23 weeks

Paul is zonked out on the couch right now. He hasn't been feeling great the last couple days. Heaven forbid he take it easy at all though. But that is just him, can't let feeling like crap get in the way of getting his stuff done! I'm glad he was home early tonight so he can at least rest this evening and hopefully get a good night's sleep tonight.

Well, another week went by so that means I am at 23 weeks today! I've been feeling pretty good yet, starting to get sick of getting up and down at work. I had to bring a pillow to put on my chair because my butt starts to hurt when I sit for too long. I've had some other 'issues' that I'll spare you as well. Sometimes when I am sitting I feel like my belly is resting on my legs since I am carrying pretty low. I don't think I ever put a picture of my last ultrasound on here, so I wanted to share one of those now.

How far along?: 23wks
How big is baby?: The size of a papaya! Almost a foot long and weighs about a pound.
Weight gain?: 2 pounds more than last week, so I think 20 lbs all together so far. I still need to keep an eye on it, but it's really hard this time of year. (I know, I know...excuses)
Stretch marks?: None yet.
Maternity Clothes?: Pretty much everything except sweatshirts and tees, but some of those are getting snug too.
Sleep?: Not bad, waking up in the middle of the night most of the time to use the bathroom but I go right back to sleep.
Best moment of the week?: Hmm...nothing real exciting happened this week.
Food cravings?: Stupid carbs...I could eat bread and pasta everyday and be happy. Gotta try and keep those veggies in there somewhere though.
Gender?: Baby BOY!
Movement?: Yup! Still not super strong kicks so Paul can feel them, but hopefully soon.
Belly Button?: Stretching but still an innie. I am anxious to see it pop but don't think it will be for awhile.
What I miss?: Being able to sleep on my back.
Labor signs?: Uh, no.
What I'm looking forward to?: Feeling some stronger kicks. And for the month of December to be done. Even though I love Christmas, I will be glad when the month is over and we can relax again.
Milestone?: Not sure...making another week?

Not much change that I can see. It feels heavier if that makes sense though.

22 wks

This is the first week I've noticed that I can see the baby kicking from the outside! The other night he must have been in just the right place because I sat and watched my tummy bounce for a minute or two. Other than that it's been pretty random, I have to sit and really watch. Of course the night he was the most active, Paul was in the basement doing something else and missed it. Most of the time when I feel him kick it is still in my lower stomach.

How far along?: 21w6d
How big is baby?: 12.7-20.8 oz, the size of a papaya! I'm guessing a little over a pound.
Weight gain?: I didn't weigh myself again this week. I know, I'm a chicken. I'm afraid of what I'll see... In other words I need to start watching what I eat more and back off the carbs!
Stretch marks?: Not yet!
Maternity clothes?: All pants, most tops. Still fitting into a few pre-pg tops and I live in my hoodies when I'm at home.
Sleep?: Still good for the most part. Trying not to lay on my back too much, but I still end up waking up that way a lot.
Best moment of the week?: Watching my tummy pop out when the baby was kicking!
Food cravings?: Nothing in particular. Changes by moment.
Gender?: BOY!
Movement?: Yep!
Belly button?: Stretching more and more, but still an innie.
What I miss?: Nothing.
Labor signs?: None.
What I'm looking forward to?: Seeing and feeling more of those kicks! I love it! :)
Milestone? I'm going to use seeing the kicks from the outside again. That was about the most exciting thing that happened this week as you can tell!

Little bit bigger than last week. I'm apparently having a hard time getting the camera to focus on my face, but oh well. That thing gets heavy.












December Daily Album Update: I have 12 pages of the album done, just waiting for some more Christmas supplies that I ordered to come in the mail. I've taken pics for yesterday and today and am keeping the journaling in a small notebook until the weekends, when I will hopefully have more time to put the actual pages together. I'll try and get some pics taken to share them too! :)

21 weeks

It's a....BOY!! We are very excited and I am glad that I can start planning some more things, like the nursery. I already have a few ideas! :)

Well, at my appt. on Tuesday the dr. decided to keep my due date at April 8th, so that would make me 21 weeks tomorrow. Madison is super excited that "my new baby boy cousin is coming on my birthday!!" Too cute! Since today is Thanksgiving I would like to say that I am so very thankful for having such a wonderful husband, for this little guy growing inside of me, and for my family. We are very blessed!

How far along?: 20w6d
How big is baby?: The ultrasound tech said he weight about 1 pound! According to the bump, the size of a banana.
Weight gain?: Um. Yes. Since my last appt. I apparently gained 12 lbs, 17 lbs total then. I don't totally believe that, because I had a full bladder and we had just eaten, so I'm going to keep an eye on it at home for awhile.
Stretch marks? None yet, trying to keep ahead of them with the lotion.
Maternity clothes?: Yes when it comes to pants, some shirts.
Sleep?: Still good. Getting up to pee once a night usually.
Best moment of the week?: The ultrasound and seeing our baby again!! :)
Food cravings?: Comfort foods lately. So, nothing healthy. Ha.
Gender?: BOY!!
Movement?: I usually feel some good kicks daily now.  Don't feel much from the outside yet though.
Belly button?: Still an innie, but stretching a little.
What I miss?: Not a thing.
Labor signs?: None.
What I'm looking forward to?: Seeing my family for Thanksgiving on Saturday. We had a great day with Paul's family today too!
Milestone?: Reaching the halfway point (YAY!) and finding out we are having a little boy! :)

Not a ton of change from the last picture. I actually took this on Tuesday, so it was a couple days ago.

big day tomorrow!!

Well tomorrow is finally the big day!! We're having the ultrasound and *hopefully* finding out if it's a boy or a girl! I say hopefully because there is always the chance that the baby will be moving around too much to tell. It's funny how many people have asked if we're finding out what we're having, then when I tell them yes they say that we should be surprised for the first one. It's kind of starting to bother me actually. Like, come on people, it's our decision and don't make me feel bad for it. Oh well, I'm not changing my mind now! I just want to be able to say 'he' or 'she' instead of 'it'. I still have no idea, but Paul thinks it is a boy. So we'll find out soon!!

new project!

Well, inspired by Ali Edwards and this post from Elle @ Elle's Studio, I decided to do a December Daily mini-album this year. I ordered a bunch of Christmas stuff from Two Peas in a Bucket and Elle's Studio, and I think I have everything else I'll need. Right now I am pumped about it, so hopefully that feeling continues and I don't push it aside like I tend to do with things sometimes. The main reason I decided to go for it was because I thought it would be fun to see how the month of December and the Christmas season is for us now, and do this again next year to see how much it all changes! The thing I'm worried about for this year is that I won't have a lot to put in it on certain days since, you know, we're not super exciting. Ha! I'm sure I will come up with something. That's what's so neat about this, you can do whatever you like. I am excited to see how it goes, and I will make sure to share the progress!

(about) 19.5 weeks

One more week and we will have a set due date again! Then I'll know for sure how far along I am, but I think I am pretty close. Sorry it has been such a delay since the last time, I kept meaning to get on here, but just put it off. I've been feeling pretty good for the most part yet. Starting to get a little bit of heartburn here and there, but nothing too serious yet. Hopefully it stays that way!
One week from tomorrow is when we will find out the sex of the baby! I am just a little excited! :) Paul keeps asking me what I think it is, and I seriously have no idea. Some days I think for sure it's a girl, and other days I feel like it's gotta be a boy. According to a few things I've heard over the past couple weeks...

Chinese gender chart: Boy
High heartbeat: Girl
Craving sweet things: Girl

So it will be interesting to see what happens!! I don't have a preference, as long as he/she is healthy, and Paul feels the same way. On to the survey...

How far along?: About 19.5 weeks
How big is baby?: the size of a Mango :)
Weight gain?: Forgot to weigh myself this morning, so not sure. I feel bigger in the belly, so I'm sure I've gained a couple pounds!
Stretch marks?: So far so good!
Maternity clothes?: Pants, yes. Tops, a few. I'm not quite big enough to fill out a lot of the tops yet, so when I went shopping this past weekend it was sort of frustrating. Soon enough I'm sure.
Sleep?: Still good for the most part. Once in a while I wake up in the middle of the night but usually go right back to sleep.
Best moment of the week? I might have been imagining it, but I think one night I felt a little kick in my lower stomach. I had my hand on my tummy feeling my heart beat, and all of a sudden I felt a little tap on my fingers that I know wasn't my heartbeat. Paul says when he has his hand on my stomach while we are laying in bed a couple times he thought he felt the same thing.
Food cravings?: Right now all I am craving is my Grandma's chicken noodle soup with dumplings. Yummm...can't wait until Christmas Eve!
Gender?: Soon!!
Movement?: Feel him/her move usually once a day for sure, if not more. THINK I might have felt it from the outside a few days ago. (Just felt the little bugger right now too :)
Belly button?: Stretching a little, but still an innie.
What I miss?: This is kind of weird, but on my way home from my mom & dad's the other night I passed a party bus and it made me think of some fun times with our friends and kind of want a drink. It passed pretty quick though. Ha!
Labor signs?: Zippo, thank goodness.
What I'm looking forward to?: Our ultrasound next week. Not only to find out the gender, but just to see the baby moving around on the screen again. Love that!
Milestone? Possibly feeling the baby from the outside?! And being almost halfway through my pregnancy!!! Praying that the last half goes as well as the first did!!

Pic:

I can definitely tell that I've grown from the last pic! After I took this I couldn't believe it because it actually looks bigger than it feels. I'm sure the fact that all I wear is sweatshirts doesn't help. And I think some days it looks bigger than other days. I'm happy that I finally look pregnant now at least. :)

18-ish weeks

I think I am closer to 18 weeks now, since I have been going by the April due date...yes, I know, it's confusing. A few more weeks and it will be set for sure again! I don't really know what I am talking about. Still feeling good for the most part. Today I had (and still have) what I am thinking is a gas bubble in my lower left side that has been sort of annoying. It hurts when I sit or move certain ways. Hopefully it will work itself out. Anyways, here's the survey!

How far along?: 18 or so weeks (according to an early April due date)
How big is baby?: About the size of a sweet potato :)
Weight gain?: I actually weighed myself this morning and it was the same as when I went to the dr. last week.
Stretch marks?: Not yet.
Maternity clothes?: Random pieces here and there mostly.
Sleep?: Still pretty good. Noticing that I switch sides a lot more often though, trying to get comfortable. Once I'm out, I'm out though.
Best moment of the week?: Seeing the girls in their Halloween costumes. They are goofballs!
Food cravings?: Lately I have been having to use some will power when it comes to sweets...like, say, chocolate chip cookies, and mint brownies someone brought to work...YUM!
Gender?: Unknown.
Movement?: I am pretty certain I've been feeling little flutters and kicks in there more often now.
Belly button?: No change yet.
What I miss?: Nothing comes to mind today.
Labor signs?: None yet.
What I'm looking forward to?: Craft sale on Saturday...I am a nerd.
Milestone?: Knowing for sure I am feeling our little peanut moving inside of me. I love it! Can't wait until Paul can feel it too.

And the pic: