A Work in Progress.

Slowly but surely, we are making a room for you feel cozy and warm and fun. So far we just have the basics, but I'm sure we will fill it up quickly! I picked up your new dresser and nightstand last night after work then your dad and Grandpa P. brought them into the house for me. They look great in your room and they match the crib and glider perfectly!! I hope that these are peices that will grow with you for many, many years. So here is what we have so far... here is what is waiting for you:

 Of course, Leo thought it was time to play!!

Hope you like it so far! It definitely needs some decorations and lamps, and of course all sorts of baby stuff - but we're on the right track :)

All my love, Mom

Twenty-six Weeks.

We hit a pretty cool milestone this week - less than 100 days until we get to meet you!! If you arrive on time, that is :) Now that we are in the double digits for days left, it is seeming to be going by faster and faster - we'll be in the third trimester next week! Very cool :) This week you weigh very close to 2 pounds and you're about 14 inches long - about the size of a head of lettuce. Your eyes are now fully developed, even though they are still shut up tight. And the network of nerves connecting your ears and your brain is more developed than ever - which means you are now actually starting to recognize mine and your dad's voices - rather than just hearing us!!

We had a pretty normal week last week, and this is shaping up to be more of the same. I'm still doing yoga a couple of times a week and running two or three times a week - with lots of walks with Leo in between! I'm pretty confident now that I'll be able to complete the Riverbank Run 5K in three weeks - which I wasn't so sure about for a while! It should be a really great time. Next week will be a little strange because I'm leaving on Sunday for four nights in San Diego for a conference for work. I'm not really looking forward to the travel or being apart from your dad for that long - but I am excited to see the city... hopefully not for the only time! Lucky you - you get to come along this time :)

How far along? 26 weeks
Maternity clothes? Just bought some maternity shorts for my trip next week :)
Stretch marks? Luckily, none yet
Sleep: I've been sleeping really well this last week or two
Best moment this week? Getting the glider put together and getting your new dresser today
Miss anything? Not knowing what heartburn felt like - I didn't know it could hurt that much! Prilosec seems to be helping a lot though.
Movement? You've been a little quiet for the last day or two...
Food cravings? Orange juice, goldfish crackers
Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope
Have you started to show yet? Yes!
Mood? Feeling good, I've got a little bit more energy these days - which is much appreciated!
What are you looking forward to this week? Our date on Friday night and the warm weather in California.

All my love, Mom

Nursery Progress & Appointment Update.

Last Thursday was our monthly doctor check-up and everything went great! Your dad wasn't able to make it to this visit so luckily nothing too exciting happened. It was a pretty standard appointment, the doctor took my weight and blood pressure, measured my belly and then listened to your heartbeat for a bit. Everything was just measuring just right, so it looks like we are both on track. We have been going to the doctor every four weeks, but now that I'm getting farther along we will start going more frequently. I have another appointment at the beginning of May and then after that we'll go every other week for a while, and then it will be every week! When the doctor told me that, it surprised me a bit - I knew that at some point I would be going every two weeks, but it really hit me that we are getting close when she explained that it would be sooner rather than later! I can't believe we are actually getting so close to meeting you :) :)

In other news, the rocking chair & ottoman that your Grandma & Grandpa P. bought us for your nursery arrived last week so your dad and I went to pick them up from the store on Saturday. Of course there was some assembly required, so your dad spent Saturday afternoon working on that. I helped as much as I could too, and of course Leo wanted to be in the middle of everything!

 Reading the directions :)

 It's a chair! Minus the cushions :)

 The ottoman was a lot easier... it came already assembled!

 All finished! It is very comfortable - I can't wait to cuddle with you in it!!!

The crew - relaxing after their hard work!!

We had planned on refinishing a dresser we got from your dad's Aunt Kathy, but we decided to save ourselves the work and ordered a new dresser from the furniture store on Saturday. That way we can keep the other dresser for the guest room and your new dresser will already match the crib and glider :) The new dresser gets delivered on Wednesday, so I'm excited to pick that up and see how it looks in the room!! We're making progress and that makes it feel so much more real that we'll get to meet you VERY soon!! Can't wait :)

All my love, Mom

Twenty-five Weeks.

Not much new to report this week - you are still just getting bigger and bigger each day. This week you weigh about 1.5 pounds and are approximately 14 inches from head to heel. That means you're about the size of a large eggplant :) Your arms and legs are now in proportion to the rest of your body and your blood vessels are developing quickly which means that your skin now has a pretty pink glow!

Last weekend we drove to visit my family for the Easter holiday. It was really fun, we got to see both your Uncle Scott and Brian and Trina and we went for a long walk on Saturday. Leo always enjoys walking on the farm because he can run around wherever he wants with no leash... but this also means he can run into the ditches and mud puddles and burr patches. Of course he ended up absolutely filthy, stinky, and covered in burrs - and I don't think he's ever been happier! On Easter Sunday we got to enjoy lots of candy from our Easter basket and you even got some treats from the Easter bunny (aka. your grandparents!) Grandma & Grandpa E. got you a toothbrush and Dr. Suess' ABC Book and Grandma & Grandpa P. also gave you a new book - Goodnight Moon. I can't wait to read them to you!!! Here we are at 25 weeks - look out though, bare belly coming up!!

How far along? 25 weeks
Maternity clothes? Only a couple of tee shirts still fit me. I also just ordered some maternity running shorts - yay!
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Lately I have been waking up so much at night, which is getting old really fast...
Best moment this week? I went for a great run on Friday morning since I was off from work, I sort of felt like my old self again for a while!
Miss anything? Getting out of a chair/bed/the couch without grunting - it's very attractive!Movement? Lots! We can see you kicking around almost every day now
Food cravings? Turkey sandwiches
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not lately
Have you started to show yet? Yup
Mood? I've been feeling really impatient lately... I'm ready to get this show on the road and meet you already!
What are you looking forward to this week? Our monthly doctor appointment tomorrow

All my love, Mom

Twenty-four Weeks.

This was a milestone week for us baby - we hit the six month mark and this week is considered to be the age of viability for you. That means that if - heaven forbid - should you decide to make your appearance super-duper early, there is at least some chance that you would be able to make it on your own, with LOTS of help from the doctors. Of course, I would much rather prefer that you stay put, nice and cozy, where you are now for the next 16 or so weeks!! It is just a small comfort to know that you would have a fighting chance

This week you are about the length of an ear of corn (yum!) and you weigh over one pound. Your lungs are developing surfactant which will help them stay inflated once you start breathing air out here. And you inner ear is now fully developed, which means you now have a sense of balance and gravity. Maybe that explains why I can feel you squirming around so much more these days - you are just trying to get yourself facing the right way :)

  
How far along? 24 weeks
Maternity clothes? Still squeezing into my old running clothes, but that's about it. The weather needs to warm up here quickly, because I am getting to the point where I can't quite zip up my winter coat anymore.
Stretch marks? Nada
Sleep: Sleeping really well lately, besides the frequent potty breaks that is!
Best moment this week? Getting your crib set up and just feeling you moving so much lately has been so cool.
Miss anything? Being able to point my toes without getting a leg cramp - what a bummer!Movement? You're squirming a lot these days - and I love it every single time!
Food cravings? Moose tracks ice cream and pistachios
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not really
Have you started to show yet? You betcha!
Mood? Feeling pretty good, I've been trying to stay really active - running, walking or doing yoga almost every night - which helps me feel a little more normal
What are you looking forward to this week? My day off from work tomorrow and going to visit my parents this weekend for Easter :)

All my love, Mom

A Place to Sleep.

You'll be happy to know that you now officially have your own little spot in the house - your crib! The crib was delivered this winter and sat in the box down in the basement until this weekend. We decided that it would be a good time to move the guest bed out of (what is now) your bedroom and into the basement and then we could bring the crib upstairs. So Saturday morning, your dad moved the bed downstairs then brought up the crib - which was still in pieces.

One of the perks of being pregnant is that other people insist on doing things for you - so I got to sit and drink hot chocolate while your dad worked hard putting together your crib! It went together very easily, and your dad did a great job making sure it was nice and sturdy. I'm really happy with how it looks and I hope you like it too :)

Here is your dad - hard at work:

 All finished!!

Momma and Leo :)

Leo was very interested in what the heck we were doing! 

The finished product - just waiting for you!!!

I can't wait until you are here to enjoy your first nap in your beautiful crib!!

All my love, Mom