25 weeks

Pregnancy: 25 Weeks today!

Weight Gain: 16 pounds total.  And it's 100 degrees today so i have stopped the walking to work thing.. need to get to the gym or something! Don't want to get too crazy with the weight gain....

Sleep:   Not waking up as much to go to the bathroom, but i still have very VIVID dreams. Nothing really about the baby yet, just random people's faces that i might have seen on facebook that day or something

Gender: Not finding out the sex.

Names:   To be honest. I have a girl's name.  I'm not sharing it though, I don't know for sure if Andrew agrees with it 100%, and we aren't finding out the sex, so no need to share.  (and i am pretty sure we are having a boy)  But for boy names.. i do have a list.  Andrew doesn't like ANY of them.  We really need to sit down and get serious- but we have not. At this point our baby is nameless and will be maybe until a few days after birth.  I am hoping at delivery, he'll give in and i'll get the names i want.  That's how it works right? 

Feeling/ Symptoms:  It's hot out there ya'll.  Standing for long periods of time are really taking a toll on my feet and ankles.  Or maybe it's the 16 pounds i gained.....hmmm.  I have been going to sleep with my legs up at the end of a long, hot day of standing.

Health:  Good.  Not sure if i ever mentioned that i get bloody noses.  It's for sure a pregnancy thing, and i think it's weird.  It's been going on for a few months.  But as longs as it means i am still preggers, i'll take it! 

Movement:  Still lots of movement in the belly.. Now every time i feel it, i look down to try to SEE it.  it's pretty awesome

Belly:   Still weirded out about my belly button.  The other day a friend of mine... touched it and said.. "OH your belly button is sticking out"!!!  touching it is weird. Please don't touch a pregnant lady's belly button.  thank you. ;)

Maternity Clothes:  Prob. not getting anything else new.  Skirts and dresses have been doing the trick so far.  Although i did get new (bigger) undies the other day. Let's never speak of it again.

Stretch Marks:  Still no, thank goodness.  Belly is very smooth. I keep it lubed up 

Best Moment Last Week:  Registering for my shower!  (feels like a year ago).  We registered at Buy Buy Baby and Target. Andrew's sister Aimee is a god send.  I had no idea how much STUFF you need. - Well i know you don't NEED most of it, but it's still a lot of stuff.  I couldn't believe that so much STUFF was going to come into my cute little apartment.  Hope it fits!  But registering was great overall.  I am so grateful Andrew's mom and sister are throwing me a shower.  They are the best! And my momma's coming! YAY!

Nursery:  Still a computer room......Andrew was told (by his sister and mother) that he has the month of July to clear out that room.  haha!

What I Miss:  a nice cold beer.  yep. and my belly button.

Looking forward to:   Having 3 days off next week!! God bless America.  I am going to lay in the AC watching my FREE HBO that i have for a few more days.  SIGH.  Side note.. Andrew and watched Season One and Two of Game of Thrones in less than a month.  I got HBO free for a month.  I'm gonna miss it and i might have to dish out the extra 10 bucks a month for the rest of the summer. hello... TRUE BLOOD.   got off track there, I'm looking forward to watching TV and maybe going to the movies.  I want to see Moonrise Kingdom!!! (see trailer below)

What the professionals are saying: 

How your baby's growing:

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — , but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

Baby is the size of what fruit/ Vegetable?   Rutabaga  

AND- Moonrise Kingdom Trailer, cause it's cute:

Little weekend recap

We had a pretty good weekend this past weekend. I know it's Tuesday but I've been busy! Last night Andrew and I took a CPR class. So we can be prepared for the upcoming kiddo. It was pretty interesting although I think I'd be scared to try it on someone in the street, but I could!
I learned that hotdogs are the main food that kids choke on!?! If you want to feed your kids hotdogs, make sure to cut them into triangles or random shapes, not just slices. Lesson of the day. ;)

So the weekend... Saturday was my sweet friend Hayley's Bridal Shower! Her wedding is slowly approaching! Slowly meaning it'll be here before we know it, and so will my baby...ahhh!! Moving on...  The shower was great! Then Andrew and I went to a festival down the street where Dinasour Jr. Played. Awesome. That night I was out pretty late. Did you know preggo ladies at the bar drinking a non alcoholic beer get lots of stares! Oops.

Sunday Andrew's family had a huge family party. His grandma "Bubba" is turning 98 next month. So the entire family got together in our red, white and blue outfits. Haha!

Here are some iPhone pics..

From L- R Heather, Margo, Hayley, Me, Mary and Val

the happy couple!

Green Music Festival @ the Damen blue line stop

Aimee, Anne, Alivia and Bubba

Dinasour Jr. 

preggo at the family party

the ladies

This is the Creepy CPR baby- it's head popped off.

24 weeks!

Pregnancy: 24 Weeks- yay!  24 is my lucky number, and if baby is born now there is a good percentage that everything would be ok.. BUT stay in there baby, brew some more please and thank you.

Weight Gain: At the doctor on Monday, I have gained 16 pounds so far.  EEEP! I guess I am on track, but 16 pounds.. EEEEP!

Sleep:  Weird/ Vivid dreams, but good deep sleeps for the most part, besides waking up a few times to go to the potty.

Gender: Not finding out the sex!

Names: NO IDEA.

Feeling/ Symptoms:  Feeling good still.  It's getting just  a wee bit harder to bend over and it doesn't help that my legs are completely fried from my sunburn.  Sunburned legs- and preggo belly= hard to move around

Health: feeling good. 

Movement: Lot's of kicks, baby is up and ready to party.

Belly:  Getting bigger!  - Belly Button is weird and sensitive. I wonder if it's gonna pop out still. But hasn't yet.  When people touch my belly (which they do now)- i cringe when they touch my belly button. - good to know right?

Maternity Clothes:  Got a new maternity skirt for my birthday that doubles as a dress!  Maternity clothes are awesome, so comfy.

Stretch Marks:  Nope!- got some new belly lotion for my birthday too!  Mama's Burt's Bees

Best Moment Last Week:  MY BIRTHDAY! - jk.  Going to my dr. for my 23/24 week check up.  She was very positive and wasn't worried about the baby's kidney at all. She said our baby is in the 95th Percentile for HEIGHT!  Baby is gonna be TALL!  Height runs in Andrew's family so that makes sense.  Overall- great appointment. I love my Midwife!

Nursery:  Still a computer room......

What I Miss:  walking faster, SUSHI.  drinking beer and wine.

Looking forward to:   Going to register for my baby shower tonight with Andrew's sister Aimee!  We are going to Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us and Target.  She's got three kiddos and she's a pro.  I needed a pro for sure to help me. YAY!!


What the professionals are saying: 

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long, he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Baby is the size of what fruit/ Vegetable? Ear of Corn!

And i forgot to post this picture before, so I'll add it here.  Why not?  THE TEST!!!!!

Date of Picture: 2/10/12

Lake Geneva

Today is my birthday! I love my birthdays they are real fun. I had a bagel today and pizza and ice cream cake! And tonight I'm going out to dinner with some friends for Thai food. Tomorrow I'll think about broccoli again , ooops!

This weekend Andrew and I took a little weekend get away up to Lake Geneva Wisconsin. It was about an hour and a half drive and we stayed for 2 nights. If you follow me on instagram you've prob seen most of these pictures, sorry! But I've pretty much stopped carrying my real camera. Who needs it when you have an awesome iPhone!?!?

So, we had a real nice time on our last get away with just the two of us. Laid out by the pool, went to the beach, ate lots of food, walked by the local dive bar and didn't go in.... My have things changed since I've been preggo. Instead we found the local frozen yogurt spot.... We both got completely sunburned even though we used sun screen! I can't win, I'm fried. Andrew made an epic sand castle. Good times.

Here's some photos from the trip....

The creek behind our hotel

our Hotel pool...

instagram toes

Little sunset shot at the lake

cheesy iphone pic.

our little kitchen in our hotel room, cute! 

FRIED CHEESE CURDS.  i love Wisconsin for this reason alone.

Andrew's Castle in the making.  it took him an hour. ha!

still building

Little firework display at the beach

Almost done!  He added one more layer around the edge, i didn't get a photo of the final

Instagram, Dynamic Light Apps, used on the sunset.

23 weeks

Pregnancy: 23 weeks

Weight Gain: 10 pounds at last appt.. going to dr. on Monday will report back

Sleep:  Going good!  I got a snoogle pillow, it's awesome- and helps with the zzzzz's...

Gender: Not finding out the sex!

Names: NO IDEA.

Feeling/ Symptoms:  Pretty good!  So far i like being pregnant.  I have been walking to work and those walks are becoming slower... no more speed walking.  

Health:  I think these prenatal vitamins are a miracle!  I haven't gotten sick once since being preggo (KNOCK ON WOOD).  Feeling healthy.  Had birthday cake 3 times this week since it was co workers birthday. But besides that been eating semi healthy.

Movement:  Been feeling lots of kicks!  Everytime i feel them, i tell Andrew to run over and feel too, but baby always stops when he arrives.  haha! Soon enough, he'll feel them too.

Belly:  Belly button has not popped out but it does look very different than what i am used to.  It's real smooth and round!

Maternity Clothes: Thank you to my previous preggo friends, i have borrowed a few of their maternity wardrobes.  I have bought ONE maternity skirt (that i love).  That is all i have bought.  My summer dresses from last year still fit, good thing i wore mu mu's last summer ;)  Besides that it's skirts, and yoga pants. Nothing but class.

Stretch Marks:  Nope!

Best Moment Last Week:  No real changes last week.  Having a diet coke and not feeling guilty about it!

Nursery:  YEAH RIGHT!  Going to register next week.. yay!

What I Miss:  SUSHI!, Wine, BEER, SUSHI

Looking forward to:   Going out of town this weekend for our "baby moon"  Last get away with just the two of us.  The rest of the summer is booked, I have a feeling October will be here before we know it!!


What the professionals are saying: 

How your baby's growing:

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound, you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Baby is the size of what fruit??  MANGO!

Belly Photos

First of all, i am overwhelmed by all the love i got on the Facebook!  Wow!  It was just as fun (if not more) than having a birthday on FB (mine is next Tuesday! btw...) haha! jk.

And thank you for the love on my blog.  You ladies are real sweet.  Cortney, yes- time to brainstorm BOY names! (and I can't wait to hear about your Mystery girls trip!!)

Funny thing about naming the baby- Andrew and I have NOT been agreeing on ANY names.  Not one.  I thought naming a baby would just be something he'd let me have.. I have NEEDS and wants people.. haha! Nope.. turns out he wants a hand in deciding our baby's name.  Who knew?  At least we have a few more months.  I'll be honest, I think i have the girls name set, but boy names??? NOPE. Better get crackin'.

Dwija  - Right after I read about you drinking caffeine throughout your pregnancies, i went out and got rebellious and had a diet coke with dinner.  It was glorious!  Also- I forgot to mention in my last post, no I didn't have ANY morning sickness. Nothing.  My ONLY symptom was being SO TIRED. Like a bus hit me and ran me over 15 times- tired.  I'd fall asleep at work on my desk, go home and sleep, I'm just now getting my energy back. From what i have heard from others, i am glad i missed out on the morning sickness! :)

Since i spilled the beans at 22 weeks, i have to go back quite a few weeks to get caught up.  After this, I'll post more weekly photos and updates.  FUN ! 
I have something to write about weekly!  

Ok,  Photo dump starting at week 8:

Date: 3/4/12- (or 2 months)

Date: 3/18/12

Date: 4/1/12

Date: 4/15/12 - 2nd trimester! 

Date: 4/22/12

Date:  4/29/12

Date: 5/6/12

Date: 5/13/12

Date: 5/17/12

 Date: 5/24/12- Half way there! (5 mos)

Date: 5/31/12

Date: 6/7/12

Ok, Now we are up to date. I'll be 23 weeks on Thursday.
As you can see at the beginning i skipped every other week, i just didn't think i was growing that much.  But now... WOAH!  I tried to wear the same black tank top in every picture but sometimes, I forgot to take the picture and whatever I was wearing at the time had to do. Good thing it was normally black! :)  And my photo from week 22 was actually taken today at work.. OOPS!  I'll start taking them on Thursdays now when my new week starts.
Gotta get more accurate. 

This weekend Andrew and I are going on a bit of a baby moon.  IE:  our last trip with just the 2 of us before the baby comes.  We are driving to Wisconsin to Lake Geneva and staying a resort type place.  There will be a pool and a beach.  That is all i care about!  I need a pool!


xoxo

Spilling the beans!

I am still not too sure who reads this little blog i have been avoiding for the last (almost) 6 months!  But most of you that i know DO read it, already knew my little secret. 
Today i finally spilled the beans on the ole Facebook..

I'M PREGGERS!  

Phew, it feels so good to finally write it here on my blog.  I sort of started this blog knowing I wanted kids one day and hoping to post about being pregnant, having a baby and all that, but for some reason when it happened i was very hesitant to tell the internet.

But today I did!
So here are the facts.  The good bad and the ugly (and pretty cute)!

1.)  I am 22 weeks pregnant as of yesterday... in other words, When i turn 33 on 6/19 I'll be 6months preggers.- crazy.

2.)  A year ago today, we were in EUROPE!  TIME FLIES

3.) I found out i was pregnant on February 10th.  It was the dead of winter and i told a few close friends.  About a week later at 6 weeks i told a few more friends, because if i showed up to a girls night with NO WINE, they would know.

4.)  At 8 weeks (March 1st) Andrew and I told our parents.  We skyped  my mom and dad in Dallas, and Face timed Andrew's family in the burbs.  Everyone was super excited!

5.)  At 12 weeks i told my co-workers and a few more friends out of state. 

6.)  At 14 weeks, I told my boss- and the rest of my co workers. That was a relief!

7.)  Giving up caffeine was really hard.  But i still to this day have only had a couple sips of real coffee and a diet coke. I have been drinking Decaf i made at home everyday, fooled all the folks at work.. I LOVE COFFEE.

8.)  We started trying to get pregnant last September- But I had what is called a Chemical Pregnancy- It was really hard so we took some time off over the holidays and then started trying again.

9.)  The first 5 months, just FLEW by.  Being pregnant over the winter is pretty great, because you hibernate any way!

10.)  I didn't start showing until about 2/3 weeks ago, which is when i started to feel the baby move.

11.)  I started out this journey at Northwestern Hospital under the care of a great doctor, but at 16 weeks i found out my insurance didn't cover Northwestern, so i had to say good bye to him and find a new doctor.

12.)  At 19 weeks I went to my new Hospital - UIC, and met with a Mid Wife, who i loved.  I am sticking with her.

13.)  My 20 week ultra sound - which actually happened on week 21- was a horrible experience.  I had a horrible technician who barely spoke English and didn't talk throughout the entire process.  I had to ask if i was looking at the head at one point - Then we found out that the baby had a little extra fluid in his/her kidney    it's normally 4mm and our baby had 4.4mm in ONE kidney.  And we found out it was a soft marker for Downs Syndrome.  Since we opted out of all of the genetic testing, we didn't know our odds.  So i was able to take the blood test that tests for any abnormalities and we got the results back yesterday that it was negative!  I have a 99.75% of everything being OK with my baby.  THANK YOU GOD! It was a VERY stressful week, thank you to those of you that talked me through it!! Lots of LOVE!!

14.)  We did NOT find out the sex.  But if you read about the extra fluid in the kidney, you will see it's more common in BOYS!  So now our parents think we are having a boy for sure. - we shall see!

15.) I am due October 11th!  Which is great, because i have always loved Libras. I feel good about that sign. :) 

16.)  I have spent the last 6 months (esp. the last week) worrying about everything.  I decided that from now on I am putting it out of my hands and will just hope and pray and feel confident that everything will be OK.  I have been reading on line message boards and they have been scaring the shit out of me.  NO MORE.  I am done with those.  I highly suggest to stay off the internet if/when you ever get preggers.  So SCARY.  Our parents new nothing and we all turned out fine - right??

17.)  Not drinking in the summer is HARD!  I have learned to love my O'Doul's Non- alch. Beer. And did you know they make alcohol free WINE!! It's true, and it's not too bad.

This is a lot of info for one blog post i know. I'll spread it out.  I can't promise you that this blog isn't going to turn into a baby blog.  I'll still post about random shit like i do, but I think it's time to tell my family I have a blog so they can follow along on this journey of mine.  So, i apologize in advance if it becomes too much about BABY- which it might......

I'll leave you with my 20 week ultra sound.  There is a real baby in there! 
I have been taking Belly photos since week 8.  I'll add those too.  That'll be another post.

I am excited to share this journey on this little blog in hopes that i can show it to my little girl or boy one day. 

Here is baby Chobot!  

Pretty cute, i think! 
xoxo