32 weeks

One day late on the post and the picture, probably because I'm on vacation!

I am pleased to say I seem to not have it as bad as most people at 32 weeks. Everyone was talking about swollen feet, constipation, varicose veins, stretch marks, and so on. I don't have one sign of any of those things (knock on wood!). I am also still running, not just walking, but running at least a mile, sometimes 2, sometimes 2.5. I DO get more short of breath than before, but not enough to stop me from going to the gym.

One thing that is taking a toll on Adam is my changing of positions throughout the night. He says every hour or so I change which side I'm laying on and he wakes up every time. I feel bad, but not much I can do about it besides trying to do it in slow motion (which I have tried, lol).

Baby size: ~4 pounds/~17 inches long (also the size of a pineapple)

Symptoms: More short of breath

Peak of the week: Christmas, getting our crib (it was a Christmas gift from mom & dad!), and my second baby shower is tomorrow so that will be fun too

Looking forward to: Opening up the packages back home that came while I've been gone and just seeing Adam. I've said this before and I'll say it again; it's amazing how much you miss someone when half their DNA is rolling around inside of you. I could barely handle being away from him the first night.

32 Week Belly Pic: 

(Took these back home at the parents' this time)

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Happy Holidays!

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31 Weeks

Welcome back first trimester moodiness, we meet again. Except this time around it's twice, no TEN times worse. The stupidest things irk me lately. If someone opens a door wrong I get crabby. If the sink water takes too long to get hot, I start to cry. It's getting out of hand. Otherwise, everything is still going great. We went to the doctor on Tuesday and she said I'm right on track of where I'm supposed to be as far as measurements. Baby girl is definitely moving around a lot still, I can see from the outside of my belly, it's so fun! She's doing somersaults.

My sister threw me a baby shower on Saturday, and it went really well. She did a good job with planning and cannot thank her enough. It was the Duluth shower, and I will be having another shower back home in Crookston on the 29th thrown by my mom's friends. Some gift highlights:

Carseat, bathtub, snugamonkey swing (haven't taken out of the box yet), and as a belated birthday gift, my parents got me a really nice camera. Excited to take pictures of baby girl with this!

Some other gifts included: diaper bag, activity bouncer, bottles, breastfeeding supplies/accessories, a diaper genie, toys, burp-cloths, hangers, diapers, and lots and lots of cute clothes! I'm so thankful for everyone's generosity, I really did get "showered" with gifts! 

Some more shower photo highlights: 

Oh, and I almost forgot; the diaper cake!

31 Week Belly:

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30 Weeks

In the 30's! How crazy, only 10 weeks left. People keep asking me if I'm getting nervous and I still have not yet gotten nervous whatsoever. I'm more so excited and impatient than anything! I'm also getting extremely anxious for Christmas festivities! I can't wait to go home and play all my Lorie Line Christmas music on the piano! Listening to Christmas music gives me major piano withdrawals!

I met with both my health coach and my nutritionist last Thursday (there's one here at work) and talked about nutrition goals and meal planning. She's going to help me with recipes and freezer meals, so that should be really helpful. I have also been running 2 miles about 3 times a week the past couple weeks. My health coach was very proud of me.

The babe has been kicking a lot more lately and I notice now it'll be in two places at once. Adam started talking to her through my belly, which is cute :). It's also starting to be a fun game to try and guess which body part I'm feeling stick out, which seems to be the head in my lower belly region most frequently.

30 week loves:

The top left is my new personal humidifier, which I am obsessed with. I registered for it on the baby registry because my original plans were to have it for traveling with baby. But since I already got it, it's posted in my office at work doing wonders. I will probably buy another. Highly recommend it.

The top right is my little creation! Got the frame at target and put my graphic design skills to work. Many thanks to Adobe InDesign for that one.

My sweating for two shirt. Found this on zulily. So excited about this one. People at the gym will have no excuse to second guess I'm pregnant ;)



And lastly the fourth picture; my thirty week bare belly still with zero stretchmarks. That's something to love.

And finally...

30 Week Belly Pic:

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My Christmas List

Philips wireless monitor for baby, an iHome, and a two-way auto start for my car. I know this is a first world problem, but my auto-start right now bugs me because I don't know if my car started or not until I can actually see it. 

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Wants for nursery

Things I still want to get for nursery
Nightstand, piggy bank, and polar bear critter

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Pregnancy must haves

Vaseline, body oil, spanx, and tums ;)

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29 Weeks

We are currently in the midst of childbirth classes! Only one left tonight. The first night we we listened to the nurses talk about all aspects of childbirth (the stages, what our partners should be doing, and other timelines of events), then got a tour of the childbirth floor. That night it kind of hit Adam that he's going to also have a big role in the labor and delivery; being the coach. He felt a little overwhelmed about that; the fact that he has to be the backbone of this process and know what to do in the heat of the moment. I don't envision being one of those women who turn into a possessed devil when I'm going through labor/delivery, though, I will probably internalize my stress. I might be totally way off though, we will have to see! Last night we talked about the actual birthing process (how the babe comes out, etc.) and medical interventions. I honestly didn't know there were so many different pain relief options.

My pregnancy app notified me this morning that the baby weighs about 2 and a half pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long. This trimester about 250 mg of calcium are deposited in baby's hardening skeleton each day. Just a little fun fact.

My to do list left for baby's arrival (some shall be done sooner than others):
Finish nursery
   Rug
   Wall decor
   Mirror
   Shelf/shelves
   Stock changing table
   Order crib bedding/changing table cover
Pack hospital bag
Discuss birth plan with doctor. (Example of a birth plan found here.)
Purchase all items left off of registry

Still no cravings, but my favorite foods right now are pears, apples, grilled cheese with tomato soup, and of course, sweets. Also no swelling anywhere, and I suspect weight gain is up a pound from last week, which should put me at +21-22 pounds.

My birthday is this Saturday and Adam and I are going to this fancy Italian restaurant I've been wanting to go to. December is going to be full of holiday parties, pot lucks, and baby showers. Bring it on!

29 Week Belly:

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Perks of the 2nd trimester

So these past few months have been really good. I kept thinking to myself, "why is this pregnancy going so well?!" I was, for the most part, comfortable and had zero stress about anything. I'm so thankful to be this content (good for baby too!). Here is a list of things I really enjoyed about the second trimester:

- Kicking!
- Luscious, healthy hair
- My nails are stronger and healthier than they've ever been
- Smooth, glowing skin that didn't even make me miss being tan
- Eating without judgement. Not only is it socially acceptable to eat every 2 hours, but it's enforced! I will miss that for sure!
- Women are overly nice to me. I can't remember being called adorable pre-pregnancy very much, but now I hear it all the time.
- Thanksgiving fell during second trimester. Combining thanksgiving and pregnancy is the ultimate combination. But, I actually had eyes bigger than my stomach and ended up throwing away 1/3 of my plate.
- Lastly; finally being able to "look" pregnant. I didn't start actually looking pregnant until 23 weeks (5 1/2 months) or so and it's actually a relief.

I hear that third trimester is where it starts to get uncomfortable, so let's hope it goes well!

Very tired eyes today

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28 Weeks

Third trimester has now begun! I've noticed my energy is starting to deplete, so it's all really happening. Baby only has a couple months left! She is kicking more and more and stronger and stronger each week. This week Adam and I could see movement from the outside. My family came up for thanksgiving and everytime someone tried to feel the baby kick it's like she would completely stop. I swear she only kicks for Adam or I. But the weekend was fun! We had such a yummy menu and there's plenty of leftovers. We went to the Bulldogs' hockey game and I noticed the strongest movement during the game, it must have been the loud music or commotion. Maybe we have a future little hockey player on our hands? :)

As far as cravings go; I still don't exactly have any, but I do have a little more of a sweet tooth. I could probably live on sweets, actually. It's almost like my appetite for regular food has been replaced with an appetite for sweets. I've also had no signs of stretch marks (I should say new stretch marks-I already have some from my freshman 15 back in the day!). I've been lathering 3 different products on everyday: vaseline in the morning, oil at night, and a little Mederma creme twice daily. It seems to be doing the trick so far.

I did the glucose tolerance test on Tuesday and okay, it wasn't so bad! I thought it'd be terrible because a) I hate sugary drinks and b) I am a slow drinker, and you have to chug the thing in under 5 minutes. I do have to say I did not chug it in under 5 minutes or even finish it completely, whoops. It was just too much to drink at once. Now I have to go back on Friday for a 3 hour appointment filled with more tests since my results from the first time were too close to call :(. I thought I'd pass with flying colors since I'm healthy, so hopefully everything goes well on Friday. Maybe it has to do with me not following directions the first time :/.
Now I'll sure just a couple pictures of progress

Accent lamp for the nursery:

28 Week belly:

Edit: Just created an "18 weeks vs. 28 weeks" picture:

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27 Weeks

Okay, the acid reflux is getting annoying! It's not painful, but it's a discomfort that I've been having everyday now. I'm definitely getting used to having tum flavored breath. Otherwise, everything is still going great. Adam's parents came up last weekend and got us a changing table with changing pad. It's a nice feeling everytime the nursery gets an addition; it's starting to feel more and more complete.

Also, I had my monthly doc appt yesterday and I've gained 20 pounds already! Whoops. I can't be mad since I'm doing everything I can to be healthy (except for the times I go to a restaurant just for dessert ;)). The doc said size-wise and weight-wise I'm right on track, though.  Next week I have my blood glucose test, hopefully I can force down that sugary drink, yuck.

Tomorrow's thanksgiving, and Adam and I will be having it at our house! Hope everyone has a good one!

27 week belly pic:

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Came across this toy that this woman is trying to implement. I SO want to buy this for our daughter.

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26 Weeks

Okay I miss sleeping on my back!!

But it was another good week. I went out to a bar on Friday night with Adam to meet up with his old roommate and some friends. I was drinking water when someone asked me what I was drinking and wondered why I didn't have any alcohol in it. I just love telling people I'm pregnant, actually. Not only am I excited to be pregnant but I love seeing the looks on people's faces when I tell that that I'm actually six months along. I was so nervous to be in a bar, though. It was pretty low key, but I was still paranoid that someone was going to bump in to me or accidentally spill alcohol in my water or something.

Adam finally felt the babe kick. She kicks a lot, some nights more than others. It's still so surreal to me. I think I might even miss being pregnant. But the downside is I've started to experience what everyone else has seemed to experience; heartburn. I don't really have it during the day when I'm sitting upright or standing, but I can pretty much guarantee if I eat anything remotely acidic within an hour or two of going to bed I'm going to need to take a couple tums. I've actually had heartburn multiple times before I was pregnant, and what I've been having now that I'm pregnant is more of acid reflux. It's less painful than heartburn, and just more of a discomfort. It's gotten progressively worse the last couple days. I found myself taking about 4 or 5 tums yesterday, ugh.

Still sleeping great, though. Belly button is still an innie, and still no significant food cravings. It's hard to tell, though, since I've always had a sweet tooth. I definitely have shifted gears a little bit; I've noticed I am a little more turned away by any type of meat and a little more focused on carbs, especially sweet sugary carbs. It makes me miss being able to really workout at the gym. I still go about twice a week, but I just get too short of breath/cramped if I'm on the treadmill or elliptical longer than a half hour. Adam still prompts me to do my pregnancy exercises, which is good. Yesterday I kept getting pains on my right side to I took it really easy.

I just started to think last night how, luckily for Adam, I haven't really been moody lately. Turns out I'm not the pregnantzilla I thought I might be. Thankfully I don't have any stress in my life so I don't really have anything to get irrationally moody about.

This is the week that I've started to feel really huge. It's harder to put on shoes and socks and all my regular clothes have no chance of fitting right now. I even had to borrow one of Adam's shirts to wear to the gym. I don't want to buy much more maternity clothes, though. I still feel like I have a lot. I just have to keep reminding myself that I'll work hard this spring to get back into shape.

We are having Thanksgiving at our place this year! I just did some menu planning with my mom, it should be a really fun new experience. We also talked about going black friday shopping (I've never been!) but Adam is worried people are gonna bump into my belly and hurt me since they get so crazy. But nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the go-ahead to start doing christmas-y stuff! Can't wait!

26 week belly:

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25 Weeks

So, I have a story. Adam and I went out to Olive Garden on Saturday night. After seeing someone in the bar area with a bloody mary, I decided I wanted to order a virgin one since I missed them so much. I cared mostly about having all the extra fixings that come with one (pickle, meat, cheese, etc.). So after denying the wine sample and telling the waiter I can't have alcohol, I ordered a VIRGIN bloody mary, it made me chuckle. So moments later she brings our drinks over (Adam just ordered soda) and I start playing with all the bloody mary fixings and eating the pickle, etc. I take a sip and was hesitant to do so because it just makes me nervous to drink something that normally has alcohol. I made sure to pay attention to the taste and after taste to make sure there was no alcohol, just to be safe. I didn't taste any. So I take a second sip, still tasted like tomato juice. I was about to take a third drink and the waiter quickly comes over and says "oh my god I don't think this is a virgin". What?! You mean you don't think it is or it actually isn't? Then she recovered her statement by saying no, it's for sure not a virgin, she accidentally got me an alcoholic drink. What! "Are you allergic? Are you going to be sick?" I said no, I'm pregnant..... She frantically apologized and said she'll get her manager. Ok, I just got served alcohol. Now I started to panic. Even though it was two sips I still got emotional. I didn't want to make a scene but I started to feel tears come down my face. Adam reassured me everything will be fine; that I only had two sips and that the drink was weak, etc. I knew it was fine but it was an occurrence that was out of my control, and that makes me emotional. The waiter's manager comes over and apologizes, says they feel terrible and double checked how much I drank out of it. He brings by water and bread to make sure I get something in my system to soak it up, and let's us know they're taking care of our meal. That's great, but I'm still upset. He tells me they're bringing by a new bloody mary without alcohol, and I tell him I'll just take a water this time, not so much in the mood for one anymore. So we got a new waiter after that, our old waiter was M.I.A. the rest of the night. I'm sure she had a meltdown. She admitted it was her screw up so she probably didn't want to show her face after that. Adam says I handled it well and was civil about it and he was proud. So we got appetizers, meals, and desserts out of it and then the restaurant manager (or owner?) comes by and also apologizes and gives us a $75 giftcard for their condolences. So at least this error didn't go unnoticed.

Now that this has passed, I'm no longer freaking out. I realize that some people even drink wine to induce labor, and that the small amount I had most likely was absorbed before it could have affect on my body or the baby. It's still disconcerting, though, that a mistake like that can happen to people. Luckily the waiter caught it when she did.

So on a lighter note, Adam has been doing pregnancy-friendly exercises with me. He says it will help me with labor and the pushing will be a lot easier. The exercises he gave me are mostly lower body, which is something I never really worked on before since I've been a runner and never felt the need to. I still do light cardio (elliptical or speed walking) a couple times a week, as well as free weights for my arms. It feels good to still be able to go to the gym. Having a personal trainer boyfriend is a nice perk I must say, and my booty is better now than it has ever been!

I bought a few pregnancy tops and wore my first one this week. It was also the first time someone (my old professor) pointed out that I was pregnant before I got around to telling them. So the pregnancy tops definitely accentuate the belly bump, but in a good way.

So far still no negative side effects; have a good amount of energy (I don't even need coffee!!), and still lots of baby movement. I think I felt hiccups, too (the doctor told me I would start to around this time). I'm getting really excited for Christmas (and thanksgiving), does pregnancy make you 10 times more excited for holidays or is it just me?!

I found out last week that with my maternity leave and disability leave combined I can take up to 27 weeks off! Well, I have to get approved that I actually need that much time off. I would have to use up my sick leave and vacation leave first. I plan on taking about 2-3 months total though.

Also, on Tuesday baby girl voted in her first presidential election :).

Things coming up: Adam and I are going to go to childbirth classes the first week of December. Definitely looking forward to learning about labor and delivery.

25 week belly pic:

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Partying vs. Pregnancy

Thought this was funny :)

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24 weeks

I can't believe at 16 and a half weeks I actually thought I had a belly! How quickly it grows! It amazes me. This week there has been lots and lots more kicking, I always have to stop what I'm doing and feel!

I've started to work on the nursery. I bought a rose colored sheep skin rug and some drapes. We have been working on finding a daycare here and there, but no such luck. If anyone knows of a good one with an infant opening let me know! I suspect we won't need it full time since Adam and I work different hours, somedays we literally have opposite schedules.

I'm all registered for baby at Target. That was actually really fun! I've been looking at a lot of nursery inspiration photos. My favorites look like:

I love floral patterns and want to do a pale rose colored pink theme with some green accents.

I love this elegant look. I am steering clear of geometric shapes and stripes, etc. I think it looks corny.

 

Perfect combination of pink and floral that I like :)

24 week belly :)

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23 Weeks

I am 23 weeks today and feeling great. So far I've gained about 14 pounds, and the difference from last week's belly and this week's is huge! Over the last couple days it really expanded in size. I am now officially showing in practically anything I'm wearing. I'm guessing strangers who don't know I'm pregnant might still suspect I have a beer belly/pot belly. There's also been lots of movement going on and I'm loving it! Adam still can't feel from the outside, though.

Last weekend the whole family, including the dog, was in town and stayed at our condo. It's always fun to have everyone over.

This weekend Adam and I are going to the cities for a "babymoon" getaway. We're going to hit up mall of america and possibly do some baby shopping, and we're staying in a hotel downtown so we'll end up going to a couple restaurants/clubs/bars down there. I told him we have to make it to the cheesecake factory!

So far sleep and energy are both going really great. I make it to the gym about once a week and try to take breaks from my desk and take a little walk around. Still no food cravings, but a number of things are really unappetizing to me. I'm definitely not one of those women who pig out during their pregnancy.

I'm liking the second trimester! Hope everything continues to go smoothly. And now the 23 week belly picture (definitely a difference between last week and this week!):

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22 Weeks

Today I am 22 weeks! Feeling LOTS of baby movement lately, it is exciting. Adam can't feel kicking from the outside though, so I presume that's soon to come.

So far I still don't really have any of the negative pregnancy side effects, and I feel lucky. Not even any cravings!

I love when my coworkers want to talk about all the pregnancy stuff at work, it's so fun and exciting. So far I have finished registering for the baby, scrapbook is in progress, and nursery will be started soon. I just want to buy everything all right now, but Adam keeps telling me I have to wait, because I might be getting a lot of the stuff I need at the baby shower. I have no patience though! If it was up to me the nursery would be almost done by now. I've definitely been looking at different ideas online, though. I have the crib picked out, and I think I have the bedding set picked out.

I feel like since everything in the pregnancy is going so smoothly that it sounds boring! I sleep well, I don't ache anywhere, my clothes mostly still fit, no swelling, heartburn, etc.


22 Weeks from front and then side:

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21 Weeks

I have been feeling movement the past week! It's very exciting! Also another big step is I finally told my coworkers and my old coworkers in the OTR! They were all ecstatic! It's really fun to tell people and get such positive reactions. They were very surprised because they all said they still never would've been able to tell. Trust me, I've put on the weight to prove it! About 12-13 pounds now! I've been eye shopping for the baby's nursey but haven't found anything perfect yet. So far I've been looking for curtains, rug, crib, and crib sheets. I am the pickiest person I know, so this will all be challenging.

My mom is telling all her friends and now they want to throw me a baby shower too, back home. I'm just getting so excited to buy things! But Adam keeps telling me I shouldn't jump the gun since I'll be getting gifts or I might find better things that come along. I haven't had to wear maternity clothes really yet, I wear dresses or baggy tops with leggings, jeggings, or tights. I wear baggier tops since I don't want strangers to think I gained weight from beer or something.

Still not much for cravings so far; I will want something with tomatoes on it (or tomato by itself) every once in a while, but otherwise I still eat the same amounts and crave the same old things. I am turned away by more foods though.

Things I am excited for to come: More kicking. Right now it's fun but it is more of a fluttering. I can't wait for Adam to be able to feel it! I'm also excited to start buying and receiving things, I haven't really got that much yet so it is going to be exciting to start getting things for her.

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20 Weeks - It's a GIRL!

Today, I am 20 weeks along! This marks the half-way point of the pregnancy. AND we found out the gender yesterday! It's a GIRL! The ultrasound was so exciting, we got to see all the limbs and some organs. The ultrasound tech says our baby is going to be an athlete because she would NOT stop moving around and changing positions and she has long legs. Adam says she gets that from me. The tech printed out pictures both in 2d and 3d, so more things to put in the scrapbook I'm working on. Once I found out it was a girl I could not stop smiling. Everything else checkout out to be normal, so it's all good! Adam was really excited too it was cute! He called a couple of his friends and I called a couple of mine, and of course our families. Kendall was so excited, she really wanted a girl. Adam's mom was in such disbelief that she almost sounded disappointed. She swore it was going to be a boy since pretty much all Adam's aunts and uncles have had ALL boys. I still haven't told anyone at work!! It's killing me! One of my coworkers has 2 daughters, so I would love to tell her, and same with all my old coworkers back at the other department; I know they would all be so excited for me! I might not be able to hold off for much longer.

I don't think I have felt any movement yet, but last night I thought I did. I am so excited for when I start to noticeably feel movement! I keep forgetting to call baby "she" or "her". It's something I gotta start getting used to. I want to start going shopping immediately! And work on her nursey. So many things come into play once the gender is revealed.

Well now I can go brag to everybody that my intuition was right, it is a girl! Adam and I already have a name picked out, but we're not telling anyone! We want it to be a surprise.


Last weekend Adam and I went to a pumpkin patch:

 

AND received our first baby gift (before we told everyone the gender):

And now I'll close with a belly picture (it doesn't really show through my shirt yet so bare belly until it does!):

I even still have my ultrasound bracelet on :)

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Quote of the Day

The only dream worth having is to dream that you will live while you are alive, and die only when you are dead. To love, to be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of the life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget.

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19 Weeks

I am 19 weeks as of today! I will have to go back and upload pictures that I have taken of my belly. This week is when I am finally starting to get a little belly, even though it just looks like a beer belly. Adam and I think part of the reason I'm so small compared to other pregnant women is because of the location where I'm carrying, right in the middle. I'm not high and not too low.

So far, I've had hardly any of the "normal" 19 week signs of pregnancy.
No constipation
No unreasonable or unusual appetite
No stretchmarks
No moodiness or crying (more than usual at least ;))

Side effects I have had:
Headaches
Backaches
Weight gain, of course

As of last week, Adam now has 2 jobs (he is taking up personal training as mostly a hobby since he is so passionate about it). Also, as I have announced to everyone, I got offered a new job (still within the university). So far I like it, but I DO miss my old job a little bit, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, either way I love working at a university. I'm so glad I took this route and I am so excited that Adam and I are both successful and will be able to give our child whatever he or she needs.

So once again, the pregnancy is going very smoothly. Things are going perfectly fine. I wore my first maternity top a couple days ago. But still, no one at work knows I'm pregnant. The reason I haven't told anyone is because I just received a new job. I'll wait a week or two to break the news!

I don't have a scale, so I haven't been weighing myself, but if I were to guess I would assume I've gained 7 pounds. I will find out soon enough! I don't feel too huge, so I'm no worried.

Mood has been very happy lately and very excited for all things baby!

19 week belly pic:

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18 weeks

I keep jumping the gun on posting pregnancy blogs, I'm not 18 weeks until tomorrow. I thought since it was exactly a week ago that I posted the 17 week blog it would be appropriate.

My last day in the Office of the Registrar is Friday, and I'm sad. Even though I'm moving onto bigger and better things, there's still that bittersweet feeling. Tomorrow the entire office and supporting offices (Financial Aid and OneStop) are throwing me a going away party, but they are calling it a "going down the hall party" since my office isn't too far away from my current one.

I ordered my first maternity top on Sunday from Asos! There's no way I'm going through this pregnancy in anything but style. I also ordered a new trench coat jacket from one of my favorite sites. Hopefully my pregnant belly will fit into it in a couple months.

As far as the pregnancy itself goes; everything seems to be normal and uneventful. No movement yet (except Adam swore he felt baby movement when he was listening to my stomach but I told him it was just digestion). The food I've been craving is cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, and ranch. I snack on it at work about every day. I'm still very picky and have a hard time figuring out what to make for meals. Adam and I make macaroni and cheese with hot dogs and ketchup a lot, and about once a week we make a good, hearty meal. Today we are making a roast. I've also been making tons of foods off of pinterest (mostly desserts).

Caitlin and I started talking about baby showers and gender reveal parties. Pinterest has some good ideas. She wants to do a baby shower here in Duluth on my birthday (December 8th) and one back home in Crookston in January. I'm wondering what Adam's mom is going to want to do. Either way, there's some big plans in the making and I'm hoping for something fun!

18 week belly pic:

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17 weeks

September 12, 2012

Had my second OB appointment today, and have gained no weight since my last appointment last month! Everything checked out to be normal, Adam and I got to listen to the heartbeat and it was at 142, so it's normal!

I'm starting to tell my friends/previous coworkers/previous classmates about my pregnancy, and it's so exciting! It is actually addicting, it makes me wanna tell the world. Obviously I'm getting very good responses, congratulations, and support.

I got offered another job in another department last week and I decided to accept it on Monday. I'm so sad to leave the Office of the Registrar, but I will only be down the hall! I love where my professional life is going, it's almost as exciting as the pregnancy! Things are just all around moving SO fast.

As far as how I'm feeling; just a few headaches (they were bad headaches, though) and I feel like my stomach grows a little bit each day. I still haven't told coworkers at my current work, and it's okay because I'm not showing yet. I wear my hollister jeggings, leggings, and some charlotte russe jeggings and that's the only things that comfortably fit. BUT I still use the hair tie method on my regular jeans if I get lazy for laundry. I want to start shopping for more loose fitting dresses to wear with leggings.

Still no food cravings. I'm the pickiest pregnant person I know, maybe that will change though.

Overall, things are going well for me. I'm loving our condo, loving my job, loving this pregnancy (as much as someone can..). Pregnancy isn't something you particularly enjoy, but it's going smoothly for me.

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16 weeks

September 6, 2012

16 weeks along and still haven't told anyone besides my family. I haven't been to Crookston or talked to any friends from Crookston since I've been pregnant, and I'm not going to do it over the phone or internet. It's getting really hard not to tell people but I don't want work to find out yet so I have good chances of getting this promotion! (I can't say that revealing my pregnancy would hurt my chances, but something is telling me that it would). I have been feeling pretty great energy-wise the last few weeks, but I only make it to the gym about once a week. I still don't have any cravings, and no nausea or vomiting. No stretch marks and no spider veins. When I read the negative side effects of second trimester pregnancy I seem to have little to none of them, so I'm happy everything is going smoothly. The only things I have noticed are that I get back aches when I walk a long distance or if I'm cooking food in the kitchen, and I noticed a few Braxton Hicks contractions yesterday. I'm starting to know what to expect when delivery gets close, but I know BH contractions are nothing compared to real contractions :/.

Adam's mom is so excited to be a grandma, she's told literally everyone. She has even gotten gifts from friends of things saying "grandma". It makes me smile.

In the meantime, I'm going to silently plot how to break this to my coworkers.

Update: I don't know if those were BH contractions lol. I read that it might be ligaments stretching. Either way it was sharp pains that are going to prepare me for labor.

16.5 week belly pic:

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13.5 weeks

August 21, 2012

The last two days have been exciting because I haven't had headaches! Yesterday I just had a miserable morning, but today I have nothing! I hope to get energy to unpack all of our (my) stuff in the condo. I AM A HOARDER.

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12/13 weeks

August 17, 2012

Yesterday, I had my first ultrasound. It was exciting! It made me excited for everything watching that little one bounce around in there. The ultrasound tech was laughing at how much movement there was going on, the baby kept moving positions and bouncing. He said the heart rate was 147, so right in the middle of the average (90-200). Adam said it must be a boy because a girl wouldn't move around that fast ;). He thinks that it takes after him. It was so weird to see the baby in there, I could make out the head, hands, arms, legs, nose. The tech took 3 pictures of the profile view and I personally think it looks like it has chubby cheeks! Who would've thought that a picture of a 13 week old baby in an ultrasound would look cute?! And when I title this 12/13 weeks I do it because according to my menstruation cycle, I should be 12 1/2 weeks, but the tech said according to measurements the baby is 13 weeks. He changed the due date from previously being February 24th to February 21st. That's only a couple days so there really isn't much of a change.

I keep looking at the pictures because it gets me excited. I even consider it to look like me a little bit when I was a baby (chubby cheeks and the way the eyes and nose are placed). I am sure it's a girl, Adam thinks it's a boy, of course. I think he more so WANTS it to be a boy, while I actually THINK it's a girl. I'm going off of both intuition and actual facts. Biologically, the female chromosome (X) is larger than the male (Y). During most times of the month the male and female chromosomes have an equal chance of reaching the egg, except for a few days before ovulation. The few days before ovulation have a higher risk of conceiving a female because the egg is lower down in the Fallopian tube. Since I know the exact conception date, you can probably guess I'm saying this because the conception date was just 2 days before ovulation began. There are a couple other biological factors that come into play, like pH level as another example. I'm not going to get into detail about though!

Either way, I will be happy with whatever sex it is! I have just only been thinking of girl names because I seem to be so dead set on having a girl.

All in all, it was just a really fun experience having the ultrasound. I can't wait until the next one when the baby is bigger and I can find out the gender!

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10 Weeks

July 30, 2012

Today marks the 10 week point and I'm feeling better. Still a bit tired but no nausea today. I do feel lucky, though, that I haven't vomited.

Went home to the lake over the weekend and spent time with everyone, went tubing with Sophie and the sisters, boating, grilling, etc. Pretty chill weekend. I'm starting to get extremely sad that wefest is coming up and I'm not going.

I've gained a little weight, my pants and shorts are fitting snug. A certain pair of  jeggings (practically leggings) are the only thing that still fit comfortably. Everything else hurts to button so I use a hair tie or just put a belt over it.

Went to the gym last night, can't workout as hard as I used to because I get tired, a little dizzy, and HUNGRY. I will eat a snack before the gym and after 20 minutes of working out I start to feel a little bit hungry. So I push through for about another 15 minutes and head out. I usually have to run to the grocery store after because I don't want to drive home on an empty stomach and I usually don't have that much food at home. I have been going to the grocery store almost daily to get a couple things each time. I have been craving sushi lately too!

Nothing out of the ordinary happening yet, except I've started to get heartburn and had stomach cramping last night.

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9 weeks and some

July 23, 2012

I'm almost ten weeks. That's crazy to think about. I can still fit in all my clothes but my jeans are a little snug at the waist. I'm starting to get my energy back and I am excited to get back to the gym. I actually went yesterday BUT forgot my gym bag and didn't want to drive all the way back home since I live further now.

I have still been craving yogurt, along with some other foods like grilled cheese and tomato soup. The cravings actually change day to day, even hour to hour, and I'm still turned off by a lot of foods (especially healthy things, I hope that changes!). The thought of a wrap right now makes me want to throw up. It seems so silly!

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9 weeks

July 17, 2012

I'm a little over 9 weeks and I have been the most up and down. I keep getting mixed feelings about everything and can't make up my mind (worse than before).

I'm still really tired this week, but I feel that the morning sickness is no longer prominent in the morning, I get nausea randomly throughout the day. I'm hoping it will go away soon. I've noticed that I've gained some weight, I really hope I get my energy back so I'm able to hit the gym again. I have not had the energy or motivation to go for the last two weeks. It is bumming me out a little bit.

I'm excited for when Adam and I get to move into our own place in less than a month!

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I'm Pregnant!

July 12, 2012

On June 22, 2012, I noticed that I had tender breasts going on for a couple weeks. My menstrual cycle was literally only 2 days late, but my intuition told me something was off. I took the initiative to go get a pregnancy test, and then went back to get two more. All 3 tests were positive. If you knew how little my boyfriend and I got to see each other, you can imagine my confusion and astonishment.

As of today I'm about 8 weeks along. I have not told anyone that I'm pregnant yet besides my immediate family, and of course, Adam. But even though I'm not telling people yet, I wanted to start blogging about it. It's going to be SO interesting to read later. So I am including a survey. It overviews the main pregnancy symptoms:

How far along: 8.5 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: None
Maternity clothes?: Not yet
Stretch marks?: Not yet
Sleep: Since I've been used to sleeping like a baby my whole life, it's a difficult change now that I have to wake up to pee once or twice in the night.
Best moment this week: Being told by a landlord that they are saving a condo for Adam and I, and it's a great price for how nice it is!
Miss anything: I WILL be missing wefest in a few weeks :( :( That's the hardest part.
Food cravings: Not really. Mostly aversions.
Anything making you queasy or sick: Mostly EVERYTHING until late evenings. Then, of course, it's time to get ready for bed.
Have you started to show yet: No way
Gender Prediction: GIRL
Symptoms: ALL. Morning sickness (But no throwing up), hell I have day sickness. Moody, headaches, abdomen cramping, fatigue. And the most prominent one I've noticed: I get annoyed of everyone. Have a very low tolerance for people's ticks. Just listening to my coworker cough every 5-10 minutes makes me want to scream.
Happy or moody most of the time: MOODY
Looking forward to: Moving into our condo, and eventually telling people that I'm pregnant (I'm waiting until at least September, until I'm 15 weeks along or more).


It's hard to be at work and keep it a secret. I've been feeling sick practically everyday, even went home last Monday. Everyone's wondering if I caught mono or the flu and I HATE lying about it, but I absolutely can't say anything yet, because I am applying for higher positions in this department (a promotion! :) I'm afraid it could affect that) and I just feel that it's to early to break the news!

Can't wait to move into our condo on August 15th!

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Temptations of Life

I am just sitting here admiring my yesterday's purchase of some Steve Madden's and it hit me....I am such a sucker for not-passing-up-opportunities. Yes, I guess I'm an opportunist?

These shoes, I might add, were originally $100 BUT I snagged them for $14.80 on sale :). Shoes are a lot like other things in life, like men. This is what I've just been thinking about.

As girls, when we want a pair of shoes (or any other article of clothing), we want it now. We want it for the upcoming weekend, we want to show off new stuff as early on as we can. So when we see a pair of shoes that we like, we're like "Hey they're pretty cute, expensive, but cute." So then we look in the cheaper section and find similar ones. Turns out they are a bitch to walk in, but we settle for them because it's in our price range and they're cute. What we don't think about is what if the really expensive ones go on sale, or what if we looked at another store and found wayyyy more comfortable ones? We don't think about that much, we just live in the moment and impulsively buy away.

We go out with these shoes and get lots of compliments. Our feet hurt like a bitch the next day but hey, we got some good pictures wearing them, right? These $60 dollar shoes are good enough.

A month later we are lounging through the department store looking for a scarf. What do we see right in front of our eyes? Those really expensive shoes on sale for $14! We already invested in those sixty-dollar ones, so why buy the better version of them? Because they are $14! Now there are two types of people; there are the ones who say "oh well" and pass them by because they already have some lower-quality ones that they are for some reason satisfied enough with or the types of people who buy the shows because they always want the best for themselves. I think I've articulated that I'm the second type of person. Yes, I buy the shoes. Why? Because temptation; I can't pass up such a good opportunity. I might regret it later if I don't. Why? Because the $60 might not even hold up for that long! I don't trust them....

Now you can probably see where the metaphor comes in that has to do with men. Some people settle and some people are always looking for the next best thing. How do we even know what the best thing is? We might think once we have these expensive shoes we bought for $14 is the best we can do, but what if we find another pair that is even better and better deal? When are we going to stop trying to improve everything we have and just be grateful for what we landed with?

This is why it's been so hard for me to settle down my entire life. Of course now I have a boyfriend, and he is great, but it has been a journey of me eyeing down men wondering if they are the expensive shoes I could get for $14.

I advise women to not jump at the first $60 mediocre shoes they see, wait. You will walk through an awesome shoe sale unexpectedly and find the exact pair of shoes you've been looking for without even trying, your exact size and everything. Don't go looking for sales like a maniac, you will find one in good time, when you're ready.

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