It's Baby Month!

April is here and that means baby is right around the corner. And no...I'm not playing around like with Lew. Yes he was due the 24th and was born on the 2nd, but this one will be here by the end of the month. Honest.

That being said, here's a little update:

Weeks:  37! Full term, baby!

Feeling: Lots of hip pain. And I'm exhausted. Last night Kyle told me that I had huge bags under my eyes. Well...that's because I'm working til the end this time around. I don't have summer break to nap my days away this time. HAH.

Cravings: None. Seriously. It's so weird.

Aversions: Again...not really anything. I'm not really loving or hating anything these days.

Moving: Verrryyy slowly. The chiropractor has helped, but baby is so large that there's not much adjusting my chiro can do. So we take everything a day at a time.

Eating: A little of everything...probably more sweets than I should. And I've never been a big fan of seafood, but my brother-in-law made shrimp scampi last week...and I couldn't get enough.

Wearing: Always maternity pants or leggings...leggings are preferred. Mostly maternity tops. ALWAYS my Blanqi tank top. And alternating between my Birkenstocks and my new Crocs.

Sleeping: Not very well. Last night there was a knee or a shin or something poking me most of the night. And I'm currently in a mountain of pillows...so Kyle can barely see me.

Exercising: I'm starting to walk a little more. If for no other reason than to start feeling better and wanting to be out enjoying the fresh air.

Size: Canary Melon

Movement: TONS of huge movements. Baby is either shoving his/her knees into my side or flipping from side to side. It's wild in there.

Gender: Still unknown. :) We are excited to find out in just a few weeks!

Hospital bag: PACKED and PACKED! Kyle still has his to pack, but that's something he can deal with.

Misc: We have to get the car seat installed and have the Tahoe detailed and we should be good to go!

What are some last minute words of wisdom for a 2nd time mom? I'm open to all suggestions!!

Happy Tuesday!

Here's 37 weeks with Lew 

32 Weeks and Food.

It's here...32 weeks and the last two months! I'm not sure how that can be the case, but here we are and hopefully the weather doesn't stretch these eight weeks into feeling like 18.

And with that...I've been wanting all of the carbs and citrus. So it's great that I live in the Midwest where the only good fruit we can get this time of year is citrus. And since I love to bake, these bagels  have been on the ready at our house.

But these bagels have been so tasty. I made them on Friday before we left for the weekend and I would eat one every day. And since I have no shame, I'm going to share some pictures...proud bagel momma, over here.

          

        The boiling process.                          And the cinnamon sugar bagels, pre oven.

And my fav--everything.

And the toppings, of course.

These bagels have been a hit at our house. Lew devoured one last night right before bed and Kyle wants to make bagel sandwiches now. So that's what we'll be prepping before baby gets here, I do believe.

On that note, Bean Sprout is probably just shy of 4 lbs and approximately the size of a cantaloupe. 

 

Should you ever find yourself in Minneapolis with time on your hands, we had some great food and saw some awesome art!

Eggy's Diner - Minneapolis (I had a fantastic burger! And it was so filling)

  

The MIA is one of my favorite places to go. It's free and houses hours of art for you to peruse. Right now the special exhibit is Egypt's Sunken Cities. We didn't see it, but it looked impressive.

Mr. Pig Suff BBQ is in Shakopee and we got the dinner for 2. Boy was it tasty. Plus our company was pretty great too. 

So, we're home from our little babymoon and the plan is to hunker down and stay cozy until baby gets here. If you need us we'll be baking, doing laundry, and finishing a few house projects.

Happy Wednesday!

A Little Update | 30 Weeks

I have yet to do an update on #beansprout, but I figured now was a good time to do so! We're just shy of 10 weeks out and boy oh boy am I ready for this snow to melt. We've been hammered over and over with snow and cold for the last month and it's making this pregnancy a lot harder than it needs to be. But, all in good time, right?

So, here we are. 30 weeks.

Bean Sprout on L and Lewis on R.

  

Feeling: I'm feeling ok. Starting to feel large and my hips are definitely starting to hurt more. But with over 2 months to go, I can't complain quite yet.

Cravings: I've not had any true cravings this time around. With Lew, I was always craving fruit...watermelon, citrus, pineapple, etc. This time, a lot of things taste good, but nothing that I have to have. Well...except grape juice.

Aversions: With Lew, I had a ton of aversions...especially in the 1st trimester. I couldn't handle coffee or any type of veggie. This time around, my coffee aversion was much shorter and I've not disliked most of the foods I normally like. So, not much new on that front.

Moving: Slowly! A few coworkers and a student definitely commented yesterday on the fact that I'm now waddling. So...I guess my spirit animal for the foreseeable future is a penguin.

Eating: Most things. I'm trying to stay away from lots of unnatural carbs...sugars, super processed grains and flours...I did fail my 1 hour glucose test again...so that's the impetus for that cut. But it's orange and grapefruit season, so we're stocked up on those in our house.

Wearing: Mostly maternity clothes. Many of my flowy tops still fit, albeit a lot shorter, but they fit. And all of my cardigans will make the journey through to the end. But I have been living in my Blanqi tank and my Target maternity leggings. I'm still powering through with shoes that need to be tied. Mostly because our snow situation is obscene. But you better believe, as soon as it warms up a little bit, I'm pulling out my Birkenstocks!

Sleeping: Hard! Unless I need to get up to go to the bathroom. But my sleep this time around has been much better because of my Snoogle pillow.

Exercising: Not as much as I should. I've been doing some prenatal yoga and that has helped with my hips and back. However, grad school has been a bit crazy...so that's kept me from exercising as much as I should.

Size: Baby is the size of a head of cabbage.

Movement: S/He is suuuper wiggly. Last night, Bean Sprout was bouncing all over and Kyle could only laugh.

Gender: Unknown. We decided to wait again and I'm getting more antsy than last time around...probably because I really have no clue with this one.

Nursery: Babe will be sleeping in our room until s/he is sleeping through the night. After that, Bean Sprout will move into Lew's room. Hopefully big bro won't constantly be waking the little up! AND...we've got a few decorations for baby's portion of our room. So stay tuned for that! I'm hoping to have the cradle area close to done this weekend. I'll be sharing a new favorite shop too!

Hospital bags: Half way there! Babe's bag is packed. Once the car seat is installed, I'll add the final blanket to the pile. But I still haven't packed mine. I know there's plenty of time, but once mine is packed, some of those clothes I won't be able to wear again...so I'll wait. :)

Misc: Mmm...I think that's about it! Lewis has been on the fence about a brother or sister until lately. Now if someone asks, he'll say he wants a sister. So...only time will tell!

If you have kids, did you wait to find out or did you need to know right away??

Happy Wednesday!

 

5 Things I'm Thankful I Had at the End of my Pregnancy

As we come up on a year since we announced Lewis' impending arrival earth-side, I've been doing a lot of reminiscing on my pregnancy. Aubrey has asked me what I miss about being pregnant. So I've been thinking about what I loved; I've also been thinking about was not so fun. The reminiscing has been fun. And God-willing, I'll be pregnant again one day so I can (hopefully) experience these things again.

But. This is a big BUT. I pray that I'm fortunate enough to never be super pregnant in the summer ever again. I was born in September and I see now why my mom had the rest of her kids in the spring. It's brutal to be super pregnant in June & July.

With all of the reminiscing I've done the last few weeks, I've found 5 things I'm so thankful for toward the end of my pregnancy. I'll qualify the end as the last 8-ish weeks.

This is not sponsored in any way...I just couldn't live without these at the end of it all.

1 | Zantac
I started having heartburn right around 20 weeks. For a while, I was trying the "natural", non-medication routes. I tried chewing gum, smelling peppermint, ginger... But by about 25 weeks I started in on the TUMS. I was eating those things like candy. Super chalky candy, but candy nonetheless. Around 37 weeks, my Dr told me to start taking Zantac, because my heartburn had really ramped up.

So, I went to SAM's Club and bought these. She told me to take two a day, even if I didn't feel any symptoms. And let.me.tell.you. I didn't have heartburn for the next 4 weeks!

2 | Birkenstocks
By the time I hit mid-May, most of my shoes didn't fit. So I was extremely thankful that it was warming up enough that I could slide my sausages feet into these puppies. I could've squeezed into other shoes perhaps...maybe my TOMS or a pair of flats...either way, my Birks were the way to go.

 I bought mine at Scheels, but you can find them here, here, and here.

I ended up having to loosen them to the last hole...and my feet still swelled around them. #michelinman

3 | Stretchy shirts & leggings
I basically lived in Old Navy maternity tops by the end of my pregnancy. They were affordable and they were so comfy.

Not only did I love my ON ts, but I loved leggings. I'm so thankful that leggings are "in" and that I was able to wear them as pants...because being largely pregnant in the summer is no fun. And if you have to try to wear real pants?? NO.thank.you.

I loved this pair from Target. I loved that they were full panel and that they were capri AND that they were the "athletic-ey" material.

And the pair that I wore the most?

These:

They're also Old Navy...they're full panel and they're not expensive. I loved them so much I bought another pair when my first wore out. If you're buying maternity pants, go full panel. You'll never regret it.

4 | Yoga ball
I registered for one of these for our wedding registry with the intent that I'd use it as a chair at my desk. Well, it was a little shorter than I was anticipating....so I deflated it and it sat in a box for 2.5 years.

Then all of the sudden, my hips killed and I read online (the most reliable of sources) that sitting on a yoga ball for 30 min or more per day can alleviate pain in your hips and help induce labor. Well...sign me up!

Not the same yoga ball I have, but the closest I could find.

Seriously, it felt so good on my hips and lower back. But did it induce labor? No way. Gah.

5 | Chromecast
We bought a Chromecast a few years ago and were so excited to use it with our phones, iPad, and computers. But it didn't work on anything but my phone! Boo. We decided to return it.

Now fast-forward a few years...Kyle bought me a new one for the TV in my sewing room. It's awesome because I can spend time down there and watch tv while I'm sewing or listen to Pandora. And it's worked so well!

This summer it really came in handy because it was SO hot in our house, that I hibernated in the bedroom in our basement. And if I had to hibernate in the basement, what better thing to be doing than watching TV! I watched a lot of Netflix...don't ask what...just know that I did. Okay okay. I watched all of the new Grey's season in like a week? No, I am not ashamed. And it was all possible because of my handy little Chromecast.

 

Also, Kyle and I streamed a lot of Veep through Amazon Prime on our computers to the Chromecast. Best. Decision. Yet. 

What about you other new-ish moms? What are you thankful you had there at the end? Please do share!

Lewis is in the house...

Well, I'm sure most of you have seen our most recent update to the #babyentzel saga. Baby Lewis Eugene is here and he's home. This is just a short update to keep you in the loop.

Lewis' birth story will be coming up here in a week or so, so stay tuned. But for today, just a little look at the timeline of his birth and arrival home.

Monday, August 1: Induction date

Here I am at 6:45 on Monday morning. I'm 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant...and so ready to be done.

Tuesday, August 2: Lewis' birthday

Friday, August 5: I was discharged from the hospital, but I chose to stay with Lewis for the night.

Sunday, August 7: Lewis was moved to a new room.

Tuesday, August 9: Lewis came home!

These signs were on our doors when we arrived home on Monday evening. We HAD to document this exciting day. Thanks for the lovely signs, Trosens! 

Lewis had a few visitors and has been the center of attention since he arrived. We are tickled to have him here and we have quite the story to share.

Thank you to the Labor and Delivery staff, OB staff, and NICU staff at Altru Hospital! We were taken care of and then some. While I don't ever want to spend that much time in a hospital again, I'm so thankful for everyone who was there to treat, help, and reassure us throughout the entire process.

Be on the lookout for Lewis' birth story! And if you think of it, pray for Lewis to sleep well at night and for me to continue healing.

Happy Thursday!

It's A...

BOY!

For now, here's some quick info...

Lewis E.

Born: 8/2

Weight: 7lbs 5oz

Length: 19 in

We are doing well and are excited to be home as a family. 

Week 40

This week's pregnancy journal update is coming to you at 40 weeks and 3 days. D-day has come and gone and still no signs of baby's impending arrival. In case you missed it, I wrote a letter to Baby Entzel on Sunday, our official due date. You can find it here.

But now for this week's update.

How far along: 40 weeks (and 3 days)

Size of baby: the size of a watermelon or a beach ball

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize! Seriously...not many people have taken the survey and it's going to be easy for one of you to win!
**Hopefully this is the LAST chance for you to get your guesses in!!**

Nursery: The bathroom is almost done...so we will get a nursery update going soon.
  
Movement: #babyentzel has his/her own timetable...for being active, for arriving, for everything...

Symptoms: Heartburn has been gone for a while and now the biggest symptom is sore hips...boo.

Sleep: Still interrupted with bathroom breaks...but definitely restful and I've been napping like I'm back in my first trimester.

Cravings: Not much for cravings, but my stomach is continually getting squished.
 
Missing: Motivation. Still.

Best moment of the week: Being home with Kyle and celebrating a new little baby for my friend Courtney.
 
Looking forward to: Meeting Baby Entzel. Still. We have an appointment tomorrow and will hopefully know when we will meet baby if s/he hasn't arrived by then.

Happy Wednesday!

 

Happy Due Date, Baby!

Dear baby,

Today is your due date. And I've been warned. Warned that a due date isn't very accurate, nor is it something to focus on. It's really just a guess date of when you could be ready to join us.

But here's the thing. It's so hard to not focus on that date. July 24th. 40 weeks. Sunday. Leading up to your birth, everyone always asks, "So, when are you due??" And our reply is July 24. It's a day that your dad and I have looked forward to since November 19 when we first found out about you. We've longed for the day that we would get to hold you in our arms.

Selfishly, we even prayed and hoped that we would get to meet you prior to this day. But, God knows best.

Even typing this, I feel convicted that I'm disappointed that you're not here yet. I know I shouldn't wish away this time. I shouldn't long for days down the road. The reality is, life is easier when you're still inside. We have less planning to do in order to leave the house. We have fewer things to bring with us. I don't have to worry about making sure you're fed before we go anywhere or have anyone over, just in case. We can just pick up and go do something any time we want.

But.

Even though our lives are about to change, we are excited for it.

You, little one, have been prayed for and cried over for many months. We prayed that you would join our family years before you were even created.

Your dad and I have looked at each other with anticipation every day since we knew about your existence. And while those days were filled with the "what ifs", they were also filled with the joy that we get to be your parents.

Now that today, July 24, has arrived--we eagerly await your day and time. The day and the time that God has set apart for you. Until you are born and until we are no longer here, your dad and I will pray for you and love you, no matter the situation.

With love,

Mom

Week 39

Five days to go until D-day. Tonight's a full moon...whoooo knows what will happen...

How far along: 39 weeks

Size of baby: Size of a pumpkin

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize! Seriously...not many people have taken the survey and it's going to be easy for one of you to win!

Nursery: It's full of bathroom things since Kyle's in the middle of remodeling our upstairs bathroom. :) One of these days we'll have an update.
 
Movement: Last night #babyentzel was movin and groovin until close to 2 am. Silly baby.

Symptoms: My Dr. told me to use Zantac for my heartburn and since Thursday, I've not had any heartburn! Woohoo!

Sleep: I've started only getting up once or twice a night...that's progress from the three times a week last week!

Cravings: Not much this week...I still don't eat much at a time...you know, since there's a pumpkin in my stomach.
 
Missing: Motivation. But I did weed 3/4 of the garden yesterday!

Best moment of the week: Being home and drinking coffee and just putzing around so that I feel like I'm getting something done.
 
Looking forward to: Meeting Baby Entzel. Kyle thinks it might happen today since tonight is a full moon. Stay tuned...you might be hearing from me next week with my 40 week update...and no baby yet. Who knows.

Happy Tuesday!

 

Week 38

We've got 10 days to go until D-day. How is that even possible?? Some days seem longer than others, but somehow we've made it this far without it seeming like forever.

I've got my 38 week appointment this morning and my fingers are crossed for some progress on the baby front. Keep yours crossed too? Kay, thanks.

How far along: 38 weeks (and 4 days)

Size of baby: The size of a leek or a ukulele

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize! Seriously...not many people have taken the survey and it's going to be easy for one of you to win!

Nursery: We just have a few more things to put away and a few things to hang on the walls...then we're done! But...it's full of bathroom things since Kyle's in the middle of remodeling our upstairs bathroom. :)
 
Movement: So many movements. Some people have told me that baby sleeps around 20 hours a day right now...I don't think that this is the case with #babyentzel because he/she moves. all. the. time.

Symptoms: Heartburn. All. Day. And it seems to be getting worse...apparently heartburn can get worse around weeks 38/39. It could be at least 10 more days of this...

Sleep: I'm up at least three times a night...when I'm sleeping, it's pretty restful. At least I think it is.
  
Cravings: Not much this week...I've not been able to eat much at a time...some friends came over for supper last night. They brought a smoked ham. It was delightful.
 
Missing: Mostly my motivation and not having heartburn.

Best moment of the week: I'm loving being home this summer. It was wonderful to celebrate our third anniversary last week and to look forward to our growing family.
 
Looking forward to: Our dr appointment today! Again, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there's progress and news to report.

Happy Thursday!

 

Freezer Meal Prep Day 2--the plan

We're at it again! Today's the day where we (hopefully) finish the meal prep that we have planned. My mom and sister are coming to town to help out. Last night we made 3 batches of baked oatmeal to kick off the final day. *Only two are for us...the other is for a friend who just had a baby 2-ish weeks ago.

So here's our line up for today...after last night's baked oatmeal:

1. Chicken enchiladas
2. 1 pot Mexican Quinoa
3. Breakfast burritos
4. Fiesta Lime Chicken w/Spanish Rice
5. Monkey Bread

We were thinking about making beef stew to throw in the freezer...but that just seemed like too much work. I was super ambitious when I wrote the list out...and then when I was actually thinking about it yesterday, I decided that I was too tired to prep beef stew too.

I hope you saw yesterday's post with the first two recipes up from Saturday! If not, check it out here.  And I'll do my best to get some more up in the next few days or a week.

Here we go...off to cook!

Happy Thursday!

 

Week 37

Well, here we are. Week 37 and only three left to go...assuming baby doesn't decide that s/he is really comfy in there. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

How far along: 37 weeks

Size of baby: The size of a head of romaine lettuce, a striped skunk, or a tackle box.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize!

Nursery: It's almost done. One of these days I'll have to actually take some photos and show you what's up!
 
Movement: Movements have been mostly in the morning and then as I'm trying to go to sleep. Lately they've been muted a little since #babyentzel has gotten so big.

Symptoms: Heartburn. All. Day.

Sleep: Sleep has been a bit rough. I've not been getting as restful of sleep as I'd like. And I know it's only going to get worse from here on out.
 
Cravings: Fruit and bread w/peanut butter.

Missing: My ankles and motivation. Still.

Best moment of the week: Having time at home with Kyle. The days of it being just the two of us are numbered. But we wouldn't have it any other way.
 
Looking forward to: Wednesday! It's our anniversary and we've got a dr. appointment that day too. Stay tuned!

Happy Monday!

And Happy Independence Day!

Freezer Meal Prep Day 1--the plan

It's here. A day I've been super excited about for months...and just haven't gotten around to accomplishing. :) Until today.

Our friend Anna is headed to our house as we speak and she's planning to help me prep some freezer meals for after baby arrives! Kyle and I found some great new recipes and we have some old favorites that we're planning to prep to have on hand. Here's a look at what we hope to get accomplished today:

1. Chicken Pot Pie : The whole chicken is already cooking as I type this.

2. Chicken Tetrazzini : One of our favorites.

3. Mac 'n' Cheese : Adults love this one!

4. Baked Ziti with Roasted Veggies : This is a new recipe for us. I'm praying we love it.

5. Mexican Stuffed Shells : Also a new recipe. We have some left over taco meat from the baby shower...so I figured, why not?

6. Hamburgers : Simple. And convenient. We bought 6 lbs of ground beef from SAMs Club so that we can portion up meat and keep them in the freezer for when we want to grill. :)

7. Wild Rice & Chicken Casserole : Assuming we have time...which we should, since this is one of the easiest on the list to make...

Stay tuned for recipes coming soon!

Week 36

We're in the home stretch, everybody! We made it home from family vacation and slept hard. I was exhausted from the trip and I'm thankful to be sticking close to home for the next month-ish.

So, here's where we're at.

How far along: 36 weeks

Size of baby: The size of a honeydew melon, romaine lettuce, or a cabbage patch doll.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize!

Nursery: So close to being done! We've got a few projects to finish and a few things to hang on the wall...otherwise, we're getting there. I put a few sneak peeks on yesterday's post...you can find that here.

Movement: Baby is still moving quite a bit. His/her most active times of day are morning 9-11ish and evening 9-midnight.

Symptoms: Heartburn. Exhaustion (I've taken so many naps already...).

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well. It's tough to get out of bed for the bathroom in the middle of the night, but I figure it out.
 
Cravings: Pineapple salsa from my baby shower a few weeks ago...

Missing: My ankles and motivation.

Best moment of the week: Our appointment on Monday...baby's heartrate was strong and things are progressing!
 
Looking forward to: Seeing if any progress has been made by next Wednesday's appointment and hopefully meeting our nugget soon!

Happy Thursday!

Week 35

Wowza. Sorry this post is a little late. It's already Friday and I've not posted anything! We've been having a great week with family in Duluth and we've not had much down time. But, here goes...

How far along: 35 weeks (and 5 days)

Size of baby: The size of a spaghetti squash, a child's backpack, or a honeydew melon.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize!

Nursery: We're almost done!! *Fingers crossed* We got our new rug in the mail on Monday, so when we get back this weekend, we will be putting it down then. Stay tuned for pics!

Movement: LOTS of movement. S/he is moving, but it's mostly the big moves. Throwing hips from side-to-side and general shifting seem to be his/her MO.

Symptoms: Heartburn. Swollen ankles (especially this week...hiking & the heat have done me in). Exhaustion.

Sleep: Still sleeping hard, when I sleep. I'm waking up around 2 and 4 every morning to use the bathroom...but I've been able to fall back asleep. Thank goodness!
 
Cravings: Not terribly much this week. Fruit still sounds good. :)

Missing: My ankles. :(

Best moment of the week: Our baby shower last Saturday and spending time with family this week!
 
Looking forward to: Sleeping in my bed again and we are transitioning into our weekly appointments...so we get to hear baby's heartbeat again!

Happy Friday!!

 

Week 34

I had hoped, hoped, HOPED to get a post up yesterday with a few updates, but alas that was not to be. But, I do have your very exciting weekly update with only 5.5 (hopefully) weeks to go.

How far along: 34 weeks (!)

Size of baby: The size of a butternut squash, an average (what is average anyway??) cantaloupe, a muskmelon, or a cabbage

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize!

Nursery: Door trim is finished and baseboards are close! Kyle says we're a day (-ish) away from being ready to set it up!

Movement: Baby is still wiggling constantly and I'm so grateful for that. S/he seems so comfy in there...

Symptoms: We finally turned our A/C on and it feels so much better. I'm still dealing with some pretty rough heartburn and I'm starting to waddle.

Sleep: I'm still struggling with rolling over, but I'm sleeping like a rock. It's been so nice (as long as the A/C is working).

Cravings: This week has been chicken pasta salad...so I made a huge bowl of it on Sunday so I could eat it throughout the week.

Missing: I'm missing being capable of cooling down my own body...I don't like the heat of the summer to begin with, but this being pregnant business...so much harder.

Best moment of the week: We took a Childbirth Prep class this week and it was so helpful!

Looking forward to: My first baby shower is this weekend!

Happy Wednesday!

 

Week 33

With the first week of summer vacation almost over (I know.), I realized that week 33 is almost over and I have yet to write about it. So did it really happen if I didn't write about it?! I think not.

How far along: 33 weeks...8-ish months.

Size of baby: The size of a pineapple (I feel like these are repeats...), a stalk of celery, a head of cauliflower, or a junior tennis racket.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here. Really...take the survey...someone will win a prize!

Nursery: Doors are in...floor is sanded and finished...next up (today hopefully) door trim and tomorrow/this weekend...baseboards!

Movement: Movement has turned into more of the big shifts. Not so much the jabs anymore...now baby is shifting hips or trying to stretch...

Symptoms: Tired and warm all of the time. It might be time to turn our air conditioning on...

Sleep: It's hard to roll over...but I manage it while I'm asleep, somehow. I still sleep pretty well. We'll see what happens in the next 6-ish weeks.

Cravings: Not much this week...probably carbs and protein?

Missing: Being able to regulate my body temp better. It's too warm for me in the summer when I'm not pregnant...but now...no fun.

Best moment of the week: School's out! And we heard baby's heartbeat at our appointment. Our NP said baby is head down and looking like s/he's almost ready to go.

Looking forward to: Getting the nursery done!


Our garden is in...now we just have to water every day. hah.

Happy Thursday!

Week 32

Two Months. Two months left. Here's where we're at during week 32.

How far along: 32 weeks, baby!

Size of baby: the size of a large jicama, a squash, bok choy, or a Florida pomelo.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here.

Nursery: Kyle just finished painting the trim on Monday and he painted the ceiling on Tuesday. Things are moving!

Movement: Constant. Many times I have to urge baby to get out of my ribs with his/her butt. That's fun.

Symptoms: So. Tired.

Sleep: I've been waking up at least once a night and when I stand up, everything aches. But since I'm able to fall back asleep, I can't complain too much. :)

Cravings: Still fruit. And now that the weather is warming up, I could go for a nice cold Blue Moon.

Missing: Being able to walk normally and not waddle...I suppose that's to be expected in the last few months.

Best moment of the week: Realizing that school is almost done and we can start working more on our projects for the house!

Looking forward to: Summer. Getting our garden planted!


Graduation is tonight, so everything's about to get even busier!!

Happy Thursday!

Week 31

Well, we're here! Down to single digits! We're in the middle of week 31, so there's 8 1/2 weeks to go. Oh baby.

How far along: 31 weeks and counting...

Size of baby: the size of a coconut (I feel like we've already had this one), a head of cabbage, or a foam finger.

Gender: Unknown--take the poll on the right. Also, take the survey about baby here.

Nursery: Kyle painted a second coat of grey this weekend and we're hoping to get more done with the trim this week/end!

Movement: Constant. At our appointment on Monday, the Dr. was listening to baby's heartbeat and with the best timing s/he kicked the doppler. Dr. said apparently the kid's got good aim! hah. Moving. All. The. Time.

Symptoms: My hips are hurting more every day and it's getting hard to roll over in bed. And boo. Monday night I had my first obvious evidence of edema. Not. Fun.

Sleep: Sleep is okay for the time being. I'm starting to wake up earlier on my own. Since Sunday, I've been waking up around 5:30. Fortunately I've been able to fall back asleep.

Cravings: Fruit. It all sounds good all of the time. And apparently peanut butter. On Monday I was really warm...so after our meeting, Kyle and I dished up some ice cream and started putting our toppings on. I chose bananas and peanut butter...and I left a little bit in the bottom of the jar. Kyle started laughing and said, "Not pregnant Kelly would never put this jar back in the cupboard! Apparently pregnant Kelly needs the rest of it!" He was amused.

Missing: The cool weather. It's not been terribly hot all of the time, but it's warm enough that I'm not enjoying the afternoons...but anything over 75 is a little too much for me, pregnant or not.

Best moment of the week: Having a good chat with my friend, Molly, about all things baby and how her experience was. Also, we went out to coffee...I love coffee dates. And friends.

Looking forward to: Summer. Graduation is next Thursday and our last day is next Friday!

Happy Wednesday!