Week 29 Pregnancy Quiz

How far along: 29weeks, 5days
Total weight gain/loss: +20.5; yep, I just busted out the .5!
Maternity clothes: No, bought a couple pairs of shorts the other day. Weekend wear is what I am in need of, but don't want to buy. I just wear dresses and skirts to work.
Stretch marks: Nothing new
Sleep: I can't get enough. I'm exhausted. I do sleep well, though. A helicopter could land in my back yard, and I don't think I would budge. The only thing that can wake me up...my bladder!
Best moment this week: Getting some new clothes for the little monkey! I love them!! Oh, and the massage was perfection.
Movement: He's pretty active, but I feel more stretching than kicking.

Food cravings: Chocolate cake. Jordan had to make a run to the grocery store the other night b/c I wanted to make a cake. He's a good husband :)
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out: In
What I miss: Shopping for cute summer clothes. Cute baby clothes will have to tide me over ;)
What I am looking forward to: Our 3d/4d u/s on Wednesday! Pictures to come!!
Weekly Wisdom: Don't sweat the small stuff :)
Milestones: I don't know...another week down...

And the belly...please excuse the grainy look, and the fact that my husband was apparently drunk when he took them b/c they are so crooked!

All good things must come to an end...

Well, it's over. My vacation that is. Jordan and I had hoped to get to the beach for at least a few days together, but because he has a fairly new job, and no vacation time yet, it didn't work out. I didn't let this get me down, though! I decided to go ahead and take vacation time for myself! It was so nice to be away from the office for 5 days (and to come back to a 2 day week isn't bad either!). Better categorized as a "stay"cation, it came to an abrupt ending this morning at 7:00 am to the sound of my alarm. Oh, how I didn't miss that for the past week!

Unfortunately, I was feeling so sick on Thursday. My first official day of vacation was spent on the sofa in my pjs. At first I was mad. I was on vacation. I shouldn't be sick. But then I thought, "I'm on vacation. Feeling gross or not, I can lay here all day long and no one can stop me!" And that's exactly what I did.

The next couple of days were spent at my parent's house in the pool. It was me and the 3 dogs on Saturday, so pretty boring, but I just floated and read my book, Shopaholic & Baby. I love the Shopaholic series, but I couldn't bring myself to read this final one last summer. I picked it up last week, and once I started, I couldn't put it down! Jordan joined me later that evening to grill out by the pool and we both hung out, floated, and swam around on Sunday since it was his day off. We've decided that a pool is a must for our future home. I love going to my parents' and hanging out with them, but there is something so romantic and wonderful about sitting out by the pool as the sun goes down, grilling out, and just spending time with each other. It was fun to pretend while mom and dad were out of town :)

I did a little nesting on Monday. I have been so slack in cleaning during this pregnancy, and it is so not like me! Recently, I have become more aware of what a wreck our house is, and poor Jord has gotten an earful more than a few times. We are in training mode now. This man has got to learn that dirty clothes go in a hamper, dirty dishes get rinsed and put in the dishwasher, trash goes in the trashcan (NOT the nearest surface that it can be set on!), etc. I have my work cut out for me! I figured that the best way to train was with a fresh start. So, I cleaned out the fridge and freezer, got some cabinets organized and rearranged, and have a to-do list that I will be working on over the next few days. If everything starts with a "home," I'm convinced my husband can help me keep it that way. Positive thinking!

Tuesday was Jordan's day off, and I scheduled a couple's massage for us that morning. Best.Idea.Ever! It was so relaxing. We slept in, went off to the spa, went out car shopping, and then, you guessed it, spent the rest of the afternoon in the pool! It was a perfect day!

I ended my relaxing week with a trip to the outlet stores with my mom, dad, and brother. We had a great time, but if I can be perfectly honest, it wasn't all that fun shopping as a pregnant person. All the stores had great deals, and though I'm really not wearing that many maternity clothes, I have had to go up a size in most shirts thanks to the ever expanding chest and didn't want to buy something that most likely won't fit next summer. I was able to find a few things for Jordan, and, thanks to my mom, the little monkey racked up! We found several adorable outfits at Polo and the Carter's outlet and Uncle Taylor picked out some "Air Jordan" socks at the Nike outlet. He's going to be one stylin' dude! I showed off everything to Jordan last night when he got home from work, and he loved it all. He did laugh and say that it's obvious that our little monkey is going to be preppy. But of course!

So, there was no sand in my toes, and I didn't get to go to any fun out-of-the-norm restaurants to eat, but I had 7 days of doing just what I wanted to do! I don't know how it gets better than that! :)

Week 28 Pregnancy Quiz

I can't believe another week has already come and gone!!

How far along: 28weeks, 4days
Total weight gain/loss: +20

Maternity clothes: Not a lot

Stretch marks: Underneath my boobs! Ha--just noticed those babies, randomly, the other day. They could have been there for a while, who knows?

Sleep: I.Love.Sleep.

Best moment this week: Jordan and Mom saw my belly move over the weekend. Neato!

Movement: (so, this category disappeared at some point...my bad!) I'm starting to feel him a lot more now that he's bigger. Apparently the anterior placenta has been cushioning his kicks.

Food cravings: Nothing, really. Food sucks.

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: None (but I've felt a few Braxton Hicks, so the body is practicing!)

Belly Button in or out: In

What I miss: My sanity! I can go from totally happy to complete hysterics in 2 seconds flat!

What I am looking forward to: Getting a massage next week

Weekly Wisdom: Let your husband rub your back as much as you would like. He may ACT like he doesn't want to, but he does enjoy being able to help you out. hehe ;)

Milestones: We're starting doctor visits every 2 weeks!!

So surreal

I'm sitting here watching my belly actually move! It is insane!! I'm pretty sure with this new development I will get nothing done until he is born b/c I will be staring at my belly all day long. And I'm sure when he gets here I'll spend all day just staring at him. So much for ever being productive again....

:)

"Being perfect isn't so bad!"

That's a quote from my doctor during our appointment this morning! Can I tell you what an awesome feeling it is to hear that everything is perfect with mommy and baby after all the crap we've dealt with? It feels good, and I'm basking in it :)

A few things from the u/s:

• The monkey is measuring right around 58%, so almost right at the average baby mark. Well, with the exception of his head-which is about a week+ ahead. Yikes! I made the comment, "I'd like to thank his dad for that" and my doctor looked at Jordan and said, "yeah, I can see that!" Bwahahaha!! Poor guy. (Who am I kidding? Poor guy? Poor me! I have to birth this big-headed kid!!)
• I have an anterior placenta. I have been so worried that I couldn't feel him moving a lot, but even more upset that Jordan couldn't feel him too much. Turns out, I just have some extra cushioning in the front, and as he gets bigger, the doctor assures us the kicks will become stronger, and I'll be thankful for the extra protection!
• As I said before, the cardiac focus is still there. Our new motto, "We aren't going to focus on the focus." :)

I have gained right at 20 pounds (a little more than I actually thought--oops!), and I was worried that I was gaining too much weight. Dr. H said that I was right on track with the recommended "average person" weight gain. She said if I gain about a pound a week from here on out, I'll fall right into the 25-35 gain suggested for my body type. My belly is measuring right at 28 weeks. If I had to guess, I'd say my boobs are measuring right around 40. Seriously. They won't stop growing, and I'm worried about when my milk comes in. Oy!

Dr. H was very pleased with my blood pressure today and the numbers I gave her from the past 4.5 weeks. I'm not showing any signs of high blood pressure, so she thinks just being at the doctor's office might have caused me to be a little nervous, and therefore my b/p was a little high.

Great news-my blood work and glucose levels were good. No gestational diabetes for me!! This is great news for my health and the monkey's health, but I'm just so happy I don't have to go on a special diet. With the morning sickness still wanting to stick around, carbs are my friend, and if I had to say goodbye, it would have been very bad.

Oh, get this. I got an email from the childbirth class coordinator this afternoon that said, "We will not be offering childbirth classes until further notice." That's it. No explanation. No suggestions on where one could go for classes. Nothing. Looks like I have some research to do tomorrow...

And now we start with doctor visits every 2 weeks! Holy cow! We are getting so close!!

Week 27 Pregnancy Quiz

How far along: 27weeks, 5days
Total weight gain/loss: +16
Maternity clothes: Mostly in dresses I already had. And gym shorts on the weekends!
Stretch marks: Nothing new to report
Sleep: Sleep at night is still comfortable. By mid-afternoon, though, I'm ready to crash.
Best moment this week: Seeing the monkey at our u/s yesterday!
Food cravings: Nothing
Gender: Definitely a Boy :)
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out: In
What I miss: Being able to do things on my own. I have to have people pick up boxes of books at work, which I normally wouldn't have a problem lifting. Stuff like that!
What I am looking forward to: Vacation time starting next Thursday!!!
Weekly Wisdom: Keep lotion on you at all times. Scratching your itchy belly won't help. Rubbing lotion on it will :)
Milestones: Reaching the 3rd tri!

And here's my belly this morning:

Ultrasound and Gestational Diabetes Test

Yesterday we had our monthly appointment scheduled, along with an ultrasound, and the 1-hour blood glucose test. It was bound to be a long morning! Unfortunately, my Dr. H had an emergency come up and had to cancel my monthly check, but I was still able to come in for the other 2.

The ultrasound was great! Because we go to a teaching hospital, a student does the initial check and measurements, and then the ultrasound tech comes behind them and does the whole thing over again! It's double the pictures of each little feature of the monkey, so I have no complaints! The student and tech yesterday were so sweet, and they told Jordan and I everything we were looking at and explained measurements and other stuff. Baby Hampton is growing right on track. Every measurement was between 27.5 and 28 weeks (except his head circumference was at 30 weeks, but that's not too bad. I'd like to thank his father for that one!). He is breech, but he has plenty of time to move at this point, so no worries. The main purpose of this ultrasound was to see if the cardiac echogenic focus we saw on his heart last time had gone away. It was still there, but the tech really didn't seem too concerned. We've decided to not dwell on it. The chances of this one soft marker meaning that our baby has downs is so slim, and it is not worth the extra anxiety. And honestly, what if he does? He won't be loved any less!!

Our little monkey is SUCH a boy! He really didn't want to be bothered, and would barely show his face, but if you wanted to see his little boy parts, not a problem. He'll show those off all day long! Here's a few pics:

A shot of his face taken quickly when he moved his arm:

A close up of his nose and lips (we were watching him practicing his breathing!):

It's a Boy!:

The office manager said that she wanted to talk with the u/s tech to see if anything needed to be discussed with a doctor then. If so, they would have me see another doctor in the practice that morning. The tech didn't seem concerned about anything, and we can wait until our appointment on Tuesday to see Dr. H. So, that seemed like good news to me!

After the u/s, we went over to the ob/gyn office to get the glucose test underway. The glucose test wasn't too bad. The drink was like flat orange Fanta with a couple more tablespoons of sugar added in--delish! I was very worried about getting sick, but I wound up feeling fine. Jordan and I walked around for a bit, went to CVS, and then just hung out in the lab for a while. There really isn't much to do to kill an hour at 10:00 in the morning! I did get kind of shaky toward the end, but that's nothing new in my world! Fingers crossed that I passed and don't have to even think about the 3-hour test!

It's a good thing we have a king bed...

because with all the pillows we have, we wouldn't fit on anything smaller!!

Looks normal, right?

Think again!

Jordan has always slept with several pillows. He likes to cuddle with something, and I don't want to be touched while sleeping! He also likes it to be freezing and he wraps up like a cocoon in the sheets and comforter. I would prefer the covers to be laid over me loosely so that I have total freedom to move however I want during the night. I also like to sleep on my stomach. Well, now that I have a little belly, I have to position myself in weird ways on pillows in order to be on my belly/side. I also have to have another pillow on my other side to try and prevent myself from laying flat on my back (doesn't work by the way...I trust that my body will wake up if something is wrong...!). So this has resulted in a crazy concoction of pillows that barely allows room for the two of us in bed! Needless to say, we won't be co-sleeping. Poor little monkey wouldn't stand a chance in this bed!

It's Official

I'm in the 3rd trimester!!

I celebrated this morning by running out of the church service twice--once to get some cool air and a second time to get sick...and then get some cool air. Mom had the exciting job of fanning me in the hall until the service ended. Always the drama queen...

I can do this. Only 3 months to go. :)

Week 26 Pregnancy Quiz

How far along: 26weeks, 5days
Total weight gain/loss: +15
Maternity clothes: Not much. I did buy a maternity bathing suit from Old Navy. It was cheap and cute enough, and I couldn't find anything else anywhere.
Stretch marks: No new ones
Sleep: Sleeping like a baby. Jordan actually commented last night that he hopes I become a lighter sleeper once the baby gets here.
Best moment this week: I just love the way Jordan looks at me. He cannot wait to meet this little guy!
Food cravings: None. Carbs are good.
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: None
Belly Button in or out: In, but stretching. Funny.
What I miss: My memory. I've never been so forgetful.
What I am looking forward to: Our u/s next week. I need to see the monkey again. For my own sanity.
Weekly Wisdom: Do your research, get the opinions of others, but in the end, stick to your guns. It is your pregnancy, your childbirth, and your baby.
Milestones: I had my first Braxton Hicks this week. It wasn't too bad, but it did wake me up. Then I had to pee... :/

Nursery Progress!

On a lighter note than this morning's post...check out our progress in the nursery! I can't wait to get the wall hangings up and finish decorating and really have it feel complete! Well, as complete as a nursery can be without a baby in it ;)

Jordan read the directions carefully before diving in:
















So proud!:














Hampton's adorable bedding:

























The swing Jordan bought for me last February when we started IVF #1. It's finally going to be put to use!:

It's my blog, and I'll cry if I want to

I sit here, on the verge of tears, begging God to let the next 3 months fly by. I know there are so many things to do; I know I need this time to prepare for this baby; I know, I know, I know, but I am OVER IT. I have really tried my hardest to not complain about pregnancy. Honestly, I'm really not that uncomfortable, sleeping so far hasn't been a problem, and all in all I don't have any real issues. I don't have much to complain about. Except this freaking thorn in my side called "morning" sickness. It will not go away, and I don't know how much more I can handle. It is exhausting, frustrating, and down right annoying to be sick since February with no end in sight (well, OCTOBER). Luckily, I am not throwing up everyday (though I do have this joy a few times a week), but I am nauseous most mornings, most evenings, and lucky me, recently, most hours during the day. Reflux has become my worst nightmare. You know, that whole "I just threw up in my mouth" thing is gross when it happens randomly. It's disgusting when it happens multiple times a day, every day. I know I am so blessed to even BE pregnant, but I take it back and I will never say again that "I want morning sickness." I know it will be worth it in the end...I just want the end to be here a little quicker!

^ Points to ticker ^

Double digits!! I can't believe how fast time is going, and I really hope it doesn't slow down any time soon! 99 days to go until my EDD...let the countdown begin! :)

Week 25 Pregnancy Quiz

How far along: 25weeks, 4days

Total weight gain/loss: +15; Actually, I haven't weighed myself this week. Oops! We'll just go with I didn't gain any. ;)

Maternity clothes: nah. Who needs 'em when you can wear a nice comfy dress in this heat?

Stretch marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Still good, thankfully

Best moment this week: Coming home yesterday to the nursery progression. I love it!!

Food cravings: Not really a craving, but I could eat Golden Grahams or Mozzarella Cheese Sticks at every meal. It's the only thing that sounds good to me!

Gender: Boy

Labor Signs: None

Belly Button in or out: In

What I miss: I'd really like a nice cold daiquiri. Kind of odd for me, but I enjoy a nice fruity drink while laying in the pool. I think I'll have to make some virgin drinks to celebrate the 4th!

What I am looking forward to: 3 day weekend!

Weekly Wisdom: Even if you're not feeling very well, try and get out and walk, do yoga, swim...some sort of exercise as often as possible. It really makes a huge difference!

Milestones: I think I felt Hampton hiccuping the other night. It was a consistent little thump in the same place for a few minutes. So neat!

My little naked belly:

And a sneak peek at the hard work my mom has been doing this week in the nursery (She also pulled weeds and took 4 bags of clothes to Goodwill for me. I couldn't ask for anyone better!):