Week 25

How far along: 25 weeks!

Gender: SuRpRiSe
Weight gain: 9(ish) lbs
Next Appointment: 10/2/2014
Maternity clothes: probably should be wearing them… but still squeezing into whatever I can…
Exercise: Yep! 6 days this week! :)
Stretch marks: nope… still lather up with “stretch mark cream” *almost* daily
Belly button in or out: >in<
Sleep: I NEED MORE!
What I miss: my frequent dr appts!
What I'm loving: baby kicks!
Movement: Baby = lots! & it still seems to prefer the right side for the most part; ME = getting harder to get out of bed, get off the floor, & I think I'm starting to waddle... already! (although my mom has informed me that I've been waddling a little for "quite some time"...)
Cravings: FUNFETTI CAKE!!! I’ve wanted it allllll week long! & donuts, pig in a blankets, & chocolate milk! Friday I saw a picture of a cheeseburger and french fries & HAD. TO. HAVE. ONE!
Queasy or sick: I had such bad indigestion Thursday afternoon that it made me just a little nauseous… but it went away fairly quickly :)
Favorite moment this week: Wednesday morning I decided to listen to baby because I didn’t remember feeling much movement, but as soon as the probe touched my belly it decided to kick it… it's the little things!
Looking forward to: my next dr appt! I can’t wait to find out if this baby has flipped or not… I’ve been trying all week to figure out if what I’m feeling are kicks, hits, or hiccups in a higher part on my belly than usual but can’t seem to… I feel so stupid but I don’t know how to tell the difference! Fingers crossed baby flipped and stays flipped for the next 10ish weeks!

Week 24

How far along: 24 weeks!
Gender: SuRpRiSe
Weight gain: 9 lbs
Next Appointment: 10/2/2014
Maternity clothes: this week the only maternity “clothes” I’ve worn are my belly band & bra!
Exercise: still love walking & jogging – but the rain this week prevented it on Thursday and Friday - oh well!
Stretch marks: not yet! {I have a feeling I may not be as lucky this time around as I was last time... my belly is REALLY starting to itch this week!}
Belly button in or out: >in<
Sleep: interrupted regularly (usually around 4am) to empty my bladder! Thursday morning I was woken up by an awful Charley horse!
What I miss: If I HAD to choose something this week, I would say being able to have a few drinks with the girls when we’re celebrating things… but in the grand scheme of things I really don’t miss it THAT much!;)
What I'm loving: call me narcissistic - but I'm loving all the compliments from people lately telling me how "good" I look! It's quite nice when you feel like you hit a growth spurt almost daily! [<-- which I'm loving too!]
Movement: YEP! :) Such a different week in terms of movement… I’ve hardly used my Doppler at all this week! :)
Cravings: not much this week actually – I knew we would be going to the fair Saturday night so of course I was counting down the days until I could get a fair corn dog!!
Queasy or sick: NO!
Favorite moment this week: My dreams…
I had a dream that we went to the hospital the day before we were supposed to be induced, because I was so anxious to get this baby here. Long story short – in my dream I had the same nurse that delivered Sloan, and when she told me it was time to start the medicine I started crying the happiest tears and walked back to my bed to get everything going - when I woke up I felt so happy & hopeful & even more ready for this baby to get here!
Then Thursday night – after receiving a special little gift from a friend with some of Sloan’s pictures - I had a dream about Sloan. Of the many things I question & wonder, I’ve always wondered what her eyes would have looked like. I dreamed that somehow I found a picture of her on my phone with her eyes open, and they were the prettiest, brightest blue! I LOVE having dreams about her and definitely believe they are little visits from her… <3
Looking forward to: my next dr appointment & seeing this little one again!

This was a pretty boring week as far as pregnancy goes... but we did have a pretty eventful week, which made it go by a little faster than last week! 

We went bridesmaid dress shopping Wednesday for one of my best friends' wedding in June! The dresses that were chosen are SO comfy! {& of course cute} I almost (but not quite) wish I would still be pregnant for the wedding because it even looked good on my tight, round belly! Hopefully I can get back in shape fairly quickly after baby so it will look just as good on my non-pregnant belly! Motivation, right? After we tried on dresses we had dinner & "drinks"... I enjoyed a soda while the other girls all had mixed drinks, wine, and beer! I was just a *tad* jealous! :P 

 

Thursday I picked up a little labor of love from an amazing friend & was so happy to see the finished products! It may not seem like it sometimes, but I am so private & careful with what pictures of Sloan I choose to share, but I trust her and gave her access to all the pictures I had of her. The quality of the pictures isn't that great because they were just taken on a regular digital camera without the use of a flash, but she agreed to try to do what she could with them. I am so glad I got the pictures that I did, but still wish I had more. And as much as I absolutely LOVE the pictures I do have, it still makes me so sad [& mad] to know that this really did happen & it isn't just a horrible nightmare... I could go on & on about that - but I won't! So anyway... she told me she had ordered something with a few of the pictures, but I had no idea what. When she texted me Sunday that they had come in, my heart started fluttering & sank at the same time - then I saw the pictures & could not wait to pick them up! She put them on a canvas, and in her words it was just "simple & sweet" - which was perfect & just what I was hoping for!  :)

one of our simple & sweet canvases :)

Saturday night we went to the good ol Washington County Fair! We watched a little of the rodeo, enjoyed some Randy Rogers Band, loved chatting with friends, lost a pound in sweat, and satisfied that corn dog craving of mine! All in all it was a great night - although I was moving quite slow this morning & my body ached just a little!

Week 23

How far along: 23 weeks - we forgot to do a belly shot this week... oops!
Gender: SuRpRiSe
Weight gain: 9 lbs
Next Appointment: 10/2/2014
Last Appointment: We had an endocrinologist follow up this week (I follow up with him every 6 weeks) and everything was once again great! Dr. C said all my labs were perfect, so no adjustments needed to be made to any of the meds he has me on! :) He said I’m “cruising right along” and my next appt with him should be my last during this pregnancy – assuming I pass my glucose tolerance test in 3 weeks!
Maternity clothes: some – but my wardrobe 4 days/week is scrubs so it’s not really an accurate assessment ;)
Exercise: my pace (and my motivation) is REALLY starting to slow down – but I’m trying to stick with it! Jogging/walking is still my exercise of choice!
Stretch marks: nope! 

Belly button in or out: in
Sleep: slowly starting to get interrupted in the middle of the night by the need to empty my bladder! (I swear this wild child uses my bladder as a trampoline!)
What I miss: I can't seem to put it in my own words - so I'll use someone else's... "I miss being the 'it won't happen to me' person"... (I've found myself feeling this more this week)
What I'm loving: Being able to see where baby decides to roll/poke its body out at – which tends to usually be on the right side!... although last night it was all over the place!
Movement: YEP! :) - but with any decreased movement {or lack of} I immediately freak out and feel the need to listen to the baby's heartbeat - which has seemed to happen more frequently this week... 
Wednesday I had toast + peanut butter and OJ for breakfast and usually baby is super active after ANY meal - so I was expecting it to be extra active after that, but it wasn't. I freaked out and my mind immediately went to the worst possible scenario, so I called Brady to have my doppler brought to me... but once again I just wasn't patient enough & 30 minutes later I felt those sweet baby kicks :)

Cravings: this week: shells & cheese, casa ole, DQ steak fingers, fajitas, popsicles, chocolate, chocolate shakes... (oink oink) 

Queasy or sick: nope!
Favorite moment this week: as bad as it sounds – my favorite part is that this week is over! Time is really starting to drag for me…..
Looking forward to: holding this baby in my arms!!! – it’s like I keep picturing that moment & imagining what it will be like & I seriously can NOT wait!!

Week 22

How far along: 22 weeks

Gender: SuRpRiSe

Weight gain: 9 lbs 

Next Appointment: 10/2/2014

Last Appointment: 9/2/14 - this was a boring one - no ultrasound this time :( But I only gained a pound since my last appointment & belly is measuring a week ahead of schedule :) Heart rate was 148-152... Because of timing & how well things are going, he pushed me back even further & my next appointment was scheduled for FOUR weeks away! I will do my glucose test at that appt & have another ultrasound... Then hopefully I'll go back to more frequent appointments! He asked me if I was feeling "better" about this pregnancy since I got my doppler & can feel so much movement... I told him I still have my same fears & I'm just ready to have this baby, hear it screaming, & know it's ok! Before we left the room he said that everything was "perfect perfect perfect" - which made me happy happy happy :) 

Maternity clothes: maternity tops aren't so loose anymore - bottoms are super comfy! Still fitting in some of my "bigger" non-maternity clothes comfortably too - which my wallet appreciates! 

Exercise: walking/jogging 4-5 days a week - but a little slower than usual! This week my body felt like one big bruise... Especially my lower back & legs! 

Stretch marks: still no new ones that I can see yet! 

Belly button in or out: in

Sleep: easy to sleep... Hard to stay comfy on one side... 

What I miss: being able to pop my back! --> finally happened Wednesday & felt ahhh-mazing! 

What I'm loving: still LOVING this wild child's movements :)))

Movement: LOTS! 

Cravings: caffeine + sweets + FOOD 

Queasy or sick: nope!

Favorite moment this week: when listening to baby's heartbeat Wednesday night, it kicked so hard that it moved the probe from where I was holding it! 

Looking forward to: seeing baby on ultrasound at our next appt :) 

Week 21

I found a weekly pregnancy survey that seems like it will be much easier to use for these weekly posts... So I'm giving it a try :) 

How far along: 21 weeks
Gender: unknown... mom thinks BOY... dad is undecided
Weight gain: 8 lbs 

Next Appointment: 9/2/2014

Maternity clothes: I'm wearing a few "go to" maternity items... but since I bought "bigger" clothes from my postpartum weight gain and then lost it all, most of the "bigger" clothes still fit 

Exercise: walking/jogging at least 5 days a week... but this week I decided to take a day off from jogging and chose to do an "easy" prenatal DVD... which resulted in lots of breaks, shaking & aching legs, and soreness that lasted 3 days! So I think I'll stick to jogging & walking for the time being :-P

Stretch marks: NONE so far! Fingers crossed I'm as lucky this time as I was last time!
Belly button in or out: in
Sleep: can't get enough!
What I miss: nothing too terribly... yet :) (although when the song "Day Drinking" comes on the radio it tends to make me miss being able to drink a Michelob [or two] this summer!)
What I'm loving: MoVeMeNt!!!
Movement: YES! so much so that some nights I don't feel the need to listen to baby's heartbeat :)
Cravings: chocolate chip + m&m cookies!!
Queasy or sick: nope!
Favorite moment this week: the opportunity to totally PIG OUT at Baby's first [un]official baseball game! We enjoyed chicken tenders, nachos, a hot dog, ice cream, cookies, and tiramisu... it was all DELISH - but the aftermath was one miserable momma!
Looking forward to: my next appt... & growing a healthy baby!

Astros vs. Rangers game: 8/30/2014

Week 20

Not much has changed this week... I'm still walking/jogging as much as possible and eating whatever I want! Me and baby are definitely GROWING and maternity clothes are no longer loose on me! My pre-pregnancy clothes are getting tighter, but I can still fit (somewhat comfortably) into most of them. (Although I'm sure that won't be the case for much longer!)

Going back to work has definitely taken its toll and I come home most days absolutely exhausted and go straight to the couch! BUT it is also keeping me busy and making the time go by faster, so hopefully that continues for the next (slightly less than) 4 months!

Wednesday when I went for my morning jog I started having pain in my lower abdomen that wouldn't go away, so I had to cut my workout short. I went straight home and listened to my baby's heartbeat... it was perfect and I felt it moving like crazy so I was immediately at ease :) 

We got our new glider this week, and this momma could NOT wait for Brady to get home so I put it together all by myself! It didn't break when I sat in it, so I'm assuming I put it together correctly! 


Baby has started making stronger and more frequent movements and I'm LOVING it! 

Here we are at 20 weeks :)

Week 19

We had another doctor appointment this week and had our anatomy scan! Baby still looks GREAT! At first we saw it laying on the placenta - using it like a pillow - and saw it yawn. Then we saw it moving around! Measurements are perfect, organs look great, and HR was 139-152. There is plenty of amniotic fluid and the cord was floating and was not around baby! It weighs approx 10 oz and is breech, so hopefully it flips (safely) between now and December! We still do NOT know gender! When the tech finished, she started entering all the info and our curiosity almost got the best of us! Brady & I both (secretly) tried to see what she was going to enter when she got to the "gender" tab, but she went back and forth and then said "oh we're not doing that" and chose the "see comment" option... thank goodness! 

When we saw Dr. G after our scan I asked if he was still planning to induce me the week he told me at my last appt and he said yes :) I talked to him a little about some of my most recent fears/feelings - mainly being scared of feeling... detached?... from the baby once it gets here - but he reassured me that I should not worry about that yet. He told me he's taken care of lots of women who have lost babies for various reasons and detachment hasn't been an issue. 

He is weaning me off of my frequent follow ups and scheduled my next appt for 3 weeks... which I guess is a good sign :)

Tuesday my mom and I went shopping for some "little items" that I still needed & didn't get lots of last time... and let me just say those "little items" sure do add up fast! We walked out of the store $800 later and I felt like I definitely didn't have $800 worth of baby things! I'm just glad I have that checked off of my to do list :)

Thursday was my first day back at work and I'm actually excited to be going back! I think it will definitely be a good distraction and I'm hoping it helps the time go by a little faster! Not that I'm "wishing away" my pregnancy - but I am so ready to KNOW that this pregnancy is going to end with a healthy baby... It's not something that is easy to explain. I am absolutely enjoying this pregnancy and truly cherish every minute of it - every kick, every symptom, every ache that reminds me that my body is changing. Everything. I'm just so ready to be able to enjoy what is "suppose" to come at the end of pregnancy too...