Week 18

On Mondays I have class in the evenings, so I don't go home after work.   By the time class is over by 9 and I drive home I'm in no mood to take a photo, not to mention what I look like after a full day of work and 3 hours of night class.  So this week my friend Lisa is working in our office (yippee!), and I had her snap my photo quick before we left the office today.  Luckily most everyone else had left the office to save embarrassment!

Weight: 138

This morning I had a first in our pregnancy thus far.  A few of my co-workers commented that she can see a bit of a bump showing even though I weight 2 pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight, it's certainly not in the same places!

My appetite has increased.  After what seemed like years, but was really just a couple of months, of not wanting food and struggling I can say with certainty now that my appetite is no longer an issue.

I'm slowly getting into more regular workouts.  I've bee doing some weekly prenatal yoga, which I've loved.  Yesterday, I tried my hand at prenatal Pilates, hopefully I can fit that into my routine too. I'm hoping to fit in at least once a week a walk of a couple miles, but so far, I haven't gotten that into a regular habit. 

Get Buckled In!

Keith is telling the boys a Payden and Paleb good night story tonight.  I'm listing from the living room as I'm finishing up my homework. 

Keith was having them get comfortable in bed for story time, and I heard him say "get buckled in!" 

I think he meant tucked in. 

Week 17 Day 1

BOTH boys wanted in this week.  Maybe if we do this every week by the time we get to baby we'll have a really great picture of the three of us, you know, where all of us are smiling!

Family photos wouldn't be complete without Daddy too!

Weight: 136.5

Every week, and sometimes more often, I weigh myself in the morning before getting ready for the day.  Normally I get out of bed, use the restroom, and step on the scale in the bedroom before moving on with my day.

At this weight I'm currently still 3.5 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight, but I've put back on 5.5 pounds of what I lost in early pregnancy.  I'm so glad I'm past most of my appetite and eating issues!  I wouldn't say I eat just as I did before, but it's certainly heading in the right direction.

For the next few months, I must stay on top of things while I'm in school.  I'm not a procrastinator, so when I get behind, it's stressful.  Therefore, I'm commited to staying on top and delegating housework to the husband as necessary. Come the middle of April, the semester will be over!  I can so do this for three months.

It been awhile now since I've been able to sleep through the night without getting up to go to the bathroom.   Dare I say I'm almost used a a once a night visit to the bathroom.  It took me awhile to realize that is why I was waking up in the middle of the night every night.  I'd wake up, roll over, and once I rolled over and got comfortable I would realize I was awake to pee.  But instead of using logic, peeing and coming back to bed, I would lay there half sleeping for an hour before I'd finally get up and go.  I think I've finally trained myself to just get up and go finally, and it's so much nicer!  I've also realized that I prefer to be worked up be pee BEFORE 4 a.m.  After 4 a.m. I just get frustrated that it is so close to time to get up that sleep becomes fitful after that.  I haven't figured out how to make that happen regularly though. 

At my appointment yesterday the doctor asked if I'd been getting comments about being so small yet.  She was surprised when I said I hadn't been getting comments on it yet.  She said everyone has an opinion about what size you should be, you'll probably hear about that soon.  So far, nothing, and I'm fine with that, because I would prefer not to hear about it. 

Prenatal Appointment #3 - Week 17

We had our third prenatal appointment this morning.  Another simple visit where we got to hear the heartbeat.  It was 150 something.  Keith nor I can remember if it was 154 or 156 of 152, something.  I'm disappointed I can't remember, but we do remember the important part, she said it was normal.

We scheduled our ultrasound for my birthday.  Actually we'd scheduled it for the day before my birthday, but Keith's schedule conflicted, so we rescheduled for my birthday.  I think that's about the best darn birthday present I could have for turning 26.

Two years ago at my birthday, I was waiting for the day after for my first D&C.  A year ago for my birthday, I spent it in Columbus at the Ohio Pork Congress for work followed my a mini-birthday party Keith and the kids put together last minute with my family.  This year, I'll get to see our newest addition on my birthday, before rounding out the evening with graduate school class.  I guess adult birthday always come with responsibility too!  Either way, I'm excited!

Week 16

I wrote this whole post once, and blogger lost it for me.  Here's attempt number 2.

Keith wasn't happy with the original photo.  He said the jacket I'd worn covered too much. 

He made me take it off and try again. 

Then Caleb came to join us and wanted to be part of the pictures too. 

Caleb wanted Daddy included too.  I like the idea, maybe we'll include the kids more often!

Weight: 136.5

What's on my mind?

I'm so grateful that my nasty cold of last week is nearly all gone. 

Because the cold is nearly gone, it enable me to get a good start on housework and spring cleaning.  It was a good start on my "must do before baby" list!  It feels great to have a really clean part of the house too.  We deep cleaned, we organized, we moved furniture and things, all to get the nursery cleaned out and ready for baby.  Plus, you need a good deep clean every so often!  I made it through the living room, the boys room, which saw some major changes, and the guest bedroom this weekend.  Up next, the toy room, my bedroom and the basement!  Once we get through all that, we should have a nursery with the clutter cleared and ready to go!

I have my first class of the semester on Thursday, and as always with the start of new classes, I'm nervous about how it will go.  I've got to stay on top of things this semester to make it manageable. 

I'm also anxious about outgrowing my clothes still.  All my clothes still fit so far, which I'm relieved about.  I have started gaining back some of the nine pounds I lost, according to my home scale, earlier in the pregnancy, but I'm still about 4 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight. 

Week 15 Day 4

What's on my mind this week?

I've been down the second half of the week with a cold.  A seriously nasty, not leaving the recliner cold.  I worked from home on Wednesday and ended up wishing I'd just taken a sick day.   Thursday, I did take sick day.  I spent both days in the recliner and Wednesday night too.  I passed the time reading to prepare for baby, watching tv and napping. 

Pregnancy has made me nostalgic for my own childhood, especially with food.  I've found myself going to comfort foods from my childhood I haven't had in years.  My mom packed my dad's lunches when we were kids and often had store bought desserts for him in the form of cookies and snack cakes.  I bake a lot, so we never buy store bought treats, but lately that just what I've been doing.  It might have something to do with the fact that I haven't been doing much baking lately either.

I'm a little apprehensive about out growing my clothes.  Not really because of my size, but because of the thought of having to purchase new clothes.

I've been making to do lists like crazy.  I'm already thinking about the classes we'll take later in the pregnancy, mainly because in some initial research, scheduling conflicts with when they are offered are abundant.  I need to start the paper work for maternity leave.  It seems like there is a lot to do, but it's all totally doable, and not crazy by any means.  We're blessed in that we have a lot of things that have just worked out for us to prepare for baby so far. 

Let's hope week 16 comes without the sickness!

Week 15

Weight: 134

What's on my mind?

• I've been having a hard time drinking enough water lately.  The last few days or so I've really tried to make it a priority.  I'm not sure why it's so much harder lately.  I think it probably has something to do with my altered activity level and lack of running.
• I've been thinking about baby everything, all-the-time.  It sometimes make focusing on other things hard!
• I love when I get the opportunity to talk baby and pregnancy with a close friend.  Although I'm particular about how I talk in detail with it about; I have a few good friends who've had babies and I love being able to converse about it!
• Baby shower planning is already underway.  My SIL is way ahead of the game!
• Keith and I made a to do list of things we have to do around the house before baby.  I'm pleased to say it is not crazy or terrible.  It's totally doable.  The biggest thing I'm anxious about, the registry.
• I start back to my second semester of graduate school next Thursday.  I'm enjoying my last week or so of time off before school starts up again.  I'm hoping the homework is manageable and I make it through the semester without too much added stress.  I'm grateful my semester is over during the month of April to leave us approximately 2 months until baby!

Grown Up Living

Tonight on the way home from school the boys and I agreed they could play in the basement with their REALLY BIG box.  On the way home, Caden told me that he wanted us to keep the REALLY BIG box until he grew up.  He and Caleb agreed that they didn't need houses of their own when they grew up because they love us.  They'll just live at our house and keep the big box in the basement so when someone comes to visit when they're grown up they can show them the box.

I'm sure the box will be long destroyed by the time they're grown up, but what melted my heart, they want to live at our house when they're grown up because they love us!

Boy or Girl? I don't know want to know.

A common question thus far in the pregnancy is when and/or if we are going to find out if we're having a boy or a girl.  I've been set on not finding out, something I thought about before we were pregnant.  However, Keith didn't share the same thought I did.  He wanted to know.

Luckily, he's come around to my side of the fence, but a part of me still feels like I'm cheating him out of something.   We could still change our mind, but as of now, I'm set on not knowing. 

There are only a handful of actual reasons I don't want to know, listed below, really I just have this strong feeling of not wanting to know.  I can't really explain it.

• Knowing the gender of the baby does not change anything about our love or desire to have the baby.
• No knowing will cause me to spend less money on clothes, etc. before the baby is born as it is more difficult to find gender neutral items, and after, I'll be a busy mother of three.  (I think this was a big selling point for Keith!)
• We're planning a gender neutral nursery, but if we knew, the nursery colors wouldn't change, why confuse things?

Week 14 Day 2

I was so unsatisfied with yesterday's photo that I made Keith take another last night.  

This one I'm much happier with!  We tried a new location in the house, probably not the best yet, but we'll keep trying.  And in this photo, you might actually be able to see a bit of a bump starting!

Did I mention in my last post that I'm officially in my second trimester?  It's an exciting moment for us!

This morning, I hit the treadmill again!  It sure felt good, and it wasn't as hard as I'd have expected after taking 2 months off working out.  I do want to focus on fitness through my pregnancy.  Everything I've read this far shares how good it is for you, and if I have that expectation of myself when I'm not expecting, why would now be any different?  

While I'm walking on the treadmill, I've been reading my books about pregnancy.  I've also starting thinking about needing to read books about breastfeeding.  It is something Keith and I strongly agree on that we want to do.  Doing it, however, has me a bit anxious!  I need to think positively.  

This morning during my run on the treadmill, I spent most of my time trying to imagine life with an infant with little success.  I think it's for two reasons, one, I have NO IDEA what life with an infant will be like.  I'm sure I can prepare and prepare and prepare, and I still won't know what it'll be like until it's here.  I think the other reason is that I've never been much of a dreamer.  I've always been more of a realist; I never fantasized about my prom when I was young, or my wedding as I got older.  It's just not who I am; perhaps that why every time I sit down and try to write a bucket list I struggle so much with it.  

Luckily, my husband has some idea what life with an infant is like, after all, this will be his third.  I feel somewhat confident in my abilities to handle toddles, especially after 2 years, but prior to that, it's uncharted territory for me.  I'd be lying if I didn't say I was a bit nervous about it!  Along with that nervousness though, comes a ton of excitement for life with our new family of 5. 

Week 14 Day 1

I tried a bit harder with this weeks photo, but I think there is still room for improvement.  I'm quite unhappy with this photo actually; I have legs, I swear.  The photo shows more of my sweater than me.  Keith asked me to dress less big sweater like or something for next week's photo so we can see more me.  I suppose that is a reasonable request assuming I can remember that when getting dressed in the morning since the photos are taken in the evenings after work. 

Weight: 132.5

Thoughts:

• I finally feel like I'm getting some of my energy back.
• I'm still going to be at a very respectable time.  (A.K.A. before 10P.M.)
• The urge to work out is back!  I started yesterday with what was going to be a 1.5 mile walk on the treadmill and turned into 1/2 mile warm up, 1/2 mile run, and a 1/2 mile walk.  Unfortunately it results in shin splints. 
• I need to develop a new workout plan.  If I don't have a plan, I don't stick to it.
• I've been trying to communicate more with Keith more about what I'm thinking about and what's going on, and I think it's helping us both.  It certainly is helping me prepare; I'm a need to talk it out person.  
• I'm anxious about starting up my second semester of graduate school in a few weeks, but also excited.  The timing of my semester being almost entirely in my second trimester could be better!  (Classes will be over by April 16!)

Prenatal Appointment #2 - Week 13

We had our second appointment last Friday.  It was quite simple really, a few quick check points with the doctor and we were done.  Well, done except for one exciting part.  We got to hear the baby's heartbeat for the first time!  At 13 weeks 4 days, the baby's heart rate was 164.

My Goals for 2012

I'm not a New Years Resolutions type of person.  I never have been.  But this year, I do want to write down a few goals I hope to achieve in 2012. 

• Finish my second semester of graduate school, while pregnant, with my GPA still strong
• Take some time off work to savor the the last time we're a family of 4
• Welcome baby into our family
• Breastfeed baby
• Send the boys to kindergarten (They're so grown up!)
• Run a 5K after having baby
• Celebrate our 3rd year of marriage with my husband