Sunday, October 27, 2013

20 Weeks + Big Surprise!



Needless to say, we got some pretty big news this week.  Baby D is a he!  

I'd be lying if I said that I have always pictured myself as a boy mom, but I am beyond happy to bring a little guy into our family and I'm in love already.  Every time I think about how excited Nick and our families are, I start to get a little teary eyed.  This boy is going to be so loved... and well-versed in building things and being outdoors.  His father can't wait until he's old enough to participate in the Saturday morning woodworking clinics for kids at Home Depot.

And he's not going to wear ugly things with slogans and frogs on them - he is my son, after all!  Luckily, we have about 20 more weeks to get ready.  I need to get a room design together asap!

And in case you're interested, here's my 20 week update:

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How far along? 20 weeks, 5 days 

Total weight gain/loss:  Almost 8 pounds.  Not too bad for 20 weeks, but I have had a terrible schedule recently and can't wait to get back to the gym and hopefully feel more like myself.  Today's 35 minutes of cardio was way harder than usual after a week away.
 
Sleep:  Still no problems, but I'm trying to train myself to sleep on my side before I have no other options.
 

Best moment this week:  Seeing our little guy on the sonogram screen and hearing that he appears perfectly healthy, and is measuring right on track!  I am SO relieved.
 

Movement:  Yes, finally!  Real kicks that feel like there is popcorn popping in my lower abdomen.  It's still not constant, though.
 

Symptoms:  Continued round ligament pain, although I woke up on Wednesday morning with more of a baby bump than I had the day before and it's continued to pop out a little more.  The photos don't showcase it very well, I know, and I'm hoping it will get more obvious.  Apparently, I am carrying the whole baby/placenta unit lower and further back than a lot of women, which explains why people look surprised when I say I'm 20 weeks along.
 

Symptoms I DON'T have:  No vein issues, back pain or swelling. Thank goodness!
 

Food cravings:  Still loving my cereal, and now trying to resist Halloween candy.
 

Food aversions:  Fish, smelly vegetables
 

Gender:  Boy!
 

Labor Signs:  Too early for that
 

Belly Button in or out?  Too early for that

What I miss:  My regular clothes
 

What I am looking forward to:  Designing a room for a little guy that's not themed or babyish, but still cheerful.
 

Weekly Wisdom:  Maternity clothes are hard to find.  The jeans are great, but there is a lot of ugly stuff out there.  I get a little angry thinking of the people who designed a nasty printed, polyester top with a babydoll cut and assumed pregnant ladies don't deserve better.  Plus, the nice stuff costs twice as much as I spend on a normal top, so options are limited.  Thank goodness for Liz Lange tank tops from Target and non-maternity butt-covering cardigans from LOFT!

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Welcome! + Week 19 Update

I know what you're thinking.  "Another blog? Really?"

Yes, really.  Since my other blog is intended for the internet at large, I wanted to create a separate, more private,  space to document the latter half of my pregnancy and then hopefully, lots of photos of a cute baby for family members who live far away.  Maybe I can even get Nick to post sometime! (We'll see.)

So, in case you're really out of the loop, you should know that Baby Dillon is due on March 11, 2014 and we are really excited!  Nick wants a boy, I want a girl (or a boy, I'll be thrilled with either) and we find out the sex on October 25th.



That said, I plan to fill out this questionnaire up until the baby comes so that I have something to look back on in the future (or when my mom turns all this into a scrapbook... hint hint).

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How far along? 19 weeks, 2 days
 

Total weight gain/loss:  Not sure, but I'll know when I go to the doctor next week
 

Sleep:  No problems!
 

Best moment this week:  I'm pretty sure I can feel the baby moving.  It feels like someone poking a sore muscle on the inside of my lower abdomen and it does not feel good.
 

Movement:  Even though it sort of hurts, I was excited to finally feel something.
 

Symptoms:  Round ligament pain, as my baby bump (hopefully) starts to appear.
 

Symptoms I DON'T have:  Most of them.  It's sort of scary, though.  I have too many people to compare myself to, and I worry that lack of symptoms and noticeable baby bump mean that something is wrong.
 

Food cravings:  Sugary cereal (this week it is Honey Smacks that I mix with Special K Protein so as not to overdo it) and clementines.
 

Food aversions:  Fish *shudder*, smelly vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower
 

Gender:  We'll find out next Friday!
 

Labor Signs:  Too early for that
 

Belly Button in or out?  Too early for that

What I miss:  Wine and sushi, my usual jeans
 

What I am looking forward to:  Actually looking pregnant, and not just a little bit fat
 

Weekly Wisdom:  It's not a good idea to go on about how un-pregnant a pregnant lady looks. Just leave it at "you look great!"