Week 26

Well, it's been a while since I've posted any pics, and this certainly isn't the cutest one ever (I haven't even showered yet today).  But I really wanted to get another picture and post up so I don't regret it some day...especially since I've grown quite a bit more since my last picture!  In fact, I had another doctor appointment last Wednesday and in the four weeks since my previous appointment, I've gained 9 lbs!!!  I can't even believe it.  Well...my back is certainly feeling it, but otherwise I can't believe I've put on that much more weight.  I am getting HUGE!  And I was just reading on Facebook yesterday about someone I know who just gave birth to a 10.5 lb baby and am truly hoping I do not end up with a baby quite that large.  Sheesh!  Although, in the grand scheme of things, I really can't complain.  I've been very blessed this whole pregnancy so far and continue to feel very lucky that things have been going so smoothly.  As you'll recall, I had to take my glucose screening for gestational diabetes at my last appointment and I'm happy...make that thrilled...to report that we passed the test!  Whew!  I'm not sure how well I would have done with a low carb low sugar diet.  Eek!  I did have a slightly low iron count, but they didn't seem too concerned with that number.  Just gave me a list of some foods I should be eating to help with that and said they'd check it again at my next appointment.  I imagine if it's low again at that point I'll probably have to take an iron supplement or something.  No biggie.
On to other news.... We've been making some really good progress with Project Baby Room!  Well...to everyone elses eye it might not seem that way, but to us we've done lots of "behind the scenes" work.  With our house being on the small side, we've really had to do some creative thinking on organization.  Lots of going through old stuff and getting rid of anything that wasn't necessary, as well as organizing everything else.  It feels really good to get all that done though and even though there is still lots left to do, we really have done quite a bit in the weeks coming home from Aruba.  In fact, Jeff is finishing up installing the crown moulding and trim in the baby's room right now (for those that don't know, we have added new base trim, window trim, and crown moulding in all of our other "finished" rooms of the house, so the baby's room was just next on the list).  Once that's up and holes are all patched we'll prime and paint everything white (ceiling, trim, crown, etc.) and then we can paint the walls, which we decided to go with a color we both love called Celery Sticks!  Fun!  :)
I've got another rather busy and stressful week coming up this week, so I should be heading off to bed now.   Have 8 hours of OT to work, a job interview on Tuesday, a meeting with a potential daycare provider for us, and vacation to Missouri to get ready for.  So,that's all for now.  Hopefully I will post again sooner than this last time!

Week 23

I'm posting this one day before my 24 week mark, but this picture was actually taken last Sunday at exactly 23 weeks. The Aruba trip was AMAZING and the wedding was absolutely beautiful. Not much new to report with Baby P except that we are really enjoying all the kicks and punches and acrobats it's doing in there. Jeff still talks to baby all the time and one morning in Aruba while we were still laying in bed, he was talking to the baby about our dinner plans for the evening at the Italian restaurant on the resort. He asked if it wanted Spaghetti and baby kicked! I said no, mommy wants lasagna, so Jeff asked if it wanted that and no kicks. Then he started listing off other foods and baby only kicked for spaghetti and garlic bread. Ha ha. It was too funny. This is definitely our child! :)
We flew into Chicago on our way back from Aruba and stayed the night there so we could make a trip to Ikea the next day. We ended up buying a few things for the baby's room while we were there (I'll post more info later). Jeff and I are both really anxious to get started working on the baby's room now, so hopefully we'll find some time in the near future to get going on that. Can't wait!!

Ultrasound Appointment

Maybe it's true what they say about parents being partial to thinking their kids are the cutest, because after the ultrasound appointment yesterday, Jeff and I couldn't help but feel like the proudest parents of the cutest baby ever!  Perfect little baby feet, kicking legs, a pudgy little belly, arms that twist and punch, cute little baby fists clenched, kissable baby lips, tiny nose, gorgeous little eyes and even cute little ears!  It just looked so picture-perfect and cozy in there.  And just makes us so anxious to meet the little babe.
Here are some pics to prove our point.  I'm sure you'll all agree. ;)


Profile view ^

View of the back of baby's head to see the little ear. ^  (Can also see the arm and spine in this shot).

Another profile view.  Look at that cute little nose!  ^

Front view of that precious face.  ^

Arms and legs.  ^

Two little baby feet.  ^

Another front view of baby's face.  Lookin' so peaceful.  ^

And no, we didn't find out the sex.  We were very good about sticking to our guns and our original plan to choose not to find out the sex.  Which I am very glad about.  But it does give us all the more reason to be anxious for Baby P's arrival, because we truly can't wait to find out what it is and meet the little stinker!

Everything else at the appointment went well.  Doctor says Baby P is looking great and right on track.  They estimated the weight at just a hair over 1 lb.  I tried to find out how much I've gained so far, but they couldn't find what my starting weight was.  If I had to guess, and based on what I weigh now, I think I've gained about10 lbs so far.  Let's hope all that weight stays right in my belly!  :)

At my next appointment I will do the diabetes test....I'm nervous for that one as I am a sugar and carb FREAK.  Just keeping my fingers crossed everything comes back good. 

Baby was in the head-down position yesterday, but they said at this point, it's still too early to get excited about that, as baby can turn around still at any point.  But it's good to at least see it practicing the right position! 

Seems like Baby P is just as active as ever, only now I am really feeling those kicks and punches clearly.  It is all so amazing.  Jeff and I got to witness a little kick-show last night actually!  We were sitting on the couch and I could feel baby moving a lot so I lifted up my shirt to watch my belly and sure enough little pokes were showing thru all over the place.  Jeff and I both got to see it and it was just so neat. 

My baby, the little entertainer....  :)

Week 21

I was up in Spencer, IA this weekend for Rachel's bridal shower and we took a tiny vacation up at Lake Okoboji Saturday afternoon and night.  Rachel's soon-to-be in-law's have a cabin up there on the lake (that we have visited for 4 summers now), so Rachel, Mary, my Mom, and I all crashed at the Hoffman's cabin Saturday after Rachel's shower.  It was a lot of fun!  Thought I'd take my weekly belly bump picture this morning on the dock while the sun was shining on the lake.  Can't wait to vacation up there again!  My last post was rather long so I'll keep this one short.  Not much new to report anyway.  Just that it seems like my belly grew a TON this weekend, and not just noticeably by me...others noticed too!  I did do a lot of yummy eating this weekend though, so maybe it wasn't just the baby's growth.  :)  Oh, I also just got some fabric samples I was waiting for in the mail...now I've got a decision to make, but "Project Baby-Room" is beginning to take shape!  Well, I just got home a little bit ago, so I'm off to clean the house and do laundry!  Later gators.

Week 20

 

Whooooah, We're Half-Way There!! 

Whooah ...Livin' on a prayer...Take my hand and we'll make it I swear...

Ok, now that you're all singing Bon Jovi, I'm excited to announce that I'm officially half-way through the pregnancy.  Yay! :)  The last couple of weeks have been filled with lots of kicking and poking, which Jeff was actually able to feel at one point!  Very cool.  Sometimes while lying in bed at night, Jeff will talk to the baby to try to get it to move, but it has yet to really work.  It's still really cute to listen to him though.  He's going to be such a great dad.
We've discovered that Baby P either really does or really doesn't like pizza.  It's pretty much a given that whenever I eat pizza, I have heartburn that night.  One night it was so bad that I kind of wondered if something was wrong because I have never felt anything like that before.  It was a little painful, but more just like this incredible burning sensation.  Hmm…guess that's why they call it heartburn.  Duh!  Anyway, it is rather unpleasant, but very normal for a pregnant woman, so I'll just have to deal.  Otherwise, I haven't noticed any other direct effects from certain foods.  I feel the baby kicking a bunch pretty much right after I finish a meal though, so that is kind of fun to anticipate.
At my last appointment I had the second round of blood tests for the integrated screening.  They had told me that most likely I'd only get a call if they saw something on the screening that caused concern, but that otherwise they would just go over the results with me at my next appointment.  But, I was so anxious to hear the results, I ended up calling the office later that week anyway.  One of the midwives called me back to say that everything from the integrated screening looked great and there was nothing to show concern.  There are other tests to still be completed (at my next ultrasound appointment), but basically...so far, so good.  So, I was happy with that.  Of course anything can happen, but it was nice to hear those results all came back looking OK.  Our next appointment is Tuesday, May 25th, and we'll have our next (and possibly last) ultrasound then.  Can't wait!

I made another baby purchase this past weekend!  This lamp...

I know I know, it's just a lamp, right, but isn't it the CUTEST lamp you've ever seen?  Ha ha - man, I'm easy to impress!  But when I saw it, I fell in love and just HAD to have it.  So, this is officially our first nursery room purchase.  I still don't even have a color scheme picked out or anything.  But, I have this cute green lamp to get the inspiration flowing!  I am constantly looking online at different fabric prints to make the window drapes and crib skirt out of.  Rachel recently shared a link to a blog of this young couple who have remodeled their house, and long story short, I'm obsessed with their site and am stealing lots of their ideas!!  (Like, making my own no-sew drapes and crib skirt).  I can't wait to get started, but I am so indecisive that I can't pick what fabric I like best.  And that's mainly because I can't decide what color scheme I want to go with.  I've been ALL over the board with it…just ask Jeff and Rachel.  Ha ha.  I keep thinking I should just pick something "girly" since almost EVERYONE thinks we are having a girl.  But, I'm not convinced yet, so I think I'll stick with neutral décor for now.  :)  My goal is to have something picked before we leave for Aruba though, so stay tuned!

We have also decided to try and find a used dresser that we can refinish and fix up to turn into the changing table (another idea I am stealing from my new favorite bloggers!).  I've been looking a bit online, but haven't really found much.  Jeff's mom has been so great, though.  Ever since we told her about our project ideas on Mother's day (we're also thinking of trying to find an old rocking chair to fix up) she has been on the hunt for us.  She frequently goes to local auctions, and even has a friend that runs an auction business.  We are planning to go to one later this week with her, so I'll be sure to post pics if we find anything.  I'm very excited about going…I've never been to an auction before!
Oh, a couple of other milestones to mark.  I've now been approached by 3 different co-workers (ones I don't work directly with, but pass by frequently in the halls) who've come up and whispered to me "Are you pregnant?".  So, I'm officially showing as a pregnant person and not just someone who's put on a few extra pounds.  It is fun though, and makes me laugh to think how long they had probably been asking themselves if they should ask me or not.  :)  Oh, and the other night at dinner I had my first stranger comment.  It was our waitress at this little Italian place downtown and when she brought me my delicious manicotti, she saw my belly and said "Oh you have a bambino!!"  Ha ha.  She was very fun about it.  And just an FYI to any local readers of this blog...Antonella's on 3rd street has EXCELLENT food!  Give it a try.  Also, last night at Jeff's softball game, I received my first belly pat.  It was from our friend's mom (and also Jeff's employer), but again, it is a lot of fun to start getting noticed as a pregnant lady.  I was so self conscience before about putting on the extra weight, but I'm getting lots better about showing off the bump more. 
Well, the countdown to Aruba is now only 17 days away!  And we have TONS of stuff filling up every ounce of our time until then.  Should be a busy, but fun, couple of weeks.

Also, just wanted to share that my best friend Krista had her baby on Mother's day last week!  Miss Kiera Jean Kelly entered the world and she is so beautiful!  Just like her momma!  Congrats to the Kelly family. Love you guys!

Week 18

We had our 4 month appointment on Friday. Still rather uneventful doctor visits these days, but Jeff got to come with me and hear the heartbeat for the first time, so that was fun. We are getting a little worried though. While checking for the heartbeat, the midwife said, "My goodness you have one active little baby in there!". This is the second person to say something to us about this. And we witnessed for ourselves during the last ultrasound just how active it really is. Plus, I've been feeling the baby move A LOT in the past two weeks since I first started noticing it. And we are just worried that we are going to have our hands full...even more than we anticipated. But honestly, what should we have expected? With Jeff and I as parents...we are doomed to have one HYPER baby! :) I still keep saying though...as long as the baby is healthy, we'll be happy. Speaking of, I took the second round of blood draws for the integrated screening tests while at the appointment also (the test for Downs and other chromosomal abnormalities). Praying for some good results. I should know more within a week or so.
Other than that, not much else to report this week. Baby Center says baby is about the size of a bell pepper this week! And it is practicing flexing it's muscles (no doubt)! Here is a snipit from The Bump.com...
"Baby's become amazingly mobile (compared to you, at least), passing the hours yawning, hiccupping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking, and swallowing. And baby is finally big enough that you'll soon be able to feel her movements."
Just thought that was funny since it is certainly what we have been noticing!
Also, apparently if we had a an ultrasound now, we would be able to see the gender (as long as baby cooperated). Our next ultrasound is in another 3 weeks, but we are still 99% sure we aren't going to find out the sex anyway.
Other than that, nothing else too exciting going on. I have been experiencing some minor back pain here and there, but I think that has a lot to do with my poor posture. Shoulda worked out those core muscles more before I got pregnant! Oh well..just have to make do. :)
Counting down the weeks till Aruba!!! Only 4 from this coming Friday. YAY!!
My 18 week picture is below. (Can you tell I'm really starting to pack on the pounds now!?!) Time to go work out...I just went on a quick 2 mile (well, almost) walk, but looking at this picture really gets me motivated to pop in the pregnancy work-out DVD!

Week 16

I know I know I know...I have not been good about posting weekly. I have no good excuses so let me just try to back up 2 weeks and go from there....
I went shopping with mom and Mary at Burlington Coat Factory, just to browse around, and ended up getting a few new maternity shirts and a pair of maternity pants - my first maternity wear purchases (thanks mom!). I have worn a couple of them, but still mostly try to squeeze into my "normal" clothes...although that is getting harder by the day. I have officially outgrown one pair of my jeans (although they were a little tight to begin with, I won't lie). I'll still wear them, but will have to start doing the rubber-band trick to extend the button (thanks Mary for the tip!). Anyway, needless to say I'm definitely growing quite the belly now. And have finally admitted that it's a baby, not just fat. I just feel like I am so much bigger than I should be at 16 weeks. If I can ever get motivated to start working out more, hopefully I won't be too gigantic, otherwise I may be on track to be HUGE come October. :)
We also made our first official baby purchase the other week...our baby monitor. I was SO excited to get it and I read the direction manual from front to back the day it arrived, but for some reason, I have yet to test it out. I think part of me is still a little scared to make anything too official. I'm weird...I know. Otherwise, so far that's the only baby purchase we've made. I've been looking at baby bedding like a mad-woman though. And of course I can't find anything I like (well...that isn't ridiculously expensive at least), so I am thinking I might make the baby bedding myself! I don't even own a sewing machine! Ha ha. But, Jeff's mom and aunt are both great seamstresses, I hear, so I'm counting on getting some help from then. Stay tuned...
Also, as far as naming goes...all along (even before we conceived) Jeff and I had picked our baby names for either a boy or girl. However, I've started to second guess my girl name, so have been entertaining some new options. I think I might be driving Jeff crazy with it actually. I even invented a name! He didn't like it though, so it's back to the drawing board. At least we still have plenty of time to decide.
Other, non-baby related things going on...we finished the bathroom. Woo hoo! I imagine we'll probably start working on the baby room soon. I think I might wait to really get going till we get back from Aruba though. My weekends are going to be busy busy coming up here soon. So, after the trip, I think we'll get more focused on getting more baby things done.
Probably the most exciting news I have to report is that I think I have started to feel the baby move. For the past week, on occasion while I'm laying in bed at night, I have been feeling a little flutter in my belly that I kept saying...could that be baby? I have read online that women start to feel the baby around weeks 16-20, but most first-time mom's don't notice anything until sometimes even after that. Mainly because they don't realize what it is they are feeling,and will confuse it with gas bubbles or belly rumbles. Even though I thought what I was feeling felt different than anything else, I have been convincing myself that it wasn't the baby and I was just crazy. But I was talking to my BFF Krista (who is due with her little girl in just 3 more weeks!) and she said if I thought it was the baby, it more than likely was. So, I'm taking her advice and declaring that it has been the baby I was feeling. So today after lunch, while sitting at my desk, I felt the baby move!!! It was the first time I felt it outside of lying in bed at night. It was a faint little flutter...kind of a light couple of "pokes" at me, but it happened a few times. IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER!!!!! I couldn't help the gigantic smile on my face and I literally started laughing out loud. I was really "LOL"ing. :) I'm sure my co-workers were thinking "Jackie's on crack". Ha ha ha. But I don't care. It was so freakin' cool! (So after typing all that out, I really hope it truly was the baby and not just gas, because maybe I am on crack if gas makes me laugh out loud). :)
Ok, that's all for now. OH! Baby is about the size of an avocado this week. That reminds Jeff of guacamole' so he has been referring to baby as just Mole'. he he he.