33 week update

It's the middle of September and you know what that means...I'm all ready for my most favorite holiday, Halloween!  I'm dedicating the next week to decorating my house and gathering everything I need for my costume.  I have two Bean Sprout costume options, one for if s/he decides to arrive in time and one if not.  We even went to the Chinese supermarket a couple of weeks ago and got little packets of dried fish to give to the trick-or-treaters who don't bring their A-game with their costumes.  So don't come ringing my doorbell wearing your little league uniform and expect the good candy!  My house is totally getting egged this year.

It's been a pretty relaxing week which has been nice after a busy month of visitors.  Well, Scott and I have been relaxing.  Sprout, the restless little thing, is either training to be the next Muhammad Ali or McKayla Maroney in there. And it's getting pretty cramped so this is not the most comfortable feeling.  Thebump.com says that Sprout is the size of a durian this week, but since I have no idea what that is, it's basically 17.5 inches long and 4.5 pounds.  S/he keeps his/her eyes open while awake (um, all the time then?) and is starting to coordinate breathing and swallowing.  I don't know how well that's going since I can feel him/her hiccuping almost every day!  His/her little bones are also hardening and some major brain development is also happening, which is pretty cool to think about.

We actually just got back from our newborn care class, where I learned which side of a diaper is the front and Scott basically laughed at me the whole time.  So that was fun.  Actually, the coolest part was learning that they put a lo-jack on the baby as soon it is born that sets off alarms and locks the doors if it gets too close to any of the exits.  I have secretly been anxious for weeks about people switching/stealing babies in the maternity ward.  This is clearly the result of watching too many Lifetime movies on Sunday mornings in college!  At least I feel better about that extremely unlikely possibility.

How far along?  33 weeks
Total weight gain?  I will find out again tomorrow at my doctor's appointment, but I'm not anticipating more than a pound or two from last appointment.
Maternity clothes?  Still pretty much regular clothes except for my jeans.  *sigh*  It's jeans weather.
Stretch marks?  I've made a huge mistake.  I've been focusing on the area that I actually thought was stretching, my stomach.  I found a tiny mark on each hip this week, ugh.  So now, I'm covering everything from my neck to knees twice a day in Mederma.
Sleep?  Um, impossible.  Last night, the Sprout was so active it actually woke Scott up.
Best moment of the week?  Yesterday, we slept till almost 11, took a picnic to the beach and hung out all day, and were back to bed by 9.  Oh, did I need that.
Miss anything?  Sleeping on my stomach and curling up in a ball on the couch.
Food craving?  Cheese fries from Portillo's.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  Not at all.
Gender?  I've actually been thinking more about personality than gender lately.  A merciful God will send me a baby with Scott's temperament.  A just God will probably send me one just like me.
Labor signs?  I am going to freak out when this actually happens.
Symptoms?  Some new and delightful ones:  I get really overheated and sweaty lately and my hands are so sore I can't even crack my knuckles, and I have weird pressure in my lady parts.
Belly button in or out?  Out, but not so much that it's obvious through my shirts.
Wedding rings on or off?  Off.
Happy or moody most of the time?  Probably 50/50.  Halloween decorating will improve my mood!
Looking forward to?  Another update from the doctor, breastfeeding class and a birth center tour.

32 week update

A lot happening this week, but that's okay...it means the time is going by faster and Sprout is almost here!  I started off the week with a doctor's appointment and she says I look great on paper.  I've gained about 5 pounds less overall than I thought, Baby's head is down (so that IS your little feet digging into my ribcage, Sprout!), my diet and workout schedule are both good and I'm still measuring about a week bigger than I am.  We also decided on a pediatrician this week who is close by, meets the other criteria important to me, and went to BC.  I bought a bunch of workout and comfy clothes for after the Sprout arrives and I'm looking into getting a treadmill.  Send any recommendations my way, please!  I'm checking things off the list left and right.  

Annabelle flew into town on Tuesday night and then Carter flew in on Wednesday to surprise her and Griffin. (Although, I inadvertently ruined the surprise for him.  Woops.)  I just love having a full house!  It makes everything so much more fun.  Annabelle and I went shopping for the little Sprout yesterday and got a bunch of super cute sheets, clothes, and bath things. I think that will be the last shopping trip for while.

The Sproutling is about 17 inches long this week and 4 pounds.  From here on out, his/her weight gain is really going to pick up...s/he's got about 10 weeks to double in size!  S/he sleeps most of the day, and even has dreams (I can't even begin to imagine what a Sprout might dream of).  I hear that the movement should be slowing down now as s/he gets more crowded in there, but I think s/he is moving more than ever.  And me?  I am short of breath more often now and I still get heartburn, though it is less frequent.  I have to change clothes a few times a day for reasons I'm not going to explain.  Oh, miracles of pregnancy no one ever tells you!  I still feel pretty lucky though.  My breasts aren't leaky, I don't have varicose veins and my pregnant body more closely resembles Gisele's than Jessica Simpson's.  Haha, I just compared myself to Gisele!  Obviously, I don't look that good, but if those are the two extremes, I'm closer to her end of the spectrum, right?  Please agree with me.

Also, this is the picture Scott requested for today:

How far along?  32 weeks

Total weight gain?  Only 22 pounds!  I can definitely stay under 35 for sure now.

Maternity clothes?  Still mostly just regular clothes.

Stretch marks?  So far, still only the underside of my boobs.  Started using the new cream this week which promises results in 4 weeks and smells AWESOME.

Sleep?  Better, but not great.  Terrible when Scott is out of town.

Best moment of the week?  Look, I'm vain.  Finding out I gained 5 less pounds than I thought was awesome.  But having visitors is a really close 2nd!

Miss anything?  Honestly, I just wish I could wear my rings.  They are so pretty and I love them.

Food craving?  Nothing specific.

Anything make you sick or queasy?  Nope.

Gender?  10 more weeks of guessing!

Labor signs?  None that I can think of this week.

Symptoms?  More of the same.  They're either less intense than before or I'm used to it.

Belly button in or out?  More outtish than innish for sure now.

Wedding rings on or off?  I jammed them on one day this week and then immediately had to take them off...which took about 10 minutes and a bunch of lotion.

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!

Looking forward to?  My newborn care class next weekend.  It's about time I figure out what to do with the Sprout once s/he gets here, don't you think?

31 week update

Happy Labor Day weekend!  Still just plugging along this week.  I felt like July and most of August went by really fast, but time has definitely slowed down.  I suppose I should take advantage of that!  I got a diaper bag and a coming home outfit for Sprout this week, both of which I really love, and my rocking chair came.  We officially have all of our big stuff!  Now it's just odds and ends like organization and decoration, neither of which are my strong suit.

So, Bean Sprout is about 16.5 inches long this week and a little over 3.5 pounds.  All 5 senses are fully developed and his/her little irises even react to light.  I am still feeling a lot of movement, but it's not the forceful kicks that I was feeling a few weeks ago, it's more just shifting around.  Also, s/he seems to like to lodge his/her little hand/foot right under my rib cage, which makes my diaphragm fall asleep and my breathing difficult.   At least s/he seems to be figuring out the difference between day and night!  As for me, I'm in the uncomfortable phase now for sure.  I'm out of breath a lot with a constant ache or pain somewhere and my hands and feet are swollen enough now that I can't even attempt to wear my rings anymore. One symptom I'm definitely not feeling?  Pregnancy brain!

In case you hadn't heard, I got an email Thursday night saying I made the second round auditions to be a contestant on Jeopardy!  Oh my God, you have no idea how excited I am, this is a lifelong goal.  So, I have to go to Boston and take another 50 question test (could be tough), have a personal interview (piece of cake), and play a mock game against two other people (can't wait!).  The catch?  I have to go on November 8th, 4 days after my due date.  So a brand-new Sprout might be here and have to tag along, or I could still be pregnant and risk having a baby in a gross Boston hospital.  My only other option was to fly to Cincinnati a week later.  Uh, no thanks.  How could you screw me like this, Jeopardy?  I'm blaming Trebek.  Because he's a smug Canadian douche, you see.

How far along?  31 weeks, about 7 months.

Total weight gain?  27 pounds.  Not bad.  I didn't want to gain more than 35 the whole time and I think that's doable.

Maternity clothes?  I love my new Gap jeans (I seriously never anticipated typing that!) and Target actually has some cute dresses, like the one I'm wearing above.

Stretch marks?  My stomach still looks good.  I'm thinking I might need the heavy duty Mustela for my lady pillows.  Good thing I have a back stock of coupons!

Sleep?  I'm getting pretty used to short bouts of not that restful sleep.  I bet this will come in handy the next few months.

Best moment of the week:  What is having years of amassing useless trivia finally pay off?

Miss anything?  I was just saying to Scott yesterday that I'm so used to being fat and uncomfortable, I almost can't remember what it's like to feel normal.

Movement?  Lots of movement and lots of abuse to my internal organs whenever little Sprout flops around.

Food craving?  Fruit!

Anything make you sick or queasy?  Not really.

Gender?  I got another guess for boy this week.

Labor signs?  I get occasional sharp pains way down low but nothing overwhelming.

Symptoms?  I am out of breath a lot more lately and I'm fairly inflexible.  I keep trying to stretch my hips and groin in preparation, but it's becoming more difficult.

Belly button in or out?  The top is starting to pop out some.

Wedding rings on or off?  Seriously, I don't think my fingers have been naked for two days in a row since I was about 11 years old.

Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!

Looking forward to?  My mother-in-law's visit this week!

30 week update

3 quarters of the way there!  I'm hoping the next 10 weeks go by quickly because I am IRRITABLE.  I'm hot, I don't sleep at night so I'm tired all the time, I can't bend over without grunting like a meathead lifting weights, I rotate between about 4 outfits that I'm sick of looking at, and I'm confined to flip flops because none of my cute shoes fit me anymore.  I figure the only way to deal with this is to stay busy.

I'm at the point in my quilt (thanks for the compliments, everyone!) where I only have hand sewing to do, so that frees up my machine to make curtains.  I also want to get all the material to make the bookshelves I found on Pinterest some time this week.  We also have an appointment at a pediatrician's office this week to find the little guy/girl a doctor.  Yesterday, we went shopping and found a mattress and some other essentials for Sprout's room.  We're getting there!  I want to get my hospital bag packed this week too.  So my time should be occupied enough that I can maybe forget about how immobile and gross I feel.

Sprout is about 3 pounds this week and about 16 inches long.  I don't really feel full on kicks anymore (maybe because there's not enough room in there to get enough momentum for a real kick) but s/he moves around more than ever, even during the day.  Sometimes it kind of hurts my organs and is especially uncomfortable when s/he pokes my bladder or lungs, but I'm to happy s/he seems as active as s/he does!

How far along?  30 weeks

Total weight gain?  Since I've been doing a lot more strength exercises, I've been weighing myself more often and the weight gain seems to have tapered off...so why do I feel like I keep expanding?

Maternity clothes?  Summer is ending and I ordered myself a pair of jeans and leggings this week.  I hope they're comfortable!

Stretch marks?  I'm doing well here.

Sleep?  Taking a bath before bedtime seems to help a little...then I can sleep for 2 hours or so instead of 45 minutes.

Best moment of the week?  A doctor's appointment without a failed test!

Miss anything?  Wearing clothes for style, not comfort.

Movement?  So much!  I wish I could tell which body part is always hanging out around my belly button.

Food craving?  I've been eating a lot of melon and Greek yogurt.

Anything make you sick or queasy?  It mostly depends on how Sprout is laying.\

Gender?  I can say for sure now that Sprout has a name, either way.  Sprout is totally a cool name, right?

Labor signs?  Some Braxton Hicks contractions, especially when I walk my dogs.

Symptoms?  I think we covered that above.

Belly button in or out?  Flat.

Wedding rings on or off?  Sadly, I can't wear them anymore.  I really hate not wearing them.

Happy or moody most of the time?  Moody.  Definitely moody.

Looking forward to?  Another productive week and a break in all this heat and humidity!

Sneak Peeks of Sprout's Room

First things first...I had a doctor's appointment this morning with my favorite doctor at the office (I REALLY hope she's the one who delivers Sprout, but I'm not that lucky) and I've gained no weight in the past two weeks and haven't gotten any bigger.  So, now I'm measuring at 30 weeks, only about a week ahead of schedule.  I guess Sprout just had a little growth spurt!  She still warned me that s/he is probably on the larger side, but I've been expecting that all along so whatevs.

Okay, on to the fun stuff.  I am still not ready to reveal the whole nursery yet because it's not done, not even close!  I am going to sit down and really go over what else to get, hopefully by the end of the week.  I washed and folded all the clothes we have so far...I can't believe an actual person is going to fit in those doll clothes!  But I do have a couple of things I wanted to show so far:

Let's start with the long-awaited quilt!  I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I still have to finish the backing and actually quilt it, but this is what you all wanted to see, right?  For those of you who've been asking, I started sewing a couple of years ago.  It was something I was always interested in, and my friend's mom walked me through making a shirt.  After that, I bought a machine and started taking lessons from a seamstress out here.  I learned how to do clothes first which made switching to quilts and curtains a lot easier, since they don't have waists or arms to accommodate for.  Anyway, I love how this turned out and I think it goes great with...

This super cute frame my sister-in-law made!  I just love the little elephants.  She is really talented and I can't wait for her to take some pics of the baby once s/he comes out.  Sorry the picture is kind of bad, I could not find a spot where there wasn't some kind of shadow.

On one of Scott and my many trips to Goodwill, we found this perfectly adorable little wooden rocking horse.  I think it is so awesome.  You can see the sporty painting on it, and "Max" is painted on the seat in blue, so I don't know if I'm going to sand that off or just tell Sprout the horse's name is Max.  Girls play sports too, so I'm not really worried about the mitt and balls.

And lastly, here is the amazing pram my grandma got for me at my baby shower.  I am kind of obsessed with it.  I was half-expecting it to come with a Mary Poppins!  I know it's not practical as an every day stroller, but I still think it will be cool to push around our neighborhood and I'm planning on using it instead of a bassinet downstairs.

So that's some of what I have so far...what do you think?

29 week update

Another eventful week!  My parents and Tiza came into town on Thursday, so we've been hanging out with them all weekend.  We went to Mystic Seaport on Friday which was a fun and New England-y little trip.  My mom and I also got my stroller ordered so we're all set to go with Sprout transportation.  We're getting down to the wire.  My weekly "to-do" list includes starting to pack a bag to bring to the hospital (no idea what to put in here), stocking the nursery (I am way behind on this), and getting an "easy to manage" haircut.  Is this why so many women end up with Mom haircuts?  They are being guided that way by well-meaning websites with no regard for their appearance?  Oh, that's just sad.

Sprout is about 15.5 inches long at this point and weighs about 2.7 pounds (give or take).  So, I guess s/he is not going to get much longer but three times as heavy!  There's a lot of movement down there, but it's still mostly at night, which I find, um, inauspicious?  Nighttime is for sleeps, Sprout!  As for me, I'm generally uncomfortable all the time.  I have another doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so we'll see if they want to do an ultrasound.  I wouldn't mind another peek at the baby!

So much to do this upcoming week:  I will post pictures of the completed front side of the quilt in the middle of the week.  If Scott hangs up the rod, I will also post photos of the curtains I made.  I need to really figure out the things I still need for the nursery and start shopping.  I found a website with some DIY bookshelves that I would like to make.  Sprout is already starting to collect some good books, including my old copy of Mother Goose that my dad's mom gave me for my second birthday.  Dad and I used to read it together every night (well, until I memorized the whole book and we had to move on) and it will be cool to read to Sprout from the same copy!

How far along?  29 weeks
Total weight gain?  I'll know more on Tuesday.  I hope it didn't jump up again!
Maternity clothes?  Thank God for being pregnant in the summer.  If I had to wear pants every day in this condition, I would be way less pleasant.
Stretch marks?  No, but my tummy has been itchy lately.  Taking this as a bad sign, I am being more liberal  with my cocoa butter applications.
Sleep?  Yeah, no.  45 minutes of uninterrupted sleep is average.  Last night I slept for 3 hours straight and felt like 100 bucks.
Best moment of the week?  Finding out we have two weddings in the first half of 2013 to attend, one in Phoenix, one in Cabo.  What better motivation could one ask for to get back into shape?
Miss anything?  A glass of Prosecco sounds really nice right now.
Movement?  Oh yeah.  In addition to the head/butt, sometimes I feel a little hand or foot move across my stomach.
Food craving?  Anything with blueberries.  The last few mornings, I've had blueberry Eggo waffles and blueberry Greek yogurt for breakfast.  Maybe Sprout is Violet Beauregarde?
Anything make you sick or queasy?  Nope!
Gender?  The cashier at the grocery store on Friday predicted a girl.
Labor signs?  Nope!
Symptoms?  Most of them, I guess!  It could be worse though.  At least I don't have hemorrhoids or varicose veins.
Belly button in or out?  It doesn't protrude or anything, but I don't think I can safely call it an innie anymore.
Wedding rings on or off?  I'm still forcing them on in the morning.  I hope they are more comfortable to wear once the heat and humidity breaks.
Happy or moody most of the time?  Pretty happy!  There's lots to do but I like being busy and I think it will make the next 11 weeks pass by quickly.
Looking forward to?  Another day to hang out with the parentals and productive week ahead!

28 week update

It's been a pretty eventful week.  I had a doctor's appointment on Monday that was okay.  She said I am measuring at about 30 weeks right now, which could mean that Sprout is particularly large (which I've suspected was going to happen all along) or it could mean that I have a lot of fluid (ew).  That could also explain why I gained 8 pounds in the last month!  If I'm still that far ahead when I go back in two weeks, they will do another ultrasound, though I'm not quite sure why that's necessary.  I'd fight pretty hard if they tried to tell me I "needed" to have labor induced.  We'll see what happens.  Right after that I took my glucose test.  Well, I'm getting really good at failing tests!  I had to go back on Thursday for the 3-hour test which turned out fine, so I guess I don't have gestational diabetes.  But seriously, wtf?  Can't I just have one doctor's appointment/test that doesn't stress me out?  Ugh.

Other than that, I've been mostly relaxing since our visitors left.  I made a lot of progress on my sewing projects this weekend and I will have some photos to show you all soon.  I need to make a list of all the things I still need before Sprout gets here, and I'm afraid it might be a long list.  I'd like to get everything done in the next couple of weeks just to be prepared.

Sprout is pretty much developed at this point and most of the rest of the time, s/he will just be filling out and getting bigger.  The lungs are developed enough that if s/he was born today, s/he would probably survive!  Aren't you curious to see what Sprout will look like?

How far along?  28 weeks
Total weight gain?  I was doing great until this past doctor's appointment.  Now I'm at about 23 lbs.  I am sooooo excited to start working out again soon!
Maternity clothes?  Mostly no.  It's been so grossly humid here that I don't feel like wearing clothes at all.
Stretch marks?  Eh, nothing new, but the ones on the underside of my boobs look worse than they did last week.  I'm still slathering on cocoa butter like whoa.
Sleep?  Weird.  I'm really tired at night but I wake up after a couple of hours and can't get back to sleep until it starts to get light out.  It's frustrating!
Best moment of the week?  Passing my second glucose test.  Seriously, that and the HIV test are the only ones I've passed so far.
Miss anything?  Bending over without grunting, haha!
Movement?  Lots and lots of movement that is pretty strong!  Sometimes I can feel something round poking against my stomach but I can't tell if it's a head or a butt.
Food craving?  I've been eyeing my basil plants out in the yard because as soon as there's enough, I'm making some pesto and feasting.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  I think Belle has an ear infection again.  Poor little gross dog.
Gender?  It's been quite a challenge to keep the quilt neutral!
Labor signs?  Nope.  All good here.
Symptoms?  My heartburn is getting worse.  The sleeplessness is a problem and I get backaches after too much physical activity.
Belly button in or out?  Neither?  It looks so weird.
Wedding rings on or off?  They're on, even though the humidity really tightens them up sometimes.
Happy or moody most of the time?  I was totally moody before getting the results of my second glucose test.  It didn't make me upset, it made me really angry!  Seriously, I don't sit around eating Twinkies and drinking Mountain Dew.  I don't like dessert and even prefer vegetables to fruit!  How could this even be an issue?
Looking forward to?  A chance to hang out with my favorite jet-setter!  And I really need to get to the DMV this week.