She's here!

Lucia Jane (aka Lucy) made her entrance into the world at 8:10 am on Monday, June 24. She weighs 6 lbs. 9 oz. and is 20 inches long with lots of dark hair. I was very anxious about having a c-section due to her being breech, but recovery is going well and she is nursing like a champ. John and I are absolutely smitten with our beautiful daughter!

39 weeks

how far along? 39 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a watermelon

weight gain/loss? +35-ish lbs

stretch marks? my hips are covered in them...ugh

maternity clothes? yes

sleep? definitely uncomfortable, but manageable

food cravings? anything frozen and fruity

symptoms? swollen feet and ankles, sciatic nerve pain, achy hips

signs of labor? cervix is still getting shorter, but no dilation or effacement

sex of baby? girl

movement? very consistent rolls and pushes

belly button? it's out!

what I'm worrying about: baby is still breech, so I'll be having a c-section bright and early on Monday morning. I've definitely had a lot of anxiety this week and it's wearing on me. However, John has been awesomely supportive, and my doctor is very reassuring (she's going to be doing the surgery herself), so I just need to trust that everything will work out for the best and we'll end up with a healthy baby and healthy mom in the end

what I'm loving: counting down the hours until we meet our sweet baby girl

best moment this week? knowing this is my last week of pregnancy and work

38 weeks

how far along? 38 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a pumpkin

weight gain/loss? +30-ish lbs

stretch marks? all over my hips, but none on my bump (strange)

maternity clothes? yes, and I'm so sick of wearing the same 6 shirts over and over and over and over again...

sleep? still sleeping in the guest room; John installed a new ceiling fan in there and it's so cool and comfortable, plus I love having a big bed to myself

food cravings? popsicles, ice cream, and anything frozen

symptoms? swollen feet and ankles, sciatic nerve pain, heavy breathing, a slight waddle

signs of labor? cervix is still getting shorter, but no dilation or effacement

sex of baby? girl

movement? rolling, pushing, and one big flip (see below)

belly button? it's out!

what I'm worrying about: well, we received some interesting news at our most recent appointment - after several weeks of being confirmed in the head-down position, baby is now breech. My OB gave us two options: try an external version (manipulating from the outside to try and get the baby to turn) or schedule a c-section. Given that it's late in the pregnancy and baby will only be getting bigger by the week, it's going to be harder to get her to turn, plus the risks of doing an external version are pretty scary and the success rate isn't awesome (only around 58%). Plus, there's always a chance she could flip back after the procedure and I'd end up having to have a c-section anyways. Although it's definitely not my first choice of how to give birth, I decided to schedule a c-section for Monday, June 24 when I'll be 39 weeks. There is still a small possibility that she could turn in the next week (we'll know for sure at our appointment next Friday), but my OB isn't optimistic. So, on top of feeling anxious about having a baby in general, now I'm feeling anxious about going through major surgery and dealing with a more complicated recovery. I keep reminding myself that I'm doing what's best to ensure a healthy baby, but the truth is that I'm really scared.

what I'm loving: the nursery is done and it's adorable!

best moment this week? nesting is in full force and we tackled some major house projects - washing windows and blinds, re-painting the front door, hanging a new house number plaque, and buying a new rug for the living room

37 weeks

how far along? 37 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a winter melon

weight gain/loss? +30-ish lbs

stretch marks? still a few on each hip

maternity clothes? absolutely

sleep? now I'm the one who's camping out in the guest room; it's much easier to shove a pillow between my knees and flop over like a beached whale when I'm not sharing a bed (we'll see if this lasts throughout the rest of the pregnancy)

food cravings? popsicles and ice cream

symptoms? swollen feet and ankles, sciatic nerve and tailbone pain, heavy breathing

signs of labor? I had my first internal exam last week and my doctor commented that my cervix is shortening, but not at all dilated or effaced

sex of baby? girl

movement? plenty of rolls and pushes

belly button? starting to pop out!

what I'm worrying about: how much longer I'm going to be pregnant; I have an ominous feeling that I'm going to go waaaaaaaay overdue...

what I'm loving: finishing our birth classes, buying the few remaining items off our registries, and knocking out a few baby-related projects (starting a baby book, hanging IKEA spice racks as forward-facing bookshelves in the nursery)

best moment this week? putting the dock in at our cabin = a sure sign of summer!

36 weeks

how far along? 36 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a honeydew melon

weight gain/loss? most likely still around 30 lbs

stretch marks? I always assumed that stretch marks would show up on your belly during pregnancy, so I'm surprised to only see 3-4 dark stretch marks on each hip; I wish I had known this and put more lotion on my hips than on my bump - c'est la vie.

maternity clothes? yes - the tunic in the photo below is one of my favorite maternity pieces - very Tory Burch-esque, and it's only from Old Navy

sleep? decent, although I don't think my husband agrees. I woke up one morning to an empty bed; evidently John had moved into the guest room at 3:00 am when my snoring became too much to handle!

food cravings? BLT sandwiches

symptoms? holy swollen feet and ankles! I've also experiencing more round ligament pain and sciatica

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? still rolling and pushing around in there

belly button?

what I'm worrying about: the usual fears about labor and delivery

what I'm loving: feeling celebrated and gifted at my work baby shower, as well as another smaller shower thrown by our dinner party friends

best moment this week? I had a cocktail party for work on Tuesday evening and received many compliments from people I hadn't seen in a while; one woman told me I look lovely and another told me I was "carrying well" (whatever that means). At least people aren't commenting on how big I've gotten (ahem, father-in-law).

35 weeks

how far along? 35 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a coconut

weight gain/loss? I stopped counting after my depressing visit to the doctor last week, although if I had to guess, I would say around 30 lbs (ugh)

stretch marks? still some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? you betcha

sleep? I actually slept in our guest bedroom a few nights this past week - more room for me to flop around like a whale (and less disturbances for my slumbering husband)

food cravings? fresh, summery foods - salad, watermelon, iced tea

symptoms? my feet and ankles have officially begun to swell; on top of that, I've been having lots of round ligament pain and sciatic nerve pain as well

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? plenty of rolls, pushes and hiccups

belly button? just a tiny divot left

what I'm worrying about: a better question would be what am I not worried about? I'm still freaked about labor and delivery, frustrated with a house that needs spring cleaning, and just feeling very anxious about everything these days.

what I'm loving: getting lots of great gifts at my shower (bouncer, diaper bag, rock 'n play, activity gym, and lots of smaller items, too. The checklist of items is getting smaller!

best moment this week? celebrating John's birthday with a fantastic night out including lobster, pork belly, scallops, short ribs, a wicked strong manhattan (for him), live jazz, and homemade rhubarb crisp (courtesy of my mom)

34 weeks

how far along? 34 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a butternut squash

weight gain/loss? well, the shit officially hit the fan this week. According to the scale at my doctor's office, I gained 7 lbs. since my last appointment two weeks ago. My doctor said that it's most likely water weight, and that I need to keep an eye on my salt intake and general diet from now on. Awesome. 

stretch marks? maybe some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? yes, and I had to pick up a few more tees and tanks for summer

sleep? rolling over has become a challenge

food cravings? still fruit - watermelon has been a favorite this week

symptoms? round ligament pain, achy hips, sore feet

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? pushing and hiccuping away

belly button? the bottom is completely flat and the top is close behind...

what I'm worrying about: my shower on Saturday

what I'm loving: still enjoying prenatal yoga and how it makes me feel: strong, calm and confident in my body

best moment this week? we took our hospital tour on Tuesday night!

33 weeks

how far along? 33 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a durian fruit (what?)

weight gain/loss? +20 pounds

stretch marks? maybe some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? definitely

sleep? totally hit or miss; some nights are great and I sleep all the way through without waking up or feeling uncomfortable, and others I toss and turn for what seems like forever

food cravings? juicy fruit, especially pineapple and watermelon

symptoms? still a little heartburn and loosening ligaments in my hips/pelvis

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? lots of pushes, rolls and hiccups - so fun to feel her moving around!

belly button? hanging in there...barely

what I'm worrying about: the list of house projects to knock out before this kid arrives

what I'm loving: prenatal yoga! I signed up for a Sunday night class on a whim and was shocked by how much I truly enjoyed it. I felt so calm and connected with the baby and my body, and am going to try and make it a weekly ritual.

best moment this week? see above

32 weeks

how far along? 32 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a squash

weight gain/loss? +18 pounds

stretch marks? maybe some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? oh yes

sleep? this was not a great week for sleep. I woke up at 4:45 am on Tuesday morning and could not go back to sleep so I got out of bed, watched an episode of Mad Men, baked some muffins, took my sweet time getting ready and still got into work nearly an hour before I normally do. Ugh...I was like a zombie the rest of the day.

food cravings? chocolate chip cookies and milk

symptoms? heartburn and loosening ligaments in my hips/pelvis

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? I finally SAW movement from the outside this week - so crazy!

belly button? incredibly shallow

what I'm worrying about: random things like being unable to breastfeed, or the carseat not fitting in my car

what I'm loving: I've been registry stalking and things are being purchased for my shower next weekend

best moment this week? a fabulous prenatal massage - it was so great to lay on my stomach!

31 weeks

how far along? 31 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a pineapple

weight gain/loss? +16ish pounds

stretch marks? maybe some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? oh yes

sleep? I have been waking up once in the middle of the night (around 3:00 am) to pee, but am still sleeping well -  last weekend I slept until almost 11:00 am!

food cravings? spicy Thai noodles

symptoms? constipation and sore feet (random)

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? this week was almost a reversal of last week - I am not feeling as much movement (but still consistent thumps and pushes); maybe she's running out of room in there?

belly button? super crazy shallow

what I'm worrying about: my wardrobe - I am tired of wearing the same 3 pairs of pants to work; also I need to find some capris and/or shorts that don't have a full-panel (too hot and sweaty) to get me through the next two months

what I'm loving: the weather - it was 70 degrees and sunny today (crazy to think that just five days ago the ground was covered in snow) and it's amazing what a little sunshine will do for your mood

best moment this week? getting our tax refund and starting to plan our babymoon!

30 weeks

how far along? 30 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a cucumber (again, these fruit and veggie comparisons make no sense; in what universe is a cucumber larger than an acorn squash, eggplant, or cantaloupe?)

weight gain/loss? +15 pounds

stretch marks? maybe some faint ones around the sides of my hips

maternity clothes? yep

sleep? still sleeping through the night most evenings and it's getting more uncomfortable to roll over (I told John that it's like my ab muscles stopped working)

food cravings? cold cereal, specifically this new Kashi stuff

symptoms? numbness in my left hip and a little bit of heartburn

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? we have a wiggly worm! 

belly button? still hanging in there, although it's nearly gone

what I'm worrying about: I've had some awful dreams about stillbirth - so scary

what I'm loving: that this baby thing finally feels REAL. For so many weeks, I refused to let myself get too excited about the idea of having a baby; I was terrified about another miscarriage and didn't want to get my hopes up. Now that I've rounded the corner into the third trimester and the final countdown is on (less than 70 days to go!), I can finally allow myself to acknowledge this new life growing and kicking away inside of me.

best moment this week? painting the nursery (we went with a lovely neutral gray - "Dolphin Fin" by Behr) and assembling the crib; it's surreal and a little emotional to walk past that room now and see it transformed into a nursery!

29 weeks

how far along? 29 weeks

how big is baby? the size of an acorn squash (according to my mom, this was one of my favorite foods when I was a baby)

weight gain/loss? +13 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? mostly all maternity tops now; also my winter coat no longer buttons in front! Normally, this wouldn't even be a problem in mid-April, but we've had a few freak snowstorms and it's still white outside. Cannot. wait. for. spring.

sleep? great, although it's getting hard to roll over

food cravings? Oreos and milk

symptoms? still more loosening ligaments in my hips and pelvis

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? lots of movement this week; it's especially fun to feel kicks up high and on the sides of my torso

belly button? going...going...

what I'm worrying about: putting a nursery together - it just dawned on me that we're coming up on the 30-week mark, which feels so incredibly close to actually having a baby

what I'm loving: baby clothes! I am accumulating quite the stash of baby gear, like this darling hooded beach towel from Pottery Barn Kids (whales!)

best moment this week? we ordered our crib (Graco Lauren) and cleared out the rest of the junk in the soon-to-be-nursery so that John can sand and refinish the floors this weekend.

28 weeks

how far along? 28 weeks

how big is baby? the size of an eggplant

weight gain/loss? +13 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? still holding out with a few t-shirts and tanks in larger sizes, but pretty much everything else is maternity

sleep? I still can't believe I'm sleeping through the night without having to get up and pee!

food cravings? raisin bran, which helped immensely with the aforementioned constipation

symptoms? loosening ligaments in my hips and pelvis

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? thumps getting stronger - John is definitely able to feel them now

belly button? quickly vanishing

what I'm worrying about: still pretty freaked out about labor & delivery 

what I'm loving: the snow is almost gone and the temps are climbing...

best moment this week? my monthly appointment - my doctor said that everything looks perfect and I'm measuring right on schedule, which is a relief to my worrywart self. Also, I passed the glucose test!

27 weeks

how far along? 27 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a rutabaga

weight gain/loss? +12 pounds (I think) - will know for sure after my appointment on Monday

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? picked up a few more maternity shirts to add to my expanding wardrobe, although I'm still wearing a fair amount of non-maternity shirts (the one in the photo below is from Loft that I've had for years).

sleep? great

food cravings? rocky road ice cream tastes really good most evenings :)

symptoms? mild constipation (ugh) and a few Braxton Hicks contractions

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? regular thumps and bumps after eating and while lying in bed at night

belly button? super shallow

what I'm worrying about: fears about labor & delivery 

what I'm loving: spring is finally here and the snow has begun to melt...June feels like it's just around the corner!

best moment this week? two successful work events checked off the list

26 weeks

how far along? 26 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a head of lettuce

weight gain/loss? +10ish pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? I'm finally starting to fill out some of my ruched-side tops

sleep? just fine, except for waking up with a numb hip once in a while

food cravings? spinach - I've had a side salad for lunch every day this week

symptoms? the faint beginnings of a linea nigra

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? I can pretty much expect thumps after I eat or drink; also John felt some kicks for the first time this past week - so fun to be able to share that with him

belly button? in, but slowly starting to disappear

what I'm worrying about: shower drama

what I'm loving: being under 100 days to go!

best moment this week? treating myself to a facial at a fancy spa this afternoon - complete and utter bliss...

25 weeks

how far along? 25 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a cauliflower

weight gain/loss? +10 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? about half maternity tops and half regular tops (lots of flowy blouses and stretchy sweaters); all maternity pants (p.s. I am wearing the same top as last week's photo, only in a different color)

sleep? really good - I was tired this week and went to bed early every night

food cravings? cashew chicken salad from The Good Earth

symptoms? still a sore tailbone

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? lots of thumps after eating, especially something sweet like juice or ice cream

belly button? extremely shallow

what I'm worrying about: stressful work stuff

what I'm loving: a cute new pair of earrings from Zulily

best moment this week? John has been super proactive about turning his office/"man room" into the nursery, and spent an entire evening cleaning and organizing - yay!

24 weeks

how far along? 24 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a cantaloupe

weight gain/loss? +10 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? starting to wear more and more maternity tops (and actually be able to fill them out for a change)

sleep? just fine, although I've been waking up with a numb hip from sleeping on my side

food cravings? fresh pineapple

symptoms? sore tailbone and loosening ligaments in my hips

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? feeling more consistent movement every day

belly button? it's still there, but probably not much longer

what I'm worrying about: feeling guilty about not returning to work after maternity leave

what I'm loving: our kitchen is soooooo close to being done! 

best moment this week? Tuesday was a freak snowstorm (10 inches overnight) and there was no way I was going to attempt to drive into work, so I took a personal day and it was glorious. I baked pumpkin muffins, made a big pot of pasta fagioli soup, took a nap, watched "Friends With Kids" and just enjoyed having a spontaneous day off.

23 weeks

how far along? 23 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a grapefruit

weight gain/loss? +9ish pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? all maternity pants, and a mix of maternity and non-maternity tops

sleep? no complaints here

food cravings? Subway sandwiches (specifically the BMT)

symptoms? my tailbone is still a bit sore, and my hips are usually numb in the morning from sleeping on my side

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? still feeling gentle thumps and twitches, usually after I eat or drink

belly button? getting more shallow...

what I'm worrying about: planning the nursery; we have a glider/ottoman, dresser, and rug, now just need to finalize a crib and pick a wall color. I'm anxious to see what all of these elements look like together.

what I'm loving: John bonding with the baby - he has started talking to my tummy every night, and is always willing to help rub some cocoa butter on it as well

best moment this week? celebrating our first anniversary! John surprised me with a prenatal massage on Sunday, and then sent me flowers at work on Monday. That night we went to dinner at what is widely considered to be the best restaurant in Minneapolis-St. Paul, La Belle Vie, and it was simply divine.

22 weeks

I came down with a nasty cold last week and skipped my 21 week update, but I'm finally healthy and back to blogging!

how far along? 22 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a papaya

weight gain/loss? +8ish pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? I bought a few more maternity tops to add to my wardrobe

sleep? no complaints here

food cravings? avocados

symptoms? a sore tailbone - ouch

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? YES! I thought I felt a few muscle twitches throughout the day, and this evening when I laid down and put my hands on my stomach, I was able to definitely distinguish some gentle thumps. I've felt a few more each day since then, mostly after eating. It's such a relief to finally feel something!

belly button? still in, although it is getting shallower by the day

what I'm worrying about: figuring out maternity leave and the very real possibility that I won't be returning to work

what I'm loving: so many things to be thankful for - feeling movement, our kitchen remodel getting close to being done, and celebrating a wonderful first year of marriage (our anniversary is on Monday)

best moment this week? buying a glider and ottoman! I had been stalking Craigslist for weeks and was just about to give up hope of finding something that was both in good shape and in our price range, when I stumbled upon a one-year old Best Chairs upholstered glider with matching ottoman for only $200. Since John and I both had Monday off for President's Day, we immediately jumped in the pickup truck to go claim it. It's a lovely light green color (nice and neutral) and is incredibly comfortable. Score!

Midpoint musings

So, I'm now halfway through this pregnancy and have been thinking a lot about previous misconceptions and what I assumed things would be like right now.

1. I thought I would be huge. In my head, 20 weeks = a nice round bump [from breasts to hips] that is noticeable to strangers. Although I definitely have a bump, I am definitely not at the point where strangers congratulate me and touch my stomach. Also, I'm still carrying very low - entirely below my navel.

2. I thought I would feel kicks. Nope, nothing yet. Even though our kiddo is a squirmy worm on ultrasounds, I haven't felt a speck of movement so far.Thanks a lot, anterior placenta.

3. I thought I would feel a strong bond with my baby. It pains me to say this, but I don't feel much emotion toward this baby. I assumed that a pregnant woman would spend hours talking to her baby, touching her belly and gushing over how much she loves her unborn child, but this isn't me at all. I am incredibly thankful to be pregnant, especially after a previous loss, but I don't know if I can actually say that I love my baby quite yet. I hope that will change once I feel movement and definitely by the time she is born.

4. I thought I would be gung-ho about cloth diapering. Cloth diapering is all the rage on parenting message boards and I have a few friends who are doing it in real life and rave about how great it is, so I assumed that I should jump on the cloth diaper bandwagon as well. However, the more research I do (prefolds, fitteds, all-in-ones, snappis, diaper sprayers, wet bags - the works!) the more my head starts to spin. I'm just not sure that I can get jazzed about scraping poop and doing extra laundry, all while dealing with a newborn. I'm thinking that disposables might be the way to go for our family.

5. I thought I would hate being pregnant. I used to assume that pregnancy meant vomiting, constipation, mood swings, exhaustion, cramping, heartburn, bloating, and all the other miserable side-effects that you hear about in movies, television and books. However, I am pleasantly surprised at how smooth and relatively painless this experience has been so far. Most days I don't even feel pregnant. My symptoms have been mild, and I escaped the horror of morning sickness, thank goodness. I might change my tune once I'm 40 weeks along, but for now, I don't mind it one bit.

Pregnancy may not be exactly what I expected it to be, and that's okay.

20 weeks

how far along? 20 weeks - this kid is half baked!

how big is baby? the size of a banana

weight gain/loss? +7 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? all maternity pants; no shirts yet, but I definitely can't fit into some of my non-maternity tops anymore

sleep? I'm sleeping well, but waking up some mornings with a numb hip from sleeping on my side

food cravings? milk...with a brownie on the side

symptoms? some round ligament pain and stretching; also I seem to have come down with a winter cold, so I've been coughing and sniffling plenty these days (unrelated to pregnancy, but still a pain in the ass)

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? girl

movement? still waiting to feel those first flutters

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: still coping with my feelings of disappointment and sadness over finding out the gender. Everyday gets a little bit better emotionally and I even bought a few cute girl things (jammies from Hanna Andersson) to help me get excited about our little girl.

what I'm loving: John. He has been amazing this past week and so incredibly supportive of my emotional freakouts and meltdowns. We've had several really great talks and I feel so proud of our marriage and optimistic for the future.

best moment this week? buying some girl clothes; even though I still think that the majority of boy clothes are so much cuter than girl stuff, I did find a few pieces that I like (and don't make me want to vomit)

20 weeks

It's a...

...very healthy and wiggly baby GIRL.

We had our anatomy scan on Tuesday and, I'll admit, it was a bit of a shock when we got a clear shot between the legs on the ultrasound. I was so certain it was a boy thanks to a combination of old wives tales (low heart rate, no morning sickness, carrying low, no acne, salty cravings, etc.), my OB's prediction, and a general intuition (lots of boy dreams and just a gut sense that I was having a boy). 

I just feel so disappointed and sad, and even cried on the car ride home from the doctor's office. I know that as soon as this baby is in my arms I will love her and forget all about this, but right now I feel like such an incredibly shitty, shallow person for feeling this way. In my mind, I was totally preparing to have a boy and now I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me. I know it's my own fault for putting so much weight on favoring one gender over the other, but I really truly thought this was going to be a boy. I almost feel worse about my reaction to everything, rather than the fact that she is a girl. I think about all the women struggling with infertility and loss who would kill to be having a healthy baby of ANY gender, and it almost makes me sick to my stomach for feeling the way I do. 

I can't help but feel a little less excited about this baby now. I hate 90% of all the girls clothes out there and know that I will end up getting so much pink, frilly shit as gifts that I will just want to toss in the trash. I dread telling people that it's a girl for fear that they'll immediately stereotype her as a little princess/sweetheart/diva. I also think back to my childhood and how much drama and angst I caused my parents, especially my poor mom, and I just don't know if I'm ready to deal with the roller coaster of girl hormones. To me, boys just seem like they would be much easier to parent, even though I know that's now always true.

I am glad that I still have the second half of pregnancy to process my feelings about this. I know that time will help, but right now it's still just a total shock and surprise.

19 weeks

how far along? 19 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a mango

weight gain/loss? +5 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? maternity pants are amazing

sleep? I have been sleeping so well; it's been really cold outside (below zero temps), so burrowing under the covers at night has been very comforting and warm

food cravings? fruit smoothies

symptoms? some round ligament pains and stretching

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? we find out on Tuesday!

movement? nothing yet...still [not very patiently] waiting...

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: the size of my bump; I have a bad habit of blog-stalking and comparing myself to other people at similar weekly milestones. I feel like I am not showing as much as I should be for 19 weeks (and even feel smaller than I did last week), but hopefully I can get some reassurance from my OB at next week's appointment.

what I'm loving: feeling blessed and loved

best moment this week? buying a car seat! I had been price-stalking the Britax B-Safe for over a month and when the price finally dropped, I pulled the trigger! It arrived yesterday and is currently sitting in the room that will become our nursery.

19 weeks

18 weeks

how far along? 18 weeks

how big is baby? the size of a sweet potato

weight gain/loss? +5 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? still loving my maternity pants and although I'm not wearing any maternity tops yet, some of my camisoles and tees are becoming more snug and short

sleep? just fine, although the days of sleeping on my stomach are over

food cravings? Smashburger

symptoms? a few pesky headaches and some major HUNGER attacks!

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? we find out on February 5!

movement? nothing yet...

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: I made the mistake of watching The Business of Being Born on Netflix and am now completely freaked out about labor and delivery.

what I'm loving: feeling good about my eating habits - I've been having very well-balanced lunches with lean proteins and lots of fresh greens and veggies lately

best moment this week? having MLK Day off - my mom and I went to Buy Buy Baby, had lunch and did some shopping (she is making me a faux Bebe au Lait nursing cover, so I picked out fabric for that, as well as some cute flannel prints for burp cloths).

18 weeks

17 weeks

how far along? 17 weeks

how big is baby? the size of an onion

weight gain/loss? still hovering around +4-5 pounds

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? all maternity pants, but still in my regular shirts; I have a few maternity tops that are just waiting to be used - maybe around 20 weeks I'll have enough of a bump to actually fill them out?!?

sleep? great, although the wild pregnancy dreams continue...

food cravings? ramen noodles, which I enjoyed for lunch today ::hangs head in shame::

symptoms? just a more firm, well defined bump

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? we find out on February 5!

movement? unfortunately, due to my anterior placenta, I'm thinking I won't feel anything until after 20 weeks

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: possible gender disappointment; I definitely would like a boy and I worry about feeling let down if this baby turns out to be a girl. It doesn't help that many people, including my doctor, are predicting that I'm having a boy.

what I'm loving: watching my bump grow

best moment this week? starting an Amazon registry (private for now) - it's been helpful to gather all my favorite baby gear products in one place

17 weeks

16 weeks

how far along? 16 weeks

how big is baby? the size of an avocado

weight gain/loss? I was +4 on the doctor's scale at my appointment on Wednesday, but that was fully clothed (I weigh myself at home naked), so there could be a discrepancy. Either way, I feel like I'm on track with weight gain so far.

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? loving my new maternity pants

sleep? just fine - no complaints here

food cravings? an egg salad sandwich

symptoms? nothing, except watching my little bump s l o w l y grow

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? we find out on February 5!

movement? none...I can't wait to feel something (hopefully in the next month)

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: how to tell a certain friend who I don't see much anymore; I thought not saying anything and waiting until she sees it on Facebook (we'll probably reveal after our anatomy scan next month), but it seems like a shitty way to find out.

what I'm loving: finally being OUT at work and not having to hide my bump under sweaters!

best moment this week? hearing the heartbeat at my doctor's appointment on Wednesday - nice and strong at 140 bpm. My doctor is predicting a boy, which is funny since John and I have both had dreams about boy babies recently. A few other people have told me that it's a boy since I haven't had any sickness. We'll see in about 3 weeks...

I finally got the motivation to take a bump pic this morning!

16 weeks

15 weeks

how far along? 15 weeks

how big is baby? the size of an orange

weight gain/loss? +4ish

stretch marks? none

maternity clothes? stretchy pants rock!

sleep? no complaints here; I'm thankful to still be sleeping well

food cravings? berry smoothies

symptoms? still feeling great and sporting a small bump

signs of labor? none

sex of baby? we find out on February 5!

movement? none

belly button? still in 

what I'm worrying about: I finally told my boss that I'm pregnant yesterday morning and he was such a douche about it.

First he laughed in kind of a bitter, weird way (I think he was slightly shocked by the news). Then he said that people had been making comments about how I wasn't drinking at our holiday party a few weeks ago. He also said in an accusatory tone, "Isn't it rather early to be sharing this news?" (not really, dumbass - I'm almost 4 months pregnant and starting to show!). Finally he asked, "So does that mean you're not coming back after the baby is born?" I told him I haven't decided yet (even though John and I are 90% sure I will end up staying at home) and there was just an awkward silence before we moved on to other topics. He eventually did say congratulations at the end of the meeting, but it didn't feel at all sincere. 

I sat at my desk the rest of the day feeling sick to my stomach and trying not to cry. I just thought there would be a more positive reaction - instead I felt like I'm being judged and accused of betraying my job or something. Ugh...what a horrible experience. I'm trying to be professional and let it go, but I keep thinking about his reaction and my blood starts to boil.

what I'm loving: good health and having a supportive, loving husband

best moment this week? New Year's Eve was tame but fun. We had some great food (BBQ ribs, twice-baked potatoes, salad, and cheesecake), watched the BBC version of "Sherlock," and toasted 2013 with sparkling apple juice. It's such a great feeling to say that we're having a baby THIS YEAR!