19 Weeks and E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D!!

Baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week! Time to start buying diapers!

How Far Along: 19 Weeks
Size of Baby: a large heirloom tomato. 8.5 ounces, 6 inches! Baby has gained some weight since last week.
Total Weight Gained/Lost: +7 but it feels more like 50!! I feel like a swollen fat log lately. Blah...
Maternity Clothes: Yes Yes. I've also been wearing some old jeans with rubber band/button trick. Works quite well and gives me a few more options to wear
Movement: Yes. I can tell that baby is gaining muscle mass due to the intense kicking thats been going on. I also felt baby move from one side of my stomach to the other this week... a flip maybe?Felt like the foot was pointed and drug across the inside of my stomach.
Once again, no belly picture this week. I haven't had time to think about it honestly. I'll get back on track soon-- although the belly is getting pretty huge and not so cute without my shirt to cover it up. I'm going to start posting a picture in my outfit and a picture with the bare belly starting next week. It makes such a difference. I'm much larger than this picture shows!

Sleep: I sleep extremely well, but don't get to sleep very much anymore ;( I've been unable to nap this week and have woken up between 4-5am every morning this week for school or clinical. That- I do not like!
What I miss: Octoberfest beer!! It is my absolute most favoritist thing this time I year and I would give anything for just one little sip.

Okay, you caught me.

 You know I've already had a sip :) What I really want is the whole bottle!
Cravings: Chocolate!!!!!!!!!!!
Symptoms: Heartburn has arrived!! I've already eaten a few tums before bedtime and I'm sure I will be tipping the bottle very soon. (I had it really bad with Rory too, but I don't remember it beginning so early). My headaches have also eased beck into the picture--I blame it on the lack of sleep!! Each day it gets worse until I get a good nights rest and then it goes away. I am peeing all the time!! This symptom took a backseat for a few weeks but now is back. Its been a really hard week to say the least!
Highlights from this week: To be honest, this week was horrible so I can't recall any new highlights. Of course, its always nice to feel baby kicking! 
*By the end of this week, B2 will officially have eyebrows.

18 Weeks!

I forgot to get a belly picture this week but managed to take some sort of photo. This is Rory and I at "Touch a Truck"--they let kids come and touch tractors, fire trucks, abulances, motorcycles, etc. It doesn't show the belly to much, but you can kinda sorta see the pooch

How Far Along: 18 Weeks
Size of Baby: a bell pepper! 5.5 inches, 7 ounces
Total Weight Gained/Lost: +6 Eeek!
Maternity Clothes: Yes. I can fit into one or two pair of pants with the beband, but they are no longer comfortable. I have officially made the switch to all maternity clothes!
Movement: All the time!
Sleep: Great! I have had zero time to nap lately so I have been sleeping so wonderfully during the night!
What I miss: Exercising hard core :( I miss going to my classes at the gym. I seriously get teary eyed thinking about how much I miss them. For 1. They do movements that I cannot or should not do anymore and 2. They get my heartrate up to high (so I feel). Sure is sad. the eliptical and treadmill just don't cut it for me.
Cravings: Nutella! 
Symptoms: Hip pain!! I can't take it anymore! I mean seriously!! My body has done this before, so why is it acting as though this is its first time?!? My hips did not go back to their pre-pregnancy shape after Rory; therefore, they should be pre-set for this one, right?
Highlights from this week: Hearing the heartbeat! That has been the one and only highlight of this week!

Dr.'s Appointment--18 Weeks

   I was extremely disappointed today when I went to the Dr. and waited 45 minutes only for them to listen to B2's heartbeat with the dang doppler!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, I was more than disappointed. I was MAD! For some reason they did not do an ultrasound today and I go back in two weeks to see this sweet baby of mine on screen! 2 weeks feels like a long time. It has already been 8 weeks since I saw it last, so 10 weeks is a bit ridiculous I think.

   The Dr.'s appointment went great. Baby is measuring right on track (two fingerbreaths below the umbilicus to be exact--- a little medical terminolgy I've learned during clinical this quarter). Ha! The heartbeat sounded strong in the 140's and baby has moved up a bit since my last visit and is located closer to my belly button than my waisteline. Wahoo! Baby's growin' like a weed!

   Next appointment is on Oct. 5th for the unltrasound and then I will go for my normal check 2 weeks following that on Oct. 20th. I'm disappointed that I didn't get the u/s at this visit; however, having two appointments to look forward to over the next month is very exciting!

17 Weeks!

   17 weeks is here and I can't believe it. Looking back, its hard to believe it has already been 13+ weeks since I took the pregnancy test. It feels like maybe a month ago at most. Wowzers.

   This weeks has been busy busy. School has picked up the pace and I can't seem to get ahead. I'm starting to get anxiety--seriously. I am really getting worried about the baby's room getting done it time because well... I haven't even started. Right now, the future nursery serves as an extra bedroom with grey walls, black furniture, clouds painted on the ceiling, and a closet stuffed full of my clothes. Most of my anxiety is thinking about what I am going to do with all that stuff, not necessarily finding new stuff to put in there.

   First and foremost, the clouds MUST go. They were also on the ceiling in Rory's room and I painted over them as many times as I could. Yuck! When I was 5, I may have thought they were pretty cool but not anymore. Good riddens blue clouds!! Next is to apply beadboarding on all 4 walls. This is something that Don wants no part in so, as usual, I will do it  myself. I did Rory's room without any help, so I can do this one too I suppose. But when?? I am SOOOO incredibly busy and stressed!! My week days are filled with class, lab, clincals, etc. and my weekends are spent studying and making up time with Rory. Whoo... I need to breath for just a minute but there is no time.

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Size of Baby: a turnip! 5 inches, 5 ounces  <---finally, baby has grown enough to maybe give me an excuse for this rather large bump I'm sportin' around

Total Weight Gained/Lost: +5
Maternity Clothes: Mainly just pants, but starting to wear my maternity shirt more often.

Movement: Oh yeh and its great.

Sleep: Really good. Not to jinx myself, but I've only been waking up once every night to go pee

What I miss: My period!!

Ha! Thats a joke. My period would normally start around this time, but in your face Kotex!-- I have 5 more months before I have anything coming out down there! Boo ya!

Cravings: Syrup. The salt craving has diminished and I'm moving back over to the sweet side.

Aversions: None. If I don't develop something to put in this slot soon, I'm going to delete this dang question.

Symptoms: Exhaustion, irritability, mood swings (stay away from me), hungry every second of every day, mild cramping every now and again, mild headaches

Highlights from this week: Working out again. I went a week or two without doing too much so this week I finally paid a visit to the gym and it felt great to be back!

At Nicki's Baby Shower



Baby Got Back!

   So B2 has returned and is kicking more often and stronger than ever. I went the past week not feeling kicks too often or not being able to distinguish them from gas or indigestion, but today...baby got back! B2 is in a position where I feel the flips and kicks all the time. I even felt them in class today which made those excruciating 4 hours much more enjoyable :)

Dr. Helton rescheduled my appointment for next week, so now it is one day sooner! AHH! Sept. 22 is now the date. They will confirm the sex on this date, but it will not be disclosed!! This is exciting to us, but seems to irk everyone else's tater!

I already know what everyone has to say... Thats stupid....You're not going to be able to plan...What about the baby's room?... What if its a girl?...yadda yadda blah blah! We have made up our minds, so these comments and questions are not necessary!


 It would be nice to know the sex, of course. But I'm not a planner, never have been. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I like to just wing things. Instead of getting exciting about finding out the sex 5 months before we actually meet the baby and planning for its arrival, I am way more excited thinking about how amazing and wonderful its going to be when we get to see our beautiful baby, whatever it may be, on birth day!! 

  Don wants to find out the sex but he knows that he will let it slip or  buy something for baby so he has agreed to hold off until birth day too! Yay! I'm so proud of him. This is a huge step for him. He is such a planner--- borderline OCD!!! I know he's dying inside to find out so he can get things together, but I thinks its good to go against the grain every now and then. For once, he can't plan for something. He is so nervous not knowing! It almost makes me laugh (but not out loud of course) There is a 50% chance that its a girl, and according to him he needs months to prepare for that!! However, I think he will do just fine :) Only 5+ months left...

16 Weeks, Yay!!

How Far Along: 16 Weeks
Size of Baby: an avocado. 41/2 inches (crown to rump) and 31/2 ounces
Total Weight Gained/Lost: +4 lbs. Holy crap! Thats 3 lbs in 2 weeks! I probably need to slow my roll. I haven't been eating that much, but I've been eating WAY more sweets than normal. I've also been putting my exercise regimen on the back burner. Now that its getting cooler outside, I plan on starting back up!
 Maternity Clothes: Maternity pants
I did not put on lipstick for this picture, I have extremely chapped lips

Movement: Every now and then. I think that baby may have changed postitions on me because I only feel movements occasionally. Some days I don't feel baby at all.
Sleep: Really good. I've been rolling onto my back during the night a lot lately which is not good. I think I'm going to invest in another body pillow for my backside. I seriously just need a king size bed all to myself!
What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach 
Cravings: Salt!! Lots of salt!! I know its terrible for me, but I do not care. This craving will be short lived so I am covering everything I eat with salt. I may start to swell soon...
Lunch...with a side of salt

Aversions: None
Symptoms: exhaustion, achy-breaky back pain, nasal congestion, cramping, ligament pain
Highlights from this week: Nothing stands out right now. This week went so fast I can hardly even remember what days I did what.

15 Weeks!

I totally look like trailor park in this picture, but I just got out of the shower and it dawned on me that we hadn't taken a picture this week. So, this is what you get....
(15w3d)

How Far Along: 15 weeks
Size of Baby: an apple! Approx. 4 inches, 2.5 ounces
Total Weight Gained/Lost: I'm on strike! I am not getting on the scale until next week! I have been eating like a fat cow this week and I do not even want to know where that has gotten me. I feel like I've put on a few lbs, but to see it on the scale will be devastating. I'll post next week after I detox from all the chocolate pie and pudding I've been eating this week.
Maternity Clothes: Yessir! Mainly just maternity pants. My shorts and tees still fit, so thats what I wear most days.
Movement: Yes and I love it!
Sleep: Eh... it could be better. If I could wear a catheter every night it would be great!!
What I miss: ?
Cravings: Trail Mix. I ate at least half a bag (the big bag) of mix yesterday in one sitting. Unless I want my kid to have an allergy to nuts or possibly asthma, I probably need to lay off the nuts...
 Aversions: None
Symptoms: Exhaustion has struck again, frequent urination, headaches, back/hip aches, muffin-top, movement
Highlights from this week: Clinical! Weird, I know. This has nothing to do with my pregnancy, but it is baby-related.

I am currently in my Parent-Child rotation, so I will be spending 150 clinical hours between the L&D, Nursery, and Post-Partum units at Tanner. That just tickles me silly!!
This was my first week and I was placed in the Nursery. Oh my lordy! I will probably need a double-dose of botox to rid the creases on my face! I could not stop smiling! I got to assess the newborns, listen for abnormal heart sounds, give baths, shots, feedings, and just stare at those beautiful creatures all day long. It was not just the highlight of my week, but of my life!! I could literally see where my future lies! Right there in that nursery! It warmed my heart and gave me anxiety all at the same time! After that, I am so ready for my little canoodle to be here!! Is it February yet?