26 weeks!

Exercise:  In addition to prenatal yoga, I went to 2 water aerobics classes at my friend's swim club.  I'm the youngest person in the class, but being in the cool water helps and I like the additional exercise.  Being in the sun tires me out in general and even more so while pregnant.  I stayed out way too long last time because I had a sun-exposure (tension) headache the next day.   

Sleep:  I sleep well and only get up in the middle of the night when it gets stuffy.  Some nights, she favors the left side and I feel like I'm squishing her even though she's most likely ok. 

Movement:  I love feeling the baby move!  She moves around a lot after I eat, when I'm trying to sleep or rest, and in church.  I don't feel her move during car rides so maybe she'll travel well in the future.  :) Feeling her move inside is such a gift and I'm so thankful for our little miracle.  Some family and friends have started to feel the baby move and that's been fun!

Cravings/Aversions:  Craving fruit...watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, and mango.  Still eating peaches with cottage cheese.  Having a green smoothie everyday has been satisfying and it's good for me and the baby since I add organic kale and organic spinach to it. 

What I miss:  Nothing at all.  Feeling really content.

Symptoms:  Still bloated.  I didn't try the corn silk tea since my SIL sent me this article: http://www.livestrong.com/article/468170-risk-of-taking-corn-silk-when-pregnant/
Instead, I'm drinking more lemon water, decreasing my sodium intake, and elevating my feet.  

Organizing:  We had to replace the kitchen table that came in last week due to visible crack on the table top.  The replacement table came in this afternoon and we're enjoying our new furniture.  Still on the to do list is to organize the loft and clean the basement so we can empty out the baby closet.  I used to scrap book and haven't touched it in years, but I'd like to work on some old albums that I need to finish and start a baby album to include belly shots.  Still lots to do! 

What I look forward to:  We have another ultrasound on Wednesday and J is coming with me!  Can't wait to see her move around and get her measurements.  I hope my uterus is normal and no longer low lined as the baby has grown the past month.  As I approach 3rd trimester, she's going to just get bigger and I can't imagine my belly expanding any more than it already has, but it will.  Pregnancy is an amazing experience!  My body is going through so many changes and the life inside of me is taking shape and developing every single day.  I'm in awe of God's creation and how we are all "wonderfully and fearfully made." ~ Psalm 139:14

Milestones: According to babycenter.com, the network of nerves in our baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before.  She may now be able to hear both my voice and J's as we chat with each other.  She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat.  She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

25 weeks!

Monday's OB appointment was routine...154 heartbeat and all is well. :)

Weight:  Don't want to talk about it.  I've started a food journal to hold me accountable.  I think it's helping.
 
Sleep:  Much better now that I'm sleeping on my back more :)

Movement:  J felt her move on Monday, July 16 @ 24 weeks!  We had some friends over for dinner and after they had left, we were unwinding on the living room couch.  The baby was very active and jabbing me in different places.  J was able to feel her and it was such a special moment.  A little concerned, J was like, "does that hurt?" and I said, "not yet."  :)  It was so cool and another bonding moment for us as parents to be. 

Cravings/Aversions:  I craved Trader Joe's peaches in the jar with some cottage cheese this past week.  Loving cold fruit.  I've developed an aversion to Snapple iced tea and Arnold Palmer's (half unsweetened iced-tea and half lemonade)...it's prompted some weight gain during 2nd trimester so I'm staying "NO" to sugary drinks.  Water with lemon is my go-to drink nowadays.  The taro bubble tea I had today was a special treat and an exception because I don't drink it often and how could I resist when a friend buy's it for me.  Thanks, YM!

What I miss:  Nothing at all.  Feeling really content.

Symptoms:  Bloated feet and fingers.  Elevating as much as I possibly can, but it's still bloated.  Just have to live with it for a few more months.  I should listen to my MIL and mom and try corn silk tea...it's supposed to help with bloating.  I'll experiment with it this week.

What I look forward to:  Our kitchen table set and bedroom furniture set arrive tomorrow between 12-3pm!  We'll finally have chairs that are 100% stable.  We'll also have more storage space with a bigger dresser and additional drawers along the foot board of the sleigh bed, but what sold me about the set was the felt lined jewelry tray as the top drawer of the dresser!  J has a felt lined drawer for his belongings too without a tray of compartments.  I think it's a brilliant idea!  We got free delivery, but I saw a coupon on Facebook for an additional $50 off if I "liked" them, but didn't see it until after we made the purchase.  Too bad I can't apply it to previously purchased items.  Bummer.  I'll certainly be "liking" more things on Facebook. 

The baby is getting us organized and having us do things we should have taken care of years ago!  But, honestly, when I was in and out of grief for 5 years, getting the house in order was simply not a priority.  We're in a different place now, starting a new chapter, and feel blessed to have our little miracle make it to 25 weeks!  Praise God!

I'm also looking forward to going back to BRU with a friend tomorrow!  Last Saturday, J and I went to BRU together and added 20 some items to the registry after spending a few hours there.  I'm glad J's better about making decisions than I am, but shopping for baby is still time consuming since we're trying to figure out what we need and don't need. 

Milestones: According to babycenter.com, head to heels, our baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

24 weeks!

We completed 7 1/2 hours of child birthing preparation on Saturday.  It was a long day and a lot of information to absorb, but it was worth it!  I'm still anxious about delivery, but knowing what to expect and what to do is a good thing.  I know how to pray specifically for delivery now:
* praying her head is down (anterior position)
* praying for no complications
* praying for a natural birth with epidural (since I had surgery last year for my ectopic, I'd like to avoid another surgery (c-section) if possible.

Prayer Request:   With a heavy heart, I share this request.  Please pray for my friend E, she did IVF and miscarried her 2 twin boys last week.  I don't know any details, but know they're devastated and in need of prayer as they grieve their loss.   
 
Sleep:  I've been experiencing some numbness in my hands when I sleep on my side.  I still find sleeping on my back the most comfortable position and a girlfriend said that if I have good blood pressure, then sleeping on my back is okay with the OB.  1 of my 4 OB's said sleeping on my back was fine, but he didn't give me an explanation behind it.  I'll ask at my next appointment. 

Movement:  Baby girl isn't a morning person.  I start to feel her waking up after I eat breakfast and all through out the day.  She's pretty active at night too.  In about 4 more weeks, J should be able to feel her!

Cravings/Aversions:  No particular cravings.  Lately, I've been enjoying mangoes, green smoothies, and chocolate.  No aversions.

What I miss:  Nothing.  I'm thankful for each and every day we have with our baby girl that's growing inside and look forward to meeting her when she's ready to enter the world.

Symptoms:  Bloated feet and hands.  Keeping my legs elevated helps a lot.  I have little skin tags growing around my neck and my dermatologist will remove them after the baby is born.  Is a typical symptom during pregnancy and it's something my mom experienced as well when she had me in the oven.  :)

Nesting:  We haven't touched the nursery since July 4 when the crib was put together and the room was organized.  Still have to empty out the baby's closet and move some items into the basement, but the basement needs to be organized and vacuumed.  I'll post pictures when it's complete!  Instead of nesting this week, I started my baby registry!  Babies r us (BRU) is overwhelming with all the different choices and options they have nowadays that I didn't know how or where to begin.  Plus, I never thought this day would come, so to have my SIL be with me was awesome.  :)  We tried to focus on the big ticket items like the car seat, converter seat, strollers, high chair, etc. and we made good progress after 3 1/2 hours of shopping!  It really helped to have my SIL say to me that it comes down to my preferences and what was important to me.  For instance, did I want a cup holder to come with the convertible car seat or would I be OK with buying an attachment?  We compared specs like weight, color, compactness, etc. of some items and we'd tinker with it.  I'd process (sometimes too long), point the gun, and scan.  We left the store at 2 pm to get some much needed lunch.  Thanks SH...xoxo! 

What I look forward to:  I look forward to my OB appointment on Monday and hearing the baby's heartbeat again.  :)  J and I are looking at furniture on Saturday and adding some more items to the registry.   

Milestones: According to babycenter.com, our baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 weeks!

On Monday, I saw our baby bouncing around and doing well.  The 4 chambers of her heart are in tact and she has good blood flow in major arteries.  I don't have placenta previa, but low line placenta where the placenta isn't covering the cervix, but it's close.  I get another ultrasound at the end of the month and hopefully it'll correct itself.  I look forward to seeing our baby girl again!  She weighed in at 1 pound and 3 ounces with a heart rate of 158 bpm. 

Sleep:  My left shoulder is a little sore from sleeping on my side.  I still wake up on my back, but I'm sleeping on my side a little longer than usual.  Leg cramps still cause awful pain and J wakes up startled because I hit him to rub away the cramp.  I hope it goes away in 3rd trimester. 

Medicine:  My thyroid is normal and my endocrinologist wants me to stay on 75 mcg of Synthroid. 

Movement:  Now that I know what it feels like to have the baby move, I worry when I don't feel her move.   When I'm still, I feel her more and then I feel better. 

Cravings/Aversions:  Another blogger craved chocolate milk and it sounded good!  I bought a gallon of organic chocolate milk. 

Symptoms:  Bloated feet and ankles as the day passes, HOT, and lower back pain continues.  Prenatal yoga moves certainly help to relieve some back pressure.  Recently, I noticed how pregnancy has helped with some unwanted,  non-pregnancy symptoms.  For instance, I haven't experienced any painful mouth ulcers since the pregnancy!  That's been nice. :) 

Nesting:  We worked on the nursery yesterday and it's slowly coming together!  My brother helped J move some furniture around in the nursery to make room for the crib and glider.  They also shifted some furniture around in the bedroom and it feels a bit bigger since moving the bed to a new spot.  It's actually made a big difference!  Friends came over and helped with organization and assembling the crib.  :)  There's still so much left to do!  I wish I were good at cleaning and organizing...definitely not one of my gifts. 

What I look forward to:  Yoga tonight was packed!  My friend enjoyed class tonight and finds it helpful.  We did squats with partners and that really worked my inner thighs.  OW!  J and I have an all day childbirth class on Sat.  It's going to be a long day, but we'll get it over with in one shot.  I'm not looking forward to watching the different labor videos.  Scary!

Milestones: According to babycenter.com, I should turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, my baby can feel me dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her 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 her 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 her when she hears them outside the womb.