Birthdays & Fun in the Sun!

Phew so its been a quick, but busy week. I am officially at 23 weeks as of Friday so in my 24th week of pregnancy!

I just wanted to start off saying Congrats to one of my good friends Chris and his wife on the birth of their little man March 22nd, he is such a cutie with a head full of hair! So excited our little man will already have a friend only a couple months older than him!

Alright so this week was, on top of it being a "birth" day for one of my friends, another one of my best friends birthdays on March 22nd so again Happy Birthday Minta! and also an early Happy Birthday to my bestie Sheila who has her 25th tomorrow on the 26th! Lots of Birthdays this week/month! With that we had a great time yesterday celebrating Sheila's "quarter century" birthday by heading down to Carolina Beach for Wing Fling.  Now I couldn't partake in the festivities of drinking, but did get to taste some wings from a few local places!  It was also just a good time hanging out with KB and friends, although we all got burnt (some more than others...lol), but thats what happens when you forgo the sunscreen b/c the weather forecast said 70% chance of rain/cloudy ALL DAY.  Needless to say it rained once for 5-10 minutes and was sunny the rest of the day, good job meteorologists good job! *sigh*

So to switch things up, I have been finazling everything for the house this week and getting everything ready for closing on the 19th.  Hoping everything goes smoothly and we dont have any hiccups between now and then.  I have also been looking on Pinterest more and more lately getting ideas for the house and little projects we can do before little man gets here.  His nursery is absolutely the #1 focus, but considering all the free time I have at nights (if I am not exhausted) and the weekends, I would love to do some DIY projects again and get those up here to show as well.  So far I have a few planned that I can do on my own including a chalkboard wall/entryway area that will be in our mudroom/laundry room and also a few fabric projects including a book shelf for little mans room.  I had originally planned on making sheets and a changing pad cover for his room but the fabric I wanted off of Etsy the seller jipped me and sold to someone else...uuggh Figures right? Well I did find some cute crib sheets online that will match great in his room that I am registered for and will hopefully find a changing pad cover as well.  If not I am hoping to plan a trip down to a HUGE fabric store soon after we move in & maybe I can find something there!

In other news packing has begun and really its amazing how many stupid little things you have and really things you can get rid of!  I have been taking my time really going through everything and I think so far I have thrown out about 2 large bags of clothes, papers, and other items I was holding on to for no reason whatsoever & man does it feel good to purge. I just don't understand these people and their hoarding and how in the world they want to keep trash and other things you just dont need! I would much rather live with the less is more theory than have to walk over things every day.

A new segment I am going to add in this week will be more for me and little man later just as a fun thing to read but also for everyone now to see how my pregnancy is progressing.  I am calling it Dear Little Man (since we are not giving out his name) and it will comprise of just a short paragraph detailing how things have been going this past week and what he is up to.  I feel like its a good way for me to have a record of things going on in a way that when I read it back later will be like a little letter to him, saved for later when he can understand :)

So here we go....also will have my weekly pics and survey afterwards <3

Dear Little Man,
So you have decided this week to become a ninja of sorts.  The good part is you are only active during the day, mostly after I eat, (which is quite often since you seem to take all my food the minute I eat it and keep it all for yourself) so luckily I haven't been woken up yet to you kicking me in the middle of the night.  I want to let you know now, you need to stay on this schedule so that mommy can sleep after you are born!  I do want to ask though that you please stop kicking that little sack that holds mommies pee, that is her bladder and you make her have to go very badly when you decide to use it as a kicking/punching bag.  I love seeing you move around in there though, it has been mesmerising to me lately to sit and lay on the couch and just watch my stomach move and jump and become very lumpy as you move and kick, your daddy is quite intrigued as well....when he is here and I tell him to watch that is :).  He also loves feeling you kick so you can keep doing that right before bed and when he's home.  Now, you just need to do it for your future Aunt Sheila, she is very excited to meet you and would love to feel you from the outside.  It wouldve been a good early birthday present for her yesterday while we were at the beach celebrating, but I understand mommy was walking all day and you were mostly lulled to sleep by the constant movement.  I must say though it was very loud and lots of music so I think you are going to be a good sleeper, even when daddys being noisy playing his video games!  Overall besides the whole bladder kicking thing and the constant heartburn you have been giving me I will say you have been pretty easy on me so keep it up little man and I think we will be good friends once you are evicted from my belly in a few short months.

Love always,
~Mommy <3

Survey Says:

How Far Along : 23 weeks, 2 days

Produce Size Comparison : We are at pomegranite status!

Symptoms : um heartburn heartburn and heartburn ugggh it woke me up one night its been so bad, on top of that my feet are starting to hurt when standing too long and leg pain if I walk too much :(

Cravings/Aversions : none this week / anything that will cause more heartburn!

Weight Gain/Loss : about 11lbs

Next Appt : April 9th

Sex : Boy!


Stretch Marks : still have 0! hoping the palmers and my awesome skin elasticity will help!

Maternity Clothes : just got back from a shopping trip with my mom! unforunately most stores had VERY tiny sections with few clothes so I only ended up with 2 bra's (def needed), a dress for work or play, black capri's and 2 shirts that are versatile for day to night type wear. thanks mom! <3 you

Baby Related Purchases? : nothing this week

Movement? : kicking like crazy, movement is def more around my bellybutton now and sometimes he kicks HARD! can now really see my belly move if I lay down for a bit which is really cool

Whats Baby Doing this Week : Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With his sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that he's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about the size of a pomegranite), you may be able to see him squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing his for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.



Happy St Patty's Day!

So another week gone and another up upon us.  This week has flown by (which I am entirely grateful to it for), but that means I am a week closer to getting to meet little man! So far this pregnancy has been fairly easy I must say.  Even the OB I had my appointment with Tuesday "jokingly" told me things are going so well I could have 6 or 7 more! aahhhhh haha I shot that one down quickly!

Well speaking of appointments, I had my monthly visit Tuesday and got to meet a different OB, since I have to eventually meet them all, and she was wonderful! So far 2 down and I believe 2 or 3 more to go! The first 2 have been great, both of them I would have no problem with delivering little man, which is fabulous news.  Hopefully the others are just as great.  Well lets get down to it, the appointment was quick, my blood pressure is finally down to my pre-preg levels at a whopping 118/82 (darn near pefect) and she feltl around and said he was measuring right on track. HB was still high @ 152 but he's just an active little boy already! I was warned to get my tennis shoes ready by this Dr b/c he was going to be a handful lol, which if he's anything like his daddy I can imagine so :)

On the home front things are going great as well. The appraisal was done this week and I was a complete mess worrying about what it would come back at. Well drum roll please.....*bbbuuurruuhhhh* (my lame excuse for a written one...haha) it came back $500 above the purchase price!! woooohooo! I am just happy it came back above and not below what we are paying (after our down payment that gives us auto equity in the home, thank god). So at this point it is just a waiting game for the underwriter to finish up my loan and to get to closing! We could not be anymore excited to get out of this apartment (well me at least lol). I think KB is going to miss being able to walk to his friends apts but he will have a friend down the road and hey at least this one has a wife and a 1 year old little girl for me and little man to hang out with!

Ok so that is all for my weekly update this week.  Everyone enjoy your green/irish beers for me (since I am missing out this year) and here is my weekly picture/survey says! Hope you enjoy!

He is definately starting to poke out more the past couple weeks & from what my July mommy friends online are saying this week and next week should be another big jump in size! :)

Survey Says....

How Far Along : 22 weeks, 1 day

Produce Size Comparison : Its a Papaya!

Symptoms : oh heartburn how I missed you...um NOT! yup its back in full force this week, to the point that I now carry my tums in my purse! Braxton Hicks are making their way this week and let me tell you it is sooo weird felling my belly tighten up like that, but from what I hear having them makes labor easier so they can keep on coming!

Cravings/Aversions : Fruit/Fruit Smoothies & Ice Cream

Weight Gain/Loss : ok so I have been going by what I weighed at my 1st drs appt, not by my pre-preg weight...so if I keep going by the Drs office as of Monday I am up...duh duh duhhhh

..................................10lbs!! aahhhhh (lol jk) but its still scary!

Next Appt : April 9th

Sex : Boy!


Stretch Marks : nope..hoping they stay far far away! I am getting these weird little veins though, but from what I hear thats normal since my skin is stretching out

Maternity Clothes : broke down yesterday and went to ON and went a little crazy....mad I didnt wait until today though since they are doing 17% off your purchase..uugghh, but I did buy some cute clothes to wear including .. A black maxi dress (with straps that come off to make it strapless), Jean Capri's, a tank top and a tshirt, a 3/4 sleeve shirt, and then for little man I may have bought 2 onesies!! (darn old navy putting their infant clothes right next to the maternity clothes! lol) they are so cute though I couldnt resist, and 1 matches his room theme perfectly!

Baby Related Purchases? : 2 onsies from old navy ...see below!

now you can see why I just couldnt resist! they go with his nursery theme perfect!

Movement? : still moving and a grooving in there.  luckily he hasnt woken me up at night with movement so heres hoping he's on a daytime schedule like mommy and stays that way even after birth!! now he just needs to learn that my bladder isnt a trampoline!

Whats Baby Doing this Week : At 11 inches (a papaya) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment.  
If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

 

Kicks and Flips Oh Boy!

So this is 2 days late, but hey better late then never right?  Well I am at 21 weeks and wow is time flying by!!  Little man is growing, moving and shaking and did I mention kicking? OMG its hard to imagine some people saying they dont feel anything because after every meal its like a dance party in my stomach. Not that I am complaining, every time I feel him and he really gets going it puts a smile on my face.

On the home front, things are going well.  We are finally done negotiating repairs with the sellers and luckily they are fixing/replacing almost everything we wanted them to do.  A couple things that arent necessary or urgent arent being done but its nothing serious so I think we should be happy that they are doing as much as they are!  Belive you me April 19th could not come soon enough (although with a growing boy in my belly I don't know if I should be rushing anything!! lol)

Back to the LO.  He is starting to make doing normal things uncomfortable, as in getting up and I mean from anywhere!! The couch, the bed, the floor, uuggh its like I swallowed a volleyball lol.  The strange thing is I am still getting the whole "oh I hear your expecting" thing at work, it just blows my mind.  What do I say uh no that belly I have had/been getting for the past 5 months was just from too many twinkies? Really? lol I know I know its just coworkers, but you see my daily and my stomach (nothing else, well besides my boobs) has gotten any bigger...in what world does someone who is NOT pregnant and getting fat have that happen?

Besides that everything is going swimmingly.  No major issues, been getting lots of sleep, eating healthy (thanks to my wonderful fiance who makes me lol) and we started walking and will hopefully continue to at least twice a week (that is my goal, for now!). The trail we are walking is gorgeous and goes around a lake, but dont get me wrong, its not a walk in the park.  The hills are crazy and 3 days later my legs are still sore, but in the end it will all be worth it.  I do have a wedding dress to fit into 11 months later!! I remind myself everytime I crave that greasy yummy bacon egg n cheese from Bojangles...mmmm

Well time to get doing something and off of this computer (the boxes won't pack themselves you know).  Here is my 21 week picture and survey, hope you all enjoy!

21 Weeks : 3.9.12 (getting bigger!!)

Survey Says....

How Far Along : 21 weeks, 2 days


Produce Size Comparison : Banana fana fo fana : its a BANANA!

Symptoms : hearburn is back, I have come to love tums! RLP (has subsided but still there), Braxton Hicks have made their way into my life (extremely weird but kind of cool)

Cravings/Aversions : Smoothies / no aversions (thank god)

Weight Gain/Loss : +5 lbs


Next Appt : March 14th : Tuesday!!


Sex : its still a Boy!


Stretch Marks : holding strong at ZERO! just in case went for the palmers this time for choice of lotions!

Maternity Clothes : still working with what I have, my wonderful future MIL has opted to take me shopping so hopefully some spring/summer ones soon!

Baby Related Purchases? : bought a really cute picture frame for little mans ultrasound pic!

Movement? : WOWzersss he moves like crazy, and def sucks ALL the energy out of my food, he mostly moves after I eat and then I get super sleepy!

Whats Baby Doing this Week :

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — a banana! You may soon feel like he's practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to his activity as you get to know him better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

Half Baked

Yup you read that right, little man is halfway done and our little bun in the oven is cooking it up in there!  He has been moving like crazy and pretending my bladder is a punching/kicking bag!!

On the home front, we have inspections Monday (yay for a day off from work) and hopefully everything goes well.  My biggest fear is they find something wrong although from our quick little mini inspection I think we are in the clear, but I would rather be negative and things goes well then positive and be let down.

Alright now back to baby.  So we went and registered at Buy Buy Baby and WOW, talk about a baby store mecca, that place was huge!! I think we got everything that we will need though so if any of you in reading land are looking for gifts we are registered there and Target :). 

Alright well no other updates this week, just excited to be halfway done!  Heres my half baked picturea nd survey for the week.!

I feel huge!! Little One is really growing in there :)

Survey Says....
How Far Along : 20 weeks! 20 down 20 to go!


Produce Size Comparison : he's the size of a Canteloupe!

Symptoms : really none, hearburn has gone away, only new thing is RLP (round ligament pain) when I move certain ways,, and its getting noticably harder to do certain things, like get up!

Cravings/Aversions : Milkshakes & really all ice cream products, breakfast foods / no aversions


Weight Gain/Loss : +3 lb


Next Appt : March 14th


Sex : BOY!


Stretch Marks : holding strong at ZERO!

Maternity Clothes : No new ones, hopefully some more dresses soon

Baby Related Purchases? : Just registered, didn't buy anything though! Holding strong until we move into the house


Movement? : Everybody was kung foo fighting...POW! thats what it feels like most of the day, and when I lay down at night.  He is a mover and a shaker in there

Whats Baby Doing this Week :

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana!

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

~Nicole~