20 weeks

20 weeks.  5 months.  140 days.  However you want to look at it, we are halfway there.  How did this happen?  I put in a request to slow down time weeks ago and somehow the opposite has happened...

In all seriousness, it feels great to be exactly where I am.  This weekend we took another road trip to see family, this time it was my parents in Tennessee.  We spent a couple of days just hanging out at their house, and on Saturday drove down to Chattanooga for a bike race that Erik was in.  This was my parents first time being at one of his races, and while it was a road race and we really only got to see him take off and then later cross the finish line, it was still pretty exciting.  The finish was on top of a mountain with the most beautiful scenic overlook.  You could see all of downtown Chattanooga, the river that winds around the city, and all the surrounding mountains.  During the race, my parents and I had a couple of hours to explore the area while Erik was hard at work on the bike, and wouldn't you know - we stumbled across quite possibly the one and only yard sale in the area consisting of all baby stuff, lol.  I don't have to even scope them out anymore, I just let the sales come to me!  ;)  I found a few cute outfits (not that I really need anymore) and also scored one of the items from my "baby wish list" on amazon...  a rock and play sleeper, amazon price $75... I paid just $5!  Sweet deal.  It needs a little cleaning but is otherwise in perfect condition, and the whole top comes off to go in the washing machine.  My mom bought a folding travel crib to keep at their house, and they also got a great deal.  She got a Delta Port-a-crib that looks brand new for only $25.  Amazon price $140.  Have I mentioned how much I love sale-ing season?  ;)

rock and play sleeper and port-a-crib

So now at 20 weeks, the baby is the size of a banana (head to feet) measuring in at about 6.5 inches and weighs about 10.2 ounces.  He or she has working taste buds and is swallowing several ounces of amniotic fluid every day.

20 weeks + 2 days

He or she is also moving quite a bit, and I can definitely feel it when it happens!  Mostly I feel lots of kicking, but occasionally it feels like a squirm or flip on the inside.  Actually, the day we arrived at my parents house, the baby was kicking so much, sometimes every few seconds, for most of the evening.  They were so strong and right in front of my belly, that both my parents and Erik got to feel several good kicks.  I read over the weekend that I won't be able to feel movement from the outside for a few weeks yet, so I am quite surprised we can feel it this early.  Erik immediately made a comment about the baby's strong legs (future cyclist he is sure!)

While we were taking my weekly photos outside my parents house this weekend, we also snapped a few of Lucy as she ran around their yard during one of her "spaz dog" bursts of energy...  Here is my favorite:

photo credit for this awesome shot goes to Erik  :)

And one of us sitting on the "rock couch" in the back yard...

 

 

 

love this little Munchkin!

We are now home for a couple of weeks before we take our next trip.  Looking forward to the ultrasound which happens next week!!! 

19 weeks

This weekend we were up in the DC area visiting Erik’s family.  It was a short visit but it’s always great to spend time with them and we had a very nice trip.  It is weird to think that the next time that we will be there (for Thanksgiving) I will be 8 months pregnant and waddling around with a much bigger bump!  The next trip after that will have a car seat and tiny baby in the back.  At the time of writing this, we are only a few days away from the 20 week mark which is halfway though the pregnancy.  (insert deep, calming breath here as I try not to stress out about all the things we still have left to do before the big day!)  

19 weeks + 3 days

At 19 weeks the baby is the size of a mango, measuring 6 inches long and weighing in at around 8.5 ounces (so at least 0.5lbs of the 8 or so I have gained so far can be attributed to the baby!  hehe)  This week the baby is developing the protective coat of vernix which is often seen at birth as the white waxy stuff on the baby’s skin.  That coating keeps the baby from coming out like a wrinkled raisin from living in the amniotic fluid for all those months.  Nerve cells for taste, hearing, sight, and smell are developing in his/her brain this week as well.

19 weeks + 3 days

As you can see, the belly has definitely popped out quite a bit now and there is a noticeable change from just a week or two ago.  Knowing that we would be traveling this weekend and next, I made it a point to go out on my day off last week and pick up a few maternity shirts and a pair of jeans.  The belly band works for a lot of things but I have to say that right now nothing beats that giant stretchy panel of maternity pants.  If only all pants were this comfortable!  Fortunately not far from us we have an awesome upscale maternity and baby consignment store where I was able to score a cute pair of jeans for only $9.  I also went to old navy and found a few maternity things on their clearance rack.  I have a hard time paying full price for anything, let alone clothes that I will only be wearing for a few months time.

I am so happy to report that I am now feeling the baby moving!  This next part is going to sound crazy, but it is absolutely true.  One morning last week before we went to work, I had Erik have a talk with the baby and provide him/her with some encouraging words to start moving in a way that I could feel it.  It ended up as quite the humorous speech with him kneeling on the floor in front of me that went something like “hi little baby, ok listen up.  Your mother is a worrier and if you just give here a little kick here and there she will feel a lot better about your growth and development.  You will learn all this about her eventually but for now just trust me and help me out so your mom can relax a little....”  ;)  That very same day at work I had quite a few sensations of “bubbles popping” in my lower belly and was starting to become quite sure that those were in fact the tiny baby inside.  I know the baby can hear us at this point, but I guess he/she was also paying attention!  In the few days that followed I have definitely felt much stronger "thumping" sensations, usually when I am sitting down and most frequently in the morning or evening.  Before we left for our trip, both Erik and I felt the baby kicking from the outside and it was one of the best moments of my life.  The look on his face as he had his hand on my belly feeling a kick for the first time was something I will never forget.  I want to put that moment in a glass jar somewhere and keep it forever.

With how busy we are everyday, it’s often easy to forget to live in the moment and appreciate the little things.  But when I am sitting quietly and start feeling the baby move, it’s a wonderful reminder to just be present and do nothing except enjoy that very moment.  I feel so happy and so blessed right now, I really can’t even put into words how amazing this experience is. 

We are now home for three days before we head out for another road trip, this time going west for a few days at my parents house in the foothills of the Tennessee mountains.  Erik has a bike race not too far from them and we will all be there to cheer him on.  The baby will be cheering (and kicking) from the inside  ;)

1st trimester essentials

I know I am now well over a month into the second trimester, but I thought I would put together a little list of the things that got me though those first few months of nausea, fatigue, excessive hunger, and the other fun symptoms that the 1st trimester brings!

Lemons

This was the first thing I would say my body was truely craving during the pregnancy.  I have gone through at least a pound of lemons each week since the very beginning.  The main reason they were so important early on is that they really helped me drink a ton more water and ensured that I stayed hydrated.  Plain water, especially dealing with the nausea, was something I had no desire to drink but I found that adding squeezed lemon actually made me want to drink it.  Limes are also a good option!

Prenatal Vitamin

I did a lot of research before we even started trying to get pregnant, as I wanted to find the best prenatal vitamin that was plant-based and as natural as possible.  Prenatal One by Rainbow Light contains no gluten, soy, yeast, milk, eggs, nuts, fish or shellfish. It is lactose-free and contains no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives or additives.  What is does contain is food-based vitamins, plant-source enzymes, ginger juice and probiotics that support digestion and absorption.  I have been taking this for over a year and a half now and have never had any issues with an upset stomach.

Pregnancy Apps

I don't know many first time mothers who don't measure the weeks of their pregnancy by the size of fruit that their baby has grown to.  There are several apps for your phone/ipod that will tell you all kinds of useful information on fetal development and pregnancy customized to how far along you are.  My favorite apps are BabyCenter and WhatToExpect which I read daily, and Sprout and TheBump which I read weekly.  They were all free in the Apple App Store!

 Sea Bands

I debated on adding this to the list, as I am not completely sure whether or not it really helped my nausea.  I can't say anything made me feel completely better, but I think these Sea Bands did help a little.  They are accupressure bands worn on both wrists to help with morning sickness and motion sickness.  At at around $6 per pair, they are definitely something worth trying if you are dealing with morning sickness.

New Bras

Before I was even out of the first trimester, I realized that new bras were going to be the first maternity clothes I would have to purchase.  Knowing they were only going to keep getting bigger, I didn't want to spend a whole lot on bras that would only fit temporarily, so I picked up a couple inexpensive bras from Marshalls and TJ Maxx.  I like the wireless customflex by Barely There.  They are so comfortable you can sleep in them if you want!  I like that they are quite stretchy too so they will hopefully grow with me for a little while longer.

Starchy Snacks

I found one of the best ways to keep my stomach happy was frequent snacks.  High carb with a little protein kept me the most satiated, although I still felt hungry most of the time - even when I was nauseated.  Weird, I know.  I brought several snacks to work with me everyday so I could eat every couple of hours, one of my favorites being rice cakes and peanut butter.  I also snacked on natural granola bars, dry cereal, and dried fruits.

Ginger Tea & Ginger Candy

It is true - ginger really does seem to help with nausea.  Organic Ginger Tea seemed to help settle my stomach most of the time when I drank it.  And the Candied Ginger from Trader Joes also seemed to help!  Plus it was a sweet treat when I was feeling like dessert and nothing else sounded appetizing.

Lists... lots of lists!

 

Yes, seriously.  "Pregnancy Brain" is a real thing (even though my husband thinks I am just using it as an excuse for being forgetful!)  If I don't write it down these days, chances are that I will forget it.  Even at work I have found myself forgetting to do things shortly after I am asked to do them!  Yikes.  Fortunately no harm has been done and it seems to have gotten better in the 2nd trimester.  Perhaps the 1st trimester fatigue plays a role in the forgetfulness?  Whatever the cause, I found it helpful to write everything down as that was my best chance at making sure it got done!

Hopefully this list will be helpful if you are newly pregnant or planning to become pregnant soon. I also wanted these things documented for my own future pregnancies.  I have started a list of 2nd trimester essentials, and I am continuing to add to it as the weeks go by and I discover the things I find most helpful as I find my way through this amazing adventure known as pregnancy  :)

18 weeks

Another great weekend, and another reminder that time is flying by way too quickly these days.  Is it possible to somehow slow down time and enjoy this awesome summer just a little bit longer?
We spent this weekend at home, but still managed to keep ourselves quite busy.  Friday was a lazy movie & popcorn night.  Saturday was my usual early morning yard sale-ing (more on that later) and an afternoon mostly taken up by house projects.  A few were in the nursery and we also bought some new furniture for our screened in porch which is finally starting to take shape, so the projects were actually quite fun.  Saturday evening Erik had a local crit race which I was excited to be able to go to, most of his races involve a long drive and a full days commitment to attend.  I am so proud of him, he got 3rd place in the P/1/2 race and his teammate got 1st!  I always have so much fun watching his races and love to see him in his element.  Sunday we got to spend the afternoon with some friends we hadn't seen in quite some time which was great.  The next two weekends will be spent traveling, which seems to make time fly by even faster.  Slow down summer!

On to the weekly update.  18 weeks along now, and I think that I am finally starting to look obviously pregnant.  Earlier this week while at work one of my patients family members nervously asked about "my belly."  I excitedly responded that yes, I am pregnant!  He was the first person to ask so far, and it kind of surprised me as I still see myself as just a little thicker in my middle...  But as I was editing the weekly photos tonight I guess I started to see what he saw, and the bump is bigger than I think it is...

18 weeks + 4 days

18 weeks + 4 days.  and finally wearing one of the maternity tops I bought recently  :)

At 18 weeks the baby is the size of a sweet potato, measuring around 5.6 inches and weighing in around 6.7 ounces.  Developmentally there is nothing too significant to report of.  At this point the major systems are formed, the baby is looking very "baby like" and from this point on it's really about just growing bigger (for both of us I guess!)

After I though I felt movement last week I was sure by now that I would have felt something else.  I have been having weird sensations of bubbles popping in my belly, but I am not sure whether or not it is actually fetal movement.  When I read in my baby books that I would probably have trouble determining what was a movement and what was gas/digestion/etc, I thought there was no way that would be me - when the baby moved I would know for sure.  But it's actually much harder to figure out than I thought.  I think these could be movements, but they are so faint and last for such a short time it really is hard to say.

Otherwise, the symptoms are the same.  Although as my belly grows I am sure that my bladder is shrinking to abnormally small proportions, as I almost constantly feel the urge to pee.  Sleeping is still a little difficult, partly because every night involves so many bathroom trips and partly because I have become the worlds lightest sleeper.  A squirrel farts outside the window and I am instantly awake.  Ok, so it's not quite that bad but everytime I roll over, Erik rolls over, or Lucy makes a tiny noise I am up.  Perhaps this is natures way of preparing mothers to be up all night with a newborn.  In any case, I feel great most days even functioning on less sleep than usual, so I really can't complain.

So Saturday during my sale-ing adventures I found mostly house related stuff but I did find one baby item...  A new-in-box manual breast pump.  Amazon price $40, I paid $2. 

I do plan to pick up an electric pump, but in reading the reviews I realized that a manual pump is much smaller, lighter and easier to use while traveling or to have as a back-up.  Also, I recently learned that starting back in May of this year, insurance companies are now required to cover not only lactation consultants for new mothers, but they are also required to provide them with a new electric breast pump or rental of a hospital grade pump.  So I will be letting our insurance company buy me a fancy electric one as a baby shower gift, ha!

Things to look forward to: DC next weekend and a trip to Tennessee the following.  Oh yea, and our next ultrasound which I have scheduled for Sept 6th!  Counting down the days until we find out if our little sweet potato is a boy or girl...

But I still want to slow down summer.  Just a little.

17 weeks

This past weekend was number 2 of 7 in a row we have planned as "weekends of fun," and it definitely was!  We spent Friday night at a bluegrass show at the Haw River Ballroom (absolutely amazing venue) and saw two bands, Town Mountain and Big Fat Gap.  The show was awesome, so much better than we expected!  After picking up the latest CD from Town Mountain and chatting with the band after the show, it didn't take us long to plan a trip to Asheville in the fall to catch them live again.  So, so good  :) 

Saturday morning we were up early and off to the coast!  This was our first beach trip of the year, and it's hard to believe that with living so close it took us until August to get there.  It was a quick trip as we came home on Sunday evening, but we had so much fun and some time away together was exactly what we needed.  We stayed at the sweetest little place on Kure Beach, called Hidden Treasure Inn.  This sounds so cheesy, but it really was a hidden treasure, lol.  We decided that for all future trips to the beach we will be booking a room here.  Erik spent a lot of time on his boogie board he loves so much, and while I played in the water a bit I found myself most comfortable parked on the beach chair with a book in my hand.  Every time I visit the beach I am reminded of how much I really have missed it and find it a little sad to leave. 
 

Here are a few pics from the trip:

Since we were away from home all weekend we took my 17 week update photos while at the beach.  It was there that I realized I need a bathing suit that offers more coverage for all my "growing parts" hehe...  Unfortunately the photos are not the best and the ocean breeze made my hair look even wilder than usual but you get the idea... 

17 weeks + 4 days

At 17 weeks the baby is the size of a turnip, measuring in at about 5.1 inches long and weighs around 5.9 ounces.  The cartilage is starting to turn to bone, and he/she is finally starting to put on some fat (yay, maybe more on the baby and less on me?  I have gained almost 6 lbs so far!  Yikes...)  The umbilical cord is starting to grow stronger and thicker as well.

In other exciting news, last Thursday at work I think I might have felt the first small movements!  I was sitting down and the way I was sitting and kind of bent over really squished my belly area, especially with my scrub pants on which are already starting to get a little tight...  It was a weird feeling, like a hundred bubbles popping in my lower belly, or almost like rice krispies crackling in there.  As long as I stayed sitting like that, I continued to feel the "popping" sensations, but as soon as I stood up they went away.  I have been waiting for more "pops" but nothing since then.

Last Friday, I also had my second visit to the birthing center and the midwife assured me that everything seemed to be progressing just as it should.  I expressed my concerns about my bump being what I feel like is a little small but she did her assessment and said it was exactly the size it should be at this point.  We also heard the heartbeat ticking along nicely in the 150's.  As soon as she put the doppler on my belly she asked if we were going to find out the sex of the baby at the ultrasound in a few weeks.  We said yes we were, and she asked if she could make her guess.  Of course we wanted to hear her "professional prediction" and without hesitation she said "girl."  Erik wanted to know why and the midwife said it was because the baby was so cooperative - she had found the heartbeat immediately.  She said with boys she usually needs to chase them all over to get a good listen.  Now of course, this is definitely not a scientific way of determining gender, but it sure is fun to hear everyone's guess and see where I fall in terms of all those old wives tales!   I haven't gone as far as the "wedding ring test" yet but give me another week or so and I think I will probably be there...

Just for fun of course  ;)

our first houseguest!

I haven't had a chance to write about it yet as I have had a very busy work week, but this past weekend was such a fun and exciting one!  Eriks Mom flew down from Michigan to spend time with us and we are so happy that she did.  It was a short visit but we had such a great time.  We ate a lot of yummy food, visited Duke Gardens, went yard sale-ing, and spent some relaxing time just hanging out at the house. She was our first guest in the new house so I was pretty excited to have someone try out the guest bed & bath that we had all ready for her  :)

A few instagrams from our afternoon at Duke Gardens:

lily pads, lilies (I think), lovely garden, lovely Lucy

Erik & I at the Gardens

Erik & his mama as we enjoyed a yummy sushi lunch before she headed back to Michigan

Since his Mom is so handy with putting things together (well she is handy with everything, really) we decided to put together the crib while she was here.  My family actually saved the crib I had as a baby and they offered it to me last year.  It traveled all the way from northern Michigan down to NC and I am so happy to have it.  I debated on buying a more modern crib, or even painting this one, but after it was set up I was glad I left it just how it is.  Vintage, a little worn, and exactly my style.  The very best part though, is the idea that this is where I slept as a tiny baby, as did my sister and nine of my cousins.  After I was done with it, my mom kept it at my Grandmas house and whenever she had the young grandbabies visiting that is where they slept (fortunately we were all a year or two apart so no one really needed it at the same time!)  Here it is all put together, just as it was way back in 1982 when my parents set it up for me:

My parents actually saved the mattress too, but that was something we decided to replace.  I have been shopping for a natural mattress made of organic materials as those seem to be the safest material-wise.  I didn't plan to start setting things up this early but it's pretty exciting to see things starting to come together.  And the sooner we have the big things done the sooner I can start decorating  :D

Thanks to Eriks mom for helping us with the crib and for making last weekend a really great one!