Weekend To Do List

This is our first weekend home and in awhile! Yay! I've had a few things on our nursery to do list that I've been looking to tackle and complete, and hubby has big plans for the garage. Might be the realization that we're around 10-12 weeks from meeting our little girl, or the fact that I only have 53 days left of work. Whatever it may be, I'm hoping to at least get a few of these things completed.

1. Make a growth chart like this one....

Already picked up the wood and the spray paint.

2. Make a family tree art for the open wall

Using the remaining paper from the other art work I already made.

3. Hang the curtain rod and curtains (which will need some trimming)

Went with an Antique Bronze finish with clear finials.

4. Spray paint the glider white similar to this one

Still need to order cushions as well.

5. Paint my the old dresser white

Sorry, no photo. It's painted black right now, with nickel hardware. The hardware will be staying, but the dresser will be refreshed wish a nice coat of white. Original plan was to paint it coral. However I fear painting it coral, and having to go back and repaint yet again if we are lucky to have a son at some point. (I plan to keep these items as the nursery furniture.)

6. Purchase and assemble garage shelving like this one

You'll see why.

7. Purchase bike hooks to hang our bikes in the garage

Liking this one with the little shelf.

Anyone else have big weekend plans?

Hello Third Trimester! (28 Weeks)

Sorry for the crappy res

Baby Size: 
Eggplant
15" long  
2.25 lbs

Gender: 
Girl!

Knickname: 
Mostly calling her by her nickname still

Baby Changes: 

• She's developing more fat, smoothing out her wrinkly skin
• Her lungs are mature enough that she could survive on the outside now
• She's still waking me up daily around 6am
• She is extremely active most of the day

Weight Gain: 
no change in weight from 2 weeks ago
total weight gain is still +17lbs

Cravings: 

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• My morning smoothie

Aversions: 
Still none.

Showing:  
I feel like I grew inches this week, she is definitely getting big!

Body Changes: 
Besides feeling like I've grown exponentially this week, baby girl has gotten pretty crazy. I've now had my bladder jabbed, pressure on my back, and I've felt her up near my ribs. Breathing is more labored, and I'm getting really tired again, quite quickly. Hormones have officially kicked in as well. I've had moments of just thinking of something, and my eyes fill up. I had a round of acupuncture last Thursday that thankfully took away my kankles and club foot away! The last couple of nights, I've woken up to pee at least twice, and from baby kicks. (I think she's training me for those late night feedings.)

Worst Moment this Week: 
Getting jabbed in the bladder by a baby foot to the point I thought I was going to pee myself.

Best Moment this Week: 
No more kankles or club foot! Thank you acupuncture!

Looking Forward To: 
A relaxing weekend at home. Hopefully going to tackle some more nursery projects like painting the glider and dresser.

Completed this week: 

• Picked up our new minivan (yes, we bought a minivan)
• Purchased $328 worth of OshKosh B'gosh clothes for $47!
• Purchased her first headbands
• Scheduled my glucose test for Sat morning
• Things to complete: 
• tour the birthing center at Emerson
• order glider cushions
• wash her clothes in the hamper
• purchase new curtain rod for nursery
• hang curtain rod and drapes
• choose a pediatrician
• sign up for infant CPR class
• purchase shelving unit for garage, help organize

Firsts: 

• Hiccups for baby girl
• Jabbing kicks into my bladder
• Daily dance parties in my belly, this kid does not sit still
• HypnoBirthing Class 
• Watching hubby's face, viewing a HypnoBirth
• Acupuncture to relieve my swollen feet, it worked!
• Took 7 months, but hormones have officially kicked in

The Family Vehicle Debate

We made a switch this week with our vehicles. We test drove several SUV's over the last week or so, and have finally come to terms with what our future holds. Let me preface by saying we are unsure if baby #2 will come naturally, or through IVF. And if we do another round of IVF,  baby #2 could be accompanied by baby #3, meaning twins. All of these things are up in the air, and we have no clue what will happen. We do know however, that if we happen to have another girl for round 2, we'll probably throw in a round 3. And yes, we realize #3 does not guarantee a son, (I'm #3 of 3 girls.) but we'll probably still try. No matter what, we'll be happy with what we're blessed with.

So we got to thinking about our cars.

Hubby has his cherished BMW coupe that he claims he'll keep for a long time. (If you know us at all, you know why I am laughing right now.) I have been leasing the 2012 Honda CRV, which I love by the way and assumed it would be our family vehicle. So much so that we were discussing buying out the lease so we could start paying it off in hopes of keeping it for a long time. (Again, insert laugh here.) At the moment when I was about to finalize the paperwork for the buy out, hubby decided to throw a curve ball. "Is this really big enough for us, 2 or 3 kids and all their shit, especially if we keep doing weekends away, and hiking?"

Thanks Hubby. Here I was perfectly fine, buying out the lease and keeping my car. Ignoring the fact that our last week away up in VT, we had to put the back seats down to accommodate OUR stuff, never mind adding a few more little people into the equation.

So we started thinking about what's most important to us, and how much space do we think we need. Well a third row would be most helpful. But we'll need space even with the third row in use. I like having my bluetooth phone connectivity, so that was a must. I love having my navigation in the dash, so I'd hope to keep that. I love my heated seats because my ass is always freezing. Leather would be easier to wipe down than cloth with kids.

As you can see, our list kept growing. Thus we began our search for a vehicle that gave us all that, plus a payment we could live with. Here's what we found.

1. 2013 Honda Pilot Touring

Loved the car, didn't love that the seats were some-what high and felt like getting a car seat in and out of would be a pain. Also with the third row in use, it made for little trunk space. Used was affordable, but new was way out of our price range.

2. 2014 Nissan Pathfinder

Test drove the new model and loved it! Didn't love the price tag. Again, way out of our price range. But if we had the money......

3. 2012 Mazda CX-9

Drove more like a car, which I loved. However, be advised that in order to have enough leg room/space for a car seat, the second row needs to be slid back as far as possible. Thus making it impossible to get the third row up. So every time you wanted to put the third row up or down, you had to move the second row to accommodate. No thanks. Also the third row in use, left no storage space in the back. Price was right though.

4. Used Nissan Armada

This of course was Hubby's first choice, which I laughed at. Sorry Hubby. There is now way in hell I could park that thing. I'd be hitting people and things daily. Never mind that the seats are so high up, that getting a car seat in would be a work out. Plus the gas mileage....let's not go there, we'll just say it was out of our price range, nor was it convenient.

5. 2013 Honda Odyssey - We have a winner!

I am the girl that swore she would never get a minivan. I've always said there was no way in hell I'd drive one, and that I'd always have an SUV. But as we get closer to meeting our little one, and hoping we get her some siblings, the idea of getting them in and out of an SUV did not sound appealing to me. Seats are usually higher up, you lose all trunk/storage space in the back with the third row, and most doors are not 90 degrees. We love our weekends away and hope to share our love of the outdoors and hiking with our kids.

We were convinced we wouldn't ever get a minivan, but let me tell you, this thing is so nice! I was afraid it wouldn't get out of it's own way, but that thing can haul. Never mind all the little gadgets that it comes standard with. Cooled compartment for drinks, stow away third row, removable seats including the center seat, leather, heated seats, rear camera, auto doors, built in rear mirror to see the passengers, the list is endless. So overall, this just seemed like the best choice for us, and our hopeful future.

Is it silly to buy a minivan for baby #1, 3 months prior to their arrival? Probably. But at least we can start paying it off now, and have it for when we really need it. And to be honest, we do so many family outings, that having a car that can fit 8, will no doubt come in handy now.

Here she is!

27 Weeks

Baby Size: 
Rutabaga
13.6 to 14.8" long  
1.5 to 2.5 lbs!

Gender: 
Girl!

Knickname: 
Mostly calling her by her nickname still

Baby Changes: 

• She's practicing inhaling and exhaling with her rapidly developing lungs
• She's showing brain activity, and it will continue to get more complex
• She's waking me up with strong kicks around 6-6:30am
• She is a lot more active during the day now

Weight Gain: 
no idea, clothes still fit, so that's a good sign

Cravings: 

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• My morning smoothie

Aversions: 
Still none.

Showing:  
Yes, but still not getting too many bold comments. People are still quite reserved. (Probably because I tend to wear cardigans with scarves that cover things up.)

Body Changes: 
Pretty constantly having tightness on my right lower back. Hubby and I have been trying to get a few walks in each week, which has helped loosen things up a bit. Uterus is definitely getting bigger, and she is starting to creep up, infringing on my lung and stomach space. Breathing has been more labored, and I've been getting pretty consistent heart burn, especially from tomatoes. I've had a couple nights of sleeping almost up right to keep the heart burn at bay. Even popped a couple Tums one night so I could get back to sleep. Last couple of nights have been better though, thank goodness.

Worst Moment this Week: 
Watching all the footage from the Boston Marathon bombing and thinking of all the families there, trying to get their young children to safety.

Best Moment this Week: 
Spending the weekend in Portsmouth with friends. So nice to have a weekend away with everyone before baby girl arrives. And my lovely best friend got me a waffle make, can't wait to break that bad boy out! (Scheduled for Friday morning birthday breakfast.)

Looking Forward To: 
Dinner Wed night with the ladies of the family for my 30th. Our mini babymoon this weekend! Thanks to hubby's parents who got us 2 nights up north for Christmas. Looking forward to relaxing, long walks, and Woodstock Inn sticky buns. 

Completed this week: 

• Reserved our seat for Hypnobirthing class, starts Sunday
• Found our "family vehicle", picking it up today
• Things to complete: 
• order glider cushions
• wash her clothes in the hamper
• purchase new curtain rod for nursery
• hang curtain rod and drapes
• choose a pediatrition
• schedule glucose test
• sign up for infant CPR class
• purchase shelving unit for garage, help organize

Firsts: 

• Sleepless night with heartburn
• Sleepless night due to kicking
• Wake up call being kicked and punched

Today I am Thankful

Yesterday morning I woke up to some fierce kicks from our little lady. She now wakes up around 6am each morning, ready to run and start her day. Normally, I would roll back over, annoyed, and try to sleep some more. But yesterday it made me smile and gave me this odd peaceful feeling of comfort. It kept me calm and elated for most of the day.

"Road side bombing at the Boston Marathon." 

A quote I'd never think I'd be writing. You never think these things will hit so close to home. They're something that happens over seas. Something only the military sees.

You don't always realize just how horrific something is, until the next day. My ride to work this morning, was my official first cry during this pregnancy. And no, I'm not kidding. I've been lucky enough that my hormones, for the most part, have been pretty much in check. However, events like yesterday, are one of those moments that rock you to the core.

My ride to work always consists of listening to Matty in the Morning for a good laugh. Today they were taking phone calls from spectators, volunteers, and even Joey MacIntyre from the NKOTB, who ran his first marathon yesterday. Each story just made me more upset, and the tears just began falling. When I finally arrived to work, and dried my tears, I came across this quote from Patton Oswalt. I felt compelled to share it, because honestly, I don't know what else to say personally, and I think he said it best.

__________________________________________________

"Boston. Fucking horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, 'Well, I've had it with humanity.'

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.' "

____________________________________________________

In the wake of the tragedy, I keep reminding myself that there is a greater amount of GOOD people in the world than there is evil. Knowing we're adding to the world's population, I fear what her future will hold. I fear what she'll see, be exposed to, or have to endure. But I pray that she is one of the good ones.

Today I plan to focus on the little things that bring me joy. Her small kicks. A hug from my husband. A quick message from a friend. I will continue to pray for and think of, all those effected and be thankful that everyone I know is safe and unharmed. I'm thankful that my best friend, who usually runs, is safe in FL in enjoying a family trip. That my other dear friend who usually runs, but was spectating this year, made it home safely to her husband last night. For all those who witnessed the events, that you are able to find peace and a sense of safety again. And for all those who trained for months that were unable to finish, my thought go out to you as well.

Thank you to all those that ran towards the blast to assist others. You are our true heroes and we greatly appreciate your courage.

How Long to Wait for Round #2?

Having been so forthcoming on our fertility issues, it has opened the door for some pretty bold questions. Most of which don't bother me in the slightest. And to be honest, this one didn't either. It did however start a long debate that hubby and I are still having.

Are you going to use any protection after?

How long do you plan to wait for baby #2?

Both questions are personal, let's just put that out there first. But both are completely valid questions. When you struggle to get pregnant the first time, you want to savor every single moment with this child. The last thing on my mind was how long will we wait for round 2. Nor did I think people would be so bold as to ask when the second one will be popping out. But they have, so I've been thinking.

How long should you wait? Most doctors have told us not to wait long. Once your body is in "baby making mode", which lasts somewhere around a year or two, if you hope to conceive naturally, that's the best time to try. Even if you've struggled to conceive with round 1, round 2 could be super easy at that point. Now I'm not saying that will be the case for everyone, but there's a good chance it could be.

So what's a girl to do? Hubby and I have been discussing, and the best I could come up with was "Give me 6 months, at least". Meaning, don't even think about "trying" for round 2 until baby girl is at least 6 months old. The tough part with that request is that I refuse to go on the pill, E-V-E-R again. Which leaves limited options. Thankfully, this is where the charting from NaPro will come in handy. But still, not so easy to track if I'm lucky enough to breastfeed.

But if I'm being honest, I really don't know if I'll be ready for round 2 so quickly. I miss working out. I miss going to Bikram yoga. I miss my skinny jeans. All selfish excuses, I know. But the one thing I've been trying to maintain, or hope to maintain, is a balance between caring for my child, and caring for myself. I have no idea how that will work out, especially hearing from so many moms how difficult that balance really is. I'm a planner, so believe me when I say I've been thinking about all of these things. Which nights hubby will go to the gym, which nights I can go to yoga. But who am I kidding? This baby will be controlling most things. I can make all the plans in the world, but I'm guessing 90% of them, won't happen.

Then there's the age gap issue. I grew up with two sisters, all 3 of us very close in age. Hubby grew up with a 7 year younger sibling. Both have their benefits, and I like many parts of each. But our fertility concerns come first, unfortunately. Do I want to have to go through IVF again because we waited too long? Not really. Do I hope we conceive naturally next time? Hell yes. But if that means starting to try again before I'm ready, I'm not sure.

All I know is, right now, I'm enjoying being pregnant. And I don't have an answer to either of those questions. So be advised.

26 Weeks

Baby Size: 
A Head of Lettuce
13.6 to 14.8" long  
1.5 to 2.5 lbs!

Gender: 
Girl!

Knickname: 
Mostly calling her by her nickname still

Baby Changes: 

• Her eyes are forming and will soon start to open
• She has eyelashes!
• She's prepping her immune system by soaking up my antibodies
• She's taking in full breaths, of amniotic fluid
• She seems to wake up consistently at 5:30am 
• She has 2 days each week where she doesn't stop moving. Then spends the rest of the week relaxing.

Weight Gain: 
up 3lbs in 2 weeks, total gain so far 17lbs

Cravings: 

• Chocolate
• Fruit
• Vegetables

Aversions: 
Still none.

Showing:  
Oh yes!

Body Changes: 
Bronchitis still hasn't gone away. Ended up back at the doctor's yesterday to be sure it wasn't anything else. It had started to go away, then came back in full force Sunday night. My left ankle is constantly swollen. Started propping up my feet at work to hopefully help keep the swelling down. Starting to do the pregnant waddle as well. Slowly trying to get back to the gym during the week. Definitely in need of some motion.

Worst Moment this Week: 
Bronchitis coming back in full force. 

Best Moment this Week: 
Went for a walk with hubby last night. Felt good to be out in the fresh air, moving around.

Looking Forward To: 
The weekend! Celebrating (turning 30 next week) a little early with some friends up in Portsmouth. Also got a Visa Gift Card from our printers at work. A thank you for letting them know their invoice was $1k shy. Honesty goes along way. I plan to treat myself to a pedicure with it. :)

Completed this week: 

• Began purchasing essentials each week. (wipes and babywash)

Firsts: 

• Baby shower of the Spring, for my cousin and his wife
• Freak out that we'll be in third trimester in 2 weeks
• Spent the weekend relaxing and not completing anything
• She jumped at a loud, unexpected noise on Saturday

Pregnancy Symptoms No One Wants to Talk About

As I progress through this pregnancy, several things have come up that no one warned me about. So I thought I'd share them with you, knowing about a dozen of you are also expecting. Be advised, some are gross. Most are pushing the limits of TMI.

Guys, you might just want to skip this one all together. Unless your wife/significant other is pregnant, or already been through this.

1. Constipation. Yes, it's poop talk again. Having been a vegan for 2 years, and now a vegetarian, this had never been a problem. (Actually, it had been, and that's one of the reasons for the diet change. But that's another story.) Let's just say my diet keeps me very regular. Sometimes being "regular" twice, or even three times a day. (I warned you about the TMI thing.) At about 18-20 weeks, things started to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n. So much so that I barely went once a day. That's with eating tons of veggies and fruits every day, and my protein powder has probiotics in it. Thus resulting in 100mg of Colace every day. The only "medication" I've had to take so far. And it's worth it. Things are finally moving right along again.

2. Hemorrhoids. I know, gross! But let's face it, our pregnant bodies have doubled our blood supply, making things down there, that much more sensitive. I had heard that they were common, but prayed I would not get them. No such luck. They made their way around and found refuge in my toosh. Thankfully they didn't last long. I also noticed that when I cut out dairy products, like sour cream, they went away. Thank Heavens! (I did some research and found that dairy has been linked to causing hemorrhoids. Who knew?) Be advised. If you are battling them, try cutting out dairy and see if they go away. You're welcome!

3. Peeing Yourself. Totally uncharted territory for me. Last week, when I got that nasty chest cold/possible bronchitis, I was coughing like crazy. So much so, that I peed myself. Just a little, but it was enough to stop me in my tracks, and ask "Did I just....yup....definitely did". I brought it up to the doctor, who suggested I start doing some kegel exercises to try to keep things "tight" down there. Last week, I woke up out of a dead sleep choking on phlegm, and ran to the bathroom. Sure enough, mid cough, pee dripping down my leg. Awesome. 2:30am and I can't breath and there's pee running down my leg. Our daughter better know how much she's loved. What causes this issue? Um, baby sitting on your bladder. Already tight space, being pinched when you cough. Good times.

4. Birthing Class. Last week I called the hospital to sign up for their Hypnobirthing class. The receptionist was a little hesitant, then informed me that the class that just wrapped up, was the one I should have been in. They aren't running the next round until June. Seriously? I'm 3 months from delivering, how the hell do you expect me to remember everything from the class 3 months later? I can barely remember what I did yesterday, thanks to baby brain. Needless to say, CALL EARLY! Which really means, call when you're 12 weeks, that way you have first choice. Or you'll be like me, scouring for a Hypnobirthing class before June.

I'm sure I'll come across more, but I think this is a good start. Anyone else find any odd changes during pregnancy?

25 Weeks

Baby Size: 
Cauliflower
13.6 to 14.8" long  
1.5 to 2.5 lbs!

Gender: 
Girl!

Knickname: 
We've been calling her by her nickname, trying to call her by her full name too

Baby Changes: 

• She now knows which way is up and which way is down, thanks to her sense of equilibrium
• She's growing more fat and hair too!
• She kicks constantly throughout the day

Weight Gain: 
Not planning on weighing myself until our next appointment, at 28 weeks.

Cravings: 

• Chocolate
• Fruit

Aversions: 
Still none.

Showing:  
No point in answering this anymore.

Body Changes: 
I am constantly having a tingling feeling on my bladder. Along with my left ankle being swollen most days. The right however, has seemed okay. I'm still battling this cold, hoping it will be gone by the end of the week. Nightly wake ups to pee have begun, only once a night so far. Usually between 3-5am. Noticed some new veins in my legs too, sigh. I've also had a couple intense leg cramps in the middle of the night. Only twice so far though.

Worst Moment this Week: 
I called to sign up for the Hypnobirthing class at Emerson Hospital. The woman who answered, her response was: "Um, we just finished a class, and the next one isn't until June. To be honest, most of the expectant mothers in our last class, are all due in June and July." Aka- You're late asshole and should have signed up earlier. Fail on my behalf. (Thankfully the woman that teaches, has another class, closer to our home in April.)

Best Moment this Week: 
Hanging up most of the art work in the nursery! Spent a little time on Saturday, and so happy with how things are coming out! (Including her name, but we'll save that one for later.)

Looking Forward To: 
Getting back to the gym this week. Hoping it will combat some of my laziness.

Completed this week: 

• Hung up all art work
• Signed up for Hypnobirthing
• Finished the mobile, finally

Firsts: 

• Leg cramp, twice in one night
• Load of baby laundry to wash