27 Weeks: Hello Third Trimester!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  I have so much to be thankful for this year and at the very top of that list is this little AppleSeed growing ever so rapidly inside me.  It's a challenge to be thankful for how quickly she is growing and how soon she will be making her appearance but I'm just trying to take it a day at a time and know that it will all get done eventually!

We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family a few days early last weekend.  I didn't take many pictures at all because I was just enjoying the short amount of time I had with my loved ones.  Here are the few I snapped:

 Mal getting ready to open up her birthday present from Aunt Mary & Uncle Jeff.

 Karly & Mallory admiring the Bedtime Peppa Pig that Mallory got.

 Me & my hottie of a husband.

 Karly set up an elaborate tea party for everyone.  If you look closely to the left of the picture, you'll see each place setting has a "waffle," a cup with "tea," crayons for utensils, and a Mr. Potato Head body part to play a game after we have tea.  She was also thoughtful enough to place a towel in the center of the blanket in case any "tea" got spilled.  I love that girl!

Some of the tea party guests, Patrick, Meme, and Kenzey!  It was so good to have my brother visit from Nashville and we're so glad Meme could join us, as well. 

As I alluded to in the first two pictures, my niece, Mallory had a birthday this week.  She turned THREE!  So hard to believe she's gone from a tiny little nugget to the "big girl" she is now!  Picture illustration:

She was such a cuddly newborn (ahhh, I can't wait to have my very own)!

She is not a huge fan of having her picture taken lately so it was quite the challenge to find this one!

I am hosting Thanksgiving for Jeff's family at my house this year for the very first time!  Am I a real grown-up or what?  Thankfully I am not responsible for all the cooking & my amazing hubby helped a bunch with cleaning and general preparations.  I will save pics and details about the day for another post.  Jeff, AppleSeed & I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones and yummy food!

Here are the "bump" and my weekly stats:

Just so everyone knows, you should consider yourselves very lucky that I am willing to show my bare belly.  I swore I never would but I actually really like this pic! 

How far along? 27 Weeks

Baby is the size of a:  head of cauliflower

Maternity clothes? Yup!  There's definitely no way I could fit into regular pants (besides PJ's and such).  I am very thankful I can still wear a lot of my non-maternity shirts!

Symptoms: Congestion, nosebleeds, moodiness, leg cramps, indigestion, increased thirst and hunger, lots of peeing, "pregnancy brain," etc., etc....!

Sleep:  Pretty good this week.  My cough has let up quite a bit (especially when I'm sleeping) and I think the warm steam vaporizer I bought is helping a lot with that & my congestion.

Best moment this week:  Spending the weekend with my family in celebration of an early Thanksgiving.

Miss anything? Being able to eat my fried eggs over easy and eating the batter while I'm baking (I know I should probably never do this but the risk is worth is when I'm not pregnant...putting my baby in danger, not so much worth the risk).

Number of times I get up to pee each night:  Just once, sometimes twice!

Food cravings:  Cinnamon crunch bagel from Panera and anything sweet!

Movement:  All the time!  Haven't felt any hiccups yet but evidently I should soon.

Stretch marks:  Nope!

Belly button - in or out?  Still in but definitely quite flat.

Wedding rings - on or off?  Still on, thank goodness!

Mood:  I have had two major meltdowns in the past week & I'm REALLY hoping they don't become the norm now that I'm entering my 3rd trimester.

Looking forward to:  Having six days off from work & getting stuff done in the nursery *crosses fingers*

Baby preparations:  Looking very hard for used or new furniture that's a good price and thinking about going to look at paint very soon!  (I know I'm very behind by most people's standards so do not feel the need to mention this, hehe).

What the baby is up to this week according to Babycenter.com:  This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (about the size of a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

"Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving And the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small." --Jeremiah 30:19

The Bird is 26 Weeks Pregnant!

Has it seriously already been a week since my last post?  Each week, I sit down to write a post and think, "I don't really have anything new to say," but I always come up with something!  I've actually had a fairly busy (in a good way) week.  Last Friday, after sleeping because I worked the night before, Jeff's sister, Robin, her husband, Josh, their two kids, Hazel & Virgil, and Jeff's Mom came over for dinner.  Jeff & I made "Hearty Sausage Soup."  It was quite yummy!  Maybe I'll post about it next time I make it.  After dinner, I whipped up my yummy layered taco dip (a Pampered Chef recipe I got from my sister) to bring to work where one of my co-workers suggested we have a Fiesta of sorts.  I had to work at 11pm and thankfully, it was a good night (I was due for one)!

Saturday, I slept and when I got up and ready, Jeff and I went to eat dinner at Five Guys (one of my preggo faves).  After that, we did some brief shopping (I was just looking for one small thing in particular).  Then, we went to see our friends' band, My Epic, play at a local church.  Jeff was on the same hall as a couple of guys in the band and we have remained friends as they have gained quite a following and God has blessed their ministry immensely.  If you enjoy rock music with sound theological lyrics, you should check them out.  They have several albums on iTunes and another being released very soon!  Seriously, I don't just like their music because we're friends.  It is really good stuff!

Sunday morning, Jeff & I went to church.  Then, on our way home to eat leftover soup, Jeff convinced me (it doesn't take much) to go eat at our favorite Japanese restaurant, Tokyo.  I took a nap when we got home and got up and went to work....again!  The census had dropped quite dramatically since I was there the previous morning and I only had 2 patients.  Then, I got sent home at 11pm because I was scheduled to work 8 extra hours this week.  Yay!

Monday, I took advantage of a full day off with no agenda and went shopping.  I went to the mall in search of nursery decor.  It wasn't entirely successful.  I found some good stuff at TJ Maxx and a pattern at Joann Fabrics for my Mom to make a crib skirt and bumper but otherwise, I came up empty-handed. Oh well, I still have the internet!  Tuesday, I had the pleasure of accompanying my sister-in-law to her first ultrasound!  It was fun to see my niece or nephew for the first time.  I also got my hair cut and highlighted as you can see in my belly bump pic below.  In not so great news, I have continued to be sick with a cough and other cold symptoms this week.  I got lots of good recommendations from my midwife and thankfully, last night was the first relatively cough-free night I've had in a while.  My congestion was also noticeably better.  So, I'm praying fiercely that I'm on the mend and I can put this 2 1/2 week illness behind me very soon!

OK, I guess that's enough about my week!  Here is my belly bump this week...

And here are my weekly stats:

How far along? 26 Weeks

Baby is the size of a: scallion or head of lettuce

Maternity clothes? Yes, still able to wear some non-maternity shirts and I'm loving having such a large wardrobe!

Symptoms: Increased congestion (especially when trying to sleep), bloating/gas, increased thirst and urinary frequency, clumsiness, forgetfulness, round ligament pain, fetal movement...

Sleep: Not so great but this is mostly due to my cold/cough/congestion!

Best moment this week: Seeing my niece/nephew on ultrasound!

Miss anything? Currently, I miss not having a cough (I know that's not really what this question is asking, but it's all I can think of)!

Number of times I get up to pee each night: 1-2

Food cravings: I've been doing pretty good this week!  I might crave something briefly but then, I'm able to put it out of my mind without obsessing over it until I get to eat it.  In general, the sweet tooth is still large and in charge and I still love me some french fries!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Movement: Yes!  Lots of it!  I love how I can almost start to make out body parts when she kicks/punches/elbows/knees me!

Stretch marks? Nope!  Loving my genetics right now!

Belly button – in or out? Kinda flat but still in.

Wedding rings – on or off? On!  Still very thankful for the lack of swelling at this point.

Mood: Other than getting a little down about how I've been feeling, I think I've stayed pretty upbeat!

Looking forward to: Getting some more tangible things done to prepare the nursery, we're getting there, slowly but surely!

Baby preparations: Fine tuning my registries (Target and Babies R Us, if you care to know); searching Craigslist, etc., for baby furniture almost daily; browsing ebay, Etsy, etc. for nursery decor and necessities.

What the baby is up to this week according to Babycenter.com: The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before.She may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about 1 2/3 pounds and measures 14 inches (about the size of a scallion) from head to heel.

25 Weeks Preggo!

Time just keeps speeding along here in baby-growing-land!  I know it's just going to fly by even faster with the holidays fast approaching and this baby will be here before we all know it!  I'm trying to take it one day at a time and get as much done as I can when I have free time...which is thankfully more abundant since I finished teaching clinicals as of this past weekend.  Hooray!  I love teaching, don't get me wrong, but working 40+ hours a week for several weeks on end is quite the challenge, especially when pregnant.  So, once I grade a few more things, that portion of my life will be behind me...and for quite some time since I am taking next semester off!

Other than teaching and working, this week has been consumed with trying to finish up my registries and going to my 24 week OB check-up.  Even though I decided to transfer care to New Life Birth Center, I went ahead and kept my already scheduled appointment at my previous midwife's office.  And wouldn't you know, I saw a new midwife this time and she was excellent!  That didn't change my decision, though, and I requested my records be faxed to the new place and officially transferred care.  The only downside that I can foresee is the long drive, especially for appointments, especially when they get more frequent towards the end of my pregnancy.  But, I believe it will be worth it and I will be happy with this decision.  Everything checked out OK at my appointment Monday except I was spilling some ketones in my urine so I have been trying REALLY hard to drink a lot more water and eat better.  The sugar consumption was getting a little out of control there for a bit.  It's still a challenge but I'm doing much better.

Last evening, I took some time for myself and baked some muffins I've been craving for a couple days.  One of these days, I'm going to do a whole baking post but this time, I was too lazy to take a bunch of pictures while baking so you just get the end result...

Banana-Walnut-Coconut Muffins

I took my standard recipe and altered it a little, substituting coconut oil for the shortening/butter, adding cinnamon and walnuts (the recipe just calls for nutmeg), substituting whole wheat flour for some of the regular, and sprinkling shredded coconut on top!  They are sooo tasty!  It was everything I could do to not eat the entire batch (I must confess, I still ate 3).

I must run start getting ready for work so here is my rapidly growing bump and below it my stats for this week...

How far along? 25 Weeks

Baby is the size of a(n): rutabaga or cauliflower (weird, I know)

Maternity clothes?  Yes, but still wearing some regular clothes, too.  My wardrobe has never been this big!

Symptoms: Hearty appetite, indigestion, headaches, increased congestion, occasional aches in my lower belly, clumsiness, occasional leg cramps while sleeping, increased thirst and urination, lots of fetal movement...

Sleep: Still fair to good.

Best moment this week: Hearing baby's heartbeat and feeling her move all around ALL THE TIME!

Miss anything? Nope, I'm loving being pregnant!

Number of times I get up to pee each night: 1-2

Food cravings: Nothing on the regular...this week, I craved the aforementioned banana nut muffins and fudge rounds (which I'm still fighting).

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope!

Movement: Yes, and I LOVE it!

Stretch marks? Nope!

Belly button – in or out? Still mostly in but it's definitely starting to poke out more and more!

Wedding rings – on or off? On still, thank goodness.  I do not look forward to the day when I can't wear them anymore!

Gender: It's a Girl!

Mood: Good!

Looking forward to: Really starting to do more with tangible preparations...and my baby shower in 4 weeks!

Baby preparations: Mostly finished with my registry and searching frequently for furniture and other such necessities.

What the baby is up to this week according to Babycenter.com: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — 1 1/2 pounds — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 Weeks!

I'm 24 weeks pregnant!  That means we have about 16 weeks (give or take) to go!  Things are REALLY starting to get real...mostly the practical preparations since have haven't done a thing to the nursery, haven't bought any furniture or other baby necessities, etc.  My main task this week has been trying to make a final decision on where this baby is going to be born and who my care provider will be.  I visited a birth center located about 1 1/2 hours from our home last Friday.  I really liked it and loved the midwife even more.  I am not thrilled about the drive (if only it was a bit closer!!!) but the more I think about it, I'm more and more convinced that it will be worth it.  So, although I haven't notified the midwife yet, I am 99% sure that's my final choice.  Otherwise, this week has been super busy with work and teaching clinicals.  I have been suffering with a cough but still thankful it hasn't been any more than that. 

Here's the bump...

Here are the stats...

How far along?  24 Weeks

Baby is the size of an: ear of corn

Maternity clothes?  Definitely only wearing maternity pants and shirts are about half and half (then again, I feel like I only wear scrubs 75% of the time and for those, I'm wearing my pants from before I lost weight last summer).

Symptoms:  Hyper-gag reflex (especially with the cold I'm suffering from this week), threw up once after gagging the other day, some carpal tunnel in my right wrist, occasional leg cramps while sleeping (thankfully pretty mild and short-lived), growing belly, hearty appetite, increased thirst and urination...

Sleep:  Still pretty good for the most part.  Getting harder and harder to reposition comfortably from one side to the other as my belly grows.

Best moment this week: Nothing big, lots of little things like my hubby giving me a massage today and leaving me little presents (including an adorable mini sized bag of pretzel M&M's).  Hehe.

Miss Anything?  Nothing new.

Number of times I get up to pee each night:  On average, twice.

Food cravings: Cinnamon Crunch bagel from Panera Bread.  Tonight, I remembered I wanted one when we were close to Panera but we got there just a few minutes before they closed!!!  Ughhhh!

Anything making you queasy or sick: Not particularly.

Movement:  Yes!  And I LOVE it!  I'm becoming so used to it that it's easy to take for granted which I'm obviously trying very hard not to do.  I hate it when I'm so busy for a prolonged period of time that I don't feel her move.  Her movements are strong enough a lot of the time that it's visible from the outside.  I love to just sit and stare at my belly for long periods of time.

Stretch marks? Nope! (Hoping it stays that way)!

Belly button - in or out? It's definitely starting to poke out some but it's still quite the innie.

Wedding rings - on or off? On.  Sometimes they get a little snug but for the most part, I haven't really noticed any swelling at all.

Gender: Pretty sure it's still a girl!

Mood: Good!

Looking forward to: Having a little more extra time on my hands since I'll be done teaching clinicals after this weekend.  I'm spending more time on practical arrangements like registering for gifts and trying to find furniture for the nursery.

Baby preparations: Ummm, I guess I already answered that question above.  Hehe.

What the baby is up to this week according to Babycenter.com:  Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at about 1 1/3 pounds. Since she's almost a foot long (about the size of an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.