohio on Friday for the rehersal and rehersal dinner.  Saturday, us ladies were getting ready to go get our hair done and look who I found waiting for me in the hotel lobby??




Yes, my BFF pulled off a HUGE surprise :)  I knew her parents would be coming to the wedding.  And I knew she was in town the week before for work.  I thought we weren't going to see each other because of our work schedules (our parents live 2.5 hours from me so it would have been tough to see her during the week with work).  Little did I know, she asked her boss if she could work from MI a week before her actual training!  I was in so much shock, I started crying.  I was having a touch week the week before and was really missing her so it was the absolute perfect surprise :)  It was so nice to have her there all night.  Thank you Steph for making my weekend!!

The ceremony was amazing.  It was so nice to see so much love and support for these two.  I'm so thankful they got their special day as well.  Even though it was a non traditional ceremony, they both still deserved their day and I think it turned out perfect.  My brother is one heck of an amazing guy and has always been so loving and would do anything for anyone.  I always worry about him and what others will think and how he'll be treated.  But considering his wedding had greater attendance than mine, I don't think I need to worry there :)  Their favors were t-shirts that read, "Love Conquers Hate."  So perfect.  I can't wait to wear mine once I get back to my normal size in a few months.




After our 4+ hour trip to OH, it was time to head back to MI, pick up a few things at home, and then head to Grand Haven, MI for a few days with my in-laws.  It was so nice catching up with everyone and just relaxing for a few days at the pool and on the beach.  Aaron and I were scoping out all of the nearby homes for sale...maybe in retirement :)


Thursday, July 26, 2012

26 Weeks: Head of Lettuce

25 weeks...a little over
26 weeks


Please ignore the formatting...I can't figure out what is wrong with the font and spacing on this post.


How big is baby: Baby is the size of a head of lettuce this week (13.6-14.8 in and 1.5-2.5 lbs).  Baby's eyes are forming, and will soon start to open.  Eyelashes are now grown, too.  Baby's getting his/her immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies.  Baby's taking breaths, too. They're of amniotic fluid, not air, but it's still good practice.



Weight gain/loss:  I'm a little nervous for my check up next week...let's just say that I ate way too much during all of this weekend's festivities.   

Stretch marks: No. I had a small freak out the other day when I thought I saw a ton forming on the bottom of my belly, but they were just indentations from the elastic waste on my PJs.  Thank goodness so far!

Sleep:  Ok, but getting worse.    

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Fruit. I haven't had watermelon in a week and I'm starting to go through withdrawals.  I have about 5 lbs of blueberries I bought this weekend so I might be passing up on watermelon for a little bit while I get through these babies.


Exercise:  Walking, biking.  


Gender: We'll find out in October!  

Movement: Still everyday!    

The belly:  Definitely there.


What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really this week.

What I'm loving:  We set up our crib!  We got it last week before going on vacation and were so excited, we put it together that night...well Aaron put it together that night :)  It looks awesome in the room.  Now we just need the glider, and we have all of the big pieces of furniture so we can figure out the room configuration.  Now I just need to buy frames and order my Etsy prints :)





Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  Still more heartburn.  Starting to get more uncomfortable just in general all of the time.  My back starts to hurt when I sit too long.  But then I get uncomfortable when I stand too long.  No win situation people.  I'm a little worried about what the next 3 months will bring since I know it can only get worse :(


What I'm looking forward to:  My doctor's appointment next week.  Getting our glider in the next week or so.  Making it to the third trimester in a few days.  That just seems crazy to me that I'm almost already there.  These last three months are just going to fly by considering work is getting really crazy with our October 15 due date.  I've been starting to have dreams where Baby is actually here and I'm not pregnant anymore. But let's just stay inside and cook a little longer :)         


Best moment of the week:  Spending so much time with family and being able to have a few days of relaxation :)  And of course, the surprise visit from my BFF!!! 

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Calzones

















These were so easy and so good!  My friend Andrea gave me this recipe back in 2006, I think.  Tonight was the first night I actually remembered to make them :)  I used two loaves of bread thinking that I wanted leftovers and not knowing how much Aaron would eat.  If you can tell from the picture, one was the size of our dinner plates.  So we definitely have plenty of leftovers :)  If you only want this for one night, one calzone was plenty for two people, in my opinion.


Recipe (adapted slightly)


- 2 loaves of frozen bread (I used Rhodes)
- 1/2 green pepper, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- small can black olives, chopped
- 6 thin slices of salami
- shredded, mozzarella cheese
- pizza sauce
- olive oil
- minced garlic


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.


Stretch the loaves into two, ovalish shapes (make sure to flour your surfaces well).  Brush olive oil onto the dough and sprinkle with minced garlic.  Spread pizza sauce onto dough.  Place remainder of ingredients in middle of dough (salami, green pepper, onion, olives, cheese).  Cut 1 inch strips on both sides of dough.  Fold in and braid the two sides of the dough.


Place each calzone on cookie sheet.  Cook at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

24 Weeks: Cantaloupe




How big is baby: Baby is the size of a cantaloupe this week (10.5-11.8 in and 12.7-20.8 oz).  As I mentioned before, apparently, during these weeks, they start to measure the baby from head to toe.  Previously, the average size was measured from crown to rump...that's the reason for the range and no change from last week.  But cantaloupe??  That's a pretty big fruit I think.        

Weight gain/loss:  At my appointment last week, I think I was up a total of 14 lbs. so far.  According to What to Expect When You Are Expecting, I'm still in the normal range.   

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Still sleeping well minus my one bathroom break in the middle of the night.  Baby has decided on certain nights that having a dance party at 2am, 4am, or 5am is a great idea.  I usually am able to roll over and fall right back asleep after I have a short, "quiet" conversation with Baby :)  

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  Fruit.  Pizza.  I decided to change it up a little bit and bought strawberries, blueberries and cherries for the beginning of the week.  But don't worry, I have a watermelon on the counter, and I'll be cutting it up in the next day or so.  And I got my pizza fix twice this week.  Pizza on Monday and tonight we had homemade calzones.  They were amazing!  I'll post the recipe soon.

Exercise:  It's finally cooled off a little, so I can walk outside again.  

Gender: We'll find out in October!  

Movement: Aaron got to feel the baby even more this week.  I can definitely see the kicks poking out now sometimes when I look down.  It's so nice to finally have a daily reminder that everything is ok.  I read somewhere today that baby feels most active between weeks 24 and 28 while baby is still small enough to move around like crazy.  After week 28, I guess baby starts to run out of room.    

The belly:  Bigger and bigger it seems.  My clothes from Old Navy finally came!!  I have a client meeting at work tomorrow.  I'm not quite sure yet what I'm going to do since my suit jackets only match my pre-pregnancy pants.  I'm hoping that the bella band is still an option.

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really this week.

What I'm loving:  We ordered our crib!  It should be here in the next week.  We are out of town next weekend and then in Grand Haven with family for a few days so I don't think we'll put it together for a little while.  I'm just excited to have it!

We decided on the car we are going to buy as well.  We are going this weekend to see what the dealer has and test drive them.  I'm slightly stressed about trading in/selling my car, but we'll figure it out.  I'm hoping the trade in value is decent and we won't have to weigh the option of trying to sell it on our own.

Also, we have our appointments set up with two, potential pediatrician's.  Both came highly recommended and the people I talked to on the phone were super nice.

Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  Still more heartburn.  I really do think I've been feeling braxton hicks contractions here and there at the end of the day.  I've read that it can be normal this early.

What I'm looking forward to:  Spending time with family over the next few weeks.  My sister and her boyfriend are coming in from Denver and staying with us on Sunday.  Then we are going to a Tigers game with my parents on Monday.  We are spending the following weekend with my family, and then we are headed to Grand Haven that Sunday to spend a few days with my in-laws.          

Best moment of the week:  Crossing even more off the list!  I am a total list person.  And the great presents that Beeba sent the baby :)  She ordered a cute sleeper/hat outfit and toy from our registry (there was a bit of a mixup on the outfit but Buy Buy Baby was great about fixing it).  She also sent a soft baseball toy that can be clipped on to the car seat bar or stroller.  She is a HUGE Tigers fan so she said it was a must.  Thanks again Beeba!  

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

23 Weeks: Grapefruit



How big is baby: Baby is the size of a grapefruit this week (10.5-11.8 in and 12.7-20.8 oz).  Apparently, during these weeks, they start to measure the baby from head to toe.  Previously, the average size was measured from crown to rump...that's the reason for the range and no change from last week.        

Weight gain/loss:  Not sure from last week.  

Stretch marks: No.

Sleep:  Things are going a little better here.  I've finally figured out a few good positions with my body pillow that seem to be helping.  

Diet/Cravings/Aversions:  The usual. Fruit.  Pizza.  I am eating SO.MUCH.WATERMELON.  I guess it could be worse :)

Exercise:  YMCA.  It has been in the high 90s/100s here so walking has pretty much been out of the picture.  I've been trying to make it to the Y a couple of times a week.

Gender: We'll find out in October!  

Movement: Aaron finally got to feel Baby T!  The little stinker only gave him one good jab, but at least he got to feel something :)  Baby will move around like crazy and as soon as one of us puts our hand on my belly, the movement almost completely stops.  

The belly:  Definitely there!  I ordered a few maternity tops from Old Navy last week.  I'm just waiting for them to arrive now.  My weekend shirts are long enough that they still work, but I have very few work shirts that can stay in the rotation.

What I'm spazzing about:  Nothing really this week.

What I'm loving:  Getting more and more crossed off from our list of things we need to do before October.  We ordered our glider on Sunday.  We found a store in Ann Arbor that sold the line so we went there to test it out.  LOVE it.  And it will be a good living room chair too once we are done having kids.  We made a day out of it and went to Zingermen's Deli for lunch and hit up IKEA on the way home.  We found a small lamp and a few storage bins at IKEA for the nursery.

I'm so happy that Aaron got to feel a little poke too :)  

And we also (well I started a while ago, but Aaron finally jumped on the boat) started discussing names.  We came up with separate lists and we compared and actually have a few in common.  I was convinced all of his would be completely off the wall, but they were actually really cute (there were just a couple that I nixed right away).  Unfortunately, he did not like my top girl name :(  He said it reminded him of a porn star name.  What?!?  I won't say the name just in case I can get him to change his mind (we want it to be a surprise).  

Symptoms:  Sore hips at night.  HORRIBLE heart burn last night.  I have no idea what I ate that caused it, but it was bad.  I took tums which did nothing.  I finally just had to walk around and stand up trying to wait for it to pass.

What I'm looking forward to:  My doctor's appointment tomorrow!  I can't get enough of hearing baby's heartbeat :)  We are also ordering our crib this weekend (I think).        

Best moment of the week:  Aaron getting to feel the baby kick :)