baby bump: 34 weeks

How far along:  34 weeks.

Size of baby:  Butternut squash.   

Maternity clothes:   Between my maternity shirts and Ehren's sweats and tees, I pretty much live in stretchy cotton 24/7. 

Weight gain:  Not a clue. 

Sleep:  I am still really good at this.  I cannot sleep in anymore even if I go to bed late.  I feel better if I get a little nap in when I get home but other than that I truck right along. 

Exercise:  With my job, I'm more active than most non-pregnant people 5 days a week.  I'm still taking the stairs at work, standing and walking most of the day, and lifting human beings.  

Best moment of the week:  Baby shower numero uno!  My mom and sister threw me an awesome shower with many of my friends in attendance.  It was great.  It made it seem very real - especially after opening gifts.  We officially have a lot of baby stuff!

Movement:  Yes, yes, yes.  I feel feet and elbows and butt and head.  She is an active little one and her movements are becoming more predictable - immediately after I start eating, when I sit down at work, when I eat a piece of candy, when I lie down.  It's still so strange that this a normal and regular occurrence in my day to day.    

Cravings:  Everything.  I used to be so picky when I was young, now I eat everything.  Hopefully she will have the eating habits of her dad.  I have heard that the greater variety of food you eat during pregnancy, the less picky the child will be.  I'm sure some of you moms out there are laughing at me right now but I didn't make this up.  I've eaten spicy Thai, Asian, Mexican, Italian, American, Indian, everything.   

Belly button in or out:  It's like my third nipple. 

Wedding ring on or off:   On. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope. 

What I miss:  Basically not having a giant growth on my front side.  This may sound ridiculous but having a big belly has made me understand what it's like to be overweight.  I work with patients who have large bellies and have difficulty with basic activities of daily living simply because of what we in the medical field call their "body habitus".  Getting out of bed is a struggle, putting on socks is time consuming and makes me breathless because of the compression on my lungs, sitting at a restaurant table feels tight and uncomfortable, and sitting in general isn't comfortable unless I'm slightly reclined.  My job is very much affected by the obesity epidemic - the bigger the patients get, the harder it is on my body.  Obviously pregnancy is very different than being overweight, but this insight just makes me want to encourage people to stay active and eat healthy. 

What I am looking forward to:  Oh, ya know, just getting this baby out of my body. 

What I am not looking forward to:  Getting bigger and more uncomfortable.  

Labor signs:  Lots of contractions.  Especially during work. 

Symptoms:  Because of the weekend's events and the baby shower, I'm absolutely exhausted.  I'm ready for the weekends to be restful instead of busier than the weekdays.   

Nursery:  It's pretty much done - except for touch ups like painting trim and covering up dings.  It feels so good and I think it's pretty darn cute as well!

Emotions:  I feel overwhelmed by all my friends, and gifts, and support from my family.  It makes me realize how much support we will have after she gets here.  

Week in review: 

Cozy enjoyed watching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show - especially when the German Wire-haired Pointer came on the screen.

 Husband's sweatpants + husband's t-shirt + dinner for 2 = prego life. 

We got the car seat in the mail this week!  

Ehren wanted to make sure he could still close deals while holding the carrier.  

 This is very typical of my boys.  

Valentine's day was this week and I had to get a picture of Cozy's heart-shaped spot on his side.  He's such a sensitive boy that he wears his heart on his fur. 

The anatomy nerd in me also has to note that on his other side, he has what looks like a set of lungs.  And on his butt, he has a kidney shaped spot.  And he's liver and white colored.  Okay, I'm done. 

I found some leftover almond bark so we dipped strawberries and pretzels for Valentine's Day.. yum!

We did some shopping in KC for nursery stuff and found some knobs at Anthropologie that we liked.  

We got a prego-sized container of animal crackers while running errands in KC.  I thought this could hold me over until we ate lunch at Spin! Pizza. 

When we were at Restoration Hardware, I saw this chair that reminded me of those wicker chairs that we sat in in elementary school for pictures.  Ehren proudly posed for a pic.  #dork.

My mom and sister outdid themselves for the baby shower we had at my house this weekend.  It was "shower" themed and adorable complete with balloon clouds and raindrops. 

My sister even made a cloud-shaped cake with sugar cookie raindrops.  I can't get over how creative she got for this shower!  All I requested was rice krispie treats. 

Before my sister set up this activity, she said "tell me if you think this is racist".  Whaat?!  And when I saw it, I understood.  People were to guess what combination of hair, skin and eye color our baby will have.  My sister came up with this idea and made all the faces out of construction paper.  So creative!

One of my classmates brought her little girl and of course Cozy was interested.  She lives with a yellow lab so she's used to having a large animal around and wasn't scared one bit.  Cozy gave her some up close and personal sniffs and kisses and watch from afar during her diaper change.  I can already tell he's going to be a great big brother. 

Thank you Katie (and mom) for an awesome shower!  We are so lucky to have you!

Ehren tried to put together the activity mat that we got from the shower, but after a couple (few?) beers at his manly get together, he needed some help from the designated instruction reader. 

 
34 weeks makes 40 weeks seem very close!  

baby bump: 33 weeks

How far along:  33 weeks.

Size of baby:  Durian fruit.  WTF is that?  

Maternity clothes:   Some of my shirts are starting to get a little short in the front. 

Weight gain:  20+ pounds of baby love and… other stuff. 

Sleep:  Starting to have more trouble falling back asleep after I get up to go to the bathroom.  It's kind of frustrating but that's what Facebook and Pinterest are for, right?

Exercise:  Yes. 

Best moment of the week:  Finally bringing back our "date night at home" tradition.  We've been so busy that we haven't had a Friday night to just chill, make dinner, and watch our favorite shows/movie.  I know life is going to dramatically change but I'm excited that this tradition is possible to maintain after she is here.  Yes, it may get interrupted, but it can still be something to look forward to every week.

We also did a very fast maternity photo shoot this weekend.  I knew I wanted to take some pictures with Ehren on our nice camera as opposed to my iPhone but I knew I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars doing so.  We just had my sister take some of us and then Ehren took the rest.  I think they turned out pretty well considering my amniotic fluid was practically frozen!

Movement:  When doesn't she move?  Sometimes when she kicks my ribs and punches my pelvis at the same time it startles me.  She starts moving the second I swallow something which I find hilarious.  I would say she loves food as much as her mom and dad?  I can only comfortably eat if I'm reclined back or standing up.  If I'm sitting normally at a dining room chair, neither one of us is comfortable. 

Cravings:  I'll eat anything. 

Belly button in or out:  I swear it could have its own twitter handle.  @jamiesbellybutton possibly?

Wedding ring on or off:   On. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Oh, ya know, just the smell of other people's poop.  Is that not a part of your day to day?  

What I miss:  Sitting in whatever position feels comfortable to ME.  But I guess I better get used to it not being about me anymore.  

What I am looking forward to:  Getting the nursery done.  Especially before we have one of the baby showers at our house in a couple weeks. 

What I am not looking forward to:  Feeling "done" with being pregnant.  It's been 99% pleasant but I feel like the honeymoon is coming to an end.  However, I know many people who have miserable pregnancies so I'm not complaining.  

Labor signs:   More contractions.  Nothing painful or regular but they are definitely happening a lot more often. 

Symptoms:  A little less DIY motivation, a little more fatigue. 

Nursery:  It's definitely coming along!  The big stuff is done and now it's time for details and trim work which is my least favorite part. 

Emotions:  It's just feeling more real as the weeks remaining are in single digits.  We did our childbirth class this weekend and it definitely made it feel real.  As we watched the videos (of a real baby coming out of a real woman) I thought to myself… "Eh, I don't really want to do this."  I think it was good for Ehren to be there and have more understanding of what it's going to be like and how my emotions may vary as we progress.  

I like to say that my life is like a musical being married to Ehren.  He was a vocal performance major at KU and music is his passion.  If you say a random word, it could trigger him to sing a song with that word in it.  One time over Christmas break, my dad caught on to the fact that Ehren does this frequently.  He decided to make a game out of it and we tried to see how long it would take to trigger him to sing 10 songs.  I think we succeeded in less than 2 hours.  He had no idea.  Anyway, during childbirth class, the instructor talked about the "ring of fire" where the head kinda hangs out and, well, it burns.  So of course this triggered Johnny Cash's "Burning Ring of Fire".  I looked at him and said, "if you start singing that song when I'm pushing a kid out of my body I will slap you".  Gotta love him. 

Week in review:

I've continued to triple the amount of some of our week night meals.  I made three pans of turkey enchiladas from "The Book" as my family calls it.  

We call it "The Book" because we all (me, sister, mom, cousins, aunt) own it and as far as I know, my sister and I almost solely cook out of it.  You can find it here.  It's great because if my sister makes a recipe I've never made, she'll recommend it and vice versa.  They are all supposed to be around 30 minutes and there is a huge variety -  salads, soups, all meats, vegetarian, seafood, grilled, pasta, curries, sandwiches, pizza, etc.

It is so weird to make these meals knowing that we will eat them when we're parents to a tiny, loving, energy-sucking baby.

I don't know if Cozy was waiting to be fed or waiting for snowmageddon to start.

After my grandma's funeral, I took bereavement and I was able to be home for the huge snow storm we had  - 14 inches!  When Cozy runs around outside in the snow, it's sometimes hard to see him… until you see the brown spots floating around the yard.

He wanted to frolic along the fence with his GSP neighbor, Sam.

Ehren was so kind to sand the dresser drawers.  You can always find Cozy around our latest DIY project… unless it involves a nail gun/air compressor.

Luckily Ehren's job allows him to work from home every once in a while.  I really enjoy this benefit when it means he doesn't have to try and drive to Topeka in over a foot of snow.  Less worrying for me.  I really wish I could work from home… in my robe.

While I painted, Cozy slept on the paint cloth using his toy as a pillow.  Ugh, he melts my heart.

Looking good, don't you think?  As in the drawers.  I know Cozy always looks good.

I started working on the mirror for the nursery and I think this was the first time Cozy ever saw a mirror on the ground.  He did the cutest little head tilts and even tried to lick himself in the mirror.  So cute.

Sometimes Ehren we like to put toys on his head.

We also got to dog sit Kupper and of course Cozy loved the company.

For our Friday night date night, I made short rib lasagna.  It was delicious!

Snow and DIY makes for a tired puppy.

Another week down, another week closer to D-Day.  

baby bump: 32 weeks

How far along:  32 weeks.

Size of baby:  Squash.

Maternity clothes:  Can't live without them.  I think Ehren may be getting a little frustrated when he goes to put on some sweats and then sees that I'm wearing them.  Sorry honey!

Weight gain:  I got the best news a pregosaurus could get this week at my doctor's appointment.  She said I need to be gaining a little more weight week to week.  Good thing I had that Snickers Blast the night before my appointment!  

Sleep:  Sleeping is much more frustrating when I can't breathe through my nose!  

Exercise:  Yes. 

Best moment of the week:  There was definitely a best and worst moment of the week.  Worst moment?  My grandma passed away.  Best moment?  She's with my grandpa in heaven and she's no longer struggling.  There are no breathing treatments or medication changes or eye drops or hospital visits.  She is at peace and she gets to be with her husband again.  Praise God. 

Movement:  There was a moment when I thought she grabbed my uterus and did a titty twister.  This little unit also makes it hard to fall asleep when she's tap dancing and waving the wheat inside my belly.  Maybe she just really liked the Snickers Blast from Sonic. 

Cravings:  Clementines.  I'm eating 8-12 a day.  I looove them!

Belly button in or out:  Do we really need to go over this again?  It's been out longer than it's been in. 

Wedding ring on or off:  On. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

What I miss:  My grandma.  It's so weird to think she is gone. 

What I am looking forward to:  I have two baby showers coming up and I'm really looking forward to celebrating with people I love.  

What I am not looking forward to:  Going from "cute pregnant" to "going to pop any second, you look uncomfortable pregnant".  But now that we're 8 weeks and counting, I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Even though I've heard the last few weeks are the longest. 

Labor signs:   I had quite a few contractions when I was trying on clothes.  They went away when I rested so I know they were Braxton Hicks.  But it's still something to keep an eye on. 

Symptoms:  Since we're in DIY mode, I feel like I need to remind myself to rest.  I'll find that I work all day and then come home and do stuff on the nursery all night or make meals to freeze and then don't sit down until 9:00 pm.  I think this prego needs a little more rest than that.  I think there must be a physiological explanation for nesting because that much energy while 32 weeks pregnant is not normal.  When I finally lie down, I realize just how tired I am. 

Movement wise, she is going crazy!  She kicks and twists and rolls and stretches.  It is the weirdest feeling ever.  The other night I was trying to go to sleep and she was doing her aerobics and I asked Ehren, "have you ever tried to fall asleep while a human is moving around inside of you?".  He of course responded with "uhh, no, can't say that I have".  I will gladly lose sleep over her.

Nursery:  Built ins are done and painted!  The dresser shell is painted!  The accent wall is assembled and painted!  It's coming along!

Emotions:  Obviously this week has been pretty emotional since my Grandma McCauley passed away.  I found out she was transitioning to comfort care while I was sitting alone, on the examination table, waiting to see my doctor.  Ehren has been with me at every appointment except for this one since it was in the middle of the day.  It was so hard to hear that news but 5 minutes later I got to hear the 2nd great granddaughter's heartbeat (the 10th girl in a row).  The irony, the circle of life, the sadness and happiness were overwhelming.  I feel so grateful to have had her and my grandpa until their 90s.  I'm so thankful we were able to make it to Nebraska to see my grandma one last time less than 2 weeks ago.  I'm so fortunate to be a witness to a marriage that lasted 65 years and is now continuing in heaven.  My grandparents were part of the greatest generation; they grew up during the depression, had nothing, but made the most out of everything.  I can't wait to tell our daughter about them and the impact they made on everyone's lives.  

Week in review:


The shell of the dresser is done!  

Cozy slipped his paw into Ehren's pocket.  I think he wants some treat money. 

For some reason Cozy walked into the shower.  Ehren joined him.  Don't worry, Ehren was fully clothed.  I had to remind Ehren that this will not be how we bathe our child. 

If you watch Jenna Marbles, you know that she tends to put her dogs in her shirt, which is absolutely hilarious.  Ehren did that with Cozy's "friends" and Cozy was jealous that he couldn't fit in his shirt.

The dogs were giving my cousin Jennifer lots of lovin'.  

This is why dogs are amazing.

Assembling the crib!  It only took 20 minutes or so and it really makes the room feel like a nursery!  The ironic part is that she probably won't sleep in the crib for a while.  Oh well. 

I can't believe I can say, "I'm due next month".  Of course since this is my first pregnancy, she could very well be late and she could be an April baby instead of March.  I just can't believe how fast it's going.  Less than two months now…

baby bump: 31 weeks

How far along:  31 weeks.

Size of baby:  Pineapple.

Maternity clothes:  I hope I don't wear a hole in these clothes because I wear them everyday!

Weight gain:  I feel like my maternity jeans are getting a liiiiittle tighter.  Or maybe it's because I just washed them?  Yea.  We'll just go with that. 

Sleep:  Sleep is good.  When I get home from work I lie down for a little bit and that usually perks me up.  I'm not needing a nap when I get home from work… yet. 

Exercise:  Yes. 

Best moment of the week:   Probably making significant progress on the nursery.  It was needed as our weekends are completely full until March.  

Movement:  As soon as I start eating, she starts moving.  It's pretty funny how instantaneous it is even though I know she's not getting the food until a little bit later.  

Cravings:  Spicy foods.  Anything Asian or Mexican. 

Belly button in or out:  If I do get a hole in these maternity shirts, it will most definitely be where my belly button sticks out.  (See picture above)

Wedding ring on or off:  On. 

Anything making you queasy or sick:  I feel like I'm starting to get sick…  I'm praying it's just a head cold and not influenza.  I've been exposed to so much at work (influenza, MRSA, C. diff, etc.) it's amazing that I've made it so long without getting sick. 

What I miss:  Sleeping without having to pee 3 times a night. 

What I am looking forward to:  Honestly?  Being a mom.  It's going to be so surreal but I'm ready.  Well.. ready as I'll ever be. 

What I am not looking forward to:  I think I might miss being pregnant in some ways.  When you're pregnant, your baby is always with you, people always know you have a baby.  When you're no longer pregnant, the evidence of your pride and joy isn't always present.  It's no wonder parents have a hard time putting their babies down to sleep rather than holding them.  

Labor signs:   Nope. 

Symptoms:  I feel like I'm getting bigger and bigger everyday.  I'm very thankful for a growing baby. 

Nursery:  We got the built-in cabinet and shelves put up along with the accent wall.  This means that the big stuff is done.  Now?  Just lots of painting. 

Emotions:  It feels like it's getting closer and closer everyday.  It's funny how we're spending time to get the nursery ready when she will not care nor sleep in there for a while.    The nesting sensation is very real but I'm thankful for the energy it gives me to get things done.  Even though I may need a few more rest breaks than usual. 


Week in review:

Aaaand we needed groceries.  Gotta stock up the new deep freeze!

While I'm hoarding food in preparation for the baby, Cozy is hoarding toys in preparation from his stuffed-animal-stealing little sister. 

Ehren and I had a hot date at Home Depot on Friday night.  It was so romantic.  And splintery.

I started painting the dresser that I found on Craigslist.  I primed it and then did 3 coats of white paint.  I'll blog about the nursery later.

I can't believe that next week we will hit the 2 month countdown mark!  Eeek!  Ready or not, here she comes...