Week 29: Acorn Squash

Just in case you were curious, this is about how big Baby Oz is.  Sometimes I think the produce comparison is interesting and sometimes it's just strange, but hey, at least we have something to compare it to.



Average size: 15.2-16.7 inches, 2.5-3.8 lb.
At 29 weeks, she’s not just moving a lot, she’s also plumping up. And as she continues to put pressure on your digestive system, you’re going to feel the effects.





So there are 11 weeks left and the nursery design and everything else prep has come to a complete stand still.  I can't figure out any more details until I know what room this is actually going to be in.  I can't figure that out until I know where we are going to be living, and I can't figure that out until we make a decision about this house...  Not the position I wanted to be in with just under 3 months to go but it is alas the place we are.  I know that we have prayerfully considered all of the options and with the information we have we are thinking that purchasing a home would be the wisest investment for the amount of time we will be here and the space we can get for it.  We are hoping to put in an offer on our desired home sometime this week and are praying that the process goes smoothly, everything is approved quickly and our offer is accepted.  I know I feel a peace about this decision but it's still nerve wracking thinking about actually taking a leap of faith and purchasing a home.  We have made it to almost 30 without making any large purchases like this and suddenly we have decided that it might actually be a good idea.  Not sure what we are thinking but I know that we are trusting God's direction in this and if he is directing it, he will open the doors to make it happen in the time we need it to.  We just need to learn to trust and lean on Him.  A lesson I feel I am always learning and never mastering.  Does anyone ever master this?  Do I have any hope??  So I'm just working away, watching the weeks fly by faster than they ever have before and not believing that in 3 short months I will be on maternity leave actually holding my little girl and trying to manage to keep her alive.  It's crazy that they let such inexperienced people try to care for a helpless little person, but I guess we all learn!

Look I even put on normal clothes this week :)

How far along?  29 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +11 lbs from first dr. visit

Belly measurement: 34 inches

Maternity clothes? no but I have discovered the wonderfulness that is the hairtie button hole extender.  Man jeans are more comfy
Stretch marks? Nope

Best moment this week: Rob to look at baby stuff with me Saturday morning and just walking around.  He really doesn't like looking at any of it so that was a big sacrifice on his part, though I always wanna look more ;)  I really love him for doing it with me.

Miss anything: hmm, right now, eating sugar without getting my insides kicked out as payment for it

Movement: All the time and crazy hard!  She flipped head down on Monday last week so she is kicking my ribs hard core!

Food cravings: not really

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope, though I did get sick on Sunday.  Don't think it was prego related though

Have you started to show yet: Yep she's finally starting to make her presence known, though I still hear daily that I'm really tiny...
Gender: Girl!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? On!

Happy or Moody most of the time: I am not really either as the weather is making things rather dreary around here but I wouldn't say I have been too emotional 

Looking forward to: Getting things rolling on a place to live and meeting our baby girl, also the end of winter would be wonderful!  Just saying...

That's all for now.  Let me know if you have any questions cuz I'm running out of things to write about this week :)

~Becky

The final stretch

Well, for all who have been tracking.  We are at 28 weeks and officially have entered the third and final trimester, yikes!  Who knew it was all going to go by so fast?!  Seriously, believe people when they tell you it will fly by, they aren't just saying it.  So the wonderful benchmark of the third trimester is this wonderful thing known as a glucose test.  Whoever invented this test has lost their mind.  It is a new form of cruel and unusual punishment for poor mothers who are just trying to keep their baby growing for another 12 weeks or so and then produce it healthy into the world.  I suppose that it was more of a difficulty for me than most as I do have some medical complications that make things more interesting.  So I went in on Tuesday for my 28 week appointment and to complete this lovely test of not eating after midnight the previous day, sitting in the waiting room for 30 minutes extra because they were doing a lot of these tests on Tuesday, drinking some not terrible tasting super sweet orange flavored juice and then being told that for at least another hour I was still not allowed to eat, which ended up being another hour and a half before I actually was able to get to some food.  Now normally this would just make someone a little crabby and jittery, however, I have hypoglycemia (the opposite of diabetes).  This is something I have had all of my life but I have never bothered to have it officially diagnosed as drs. didn't believe it existed when I was very small and I knew what it was and what I needed to do so a diagnosis wasn't going to make much difference to me.  Well this was definitely to my disadvantage.  After about 30 minutes of sitting with this stuff in my system, I could barely think straight and I was getting very weak.  I sat for another 30 minutes after I met with my midwife and heard the heartbeat to confirm our little girl is doing just fine.  She is measuring a little small right now so I guess we are going to need to increase protein intake to ensure she is growing!  They sent me back out to the waiting room to wait until the end of the necessary hour to draw my blood.  Eventually she called me back and took three lovely vials of blood, which only added to my already light headed and weak feelings.  I left the office, having a hard time seeing straight and barely with the energy to walk to the car and looked for the nearest restaurant.  The only thing close was McDonald's and let me tell you, not the protein rich food you really want for yourself at this point.  So I ate some of that and then proceeded to feel slightly out of it and weak for the rest of the day as my body never really did balance out the sugar levels and get things back in order.  Needless to say, I will be getting an official diagnosis to avoid this if I ever encounter the need to potentially take another one of these tests in the future!

Now on to the update...

how far along: 28 weeks 1 day
total weight gain/loss: +10 from first dr. visit 
circumference at belly button: 32.5 inches
how big baby is: 

Week 28: Eggplant

Average size: 13.6 -14.8 inches, 1.5-2.2 lb.
Immune system is preparing for the outside world...

maternity clothes: not yet. hoping to hold out till it's warm enough to wear the summery things my friend Amanda let me borrow
stretch marks: nope
sleep: Good.  Up 1 time usually at night to pee
best moment this week: She flipped to a head down position on Monday.  Wierdest thing I have ever felt but her kicks aren't as intense most of the time now.
movement: Several times a day she has her sessions of movement.  I could see her moving around all over under my shirt.  One seriously active child.
food cravings: not really
gender: GIRL!
labor signs: Nope
belly button: stil in
what i miss: Feeling in control of my internal organs
what i am looking forward to: all the upcoming baby stuff (showers) and getting to rest.  Trimester 3 is already more exhausting.

27 weeks! only 90 days left...yikes!

Well I'm officially in the last week of the second trimester and I cannot believe how fast this is going!!  She seems like she must be growing like a weed in there with all the room she is trying to take up, but it certainly is making me want her to come out very soon!  I look forward to the day that my insides do not attack me at will with punches, kicks and headbutts.  She certainly does not let me forget she is there though!!

how far along: 27 weeks
total weight gain/loss: +8 from first dr. visit (I guess I must have had a heavy dinner last week)
circumference at belly button: 34 inches
how big baby is: the size of a rutabaga (I'm guessing that's for weight) 
                                       13.6 to 14.8 inches long and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds

maternity clothes: no but the jeans are getting a little snug, going to move to leggings soon as maternity pants are too big
stretch marks: nope
sleep: better this week.  Only up 1-2 times per night for the bathroom but able to sleep a little better, that is when little one isn't deciding it's wake time.
best moment this week: getting her bedding in, all of it, and getting some other pieces for the nursery!
movement: all the time!  She is starting to really push on the outside of my stomach not just kick so you can feel different body parts when she's doing that
food cravings: sugar, sometimes soda
gender: GIRL!
labor signs: Nope
belly button: in but I did notice that it's more out than I have ever seen it
what i miss: Pregnancy: feeling in control of my stomach and my bladder
                             Non-pregnancy: the sun and warm weather
what i am looking forward to: My trip to Florida in April and our baby shower.  Figuring out where we are officially going to be living.  We can't make up our mind so please pray with us that something will open up and be exactly what we need at the price we need.

On to other new...
We officially have a complete set of bedding!  I'm so excited that the nursery can officially begin it's development in real life and not just in my head and on pintrest boards.  We got the quilt in on Friday last week and I then proceeded to start ordering some of the accessories for the nursery.  We got the rug, storage bins and wall hooks in yesterday and should be getting some art work in today or tomorrow.  My vision is starting to take shape and I just love it!!  It's a beautiful little pink, beachy oasis and there isn't even paint on the walls yet.  I'm not sure if there will be paint as we need to settle on a home for sure before I put that kind of work into something.  Right now I'm thinking maybe painting it a blueish green with stripes on one wall and the rest solid.  We shall see.  It will all need to come together and then I can tell what will look right.  For now, here is what the room looks like, or at least the pieces that we just got it look like together.

I'm still working it all out but I think it will look nice when it's all finished. 

~Becky

26 weeks

26 weeks

how far along: 26 weeks
total weight gain/loss: +9 from first dr. visit (+3 from pre-pregnancy)
circumference at belly button: 33 inches
how big baby is: 14 inches long, 2 lbs - apparently the size of lettuce
maternity clothes: no but the jeans are getting a little snug
stretch marks: not that I know of
sleep: fitful, I am usually awake for about an hour around 3am and little princess is just having a ball playing jungle gym at that hour as well.
best moment this week: buying her crib and mostly deciding on her bedding/room theme and decor
movement: all the time!  unless of course I want her to move...
food cravings: none
gender: GIRL!
labor signs: Nope
belly button: in but I did notice that it's more out than I have ever seen it
what i miss: Margaritas.  Non-pregnancy: the BEACH!
what i am looking forward to: My trip to Florida in April and our baby shower.  Finding out for sure if the rest of the bedding set is coming in.

Not much else to report on the home front this week.  I'm starting to really hone in on my design choices and getting everything ready to purchase, given that the bedding is officially what we go with.  I am crossing my fingers that I get a big fat yes from the store that it is shipping tomorrow.  I really, really want that final piece!!  I'm looking forward to getting things settled and arranged so that we can get the last few pieces of furniture and I can decide if I am going to paint her room here or not.  I'm torn as I just don't feel like we are going to be here long enough to make it really worth it, but I don't want to leave her room just shy of completed either.  Decisions, decisions...  Well for the most part I'm just planning and putting lots of things into online shopping bags, ready to hit purchase when I get the final word.  For now, that's all that's going on in the never ending cold tundra we call home...

~Becky

25 Weeks... Better late that never, right?

So I was actually 25 weeks last Tuesday but I figured I would fill you in on the week anyway.  It still counts till the week officially rolls over, right??

There's officially a bump!  I finally have something, even if it's little, to show for all the sickness and hormonal changes that this darling little girl has caused me.  (sorry that i always seem to be in my PJ's when we get around to taking a picture).  It's been a pretty good second trimester and I've really enjoyed having the reprieve from sickness and other such things.  She is a very active little girl, that's for sure!  She has decided to begin making room for herself up under my ribs and into the area my stomach used to occupy.  Not only does this make eating an interesting new tasks as she does not let me eat much at one time, but I now also randomly feel a little foot kicking the inside of my rib cage.  There truly is no way to describe this feeling to someone who has not experienced it.  Suffice it to say, it's very strange!  I'm thankful that she is active though as it tends to lessen my tendency towards anxiety that there is something wrong.  As long as I wait a little bit, each something sugary or refuse to go to the bathroom, she will start moving around and relieve my fears that something might be wrong.  I guess I'm just a little too worried about it but there is so much I don't know and so much going on I have no control over that it makes me a little nervous.  I'll be happy for her to come out and then I will be able to look at her and know she's doing fine.  

So we have started making some decisions on the nursery and the housing issue.  We have decided, at least for the time being, to stay in our current apartment and attempt to do some serious rearranging to make everything work.  It will be a little tight but we just can't find the right place and I don't want to move again after this next time so it's really got to be perfect cuz we will be there for quite a while most likely.  We went  to IKEA and purchased her crib and the nightstand for the nursery.  

It's certainly not everything we will need but it's at least a start so I can put things up and start visualizing what I want to see the room transform into.  It's hard to design and create when you have absolutely nothing to start with.  I am very happy with these purchases and will hopefully be getting her dresser soon.

On another note, this whole nursery thing has really shown me how indecisive I can be.  I was all set to make her bedding because I hadn't found anything that I really loved and the things I at least liked where ridiculously expensive.  I'm certainly not going to spend a ton of money on something my child is most likely going to pee on and spit up on.  It's not worth it!  So I had picked out the fabric and was gathering up the courage to actually buy it and start working on it, when I came across the most beautiful bedding set on a design website.  I scoured the internet for the set and discovered that it was from PB Kids, way out of my price range, but it was on clearance.  Only problem with that is that it also was not available from the website or my local store, so I worked with the lady at the store and we located all but one piece at a store in Cinncinati.  The final piece was listed as very limited stock in the warehouse but she went ahead and ordered it for me, hoping that it would be fulfilled and I could get all the pieces I need.  I am still waiting to see on the final piece, but we picked up everything else today.  It was 50% off what it originally would have cost!  I'm so excited and I think if it all works out it will be my little slice of heaven.  The theme or her room is changing to be a beach house feel with sea shells, canvas totes, distressed wood art work and the works.  My mind is already off and running designing this little paradise in the middle of landlocked Kentucky.  It will remind me of home.  At the risk of this not working and having to start from scratch again, here is the bedding collection that I am crossing my fingers will come together.  

Beautiful beachy Hawaiian feel

This is the whole set together (not the boy one of course)

I'm just waiting on confirmation that the quilt will ship and then we will be all set to go.  I already have a lot of other pieces picked out to complete the room.  If only there were no budget in the world! ;-)  What did people do without the internet...  Well I guess that's about it for now.  

(PS. I'll do the survey for next week)

~Becky

24 weeks (6 months) and only 16 left to go!!

I can't believe how fast time is flying by and at the same time going slow as molasses.  Our little girl is going to be here in just about 4 months and there is so much to do!!  We don't even have a place for her to sleep and so no furniture or really anything yet.  Still on the lookout for an apartment or house that fits the bill.  Man I'm really wishing we had just gotten the three bedroom when we moved in last year!  Oh well, God will provide, I don't need to worry about it.  So onto more exciting things in the world of baby at least.  Miykal may not have a room yet but I have been hard at work picking out all of the things she will need, putting them on a registry and selecting furniture/bedding for her.  At the moment I am planning on making the bedding (at least most of it) as I don't love anything that is out there right now.  I have one set that I am going to pattern hers after.  
                           
It will not look exactly like this.  I plan on probably putting light pink in place of the white on the bumper and making the blanket patchwork and with some more substantial edging.  I'm nervous to order the fabric and start as I have never undertaken anything like this and I don't have anyone here as moral support to tell me I'm doing it right.  I'm working up the nerve to order the first set of fabric to get started here shortly.  Hopefully my husband is ready for part of the house to become sewing central!
We are going to get furniture from IKEA, white crib and a dresser and possibly a bookcase and nightstand as well to have next to the chair in her room.  I'm hoping to get a few little accessories for her as well like a large beanbag chair so that she has her own place to lay and then sit in as she grows.  Seems easier to grow with than a baby chair... I'll also make some pillow covers for throw pillows and some other various things.  Maybe another blanket, more minky and soft.  We shall see how I'm feeling once I've started the process.  

Now on to the questionnaire portion of the post...

how far along: 24 weeks today
total weight gain/loss: 0- +2 lbs (from pre-pregnancy) not really sure but it looks like I'm closer to even
circumference at belly button: 31 inches
how big baby is: According to The Bump she is the size of a cantalope.  The dr. estimated about 13 inches and about 1lb as of a couple weeks ago so I would say at least that.
maternity clothes: not yet but I am starting to break out some leggings.  Most of my regular clothes still fit just fine though.
stretch marks: none
sleep: mostly good.  I have been waking up around 2:30 in the morning and tossing for an hour or so, then back to sleep.  Not sure what that's all about.
best moment this week: Going to our birthing classes last night.  I always feel empowered and encouraged when we go.  I don't know that I have learned anything new yet but I'm really enjoying them.
movement: She has decided to take up Karate, I have decided.  She will be a master by the time she is born.  Very active in the morning and afternoon most days and super active anytime I have sugar!
food cravings: coffee cake, particularly the one I always used to make as a kid.  Sadly I have not figured out how to make it gluten free so I'm still lacking on that fulfillment. 
gender: a GIRL!
labor signs: no
belly button: still very much in
what i miss: sleeping on my stomach, my flat stomach.
what i am looking forward to: finding a house to give this little one a room in, seeing the sun and upcoming baby shower(s)!  
PS.  Anyone who is in the Tampa area, I am having a baby shower April 6th, location to be determined.  Formal invitations will be sent out but just in case you wanna mark it on your calendar.  My momma is gonna throw me one while I'm down there!  Isn't she the sweetest!

22 weeks and counting...

how far along: 22 weeks 2 days
total weight gain/loss: -2 lbs (from pre-pregnancy)
circumference at belly button: 28.5 in.
how big baby is: the size of a papaya: about 1 lb and about 12 inches long
maternity clothes: not yet but too many days like today and I'll feel like I should be
stretch marks: none
sleep: mostly good.  Depends if I do my stretches before bed.  Almost always get up once to use the bathroom
best moment this week: I haven't really had a good baby moment this week.  Feeling a little uncomfortable in my own skin.  I'm looking forward to the weekend though, that will be a good moment.
movement: every day around 1pm and in the evenings around 6pm.  She also likes to tell me if I forgot to eat!  She's a bossy one.
food cravings: none really.  Captain Crunch last week but I satiated that.
gender: a GIRL!
labor signs: no
belly button: still very much in
what i miss: sleeping on my stomach, feeling skinny, sushi/oysters
what i am looking forward to: finding a house to give this little one a room in, making decisions about bedding and design, seeing the sun!

So it's been an interesting week for us.  We had our iPad stolen this past weekend and were sure it was gone forever, we then had it returned by someone who found it in the bushes on Wednesday.  Man am I glad we did not have that added expense, though Rob would have liked to get a new machine.  We are so thankful that God provided in that situation and even in little ways.  I know it's not the end of the world but it sure is nice to not have a huge loss and expense to replace.  I'm working as usual, still overwhelmed with baby planning.  I am such a planner that I really don't know what I would do without the internet and all of the other wonderful resources giving me ideas.  I don't have anything nailed down yet but I'm making progress, at least in my head.  Life is fairly uneventful at the moment, as the semester tends to be.  Rob is taking 5 classes which leads to a whole lot of work to do and time away from me so I'm learning to find other things to do with my time.  I'm very much looking forward to it getting consistently warm outside so I can start going for walks around here.  I've been trying to go down to the gym at school and walk on the track a couple days a week but I have a hard time motivating myself for that one.  Gotta do something though to keep the body moving and blood pumping. :)  I guess that's all I have for now.

~Becky