30 Weeks!

How far along?   30 weeks! Soooooo happy to finally see that “3” in front!

Total weight gain:   +22

Maternity clothes?   Just the same. Mostly lounging around the house in leggings and pajama pants. I put on my jeans to go out tonight and they sure are getting tighter around the belly area.

Stretch marks?   None

Sleep:  Pretty good, I seem to have a pretty set schedule now. I fall asleep pretty quick from being so tired and then I wake up once before the sun comes up to run to the bathroom, fall right back asleep until Gabe gets up for studying and then after I see him off I quickly fall back asleep for a couple more hours. I actually like it, it’s been pretty nice. I am trying to take everyone’s advice to get as much sleep as I can right now.

Best moment this week:   Spending some quality time with Gabe for my birthday, which made me think about how lovely it’s going to be when we are a family of three.

Miss Anything?    Just my old body without all the aches and pains. It’s interesting to see how many ailments your body takes on during pregnancy, but it must mean he’s getting big, right? And that’s definitely a good thing. 

Movement:   Still lots of movement from the little one. I tell him every day to “keep it up buddy”.

Food cravings:   No odd cravings. I don’t feel that I really have had the strange cravings that many pregnancy women get. I made myself a goal to try every flavor of snow-cones this summer, but with a new budget I have only had one this summer so far… I don’t think I’ll reach my goal. Good thing it was just for fun!

Anything making you queasy or sick:   Getting out of bed really quick makes me sick, but that’s a no biggie.   

Gender:   Boy.

Labor Signs:   No siree. Unless they are the labor signs that I make up myself that is. I tend to exaggerate some weird symptoms because I worry myself.

Symptoms:   Backache, sciatic nerve pain in the BUTT, some belly soreness, inability to move.

Belly Button in or out?   Still a bit of half and half.

Wedding rings on or off?   On.

Mood:   Anxious! It’s hard to deal with how pregnancy is so unpredictable. It’s really hard to plan for things… and to feel prepared for things.   

Looking forward to:   My baby shower. Can’t wait to fold and wash all of his little clothes and put the finishing touches on everything so we can say that we are officially ready.

Random Ramblings:

**So remember how I was so worried about not passing my first gestational diabetes test? Well, I didn’t pass and I had to go back for the 3 hour test. I was pretty bummed out when I got the news, but once it came it actually seemed easier than the 1 hour test. I had to fast for 10-12 hours, but I just went in right in the morning and then they drew my blood 4 times – once an hour every hour. I barely even felt hungry. Thankfully, I did pass the 3 hour test and do not have gestational diabetes!

**My newest pregnancy symptom: sciatic nerve pain. Ahh the joys. I can say, it is a billion times better than the back pain that I was having a few weeks ago. I would so much rather be dealing with this! I am crossing my fingers that the sciatic pain will just come and go instead of hanging around all day every day. It’s crippled me a couple times a day where I just can’t move my leg. I’ll step, get a nice sharp jab in my butt, and then have to stand still for a while before I can keep going.

** I have decided that it should be a given that you get an ultrasound in your 3^rd trimester, just as a reward for making it so far. Wouldn’t that be a great treat? It’s kind of driving me nuts that I haven’t seen our baby boy for so long. I have no doubt he will be a handsome little guy, but brown hair or blonde? Brown eyes or blue? It’s killing me to not know what he looks like. But I guess that’ll make the anticipation of labor so much better, we have so much to look forward to! 

One year older and... bigger too

Yesterday I celebrated my 23rd birthday. I got extremely spoiled and it was such a great day! What I wanted most for my birthday this year was to spend the day with my hubby. The last couple years for my birthday we have been moving out of state and Gabe was usually setting up his office and doing work related things, so he took the day off from studying for the DAT to spend it with me :)
The night before my birthday we had a little get together with my family and my parents BBQ'd some food and made extreme chocolate pie for dessert. Yum Yum, it was delicious! I'm so lucky to have such great parents, they are always so giving and wanting to treat all of us kids so well. We spent the rest of the night in good company playing with the twin babies and playing games.

Monday morning I got up and ready as usual and then I opened my presents. I got some new clothes and shoes, some beauty products, sweet little clothes for the baby, gift cards and money! While I was getting ready Gabe snuck off and came back with a gift card full of money to baby GAP... it made me cry :) This little dude is going to be so stylin'...

On our way out of town we stopped by the new Einstein Bagels in Provo and had a small lunch - it was scrumptious as usual. I had been wanting to check out the new City Creek shopping center in Salt Lake so we drove up there and "discovered it" as all the signs say to do. Well, I'm not so sure how I feel about the place. It wasn't my favorite... It was a beautiful area, but there were way too many people for my liking, and they were quite the strange crowd. I don't know if that is how it always is, but there were so many crazies out that day. My dear friend Abby started her new job that day right next to City Creek, so we met up with her for her lunch break. It's always wonderful to get together with my friends!

After we wore ourselves out from walking around City Creek we drove out to the Living Planet Aquarium in Sandy. I love doing things as a couple that I know are going to be even more special once our little one gets here. He was on my mind a lot yesterday... The aquarium was lots of fun, the otters were our favorite and Gabe "petted" the stingrays. It was so nice to have a day where we didn't have any responsibilities and we could just be together and completely relax.

I have this favorite mexican restaurant that's called Salsa Leedos and their closest location is out in Riverton and so we don't get to go there very often. I told Gabe months ago that that is where I wanted to go for my birthday and so we did. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.... The food was delicious as always, and they were super nice to us. I got to wear a sombrero while they sang Happy Birthday to me and we got free ice cream and fudge. Too bad we didn't get pictures of that!

After we were stuffed full of food we came back home and watched a movie that we rented from Redbox and our friends the Ellsworths stopped by with pregnancy must haves for this birthday girl. I can't even explain how wonderful and amazing and much needed the day was, it really couldn't have been any better. I am so incredibly lucky to have Gabe and to be adding another to our family. He is so thoughtful and really went out of his way to make it a special day for me! Every day with him gets better and better and and can't wait for all of the other celebrations we will have together in the future. Thanks to everyone for making it such a great day!

28 Weeks - 3rd Trimester!

How far along?   28 weeks

Total weight gain:   +22

Maternity clothes?   No new maternity clothes. But please stop making me put on jeans – they are THE most uncomfortable thing to wear pregnant in the heat.  

Stretch marks?   None

Sleep:  On and off. I’ve been having a lot of cramps in my legs during the night which give me a harsh wake up. I have to do a lot of stretches and ankle rolling before I get in bed or it gets real bad.

Best moment this week:   Feeling our little guy move around so much and spending time with family that has been out of state. I spent some time holding my twin niece and nephew and getting used to the newborn babies… can’t wait to hold my own!

Miss Anything?    Having control of my own body. I miss it a lot this week… more to come on that later.  

Movement:   More than ever, he has quite the leg muscles! I was lying in bed the other night and jumped because he kicked me so hard.  I’ve been able to feel his arms and legs poking out… it’ll form this lump in my belly and I sit and rub it and try to figure out what part of him it is. A lot of times I can set me hand on my belly and he will rub up against it… so sweet!

Food cravings:   Not too many this week. Except I guess with the weather getting hotter, I have been craving snow cones super bad. How come they aren’t open yet?!

Anything making you queasy or sick:   Being sick makes me sick… 

Gender:   Boy.

Labor Signs:   Braxton hicks contractions I think? Not that that’s necessarily a sign of labor… but I think I’ve been able to feel those lately.

Symptoms:   I have third trimester pregnancy written all over me – read on.

Belly Button in or out?   Kind of flat? Kind of poking out on top?

Wedding rings on or off?   On.

Mood:   Happy, but tired this week. Once again – read on.  

Looking forward to:   40 weeks to come!!!!!!!!! Haha oh do I hope it comes quick.

Random Ramblings:

Well this week was an interesting one for sure. I have hit my point of wanting to reach the end. Pregnancy has been a lot different than I thought it would be…. I expected that I would LOVE being pregnant. I have really enjoyed pregnancy, but it has been rough recently and I don’t know that I can honestly say that I LOVE being pregnant at this point. I have been so used to being in control of my body and it’s been an eye opener that it is now not in my control. Saturday morning I woke up with a back ache. I had woken up to one like it before in my first trimester and so I rubbed it for a while to get it out like I had the first time. But it never went away. I took a warm bath, I massaged it, Gabe went out and bought me some heating patches to put on it, but the pain was even worse than what the heat could cover up. It started making me nauseous and I spent the morning on the bathroom floor with Gabe in the hallway keeping me company. It started to come in waves of pain and kept getting worse. The midwife clinic was closed on Saturday and I wasn’t sure if it was considered an “emergency” so I didn’t page them. It got so bad that I would be hunched over holding onto whatever I could to try and ease the pain. It was the most excruciating pain that I have ever experienced in my life. I started to be able to start timing when the waves of pain came and it was worrying me, so after my next round of sickness I told Gabe to call the hospital. We were admitted to labor and delivery at the orem hospital and they hooked me up to an IV and took all kinds of tests. They took a test to see if I had a chance of going into preterm labor and that came back negative. They didn’t think it was kidney stones or a bladder infection. My cervix was completely closed. They hooked a few straps around my midsection that recorded the baby’s heartbeat and any contractions I was having. It was fun to be able to listen to his heartbeat for so long… although they took it off at the end because he kept wiggling all over the place and they couldn’t hold it in one spot. I was having some sort of contractions so they gave me a few pills to calm them down. We were there for about 6 hours I think..? Gabe kept us entertained with Netflix on the iPad. Of course once we got there my symptoms weren’t present and I actually didn’t have any pain for a few hours. By the end when they came in and told me how they weren’t finding anything I started having bad back pain again. They monitored us for a while and the doctor prescribed something for the nausea and told me to take Tylenol for the pain. Thankful to have permission to take pain medication we spent the next night and day on the couch surrounded by pillows and all sorts of snacks. So I guess what was causing the pain is uterus contractions. The uterus is connected to my back with tendons and when my uterus contracts it sends the pain to my back. At least that’s the best I could get out of the doctors explanation.  So it sounds like I am doing all that I can and that it may or may not come back. (update: it has)

It has been a very humbling experience to make myself just let go. It’s a different experience to realize that I can’t control this and that my body is going to do whatever it wants. But to realize that it isn’t permanent, it’s only a few more months. My body can gain another hundred pounds if it wants. I can spend the next three months on the bathroom floor, my calves can swell to the size of bowling balls, my stomach can look like zebra stripes, I may not get any sleep, the house may become a mess and dinner may not always be made because I need to sit down to bear the pain. But you know what? All these things are leading up to what will be one of the happiest days of our lives. My body can do whatever it wants, it’s growing a baby and it will do whatever it needs to do. And I will deal with it. Just let it go… it’s out of my control. And cross my fingers that once the day comes, certain things will become a new normal and I can be comfortable with myself again.  We are in the end stretch!  

26 Weeks

How far along?   26 weeks

Total weight gain:   +17

Maternity clothes?   Same pair of pants and I ordered a maternity shirt online but haven’t worn it yet. It is pretty roomy, so I may wait until I am a bit larger to actually wear it. Pregnancy makes it so that already boring clothes become even more boring. Time to get rid of those 3 years old shirts.

Stretch marks?   Nope, thank goodness.

Sleep:  Not too shabby now that I don’t worry about sleeping throughout the night anymore. I am pretty dead tired by the end of the day, so it’s usually pretty easy to fall asleep.

Best moment this week:   Baby boy having a dance party in my belly rolling around for literally 10 minutes straight when I wake up. It is the BEST way to wake up in the morning.

Miss Anything?    Same old, same old. I miss my lunch sandwiches and moving around a lot. Please don’t make me move if I don’t have to.    

Movement:   Oh yes, keep it coming little guy! Recently he has found his way up to my ribs and the very edge of my side… not too sure how he gets clear over there.   

Food cravings:   Just food in general. I want to eat all of the time and anything that is cooked for me (instead of something that I make for myself) tastes really really good.  

Anything making you queasy or sick:   Feeling pretty good lately, I am paranoid that bananas will make me gag if I do try to eat them, so I just haven’t tried again.  

Gender:   Boy!

Labor Signs:   Nada.

Symptoms:   Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy! Getting big, and more stationary every day.  

Belly Button in or out?   Flat. Sometimes the top barely pops out, but hopefully it’ll just stay how it is now.

Wedding rings on or off?   On. I have noticed that my other rings have become tighter though.

Mood:   Very happy. I’m loving life and am getting a lot done and ready. Super anxious for the big day!

Looking forward to:   Finishing all of my projects. Our swivel bottom for our chair is being delivered today (come on, UPS!). And…. All of the sweet little kicks I’ll be getting.

Random ramblings of a pregnant woman:

**I wish that either my jeans were more comfortable or my leggings were not see-through. Jeans are starting to cut too high on my belly and are getting quite unbearable but I am not one to go out in public in my pajamas so it’s becoming a huge pain to go out.

**My gestational diabetes test is next week at my appointment. I have had nightmares about this, guys. It stresses me out. In case you don’t know, you have to drink a super sugary orange liquid in a couple minutes an hour before my appointment and then they draw blood to check for a type of diabetes that is common during pregnancy. Now I have heard that drinking the juice is the worst part, but that’s not the part I am worried about. Apparently there are a lot of false positives from this test and if you test positive you have to take it again. Except you have to fast for 10-12 hours before they test you again. I just have this fear that I am going to fail and have to go through the awful fasting period. I really don’t think I could do it. I get ornery if I don’t eat, and I would just be a huge mess. Ugh, it’s horrible.

Handmade Happiness

Check it out!! ------------------------------------->>
It's my new Etsy shop! I absolutely love making pillow covers and I love the fabrics that are available. My main focus of the shop will be pillow covers, but eventually I am planning on also adding custom curtains and floor ottoman poufs. Just click on the photo and it will send you directly to my shop.

24 Weeks

Sorry the picture is a bit of a blur.. couldn't figure that out.

How far along?   24 weeks

Total weight gain:   +17

Maternity clothes?   My only pair of pants. I already found where I am going to shop after the sweet babe is born J I have the clothes picked out!  

Stretch marks?   Nope

Sleep:  Pretty good, especially now that I don’t have to wake up at 6:30 every morning. My favorite is when I wake up to him kicking around in my belly, I definitely make myself wake up and focus on that.

Best moment this week:   Getting used to the stay-at-home lifestyle. I am starting early practicing my home making skills and am loving being able to put more time into the home and cooking meals.

Miss Anything?    Still cold turkey sandwiches and popping my back. I usually twist my back to pop it, but that has become an impossible feat.   

Movement:   Yes. This baby  boy must now that it is his momma’s favorite thing ever. He makes me happy! 

Food cravings:   Healthier foods for sure. I don’t feel like eating any sort of fatty or greasy foods. I want salads and soups and fresh fruit. Can’t wait for summer to come so I can indulge in some fresh fruit and veggies, orange mushy tomatoes are the worst.

Anything making you queasy or sick:   Not really. I don’t have to deal with as many people on a daily basis, so I just get to smell my clean home and handsome husband!

Gender:   Boy.

Labor Signs:   Nope, please don’t come any time soon!

Symptoms:   Oh the back pain!!!! It has returned. With a vengeance. I had ankle pain all last week, but we started going on walks a few nights a week and I think that has helped improved it. It however does not seem to help with the back pain, but that’s okay.

Belly Button in or out?   It’s pretty flat. We like to have fun with it, it does some pretty funny things when I change positions.

Wedding rings on or off?   On.

Mood:   I’m a happy girl! However, being hungry is the most torturous thing in the world at this point. When I am not hungry I try to spend a lot of time focusing and thinking about our baby and what life is going to bring.

Looking forward to:   Still picking up our chair for the nursery. I am hoping that will happen this week.  Also looking forward to all of the sewing projects I have up my sleeve, I need to get started!

Random Ramblings:

*I am feeling very pregnant lately. I have to sit a lot, can’t stand for too long. I feel large but also very blessed that my body is carrying our baby boy.

*I made a huge accomplishment last weekend; I stayed awake until 2 a.m. the other night. We went out for a late night movie and I managed to stay awake til we got home, go me! But the back pain I endured sitting through the whole movie—yikes. I was wondering if that is what labor is going to feel like.

*I have been pondering a lot lately about what raising a boy in this world is going to be like. It’s hit me hard that I have the sole responsibility of raising this boy to be an honorable, honest, and respectful man. I am going to be a missionary mom!

*On a side note, I have decided to open a new etsy shop. I will be making accent pillow covers and I am so thrilled to get started on it! My first batch of fabric is on its way to me, so be on the lookout for pretty things to come. 

22 Weeks

How far along?   22 weeks

Total weight gain:   +12

Maternity clothes?   Just my one pair of maternity jeans. I’m getting bored of my wardrobe and am excited to take a post-pregnancy shopping trip.

Stretch marks?   No

Sleep:  Has improved a little bit. I have found one position that I can fall asleep pretty easily in and usually wake up several times to switch sides.

Best moment this week:   Gabe playing high-five with baby J Definitely the highlight of the week!

Miss Anything?    My mobility and energy.  

Movement:   Oh yes. It’s becoming more and more frequent. People are right when they say that feeling the baby move inside you is the best part of pregnancy.  

Food cravings:   Still craving anything in front of me. Normally I love food, but when I am pregnant, it’s exaggerated like crazy.   Cold foods have looked really delicious lately, and I’m sure that will continue as the weather gets warmer.

Anything making you queasy or sick:   Cigarette smoke and any other strong smells like perfume and cleaning supplies.

Gender:   All boy!

Labor Signs:   None.

Symptoms:   Pregnancy brain. I’ve had the hardest time trying to find the words I want to use in this update, but my mind just draws blanks. So, sorry if sentences are written a bit funky…

Belly Button in or out?   It is in for now, but it’s slowly becoming flatter and flatter.

Wedding rings on or off?   On.

Mood:   Excited and anxious! Every week gets better as he moves around  more in there, but these last weeks better go by quick!

Looking forward to:   Picking up our chair for the nursery. We are buying a chair and converting it into a rocker!

Random ramblings of a pregnant woman:

*Last night Gabe taught baby boy how to high five. It was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. Gabe would say “_______ , give me a high five!” and he would tap his dad’s hand. It worked every time!

*It’s getting hard not to blurt out his name. We were choosing between two different names, but Gabe preferred one over the other so we tested it out and it just stuck. We are keeping it a secret until he gets here, but it’s weird not to share it online because we use it all the time at home.

* So…. I can no longer bend. If I have to pick something up, I do this wide-legged “sumo-wrestler-like” squat to pick something up from the floor. I’m afraid that my physical activity is taking a plunge.  

*We have taken great strides on the preparing the nursery. I received the fabric that I am using to make the curtains and crib bedding and the colors look perfect in there. I am planning on a lot of DIY’ing and am excited to possibly share some of those projects of mine. I really want to put my touch on his room and make it really special for him.