Week Thirty-Six...

How far along?  Thirty-six weeks.  Insane.

Baby is the size of... a crenshaw melon (whatever that is?).

Best moment this week?  We've had a lot of good moments this week.   My work shower went fabulously.  And then this weekend, Micah and I went and basically bought all the stuff on our registry that we hadn't gotten yet:  bottles, side-snap tshirts, the changing pad, etc.  Our cart at Target was overflowing when we got to the checkout line. 

Miss anything?  Same old, same old.  Sleep.  Bending over.  Feeling my hands.  Being able to walk around a store without wanting to collapse from exhaustion/back pain.

Movement?  Lots this week. 

Sleep?  I don't want to talk about it... :)

Food cravings?  Ice, ice, and more ice.  I've been chomping away on it for about two weeks now.  I'm sure it's terrible for my teeth, but I can't get enough.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing.

Morning sickness?  Nope.

Other symptoms?  I think I've officially started nesting.  My best friend gave me heck at my shower about how disorganized my pantry was.  I was bound and determined to leave it as it was, but I tripped and almost fell (again) over all the stuff on the floor earlier this week.  So we spent last night cleaning out all of the expired food and rearranging some things.  It's so pretty and clean now.

Gender?  She's still our little angel girl!

Looking forward to... finishing everything up in the next couple of weeks so that we're READY whenever she decides to arrive!

Week Thirty-Five...

(Please excuse my nearly makeup-less face.  I hoodwinked Micah into snapping this last night just before the sun went down, and all traces of the morning's makeup were basically gone.  )

How far along?  Thirty-five weeks.

Baby is the size of... a honeydew melon.

Best moment this week?  By far, the best moment this week was celebrating our little one at our big family shower this weekend.  You guys are going to hate me, but I didn't snap a SINGLE picture.  Trust me, though... it was so pretty!  We had it at our house, and my sister-in-law and best friend went ALL out with yummy food, delicious cake, and beautiful decor.  My sister-in-law did manage to snag this quick shot, and I thought I'd at least show you guys the cake, which was gorgeous, and the pretty macaroons.

I can't even express how wonderful it was to see all of the people I love shower Grace with gifts.  We got so many of the big things we needed, as well as the cute, adorable things that making having a girl so much fun.

Seriously, y'all... check out all this stuff.

There are still a few things that we absolutely need before she gets here (the carseat being one of them), but we're mostly set!   

Miss anything?  Feeling my fingers.  Being able to move without grunting.  Bending over.  Sleeping well.

Movement?  It comes and goes.  Last weekend, her movement decreased significantly for about 18 hours.  I finally called the doctor, who told me to come in to Labor and Delivery (who knew it'd end up being the first of two trips in a four-day period!).  Turns out, I was just a teensy bit dehydrated and hadn't eaten much, so she wasn't moving much, but she perked right up at the hospital after they gave me some apple juice.  You can bet that I've been drinking all kinds of fluids since then! :)

Sleep?  Not so much.  God's definitely preparing me for the nights to come.

Food cravings?  I've been on a guacamole kick lately -- the creamier the better!  Still probably wouldn't call it a craving, though.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing this week.

Morning sickness?  Nope.

Other symptoms?  Lower back/hip pain.  Swollen feet, ankles, and hands.  Mood swings.  I've been pretty even-tempered throughout the pregnancy, but for the last two weeks or so, I've been a monster.  My sweet husband has been so incredible, though, in putting up with me.  God bless him...

Gender?  Still our little princess girl.

Looking forward to... my work shower this week, as well as the start of my weekly appointments on Wednesday.  We're officially in the home stretch, y'all!

Week Thirty-Three...

How far along?  Thirty-three weeks.

Baby is the size of... a pineapple.  I love pinapple...

Best moment this week?  Y'all, every moment right now is precious.  The time is just flying by, and I'm trying to soak in every single second.  But getting our maternity pictures back today was especially exciting.  I love them, and I'll be sharing them tomorrow, so don't forget to come back and check them out.  (Just a note, I'm having some trouble with Photobucket, so if you're seeing "bandwidth exceeded" messages on some of the blog pictures, just know that Photobucket has gotten an earful from me, and things should be resolved soon.)

Miss anything?  Sleeping well.  Being able to bend over.  Being able to put on shoes easily.  Fingers that aren't numb.  (The numbness that I was having during sleep has now become "permanent."  So my left middle and ring fingers are constantly numb.)  Not having to pee every 30 minutes. 

Movement?  She's squirmy.  Not quite as active lately as before, but I hear that's normal as time progresses.

Sleep?  Pretty terrible.  Between the peeing and numb fingers, it's not good.  I'm really trying not to complain, but it definitely isn't fun.

Food cravings?  Nothing specific, but boy have I been eating. (Clearly... my belly needs its own zip code at this point.)

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing, but I did go buy Micah some new cologne for his birthday because his usual stuff has gotten a teensy bit strong for me.

Morning sickness?  Nope.

Other symptoms?  Swollen feet/ankles.  Itchy skin.  Enormous boobs.  The aforementioned numb fingers.  Walking around for long periods of time makes my stomach feel so tight, like I'm stretching something the wrong way.  A few varicose veins.

Gender?  She's still our little angel girl!

Looking forward to... getting prints of a few maternity pictures ordered and getting the gallery wall in the nursery up and finished.  It looks like our glider is NOT going to be delivered in time for the shower in two weeks, so that's a bit disappointing.  But obviously not the end of the world. :)  And then, obviously, we'll have the big family shower (plus a work shower for me and a work shower for Micah).  So fun!

Thirty-one weeks...

And just for fun, let's see how far we've come from Week Thirteen.



How far along?  Thirty-one weeks.

Baby is the size of... four navel oranges.  (Random, right?  But apparently she's about 16 inches long and weights approximately 3.3 pounds.)

Best moment this week?  Sitting in the bathtub (with water at a perfectly safe temperature, thankyouverymuch), watching my belly move like something out of a sci-fi movie.  It's the coolest (and weirdest) thing ever.  One of my friends at work actually saw my belly move when she kicked the crap out of me the other day.  I just love it.

Miss anything?  We're getting pretty uncomfortable around here, y'all.  The belly's really getting in the way of pretty much everything, and any and all movement takes a lot more effort than it used to.  Putting on shoes is a pain.  Shaving my legs is a pain.  I suppose I miss not feeling like a whale.  (But I'm definitely not complaining.  This gift is one I gladly accept, even with the discomfort.  I just want to keep an accurate record.  It's the litigator in me.)

Movement?  Like a wild child.

Sleep?  I can finally say that sleep is becoming difficult.  Between the reflux, heartburn, peeing, and the fact that all this extra weight means that my arms fall asleep wheen I sleep on my sides, I'm waking up at least five times a night.  I'm obviously sleeping on my side, but it's hard to find the right balance.  If I lean over too far, I feel like I might as well be on my stomach and freak out that I'm smashing Grace.  If I don't lean over far enough, I worry that I'm basically sleeping on my back and that she's not getting enough oxygen.  

Food cravings?  Still lots and lots of sugar, but I'm definitely not letting myself have too much at this point.  It makes me feel so yucky.  I've also been eating a lot of ice lately. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing, really, but I've got heartburn pretty much 24/7.

Morning sickness?  Nope.

Other symptoms?  The numbness in my fingers actually happens anytime my hands are elevated for long periods of time (e.g, when I straighten my hair or put on makeup).  I think I've got a few spidery veins on my legs, too.  And stretch marks galore.  (Maybe it's terrible, but I couldn't care less about them.  Probably because I already had some... the joys of weight that fluctuates.)  I'm also just a whole lot more tired.  I could seriously take a nap every day of the week.  And my feet are still ridiculously swollen.  My poor shoes are all so tight.

Gender?  Still a little GIRL!

Looking forward to... taking maternity pictures this weekend.  I'm really not digging how I look right now, but I know I'll treasure these pictures in the future, so we're going for it. :)

Week Thirty...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.  We're three-quarters of the way there, y'all.

Insane.

(And I'm sorry for the lack of picture this week.  Again)

How far along?  Thirty weeks

Baby is the size of... a head of cabbage.  (How'd you guess?)

Best moment this week?   A good report at our thirty week appointment.  She's measuring right on track (maybe just a half-week ahead), and her heartbeat sounded lovely, as always.  We also got a ton done in the nursery!  The bedding came in, and Micah's parents bought her mattress this weekend, so the crib (and the wall behind it) is officially DONE.  We also got curtains hung and tied back and the wall above the changing table done, as well.  And because I can't wait to show you...

... her diaper bag came in, too!  I custom ordered it from here (in Amy Butler's Peach Feathers in Blush fabric) and couldn't be more pleased with it.  (It also happens to match a few things scattered throughout the room, which Micah swears is too "matchy matchy."  I disagree. :))

Miss anything?  Being able to bend over.  Eating without worrying about heartburn.  Drinking all the tea my heart desires.  Normal-sized feet and ankles. 

Movement?  All the time.  Love.

Sleep?  Still sleeping well, but I've been waking up occasionally with (I know this is TMI) the taste of stomach acid in my mouth.  It's totally reflux, and last night it made me cough so hard that I sort of threw up.  (Which, if you know me, you know that I haven't actually thrown up in literally twelve years.  Yuck.)  I've got to remember to take my Zantac before bed.

Food cravings?  All things sweet.  Still. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing.  Except the aforementioned reflux, apparently.

Morning sickness?  Looks like the nausea is gone for good.  (Fingers crossed!)

Other symptoms?  Same old, same old.  Swelling.  Heartburn.  Sore back.  Occasional ligament pain in my tummy.

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... everything that's to come.  It's coming fast, and I just hope I'm ready when she's ready!

Week Twenty-Nine

How far along?  Twenty-nine weeks.

Baby is the size of... a butternut squash.

Best moment this week?  Passing my one-hour glucose test!  Thank the LORD!

We also loved getting these sweet little shoes from Joy and her hubby in the mail on Saturday. 

(And apparently another package is on its way?  Girl, you seriously shouldn't have...) Can you believe I've never even actually met Joy in person?  But she's become such a dear blog friend and you can bet that if I'm ever in her neck of the woods, I will definitely be stopping to see her! :)

Grace's crib bedding also came in this weekend, and I'm in love.  Once we get the crib mattress from Micah's parents, the crib will be officially DONE!  And I'm just waiting for the rest of the letters from Pottery Barn to come in (they should be shipping any day now), and then we can get the wall above the crib done, as well.  That just leaves the bookshelf wall and the gallery wall (which is proving difficult), and then we're DONE with the big stuff (as soon as the glider comes in).

 

Miss anything?  Sleeping on my stomach.  Drinking as much tea as my heart desires (because I do let myself have some when I want it... I just have to be mindful of the overzealous waiters who like to keep refilling my glass.)  Bending over in the car.  Being able to get up from the couch without groaning like an eighty year-old man. 

But I'll still say that being pregnant has been the sweetest, most wonderful thing.  I'd do without these things forever if that's what it took for me to get to meet our little girl.

Movement?  All the time.  I still love feeling her move more than just about anything.

Sleep?  Ehh.... it's not as fabulous as it has been.  My arms are going numb, so I have to switch sides every couple of hours, and I'm getting up to pee at least twice a night. 

Food cravings?  I've had the most insane sweet tooth the past couple of weeks.  Nothing specific -- any and all things sweet and sugary.  I put away almost a whole package of cookies in about a day and a half.  It's bad, y'all... (but I also hear that it's fairly normal for the third trimester, which makes me feel a teensy bit better).

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing this week.

Morning sickness?  None this week.

Other symptoms?  I've got some serious clown feet.  My feet and ankles are so swollen it's not even funny.  Micah just laughs every time he looks down at them.  I've been forgoing heels as much as possible at work and church, so it's been a LOT of dresses/tights/flats for me lately.  (And even my flats are tight.)

I've also had heartburn like nobody's business.  Before this week, I could pop a Zantac, and I'd feel better immediately.  The Zantac doesn't seem to be working as well as it used to, but it still helps a lot.

My nails don't seem as hard as they had been, but they're still growing quickly, as is my hair.  (Don't mind those inch-and-a-half roots up there...)

I've got a spot on my back that's so, so out of whack.  I can't tell if it's muscular or if it's an alignment thing, but it kills me every time I sneeze (which was probably about thirty-five times yesterday, no joke.  There's something in the air right now...) or cough.  I may need to break down and visit a chiropractor since my massage therapist couldn't seem to get it worked out.

Gender?  Still definitely a GIRL!

Looking forward to... getting a one-day birthing class scheduled.  (I realize that it'd probably be a total waste of time for most people, and that's why we haven't done it sooner.  But I really think it'd be good for me to feel like I knew what to expect, and that goes double for Micah.)  Having my best friend to come snap some maternity pictures in the next couple of weeks (which also necessitates me finding an outfit... ick).

Week Twenty-Seven

(Sorry, y'all... no picture this week.)

How far along?  Twenty-seven weeks.  I'm officially at the end of the second trimester, and it's blowing my mind.

Baby is the size of... a head of cauliflower.  Um, holy cow.

Best moment this week?  Registering for all the adorable, tiny baby things we're going to need.  It's so amazing that something so tiny could require so much STUFF!

Miss anything?  Being able to bend over comfortably.  I can still do it, but not easily. 

Movement?  All the time.  I love it so much.

Sleep?  Still sleeping well, but I wake up with numb fingers.  Apparently this extra weight is too much for my poor nerves.

Food cravings?  Nothing this week.  Well, at least nothing that I don't usually want.  I can put away some donuts like nobody's business, but that's nothing new.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing this week.  (Although I think I'm going to pick up a small bottle of new perfume.  My usual stuff smells SO strong to me lately.)

Morning sickness?  Nada.

Other symptoms?  We're doing pretty darned great right now, y'all.  I am feeling more tired than I had been, but I know that's to be expected.  Other than that, and the inconvenience of my ever-growing belly, things are fabulous.

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... continuing to prepare for her arrival.  It's all going so fast!

Week Twenty-Six

I never got around to taking a photo last week, so we're just combining weeks twenty-five and twenty-six, if that's alright with you guys. :)

(holy cow, y'all... she has GROWN since my last picture!)

(Week twenty-three)

How far along?  Twenty-six weeks.

Baby is the size of... an English cucumber.

Best moment this week?  Watching Micah work tirelessly to get the house ready for Grace's arrival and meeting with my besties to start planning the shower.  It's all coming at me so fast!

Miss anything?  Being able to walk around and run errands without being worn out.  Putting on this baby weight (and boy have I put on some weight...) makes me feel like I felt before I lost it all, and I remember how tired I was all the time.  I'm even more determined than ever to get back on the plan hardcore once she arrives.

Movement?  All the time.  Again, I'm still trying to discern any sort of a pattern to her movement, but I'm not very observant, so I haven't yet figured out when she's most active. 

Sleep?  Still sleeping fabulously, thankfully.  I'm just waiting for the sleepless nights to hit.

Food cravings?  I've actually had a taste for Mexican food the last couple of weeks, which is funny considering that I couldn't even stand the thought of Mexican food in the first trimester. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing.  Hallelujah!

Morning sickness?  No nausea in the past week or so.

Other symptoms?  Heartburn nearly every night.  Thank the Lord for Zantac 75.  Last week I had incredibly intense tightness and pain in my lower abdomen... right where she's sitting.  It was a little scary, but she contined to stay active, and I didn't have any other symptoms, so I figured it was ligament pain.  I finally called my doctor's office on the fourth day of constant, sharp pain, and she confirmed that it was just ligament pain and that I didn't need to worry.  Thankfully I started feeling better the next day.  I've also had some swelling in my feet and ankles.  And my boobs are getting enormous.   

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... continuing to finish up the nursery and going to register sometime soon!  (I'll be doing a registry must-haves post in the next day or two so you guys can tell me all the things you didn't know you needed... until you did. :))

Week Twenty-Four...

(No bump picture this week, y'all.  I've been too sick to worry about things like showering and putting on non-pajama clothing... :))

How far along?  Twenty-four weeks.  How in the heck am I so far along already?

Baby is the size of... an ear of corn. 

Best moment this week?  Getting all the big-picture things for the nursery settled.  Turns out, Buy Buy Baby did have a white twill fabric that we liked for the chair, so we're all set there!  So now we can check off the crib, the dresser, and the glider, and we can move on to the FUN stuff!

Miss anything?  I've been craving sweet tea lately.  Now, make no mistake, I definitely let myself have a glass every now and then, but I'm telling you guys... I could drink a gallon a day right now.

Movement?  All. The. Time.  I don't think I'll ever stop feeling amazed when I feel her little kicks.  It's just the sweetest thing.

Sleep?  Sleeping great.  Although I could definitely use more of it.  I've felt SO sleepy lately!

Food cravings?  Apart from the tea, I haven't been craving anything, really. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Not a whole lot.

Morning sickness?  Just a teensy bit of nausea every now and then. 

Other symptoms?  I had my twenty-four week checkup on Monday, and apparently the rash I've had on my arm for about two weeks now is actually a bout of Eczema.  Oh, goody.  My doctor didn't think it was something that would stick around after the pregnancy, but who knows.  Thankfully, my bronchitis is getting much better.  I felt well enough to brave work today, and my voice is sounding less and less man-ish. Ha. :)  Other than that, I just have the occasional headache.

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... receiving the fabric samples from the girl who is making my crib bedding.  Once I can see, in person, exactly what the colors will look like, I can start picking out things like curtains, artwork, and a rug.  I cannot even believe that Grace will be here in FOUR MONTHS! 

Week Twenty-Three...

(Another bad shirt for a bump picture.  Sorry, y'all...)

How far along?  Twenty-three weeks.

Baby is the size of... a large mango.

Best moment this week?  Micah finally felt her kick!  It was such a sweet, amazing moment, and he just loved it.

Miss anything?  Nothing this week.  We're just loving every minute of this sweet journey.

Movement?  She's moving around like a wild woman.

Sleep?  I generally wake up at least twice to pee, but I can usually go right back to sleep.

Food cravings?  None this week, although I have drank almost a gallon of orange juice.  Maybe that's a craving?

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing this week.

Morning sickness?  I had a teensy bit of nausea early on this week, but it's mostly gone now.

Other symptoms?  Some headaches and a weird tightness on my left side.  It feels like my muscle might just be a little strained.

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... going to Lone Star Baby this weekend to see if we can find a crib that won't break the bank... :)

Twenty-Two Weeks...

(pardon my eyebrows...I've really got to start filling them in so I don't look like a ghost...)

How far along?  Twenty-two weeks.

Baby is the size of... a spaghetti squash.

Best moment this week?  By far, it was getting to take another peek at her during our high-resolution sonogram and hearing the doctor tell us that her heart is 100% perfect.  (Well, that and the part where he assured me that she was, in fact, a girl.  Our regular sonographer wasn't completely positive...)  It was such a blessing, and we loved getting to see our girl again.

Miss anything?  Not this week.

Movement?  TONS.  This little spaghetti squash is moving.  Sometimes her little kicks and jabs are so strong that they make me jump out of my seat!

Sleep?  Finally the jet lag seems to have disappeared, so I'm sleeping pretty well.  Although, I'm still getting up a few times a night to pee...

Food cravings?  No real cravings this week.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Still just strong smells.

Morning sickness?  Just a little, like last week, and it's mostly in the morning before I've eaten.

Other symptoms?  I've had a few headaches this week, and I got a weird rash on my arm (probably completely unrelated to the pregnancy), but it's mostly gone now.  And this is TMI, but, although I haven't had any full-fledged nosebleeds, things haven't been quite normal in there.  I'm told this is pretty common.  My skin has also been super itchy.  It seems I've been on weird symptom overload this week. :)

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... her movements being strong enough for Micah to feel them.  (Y'all, he's so adorably in love with her already, it makes me want to cry...)  And I'm ready to hammer down her middle name.  We thought we had it figured out, but a new name popped into our heads this weekend, and now we're unsure.  I swear, you guys, I'll share as soon as we decide for sure. :)

Twenty-One Weeks...

(I'm behind, so I'm combining the 20- and 21-week posts. :))

How far along?  Twenty-one weeks!  It's so insane that this pregnancy is over halfway over.  It's flying by!

Baby is the size of... a carrot.

Best moment this week?  Taking her to Paris and... finally picking out a NAME!  We made it our goal to leave Paris with a name, and we're about 99% sure we've got it.  Promise I'll share soon. :)

Miss anything?  Sleeping through the night.  I'm sure it's jet lag, but I've been waking up between 3:30 and 4:30 the last three days, and it's wearing this momma-to-be OUT.

Movement?  Our little carrot is moving like crazy.  There are certain positions she likes (or maybe dislikes?) more than others, and I just love feeling her little nudges. 

Sleep?  Not so great.  But, again, I really think it's jet lag more than anything else.

Food cravings?  None.  Except maybe French macarons.  I miss them in a bad way, y'all.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Strong smells.  One of the guys sitting in front of us on the flight to Paris apparently did not own deodorant, and I just about died every time he stood up to get something out of one of the overhead bins.

Morning sickness?  It's so, so weird, but I'm feeling nauseated again. Did that happen to any of you guys, because it's weirding me out. I was certain we were done with the nausea once we got through the first trimester. And I'm not going to lie... I've convinced myself I have listeria because I accidentally forgot about and took a bite of some Camembert cheese while we were in Paris.  (I suppose it doesn't help that Micah has some sort of stomach bug right now which has very listeria-like symptoms...) Am I crazy to want to call my doctor?

Other symptoms?  The peeing.  Oh, the peeing.  My ability to hold it has to be worse than a toddler's right now.  How is this happening already??

Gender?  It's a GIRL!

Looking forward to... getting our high-resolution ultrasound out of the way on Friday.  I didn't mention it before, but since we did our gender-reveal sonogram a week or two early (since we were going to be in Paris at 20 weeks), and because our little girl is an ACTIVE little thing, they had a hard time getting a very good picture of her heart.  They were able to confirm that all the big-picture things look perfect, but they wanted to be sure there aren't any other problems, such as holes in her heart (I want to puke just typing that out), so we're going in on Friday for another look.  I'm telling myself that everything is probably fine, but I'm obviously still a bit nervous about it.  I suppose the plus side is that we get another peek at our pumpkin, and hopefully they can confirm the gender with a little more certainty.

Nineteen Weeks...

(I'm almost twenty weeks at this point... better late than never!)

via

How far along?  Nineteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... a large heirloom tomato.  (Anyone else feel like an heirloom tomato is smaller than a bell pepper?  I digress...)

Best moment this week?   Discovering that we are having a pretty little PRINCESS!  Best day ever! :)

Miss anything?  I miss not being uncomfortable when I bend over to pick something up.  I can still do it, but it's not a pretty sight, y'all.

Movement?  Definitely more movement this week.  It's still not anything that anyone else could feel, but I sure do, and I so cherish each and every little kick.

Sleep?  I'm about to overshare, but hey... that's what friends are for, right?  You guys have to be my sounding board for all the weird things that are happening to me.  Three times in the last week, I have woken up at night, anywhere from 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., with a dull pain in my stomach.  After five minutes or so, it develops into a sharp, stabbing pain in my upper abdomen, and eventually I get shooting pains up my back, too.  The pain is pretty unbearable and unrelenting, and it lasts for hours.  All I can do is curl up in the fetal position and cry until the pain subsides around 3:30 or 4:00 a.m.  I feel like it's gastrointestinal in nature, as it's accompanied by... other GI issues.  I finally called the doctor's office this morning, and when I told them I was already doing all the things they'd suggest (fiber, colace, etc.), they told me to come in.  So hopefully we can get this mess figured out before we leave on Friday.  This momma is TIRED!

Food cravings?  No cravings this week.

What makes you queasy/sick? Not a whole lot. 

Morning sickness?  Nope.

Other symptoms?  My skin is looking a teensy bit better.  Whoo hoo!

Gender?  It's a girl!  (Still working on names.)

Looking forward to...  PARIS! (And feeling better soon.)

Eighteen Weeks...

(I won't lie, y'all.  I'm kind of in love with my belly.  Micah laughs at me because I stare at it in any and every reflective surface. :))

How far along?  Eighteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... a bell pepper.   

Best moment this week?   Getting the house decorated for Christmas.  I keep thinking about the fact that we'll have a little eight-month old crawling around next Christmas and it blows. my. mind.  (Oh, and I finally broke down and got a hair cut and color.  I heard mixed things about coloring my hair, but the general consensus is that it's deemed safe after the first trimester, so I went for it.)   

Miss anything?  I miss not getting up several times a night to pee.  Even before I was pregnant, I had the bladder the size of a toddler's, so I occasionally woke up in the middle of the night to use the restroom.  But this is insane, you guys.  I shudder at the thought of how often I'll have to pee when I have a watermelon sitting directly on top of my bladder.

Movement?  I haven't felt quite as much movement this week as I did last week (which, I won't lie, is a bit concerning).  But I seem to feel the baby only when I'm sitting still, and I haven't done very much of that this week.  This momma is worn out from all the running around I've done in the last few days!

Sleep?  Apart from the frequent potty trips, I'm not sleeping too terribly.  Although I do keep waking up on my stomach, which freaks me out.  I'm so terrified I'm going to smush our little bell pepper!

Food cravings?  Still lots of water.  And LOTS of orange juice.  And I actually wanted Mexican food today, so we took advantage and enjoyed some chips and queso and a shrimp-stuffed avocado (so, so yum!). 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Not a whole lot this week.  Whoop whoop!

Morning sickness?  Almost no nausea.

Other symptoms?  Hair and nails still looking strong.  No headaches.  A teensy bit of lower back pain, and my feet hurt a bit when I walk around too long without comfy shoes on. 

Gender? Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)  Can't wait to find out in a few days!!

Looking forward to...  finding out the gender and beginning to plan the nursery, registry, etc.  I am a firm believer in living in the here and now, and I try not to focus too much on the future because I don't want to miss all the beautiful little moments that are happening now.  So throughout this pregnancy, I have tried to avoid looking too far ahead so that I could relish each and every milestone:  getting past the nausea, watching my bump grow, feeling those first little flutters.  But now that the next phase is almost here, I'm so happy to be able to think of our little pumpkin as a he or she, rather than an it, and to start getting ready for our lives to change in the most wonderful way possible.

Seventeen Weeks...

(This is a terrible outfit for showing off my bump.  Sorry, y'all.)

How far along?  Seventeen weeks.  Holy cow, I'm almost halfway there.

Baby is the size of...  a baked potato.  Keep on baking in there, little potato! :)

Best moment this week?  Looking over at Micah on the couch, with highlighter in hand, reading The Father Connection.  My husband is going to be such a wonderful, wonderful dad.

Miss anything?  Nothing this week.  I'm feeling a little more tired than I had been, but that probably has a little something to do with the fact that I've worked non-stop for the last month.  Thank goodness that's over.

Movement?  Those little flutters are definitely becoming more distinct, and it's amazing.  Is it weird, though, that they're almost always on one side?  Apparently our potato isn't too fond of the right side of my uterus.

Sleep?  I'm not sleeping quite as well as I had been, but I still can't complain.  I feel sure it's going to get much worse. :)

Food cravings?  None this week. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Not a whole lot, but really strong smells still turn my stomach, and I'm still avoiding enchiladas.  Which makes me so, so sad.

Morning sickness?  It has mostly disappeared, although it pops in to say hello every now and then.

Other symptoms?  Nails and hair are still strong and healthy, and my skin actually appears to be improving.  (Let's all say a hearty "thank you, Lord!" for that one.) 

Gender? Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy.  But we find out for sure next week, and we're so excited!  It's not that knowing the gender will change, in any way, how we feel about the baby -- we're going to be so, so thrilled either way -- but to be able to picture our pumpkin more tangibly is so exciting!  And it'll obviously help with planning the nursery, setting up our registry, etc. 

Looking forward to...  next week!  Can't wait to share our news with you guys! :)

Sixteen Weeks...

via

How far along? Sixteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... an avocado.

Best moment this week?  To tell you guys the truth, it has been a TOUGH week!  Trial is an amazing experience, but I'm so exhausted and sleep-deprived, it's not even funny.  Thank goodness I'll be headed home to my love on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Miss anything?  Cold sandwiches.  They're the most obvious choice for trial lunches, and it has been tough trying to find something to eat instead (particularly when they look so delicious!).

Movement? Still feeling the occasional flutter, but I'm still not convinced it's the baby.  I'm so ready to feel a big ole kick! :) 

Sleep?  Not sleeping quite as well this week, but I'm also not sleeping in my own bed or on my own pillow, so it definitely isn't surprising.

Food cravings?  I've been dying for sweet tea.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Nothing in particular.

Morning sickness? Nausea is about 99% gone. Amen.

Other symptoms?  Lovely hair and nails, atrocious skin.  Oh, and the beginnings of stretch marks.  I already knew those were coming, though, so it wasn't the end of the world.

Gender? Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)

Looking forward to... going HOME and our doctor's appointment this Friday. 

Fifteen Weeks...

How far along?  Fifteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... an orange.

Best moment this week?  Getting to see our little orange moving all around during the ultrasound and hearing that sweet heartbeat.

Miss anything?  My husband.  I am not going to whine about being apart from him for two weeks for trial because so many wives deal with their military husbands being gone (in dangerous places) for MONTHS at a time.  But I will say that I'd rather be where he is than just about anywhere on earth.

Movement?  Y'all, I keep feeling little teeny, tiny flutters.  But then, I've been so gassy, it's impossible to tell whether it's the baby (TMI... sorry).

Sleep?  I'm sleeping like a rock.  Hallelujah!

Food cravings?  Water.  Lots and lots of water.

What makes you queasy/sick?  Too much of any food.  I've been stupidly eating big meals, and baby apparently is more of a snacker right now. ;)

Morning sickness?  Nausea is about 99% gone.  Amen.

Other symptoms?  My skin is still out of control, but on the plus side, my hair and nails are looking fabulous!  And no headaches this week!

Gender?  Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)

Looking forward to... verifying that these little flutters I'm feeling are the baby.  And our sixteen-week appointment once trial is over!

Fourteen Weeks...

How far along? Fourteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... a lemon.

Best moment this week? One of Micah’s co-workers bought our little monkey a precious onesie and a rattle. I cried. :)

Miss anything? Iced tea. I let myself have a glass or so per week, but I’ve definitely been wanting it every day. (But at least I finally got my {cooked!} sushi fix this week - so, so yum!)

Movement? Not yet.

Sleep? Apart from getting up to pee three or four times a night, I'm still sleeping fabulously.

Food cravings? Still lots and lots of pickles.

What makes you queasy/sick? Enchiladas and the smell of garlic.

Morning sickness? The nausea seems to be on its way out. Most days I feel normal-ish again and only feel icky every now and then.

Other symptoms? Terrible acne, occasional headaches, itchy skin, and a weird fuzzy feeling on my tongue (any other mommies out there ever experience this?).

Gender? Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)

Looking forward to... letting Baby experience its very first TRIAL in the next couple of weeks! :)

Thirteen Weeks...

{I started out with some curves anyway, but I can definitely tell that things are changing.  Particularly at the top of my torso.  And, for the record, I don't have an outie - my silly pants have a weird, pointy waistline.)

How far along?  Thirteen weeks.

Baby is the size of... a shrimp. 

Best moment this week?  Deciding to take a "babymoon" before our little shrimp makes its appearance.  (We've just about decided on a location, which I'll share just as soon as everything is booked!)

Miss anything?  Sushi.  And I could totally go have some all-cooked sushi and get my fix, but we haven't yet.  Hopefully soon!

Movement?  Not yet. Every now and then I feel a tiny little flutter, but I assume it's some sort of gastrointestinal something or other... I think it's still early for me to be feeling the baby move.

Sleep?  Apart from getting up to pee three or four times a night, I'm still sleeping fabulously.

Food cravings?  Still lots and lots of pickles. 

What makes you queasy/sick?  Still the thought of Mexican food and carmelized onions.  And I'm not super fond of meat right now.

Morning sickness? The nausea seems to be coming and going.  Some days I feel normal-ish again, and others I still feel yuck.

Other symptoms?  My skin looks worse than a hormonal teenager's.  Really, y'all, it's terrible.  Hormones + my generally awful skin = lots and lots of M.A.C. foundation each morning. 

Gender? Micah thinks it's a girl. I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)

Looking forward to... every single moment to come.  (Except maybe the part where I have to push a watermelon out of my body. :))

12 Weeks...

As promised, I'm going to do my very best to post weekly/bi-weekly updates.  Again, I feel sure these details aren't important to anyone but me, but I want to remember each special moment.  Plus, I've heard that women tend to romanticize their pregnancies, and I really just want to keep an accurate record for myself and for those of you who will travel this path in the future.  (It's the nerd in me...) 

I don't have a bump picture for this week (or last week, actually, since this is late), and I'm not even certain I'm going to do a picture every week, but I'll try and post them occasionally. :)

 How far along?  Twelve weeks.

Baby is the size of...  a lime.

Best moment this week?  Announcing our news to my blog friends and on Facebook!  The outpouring of love and support was incredible, y'all.

Miss anything?  Weirdly enough, I never wanted cold sandwiches before I got pregnant, but now they're all I can think about.

Movement?  Nope.  My doctor indicated that, because my placenta is forming anterior (whatever that means...), I may not feel the baby move until twenty weeks.  I'll be ready to feel our little peanut move, but he/she was performing acrobatics at our last ultrasound (so cool to see!), so that keeps the anxiety at bay a bit.

Sleep?  Apart from getting up to pee three or four times a night, I'm still sleeping fabulously.

Food cravings?  Cheese tator tots from Sonic, pickles, vanilla milkshakes

What makes you queasy/sick?  The thought of Mexican food.  And carmelized onions.  If you know me, you know that hell has officially frozen over.

Morning sickness?  The nausea is pretty constant. 

Other symptoms?  Things aren't quite as, um, regular as they normally are.  But a few Metamucil (man, I feel eighty years old) and fiber-rich goods seem to help.  (Again, I'm seriously sorry for oversharing, but I just feel like you guys ought to hear the truth... :))

Gender?  Micah thinks it's a girl.  I'm pretty positive it's a boy. :)

Looking forward to...  Our next appointment the first week in November!