32 Weeks

Just 2 more months. Just 2 more months. That's what I keep telling myself when my ankles disappear or everything hurts or I'm exhausted but can't sleep because I can't get comfortable. I'm going to try and enjoy the next 8 weeks with Pat while it's just the two of us. I know life is going to change dramatically as soon as this baby comes so I'm going to savor this normal before a new normal begins.

Ankle swelling is still off and on. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't. I think it's actually worse when I have to sit for a long time. It grosses me out. The last couple of days I've had bad pelvic pain when I walk. It's fine as long as I stay sitting.

Baby has been kind of lazy the last couple of days which this mama doesn't really like. Makes me nervous sometimes. It's picked up a little bit today though which is good. This happened after Thanksgiving as well so maybe Baby gets worn out from holidays.

I still continue to have contractions when I try to do anything. It's rather frustrating. I think some of it stems from not drinking enough water during the day which I'm trying to get better at.

Daddy was sick for a week and is finally feeling better but I have caught what he had which is unfortunate. We're headed to Ames and MN this weekend and I will be really bummed to be sick around all my kiddos I don't get to see enough.

Braxton Hicks

It seems strange that right now I have to do everything I can to make contractions stop and in 5 weeks I'll be doing everything to keep them going. Right now it's frustrating to keep getting them and then I'll be frustrated to not have them. Can't win!

31 Weeks

I dropped the ball and didn't get a post up yesterday. No excuse other than just plain forgetting.

I officially stopped liking pregnancy after my last update. Everything sort of went downhill as far as comfort and enjoyability. Hormones kicked in and I became an emotional basket case. I've also gotten significantly more uncomfortable and am just ready to have this baby. I knew this would happen eventually I was just hoping it would be a little closer to the end instead of when we still have 2 months of growing. I think the most frustrating part is all of the the contractions I get whenever I try to do anything. Last Friday night I was having a lot and probably should have called the doctor but instead just did what usually makes them go away. I think I stressed myself out at work which started them and then they just kept happening. Hopefully no one thinks I'm irresponsible for not calling the doctor but I wanted to try everything I could to make them stop before making a big deal of it and they eventually did. I'm starting to feel a little guilty about it now but I'm pretty sure everything is fine.

My ankles have begun to disappear in the couple of days which is oh so lovely. I'm trying to drink more water and keep my feet up as much as possible. All of these things are making it very difficult to keep up with my house.

Pat has been sick for a couple of days so we are sleeping in separate beds. He snores terribly when he's sick which didn't used to be an issue when I could sleep through the night but now that I wake up all the time it makes it a little tricky to fall back to sleep so until he can breathe I'll be in the spare bedroom. Hopefully he gets to feeling better very soon as we're spending Christmas in Kansas City this year. I'd hate for him to be miserable the whole time we're there.

We have absolutely no snow here and it's been in the 30's and 40's lately and will continue so it's making it difficult for me to believe that it is Christmas. The only thing convincing me is our tree; the stockings; and my pine smelling candles. Without those things I would be convinced it's October.

I had another stranger at the hospital tell me she thought we are having a boy. Some of my co-workers are saying girl but that's just because that's what they want me to have not necessarily what they think it is. I found a couple of gender predictor tests online and both said boy but I guess we'll just wait and see! We'll be thrilled with either one.

Merry Christmas

30 Weeks

I'm starting to feel H-U-G-E. I'm not sure if it's due to being 7 1/2 months pregnant or all of the Christmas cookies I've been eating. Probably a combination of both. I'd been bragging a little bit that all of the weight I've gained has gone straight to my belly until I tried a pre-pregnancy skirt on this morning and found it to be tight in places not my belly. I found out where some of the weight has been dispersed to!

We had a doctors appointment on Monday that went pretty much like every other one. It was with a different OB since they want me to meet some of the other ones. She was great and if she's the one on call when I go into labor I will not complain. She told me more about the lovely fibroid that is growing on the outside of my uterus and it sounds like out of the 3 or so types you can have it's probably the one I would pick. It's called a pedunculated fibroid (which is a hilarious word all by itself) which just means it grows from a stalk. If the fibroid were on the inside of the uterus it can cause abnormal bleeding and make it difficult to get pregnant (not our case here); if it were in the lining of the uterus it could cause preterm labor because there's not enough room for the baby to grow; a pedunculated fibroid grows on the outside of the uterus and and during pregnancy usually just gets shoved to the side and doesn't cause any problems. The risk of this type is that the stalk it grows on can twist which I've read is extremely painful. Sorry if that was more than you wanted to know.

Baby is likely around 3 pounds now although I'm going to guess our little baby with a beer belly is more than that.

I've had a couple of people at the hospital tell me they think I'm having a boy. It's always interesting hearing peoples opinions. I'm keeping my opinions to myself until after this baby is born :)

We had our final baby class on Tuesday and we covered epidurals and what to expect after the baby is born. I'm starting to get a little nervous about this whole parenting thing but am still so excited to meet this baby even with all the fears that will come along with it.

29 Weeks

This last week went fast! It's hard to believe I'm almost out of the 20s. We're getting closer!

We had our first child prep class at the hospital on Tuesday and had a tour of the maternity floor and learned a little about what to prepare for. We'll have one more class next Tuesday. They showed one short birthing video and I think Pat got to see more than he wanted. He asked me later if he was going to have to see all of that and I said yes unless he wants to look at my face the whole time. I think he's a little more freaked out about birth than I am but I think he'll be a great coach.

I have a doctors appointment on Monday morning which starts my rotation with the other doctors in the practice as well as 2 week check ups. I got a letter the other day saying I passed my GT test which means I don't have gestational diabetes. Good news there! She also said that I'm borderline anemic so if I start feeling "extremely tired" to take an iron supplement. That didn't really surprise me because every time I've tried to donate blood I've been turned away because I need more iron. So far I don't think I've gotten to the point of feeling extremely tired but I've wondered how I'll be able to tell in the future if the tiredness is just because I'm in the third trimester and not sleeping well or if it's because I'm anemic. I guess I'll just wait and see!

I'm still enjoying the baby rolls that are going on. It's crazy to hold my hand on my stomach and feel a body moving back and forth. Sometimes it feels like the baby is knocking on my hip bone which is a little weird because it lasts until I change positions and every once in a while it feels like baby just shivered. I'm not always sure what's going on in there. It'll be fun when the baby is born to try and recognize those movements on the outside.

Braxton Hicks are slowing me down here and there. Mostly when I'm trying to clean the house. I'll have to sit down every so often so they go away. The also tend to happen whenever I have to pee which for the last couple of days is every time I stand up. Not so enjoyable.

28 weeks

Hello to the 3rd trimester! (although a few would say it started a week ago). It's hard to believe we only have 12 weeks left! I still have so many things to do but just need to find the time and energy to get them done. We finished our gift registry on Sunday night so that's one more thing to have out of the way. You never realize what babies require until you look at everything and realize it's a ton of stuff! I'm not even the type that thinks we need everything but there's still a lot. I feel like a baby registry is much more difficult than a wedding registry because when you get married you have an idea of what your house needs. When you are having your first baby you have no idea what that baby will like therefore having no idea what you really need. You just kind of go off the advice of others.

Sleeping has started to get a little more difficult lately. I've had a hard time falling asleep this week due to restless legs and indigestion. Sunday was awful because the baby hadn't been moving as much that day so I was freaking out a little which made for terrible sleep. Maybe it was a growth spurt because there has been much more activity since then which makes this mama much happier.

Braxton Hicks have come to my attention recently as well. Sometimes I have a hard time figuring out if it's a contraction or just the baby trying to push its way out of my stomach. I guess when it's baby it's just part of my stomach and contractions take over the entire thing. They aren't painful but they are a little bit uncomfortable.

Christmas decorations have started to make their appearance in the house although the tree isn't up yet. That might not happen until this weekend. There's some rearranging that needs to happen first and there hasn't been much time for that.

Monday was my golden birthday and Pat and I met downtown for lunch and then just hung out at home that night. Nothing too exciting but birthday's aren't a big deal anymore. He was going to surprise me by having a couple of our friends over but there was some miscommunication so they came over on Tuesday night instead and we had ice cream cake and hung out.

This weekend we are going to the Iowa wrestling meet on Friday and the Nutcracker on Saturday. We like to stay well rounded with our entertainment around here! I'm pretty excited about both events.

(Can you tell I haven't gotten much sleep?)

27 weeks

Happy Thanksgiving!! I have a million things to be thankful for but I'll just list a couple.
I'm thankful for...
...this little wiggleworm that continues to grow everyday. Pat and I really can't wait to meet this little person and get to know him or her. 3 months left!
...my wonderful husband who takes such good care of me and loves me so well. I'm excited to see what being parents adds to our relationship.
...pillows and heating pads.
...4 days off of work to spend with family.


Baby is around 2 pounds now and 14-15 inches long. I'm definitely starting to notice that length. I often find some body part shoved under my right rib which isn't painful but just starts to feel a tiny bit uncomfortable after a while. Standing or sitting up straight usually solves the issue. Only one week left of the 2nd trimester so I plan on enjoying the time that I still feel relatively good because I'm sure that will change soon.

worth its own post...

Zantac is my new best friend. I've gone all day without heartburn which is probably the first in months. It's amazing!

26 Weeks

We are into the double digits! 98 days until the due date. I feel like I've been pregnant forever but the end seems so close when I think we only have 14 weeks left. Baby has been much more active this last week and I love every minute of it. Every time I feel a kick or nudge or roll I'm so thankful that God made me a woman and let me carry a child. What a miracle it is.
Yesterday I had an appointment to test for gestational diabetes. I had to drink this sugary orange drink then have blood drawn. I didn't hear anything today so I'm going to assume I'm in the clear!

Have I mentioned yet how much I love maternity pants? I'm not sure why I tried to stay in my regular jeans for so long. It was really not worth it. It's amazing how much better life is with elastic!

25 weeks

Baby is now the size of a rutabaga which, let's be honest here, no one knows what that means.
It's somewhat comforting knowing that our baby could be born at any time and have a good chance of surviving although I would prefer this baby to stay inside as long as possible!
Heartburn is still awful. If that old wives tale is true our baby will come out looking like a monkey!
Today's been a wiggly day and I think that I'll miss that feeling a little bit when the baby is born. I guess it's possible that I'll be so caught up in actually being able to see my baby that I won't think about but we'll see. I think I'll miss those little hops and bumps. Baby doesn't seem to have too much of a schedule lately and doesn't seem to get too excited after I eat like it used to. I think there's more action when I'm hungry. Probably trying to remind me I have another person to feed. This morning there was all sorts of jumping as soon as I sat down at my desk and I never want it to stop. It's probably good that baby has to sleep though otherwise I would get no work done because I would be too busy looking at my stomach bouncing around.
Pat and I got to have a nice little date last night which was so good. Pat's been putting in a lot of hours lately so that he'll have a little more time when the baby comes. We've pretty much only seen each other on weekends when we've been traveling somewhere. It was really nice to take a couple hours out of the evening to just talk and have fun.
We had a lot of fun in Kansas City this past weekend even though the Chiefs played terribly. Daddy was a little upset that his baby's first football game went so poorly. I tried to comfort him by saying that Baby couldn't see how badly they were playing but I don't think it helped much. Aunt Kelly got to feel a little kick when we were visiting her which was pretty exciting!
I'm looking forward to having the next two weekends at home to get my house back in some semblance of order and catch up on some things that have been neglected for several weeks.

24 Weeks

According to babycenter.com our baby is about a foot long (oh, that makes me want Subway) and weighs around a pound. I've been feeling more real kicks lately which I love (depending on where those kicks are being focused). Daddy got to feel a real kick a week ago and I think it kind of freaked him out a little bit. I saw my stomach move for the first time on Saturday which is an odd sight to see. Baby finally got off my bladder last night so I only had to get up once compared to the 3-4 times a night that has become my usual. Heartburn has been terrible so I eat a lot of ice cream (I like to think it helps). We're taking Baby to see the KC Chiefs play this weekend which will be fun! 

Here's a belly picture from tonight and the ultrasound picture from a month ago that I never got posted.

Baby was all snuggled in with hands behind his/her head. So precious.

This is a short video where you can see that tiny heart beating and the little hiccups. I fall in love over and over.

22 weeks

Daddy got to feel baby move the other day for the first time. He said it just felt like a light brush across his hand but I'm hoping one of these days he'll get a kick. We went to St Louis this weekend to see Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Jessica run a marathon. They did great! We did lots of walking in the morning so I think baby got lots of sleeping in. I think we were all still recovering yesterday from all the walking because baby was moving less often but every once in a while I'd get a couple of good kicks that could be felt on the outside. I still smile whenever I feel the little one moving.

Tickles

The doctor appointment yesterday went really well. She said the baby looked perfect! 

Baby has been moving quite a bit today which is so much fun! I was sitting at work today and the little rascal started tickling my insides. Tonight I was feeling some real kicks and I really can't help but smile when they happen.

ultrasound

The ultrasound on Friday was so much fun. Our baby is adorable. Baby had the hiccups and we could see it on the screen which was hilarious! I read that it's not painful to babies so I can laugh at it. We decided to not find out the gender of our child which I was very set on until after the ultrasound and now I'm not sure if I'm glad our regretful. Pat tells me we'll find out eventually so I'll just be okay with it. I'm assuming everything is fine since I haven't heard otherwise. I can't wait to see this baby for real!

20 weeks

My sweet little one- Mommy and Daddy are so excited to meet you! You're half way through with growing in Mommy's tummy and before we know it we'll be able to cuddle and kiss you and tell you just how much we love you. Tomorrow we'll get to see for the 2nd time now and we can't wait. Last time we saw you you were just a little bean barely an inch long and this time we'll get to see your arms and legs and maybe even your face. I'm told that you are now as long as a banana. You are growing so fast! I'm starting to feel you move around and last night I think I felt you kick my hand. Twice! When I told your Daddy he said "I just want our baby to come hang out with me!" He's very excited to meet you. I'm sure he'll teach you all kinds of things (including some things that Mommy won't like) and he'll be such a good Daddy to you. I think you'll like him a lot! I think he's looking forward to feeling you move in Mommy's tummy. So far you aren't strong enough but I know you will be very soon and Mommy is very excited.
This is what Mommy looks like with you in her belly. She loves it!

Lou-a-vull

Pat and made a somewhat last minute decision to drive down to KY to see Andrew & Bekah and kiddos since we had a long weekend. It was so good to see my brother and his family and hang out with Ella and Weston. It was great to see where they lived and where Andrew is going to school. I didn't get any pictures until we were leaving. I seem to have lost the charger for my camera battery and it died last week. Pat found another one while we were down there so I was able to get a few pictures of the kids. I was a mess when we left which I hate. I'll blame it on pregnancy hormones because I had been doing a lot better. I hate that my family is so far away. I get jealous of people who have siblings or parents nearby (by nearby I mean within 2 hours). It's tough to see them only a handfull of weekends a year.

it's begun

Pregnancy brain - 2
Liz - 0

Yesterday I had my underwear on backwards for most of the day. Strange thing to not notice since I feel like I'm constantly going to the bathroom.

Today I put ground cumin on my pancake instead of cinnamon. Glad I figured it out before taking a bite!

momma is completely in love

I can't stop smiling today. I had my first prenatal appointment today and we got to see our baby. It looks like a tiny 1 inch blob in the ultrasound picture but I am totally smitten. The doctor was pointing out arms and legs which I didn't see at all. We could see the heart flickering away though. She said it was beating around 160bpm. Wow. Having the ultrasound made it seem real finally. Ever since taking a pregnancy test I've had this fear of going to the doctor and having them tell me that I'm not actually pregnant. That was my main reason for not wanting to tell everyone yet. Possibly irrational but I can't help that. All I want to do is look at that picture and when I'm not I miss my baby. It's weird to miss something that is growing inside of you but I just want to look at him/her all of the time. I'm completely in love with my baby and it makes all these weeks of feeling miserable worth it.

Surprise!

Almost 2 weeks ago I found out I am going to be a mommy. This is what I've dreamed of for as long as I can remember. There's even a picture of me, somewhere around the age of 2, nursing one of my dollies. I know it is a desire that God instilled in me at a very young age. I'm not as excited as I thought I would be but I think I'm still a bit in shock and disbelief. I'd always assumed that it would take a long time for me to get pregnant (not sure why!) but it happened right away. We had said that whatever happens in the next couple of months is fine so I guess we weren't really even "trying". Pat is taking comps in May/June and he really didn't want to have the stress of having a baby while taking a huge test that determines whether he gets to stay in school or not. Can't say that I blame him. Our original plan was to wait to start trying until October so that we would, Lord willing, have a baby sometime after comps were done. Well, I got major baby fever. Pat came home one night and I was waiting on him hand and foot (I promise there were no ulterior motives!) and he said something like "You're being extra nice tonight. Do you want a baby???" Of course my answer was always going to be yes to that question. We figured having a baby the early part of next could work so that's how it all started. I never thought it would happen so soon so I was a little taken off guard by a positive pregnancy test. I don't have my first doctors appointment until the 26th so I'm a little unsure of whether we should start announcing it to our families yet or not. There doesn't seem to be a right or wrong answer to this question and I can't really ask anyone that I know without giving it away. So far the only symptoms I've had are major gas pains and some nausea. I bought a chef salad at work the other day and only ate half and probably won't be eating another anytime soon. I don't think I've been eating as much lately since it takes about 3 minutes before I feel all bloated. Pat has been amazing. He's doing all sorts of research and being so loving when I don't feel well. The other day he cleaned the kitchen, made dinner and went to the grocery store. So awesome. He got me some yogurt and told me he wants me to eat it in hopes that his baby will be like Michael Weston. Oh Patrick, I love you.

bummer

Said no to the donut holes.

Said no to most of the donut holes.

Said no to the whole donuts...

Expelled

We watched this documentary tonight and it was extremely interesting. Last Sunday our Pastor talked about idols we have and how we react when those idols are threatened. We get angry at anyone that questions or disagrees with us and that is what these evolutionists/Darwinists are doing to those that are presenting the theory of Intelligent Design. Our pastor also talked about the Pharisees and how they built a "fence" around the Old Testament law by making all these other rules to protect the original law. It's similar to what these Darwinists have done. It also made me wonder if this is possibly how religious persecution will enter into the US. If we are considered idiots for believing in God who's to say that we wouldn't be exterminated (although I truly believe that Christianity cannot be exterminated) for the "good of mankind"? My husband tells me that's a pretty far fetched and maybe it is but I don't know.

Reading

"Clothing bears witness to the fact that we have lost the glory and beauty or our original sin-free selves. It confesses that we need a covering-His covering-to atone for our sin and alleviate our shame. It testifies to the fact that God solved the problem of shame permanently and decisively with the blood of His own Son."

Super Cilantro Pillow Bowl

Yesterday was a really great church service. The pastor talked about religion and idolatry and I've realized that I've placed something that I've wanted my entire life too high and it's quite possible that I've made it an idol in my life.

Yesterday was also salsa making and a super bowl party.

I love cilantro. I'm not sure if I love it because of my love of Mexican food or if I love Mexican food because of it's abundance of cilantro.

Tonight I finally finished a birthday present for my sister-in-law. A crocheted pillow with her sorority letters on it. Other than the middle letter being a little wonky I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.

Thrifting and sewing

Bargains at the thrift store

A belated birthday gift almost finished

Wrestling & Golf

Tonight involved going to the Iowa vs Indiana wrestling meet and then some card games with one of Pat's classmates and his wife.
I never thought I would be remotely interested in watching boys wrestle each other but it's actually quite exciting. I am well on my way to becoming a full fledged Hawkeye.

No Facebook February

A friend of mine proposed the idea of making February a no facebook month. I jumped on that bandwagon somewhat hesitantly as I have a slight addiction; mostly to solitaire. I haven't really used this blog for anything so I'm thinking I'll try and post what I've done with my time that would have otherwise been used to play some type of solitaire or bingo. It's now the 3rd of the month and I'll be honest in the fact that I haven't really done anything productive. I'm hoping using this blog will challenge me to change that. I'm in a Bible study at church and we've been given a media reduction challenge so this came at a pretty good time.

Here's what happened with tonight:





Not exactly productive. I'll try to do better.