This and That

Nothing too important going on in my neck of the woods (Is that a super-redneck phrase, or does everyone say it?), but a couple of random things worth mentioning I suppose.

First of all, I had the craziest experience last night...one that I'm sure just about any mother can relate to. I woke up around 3:30 for my third (!) bathroom break of the night. When I laid back down I felt the baby kicking...or so I thought. I quickly realized something strange was going on. It was like he was repeatedly kicking me lightly over and over, every couple of seconds. After laying there for a few minutes with my hand on my belly observing what was going on I decided that this must be the hiccups I've been hearing about. I also decided I wanted Arsen to experience it with me. So I whispered "Arsen", super quiet. I was kind of hoping he was already awake from my groaning and moaning when I heaved myself out of bed to go to the bathroom. When he didn't respond I whispered a bit louder. Nothing. So then I decided screw it, I'm wide awake and want someone else to share this with me, so I just woke him up.

We laid there for quite awhile feeling his little hiccups, and it was so cute. And kind of sad. I felt bad for the poor little guy that he couldn't help himself. And then it just got to be almost annoying. Arsen fell back asleep and I continued to feel these little hiccups for the next thirty minutes or so. Then he decided he either wasn't comfy or was bored, and when the hiccups stopped he starting rolling around, kicking, nudging, doing everything in the world but sleep. Finally around 4:45 or so I was able to fall back asleep. Needless to say although it was a fun little experience, I'm hoping it's not one we repeat anytime soon.

Oh also...our 3D ultrasound was a complete bust. Womp womp. Baby A decided it would be fun to keep his hands in front of his face the entire time. They even had me go out to the waiting room and chug some coffee, then come back in about 20 minutes later to try again. Nope, not having it. Arsen's opinion is that he wants to make a grand entrance into the world in a couple of months...which wouldn't surprise me. If he's anything like his father he will be a bit of an attention whore (love you babe). I was definitely disappointed, but what can you do? They said I'm so far along that trying again probably wouldn't do much good...he's so cramped in there he just doesn't really have the room to stretch out. So I'm making a mental note for Baby #2 to schedule this thing around 28 weeks ;)

Another fun thing is that we have our maternity photos next Tuesday. I originally had them scheduled for the end of March...then I hit about 7 months and my stomach grew to twice it's size overnight and I decided by March 24th I would probably be feeling not so cute. So we moved them up by a few weeks, and oh my Lord am I glad we did. I feel like I get bigger and bigger every day, and when I woke up this morning I had that lovely swollen pregnancy face thing going on....I'm hoping that doesn't stick around as a permanent thing anytime soon. So I'm trying to figure out some cute ideas for props and poses that I want to include. I adore our photographer, she did our engagement and wedding photos, as well as my bridals, so I know she'll be great, but I still want to add some personal touches. The unfortunate thing is that I've left it until tonight to really think about, and I'll be out of town all weekend....so it's going to be a last minute kind of thing. Ah well.

Speaking of being out of town, Saturday morning we're heading to Tulsa so I can meet up with the group of girls I hung out with in high school for a little unofficial 10 year reunion. Some of these girls I haven't seen in probably 8 or 9 years, so I'm super excited to meet up. They also are calling it a mini-baby shower for me, which for some reason is really embarrassing me. I'm literally one of the last people to have a baby in our class, and I didn't attend a shower for most of these girls....so it's just making me feel a little awkward. My best friend Rachel, who organized it, thinks I'm being ridiculous but I can't help it. I don't want anyone to think I think my pregnancy is more important somehow. But I can't wait to see everyone and catch up! I cannot believe it has actually been almost 10 years since I graduated....time seriously has flown by.

And that's about it really. I'm about to head to bed and hopefully get a good nights sleep after last night craziness. I was actually home sick from work yesterday so I know I need to rest up so I can get over whatever little bug I'm fighting. The good news is somehow miraculously I have a clear calendar at work for the next two days so I'll be working from home...which means I can lounge around in sweats and keep my feet up and cuddle with my lazy dog. Ahhh perfection.

Addie enjoying my sick day yesterday. This is what we plan on doing for the next two days....

If I'm not back before the weekend I hope everyone has a fabulous one. I know I plan on it!

Being Thankful for the Good

I have been having a bit of a tough time the past couple of weeks focusing on and being thankful for the good in my life. This emotional roller coaster that is the third trimester of pregnancy has really thrown me for a loop it seems. I got through the first two trimesters with just a couple of extra-emotional days, so I thought I was golden. But since I've hit the third trimester it's definitely been more of a struggle.

Arsen likes to say that I'm prone to negativity, but in my mind, I'm just realistic. I'm a planner. I like to think through every possible scenario and develop an idea for how I would handle it, good or bad. Arsen's approach is to just assume everything will work out perfectly, and adapt if something less than great were to happen. As I'm sure you can imagine this can lead to a bit of strain in our marriage from time to time. I think we really handle it well since we are polar opposites in this area, but it can definitely lead to some frustration on both parts.

I think as I approach my due date I'm starting to feel a slight internal panic. I'm so worried about getting everything done on time...and who knows what "on time" will turn out to be? For someone who likes to have a plan for every day of her life, knowing that this baby could make his grand entrance into the world with basically no warning at any time over the next couple of months is a bit tough to take. On top of that, my job has become a major source of stress for me in the past two months or so. Several changes have been made on our team, which has led to my workload being nearly doubled...plus I'm trying to get ahead by three months so they aren't all struggling to cover for me while I'm out on maternity leave. To say it's been stressing me out is a huge understatement. I feel like this should be the most joyous time in my life, and for the most part it feels like the most stressful.

I say all of that to say this: I need to focus on the good. I need to be thankful for all of the amazing things that I have going on in my life. I need to take Arsen's approach for the next two months and just assume that everything will work out for the best. The constant worry and stress isn't healthy for me or the baby I'm sure, and what is it really accomplishing? I am becoming physically, mentally and emotionally unable to deal with things the way I have been. When it comes to my home life, Arsen has been amazing at helping me check things off my crazy long to-do list. And when it comes to work, I will just do what I can do. I honestly am not going to be able to work the long hours and stay in the office late and do everything I "need" to do to get everything done, so I'm just going to have to do what I can. Definitely not the easiest thing for someone who's a bit of a perfectionist to deal with...but my body is letting me know that's my only option. I'm actually sitting in bed, home sick from work at the moment. I think the little guy in my belly may be saying enough is enough.

So I think I'm going to give myself permission to relax. To lay on the couch and watch a TV show if I want to instead of running around like crazy trying to get everything done. To take a second to read a magazine or play around on Pinterest instead of working on something.

And I'm going to embrace all of the amazing things in my life. My wonderful, thoughtful, helpful husband, who brings me so much happiness and makes me feel safe and taken care of. My crazy little fur-baby that has turned into the best cuddle buddy since I've been pregnant and who makes me laugh on a daily basis. My mom, who has been a huge help the past couple of months taking care of Addie and helping around the house when I just don't have time. And my little man, who I will FINALLY be able to hold in just a couple of months. He's given both me and Arsen so much motivation in our lives....it's so crazy how much life changes when you realize you will be solely responsible for raising a human being and forming him into a productive member of society. And he has already brought us so much joy. Just the thought of him, feeling his little kicks, talking about his future and all of the fun things we will do with him....it's brought Arsen and I so much closer already.

When I really think about it, I am so, so blessed. I am such an incredibly lucky woman to have all of this in my life. And I need to embrace it and appreciate it every single day. And I intend to.

30 Weeks

I feel like we're in the final countdown now. Only 10 weeks to go! Unbelievable. 

I feel like I've been pregnant for so long that it's no wonder it's almost go-time, but at the same time I kind of have a feeling like it shouldn't really be happening yet. When I think about how quickly the past two months have flown by it really makes me realize how soon he'll be here. And I can't wait!!!

Look at that belly! Goodness.

Due Date

May 1, 2013

This Week Baby A...

is the size of a head of lettuce! So big! He's over 15 inches long and around 3 pounds. His eyesight is continuing to develop, although it won't be that great even when he's born (babies eyesight at birth is somewhere around 20/400). And he is definitely moving in there! It's so crazy to see him moving on the outside. 

Symptoms

The tiredness is probably the most annoying thing just because I'm not great at resting. So I'm continuously wearing myself out and then being forced to recharge. Today Arsen made me relax for the entire day...although I still found a way to do the laundry, change our sheets and do the dishes :) Other than that it's more of the same aches and pains...and a big ole' belly that's starting to get in the way of everything.

Weight Gain

23 pounds....big improvement over the last few weeks. If I can keep it around 1-2 pounds a week I should be ok...we shall see!

Gender

Baby Boy :)

Food Cravings/Aversions

Still mainly drinks...hot or cold, I'm loving tea, hot chocolate, water, coke, etc. Man oh man do I love me some Thai Tea with bubbles right now. Delightful. As far as actual food it's still random. The thing I'm craving and indulging in the most is grilled cheese sandwiches and sweet potatoes fries from the cafeteria at work. So bad, yet soooo good. 

Movements

Punching, kicking, rolling, flipping...he's doing it all in there. Sometimes I just sit and watch my belly moving around and am completely amazed. This might be the main thing about pregnancy that I miss after it's over. By far the coolest thing I've ever experienced. 

Sleep

Eh, same story as every other week. Can't stay comfy so I can't stay asleep. But I'm pretty sure I'm getting better sleep now than what I will be getting in a couple of months so I'm trying not to complain too much :)

Daddy's Thoughts

Ready ready ready....this never changes either. He is finally starting to embrace my insane planning ahead now that we're getting closer. He's definitely been super helpful lately when it comes to all the many projects I've been throwing his way. I sent him an email of our "to-do" list last week and it had 46 items on it...but rather than panic or act like I was crazy he's been helping me tackle it one by one. What a great hubby I've got, am I right?

Fun Moments

We had another check up this past Thursday...I'm going every two weeks now. It's always fun to hear his little heartbeat and get confirmation that he's doing just fine. We also got quite a bit more done in the nursery: we added another rack for clothes to the closet and added some shelves. I painted a few little things to set around like some baskets to keep his things in and a little guitar to hang on the wall. 

Looking Forward To... 

Our 3/4D ultrasound in the morning! This is something I've been fighting for for months now. Arsen sees no point in having one done and thinks it's a huge waste of money, but I just really really wanted to do it. Finally last week he called and made an appointment for us...we were cutting it close since they only do them up to 32 weeks, but we made it! I'm sure I'll be posting pics soon :)

Baby Brain & Other Ridiculousness

I've always heard of baby brain and wondered if it were a real thing. Well, I'm beginning to think there is something to all the rumors. I've had a few things happen to me lately that I swear have to be baby related. A couple of days ago I went to my boss's cubicle at work to ask a few questions and tell her a few things, and once I walked in and sat down I just stared at her with a blank look on my face. I couldn't remember a single reason why I came over. She immediately understood, but rather than baby brain she referred to it as "mom-ery". New term for me, but makes sense. From what I hear this baby brain never completely goes away. Yaaaaay.

I've been having a lot of that happen lately. I'll go into a room, or get out the laptop to do something, or call someone...and then have absolutely no clue what my original intent was. It's fun. Especially because I always feel like I have a million things I should be doing, so this wasted time of trying to remember what exactly it is I'm trying to accomplish is super annoying.

A couple of weeks ago I was meeting up with some friends for happy hour/dinner, and when I got to the restaurant (which I had never been to) I walked up to the door and there was a doorman and a red velvet rope. Here I am seven months pregnant and it appears that I'm about to go into a club. I looked at him and before he could say anything I said "Wait, is this like a bar? Like an actual bar? You've got to be freaking kidding me, they invited the pregnant girl to a bar??"

He stared at me for a second and said "Well, it's a restaurant and bar, technically. But yeah, it's a bar". Then he asked for my ID. As I'm shaking my head and muttering about how embarrassing this is, I pull out my ID and hand it to him. He looked at me and kind of chuckled and then said "Well, I can keep this, but I'm going to need to see your ID too".

I had handed him my check card. I said something along the lines of "Oh good God, this is ridiculous", handed him the ID, and walked into the "restaurant". And proceeded to feel incredibly out of place for the remainder of the night, sitting there with my massive belly as girls in tiny dresses walked around and the loudest live band I've heard in awhile played. Clearly not my scene at the moment.

Another fine example also took place at during a happy hour situation (don't ask why a pregnant woman is invited to so many happy hours). My boss was leaving the company, so our team went out for drinks and appetizers to see her off. We sat around for a couple of hours and chatted and then went our separate ways. On the way home I called Arsen and he asked that I bring home In N Out for dinner, so I went through the drive through to pick it up. When I got up to the window to pay, I got in my purse for my wallet and saw something strange: there was a full silverware set, rolled up in a black napkin, that apparently came from the place we had just had our happy hour. I stared at it for awhile trying to figure out how it got there. Had someone done this as a weird joke? Or had I seriously just absentmindedly decided to pick up a roll of silverware and stick it in my purse? And did my coworkers watch me do it and think I'm some sort of klepto and just decide not to confront me about it? So many questions...

Oh, pregnancy. What joy you bring. I know every single ridiculous second of this is going to be more than worth it in just a couple short months, but man...I'm definitely getting to the point where it's not quite so fun anymore. I also had a nice little moment this morning. I was laying in bed, trying to get motivated to haul myself out of bed when I came to a realization. In just about 2 months (give or take) I am going to be responsible for pushing a human being out of my body. No one can help me, and there's no getting out of it. Obviously all along I've known the time would come, but now it's like...reality.

Stuff just got real, ya'll. Yikes.

Ouch...My Brain

I literally have become unable to shut my brain off. It is absurd, and slightly annoying. I've known it's bad for awhile, but yesterday I realized how bad it truly is. I had my monthly prenatal massage (ahhhh heaven) and the entire time my mind was racing with what I needed to do when I got home, what I need to do over the next few days, ideas I have for several different areas from business to baby to blogging....I literally could not just lay there and relax.

I've started feeling guilty anytime I am doing anything slightly enjoyable or frivolous, like watching TV without working at the same time or reading blogs. I feel like I'm just wasting my time away. On Friday I typed out a to-do list for things I want to have done before baby arrives, and it was nearly 50 things right off the top of my head. I've thought of probably 20 more since then.

This is going to seem random, but it ties in I swear.

A couple of weeks ago I went to this Go Red for Women Luncheon in Dallas for the American Heart Association. Laura Bush was the keynote speaker and it was actually a very cool event. Michaels had a table and I was randomly one of the 10 ladies who got to attend with our CMO. Anyway, I learned a lot about heart disease during the breakout sessions that we attended, and it's shocking how many women die of heart disease every year.

Something one of the doctors mentioned really resonated with me, because it makes SO much sense. Women take on so much every single day that they neglect taking care of themselves. They often ignore symptoms that they might have because they "don't have time". Women not only have careers, they have husbands, and children, and homes to take care of, and dinners to cook, and school functions to attend....the list goes on and on and on. It's no wonder that women are constantly stressed out and making themselves sick.

What woman can't relate to that? I literally never stop thinking about what needs to be done. I honestly have a running list of to-do's in my brain at all times. And what's crazy is how incredibly different men are. Arsen is SUCH a hard worker, a great provider, a wonderful husband, and super helpful around the house. But he literally can just stop worrying about things if he wants. He can just put the to-do list out of his mind. From what I've seen and heard, all men are the same.

I'm determined to figure out a way to keep my sanity and get organized and stay on top of it all. How I will do that, I have no idea. But there has to be a way. Any of you experienced wives/mommies/career women have any advice for me? I'll be forever grateful if you'll share...no but really.

Hoarding Issues

I come from a long line of semi-hoarders. Maybe not the technical hoarders that you might be familiar with, but a slightly less extreme version. My mom isn't too bad herself....at least I've never considered her that bad. That was until last weekend when I started going through a box that she brought me of childhood toys. I understand keeping the occasional sentimental toy here and there, but check out some of the random crap she thought was worth saving.

Apparently right around my third birthday my bear had the honor of receiving a first place ribbon in some random competition....for "happiest". What kind of a contest could this possibly have been? And let's talk about the fact that my hometown had a "Teddy Bear Fair". What on earth? Needless to say I have no memory of this and no idea why this treasure has been saved for me for more than 25 years.

Creepy porcelain face clown dolls...I don't even really know what to say about these. My Grandmother has several (hundred) of these dolls, and I'm assuming that's where I got them, but I don't have a memory of these either. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with them now. Display them? Put them on the dresser in my bedroom? Can you imagine what Arsen would do if he came home to these little creepers staring him down? (Grandmother, if you're reading, I'm sure I adored these as a child and sincerely appreciate the gifts that I'm assuming were from you...)

Now this guy...this guy I remember. For some twisted little reason he was my favorite doll for years.I don't think I've ever really talked about what a strange little bird I was as a kid, but this doll gives a pretty good indication. From what I recall he never wore clothes, and when I loved him he had two hands. I'm pretty sure I never gave him a permanent name, so we can refer to him as Bob. I loved Bob for reasons unknown to my parents, and now myself. He had a hard stomach because of some internal box that I think made him laugh at some point, and his face and hands were hard plastic. I dragged this thing around for years when I played with my dolls, and he was usually my son....along with about 20 other dolls who were my children as well. Only child complex? Maybe. I have a vague memory of a Bob-related trauma as well. One day I left Bob out on my swing set after I had been playing outside, and it started to rain. I screamed and cried as he sat helpless in a swing until my mom ran out in the middle of a rainstorm to rescue him. As you can see from his well-worn condition, I'm sure this wasn't the worst thing I put him through. 

So although he is quite hideous to look at, Bob is one of the few things I remember from my childhood. And a strange thing to note is that when I was digging through all these treasures he was Addie's favorite, too. She spent awhile chewing on his unattached hand, and she also really enjoyed sniffing his nasty hair. He's a special little doll, that one.

Now I have to figure out what to do with all these things....and don't you worry, this wasn't it. I had other dolls, many teeny little t-shirts, several baby blankets, and more. Somehow all of these precious mementos my mom has held on to for all these years are now mine to deal with. Thanks mom! So in order to avoid my family's hoarding tendencies I'm going to have to make some cuts. Wish me luck. And don't tell my Grandmother.

28 Weeks

Pretty sure I shouldn't have been so cocky about my "easy pregnancy" a few weeks ago. It's not awful...but it's certainly no walk in the park these days. This third trimester thing is not the best. I am exhausted, but yet I can't sleep. I'm starving, yet I get full after a few bites of food...and then I'm starving again an hour or two later. I'm realizing how much I have to get done before little man arrives, yet I have no energy to accomplish much. I'm getting bigger and bigger and am determined to keep my weight in check, yet the thought of doing anything remotely active makes me want to cry. So yes, I definitely had a not-so-awful first trimester (although that constant queasiness wasn't great), and a pretty phenomenal second trimester, but I think I might just be making up for it now. 

End rant. 

On to the update.

 Addie either has demon eyes or looks like she's sleeping...can't win with this child.

I look like I'm about to pass out and mom looks super awake. Not really on the same page.

Due Date

May 1, 2013

This Week Baby A...

is the size of a Chinese cabbage. This is only notable for me because I have no idea what that is, so I thought it was completely random. He's almost 2 1/2 pounds and around 16 inches, which is insane. He's also blinking, coughing, and sucking. What a talented little guy he is these days!

Symptoms

Sigh. Everything I covered above, plus painful hips, painful lower back, pain in my sciatic nerve, hands and arms tingling and falling asleep, swollen feet, and a general feeling of hugeness. Womp womp.

Weight Gain

Well, the past month has not been so kind to me. Seems that my ice cream, cereal, mac and cheese, thai tea, etc. habit has turned into a bit of noticeable weight gain. I'm right around 20 pounds total, so I think I can kiss my dream of 25 pounds total goodbye. I even got a bit of a raised eyebrow from my doctor when she saw how much I'd gained since my last visit.

Gender

Baby Boy

Food Cravings/Aversions

Still with the yummy cold drinks. Thankfully that includes water these days, so I'm definitely staying hydrated. And other than that it's completely random. Some days I want Mexican food, some days I want a burger, some days it's pizza....but it's never, ever anything healthy, I can promise you that. 

Movements

He's one active little boy these days! I keep telling Arsen I think he's trying to break out. Sometimes the movements are so insanely powerful I can't believe it. Arsen got to feel some of them last night and he said it gave him a greater appreciation for what I'm going through...I personally really enjoy every little kick, flip and punch that I feel, but I'll take all the sympathy I can get ;)

Sleep

Seems to be getting worse all the time. I guess all of the fun symptoms above don't really allow for a great nights slumber.

Daddy's Thoughts

I can tell the reality is starting to kick in for him too. It's like the bigger I get the more we realize there's actually another human being who will be joining us very shortly. He's definitely excited...still getting lots and lots of "I can't wait to meet him!" comments. So cute.

Fun Moments

Hearing the heartbeat at the doctor is always fun, even though I'm not as panicky now that I feel him all the time. Feeling the crazy intense kicks the past couple of weeks has really been fun for me. It was also nice to hear that all of my labs came back perfect and I don't have Gestational Diabetes....my mom had them when she was pregnant with me so in the back of my head I was a bit concerned. And I bought a few little crafty projects for the nursery, so working on those has been fun!

Looking Forward To... 

May 1st, or whatever day he makes his arrival. I'm excited for my showers and the maternity photos and everything, but I'm getting super antsy to meet him! Looking at his newborn clothes and folding his little blankets makes me practically giddy with anticipation. Can't wait!

Worries of a Dog Mama

On Friday morning, Arsen got up earlier than normal, showered, and came back to bed to cuddle with me for a few minutes before I had to get up and get ready for work. We were laying in bed chatting about the baby, he had his hand on my belly and was feeling him kick, and it was all very sweet. I reached down to the foot of the bed and pulled Addie up to join in on the cuddling, and it was this perfect little cheesy moment of happiness for me. I had my love and my little baby dog and my boy kicking around in my belly. And then I started getting a little sad.

Addie will always be my first "baby". I've gone on and on about how nervous I am about how much her little life is going to change when baby boy arrives, and the closer we get the more I worry. As we laid there talking, I started telling Arsen a bit about how concerned I am.

Arsen is Addie's world. She loves her mama, don't get me wrong, but I'm more the one she wants at night when she's sleepy and she wants to curl up in a warm lap, or who she wants when she's feeling sick and needs to cuddle. She comes to me for food and love, and I'm perfectly happy with that arrangement. But her dad...man oh man does she love him. If she wants to play, he's her guy. And when it gets to be the time of night when he should be getting home from work she seems to sense it and she starts watching the back door.

Right now, anytime Arsen or I come home Addie runs to the door and jumps around and wags her tail and jumps up to be petted. Then she runs over to the chair in the living room and jumps up on the back of it so she can be on our level and get in some more affection. We both dote on her for a few minutes after we get home no matter how long we've been gone. I always ask her about her day, if she was a good girl, etc....I know, ridiculous. Arsen, on the other hand, almost always says something along the lines of "Hi mamiczka (mom-ich-ka)" or "Hi solniczka (sol-nich-ka)" and loves on her for awhile. (By the way, what he's saying is hi mama or hi sunshine in Russian. And that spelling was my terrible attempt at guessing how it might possibly be spelled, but I'm sure I was horribly off base.) She gets 100% of our attention for several minutes, and she just eats it up.

The thing I'm concerned about is how much this will change here in a year or so. When the baby is big enough, I know he will run to the door the minute he hears his papa coming in. And I know that Arsen is going to immediately pick that little guy up and love on him like crazy. And in my mind, I see poor Addie jumping up, begging for attention, and getting ignored. And it breaks my freaking heart!

When I was telling Arsen about it, I started crying. Seriously. Just a few tears and a shaky voice, but enough for him to feel the need to assure me that he will never forget about Addie and will always give her the attention she deserves. And I hope that he's right, and that she is always loved as much as she is today.  People keep telling me once the baby is here it just won't matter as much to me, that I'll love the baby so much that it will seem silly how much I care about Addie. And every time someone tells me that it makes me furious. Just because that's how it happened for you doesn't mean it will for me....and if it does, that's not something to be happy about! I think it's awful! These little pups love their owners more than anything in the world, and to suddenly be replaced is such a sad thing.

She's my baby, my "first-born", the one who taught me what it is to be completely responsible for another life. She taught Arsen and I both so much about responsibility, about balancing our time, about being patient. She came to us more than three years ago as a scrawny little 9 pound abandoned pup who honestly looked more like a rat than a dog, and has turned in to a spoiled little 13 pound diva who has more love than most doggies will ever know.

I know when our little man arrives I will love him with a fierceness I can't even imagine at this moment, even though the love I feel for him already is insane. But I never, ever want to forget how much I adore this little fur-baby of mine. She's my girl and she means the world to me, and I want her to feel adored and loved and content and happy until the day she's no longer with us. 

very first pic!

 

so teeny tiny

 early days with dad

healthy and happy one year later

 

 Cowboys fans for life

 our diva

family of three :) 

 mama's girl

melts my heart

26 Weeks

Well hello there! I'm back (for the moment)! We blew past 26 weeks and are now a few days in to 27. I tried to get on here for an update, but the work situation is still quite insane and to be honest I just couldn't find the motivation. But now I'm here and I have a lovely little photo for you to feast your eyes on. This was taken one night after a very long day at the office...and it most definitely shows. I look tired and blah, but I feel like I'm beginning to look that way a lot so I suppose it's honest ;)

Due Date

May 1, 2013

This Week Baby A...

is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which is developing his tiny lungs. He's putting on fat now, which is making him look more baby-like and less alien-like (yay!). His sense of hearing is also getting stronger, so he can hear me and daddy talking to him...love it! He's getting close to two pounds and around 14 inches long. Big boy!

Symptoms

  I'm right on the verge of that nasty little thing people call the third trimester, and I'm feeling it. Literally every day I can feel myself getting bigger and bigger, which leads to more and more discomfort. The tingly numb hands are annoying me, and my feet are starting to swell a lot. Oh, the beauty of pregnancy!

Weight Gain

  Approximately 16 pounds. And I'm good with that. I hear stories of women who gain like 20 total and I'm sure that would be lovely, but compared to what I was expecting I'm good with how things are going. 

Gender

Baby Boy :)

Food Cravings/Aversions

Thai Tea with bubbles, cereal (fruit loops, apple jacks, corn pops), sub sandwiches (probably just because I can't have deli meat), and today randomly I wanted Red Lobster or Chicken Fried Steak for dinner....I didn't get either because it was 7 pm on a Friday night and the wait was insane everywhere and this preggo lady was not waiting an hour for those cheddar biscuits. Although it probably would have been worth it....

Movements

I swear he started doing somersaults this week. I feel so much commotion in there that isn't kicking. It feels so crazy! His kicks are getting to be pretty intense, and happen at the worst times. During meetings, when I'm trying to fall asleep...but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Sleep

Same ole, same ole. Not great, but not completely terrible.

Daddy's Thoughts

Loving feeling him kick every day now. He says several times a week how he wishes he was here already...seriously, most impatient man in the world! But it's so cute to see how excited he is about everything.

Fun Moments

Arsen installed the curtains in the nursery and they look so good! We also put up some decorations on the walls. Everything is coming together and I'm getting so excited! The only big thing we're missing is a chair for the nursery, and I am trying to find the perfect one. I just have a feeling I will spend a lot of time in that chair so I want it to be super duper comfy.

Looking Forward To... 

The next three months flying by! I feel like we have so much to do and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed, but I think it will all be so fun. I'm ready to finish up the nursery, buy tons more little bitty outfits, take our parenting class, have the baby showers, take maternity photos...the list just goes on and on. So much to do and so little time!

Working on the nursery last week: