Sunshines and Creeps

• Sunshine to the short week. Creep to having to work this week, but it has gone quickly.
• Sunshine to deciding to take a half day on Monday. Ross has the day off so I am pulling the trigger and just making it work. We won't get much more alone time before baby comes and I am going to take full advantage!
• Sunshine and Creep to my Birthday on Monday. It is a biggie...I will be turning 30. I love the thought of ringing in 30 with Baby J, definitely a sign that I'm getting older but the end of being in your 20s means that you're officially a grown up. This is something I struggle with most days. I seriously feel like I haven't ever left my school years, even though I have been out in the working world for a solid 4 years now. I am also mourning the fact that I can't get super wild and crazy on my 30th. Ross assures me that I will be able to next year to make up for it. So I will be sure to take advantage of that! Overall I am very excited to see what my 30s has in store for me. We will be celebrating with my favorite, a DQ ice cream cake, sparkling grape juice, and painting Baby J's room. Hopefully ordering the crib as well, so Baby has a place to sleep when he joins us!
• Sunshine to Christmas. I just love love love the Christmas season. I am torn because I feel like the Christmas decorations were barely up this year but I also would like to take them down and get going on that. I think I will wait one more week! Also sunshine that all the Christmas chaos is over. It really took a lot out of me this year. We had a lot of really late nights and traveling under our belts so I am happy to just have a little time at home.
• Sunshine to warmer temps these last couple days. It has been a nice break from the subzero temps!
• Creep to Ross never seeming to have a weekend off lately. I guess I shouldn't complain too much because his boss did finally give him a holiday off! New Year's Day is holiday enough for me.
• Sunshine to our (likely) final ultrasound on Wednesday. I can't wait to see our little guy. I'm sure he is getting huge. Hopefully we will get good news that he is turning right side down and that everything else looks good in there! 

Oh Baby - Week 31

Wow we seriously are in the final countdown here...Fingers crossed that we have a solid two months left until baby J comes but he could come anytime now. 

Total Weight Gain: Up a lb or two...

Maternity clothes:
Got quite a great variety.

Stretch Marks:
Not right now...I'm sure they're coming any day now...

Best moments:
Getting a few more baby items.

Movement:
He isn't the wiggliest babe on the block but I love feeling him when he gets antsy in his pantsies. I am seriously sad when I think about not being able to feel him anymore.

Food Cravings:
Nope.

Food Aversions:
Also, none.

What I miss:
I missed beer and wine big time this past week while we celebrated our two Christmases. 

Nausea/Vomiting:
Nope, let's hope that's all a thing of the past.

Symptoms:
Getting worn out easily. And definitely can't stay up late! We had three late nights in a row and that just about killed me.

Labor signs:
None, phew!

Gender:
Baby Boy!

Belly Button:
Still sticking out. :(

Wedding Rings:
Fitting fine. 

Sleep:
So so. Sadly, my best sleep is always when Ross isn't in the bed.

Wisdom: No wisdom...I give up. I'm still so tired from Christmas that I seriously have no wisdom. I am already terrified of being pregnant next time when we have a child. It is going to be so much more exhausting...

Merry Christmas

A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours this holiday season. 

I hope you find yourselves warm, safe and surrounded by family this holiday season!

Oh Baby - Week 12

Total Weight Gain:
No weight gain. I am the same as my last appointment and if I remember that is actually less than an appointment I had back in May, so I feel pretty good that I am on track for where I should be at this point. Unfortunately this mama came into the pregnancy with a few extra LBs on her so she isn't supposed to gain as much...

Maternity clothes:
Just the normal clothes, and they're fitting almost the same, but the belly is definitely popped out!

Stretch Marks:
Nope.

Best moments:
Ross getting to tell his siblings about our news! The nephews all have voted, and they say it's a boy! Hope they're right, we find out September 21st!

Movement:
Nada

Food Cravings:
uhm...pasta, yum.

Food Aversions:
Still just meat, or anything too heavy

What I miss:
staying awake to hang out with my hubby

Nausea/Vomiting:
Well, I finally did it. I threw up. Just the one instance (more than one throw up but just the one time). It was in the worst spot though, in my car. Ugh. It was terrible. But I got over it and I haven't actually thrown up again since.

Symptoms:
My back is very achy. And I am starting to get pretty complainy about it.

Labor signs:
Nope

Gender:
Only 5 weeks until we find out! HOLY CRAP that is scary!

Belly Button:
Innie!

Wedding Rings:
On!

Sleep:
Well, I know how to sleep, but my body isn't staying asleep anymore. I need to learn to just roll with it and get out of bed and do something, even if it is just watch TV!

Wisdom:
Find a reason to get your family together, it is poopy to have to tell people on the phone. Seeing their faces is so much fun :)

Sunshines and Creeps

• Sunshine to Friday! Unfortunately it is also very sunny today which means no cloud cover and very cold temps.
• Sunshine to my little baby J who is getting very big in there. He is turning into a rock. My belly is getting so hard and lumpy I don't know what to do with myself. 
• Sunshine to a scale finally showing up at the gym again. I just have to know! 
• Creep to the numbers on the scale going up and up. Sunshine for it being for a good cause :) 
• Sunshine to the world not ending. 
• Sunshine to less that two months (fingers crossed) before Baby J makes his debut. 
• Creep to my grandpa getting pneumonia this week. He seems to be recovering well but scary news either way! Never something you want to hear.
• Sunshine to Christmas. Oh how I love the holiday season. I just can't believe how fast it is going this year!
• Sunshine to not getting too much snow. I really hope we can keep it away at least until after February 20th...wishful thinking?

Oh Baby - Week 30

Week 30 recap! 

Total Weight Gain: The gym's scale has reappeared but I didn't have a chance to go on it today. I will tomorrow. It has become an obsession.

Maternity clothes:
I decided to break down and get another pair of jeans, with a demi band, don't do it! The full band is way more comfy, the other one just digs into your belly the whole time plus it is think so it really digs in there good compared to the thin spandex for the full panel!!

Stretch Marks:
Nope. Oiling my belly and it's so sexy, just ask Ross...

Best moments:
Nothing too spectacular baby related this week. Ross and I actually went out and had a real date this past weekend. We went out to eat at the best place in town (in my opinion anyway...) and then saw Lincoln. Which was a wonderful movie however I am now regretting that I didn't twist his arm into seeing Twilight. 

Movement:
He is getting huge in there. I can feel him try to roll over and get stuck and sometimes having to turn back around the way he came. 

Food Cravings:
Nope.

Food Aversions:
Also, none.

What I miss:
BENDING OVER! Ugh, it is getting to be a struggle. And it is so uncomfortable when I have to pick something up off the ground. I can't imagine what this will be like when we have our second!

Nausea/Vomiting:
Nope.

Symptoms:
Nothing too bad. Heartburn is the most frequent.

Labor signs:
No, thankfully!

Gender:
Mr. J

Belly Button:
Officially out. Boo.

Wedding Rings:
Getting snug but on and off every night!

Sleep:
I still sleep well early on in the night but then wake up to pee around 2 and now I have been waking up a lot because I have so much on my mind that I can't get back to sleep.

Wisdom: Gather advice from every source you can. Mommies have the best advice and tips you would never think of on your own!

Oh Baby - Week 29

Total Weight Gain: The gym's scale has disappeared again so luckily I'm off the hook for weighing myself this week. Definitely up though!

Maternity clothes:
Got plenty! It's nice to feel like you still have options to wear.

Stretch Marks:
Nope. Oiling my belly at least daily!

Best moments:
Starting to get working on Baby J's nursery. I haven't done much other than clear out the room, but I'm going to start picking paint this week! We also had our labor prep class and Ross had to wear a belly suit and give me a message, so that was glorious. 

Movement:
He is definitely getting bigger and bigger. I am finding myself much thirstier and hungrier than ever before!

Food Cravings:
Nope.

Food Aversions:
Also, none.

What I miss:
Not having a huge belly that makes moving around difficult.

Nausea/Vomiting:
Nope!

Symptoms:
Heartburn is starting to get stronger and stronger. 

Labor signs:
No, thankfully!

Gender:
Baby Boy!

Belly Button:
Shallow as can be.

Wedding Rings:
Getting tighter.

Sleep:
I sleep well early in the night then about 12:30 I'm up and down for the rest of the night.

Wisdom: I have a friend who didn't do the labor prep class. I am such an information junkie that I couldn't skip it. If there is information out there I need to have it. However, if you're going to tour your birthing unit then you could probably get away without doing it. Much of the information we got was in all the regular books. So just think about how much you really feel like you need to know and go from there. A lot of people out there like to just go with the flow and that would probably work just fine because there isn't much you can change about how your labor goes anyway!

Hospital Bag Checklist

So they say you're supposed to be ready for the hospital starting at 30 weeks. This is an incredibly scary thought! We're 30 weeks this Wednesday so I've compiled the following list of things to get together! I have it written down in case we go early (and I don't get it all packed in time) so Ross knows what to scrounge around for when there is time.

Hospital Bag Checklist

For Me

·         Toiletries

o   Toothbrush & Toothpaste

o   Chapstick

o   Shampoo/Conditioner/Detangler

o   Deodorant

o   Face wash/face wipes/Moisturizer

o   Body Wash/Lotion

o   Razor

o   Makeup

o   Hair ties

o   Advil

o   Nursing pads/Nipple cream

·         Clothing

o   Robe

o   Grippy Socks

o   PJs (2 sets)

o   Outfit to go home in

o   Extra sweatshirt

o   Blanket/Pillow (leave in car until after delivery)

o   Nursing bras

·         Snacks

o   Powerade

o   Nuts

o   Honey sticks

o   Granola Bars

o   Chips

o   Hard Candy

o   Gum

For Ross

·         Ross Clothes

o   PJs

·         Ross Toiletries

o   Toothbrush & Toothpaste

·         Money for vending machine

For Baby

·         Clothes for going home

·         Extra receiving blankets to take home to let dogs smell

·         Car seat (leave in car until ready to go home)

     Nail Grooming Kit (word is that they won't give you anything to help with this)

Electronics

·         Flip video (make sure it is charged!)

·         Camera (both of them – make sure they’re charged and empty memory cards)

·         Phones and Chargers

·         iPad & charger (With labor playlist)

·         DVD player with cords to feed into the TV (bring movies)

    What advice do you mommies out there have for the list? Anything missing? Anything I for sure won't need?!

Oh Baby - Week 28

Happy Third Trimester to me! 

Total Weight Gain: About the same as last week I would imagine

Maternity clothes:
Check!

Stretch Marks:
Nope. But my SIL said hers didn't come until month 8 so I'm still vigilant!

Best moments:
Getting a few more baby items.

Movement:
Things are getting a little uncomfortable if I try to bend over too much. He is sure getting big!

Food Cravings:
Nope.

Food Aversions:
Also, none.

What I miss:
Wine during the holidays. Oh how I love my wine.

Nausea/Vomiting:
Nope!

Symptoms:
Gums are finally not really bleeding and I haven't had a nose bleed for about two weeks! Thank goodness!!!!!

Labor signs:
No, thanks for cooperating baby J.

Gender:
Baby Boy!

Belly Button:
Ugh. Sore subject. Not an outie yet but I couldn't consider it an innie either!

Wedding Rings:
Fitting fine most of the time, sometimes they're a little tight.

Sleep:
I got my friend's pregnancy body pillow this week. I haven't tried it yet but am hoping to soon! Ross will definitely be out of the room then! There will be NO room in the bed for him at all.

Wisdom: I don't have much wisdom this week except I am starting to mourn the end of the second trimester because I know that hard times are to come. This belly is already getting so big and uncomfortable it is hard to bend over or do anything that involves crouching or bending. But starting the third trimester is a wonderful feeling, knowing our baby boy will soon be making his big debut into our little family, whether our pups are ready for him or not!

Christmas Wish List

This year we are mostly asking for baby stuff for Christmas. That is what we really need...but if you had to twist my arm for what I wanted here is part of my list...

A new Restoration Hardware throw. This throw is amazeballs. Seriously the softest most wonderful blanket on the planet. At $39 it is a steal. I want it in Graphite.

I may have added this to our baby registry...We could use the 10% off on this bad boy!

We also really need some more storage for linens in both of our bathrooms, but especially upstairs. There is just nowhere for guest linens, and soon baby J linens, to go! So this seems like a good solution and is fairly affordable to boot.

A few of these wouldn't hurt...

Amazon GC

Target Gift Cards always appreciated!

Gap, isn't that a given...

And my love of make-up will never die.

Oh baby - Week 11

Yay! This has been a very fun week, I'm feeling great and we got to share the news!

Total Weight Gain:
Feeling a little thicker...not too bad yet, all my clothes fit just fine, just a little bit tighter.

Maternity clothes:
Just the normal clothes, and they're fitting almost the same.

Stretch Marks:
Nope.

Best moments:
Telling my mom and dad our news! I had already told my mom but it was fun telling my dad. His face looked very confused, it probably didn't help we did it in a bar while waiting for our buffalo wings. We packed up a little gift bag and had said that we had a gift thanking him for all their help with Sophie while we moved this summer. Really it contained a Grandpa's little buddy and a Grandma onesie, a picture frame with the first sonogram and a Berenstein Bear's Children's book, these were always my favorite growing up. I can't wait to share them with our baby.

Movement:
Nope, none.

Food Cravings:
This week I was craving ramen noodles and english muffin pizzas!

Food Aversions:
Meat, I don't really ever want meat, it is too filling and I start feeling sick when I eat too much in one sitting.

What I miss:
sleeping through the night and having a cold beer on a hot day.

Nausea/Vomiting:
Brushing my teeth is a struggle, my gag reflex is in overdrive. I don't brush them as well as I normally do that's for sure!

Symptoms:
Feeling a little more awake than usual. I am hoping the crabiness has disappeared. Now the work starts!

Labor signs:
Nope

Gender:
Only 9 weeks until we find out!

Belly Button:
Innie!

Wedding Rings:
On!

Sleep:
Well, I know how to sleep, but my body isn't staying asleep anymore.

Wisdom:
It is so fun getting to finally share the news with family and friends. It is scary not knowing how they'll react. The news put my dad into overdrive on our house, the next day our garage was fully insulated.

Sunshines & Creeps

• Sunshine to Friday. It couldn't come any faster this week! 

• Double Sunshine to finally feeling like I'm over my sinus infection. I can now stay out of bed past 9:30 and not feel like I'm slowly dying.

• Sunshine to starting the third trimester this week. Creep to being terrified that it means our little boy is coming very quickly and we're not ready for him. Plus I'm not ready to be done being pregnant yet. He is still doing just fine in there and he can stay there for awhile if it's up to me!

• Sunshine to finally finishing up all our apple dehydrating last night. It has been a very long process to get like 50# of apples dehydrated. Plus apples are my dogs' favorite snack and they go NUTS when I'm trying to do it. Ross was able to help the last couple times and it actually turned into one of my favorite little hobbies with him. We should've started that earlier!

• Sunshine to buying our stroller & car seat last weekend! One more thing checked off the list I guess. Creep to how much it cost. Someone, I forget who now, told me they heard of someone buying a package of diapers after each prenatal appointment to help offset the cost for when baby comes! How smart, I am going to get some in the next week to start my stockpile! I guess we will need them...or so I have been told.

• Sunshine to an impromptu visit from Kristen last weekend! Creep to my RIDICULOUSLY unkempt house that is definitely not toddler proof! What a wake-up call. K for your information the house is much cleaner now so come back and visit. I even vacuumed up all the dog hair. How embarrassing! It did get my lazy butt in gear though.

• Sunshine to my second favorite craft show of the year tomorrow! If you are in the Forx come check it out! I'm hoping to get some cute baby stuff. Because I don't have enough right?! Bonus, I get to go to water aerobics first and then am meeting my friend Jenny who is going to bring us Starbucks for the line!

• Creep to trying to plan finances for when baby comes. It is really dawning on me how much this baby is going to cost. So we will be putting him to work to make some extra cash right away. Maybe we'll charge people $5 per holding session and $1 per kiss :) I'm sure the grandparents will pay up, not sure if anyone else would though. It is a good thing I am a food hoarder so we won't have to buy groceries because we won't be able to afford any come February! 

• Sunshine to CHRISTMAS!!! I love the Christmas season and it could not come fast enough! We are going to pick out our tree tonight or tomorrow and I am SOOOO excited! We have the rest of our decorations up, just missing our showpiece!

Oh baby - Week 27

Total Weight Gain: Up a little under 10 pounds. Yuck. Did I just say that? 

Maternity clothes:
Yes, I am definitely wearing them. I did squeeze into a couple non-maternity things this week though.

Stretch Marks:
Nope. Sticking with a healthy dose of almond oil slathered all over my belly!

Best moments:
There were lots this week! I celebrated my first Thanksgiving with my husband's side of the family. It was fun and relaxing. I also managed to keep myself out of the stores on Black Friday/Gray Thursday so I'm proud of myself for that! I must say I missed it though. But on Thanksgiving we enjoyed some delicious food and drinks (I cracked open a sparkling pomegranate apple juice and it was good.)

We also had our Dr appointment this week for November. I had my blood work done at this appointment and everything came back good! Baby's heartbeat was good. We also found out we have another ultrasound to keep an eye on the blood spot in the uterus to make sure that it is still just staying the same. Which I am pretty excited about! Bonus baby time. I forgot to get a picture at our last U/S so this time I am not leaving without a baby picture!

Movement:
This boy woke up this week! I can now feel huge body parts moving around in there. He definitely getting bigger and stronger! It is so fun feeling big movements instead of just little flutters. I'm sure I won't be as impressed with them later on down the road but as for now I can't imagine getting sick of it. And I am already feeling a little blue that pregnancy doesn't last forever (just a little blue). 

Food Cravings:
Nada.

Food Aversions:
Also, nada.

What I miss:
Sleeping, at all.

Nausea/Vomiting:
Gone.

Symptoms:
This week I felt my heartbeat racing in my neck a couple times. It was pretty bizarre. I was just sitting in my chair not doing anything and it felt like I was working out!

Labor signs:
No, phew!

Gender:
Baby Boy!

Belly Button:
Almost non-existent. I have reached the point where it will now start poking outward as my belly grows. Ugh.

Wedding Rings:
Fitting fine. 

Sleep:
Seriously, pregnancy is definitely your body's way of prepping you for a newborn because I am up all night. The dogs and Ross suffer greatly because of this. Ross and I are in discussions of him possibly moving to the spare room. This saddens me greatly :(

Wisdom: Keep a list of questions for your Dr., because you will definitely forget them all when you get there. I forgot to talk to her about my horrible bloody noses, even though they're always on my mind and happening more and more frequently I still spaced them out completely. Also, don't rely on technology because it will fail you, as my list of questions/concerns somehow disappeared from my phone so that was no help.

Also, I love my Dr. I was convinced I had contracted the hantavirus last week from wandering around the old family farmhouse, and she just laughed at me and said that I'd already be dead if I did so I should be good. I wish she was my real life friend. She would hate me in about two minutes though.

Oh Baby - Week 26

Total Weight Gain: Up. that's all.

Maternity clothes:
Yup, all day all the time. (Well I guess not all the time. To bed I still wear plain old sweat pants)

Stretch Marks:
Nope.

Best moments:
This isn't a "best" moment but interesting. I had to go to the dentist. Ugh, my gums bled like CRAZY. 

My family celebrated Thanksgiving early. It was really fun. My sister-in-law and I traveled south to Aberdeen to go to a craft show and get a little shopping done. It was really nice to hang out with her and have a little time for Q&A about baby stuff!

Movement:
More and more! 

Food Cravings:
Nothing really. 

Food Aversions:
None.

What I miss:
Sleeping, at all.

Nausea/Vomiting:
Nope!

Symptoms:
Bloody noses. Ugh, the bloody noses.

Labor signs:
No, phew

Gender:
Our chill baby boy

Belly Button:
Innie.

Wedding Rings:
Fitting fine. 

Sleep:
None. 

Wisdom: Yay! Nursery is designed. Now I just have to get it all put together, ordered, painted and set-up. I really feel like the hard part is over though.