Thirty-nine Weeks.

We're down to the wire now! We are just one week away from your due date... which means we are in the single-digit days left until we meet you (hopefully)! As we get closer to the forty week mark, you are packing on more baby fat than ever which is making your skin look less pinkish-red and more white. That also means you now weigh about seven pounds and you are probably somewhere around 20 inches long. You're about the size of a watermelon now, which means you are running out of room in my belly - you are still moving a lot, but they are definitely smaller movements. You don't 'kick' as much anymore - it's more like stretches and flexes, and of course, the hiccups!


Last week was my last one at work so I'm now officially on maternity leave!! I'm glad to be done working and choosing an end date made it a lot easier to transfer my job duties - no leaving work in limbo every afternoon! So now that I've been home for a few days, I'm just trying to keep myself busy and not get too impatient. I've done quite a bit of cleaning and walking with Leo and  spending time with some of my girlfriends. It has still been very hot for the last few days, so I haven't been able to get outside much - but hopefully it cools off soon!


In the meantime, we are all ready for you to arrive - everyone is anxious to meet you! It has been funny - whenever I call someone (namely, my parents) the first question is "Is the baby coming!?!". And so far the answer has been "Nope, not today!", but I'm looking forward to the time when I can say "Yep - it's time!!!". Hopefully it won't be too much longer until I get to make that phone call :)

How far along? 39 weeks
Maternity clothes? I'm loving skirts, dresses and nightgowns at the moment - no belly band and they are just a lot cooler!
Stretch marks? Ugh... I finally got a few. I just noticed them in the mirror, right underneath my belly button :(
Sleep: It's not the best, I wake up a lot and have trouble falling back asleep. Luckily I can sleep in a little more now since I don't have to get up for work.
Best moment this week? Finishing up work!
Miss anything? Wearing my wedding rings.
Movement? You're less active these days - I think you are just completely out of space!
Food cravings? Watermelon, blueberries and orange sherbet ice cream!
Anything making you queasy or sick? The heat really gets to me...
Mood? I'm feeling really impatient lately... but I know the end is near!
Labor Signs? I'm having more frequent contractions lately, but I have no idea if they are the real deal or not...
What are you looking forward to this week? Seeing the doctor tomorrow and hopefully meeting you within the next week!!!


I also have to add these few pictures of your silly big brother Leo. He got up on the couch to cuddle with your dad the other day and he made himself  right at home :) What a cutie!

I hope you don't keep us waiting for too much longer - we are SO ready to meet you baby!!


All my love, Mom

Thirty-eight Weeks.

We're inching closer and closer to meeting you - hopefully only about two more weeks :) But you are ready to join us any time now, your lungs are fully mature and your immune system is good to go! This week you are about the size of a pumpkin - you weigh about 6.5 pounds and you're about 19-20 inches long. We are certainly ready to meet you and it's nice to know that you are ready to meet us too!


Last week was really nice - I had lots of time off work and your Grandma E. came and stayed with us for a few days. We did have a major heat wave last week though, so that made getting out of the house pretty tough but it has cooled off a little bit now - only in the high 80's instead of the low 100's!! I've been still trying to stay active, lots of walks (albeit, slow walks) and I'm still going to yoga once a week. Last week your Grandma even went with me to yoga, which was really fun :) The walking is definitely getting tougher, but I feel good when I finish and I know that walking could help get you out sooner - so I just keep going!


In other exciting news - this will be my last week at work before I start my maternity leave next week!! I had originally planned to work up to the bitter end, but I'm getting more uncomfortable by the day and I had already planned to take some additional time off after you get here, so I decided to start my leave a little early. I know that it won't be too long until you're here, so I hope the next few weeks go by quickly and I don't get too bored at home :) I guess I'll have Leo to keep me company!!

How far along? 38 weeks
Maternity clothes? I'm glad I won't be working for much longer, because I am very quickly running out of work-appropriate clothes that still fit.
Stretch marks? Knocking on wood, still none
Sleep: Getting difficult - it's hard to get comfortable and I'm also going to the bathroom a lot more often. And you move a LOT at night now, which keeps me up sometimes!
Best moment this week? Hanging out with my mom last week :)
Miss anything? Wearing normal clothes - maternity shorts are terrible!
Movement? Lots of rolling movement and hiccups - I can tell you are out of room in there! You also like to stick your back and butt out at the front of my belly which makes everything look all lopsided and weird :)
Food cravings? Nothing specific this week.
Anything making you queasy or sick? I have been feeling generally queasy for the last couple of days, but I'm not sure why.
Mood? Happy to be done working soon and super excited to meet you!
Labor Signs? Some Braxton-Hicks contractions, achy back and legs
What are you looking forward to this week? Finishing up with work and my doctor's appointment tonight.


All my love, Mom

Thirty-seven Weeks.

It's official! You are full term this week :) That means that your lungs are developed enough that if you were born today you probably wouldn't need any help breathing and we would be able to take you home with us! This is great news - it means you can safely make your appearance at any time now! You are still just growing bigger and bigger - this week you are about the size of a watermelon, you weigh a little over 6 pounds and you are probably about 19 inches long.

I'm now going to see the doctor once a week - yesterday was my 37 week appointment and everything looks good! My blood pressure, weight, urine, iron, and platelets all look good and you are measuring right on track. Your heart rate was a healthy 153 bpm yesterday and you were moving around like crazy when the doctor was trying to determine your position. Your head is still down, but you are kind of laying horizontally now - which is ok, you definitely aren't breech or transverse, but it just means your head isn't engaged in my pelvis yet to get ready for birth. Hopefully you'll make that move soon - because I'm getting anxious to meet you!!

Today is my 'Friday' at work - tomorrow is a Holiday for the 4th of July and I'm taking vacation days on Thursday & Friday - yay!! I'm looking forward to a few relaxing days at home! Hopefully your Grandma & Grandpa E. are going to come visit us for a few days this week, and your dad and I have some other things getting done around the house. A plumber is coming to install a garbage disposal and fix our outside faucet today and then on Saturday we have someone coming to clean out the air ducts in the house. I know you aren't going to care if we have a working garbage disposal when you come home with us - but I'm still so glad to be getting it done before you arrive!

How far along? 37 weeks
Maternity clothes? I'm really loving dresses these days - I stay so much cooler in them than in pants or shorts with the full belly panel to hold them up.
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep: I've been getting up to go to the bathroom more than ever lately and my back and shoulders are starting to get really sore... so sleep has not been so wonderful.
Best moment this week? Reaching full-term with you and knowing that you can now come out at anytime!
Miss anything? I miss lots of things - running, a cold beer, normal sized feet, and generally just feeling healthy and mobile!
Movement? You are still definitely my little squirms :)
Food cravings? Fruit! Pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Just the excessive heat!
Mood? Trying to stay patient, but I'm getting really ready to meet you!
Labor Signs? Some Braxton-Hicks contractions, not much else
What are you looking forward to this week? My long weekend and seeing my parents!


All my love, Mom

Thirty-six Weeks.

We are in the home stretch now baby - month nine, only about four more weeks to go! And, man, I am ready to get this show on the road! You should weigh about 6 pounds this week and you are still coming in at about 18 inches long - which is about the size of a honeydew melon. Most of your important development is complete at this point - you are just gaining weight and your lungs are still working on getting ready for your first breath. Your liver and kidneys are fully functional and your circulatory and immune systems are good to go at this point too.


It has been a long week for me - staying focused at work is becoming very difficult and the days are feeling longer & longer. It has also been really, really hot recently which has made me pretty uncomfortable and my feet and ankles are SO swollen - not a pretty sight! But I know the end is near, so I'm trying to make the best of it and enjoy being pregnant while I can. So that means (semi-) guilt-free cravings like ice cream and cream soda and soaking up every time you start squirming around - I love that!


We don't have a lot going on this weekend, which will be nice - hopefully your dad and I can just relax and spend some quality time together :) Next week, I'm taking Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday off from work - and I am SO pumped for that! Yay for a two day work week! Hopefully your Grandma & Grandpa E. will be able to come and visit us then too, probably for the last time until they come to meet you! 

How far along? 36 weeks
Maternity clothes? I had to try on three shirts on Monday morning - they were all too small! I never thought I would see that day :)
Stretch marks? Still none
Sleep: I've slept like a rock this week!
Best moment this week? Finishing your room and getting everything ready for you - so exciting!
Miss anything? I miss running - and even a nice long walk! It has been so hot that even walking is pretty uncomfortable.
Movement? Lots of little squirms and thumps now - nothing big anymore, no more room!
Food cravings? Nothing specific lately
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope 
Mood? Happy to be in the final weeks!
Labor Signs? Lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions, especially when I'm really active
What are you looking forward to this week? A nice, quiet weekend at home, hopefully staying out of the heat and my short week next week!


All my love, Mom

Your Own Little Corner.

After many months - and one long weekend - your room is finally ready for you! We started working on your nursery a while ago, but last weekend we put put it all together and now it is complete! And I have to say - it's my favorite room in the house : ) I just love how it turned out and I can't wait to have you in there!


We spent Saturday afternoon shopping for all of the last minute things we needed for you and then doing your (adorable!) laundry and getting everything all set up. The crib is made up, pictures are hung, diapers are organized, clothes are washed and put away, and toys are ready to be played with - now all we need is you my dear : )


Here is your very first load of laundry - and goodness it was so much fun to fold all of your teeny-tiny clothes! I am a little worried about your itty-bitty socks getting lost quickly, they're just SO darn small!!

 All folded and put away - just waiting to be worn by you :)

And finally - here is your room, your own little corner, just waiting for you!

I am just so happy with how it turned out - colorful and cheery, but still calm and relaxing too. I hope you'll love it just as much as I do :)


All my love, Mom

A Year of Dates: June.

We had quite the busy weekend - and part of that weekend included your Dad and I going on our date for the month of June on Saturday. We started our date with lunch at Schnitz's Deli - one of your dad's absolute favorite places to eat! They do have some amazing (and huge!) sandwiches, here is your dad with his pick - The Big John:

After our sandwiches (and a brownie, of course) we headed out to do our big baby shopping trip. We went to Babies'R'Us, Target, and Buy Buy Baby to pick up all of the items that we still needed before you arrive... at least I hope we got everything! We had quite a few coupons, so that was a big help and it felt really good to get all of that stuff crossed off my list.

When we got home from shopping, we spent most of the afternoon getting things out of packages and cutting tags off of clothes and toys... and let me tell you - baby stuff is some of the most over-packaged stuff on the face of the earth! We must have cut off about a million little plastic tags... 

Then in the afternoon, we continued the rest of our date out of the West Michigan Whitecaps baseball game :) We both got lots of good food and treats - what trip to a baseball game would be complete without a hot dog, soft pretzel, french fries, elephant ear, ice cream and beer (for your dad!) ?!?! YUM!

It was a good game and we enjoyed ourselves - even though the home team lost :( After the game we stuck around for a while and watched the fireworks show! 

We had a lovely summer date, great weather, great food and great time spent together :)

All my love, Mom

Mail Call.

Most of the items we get in the mail are either bills or junk mail - and they generally arrive in envelopes. Well, yesterday you got something a lot more fun delivered by the mailman... and it definitely was NOT in an envelope! Without further ado, here is your package - it flew all the way from Hawaii to get to you:

It's a coconut!!!! Sent with lots of love straight from Hawaii from your Great Aunt Sharon, Great Uncle Rich, and cousins Jessica and Jean :)

I mean, who knew you could actually just slap a stamp on a coconut and mail the darn thing?!?!! Pretty cool :) And you are a pretty lucky babe to be getting such great mail already! It's funny because my baby book said that you are the size of a coconut this week - I hope it wasn't talking about this particular coconut, because that thing is pretty big and you still have some growing to do!!

Leo was very curious about your present - he kept waiting for your dad to toss it so he could go chase it :) Needless to say, he was disappointed when that didn't happen...

So, there's your first souvenir  - and your first coconut!! Your family sure does love you already - and I know they are all getting just as excited to meet you as I am!


All my love, Mom

Thirty-five Weeks.

This week marks 35 weeks down and 35 days to go until you are due to arrive! It's hard to believe that we're getting so close, but sometimes it feels like that day will never come. You now weigh over five pounds and you are probably about 18 inches long - which the baby books say is the the size of a honeydew melon or a coconut. You're doing more of the same this week, packing on your baby fat, making millions of brain connections, and developing your lungs.

We had a really nice (and busy!) week and weekend - but I'm glad to stay busy at this point, it keeps me from getting too impatient while waiting for you! On Friday morning you and I drove to  Port Austin and spent some time hanging out, then Grandma E. and I met up with Aunt Linda and Uncle Ozzie, Mr. Glenn and Mrs. Joni, Grandma Benita, and Aunt Amanda for dinner at China King - delish!! We spent Saturday hanging out and catching up with your dear Aunt Amanda who came to visit from Georgia and later on your Aunt Kim joined us. It was so nice to just hang out with the girls and chit-chat. 

On Sunday morning we drove down to Imlay City where your Grandma E. threw us a fantastic shower with all of my aunts and cousins. It was above and beyond - great food, great company, and I felt so much love expressed for you and I - it just reminded me how truly blessed I am to be bringing you into this family. We were (once again!) totally spoiled - tons of wonderful handmade blankets and burp clothes and great, thoughtful gifts that I can wait to use!! 

This week it has been SO hot here - in the high 90's - so that has been a little tough on me. We were able to get into the pool at dad's Aunt Kathy's on Monday night, and that was like a little slice of heaven! Other than that, I've been thoroughly thankful for air-conditioning! Here is our picture from this week, it's funny because you were sticking your butt out at the top of my belly which makes my belly look all flat in the front instead of a nice, round ball. You like to do that a lot, and it always makes me smile :)

How far along? 35 weeks
Maternity clothes? I don't have a lot of hot weather clothes that fit anymore, so I'm just trying to make what I have work for the next few weeks.
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep: Very tired lately, and I've not been sleeping as well in this heat - even with the A/C on high...
Best moment this week? My shower on Sunday and spending time with my mom and Amanda - I'm a lucky girl!
Miss anything? Normal size feet - the swelling is a little out of control - and painful!
Movement? You are still moving a lot, just not quite the big, hard kicks anymore - I think you're running out of room
Food cravings? Fresh fruit - especially watermelon & strawberries
Anything making you queasy or sick? Just the excessive heat - makes me feel pretty yucky 
Mood? Feeling optimistic that we are getting close to the end now 
Labor Signs? Not much this week
What are you looking forward to this week? Your dad and I have our June date on Saturday and we also are finishing up shopping for you, which I've been looking forward to.


Keep on cooking baby, only a few more weeks until you join us :)


All my love, Mom

Thirty-four Weeks.

You're growing by leaps and bounds now baby! This week you weigh close to 5 pounds and you're somewhere between 17 and 18 inches long. That means you are about the size of a bag of sugar - adorable!! You are moving around like crazy and this week you can now recognize and react to simple songs :) Your skin is smoothing out as you pack on the baby fat, your brain is still making thousands of neural connections a day, and your lungs are becoming more and more mature.


We had a busy weekend, but it was a great one! I had two baby showers, and we were spoiled rotten at both of them. It is so great to have such amazing family, friends, and coworkers :) I also went to a baby shower for my friend Jessica and met her friend Lisa (who is wonderful!). Lisa just had her son Gabriel last month at the hospital where you will be born, and she told me how great the hospital and nurses were, so that was very encouraging! We did spend a lot of time inside this weekend though - because it was HOT! Having you hanging out with me makes me overheat a lot faster than usual, so thank goodness for air conditioning!


This weekend is shaping up to be another busy one - and I'm so excited about it! Your Aunt Amanda is coming to visit!!! She is flying in on Thursday and I'll drive up to Port Austin on Friday morning so that we can spend the day together ... and I'm pretty sure a trip to China King will be in order!! On Sunday, we'll drive to Imlay City for my final baby shower with my family, which I am really looking forward to. Your dad is hanging out at home for most of the weekend with Leo, but on Sunday he gets to go with his dad and your Uncle Nick down to Detroit to catch a Tigers game together. Should be fun!


Here we are at 34 weeks, before my shower with my girlfriends on Sunday morning:

How far along? 34 weeks
Maternity clothes? I've started to grow out of some things now, but I am trying to resist buying any new maternity clothes when I only have a few weeks left.
Stretch marks? Still none - holding out hope that they stay away
Sleep: It's been a little tough this week, my shoulders and neck have been getting really sore, so I have to keep changing sides.
Best moment this week? Hanging out with the girls at my shower - so nice and relaxing! And I got lots of new mom tips :)
Miss anything? Not bumping into things with my belly - I feel so silly sometimes, but I just forget how big it is!
Movement? You're still moving around a lot and sometimes it seems like you're trying to make your escape through the side of my belly
Food cravings? Powerade, root beer
Anything making you queasy or sick? I've been getting little bouts of nausea here and there, no fun
Mood? Really ready to meet you!
Labor Signs? Crampy, achy back and legs and still having braxton-hicks contractions
What are you looking forward to this week? Definitely seeing my friend Amanda this weekend and my family at the shower on Sunday!!!


Only about six more weeks until we get to meet you!! So excited!


All my love, Mom

Thirty-three Weeks and Happy Birthday Mom!

We're inching closer and closer to meeting you and in the mean time, you are growing by leaps and bounds! This week you weigh about 4.5 pounds and you are about 17 inches long - which my baby book says is about the size of a durian fruit... whatever the heck that is!! Your bones are now hardening - except for your skull bones which will stay soft to make it easier for you to be born :) You are also now sensitive to light... I can see us having some fun with a flashlight in the near future!


You have been SO active lately and I really love it :) It's kind of like our little secret when I'm sitting in a meeting at work and you start rolling around like crazy - it puts a smile on my face! It's also fun to try to guess what position you are in and what part of you is jutting out of my belly. Last night I was sitting back on the couch and I looked down and you must have really felt like hanging out on the right side of me because my belly was so lopsided and we could clearly see and feel your bottom and back sticking out. It was so cute and funny! What is not so cute and funny is when you kick me SO hard in the ribs - I know you are going to be one strong, rambunctious baby!


Here we are at 33 weeks - on my birthday :) :)

How far along? 33 weeks
Maternity clothes? I feel like I may never be able to wear normal clothes again... even my once-baggy t-shirts are stretched waaaayyyyy out now! 
Stretch marks? Nope, but I have noticed the linea nigra (line of pregnancy) getting darker ever since my mom pointed it out a couple of weeks ago... that goes away though!
Sleep: Sleeping well in between my four bathroom breaks... and I'm definitely more tired lately!
Best moment this week? My gloriously lazy, relaxing birthday!
Miss anything? Wearing my wedding ring - I feel naked without it
Movement? You are definitely living up to your nickname Squirms!
Food cravings? Root beer, lucky charms, chocolate!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Sometimes the heat really gets to me and I start to feel light-headed and nauseous
Mood? Excited that we are getting close to the end and to meeting you!
Labor Signs? Lots of Braxton-Hicks contractions, especially when we go for our walks
What are you looking forward to this week? Lots of exciting stuff this week - I have a shower with the ladies at work on Thursday, the we have the Diemer Run 5K on Saturday morning followed by a wedding shower for Jessica that afternoon. Finally on Sunday morning I have another shower with my girlfriends and then your dad's cousin Christopher's graduation party later that day. Whew! We are in for a busy weekend!


Like I said above, I had a wonderful day on Sunday - it was very laid back and low key and I loved every minute :) We went shopping in the morning for some groceries and also bought some curtains and a lamp for your nursery. We got home and had some of the delicious red velvet cake that your dad made for me while we watched the Tigers game. Your dad even wrote out my age on my cake in candles - he's so creative!

I didn't even know I liked red velvet cake - but it is SO yummy! Definitely one of my new favorite desserts :) In the afternoon, we sat outside on the patio and read our books and then ordered some Chinese food for dinner. It was a beautiful day and I'm so glad to have spent it with you and your dad and your brother Leo! One more picture of the birthday girl with the tasty cake:

Here's to hoping my 26th year is the best ever!!
All my love, Mom

Appointment Update.

Now that we have appointments with the doctor so often, it's getting hard to keep up with writing about them! Anyway, we had our 32 week check-up on Wednesday morning and the way the scheduling worked out, I had to go at a time when your dad couldn't make it because of work. So that was kind of a bummer, but luckily the appointments are still pretty routine and boring so he didn't miss much!


The actual appointment consisted of the usual - take my weight, blood pressure and urine sample - all looked normal! I'm now to the point where I can't see my feet anymore past my belly when I'm standing up, which means I can no longer see the numbers on the scale - good news! I think that will be my strategy for the next couple months - out of sight, out of mind :)


The doctor then had me lay back and measured my belly (and you!) - you are measuring right on track, if anything maybe a day or two ahead of schedule! The doctor said that it doesn't really mean much because the measurements can change just depending on how you are laying at the time, so I shouldn't worry about it too much unless you really start to consistently measure a lot bigger. So it sounds like we are on the right track! She then listened to your heartbeat - still going strong at 158 bpm.


After that we talked a little bit more about labor and delivery and she answered some questions I had about random stuff that moms think about and then we were done! Quick & painless... and I'll be back to do it all over again in two weeks... 


Tonight is the first part of our childbirth class that we are taking at the hospital, so I'm excited to see how that goes. I hope it is interesting information, and that we have lots of potty breaks :) The rest of the class is for most of the day tomorrow and hopefully we will leave there being better more prepared for you to arrive! You've been squirming like crazy today, so I take that to mean you are excited too :) 


All my love, Mom

Thirty-two Weeks.

Welcome to Month Eight, baby! We've got about two more months before we get to meet you and you are busy getting ready to come meet us! You weigh close to four pounds this week (!!) and you are probably about 17 inches long - about the size of a squash. You are spending your time blinking, looking around, grabbing things, making faces, and kicking me like crazy! You and I are both now getting bigger by the day - you will about double your weight in the next 8 weeks, hopefully I don't do the same!

We had a great trip up to Grandma & Grandpa E.'s last weekend along with a nice relaxing day at home on Monday! This week should be pretty fun too - we have our 32 week check-up at the doctor's today, then your dad and I are taking our childbirth class at the hospital on Friday night and Saturday. Hopefully we will find the classes useful and they will help us out when you decide to come out and meet us! Then Sunday is your dear old mom's birthday - looking like it will be a fun week & weekend :) Here we are yesterday, on our way out for a walk:

How far along? 32 weeks
Maternity clothes? Starting to actually grow out of some of my maternity clothes - aahhh! My wedding ring also no longer fits :( 
Stretch marks? Just the ones I already had!
Sleep: I'm glad the weather is cooling off this week - it's hard for me to get to sleep when it is so hot!
Best moment this week? Spending time with our wonderful families!
Miss anything? Being able to get off the couch without grunting, rolling over onto my side, and a push from your dad!
Movement? Lots and lots of movement in the last few weeks! It's so cool to see and feel!
Food cravings? Popsicles and fruit
Anything making you queasy or sick? Greasy, fried food just doesn't sound super appealing anymore
Mood? Happy, but feeling nervous that we don't have everything we need for you yet
Labor Signs? Still having some B-H contractions and an achy back
What are you looking forward to this week? Our appointment today and our childbirth class this weekend!


All my love, Mom

Thirty-one Weeks.

We're down to the single digits now for the number of weeks left before you are due to arrive! That is, if you do come on or before your due date of July 25 but I know there is no guarantee of that happening, so I'm trying to keep my patience! I'm becoming more and more anxious to meet you as the days go by, but I also feel like the last seven months have gone by very quickly too. This week you are probably about 16 inches long and you weigh about 3.5 pounds - which the internet tells me is about the size of a pineapple, but I'm sure you're a lot cuter! You are spending your time putting on weight and building more and more brain connections. At this point all five of your senses are working and you are just moving like crazy!


We have had a pretty busy and fun week - your dad's uncles gave us tickets to see The Addams Family musical at the theater on Tuesday night, so we went downtown and had dinner and then saw the show which was really funny. And last night we met up with Grandma and Grandpa P. and  your Aunt Jenni for dinner! Aunt Jenni is here for the weekend from Spain so we get to spend lots of time with her - and she was so excited to see you growing in my belly. I was hoping she would get to feel you squirming around, but you were pretty quiet last night - so feel free to go crazy tonight! And tomorrow afternoon, your dad and I are heading to Grandma and Grandpa E.'s house for the long holiday weekend which I am definitely looking forward to! Anyway, here we are at 31 weeks:

How far along? 31 weeks
Maternity clothes? I hit a milestone this week - my lab coat at work no longer buttons! I had to borrow a bigger one :)
Stretch marks? Not seeing any yet - knock on wood!
Sleep: Sleeping great in between the frequent potty breaks!
Best moment this week? I've had several this week - our wonderful date on Saturday, seeing the play on Tuesday, and getting to see your Aunt Jenni!
Miss anything? I really do miss running - going all out and sweating like crazy - it's been a while and  I probably won't be doing that kind of running for a while. I 'ran' yesterday, which felt good even though my legs were cramping like crazy and I was quickly out of breath.
Movement? Still moving like crazy! I'm now feeling your kicks mostly on my left side and right up in the middle, and sometimes they really hurt! You are one strong little pineapple - I don't think you know your own strength!
Food cravings? Nothing too crazy this week...
Anything making you queasy or sick? We're still on a strict 'No Pizza' diet
Mood? Very happy to be getting close to meeting you!
Labor Signs? Having some Braxton-Hicks contractions, but those are nothing new...
What are you looking forward to this week? My four day weekend, spending time with Aunt Jenni, and our trip up to Port Austin :)


I'm loving every minute baby! Hope you are too :)


All my love, Mom

A Year of Dates: May.

Last weekend is when your dad and I decided to go on our date for the month of May ... well most of our date anyway! We started by getting up early(ish) on Saturday morning and went to Wolfgang's Restaurant for breakfast. Wolfgang's is a pretty popular breakfast place, so we waited for a while before we got a table, but the food was delish and the people watching was excellent!

After our breakfast we drove to the nearby Fulton Street Farmer's Market. Neither one of us had ever been there before, so it was a new experience! It was SO crowded and busy - so that was kind of a pain - but we still enjoyed walking through and seeing all the wonderful things for sale. Since it is still pretty early in the year, a lot of the produce was from out of state. We skipped those things, but we did buy some yummy local asparagus, potatoes, and onions. We also bought some homemade bagels and I also got a Columbine plant for my garden.

Our original plan was to go to Meijer Gardens afterward, but it was about 80 degrees outside and getting warmer so we both decided that we would skip the gardens that day. It is a lot tougher for me to be out in the heat now that I've got you tagging along with me - my hands and feet get really swollen and uncomfortable, no fun! So we went home and did some yard work instead, we got all of the mulch down in the flower beds and the rest of my flowers planted so we were very productive! 


After our yard work was finished, we cleaned up and grilled some steaks and our potatoes and asparagus and listened to the Tigers game on the radio outside - which was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful, warm afternoon! Since we had skipped Meijer Gardens, we decided to go to the movies that night instead. We first got some ice cream from Coldstone (yum!) and then we saw The Avengers movie - it was really good :) So we modified our date just a little bit, but we still had a really great day!


All my love, Mom

Appointment Update.

Last night we had our 30 week appointment with the doctor and it went great! We started with the basics - my weight and blood pressure, which are both good - no signs of complications! The doctor then measured my belly and I am measuring right on track at 30 cm. At this point, the number of centimeters should correspond with the number of weeks pregnant I am, so we are right where we need to be! The doctor also listened to your heartbeat, which is going strong at 150 bpm.

Since I've been feeling so much movement from you lately and most of the kicks are in the same spot - on my right side, below (and sometimes in) my ribcage - I was curious what position you are in. I asked the doctor and she said that she wouldn't start really worrying about it until I'm about 36 weeks, but that she could check anyways. After a little poking around, she could quickly tell that you are head down with your bottom up underneath my ribs and feet turned to the right - just what I thought! She said you can definitely still change positions easily, but if I continue to feel the same type of movement it probably means you are in that position still. It's cool to know where you are and what I'm feeling when you start moving about!

We also started talking about what I should do and expect during labor  - which made it feel very real!! Only a couple more months to go :) I'll keep seeing the doctor every other week for a while, then in the last month I'll be going every week so we can keep a closer eye on you!

I'm looking forward to this weekend - your dad and I have our May date tomorrow morning, so we'll be hitting the Farmer's Market and hopefully Meijer Gardens if it's not too hot. Then maybe we can get some yard work done in the afternoon - or just hang around in the shade! And on Sunday morning, you and I will go to Jessica's wedding shower while dad hangs out with Dennis - then hopefully we can all get together afterwards. The weather is supposed to be wonderful - so it's shaping up to be a nice couple of days!!

Keep squirming baby - I'm loving every minute!!

All my love, Mom

Thirty Weeks.

Wow. The big 3-0. We've come a long way, baby! I was just reading back on some of my older posts when you were just the size of a raspberry, and now you are closer to the size of a head of cabbage! The amount you have grown just amazes me! You now weigh about 3 pounds and are about 15.5 inches long - so no wonder I can feel you moving so much and now we can actually pick out heels and elbows or whatever else you are jamming into my ribs :) Your skin is starting to smooth out and your brain is still developing like crazy as you continue to pack on the weight. This week, you are strong enough to grasp my finger - I cannot wait to feel that for the first time!!

This weeek is when I start seeing the doctor every other week so we can keep a closer eye on you (and me!), so we have an appointment tomorrow afternoon. I also had to go yesterday to get a Rhogam shot because I have a negative blood type and it can be bad for me if you end up having a positive blood type. If you are positive, I'll get another shot after you are born - so I'm really hoping you're negative because that shot hurt!! This weekend will hopefully be a pretty calm one, I have a wedding shower on Sunday, but other than that I'm hoping to just lay low :)

How far along? 30 weeks
Maternity clothes? Yep, but I'm getting kind of sick of my high-waisted pants :(
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: I'm feeling very lucky that I'm still sleeping very well. Some of that fatigue is setting back in though ...
Best moment this week? Running the Riverbank Run and spending time with my Mom :)
Miss anything? Not bumping my belly into everything! Sometimes I just forget how big it is!
Movement? You are very active and I love it! Your kicks are definitely getting stronger and I feel them mostly on my right side - right underneath my ribs, which doesn't always feel so good!
Food cravings? Kettle corn!
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope
Have you started to show yet? Yep
Mood? Getting more excited by the day :)
What are you looking forward to this week? Visiting the doctor again tomorrow and Jessica's wedding shower on Sunday

Only about 10 more weeks until you are in my arms!! I can't wait!

All my love, Mom

Showered with Love!

We've had a pretty busy couple of weeks here lately - but it has been lots of fun! Two weeks ago I had my first baby shower with all of Grandma P.'s friends and it was so great! We really got spoiled with some great gifts and toys and adorable clothes for you :) Then last week, I had Friday off from work so my mom came into town and we spent the day shopping and running errands and just hanging out. It was really nice to spend some time with her and it was just the start of another great weekend.

Later on Friday night, your Aunt Kim came into town too! On Saturday morning we all woke up early for the Riverbank run. I had been struggling to stay motivated to keep running in the couple of weeks leading up to the race, but I had set a goal for myself to run the 5k race so I really wanted to accomplish that. Your dad, Aunt Kim, Grandma E., and I were all signed up for the 5k run and I'm happy to report we all finished the race! I was so glad that I was able to run and I actually felt pretty good when I finished - you did great too! We were a little slower than the Irish Jig, but considering that you're 8 weeks bigger - I think we did pretty good, finishing at 40:39. Your Grandma & Grandpa P. also ran the 25k race and they did a great job! After the race, we hung out at the after party for a while which was really fun :) Here we are being silly after the run:

I'm glad that I completed the race and I'm happy that I met my goal - and now I don't have to force myself to run anymore if I don't want to. I see a lot of walks and yoga in our future!

On Sunday morning, we had another shower with your dad's family that your Grandma E. and Aunt Kim came to as well. Once again we were spoiled with lots of wonderful gifts and kind words from everybody. Everyone is SO excited to meet you and find out if you are a boy or a girl! Here we are with both of you Grandmas - anxiously waiting for you to make your appearance!

 And here we are with dad and your Grandpa & Grandma P.!

After the shower, Grandma E. and Aunt Kim had to hit the road to head back home and I spent a little time in the yard, planting the flowers that Grandma E. had brought for us from her greenhouse. It was such a beautiful day - my first Mother's Day! - and it was great to play in the dirt a little bit!

Later that afternoon, your dad put together your stroller and car seat which was fun to see that stuff come out of the boxes that are now taking over our living room!!

Of course Leo had to help out with everything! I can't believe that in just about 10 weeks we'll be bringing you home in that adorable little seat!!

Last night we had our hospital tour so we know where to go and what will happen when you are ready to meet us! We went into a labor and delivery room and got to see where everything is in the hospital - so hopefully we don't get lost :) The hospital is very nice and it is also pretty close to home, so I'm glad we don't have far to go! All of the activity in these last couple of weeks has made it all feel very real that we'll be cuddling you soon!! Can't wait!

All my love, Mom

A Year of Dates: April & Happy Anniversary!

Our date for April kind of got a little screwed up, but we both enjoyed it anyways! The plan was to go to dinner and then go bowling... but plans change! The day we were all set for our date, I had been experiencing some horrible heartburn that just would not go away. We decided to skip dinner because the thought of eating made me feel worse, but your dad already had some buddies lined up to meet us for bowling. I was definitely not in the mood to bowl, so we decided that your dad would head to the bowling alley with his friends and we would have the rest of our date some other time. He had a blast bowling and Prilosec became my new best friend, so we both ended up happy :)

A couple of weeks later we made it out for our dinner at Greydon's Crossings - an English style pub in our neighborhood. It really reminded us of our trip to England, Scotland, and Ireland last fall - the food and the beers! They have about a hundred different kinds of beer - so it was a tough decision for your dad! Here he is trying to make his pick out of their massive drink menu :)

I'm excited to go back after you are here so I can also enjoy and reminisce about our trip!

Your dad and I also celebrated our one year wedding anniversary on April 30! I can't beleive it's already been a year - it went by very quickly! Here is one of my favorite pictures of us from our wedding day:

To celebrate our anniversary your dad took me out to a really nice restaraunt downtown called Leo's. We had a great time and I had the best steak I've ever eaten! It was SO delicious!! We decided that we want to make Leo's our first date after you are here so we can get another yummy steak and I can enjoy a glass of wine with my dinner :) Here we are on our way out:

And of course the belly shot! This was before dinner - 27 weeks, 5 days - I'm sure I was looking a LOT more pregnant after dinner!!

All my love, Mom