25/26 Weeks

How far along? 25 and 26 weeks.  

• Total weight gain: +5 lbs.

• Maternity clothes? Oh yes, and I’ve been shopping for more.

• Stretch marks? Not yet. 
• Sleep: Is getting more restless.

• Best moment this week: Knocking things off the to-do list!  We painted three walls of the nursery (creamy-yellow) and have the last one to do. We picked up the (new) crib and changing table, which match our dresser great.  We also started on our registries!  Target is nearly complete and we just need to do our Babies R Us one.  I love taking care of these things!

• Miss Anything?  My patience still seems to be in hiding.  I’m thinking it’s because things are so hectic right now, but I hope I don’t stay this way for the next three months.

• Movement: A TON.  All day and night the baby is moving and grooving.
• Food cravings: Ice cream!

• Food aversions: Nothing specific

• Gender: Unknown. 

• Labor Signs: Nothing new here.

• Symptoms: Back pain, aches and pains through my torso. 

• Belly Button in or out? Out.  Luckily it’s not huge and people shouldn’t really notice it. 

• Wedding rings on or off? On, and hoping to stay that way.
• Looking forward to: Getting through this week – such a busy time ahead!

What a blur the last week has been!  I just got back from a girl’s weekend with my Mom and sister at Treasure Island and Red Wing.  It was nice to spend some time with them, even though we didn’t win a cent gambling.  Oh and we got woken up two nights in a row by our drunk hotel neighbors.  Shopping in Red Wing was great, and something I had wanted to do for the last few years.  I had been to Red Wing many times for work, but never had a chance to see parts of the city.  It was a fun weekend!

This upcoming week we’ll be touring a daycare center.  And I called on a few other in-home daycares and have a few interviews set up to visit with them.  It’s nice to have options, and I’m interested to see how the appointments go with the different ones.  

As mentioned above, we got three walls painted in the nursery, the crib and changing table picked up, daycare phone calls made, registry 1 of 2 started and nearly complete, and a maternity swimsuit has been found!  I’m excited to get the painting done (in a few weeks – no time till after the 4^th), the crib and changing table assembled and start decorating the nursery!  And our birthing classes start in 2 weeks.  I’m excited to get started – but terrified about what we’ll hear and learn about.

Also this week, on Friday we have the glucose test and our next ultrasound.  I’m anxious to find out if the placenta has moved and to make sure I’m not diabetic.  Interested to see how Friday goes… 

Busy weekend coming up, two Dr. appointments on Friday, daycare visit, and a wedding rehearsal/grooms dinner.  Then Saturday I have a bridal shower to attend before our friend’s wedding that Aaron is a groomsman in.  Then on Sunday we have the company tickets (first row – first base line baby!) to see the Twins!  I’m so excited to bring Aaron, Cyndy and Adam to the game.   Then a 2-day work week before another long weekend!   This last week and next week will be a blur – so that’s why we have a dual-week update. J

Blurry picture, but you can see the progress in the nursery!!

Lucky #24

How far along? 24 weeks.  
• Total weight gain: +5 lbs.

• Maternity clothes? Oh yes, pants HAVE to be maternity.  Maternity shirts are much more comfortable than the regular ones I have.

• Stretch marks? Not yet. 
• Sleep: Once I fall asleep, I usually only wake up once per night.  I had my first experience with leg cramps this week, most miserable pain ever!  I woke up screaming in pain as my calf tightened up and felt like it was being ripped off.

• Best moment this week: Working on the nursery!  We cleaned out the extra bed, closet and misc. stuff from the room.  Paint colors will be decided tonight, and we plan on painting this weekend.  We’ll pick up the crib something this weekend as well.  I’m really excited to keep working on the nursery and crossing items of the huge to-do list!

• Miss Anything?  My patience.  I noticed this week I’m quickly loosing it for some of my staff, and I wish I could go out for a good, cold Strongbow every once in a while.  A few more months…

• Movement: A TON.  All day the baby is moving and grooving.
• Food cravings: Nothing in particular.

• Food aversions: Nothing specific

• Gender: Unknown. 

• Labor Signs: Nothing new here.

• Symptoms: Leg cramps, back pain, aches and pains through my torso. 

• Belly Button in or out? Out.  Luckily it’s not huge and people shouldn’t really notice it. 

• Wedding rings on or off? On, and hoping to stay that way.
• Looking forward to: Painting, narrowing down our list of names and finding a daycare.

No progress on the daycares this week.  Work has been CRAZY, and I’ve been trying to just get things moving on the nursery.  I’m so excited to be home this weekend and organize our closets, make piles for goodwill, pick up the crib and changing table, (possibly) start on our registries, paint the nursery, and (hopefully) assemble the crib.  This is all in addition to the other projects I need to do at home too – and hopefully finding a maternity swimsuit! I’m not sure I want to rock the bikini all summer long.  I have a feeling by August I’m going to look like a beached whale.  (Although some days I already feel like I am one!)

Please ignore the fact that I'm in PJ's.  They are just so darn comfortable when I get home from work!   Posing in the nursery with all the baby purchases and bedding.  By Sunday those walls should be painted!

23 weeks

How far along? 23 weeks.
• Total weight gain: +5 lbs.

• Maternity clothes? Oh yes, pants HAVE to bematernity. Maternity shirts are muchmore comfortable than the regular ones I have.

• Stretch marks? Not yet, I’ve been slathering upwith lotion 2-3 times a day. Although I’mnoticing my puberty stretch marks more lately. I don’t know if I’m noticing them because they are more apparent, or ifI’m just looking at them more often.
• Sleep: Once I fall asleep, I usually only wake up once per night. But it’s uncomfortable trying to fall asleep. My back has been very sore and it’s hard tolay on my back or side. So finding theright angle for that specific evening is tough.

• Best moment this week: Getting a bunch of stuffknocked off our to-do list. Purchased a(new) crib, stroller, carseat, and pack and play!

• Miss Anything? Not getting sore really easily. Oh and a good Strongbow. J

• Movement: A TON. All day the baby is moving and grooving.
• Food cravings: Pizza

• Food aversions: Nothing particular.

• Gender: Unknown.

• Labor Signs: Nothing new here.

• Symptoms: Getting aches and pains in mymid-section and back, sore, pressure when the baby moves around.

• Belly Button in or out? Flat-to out. The top part is sticking out, but the bottomis still in. This is new to me, so I’mnot sure if it will completely pop. I noticedin the last few days that I can see it under my tank top, so I guess that meansit’s out.

• Wedding rings on or off? On, and hoping to staythat way.
• Looking forward to: Painting, narrowing down our list of names andfinding a daycare.

Starting callingdaycares this week, and very few are calling me back! What’s the protocol on calling themagain? How much is too much? I did a ton of research before I called, butif they don’t get back to me, do I really want them wanting our baby?

I’m startingto feel huge this week. I’ve beengetting a lot of comments at work about how I’m really starting to show. People are being nice and telling me I’mcute, but I still feel big. I look downand wonder where this belly came from. It’s still a little surreal. Isee my reflection in the glass doors when I make my nearly daily trip to Targetand it still catches me off guard that I’M THE PREGNANT lady in thereflection. It’s fun, but still hard towrap my head around it!

Learn a little about me.

A Little Bit About Me List

I saw this on a few other blogs, and since I'm new to blogging and ONLY sharing baby-related stuff, I thought i'd share something a little different.

1) Started your own blog. YUP!

2) Slept under the stars.  (In a tent – does this count?)

3) Played in a band.

4) Visited Hawaii.

5) Watched a meteor shower. I remember a few different meteor shower shows at the lake!  I love all my memories from the cabin.

6) Given more than you can afford to charity.

7) Been to Disneyland. In 8^th grade, as part of our big Vegas, Colorado and California road trip.

8) Climbed a mountain.

9) Held a praying mantis. (NEVER will – yuck)

10) Sang a solo. Ha, never going to happen.

11) Bungee jumped.

12) Visited Paris. TWICE, once in the summer of 2005 with a group of students that I studied abroad with.  Then last summer Aaron and I made a quick 2-day trip to Paris as part of our 2 week backpacking trip. 

13) Watched a lightning storm.

14) Taught yourself an art from scratch. I taught myself how to knit in college.

15) Adopted a child.

16) Had food poisoning.

17) Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. Visited, but never went to the top.

18) Grown your own vegetables.

19) Seen the Mona Lisa in France. Twice again. J

20) Slept on an overnight train.  On a trip to New Orleans, we took a 28 hour train ride from Minneapolis.  It wasn’t in a fancy sleeping car, think nice coach bus seats.

21) Had a pillow fight. Who hasn't?

22) Hitchhiked.

23) Taken a sick day when you're not ill.

24) Build a snow fort.

25) Held a lamb.

26) Gone skinny dipping. Sober high school memories at the cabin.  I did this many times – it was our entertainment for a summer.  Weird, I know.

27) Run a marathon.

28) Ridden in a gondola in Venice. I am a very fortunate individual.  I got to do this with friends and last year I got to share the experience with my adorable hubby.

29) Seen a total eclipse.

30) Watched a sunrise or sunset.

31) Hit a home run.

32) Been on a cruise. For our honeymoon, we took a cruise to the Caribbean. And I’ve done two cruises to the Bahama’s, one family vacation and one fun one with hubster.  (I love to travel – can you tell?)

33) Seen Niagara Falls in person.

34) Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.

35) Seen an Amish community.

36) Taught yourself a new language.

37) Had enough money to be truly satisfied.

38) Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.

39) Gone rock climbing.

40) Seen Michelangelo's David.

41) Sung karaoke.

42) Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.

43) Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.

44) Visited Africa.

45) Walked on a beach by moonlight. I’ve done this a few times, and it’s always beautiful.

46) Been transported in an ambulance.

47) Had your portrait painted.

48) Gone deep sea fishing. Aaron and I did this past January.  It was so fun!

49) Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.  I’ve been lucky enough to see it with friends, as well as getting to experience it with my husband and aunt, uncle and cousins!

50) Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. TWICE.  I’m so spoiled.

51) Gone scuba diving or snorkeling. Yes, and I always LOVE it.  My best moment ever was getting to snorkel with reef sharks.  Next on the list is with a Great White!

52) Kissed in the rain.

53) Played in the mud.  Ha, I’m having a flashback to all the bug bites Cyndy, Bri and I got from playing in the mud.  Gross.

54) Gone to a drive-in theater.

55) Been in a movie.

56) Visited the Great Wall of China.

57) Started a business. Does my tax preparation side business count?

58) Taken a martial arts class.

59) Visited Russia.

60) Served at a soup kitchen.

61) Sold Girl Scout Cookies. For many years.

62) Gone whale watching.

63) Got flowers for no reason.

64) Donated blood, platelets, or plasma.  Tried and nearly passed out before I was able to donate.

65) Gone sky diving.

66) Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.

67) Bounced a check. High school… learning the basics.

68) Flown in a helicopter.

69) Saved a favorite childhood toy.

70) Visited the Lincoln Memorial.

71) Eaten caviar.  Not terrible, but not great either.

72) Pieced a quilt.

73) Stood in Times Square.

74) Toured the Everglades.

75) Been fired from a job. Forced to quit?  My availability wasn’t great when I was working in the cities, but going to school in St. Cloud.  I was forced to resign or would be fired for availability issues.

76) Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.

77) Broken a bone.  Broke my pointer finger in colorguard in high school.  Darn rifle.

78) Been a passenger on a motorcycle.

79) Seen the Grand Canyon in person.

80) Published a book.

81) Visited the Vatican.  Twice.  I love Europe, and I’ve had many different opportunities to visit, I’m very very lucky. 

82) Bought a brand new car.  And still LOVE my Torrent.

83) Walked in Jerusalem.

84) Had your picture in the newspaper. I was in the paper in high school and in the Monticello paper for a Bertram Chain of Lakes event.

85) Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve.

86) Visited the White House.

87) Killed and prepared an animal for eating.

88) Had chickenpox.

89) Saved someone's life.

90) Sat on a jury.

91) Met someone famous. I ran into Rascall Flatts with a friend in high school.  We got to talk to them and take pictures with them.  They were super sweet.

92) Joined a book club.

93) Got a tattoo.

94) Had a baby.  Working on this, give me four months

95) Seen the Alamo in person.

96) Swam in the Great Salt Lake.

97) Been involved in a law suit. Stuff with work, luckily my name isn’t listed in any of it.  But I get to be a part of all of it.  The perks of management.

98) Owned a cell phone.

99) Been stung by a bee.

47/99 Ain’t bad!

22 weeks

How far along? 22 weeks.  
• Total weight gain: +3.5 lbs.

• Maternity clothes? Definitely pants.  I’m starting to get good use out of my maternity tops now.

• Stretch marks? Not yet, I’ve been slathering up with lotion 2-3 times a day.  But it’s starting to get really itchy sometimes, so I have a feeling they may be around the corner.  Boo.
• Sleep: Definitely worse.  I have to pee at least once per night, and I wake up so stiff and sore!  I miss sleeping through the night.

• Best moment this week: AARON FELT THE BABY!  It was SO NICE to be able to share the movements I’ve been feeling for weeks now with him.  He agrees with me, it’s really cool to feel, but also kind of weird.  It’s like a little alien or gremlin is inside.

• Miss Anything?  Movement – I’m noticing that this belly is making some things a little harder.  Bending over, squeezing in between things that I’d normally fit between.

• Movement: A TON.  I love watching my stomach move and change with the baby’s kicks and punches.
• Food cravings: Pizza, ice cream.  It’s nothing too crazy or out of the ordinary for me.

• Food aversions: Bologna.  I know most people think it’s gross, but I LOVE a good bologna and cheese sandwich – except I can’t eat it now!

• Gender: Unknown. 

• Labor Signs: I confirmed with my Doctor today that I’ve had a few BH already. 

• Symptoms: Getting aches and pains in my mid-section and back, sore, pressure when the baby moves around. 

• Belly Button in or out? It changes, I’d say closer to flat.

• Wedding rings on or off? On.
• Looking forward to: Getting our crib situation figured out, and starting to tear apart our guest baby room so we can paint!

At my Dr.’s appt today, I found out I couldn’t do any more traveling, so no flying and no lifting my suitcase.  Darn.  Other than that, everything is measuring right, and the kid had a good strong heartbeat.  I still have to take my anti-nausea medication daily or else I end up nausea or puking.   I guess my clinic is trying to make arrangements at another nearby hospital so they can deliver babies there.  They said they will know more in another month. 

Now I have to look into parenting classes (we signed up with the local hospital – and they are a no-go now), and daycare.  I did some “drive-by’s” of daycares this week.  I feel like such a creeper, but if the house and yard look bad and mis-kept, I don’t want to waste my time calling there.  Plus I wanted to see where they were in relation to our house.  I can’t believe I have to start calling on daycares – I feel like this is the biggest decision we’ll have to make (besides deciding to start trying to get pregnant).  I don’t want just anyone raising our kid for 8+ hours a day.  It’s all a little overwhelming.