20 Weeks

How far along? 20 weeks (as of 1/28/2014)

Maternity clothes? (Repeat) No maternity clothes yet, but definitely rocking the hair band tie for the jeans.  Added in the belly bands most recently and oh bless the Heavens that created these things.  For one, it smooths the belly so it actually looks like a pregnant belly sticking out and not some weird, lumpy, way too many beers kind of extra weight going on.   Loving'em.  Highly recommend.

Stretch marks? Not yet. Fingers crossed

Sleep: [Same] Off and on.  I never had a regular sleep before pregnancy so I’m not surprised by this.

Movement: I don't know and that's the best that I can answer that.  There are times where I think that perhaps that odd feeling was baby and other times I'm just not sure.  Many others have commented that if you have feelings that are similar to having gas or a bowel movement it may be baby... That's a lovely thought isn't it?

Food cravings: [Same] No changes from last week. I'm eating normal. Which is a blessing.

What I Miss? Feeling normal.  I'm either nauseous, have heartburn, constipated, large etc.  There's never really a moment when I just feel okay.  I miss that.  And I'm only half way through.

Symptoms? Heartburn like a mofo.  Specifically in the afternoons lasting into the evenings.  Ginger ale has been my friend for this because milk makes me sick.  Back pain.  More so in the hip region and on my left should blades.  It's this sharp pain that sometimes makes me hold in my breath.  I think its from sitting at my computer for long amounts of time.  Going to the chiropractor tonight so hopefully that soothes it out.

Gender: [Same] January 30th is our u/s. January 31st we will do the balloons in a box to announce the reveal to our parents and sisters.  After that we'll use the pictures to announce to our friends and of course here! As Mrs Clawson's mentioned... I really hope baby cooperates!

Best moment this week: Will be getting to find out the gender.  Also yesterday at my dentist appointment, my dentist was kind of enough to tell me that I look great pregnant.  He says "your all boobs and belly"  Now, the man could be my father and he is the sweetest, so when he said boobs I lost it.  I was in tears laughing so hard.  I couldn't get myself under control because then he kept going with it! Talking about breastfeeding and how some women could take someone's eye out with the range of those things etc.  Oh my gosh.  Hilarious. He had all us ladies just in tears from laughing.

Looking forward to: The weekend.  This week has been crazy busy.  Dentist appointments, my mom had a doctor appointment that I accompanied her to, chiropractor, OB appointments, and then the gender reveal.  Something every single day.  I'm an introvert by nature and this busy of a schedule throws me for a loop.  I don't handle it well at all.  Hence, today I'm feeling the grump big time.  

20 Weeks

Tis' a little dark. But I'm sure you get the gist. :)

TMI

I'm fairly certain I slightly peed myself this morning getting situated in my car before my long morning commute.

Awesomeness right there.

- Sam

Ramblings

- Today I feel so large.  Everything feels tight and constricted and it's giving me anxiety.  I'm not comfortable sitting.  I can't stand for my job.  And let's face it, almost 20 weeks pregnant I don't want to stand for my job longer than a few minutes anyways.  The beginning of the week I was feeling so zen about my size.  I was okay with it, marveling in it.  But today? If I'm being completely honest, I'm terrified to get any bigger.  Does anyone else suffer that fear?  Is it just some selfish indication of myself? I don't know.  But I do know I'm uncomfortable and not liking it.  I'm sincerely hoping that its because I wore my black Tummy Sleeve today instead of the white one.  I rarely wear it and I notice it's a tad tighter than the white one feels.  So perhaps I just need to break it in and this constricting feeling would go away.

- I forgot to mention yesterday in my Symptoms for 19 weeks sinus headaches and heart burn.  The sinus headaches are a bit out of control.  To the point that they progress into migraines.  The temperatures are currently ranging from negatives to single digits and that's not helping the headache situation.  I've contemplated a humidifier but I'd need two or just one that travels.  Either way the expense isn't something I can sacrifice right now.  The heart burn usually comes on around the afternoon and lasts well into the evening.  Usually I sip on ginger ale, attempting to calm it down even the slightest.  Milk works as well but then I suffer nausea.  I'm just not sure which is worse.

- Currently or maybe just lately I've been a bitch.  I don't know what it is, but my snarky, sarcastic nature is on overdrive.  Like watch out, you might get your head bit off.  It's not an attractive trait and I'm working on correcting this.  Maybe.  Maybe not.  The grouchier I am, the less people want to talk to me.  This could be a win win ?

19 Weeks

How far along? 19 weeks (as of 1/21/2014)

Maternity clothes? (Repeat) No maternity clothes yet, but definitely rocking the hair band tie for the jeans.  Added in the belly bands most recently and oh bless the Heavens that created these things.  For one, it smooths the belly so it actually looks like a pregnant belly sticking out and not some weird, lumpy, way too many beers kind of extra weight going on.   Loving'em.  Highly recommend.

Stretch marks? Not yet. Fingers crossed

Sleep: [Same] Off and on.  I never had a regular sleep before pregnancy so I’m not surprised by this.

Movement: [Same and getting discouraged a little bit] Still nothing.  I'm pretty convinced that I won't feel these "flutters" that everyone else speaks of.  I was never one that could tell I was ovulating from pain in my ovaries so I'm going to assume I won't be one to feel popcorn or butterflies. (Side note, this creeps me and amazes me at the same time. I mean girls can honestly tell when they're ovaries are releasing eggs?  From feeling it?!)

Food cravings: [Same] No changes from last week. I'm eating normal. Which is a blessing.

Gender: January 30th is our u/s. January 31st we will do the balloons in a box to announce the reveal to our parents and sisters.  After that we'll use the pictures to announce to our friends and of course here! As Mrs Clawson's mentioned... I really hope baby cooperates!

Best moment this week: Popping out.  There's no denying I'm rocking a baby bump now.  Also my best friend gave birth to her baby girl yesterday morning! She's beautiful and has the most adorable little chipmunk cheeks EVER.

Looking forward to: [Same] Finding out the gender and feeling movement in the next couple of weeks, hopefully.

[caption id="attachment_248" align="aligncenter" width="226"] 19 Weeks[/caption]

- Sam

Old Wives Tales, Gender

I thought this would be fun since our gender reveal is next week.  And I believe Mrs Clawson's gender reveal is this week? So this will be fun for a few of us! 

Highs & Lows

 If you're carrying high, they say you're having a girl. If you're carrying low, it's a boy. 

The result: boy

I certainly feel like I'm carrying low.  But then again, I'm not entirely certain? This is my rough estimate lol 

 

Heart Rate

 According to legend, 140+ beats/minute indicates a girl, below 140 beats/minute indicates a boy.

The result: girl

(At my last checkup the heart rate was 155 beats/minute.)

 

Sweet or Sour 

If you're craving sweets, break out the pink. If you're cravings are more salty/sour, break out the blue.

The result: boy OR girl

With my nausea in the beginning I was all about the sour because it helped.  Now as I'm on Zofran full time, I love either sweet or sour.  

 

Chinese Birth Chart

(you can find a chart here)

An ancient method that uses the age of the mother & month she conceived to determine the gender.

The result: girl

 

Mayan Rule of Evens & Odds

Apparently the Mayans determined a baby's gender by looking at the mother's age at conception & the year of conception. If both are even or odd, it's a girl. If one's even & one is odd, it's a boy.

The result: boy

(I was 26 years old at conception and the year is 2013-- an even and an odd number)

 

Acne Indicator

The belief that girls steal their mother's beauty leads to this theory.

Lots of annoying acne? Thank your little lady. Little to no acne? Way to go little boy!

The result: girl

Oh man, the first trimester I felt like I was 16 all over again.  It was awful.  Rash like and I still have scars.  :( 

 

Put A Ring On It

Suspend your wedding ring on a string (or some say a piece of your own hair) over your belly.

If it swings back & forth, you've got a little girl. If it swings in a circle, you're growing a boy.

The result: 
lol I'm at work and this will have to wait til later.  

 

Morning Sickness

The belief that if you suffer from a lot of morning sickness, you're having a girl.

If you don't have much, you're having a boy.

The result: girl

I'm taking Zofran, a prescription medicine for nausea twice a day and have since my first OB appointment when I begged, pleaded, cried for relief.  

 

Let's tally those up:
It's a boy: 2
It's a girl: 5

 

 

I'm interested to see how everyone else fairs with this.  Pretty soon, I'll be able to know for certain

TMI

It's Friday and I'm thanking my lucky stars because I'm over this week.  OVER it.  

Also I feel that the effort I have to put into a simple trip to the bathroom for #2 is preparing me for child birth.  Just sayin'

Happy Friday y'all! 

18 Weeks

How far along? 18 weeks (as of 1/14/2014)
Maternity clothes? (Repeat) No maternity clothes yet, but definitely rocking the hair band tie for the jeans.  I did order two belly bands from Motherhood Maternity which should arrive next week. [Insert belly bands arrived.  The jury is still out on these things]

Stretch marks? Not yet. Fingers crossed

Sleep: Off and on.  I never had a regular sleep before pregnancy so I’m not surprised by this.

Movement: Still nothing.  I'm pretty convinced that I won't feel these "flutters" that everyone else speaks of.  I was never one that could tell I was ovulating from pain in my ovaries so I'm going to assume I won't be one to feel popcorn or butterflies. (Side note, this creeps me and amazes me at the same time. I mean girls can honestly tell when they're ovaries are releasing eggs?  From feeling it?!)

Food cravings: No changes from last week. I'm eating normal. Which is a blessing.

Gender: January 30th is our u/s.  I don't want to find out in the room laying on a table with strangers.  At first I thought I wanted husband and I to find out with the rest of the family the following night but now I'm wondering if maybe it'd be a nice little moment for us to find out together before everyone else.  Then I think about my husband's eagerness with secrets and I realize that this is not a good idea.  Either way I go, January 31st we'll know for sure!

Best moment this week: I don't have a good one for this.  I'm tired, cranky and just not in the mood.  For anything.  At all.  Ever.

Looking forward to: (Still) Finding out the gender and feeling movement in the next couple of weeks, hopefully.

3rd OB appointment

Started out a little questionable because I got accidentally scheduled with a doctor and not my normal midwife. The doctor was wonderful and very sweet though so that made a difference.
We spoke about prenatal vitamins being the spawn of the devil. She suggested I try two Flintstones vitamins a day. Lol I am all for that.
Heartbeat was 155! She didn't immediately find it and it terrified me. In fact it took a good 30 seconds to find the heartbeat. I wasn't too concerned at first, assuming that Pickles was squirming something fierce. But then she made the comment that I'm 17 weeks... And left me hanging with that. Eventually the heartbeat was found, lost again and found. Baby was a dancing.
We have our ultrasound on January 30th! Probably will do the gender reveal with our families the next night on Friday and then we will make the gender public. 3 more weeks!

Healing

You hear the tried and true statement that, "time heals all wounds."  I say that its tried and true because I think that over time, our minds have a way of subsiding the pain.  Whether it's grief from loss, pain from an injury or whatever else tortures your soul.  Over time, the pain doesn't necessarily go away.  What changes is how you feel it.

This year on June 26th marks 10 years since the death of my best friend.  She was 17 years old.  Even now that number seems so profound to me.  So sad and tragically short.  Years have gone by and I still think of her face or her laughter.  Her voice is a little fuzzy and that makes me sad, but I'm so thankful I have the few memories I do.

This morning on my drive to work, it occurred to me that my child, this small, tiny being I'm growing, will be born in the month of June. Technically my due date is June 17th, but both of my sister's sons were a week to two weeks late.  I am as adamant as she was about not being induced unless medically necessary.  So there is a distinct possibility that the baby could arrive around or very close to the anniversary of Brandy's death.   I have conflicting emotions about that.

Its taken several years for me to find a good place on that date every year.  Several years where I didn't want to bury down in a hole until June 27th rolled around. And maybe, just maybe if this baby does arrive on that date or around that date.  Maybe its the final piece of healing that I need.  Maybe its the final piece of healing our mutual friends need.  I know that one in particular has never fully accepted her death and deals with that conflict a lot these days.  I hope that we can find peace.

17 Weeks

How far along? 17 weeks (as of 1/7/2014)
Maternity clothes? No maternity clothes yet, but definitely rocking the hair band tie for the jeans.  I did order two belly bands from Motherhood Maternity which should arrive next week.

Stretch marks? Not yet. Fingers crossed

Sleep: Off and on.  I never had a regular sleep before pregnancy so I'm not surprised by this.

Movement: Nope and I've googled the shit out of the earliest or what it feels like etc.

Food cravings: Not really.  My eating has vastly improved though.  I noticed a lot during the first trimester that eating was a chore and by the time dinner arrived, I couldn't fathom another bite.  Now I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.  I eat smaller portions spaced throughout the day so I don't pack on the pounds too quickly and keep myself and Pickles satisfied.  MEAT! I ate meat.  I had chicken parm for lunch one day.  I had steak the other night.  In fact, it was during the Polar Vortex (aka it was the coldest across the whole damn country it's EVER been) and Steve's best bud, Jake drove me and Steve to that little dive hole place and they were open! Satisfaction at it's finest!

Gender: Don't know yet.  Soon though!

Baby is: the size of a turnip, about 5 ounces.

Best moment this week: Driving through a snow storm with negative degree wind chill temperatures, and getting the most amazing steak, ever.

Looking forward to: (Still) Finding out the gender and feeling movement in the next couple of weeks! Today is our 3rd OB appointment.  Steve is able to go with me since he's off work, so that'll be a new experience.  Usually my mom goes.

Random shit I'm thinking about

- Sitting at my desk, sitting in a car.  Sitting anywhere is becoming a challenge.  Pickle is popping out, but s/he is low and that affects the way my jeans sit at my waist. Good grief, I am only 4 months along, it is not time for maternity jeans.
- Meat is not evil.  Meat is not evil.  Meat is not evil.  In fact, I really want a damn steak from my favorite little dive hole restaurant. Randomly I get a craving for this awesome steak on Mondays.  Even in non-pregnant times.  Do you want to know why Mondays are not the day to get a craving for an awesome steak from an adorable little hole in the wall?  Because they're closed.  Anger ensues.
- I have my next OB appointment on Friday and THEN I get to schedule our 20 week u/s.
- We are at the point in home remodel, that our master bedroom has walls, insulation, a CLOSET (oh sweet, baby that closet), and a chosen paint color.  The next step is to finish the drywall, paint and then install the hardwood floors that my husband is making himself.  Cue fear.  No, he has not made hardwood floors by himself before.  Yes, he's fairly crafty and has done every remodel project in our house himself, excluding plumbing and electricity.  However, fun/odd tidbit.  Every male member of my mothers side of the family downward to current, who are into wood working/crafting has lost some piece of a finger.  My sister's husband being the most recent victim just this weekend. It's fate.  And it will happen.  And I do NOT want to be home when it does.  I just hope that he's not stubborn and intelligent enough to get to an ER.
- Also to be mentioned the baby's room is a disaster.  As in everything that was in the once spare room, now becoming master bedroom is now in the baby's eventually room.  (Wow, that sentence was awesome, was it not?) And it's starting to give me anxiety.  I know that in the next few weeks the husband will power through and we'll be much closer to finished.  But right now? I can't walk past the door without my heart quickening.

I think thats all the word vomit I have for now.  Thankfully no actual vomit.

16 weeks

I'm going to title this as 16 weeks even though I'm 16 weeks and 2 days as of today.  The picture is legit from 16 weeks on the day.  I try to take my pictures in the morning to have a more accurate "bump" example.  And usually I remember only because this app I downloaded CineMama reminds me.  You take a daily photo and at the end of your pregnancy it creates a video of your bump along the way.  The bump is there, not too obvious but there. Towards the end of the day, he or she is poppin'

So for my New Year's Resolution, I'd like to put more effort into blogging.  And to get that sucker going I'm going to insert the used and abused bump update form.

How far along? 16 weeks (as of 12/31/2013)
Maternity clothes? Nope.  Although I can see my days are numbered in my regular jeans without a hair tie or other assistance.

Stretch marks? Not on the belly.  I feel as though my boobs will suffer the most from this! lol

Sleep: Off and on.  I try not to use my Unisom as much and on those nights that I don't, I sleep a solid 4 hours or so, and then am up down the rest of the night.  Yet, I don't feel exhausted?

Movement: Nothing yet.  I can't wait for this.  Which is so odd for me.  When my sister was pregnant with both of her sons, it completely freaked me out what was going on with her body.  Now that it's my turn, I have begun to understand the miracle and excitement that surrounds feeling your little one move. I can't wait!

Food cravings: Nothing that is immediately, have to have right this damn second kind of urgency.  I have started to slowly introduce meat back into my life.  I'm not saying that the thought doesn't still turn my stomach, but I can't handle being an amateur vegetarian much longer.  So far, so good.  I eat a lot of pickles.  I don't necessarily crave them, but I enjoy them and its a good snack food for me. I'm back to drinking water during the day.  Trying to get my 8 glasses in is difficult some days, but I give a go.  I use those flavor enhancers every time though.  Plain water gives me heartburn.  Yes.  Seriously.  Whodathunkit?

Gender: Not sure.  We should know towards the end of January, beginning of February, depending on when we can get our ultrasound scheduled! I was so torn on this and thought I didn't want to know.  The husband was pretty adamant to find out so now I'm getting more excited.  I think knowing the gender will give me a little more push that I need to realize there really is a baby coming in 2014!

Baby is: About the size of an avocado.

Best moment this week: Last night my brother in law gifted me with wooden letters, spelling out Pickles (the baby's nickname) he made himself.  It was such a special moment for me.  My PopPop, the greatest man that ever lived was really into wood crafting and this is something he would've done for me, would he still be living.  It made my heart swell to know that my brother in law and my husband are such crafty individuals like my Pop and I look forward to the crafts they make in the coming years.

Looking forward to:  Finding out the gender and feeling movement in the next couple of weeks!