Father's Day!

Today was my 24 week appointment and here is what I learned:  I have gained a total of 9 pounds from the beginning.  Dr says that is a good amount and at a steady pace.  Phew!  Now if I can just put this chocolate bar down, I might keep that pace up.  I also have a bladder infection that I didn’t notice at all.  But guess what?! I found out why I am so extra tired all the time!  Yep! Low red blood cell count.  Now I just need to pump myself full of iron and I should be A-ok.  Baby looks great!  My Dr did decide to play with his ultrasound machine after all so I got to see her tiny little heart beating.

Speaking of my Dr, I just have to say: He is AWESOME!  I know a lot of women don’t choose a male Ob-gyn because they feel weird, uncomfortable or think they just won’t understand certain things, but this one is just the greatest.  I am a little biased though because it’s not like I have gone to different ones.  He is the Dr that delivered my brother, Axel and hopefully all my future kids (all 10 of them! HA! Totally kidding!).  His office moved and is now 45 mins away from me which can be a little hectic when I get down to the weekly appointments, but it’s worth it.  Him and his staff are laid back, fun, informative, organized and just know their stuff. I love them!

Ok.. ok… enough about the Dr.  I sound like an advertisement.  Let’s talk about this past week and all the fun things that happened!!!

**crickets**

Oh yeah… nothing big really happened. Ha!  The only thing I can really think of is Father’s Day.  Though this is Christian’s first child, it’s not his first Father’s Day celebration.  He has been the best step-dad and role model to Axel that I could have ever asked for.  Though it took a little work at the beginning, they now have a special bond with one another.  I wanted to get something for Christian this year that would scream “I’m a new dad!!”  This one should be a little more special I think.  I decided to get him scrubs! Not just any scrubs, but ones that will make him look like the coolest dad at the hospital when I deliver.

 

Aren’t they awesome!?  He loved them and can’t wait to wear them.  Back when my brother was born, I remember the hospital giving my dad scrubs that said “Coach” on them.  They don’t do that anymore though.  Haven’t in a while.  Guess they had to cut them out of the budget.  I think they should bring them back.

Some good news this week about Aria is that she is currently at the stage where if she were born today, with modern day technology, she could be ok.  That’s always reassuring when you get to that point.  One less thing to worry about.  Of course we, both Aria and myself, have no intention of letting that happen.  I have had that talk with her and she kicked me hard letting me know she was onboard with being fully baked.  Glad we are on the same page. J  She is also getting some color to her skin.  No longer see-through.  Her room is also almost ready for paint! My goal was to have that done by the time I got to my 3^rd trimester, which happens to only be a month away.

Upcoming things:  The baby shower of course! So excited about that. If you are out of state, you most likely have received your invite or will be receiving it soon.  If you are local, you should be getting it within the next couple weeks.  If you don’t get one, please let me know.  These are being assigned to others to give out so they may not know you or know how to find you.  Regardless, know that I probably want you there if you care enough to read my blog.  It’s August 1^st.  Mark your calendar now.

My next appointment is towards the end of July and I am beyond giddy about that one.  Why?  Because we get to do our 4D ultrasound!  I get to see her little face if she cooperates and that makes me happy.  Don’t worry, I will post lots of pictures of those so you can all see her.

Upcoming decisions: We need to decide on a middle name.  I said this before, but we are in between 2 and both have sentimental meaning behind them which makes it harder to choose.  Luckily, we still have time. I also have been putting thought into who I want to visit at the hospital and even better… in the delivery room.  As of right now, 2 people are on my list for delivery.  I mean it’s a private, intimate, special and very errr… revealing moment.  Don’t really want to have an entourage present.  Hospital visits are a little different but I am always focused on making sure others are ok and comfortable and entertained… I can’t help it.  Even if I just gave birth, I would be worried about if the people visiting needed something and I am not sure that’s a good idea.  I may have to play it by ear.  As of right now, that list is mainly immediate family but subject to change.  Again, still have time to make these decisions but I am a super planner so these are things that are on my mind already.

Alright, I am leaving you with bump pictures that were taken over the last few days.  For some reason the pics make the bump look smaller than it is.  I assure you, it’s getting big.  I feel it.  Another post should be up in the next couple weeks.

 

 

23 weeks!

23 weeks! 17 more to go!  So even though October seems far away, I look at my calendars and realize it’s going to fly by.  Especially since my next two months seem to be booked solid already.  

Aria is continuing to grow.  Her face is fully formed now – she just needs a little extra fat to fill it out.  She will stay within the same range of expected growth for the next couple of weeks.  Anywhere from 10.5-11.8 inches long and 12.7-20.8 ounces in weight.  According to the website I use, she is about the size of a grapefruit.  Except I don’t know of any grapefruits that are 10.5 inches so that doesn’t seem right.  I can definitely tell she is growing in there because the bump is getting bigger.

This week, we nailed down the nursery furniture and have decided on this set:

 

Christian gets all the credit for finding this one.  What an exciting big step!  Furniture is picked out… except… it’s on back-order until August. Boo!! I am not very patient so having to wait is not going to be so much fun.  The good things is we do have time so it’s ok.  Meanwhile I am clearing out her room in our house to get ready for paint. 

Clearing out a room doesn’t sound fun at all does it?  Well, it’s not. Lol.  The room we are going to use for Aria is currently a baking supply storage room, craft room, guest room, and the ‘throw your junk in here because you can’t find another place for it’ room.  This means I actually have to organize and rearrange other parts of my house to accommodate for these items.  I am SO excited for the day I can say I completed that project.  Hmm… maybe I should reward myself with extra food that day!  Food is a good motivator right now.

I am trying really hard to not go overboard eating or eating too unhealthy.  No, I am not being one of those nuts about weight gain and I do allow myself to indulge, but I am trying to avoid going crazy with eating.  The past couple weeks, I am guilty of not doing such a good job.  I feel like I want chocolate all day, every day and I have given in probably more than I should.  Egg rolls also seem to be the new love for me.  I have always liked them, but it’s just a little enhanced right now.  I may or may not have dreams about them.

Speaking of dreams… let’s talk sleep.  I love it, if I could list it on my resume as a skill, I would.  Lately, I have been going to bed pretty early.  I sleep like a baby… literally! I wake up every few hours, stay awake for just a bit and then fall back asleep.  I really can’t complain though because I fall back into a coma like sleep.  So can someone tell me why I am so gosh darn tired all day long anyway?  I get it, there is a human growing in me, but I thought 2^nd trimester meant energy, energy and more energy.  Maybe I had expectations of not feeling like a zombie throughout the day and shouldn’t have.  Usually, I try to hide it since I don’t want to be the whiney pregnant lady, but people are catching on. “How are you?  You look tired!”  “Everything ok?  You look a little exhausted” or my favorite “You look tired!” (I appreciate when people are blunt).  But then it’s awkward… what do I say to that?  “Thanks!  I sleep great at night but I wish I were a bear so I can get even more.”?  Even my makeup can’t help me… I just have the tired eyes.  Perhaps I should get those awesome glasses with the eyes on the front of them so that I can secretly take naps throughout the day to cure me of this. Hmm… that’s actually a great idea.  Let me add that to the registry. lol

 

OH! So…. Christian’s cousin Kristy gets an award this week!  She sent me the coolest gift.  It’s a shirt that say “I can grow a human, what’s your super power?”  It’s so cute and awesome!  Not only that, I got the MOST compliments on that shirt ever!  Even the teenage checker guy at the grocery store loved it!  By the end of the day, I was feeling pretty dang good about myself. I mean who doesn’t like a compliment?  J It’s my new favorite and I might wear it everywhere.  (It’s actually the white shirt in the top picture but I forgot to take a pic of the front… I will get it next time). 

Alright last thing, Christian is officially not the only one that has felt the baby kick!  My co-worker, Jazmine, got to feel a little bump and was so excited she had to rub it in a bit to some of the others. Haha!  They will get their chance though because she is an active little one.

So next week is my 24 week appointment and I will give you an update on what he tells me.  I am secretly hoping he wants to play with his ultrasound machine… but I am not counting on it.

Daddy Time

There has been a little gap in posts, but lucky for you that means things have happened!  ☺  So let’s start off with our little girl.  She is now 22 weeks!  At this point, there isn’t a set “your baby should measure ‘x’ and weigh about ‘x’ ounces”.  It’s now a range.  Pretty cool I guess.  So based on that, Aria is about the size of a Papaya measuring anywhere from 10.5-11.8 inches and weighing anywhere from 12.7-20.8 ounces.  She is starting to look more like a newborn and is sleeping in cycles - about 12-14 hours per day.  Now that I can feel her kicking, I can pick up on her little routines.  For example, she is usually pretty still (probably sleeping) in the evening time… but from about 9:30-10:15pm… she is SUPER active.  That’s the time where she is non-stop moving.  It’s actually pretty funny.  I always wonder what the heck she does.  Maybe she has a daily workout routine. Haha!

Ok so last post I mentioned that Christian hadn’t felt anything yet.  That has now changed!!  So during one of Aria’s active moments on Friday, May 29th I noticed she wasn’t kicking her usual little kicks.  She was like body slamming my belly. Lol!  They were some of the hardest kicks that I had felt.  I decided to have Christian put his hand on my belly to see if maybe… just maybe… he could feel something.  And guess what?! HE DID!! At first, he was like “I think that was something…” and then she laid one on him and it changed to “Oh yeah… that was definitely a kick!”  What an awesome moment!  Christian was so excited!!  He got to feel a few more and then she must have worn herself out because she completely stopped.  Maybe she noticed we were spying on her. Hmm… Regardless, we know he can now feel her when she kicks hard (Usually around the same time of day).  He has been able to enjoy it more and more every day.  I am so blessed to have a husband that wants to be involved in all these special moments.

Another fun thing that happened was my dad came to visit.  Only for a day, but I will take it!  My parents live in Massachusetts and I am super bummed that they aren’t able to be more a part of this pregnancy.  While my dad was here, he talked to my belly and tried to feel a kick but she was being stubborn.  He did get to hear her heartbeat though!  We have a fetal doppler at home so I pulled it out and let him listen to her.  Those were definitely special moments between Father/Daughter and Grandfather/Granddaughter.  

Now that I am bumping, a lot of people ask me the same question… “Don’t you hate when people just come up to you and touch your belly?”  My answer to that is: No, I don’t.  In my opinion, if I know you and am friends with you, go for it.  I probably hug you anyway because I am an affectionate person.  If I don’t know you (like a complete stranger), then it will be awkward and I will most likely step away.  For those people, I mean… I get it, it’s a bump… it’s out there… staring at you.  It’s tempting!  But just try to hold that urge back. I have always asked others before touching because there are so many women that actually don’t like it at all.  Weird.  Anyway, you know my take on it so chances are if you read this, you know me and you are on the list of people allowed to touch the bump. Lol.  So far only a few people have touched my belly and it hasn’t bothered me one bit.  Actually, I work with the Young Women in our ward at church and some of those girls absolutely love rubbing my belly.  It’s great and I love it!  Then again… they do have me wrapped around their finger. ☺

So far things continue to be good with the pregnancy.  Sure there are unpleasant things to deal with, but I am just so darn happy to be pregnant, grow my little family and have such a wonderful husband to support me through it all… I can’t complain.  Only 18 weeks to go after I complete this one…. CUH-RAZY!! Time is flying by right now.  Before I know it, I will have less sleep, smelly diapers to change and new memories to make.  I know around the last month or so when I am huge and waddling around, time will seem to stop.  For now I am just trying to keep up with everything.