25 week update

Well, I'm getting to the end of the second trimester and my discomfort is becoming constant and more intense.  Bottom line:  I'm not very pleasant lately.  We went to the bluegrass festival this weekend and although I was looking forward to it, I didn't enjoy it as much as last year.  I was just so tired all the time and I realized that I have somehow developed hay fever.  So basically, I couldn't breathe, hear or find a comfortable position to sleep or sit in all weekend, which brought out the really sunny side of my personality. I think I've been uninvited from future events.

Bean Sprout is getting bigger and so am I.  S/he weighs about 1.5 pounds, is 13.5 inches long and his/her little bones are becoming solid.  S/he is also filling out and knows up from down now, which is cool, but s/he still prefers to just hang out directly on my bladder.  So thanks Sprout.

I'm told it's time to start working on a birth plan.  So far, I'm planning to give birth.  That's a start, I guess.

How far along?  25 weeks
Total weight gain?  I think about 15 pounds.
Maternity clothes?  I've been getting feedback that my dresses don't accentuate my bump enough.  That's the point!
Stretch marks?  Nothing new, so that's good.
Sleep?  Ha.  Can't sleep on my back because that cuts off circulation to your uterus.  Can't sleep on my stomach because, obviously.  Can't sleep on my right side because my diaphragm tingles really weirdly.  Can't stay too long on my left side because my hip gets sore.  So....yeah, not much sleeping.
Best moment of the week?  I put together a new dresser and side tables from Ikea, which always makes me feel like Jesus, and by that I mean he too was a respected carpenter.
Miss anything?  Nothing I can think of really.
Movement?  Yes, a lot, especially after eating or when I'm laying down.
Food craving?  All week I thought about these delicious jalapeno rellenos with cheese and shrimp from this one Mexican food restaurant near the bluegrass place.  They were to die for.  I could've eaten a dozen.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  This new doggie diet can't last.  It's soooo gross.
Gender?  I've narrowed it down to boy or girl.
Labor signs?  I don't think so, but I have a feeling Sprout may come early for some reason.  I hope not, I just have a feeling.
Symptoms?  General discomfort, heartburn, backaches, trouble sleeping.  Still 3+ months to go of this?!
Belly button in or out?  Innish.
Wedding rings on or off?  On!
Happy or moody most of the time?  Moody this week.  Definitely moody.
Looking forward to?  We are headed to Action Heights this weekend to celebrate Gino's first birthday and have a baby shower for Bean Sprout!  Pool, parties, and Portillo's!

24 week update

The doctor's appointment on Monday was uneventful, and I'll take that to be good news.  I feel like we had another really productive week.  I made appointments to go see two different pediatricians' offices, signed up for a breastfeeding class, and have started doing some research because I'm determined to try to deliver Sprout drug-free.  However, I do not want to go to some weird class and feel awkward and clench-y the whole time.  I mean, people all over the world have babies without even the option of drugs every day, and every spring you hear about some teenage girl squeezing out her baby in the bathroom at prom.  So, I'm thinking it can be done.

We've really been trying to get the house ready for visitors, which will start the first week of August when my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew come to stay with us!  I'm really excited for them to come out.  I just know time is going to start flying by and I'm trying to get as much done as I can while I still feel somewhat mobile.

Stats time:

How far along?  24 weeks
Total weight gain?  13 pounds, which puts me right on target.
Maternity clothes?  I went and got a few more loose dresses this week.  No maternity stuff though.
Stretch marks?  In the interest of honesty, I have to admit I found one on the underside of my left boob.  Prevention/eradication efforts have been redoubled.
Sleep?  No complaints.
Best moment of the week?  The feeling of accomplishment from getting some major things done/lined up.
Miss anything?  Nope.
Movement?  Yes a lot, especially right after I eat.  Scott has been able to feel it pretty often too, which is fun.
Food craving?  Every day it's different, but fairly specific.  Like, yesterday for lunch, it had to be a wedge salad, or this morning, eggs benedict with sauce on the side and the eggs well done.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  Chopping up the raw chicken and pig parts that my dogs eat.  Ew!
Gender?  Make your guesses, ladies and gents!
Labor signs?  I asked the doctor about this weird pulling feeling I get in my stomach sometimes and the fact that it gets really hard and she said that's "just" contractions (!)  but it's pretty normal and not to worry.
Symptoms?  Again, what's the point of this if I'm not being honest? Sneezing has become, um, hazardous.  Also, I have worse acne on my chest and shoulders than I ever had wearing a sweaty sports bra for 5+ hours a day.  Attractive.
Belly button in or out?  Holding on for dear life.
Wedding rings on or off?  On!
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
Looking forward to?  Our first road trip in Yoko this weekend!

23 week update

Well, I must say it's been a productive week.  Scott and I finally ventured into Babies R Us and found some large item things that we really like.  I'm not anywhere close to being done, but at least I got the ball rolling.  I'll keep working on it this week.

I can't believe Sprout will be here in less than 4 months!  Well, hopefully.  I also can't believe that I'm this large and baby is only a pound...I mean, if s/he is going to gain at least another 5 pounds (but probably more) how much bigger am I going to get?  Ugh.

Let's see, what's new with the Bean Sprout this week...s/he has a fully formed face now, it just needs to fill out now so there's some chubby cheeks to pinch.  I feel like maybe I haven't been feeling Sprout move around as much but maybe that's just because I've been too busy to really pay attention.  At least my doctor's appointment is tomorrow to reassure me that everything is going along smoothly.  Maybe Sprout got a little startled when, during our 4th of July home fireworks show, one of the fireworks tipped over and shot directly at me, missing me by about 2 feet.  Sorry Sprout.  I hope it doesn't put you off fireworks forever because they are one of my favorite things in life.

How far along?  23 weeks
Total weight gain?  I actually purchased a scale this week but have been really hesitant to get on it.  I have really started missing the hardcore workouts I was doing last year at this time with the Chicago Marathon 2011 team, so I don't want to look at the number and feel like a blob.
Maternity clothes?  Nothing this week.  I wonder if just wearing regular dresses makes me look more or less shapeless.
Stretch marks?  Still fighting the good fight.
Sleep?  Fine, but I'm thinking it might be time for one of those pregnancy pillows.
Best moment of the week?  The 4th of July!  Easily in my top 2 favorite holidays, I love grilling out, the patriotic feel of the day and, of course, all the fireworks.  I also strongly feel it wouldn't be a legit Independence Day without a near-death experience, so mission: accomplished there.
Miss anything?  The ability to sit for longer than 10 minutes without having to readjust to get comfortable, the delight of sitting in the sun for 10 minutes without sweating profusely and getting nauseous.
Movement?  Yes, some, but I guess I was thinking there'd be more...It does say that Sprout sleeps 12-14 hours a day, so maybe that's fine.
Food craving?  I actually searched out a chocolate bar the other day.  That's usually a big yuck for me.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  Not really.
Gender?  People seem split about 50/50 on what Sprout is.  I just hope the poor thing doesn't have to wear yellow the first three months.
Labor signs?  No.
Symptoms?  I think my organs are starting to feel crowded.  I can't really bend down to put on my shoes without grunting.  That's attractive.
Belly button in or out?  Still in...
Wedding rings on or off?  They're on but snug.  The heat isn't helping.
Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy, especially because I think we're making some real progress getting ready for little Bean Sprout's arrival.
Looking forward to?  A encouraging doctor's appointment, mostly.

50 shades of gray

Get your mind outta the gutter, I'm not talking about THAT.  But I've been pretty busy this week and most of the pics I'm posting today are some kind of gray color, oddly enough, so why not entice my readership? ;)

First things first, we got ourselves a new living room this week.  I loved making slipcovers, but it wasn't really  what we were going for in the living room.  This is more like it, right?

I'm really happy with it.  I love the colors and it's super comfortable.

We also got Bean Sprout's room painted while we were away.  So, I'm thinking turquoise, white and gray is neutral enough for a boy or girl (and I would totally vomit in a pastel green/yellow room).  So here's our starting point:

I feel like now we can have fun with the rest of the decor and I'm excited to put some fun bright colors and prints in there!

That's the little elephant picture I bought for Sprout and box of loot in the corner from my mom, including Lady the Dog, who I've had to hide from Josie and Belle for obvious reasons.

I also bought a crib and changing table this week.  We decided to go for a higher quality crib that could convert to a toddler bed and then a big kid bed instead of just a standard crib.  I looked at about 100 white cribs before Scott found this one.  Nicely done, Husband.  They had a deal on buying the two pieces of furniture together so I figured, aw, why not?

http://www.pali-design.com/index.php?section=products&subsection=&page=products&product_serie_id=56&product_id=&product_photo_id=914&langue=en&view=photo_display

I also bought this rocking chair a few weeks ago which I think will look great with everything else.  We got the white with the darker bottom.

http://www.laylagrayce.com/Products/Nurseryworks-Empire-Rocker__NW65.aspx

What do you think?

Our last big purchase for the week was a new car for me.  I haven't really been very excited about this.  My Volkswagen that I have now has been the best car ever and is super cute, so I've been dreading the end of the lease.  But Scott says we need a "safe" car that is "sensible" for the Sprout.  I say the Sprout would be happy being the cool kid whose Mom has a sporty little two door convertible.  I mean, how can you not love Ellie Mae?

Man, I'm going to miss that car.  I had my heart set on a Jeep Wrangler 4-door because at least that doesn't look like you have to put on Mom-Jeans to drive it, but it wasn't meant to be (mostly because the sales guy screwed up big time at the last minute).  So, back to the drawing board.  Where was I going to find a boxy vehicle that is more like a truck than a crossover?  Since a G Wagon is not going to happen now, (I'll try again in 3 years!) meet Yoko:

It's really nice on the inside, has heated leather seats, a moon roof, blue tooth, satellite radio, and navigation, none of which the Jeep had...but I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't die a little buying a Toyota.  Now Jessica, you're saying, surely you know that a Volkswagen is not an American car?  Yes, I know.  But that's different!  Truthfully, I really like the car and if it was a Chevy I'd be so excited.  But it's hard to give up Ellie Mae.  I mean, truck drivers probably won't even honk at me when they drive alongside me in this, haha!

Anyway, Scott is super excited about this car because he loves Toyotas, it has a little thingamajig to pull his boat, and he thinks that this will make me more willing to go camping (it will NOT!).  And it looks like my pups will be much happier:

Anyway, Happy 4th of July to you all!  Remember to be thankful for all of your freedoms today and the people who work tirelessly to preserve it for us all.  God bless America!

22 week update

I've been staring at the screen for a while now, wondering how to talk about this week and nothing seems like the right thing.

I love getting to spend time with the family, I just wish it wasn't under these kind of circumstances. And that's all I have to say about that.

I feel like my bump is growing more rapidly than ever and Sprout is about a foot long now and weighs about a pound.  S/he moves around A LOT and usually while I am at rest.  It always makes me laugh when I feel it!

Pay no attention to my hair today.  It's 95 degrees, 100% humidity and our air conditioning is broken.  I can't fight against it

How far along?  22 weeks
Total weight gain?  Not sure but I definitely feel bigger this week than I did last week
Maternity clothes?  Lynn and I went shopping this week and got a bunch of really cute dresses I'm excited to wear!
Stretch marks?  None yet, but I've started being more diligent as all the websites are warning me they are just around the corner.
Sleep?  Great, actually.
Best moment of the week?  Family time, even when it's sad, is still lovely and comforting.
Miss anything?  Maybe sangria now that it's so warm.
Movement?  Sprout's pokes and punches are pretty strong now! S/he's an active little thing.
Food craving?  Orange Fanta.  Haha.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  The heat!
Gender?  Sprout has a name either way, at last!
Labor signs?  None I can tell.
Symptoms?  I get tired and out of breath more easily than ever before and I can get irritable pretty quickly.
Belly button in or out?  Still in, but looking weird.
Wedding rings on or off?  On!
Happy or moody most of the time?  50/50.
Looking forward to?  Gotta get to registering this week, keep plugging away at Sprout's quilt and maybe buy a crib!

21 week update

Well, I'm feeling much better this Sunday than last, even though nothing has really changed.  We had our Level II ultrasound appointment on Friday afternoon.  It took a little over an hour with the high risk ultrasound tech going over Sprout for about 45 minutes and then the doctor coming in and and doing it all over again.  They looked for about 20 markers, but there were none!  Well, except for the echogenic intracardiac foci, which we already knew about.  That one marker alone combined with my blood test makes my chances to have a baby with Down Syndrome about 1 in 22.  Any odds worse than 1 in 270 are considered "high risk."  So, even with about a 4.5% chance, we are pretty high risk.  They offered us amniocentesis, which would give us a definite answer either way but we declined.  The thing is, the Sprout we have is the Sprout we have, and the results of the amnio wouldn't change our decision to keep the baby.  So why put him/her at risk for nothing?  I think we have come to the point where we are both prepared if Sprout does have it, but we feel like we will take our chances with the odds and hope for the best.

Anyway, 45 minutes of Sprout-gazing was pretty exciting!  S/he moves around A LOT (another reason I didn't want to do the amnio), still turns toward the camera like a star, and has cute little hands and feet.  S/he's almost a foot long and weighs almost a pound, which I guess is a little big, and that's a good thing.  Also, it became pretty clear from the profile shots that Sprout has Scott's nose and lips!  Their profiles are identical.  So cute.  When I told my Dad and brother this, they offered to break his/her nose to make it look more "Brizzolara."  Did Sprout's Grandpa and Uncle Jay just say they were going to punch my baby in the face?  Poor kid.

One thing I've learned this week is that if I ever have another kid, I probably won't do any kind of testing whatsoever.  It's just too stressful.  The last two weeks have been really depressing but I finally feel normal.  I hope two weeks of panic and sadness have not rubbed off too terribly on the Sprout.  So, let's get to the stats:

In case you can't tell, that's a pomegranate up there.  How that's larger than a banana, I can't figure out, but whatevs.


How far along?  21 weeks
Total weight gain?  Probably around 10 pounds, which puts me right on target.
Maternity clothes? GAP PANTS.  But still in dresses mostly.
Stretch marks?  None yet but thebump.com says they should emerge any day.  I'm keeping my cocoa butter close!
Sleep?  Better lately for sure!
Best moment of the week?  Leaving the doctor's office and feeling relieved, like we could handle whatever happens in November.  And seeing Sprout's little Scott face!
Miss anything?  Not really.
Movement?  I am starting to be able to tell when Sprout is awake and asleep.  Apparently, s/he thinks 10:30 p.m. is the perfect time to party.  This does not bode well for my future.
Food craving?  I can't wait to get to Chicago so I can eat some Portillo's.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  Smells!  My nose is so sensitive.  Smoked salmon and Belle's dirty ears are especially offensive.
Gender?  We are closing in on names for either one...but I get the feeling Sprout may be a hard nickname to shake off.
Labor signs?  I believe I've had the first couple Braxton Hicks episodes.  Are these labor signs?  I sure hope not.
Symptoms?  I have had heartburn for the first time in my life this week.  I had to ask Scott what it feels like because I literally have never experienced it!  They say that means Sprout will be born with a lot of hair.  Apparently, he is getting some of my genes after all.
Belly button in or out?  Still in.  I don't know for how much longer though.
Wedding rings on or off?  On during the day, but it's become uncomfortable to sleep in them anymore.
Happy or moody most of the time?  Pretty happy!
Looking forward to?  I am going to try to register this week.  I have a couple of good resources including a pretty comprehensive list from my sister-in-law Courtney.  I also am picking up my new car this week and have been working on Sprout's quilt.  I will try to have pics of both up this week.

20 week update

It's been a difficult week.

You all know how Monday's doctor's appointment went.  After the initial shock and letting my mind run wild for a few days, I decided to put it behind me, stay positive and wait for more information.  I was leaving for Virginia Beach for a vacation with some friends and was determined to keep busy and have a good time while I waited for the results for my blood test and my Level II ultrasound.

Well, right as I got to DC on Friday night, my doctor called.  The blood test did not offer the reassurance I was hoping for.  She told me that my blood showed my risk at about 1 in 43 for a baby with Down Syndrome.  I know that is still a less than a 3% chance but it's a scary number that keeps going up and up.  I decided not to go on vacation and drove back home yesterday morning.  Since then, I've been Google-ing everything I can think of: elevated quad screen + one soft marker, reliability of quad screen, other markers for Down Syndrome, etc.  Most of what I've found has been encouraging and that makes it a little easier to stay hopeful.  But the truth is, I'm afraid, for so many reasons.  There's really nothing I can do at this point but seek out all the information I can, wait for my second ultrasound, and hope for the best.  Scott is the most wonderful person in the world and I feel lucky to have him every day, but he is especially amazing in times like this.  I can't imagine anyone could be more comforting and loving than he is.  Whatever God's plan is for Sprout, at least I have my best friend to go through it with.  And we are still optimistic!

I have so appreciated all the phone calls, texts, emails, and comments from you all.  It's nice to know that in this scary and uncertain time, we have so many people who love and support us.  Thank you so much.

How far along?  20 weeks
Total weight gain?  About 7 lbs.  It looks like more though doesn't it?
Maternity clothes?  Those Gap pants are the best thing ever.
Stretch marks?  Nope!
Sleep?  It's been a little harder sleeping this week, but I know it's becoming more and more important. I'll be alright.
Best moment of the week?  I am feeling some movement!  It's just little pokes right now but it makes me laugh.
Miss anything?  No.
Movement?  Yes, and we got to see it too in the ultrasound on Monday.  Sprout sure looks like an active little thing.
Food craving?  No, and I think I've been eating less this week too but that's nerves more than anything else.  I need to wipe the slate clean tomorrow and get back on track.
Anything make you sick or queasy?  No, physically, I've been feeling great.
Gender?  We had the opportunity to find out on Monday but we're holding out for a surprise!
Labor signs?  Nope.
Symptoms?  My nose is still super sensitive but not much else.  I'm starting to notice my stomach feels large when I'm standing at the kitchen counter making dinner.
Belly button in or out?  Still in.
Wedding rings on or off?  On!
Happy or moody most of the time?  Trying my best to stay happy.
Looking forward to?  We are buying a new car this week!  Hopefully some pics for you soon.  My mom sent us a box of loot for the Sprout and there are some amazing wedding pics I will try to share this week too.