twenty-three weeks.

Date/How Far Along: April 29, 2013 = 23 weeks and 2 days.

Size of baby: Grapefruit.  Seems like these fruit/vegetable references are all over the place.

Sleep: It has honestly been pretty good the past week.  I don't move as much now that I have the Snoogle pillow.  I even slept a few nights until 5:30am before I had to pee. 

Total Weight Gain:  I warned John that coming up I might have a meltdown about weight gain.  I know the babe is getting what he needs because I have been gaining weight, but in the next few weeks I'll probably pass over 150 lbs and that feels gross.  For the duration of this pregnancy I should be between 160-170ish to gain the recommended amount, but I've never been above 145, so it might be a bit of a struggle.  I haven't decided if it's time for me to start weighing in backwards at the clinic or  not, just so I don't obsess over it. 

Symptoms:  Not really too much this week.  My stomach muscles have been sore again, but I'd imagine that will be a pretty regular occurrence due to stretching. 

Movement:  One day last week it was almost all day, but most days he's nestled comfortably on my bladder so I have to pee all the time.  I feel him the most when I'm laying down.  I think I can feel him from the outside, but it's hard to distinguish between what I'm feeling outside and inside. 

Maternity Clothes:  I'm still sporting my regular yoga pants and t-shirts, but not much other than that.  I found pants and capris that are maternity and fit, but now that it's getting warmer I might have to find some other spring/summer pieces. 

Go-to eats:  Cereal is a staple right now.  I'm still loving salads and we had to make Chicken Caesar wraps on Saturday night because that sounded so good.  I'm going to make Wagon Wheel Taco Pasta Salad today at work because that sounded so wonderful. 

Best moment/s of the week:  The warm weather!  John and I got to hang out on Saturday and I got to see Erin and Ryan's new place.  I also got to babysit my dear little friend Harper (last nanny family) and that was so much fun.  She's growing up SO fast!  I met a new friend on Saturday at yoga and we got Starbucks.  We both order Chai :)

Hardest moment/s of the week:  John wasn't feeling well yesterday so that was hard.  I hate to see him feeling sick.  It's no fun.  Plus I am not super good at entertaining myself, not something I'm proud of.

Gender:  Baby Hammar is a little boy :)
 

What I wish people knew:  John and I have felt both empowered and pulled around during this pregnancy.  We have learned though that medical professionals can't really make us do anything we don't want to do.  Now we want what's best for the baby hand's down, but it has been a blessing to be able to present a united front when we say we don't want unnecessary interventions. 
 
What I’m looking forward to:  A girl date with a friend on Tuesday night.  Yoga.  My sister Hannah and John are running a 7-mile race on Saturday in Mankato, so that will be exciting. 

Milestones:  Your ears are fully developed so you can hear me and daddy and whoever else wants to talk to you :)  I've been reading you books about dogs, so you're ready to meet your big brother Comet when you come out.

To check out my growing bump click here :)

Our Twenty-Week Ultrasound

I had this on my list of events I wanted to blog about, but it's taken a while to process (still processing some parts).  It was such a fun day, well couple of days, but it went by so fast and I don't want to forget anything!

John took a half day and brought me Erbert and Gerberts for lunch.  I'd never had it before, but it was tasty!  Sometimes food brings such joy to my life.  It's the simple things I guess.  We ate lunch together while watching Hawaii Life, a new show on HGTV where people are buying properties in Hawaii.  With the nasty weather we've been having we had to escape somehow.

First we had our appointment with the midwife.  We were scheduled with Aszani this time.  I really like her, so I always like going in to see her.  We had to wait for a little while in the waiting room, so we were playing games on our phones and I was singing quietly along with the waiting room tunes.  John was laughing at me because I didn't know most of the words to the song that was playing.  We got called back and the nurse took my blood pressure and asked all the questions she usually does and gave me my 24 week packet with lots of info in it.  After she was finished we met with Aszani and heard the heartbeat.  She had a hard time finding it because the babe was so active.  She finally found it and said that it was around 140 bpm.  (Another sign it would be a boy.)  We finished by making our next appointments at reception and went over to the ultrasound building.  I had to walk slowly and probably had a bit of a waddle because I had to drink so much darn water and not pee before the ultrasound.

We got there twenty minutes early and actually sat in the waiting room thinking we might just find out if the babe was a boy or girl because we just couldn't wait until the next day.  Thankfully our ultrasound technician came out early, so we didn't have anymore time to think about it.  She asked us right away if we wanted to know the gender and we explained our plan to do a gender reveal cake.  She said that was very popular and we got started right away.  Looking at our baby on the screen gave me chills and I know I was a little teary because he (we waited until Saturday) looked so perfect.  His heart was beating so strong.  The baby wouldn't move around much while she was trying to get all the photos she needed.  She said he was nestled comfortably right between my pelvic bones.  It was so fun to look over at John just gazing at the screen.  He's already such a proud daddy.  He's going to be so wonderful for our little one.  The tech told us to look away a few times so she could try to figure out the sex.  At the end she came back with a white envelope that said "Gender :)" on it.   John said he talked to the tech while I was out of the room and she said that everything looked great and that the baby was right on track.  I have a phone app called My Chart and she said all the ultrasound results would be posted there, but probably not until the end of the next week.  She said he looked great so we had no worries!

We had a lazy time getting back home.  We went to Half Price Books and I found another Magic School Bus book.  I hope the baby likes them as much as I did as a kid.  After that we went to a cheese shop and got some great cheddars.  Target was our last stop to get cake supplies.  We picked up everything we thought Melissa might need to make our gender reveal cake.  We went home to pick up a pan and headed over to Mel's house to drop off the supplies.  We got Sawatdee for supper, one of our favorites.  I was giddy all night waiting to find out and so excited for the next day I woke up at 6am.  We had to try and relax until Melissa was ready for us to pick up the cake.  We finally went over there around 2pm and I had to hold it all the way home (about 1 hour and 15 minutes!)  John and I got to spend time relaxing with our families and then had pizza.  Finally it was time for the cake!  (Click here for a full post about finding out!) Baby Hammar is a boy and we are pumped :)

Fast forward a few days, to the Wednesday after.  My phone had died while I was at yoga and I hadn't plugged it in.  I made lunch and finally thought about charging it.  I turned it on and it had a message from a number I didn't recognize.  It was our midwife Aszani calling from her cell phone wanting to talk to me about the ultrasound results.  She said it was nothing to be alarmed about, but that we needed to talk.  I thought I should be in panic mode at this point, but I was oddly calm.  It was a weird calm though, stuck between feeling like I should panic and feeling emotionally shut down.  He's ours regardless of any "issues" he's facing.  I called her back and she told me about the presence of Bilateral Choroid Plexus Cysts in both hemispheres of his brain.  They are a very, very soft marker for Trisomy 18.  Note that there are NO other signs and everything else on the ultrasound looked fabulous.  I hate feeling on the spot and this was one of those times.  I didn't know what to say/ask and Aszani kept trying to reassure me that everything was most likely fine and that they just recommend doing a Level 2 ultrasound as a follow-up.  I got off the phone and called John.

We didn't want a Level 2 ultrasound at all, didn't even want another Level 1.  We wanted this pregnancy to be minimally invasive and we didn't want to take more precautions than necessary.  We wanted the baby to grow strong and healthy without lots of interventions.  I called Aszani back to ask if the Level 2 ultrasound would change the care the baby and I received.  She said no.  We could do a follow up Level 1 later on in the pregnancy to see if the cysts are still there, but even so it wouldn't change what they do for us.  It's important to say that in our research these cysts go away 99% of the time, some people live with them for their whole lives, some OBs aren't even telling pregnant mommas about them because it causes stress and worry for no reason.  I definitely worried for a few days about it, but have decided that worrying about it won't help our little guy.  He'll arrive cysts or no cysts and we'll will love him no matter what.  We plan to tell our midwives that we would prefer not to even do the follow-up Level 1 ultrasound if that is an option for us.  If it wouldn't change the care we'll get it makes no sense to put the baby through another one.  We'll just be praying this guy is as healthy as he can be.

Sorry this post got so lengthy.  I wanted it for my own record and maybe it will possibly help another new momma not to worry about this.  I'm sorry if it offended anyone as well that we don't want to do follow-up work.  We're making the decisions we feel are the best for our baby.  Thanks for reading!

Baby Hammar at 20 weeks, 6 days.

For A Mother-To-Be by John O'Donohue

The other day in yoga the teacher read us this poem.  I thought it was beautiful.  Enjoy!

Nothing could have prepared your heart to open like this.

From beyond the skies and the stars
This echo arrived inside of you and started to pulse with life
Each beat a tiny act of growth,
Traversing all our ancient shapes,
On its way home to itself.

Once it began, you were no longer your own.
A new, more courageous you, offering itself
In a new way to a presence you can sense
But you have not seen or known.

It has made you feel alone
In a way you never knew before;
Everyone else sees only from the outside
What you feel and feed with every fiber of your being.

Never have you traveled farther inward
Where words and thoughts become half-­ligth
unable to reach the fund of brightness
Strengthening inside the night of your womb.

Like some primeval moon,
Your soul brightens
The tides of essense
That flow to your child.

You know your life has changed forever,
For in all the days and years to come,
Distance will never be able to cut you off
From the one you now carry
For nine months under your heart.

May you be blessed with quiet confidence
That destiny will guide you and mind you.

May the emerging spirit of your child
Imbibe encouragement and joy
From the continuous music of your heart,
So that it can grow with ease,
Respectant of wonder and welcome when its form is fully filled

And it makes it journey out
To see you and settle at last
Relieved and glad in your arms.

From the book To Bless the Space Between Us.http://www.johnodonohue.com/blessings

twenty-two weeks.

Date/How Far Along: April 22, 2013 = 22 weeks and 2 days.  Happy Earth Day!

Size of baby: Papaya. 

Sleep: I caved in a bought a Snoogle at Bed Bath and Beyond.  My favorite yoga teacher was raving about it at class and kept saying that even though it's expensive it is useful after pregnancy.  Her kids and husband use it now.  It is wonderful.  It honestly helps me get more restful sleep and my hips haven't been quite as sore when I wake up.  I move it from the couch to the bed everyday and John and Comet have even enjoyed it!  (Click here for photos :)

Total Weight Gain:  Maybe another pound since my midwife appointment.  I weighed myself this morning right after eating a big bowl of cereal though.  Who knows.

Symptoms:  The pinch in my back and general soreness.  I should probably add that I'm emotional most of the time.  Poor John, he's been so great in all of this.  I do feel bad when I'm crying and he just has to sit there until I'm done. 

Movement:  Oh so much!  He is very active in the morning, which John laughed is not a good thing for him.  I'm still so anxious for John to be able to feel him kicking.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly.  I can't remember the last time I wore regular jeans, maybe the end of March.  I am getting so much wear out of the maternity jeans and leggings I have.  It is just not fun to be uncomfortable, so I'm sticking to what feels good.  Thankfully so much of what is available for pregnant mommas is cute.

Go-to eats: Salad and cheese.  Pickles made a comeback this week.  

Best moment/s of the week:  There were so many great times this week!  My sister and her husband finally got to close on their house on Thursday and we're so happy for them.  We got to celebrate with El Loro on Thursday night.  They met a puppy yesterday that they are hoping to adopt, so we're crossing our fingers about that.  I got to try a new class at Blooma on Thursday and I was the only person that showed up due to weather, so it was just me and the teacher.  John and I got frozen yogurt and looked at baby clothes on Saturday.  When we got home from being out the mail had came and we got our first few cloth diapers!  I was excited!  (Here's the colors we got.)  Yesterday we had a picnic in the park while we played with Comet.  (Picnic included Cheetos, pickles, juice boxes and two Reese's eggs)  Such a wonderful week!

Hardest moment/s of the week:  The weather.  We got a ton of snow and it's the later part of April.  I can finally see the sun today, so I plan to enjoy it because there is supposedly more snow on the way.  Yuck.  Hearing there was something "not quite right" on the ultrasound.  Argh, modern medicine.  

Gender:  We're having a baby boy :)

What I wish people knew:  That sometimes I feel useless.  I know I'm making a baby and all, but I'm not supposed to use cleaning supplies, not supposed to lift, not supposed to reach, not supposed to paint, not supposed do this or that and blah, blah, blah. 

What I’m looking forward to:  I'm looking forward to a peaceful week and the possibility of a 60 degree day on Friday/Saturday.

Milestones:  You are developing sleep cycles.  You'll probably sleep between 12-14 hours a day.  I imagine that will be a little difficult for me once you're bigger and want to be awake at midnight or 3am.  I might not enjoy it then, but I look forward to it because that means we're getting closer to meeting you!

To check out my growing bump click here :)

Learning from John's Coworkers

Most of my knowledge about taking care of a child has been acquired from my mom, having younger siblings, babysitting, being a nanny and my friends who are already moms.  I feel that I have learned a great amount of valuable tricks and tips from these sources and never thought twice that I was "missing" information.  I didn't discover I had missed anything until John started talking to his coworkers, which are a bunch of dads in their early thirties (and one mom).  I've actually started to yearn for more information from these people because they bring a viewpoint that I don't regularly encounter.  We have used some of their knowledge to help us register and decide what products we actually needed to spend money on.  It has honestly provided a side to parenting that I really appreciate.  

1. Immersion Blender vs. Baby Bullet:  Now I'll start off by saying that I am very excited about making homemade baby food.  We're already going to try cloth diapers/wipes and breastfeeding, so this seemed like a logical step for me.  I was excited about the Baby Bullet that I always saw at Kohls because it had everything from the blender to storage to a recipe book.  I was concerned though that the Baby Bullet is plastic and although it's BPA free studies are still out about whether what replaced BPA is actually safe.  Skipping the Baby Bullet and using an Immersion Blender was the first piece of guy advice offered to John.  We already have an immersion blender that we received as a wedding gift, so if he says it works just as well or better I guess I won't buy the cute little Baby Bullet that has a smiley face on it.  I also saved up glass baby food jars from my last nanny family, so we have great storage.  As for the recipe book, I wasn't able to stop myself and put this fun book on our amazon.com registry.  


2.  Glider/Rocker vs. No Chair in the Baby's Room:  Our nursery is somewhat small, not tiny, but not huge.  We currently have a crib, dresser and bookshelf in there.  The bookshelf doesn't match, so I'm unsure if I want to keep it in there.  I know I will want a third shelf for storage of toys and books though.  All of the gliders I've seen are relatively expensive to crazy expensive.  The last nanny family didn't have one until their daughter was five months and they didn't use it very often and the current family uses one regularly.  I never had much use for them because I wasn't getting up with the baby at night.  I can definitely see the positives in having a nice one, but couldn't justify asking someone else to buy it or buying it ourselves.  Enter the man advice, we NEEDED a glider/rocker.  It was a necessity because it was a place we would spend lots of time rocking/feeding/cuddling/sleeping with our babe.  I think John's coworkers sold him on it, but I was not ready to spend the money.  We tried one out at Slumberland and with the ottoman it was still almost $300.  Towards the end of their conversation about this must-have baby product one of the dads who's girls are grown up offered to sell his chair to us.  I think we may be taking him up on his offer.    

3. Diaper Bags:  I have been eyeing the Petunia Pickle Bottom Carryall Bags, but they are SO expensive.  Both nanny families have one and my friend who just had a baby has one.  They all LOVE their bags!  The only complaint I've heard it that the Velcro is loud, which they have zippered options so I could easily avoid that.  They come in cute patterns and I just love them.  This was a topic I actually asked John to bring up at work.  I was honestly curious what they would have to say.  Unanimously the diaper bag is overrated.   It's just a bag and any old bag that will fit what we need to bring with us will work.  One coworker even said they used grocery bags for a while because it was just what was most convenient.  I told John I am not ready to use a grocery bag, but I will stop ogling Petunia Pickle Bottom.  (My sister Hannah said she wants to get us our diaper bag, so I'm sure I'll still be carrying around something cute!)

4.  Childbirth Classes:  Going into this pregnancy I wanted to do a childbirth classes and a breastfeeding class.  I asked all the mommas I knew what they thought.  I had one that did The Bradley Method classes and they enjoyed them.  Another couple just read The Bradley Method book and they said that was just fine instead of doing the 12 weeks of classes.  Another couple did nothing and said they didn't feel they were missing out on anything.  Since I couldn't get a consensus from my momma friends I asked John to ask his coworkers.  Their feedback was that there were a few cool, yet not necessary facts they learned.  They also said that the most valuable part was the tour of the hospital.  (We can tour our birth center without a class, so that's not an issue for us.)  After all that imput we decided to save money and not do a class.  We found that babycenter.com has an online childbirth class, so I think we're going to do that.  I'll update after we finish the class.

5. Vacationing with a Baby:  I went on vacation to Mexico last July with my last nanny family.  We had a blast!  It taught me a lot and John got a lot of information from his coworkers.   John and I love to travel, so we do not want to lose that after this little guy comes.  On our trip to Mexico there was so much that they had to pack!  John and I usually only pack carry-on luggage, so bringing a babe will be more, much more.  I was discouraged by how much we had to bring (diapers, baby food, formula, pack-n-play, clothes, blankets, carseat, stroller, etc.), but John's coworker went to Kauai and he rented baby equiptment.  Now I'd be a little wary of rentals, but the lady in Hawaii just worked out of her home.  If we could rent a crib/pack-n-play all we would have to bring is a clean sheet and blankets.  We'll see what happens when we decide to embark on our first family vacation :)  Sidenote:  I would also bring an extra person so John and I could get some time alone.

With that said, sometimes valuable advice comes from places I would least expect it.  

twenty-one weeks.

Date/How Far Along: April 15, 2013 = 21 weeks and 2 days.

Size of baby: Pomegranate. (Erin you'll have to make a special trip over every Saturday to write for me :)

Sleep: The bump is continually protruding, so it is getting increasingly more difficult for me to sleep on my stomach.  I've taken to enjoying my left side mostly, but my left arm falls asleep, so I'm forced to roll over.  I'm thinking I'm in the market for a pregnancy pillow, but can't decide on which one. 

Total Weight Gain:  Total after 20 weeks and 6 days I had gained 10 pounds.  Puts me right where I need to be for the recommended weight gain.  I'm happy as long as the babe is getting what he needs.

Symptoms:  My abs have stopped being so sore, so the stretching that needed to take place must've happened.  My back still has a little pinch, but who knows if that's pregnancy related.  I'm overall doing great.  I can't complain!

Movement:  Lots.  Some days more than others.  At our ultrasound he was nestled right between my pelvic bones and didn't want to move much for the technician.  Hopefully he likes to snuggle once he's here too.

Maternity Clothes: Yup, nothing else is really that comfortable.  I can still fit into my regular t-shirts so that's fine, but I've been rocking my maternity leggings, maternity jeans or yoga pants.  I initially thought that most of my sweatpants would just stretch with me, but they actually hurt because they elastic is too tight.  Interesting tidbit of information I learned. 

Go-to eats: Salads.  I seriously can't get enough.  Cheese.  I was craving pickles the other day, but didn't actually eat any, so the feeling must have passed. 

Best moment/s of the week:  Our ultrasound and finding out that Baby Hammar is a boy.  It was so exciting to see the baby on the screen for 45 minutes.  I know I just stared in awe and I'm pretty sure I was a little teary.  I loved having John there too.  We got to see that everything was going well, that his heart was beating strong and he was growing.  Cutting the cake was a blast.  John is SO excited.  (Me too, but it was so cute to watch him.)  He was talking about how he's so excited to take him to Gopher hockey games once he gets older.  He is going to be such a great dad.  My heart just melted when he was talking about our boy.  So cute!  It was fun to watch my dad when we found out too.  He has four girls and one boy, so I'm pretty sure he is psyched for a grandson.  This babe is so lucky to be born into so much love!

Hardest moment/s of the week:  I had one day last week that was so emotional.  The day was hard then I spilled salad dressing everywhere (like on the walls and floor and everything), then I burnt my English muffin.  John came to the rescue, but later said he was having a hard time not bursting out with laughter.  It is hilarious now, but at the time I was not in too good of a mood.  I have also started to realize that I've gotten more uptight during this pregnancy (I was before too, not my proudest attribute), but I think it gets in the way of truly embracing the moment.  I'm going to work on it.  I need more dance parties, laughter and spontaneity in my life. 

Gender:  Baby Hammar is a boy.  Comet is going to have a little brother!  Click here for a more detailed post on how we found out :)

What I wish people knew:  My hormones are crazy, so cut me a little slack if I need it :) 

What I’m looking forward to:  My sister Erin and her husband Ryan are closing on their house on Thursday!  They've been waiting a while for this and I'm so happy for them to be able to own their own home.  It'll be a bit of a bummer because they're moving further away from us, but I'm excited anyway.  Erin is great at decorating so I'm sure their house will be so cute!

Milestones: The buds for your permanent teeth are forming and every as your growth slows all of your organs continue to develop.

To check out my growing bump click here :)

Baby Hammar is... (drum roll)...

A BOY!

We got to enjoy the company of our family last night to find out that our little one is a boy.  I know John was excited and he said he even saw my dad smile.  Since he only has one son and four daughters I think he is excited to have a grandson.  I think it's going to be hard for us (me at least) to not buy cute little boy clothes.  My mom and I are hopefully going soon to pick out fabric for his quilt.  We are having a little boy.  Shoutout to our friend Melissa for making a great cake, both tasty and creative!  Thank you Mel!  

  

There is an enduring tenderness in the love of a mother to a son that transcends all other affections of the heart.  – Washington Irving , writer

For more photos of the fun celebration click here :)  

Is Baby Hammar a Boy or Girl?

Our twenty week ultrasound is tomorrow.  Holy buckets am I excited!  (John is too)  We planned it on a Friday so he could take a half day and extend his weekend.  I am so happy we both get to see the babe on the screen this time.  It just wasn't the same experience to go to the dating ultrasound on my own.  We have our midwife appointment beforehand, so it'll be a fun-filled afternoon of appointments.  I'm praying everything with the babe is going great.

We plan to find out the sex of the babe.  It seems like the popular thing to do nowadays, but John has always wanted to know and now that we're so close I'm ready to know too.  I'm glad it will allow us to register for more than just gender neutral items and that it will allow us to decorate the nursery for a boy or a girl.  I can't wait to pick out paint samples.  I think it will make it feel like it's getting closer and more real for me too.  I'm happy I'll be able to start calling the babe a he or she.  It'll be fun to see how it changes John's connection to the baby too.  Since he still can't feel it kicking and dancing yet he'll at least be able to know the gender. 

We are planning to have a Gender Reveal Cake Party on Saturday evening with our families.  (Pretty sure I'll be dying of anticipation all day Saturday!)  My dear friend Melissa said she would make a cake for us, plus she's excited because she'll be the first to know if the baby is a boy or girl.  The cake will be pink or blue in the middle, pretty simple, but such a wonderful surprise.

We've definitely taking votes on what the sex is from numerous sources.  For me sometimes I lean towards girl, sometimes I lead towards boy.  John is leaning towards boy, although we're both just praying for a healthy baby.  My sister Erin (boy) and her husband (girl) made a bet and who ever loses has to buy the other a date night :)  My other sisters Hannah and Caitie think it's a girl and my brother Caleb thinks it is a boy.  I think my mom has sided with those who believe the baby is a girl.  At Easter John's parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles took a poll, 3 for a girl, 4 for a boy. 

Here are some other gender "predictors"/old wives' tales that I've found:

The Chinese Gender Predictor: Takes Due Date and My Birth Date
Girl

Am I carrying high (girl) or low (boy)?  

I'd say high, but I don't really know any different.

Girl

Heartbeat? 140+ (girl), below 140 (boy). 

Both times it's been 150 bpm.

Girl

Craving sweet (girl) or sour/salty (boy)?  

Not usually sweet, except for the past couple of days.  I'd put cheese in the salty category :)

Boy

Mayan Way:  Year of Conception (2012) & Mother's Age at Conception (25)

If both are odd or even, a girl.  If one is odd, one even, a boy.

Boy

Complexion:  If it's full of blemishes (girl), having that pregnant glow (boy).

It's said a baby girl steals her momma's beauty.  I'd say my zits have actually cleared up a little.

Boy

Lots of morning sickness in the beginning or still (girl), little to no queasiness (boy)

Boy

Cold feet and dry hands = boy

I have both cold and dry hands and feet!

Boy

If you eat the butts on a loaf of bread it'll be a boy, from the middle a girl.

 I love the butts!

Boy

Side Preference:  Laying of Left Side = Boy, Right Side = Girl

Boy

Ring Test: Tie wedding ring to a piece of string and hang it over my tummy.

If it swings back and forth, it's a girl.  If it swings in a circle, it's a boy.

I did it three times and it did both each time. 

?????

Looks like the boy supporters are winning according to these Old Wives' Tales.  We'll see on Saturday!  I'll definitely be posting on here soon after.  Be on the lookout!

Sources:
http://pregnancy.familyeducation.com/gender-predictor/old-wives-tales/70198.html
http://www.hisboyscanswim.com/658/list-of-51-pregnancy-old-wives-tales-your-babys-sex-revealed

Pregnancy and Swimwear

Two weeks ago John and I went to Florida with my family. My parents own a timeshare there, so it's wonderful to have a guaranteed vacation sometime in March :) In the weeks approaching our departure I had the hardest time with finding a swimsuit that I actually felt comfortable in. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go the full maternity route or if I was confident enough to show off my baby bump. John is the sweetest and continually told me that my baby bump was cute and I should just flaunt it, but I was having an internal (probably external if John has a say) meltdown because I knew I didn't want to wear the skimpy bikinis of my youth (I laughed a little as I wrote that.) P.S. They wouldn't have fit me because my boobs have gotten bigger. Two weeks before I tried on what I had to get John's opinion. He's honest and I knew he wouldn't placate me. We found out that my bottoms were still fine and I even had two tops that were okay. Now I knew that if I couldn't find one before the trip I'd have at least have one to wear when we got there. Even trying them on was hard because my body just doesn't look the same. I feel like I'm in between the stages of being bloated and pregnant and looking really pregnant. My bump hasn't “popped” yet, but it's definitely showing. I searched high and low online.  There aren't very many in stores, maybe a handful.  The majority of maternity swimwear I could find were too "motherly" for me.  I'm ready and excited to be a momma, but not sure I'm ready to dress like one.  I still wanted to look cute too.  Is that too much to ask?  I really liked this one at Target, but it was so hard for me to buy it when I couldn't try it on.  (I may still end up purchasing it, but haven't yet.)

John and I talked a lot about what my options were and we actually did go to look.  I had a meltdown (oh the joys of pregnancy) so that made it a little more complicated.  We looked at Target, Kohls and TJMaxx.  Everything at Target was still small in the chest region.  I was looking for some support.  Kohls had a few maternity ones, but after my meltdown I didn't want to try anything on.  We went home without anything, but we looked online more and found some great ideas.  We searched for racerback tops because that made sense for the support I was looking for.  I found a couple and some were available so the search continued.

My mom came to visit for a day and we went to Kohls.  She told me it wouldn't hurt to just try on a maternity swimsuit, so I tried on two, this one and this one.  I ended up choosing the orange cherry patterned one.  It was good I didn't buy online because I ended up with a medium in the bottom and a small in the top.  The medium size felt like a bag on top.  It was very uncomfortable.  The one I choose is fitted, but has plenty of room for my belly to grow.  I hope to use it a huge number of times in our backyard pool this summer.

The other two pieces I ended up getting were just tops and I found them both at Athleta.  I bought this one in store and this one online. (Modeling It.) I wore them with a black bottom and pink bottom I already own.  I tried on both the small and the medium.  The small fit fine, but was just not as comfortable as the medium.  They support the girls well and every review I read online said that these swimsuits last a long time.  If they hold up to lots of wear I will probably be buying from Athleta again.  We'll see as time goes by.  I'm excited about these tops too because they are not strickly maternity and plan to wear them after or if I don't feel I can pull off a bikini I'll pass them onto one of my sisters.

We went to Florida and my tummy actually "popped" so I felt pretty comfortable sporting my two pieces.  I didn't even break out the maternity suit.  Overall a wonderful, relaxing and fabulous time spent with family.

twenty weeks = five months = halfway!

We've done it!  We're halfway there.  The last five months have gone by fast, filled with new experiences, both uncomfortable and so exciting.  We are getting more and more excited for this babe to come.  Our ultrasound is Friday and we'll get to find out if it's a boy or a girl.  Oh boy, so much joy and excitement!

Date/How Far Along: April 7, 2013 = 20 weeks and 1 day.

Size of baby: Sweet Potato

Sleep:  I have no complaints, some days are great, some good, sometimes I have to pee and sometimes I get a big chuck at one time.  I haven't felt tired so I'm so thankful.

Total Weight Gain:  I think I might have gained a few more pounds since my last midwife appointment.  I have my midwife appointment Friday too so I'll get an official weight then.

Symptoms:  Honestly nothing to complain about.  I've had a little back pain, but I learned some yoga moves that help.  I have also learned that moving around and not sitting/laying in the same position for long periods of time helps.  My abdominals have also still been sore, but I think it's both from stretching and going to yoga.

Movement:  So much dancing!  I love the feelings so much!  The babe loves hockey.  Last night we went to his daddy's last game of the season and there was so much movement in there.  John tried to feel it yesterday and I felt bad because there's nothing to feel from the outside yet.  I really want him to have some of that experience like I do everyday.  He's going to be such a great daddy!

Maternity Clothes: Yup.  John was wonderful yesterday and went with me to get my first maternity pants. He was very patient with me.  He was even googling information about maternity pants because we couldn't decide what size I needed to get.  I don't know what I'd do without him.  I've also still been enjoying my maternity shirts with the ruching because it wraps so nice right around my pregnant tummy.  I also have a great pair for maternity leggings from Old Navy that I love.

Go-to eats: Salad.  Water.  Tacos.  Chicken Nuggets.

Best moment/s of the week: Starting my membership at Blooma on Wednesday.  I have gone three times.  I love their Prenatal Yoga (it's the only class I've tried so far).  I feel so beautiful and confident while I practice.  It's not a feeling that I might in many aspects of my life, so I know it is so healthy for me to be doing.  I hope that as I continue the confidence I find will spread to other areas of my life.  I would strongly recommend Blooma to any momma-to-be or new momma!

Hardest moment/s of the week:  When I wanted salad and we didn't have any.  I'd say that's a pretty wonderful week when that's the worst part.  

Gender: I still don't feel one way or another, maybe a slight lean to having a baby girl.  Less than a week and we'll know!  Holy cats I'm pumped!

What I wish people knew:  Pregnancy is kind of like a nine-month rollercoaster.  There are hills, dips, curves and eventually a stop.  Give pregnant mommas a break or a smile or some encouragement if they seem like they're having trouble handling the sharp turns. 

What I’m looking forward to:  Our ultrasound of course and the gender reveal party with our families :)

Milestones:  Your bones are hardening and your skin is developing.  You are a masterpiece.  I'm already a proud momma!

To check out the growing bump in photographs, click here :)

Pregnancy and the Don't Consume List

I've come to realize that if I wanted pregnancy could be a terrible period of deprivation from foods/drinks I'm not supposed to consume.  I know I want this babe to be growing strong and healthy, but seriously no sushi?  It's my favorite and I could consume it on a daily basis if John allowed it.  My mom and I'm sure other mommas in her generation (and moms now) drank Diet Coke and coffee daily and all of her kids turned out fine.  The food/drink 'don't' list can be long and I think it's presented to women to instill fear to some extent.  Many of the items on the list have a minuscule risk of having bacteria on them causing infection, but a risk nonetheless.  All things considered any food could make me sick during pregnancy, especially during those early months.  Thankfully my eating habits were already pretty good, but pregnancy has a tendency to flip its middle finger at those habits sometimes.  (i.e. chicken nuggets from Wendy's, Taco Bell or Raisinet cravings)  Here's a few 'ways' I've found to get around the dreaded list:

1. Annie's Organic Caesar Dressing:  I love Caesar dressing, but most of them contain raw eggs, even the ones purchased at the store.  When we've gone out to eat I've always asked because I want a Caesar salad, but I haven't found one restaurant that doesn't use raw eggs in their dressing.  There was a week that I just HAD TO HAVE a Caesar salad so I read every bottle at Cub foods.  Annie's Organic was the only one that didn't have raw eggs in it.  Score one for this momma!  It happened to be the most expensive dressing I could buy of course, but it satisfied my craving fabulously.  I have since bought another bottle because I ate all of the other one.  One side note though, this dressing does contain anchovies, which are on the okay fish list, but it might ruin the taste for some.  Makes me love it more :)

2. Eating Out:  I'm not one to frown away from eating out if I have the opportunity.  Some of John and my most cherished memories at eating great food at fabulous restaurants.  We just love good food.  Eating out though can be a little stressful for me now that I'm growing a human.  We went to some nice restaurants while we were on vacation in San Diego and I decided that instead of being a wuss and picking an entree I knew was safe I was going to ask questions to see if I could eat something that I actually wanted.  We had an excellent waitress at one restaurant that after I asked about raw eggs in their Caesar checked to make sure there wasn't any in the rest of my meal.  I've asked if cheeses were pasteurized as well.  Sometimes I get a funny look, but it's totally worth it in the end when I get a crazy good bite of creamy goat cheese, grapefruit and pistachio cracker all in one.  Don't hesitate to ask questions and don't feel that it's necessary to explain being pregnant.  It's a waiter's job to help a customer. 

3. Indulging Once and a While: This post has been in the 'draft' category for a few weeks because I knew I wanted to include this last point, but wasn't sure where to start.  I didn't want to be shamed for indulging once and a while, but I also didn't want people to think I'm a terrible pregnant lady either.  As started above I'm honestly trying my best while saving my mental health. There are definitely foods/drinks I will not consume, including alcohol, raw eggs and unpasturized cheese.  While on vacation I did not enjoy sitting in the hot tub.  However I've had coffee a few times. John and I went for sushi when we made it to four months.  We ordered mostly cooked rolls, so I felt fine.  Everything I read said it was more likely that I get food poisoning from undercooked chicken than fish. 

I guess the point is that indulging in a few things on the don't consume list to save my mental health is worth it for me. I love this babe and can't wait to meet him/her.  I think it's better in the long run I keep myself as healthy as possible for my sake and the babe's.  I want to enjoy pregnancy too, not look back on it negatively.

nineteen weeks.

Sidenote to my pregnancy posts:  As I post I plan to be completely honest about my feelings and thoughts as we ride this rollercoaster into parenthood.  I plan to use this blog as a way for me to process this journey.  Thanks for taking the time to read.

Date/How Far Along: April 1, 2013 = 19 weeks & 2 days.

Size of baby: Mango

Sleep:  I'm still not going to complain about sleep, especially now that I'm back in my own bed.  My few bad nights happened on vacation, so they might not have been pregnancy related at all.  It is getting tough to sleep on my stomach though.  I have to strategically place my leg to prop myself up.

Total Weight Gain:  I think about 8 pounds.  Our 20 week appointment is a week from Friday, so that will be my official weigh in.  It has gotten a lot easier to not feel self conscious about weight gain now that the bump looks like a baby bump and not like a food baby.

Symptoms: Last week was great.  I wasn't nearly as tired as I was on our trip to San Diego, so I didn't feel I was holding up the show.  No nausea left.  I've had started to have some back pain. 

Movement:  Yes, yes, yes!  I've been waiting so anxiously to write this blog since Saturday!  We were at church and it was right after worship when we sat down and the babe had a little dance party in there for about 5 minutes.  Best feeling ever.  I've only had glimpses of it since then, but it was so wonderful.  I honestly don't remember anything that the sermon was about.  Oops!

Maternity Clothes: Yup.  There's no turning back at this point. I'm still able to fit into the jeans I got from my sister that are a size up, but if I'm sitting for a long period of time I just unbutton them.   I might have to add a few more items to my collection.

Go-to eats:  Lettuce, Raisinets and meat. 

Best moment/s of the week:  Having such great conversation with your daddy on our date night.  Coming home to see your big brother Comet.  Having my mom and family rubbing and talking to my belly.  They are pumped for this little one.

Hardest moment/s of the week:

Gender: John's family took a poll yesterday and boy only got one more vote than girl.  I think overall we're about even on what people have guessed.  I still don't really have any thoughts about it.  Some days I call the babe a he and others a she.  Just depends on the day.  John is still hoping for a boy.  We both really just want a healthy babe.  Eleven days until our ultrasound!

What I wish people knew:  This isn't specifically answering this question but I wish John could feel the baby dance like I can.  It was such a delight for me and I just want him to feel it too.  At least it should only be a little while until he can feel it kicking from the outside. 

What I’m looking forward to: John being able to feel the baby and his hockey playoffs this week/weekend.

Milestones: You might actually start sleeping this week.  I was surprised to find this out because I thought you would've already been sleeping :)

To check out our growing baby bump, click here :)