Papaya Baby!

Baby Girl is getting pretty hefty! According to Whattoexpect.com the baby is supposed to double in weight by the end of this month. Yikes! Maybe that's why the doctor told me I'm going to be chubbing up soon as well. Good thing our vacation is sooner than later! If I'm going to wear a two-piece bathing suit, I want to do it while I still feel somewhat attractive. I'm also extremely grateful that I haven't gotten any stretch marks yet and am anxious to get into the two-piece while that is still the case!

Speaking of stretch marks, I've been slathering lots of lotion on the belly and so far it has worked. From what I've read, it seems that the only thing that can really prevent stretch marks is 1. lots and lots of water and 2. good genes. Still, it feels good to rub the belly down and at the very least, it has prevented that troublesome itching that so many women get while preggers! Jason bought me a fancy belly balm that I've absolutely loved using: Mom & Baby Balm from L'Occitane. It is really thick and a bit greasy, but it is super hydrating and really lasts all day. I'm so sad that it is beginning to run out! I'll probably try to seek out a cheaper alternative once it is gone, but I'm certainly loving it while I still have some left!

Spaghetti Squash Baby!

Baby Girl is the size of a spaghetti squash this week. How appropriate for the cooler weather we've been having lately!

All is well in pregnancy land. Baby Girl has been moving a lot! Sometimes when she is really active, I'll pull up my shirt and watch my belly as she pokes around. It is still pretty wild to feel and see!

I still feel really great. I am a bit sleepier than normal as I am up half of the night with trips to the toilet. I had to go five times the other night! Sheesh! Luckily my schedule is flexible enough at the moment that I am able to take naps when I need them.

A New Craving

I never really had many strong cravings (aside from that red meat cravings early on!) but I've been drinking juice like it's going out of style. I realize that juice isn't really good for me and that it really packs on the pounds, but it just tastes SO GOOD! I've tried a number of different juices and try to choose something that is full of good vitamins and doesn't have nasty high fructose corn syrup or sugar substitutes.

Morning Blend by Knudsen was my favorite for a while and then I moved to Mega Green also by Knudsen. They are both tasty and good for me (as far as juice goes) but they are a bit pricey.




While my goddaughter was visiting, we kept some apple juice in the fridge for her. One sip and I was hooked! While grocery shopping the other day, I found that Mott's makes a line of apple juice for toddlers that has 40% less sugar without any funky fake sugars added in.


I feel a bit silly drinking it, but I don't feel quite as badly as if I were drinking the full calorie stuff. I realized that the reason it is so low in sugar is that it is totally watered down! My new plan is to buy some frozen juice concentrate and then water it down myself. Not only will this cut down on the price, but it will also cut down on the waste from the bottles. I'm sure I'll be able to find a nice, healthy brand at Whole Foods.

This is all a very thrilling development in my pregnancy, so I'll be sure to keep you posted. ;)

Bananarama

Baby Girl is the size of a banana (although I swear she feels more like a cantaloupe)! I know I'm only going to get bigger, but I'm feeling awfully large already! I'm hoping that getting more exercise will help me feel a bit less gross over my remaining four(ish) months. Overall I'm still feeling pretty great though. My store-nausea has gotten much better and I still have had very little exhaustion. I'm still getting up many times in the night to use the toilet and often wake up super hungry and need to take a midnight cereal break.

Another fun progression is that I have to prop the belly up when I sleep on my side. I just use a small blanket to tuck under Baby Girl so I'm a bit more comfy. I may eventually need to sleep with a maternity belt or similar contraption, but for now, the blanket is doing the job.

Unbelievably, I am already half way through my pregnancy! Woo hoo! I can't wait to meet Baby Girl!! I had a dream I met her last night and she had an enormous mouth just like her mom did when she was a baby:




In other news, here is another annoying fruit song for the week. I think this may be the last of the annoying fruit songs as I'm pretty sure the mango and banana songs are the only two fruit songs I know!

It's a Girl!

Profile of our baby girl:




Baby Girl's feet:



We had our 20 week check-up yesterday. The ultrasound was nice and long and we got to spend a lot of time watching Baby Girl around! It wasn't until the end of the ultrasound that the technician tried to figure out the gender. She says she never gives a 100% but said that she was 80% sure it was a girl. Jason and I were both so excited to learn the gender and are thrilled that she is still so healthy!

My friend Kate is visiting from Seattle and we were both so excited that we had to do some shopping for Baby Girl. It was fun to buy some non-gender neutral clothes! I found some really good deals on summer clothes for Baby Girl to wear next summer and had fun looking through all the other little girl items as well.

Next up . . . choosing a name!

Mango Baby!

Our baby is now the size of a mango! He/she is getting so big! He/she is also moving around an awful lot. It is so fun to feel, but often a little distracting. Many times when Jason and I are in the middle of a conversation I'll grab his hand and put it on my belly hoping he will be able to feel our little one moving. He hasn't felt anything so far, but I'm sure he will soon!

I've been feeling really great. Getting bigger and bigger by the day, but staying pretty comfortable. My sleep is still pretty interrupted with potty breaks and bouts of insomnia, but it really isn't bad overall.

I've had some fun shopping for more maternity clothes and was thrilled to find a super cute pair of jeans for only $34! They are also amazingly comfortable. Maybe I'll do another maternity clothes post soon. Not fascinating stuff, but it is a big deal when you don't fit into anything else!

In honor of Mango Baby, here is a really annoying song about mangos:

Welcome to the world Abigail Grace!

I had the honor to attend the birth of my newest goddaughter, Abigail Grace. Abby is now a week old and mom and baby are doing great! Abby's birth was an amazing event largely due to her rockstar mom, Susie. Susie was calm, determined and truly awe inspiring throughout the whole process. I always knew this friend of mine was a strong woman, but I was completely blown away by her strength. What an amazing mom my little Abby has!


Here is a picture of Abby a week after her birth:


Susie sent me some pictures from the birth. Here are a few of them:

While killing time between contractions, Susie asked to see my belly. Her husband, Jerry, was quick with the camera and caught the sweet moment.


This was taken shortly after Abby was born. I was so proud of my Susie! Can you tell?!



This was the whole crew that attended the birth. In addition to Susie, Jerry, Abigail and me we have Susie's friend Ruth and their amazing doula in the back.



Jason and I stopped by to see Abby once they were settled in their own room. It was so sweet to see Jason with her. He's going to be such a great dad!

New Belly Pic!

As you can see, things are certainly progressing with the belly. I don't think I could hide this baby bump if I tried! Bending over is becoming harder and harder and I've had to put most of my non-pregger clothes into storage. So sad!

I've also gotten to the point where I need to prop up the belly a bit when I sleep on my side. Getting up from a seated position is also getting more interesting. Oh man. I can only imagine what things are going to be like another three or four months from now. Holy moly!

Nursery Progress

After much hemming and hawing, we finally decided on a crib! Because a lot of our furniture tends to be a bit more modern, we thought that a slightly more streamlined and modern crib would work best in our house. I love the dark wood (made from wood in sustainable forests, thank you very much!) and I'm sure that drawer will come in handy. It is also nice that the finish on the wood is non-toxic. We also decided to splurge a bit on an organic mattress. The baby will be spending a lot of time cuddled up next to the mattress, so we thought it was a good place to splurge!

To make up for the pricey crib and mattress purchase, we scrimped a bit on a dresser/changing table for the baby. After scouring Craigslist for months, I finally found the perfect piece! It needs to be repainted, and I'll probably change the hardware as well, but it is nice and sturdy and has great bones. It is also the perfect height to function as a changing table as well!






I'm headed to the hardware store today for sandpaper and paint. I can't wait to get started on it! I'm thinking a grayish blue or grayish green would be nice. I found some inspiration on the Pottery Barn Teen website:




Either one of these colors could work for a boy or girl's room and I think they'll work well into their childhood. I'll post pictures as soon as there is more progress!