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

Twenty-eight Weeks.

We made it to the third and final trimester! I can't believe we only have about 12 more weeks until we get to meet you - these last few weeks have really gone by quickly. I missed posting in  Week 27 because I was traveling for work - but this week is pretty much more of the same... This week you weigh a whopping 2.5 pounds and you are about 15 inches long from head to heel - the baby book says you're the size of a rutabaga :) Your eyes are now able to open and close and you are having REM sleep these days (no wonder you get so quiet sometimes!). Other than that you are busy packing on your baby fat and growing billions of neurons and connections in your little genius brain!

I had kind of a tough week last week - the traveling was hard on my poor swollen feet, but you travelled like a champ! You were squirming around a ton on the plane and I started to feel your kicks a lot higher up than I have before - I'm wondering if that means you are now turned around with your feet up under my ribs... In other news, I took the glucose tolerance test last week and I am crossing every body part that I passed. The test checks for signs of gestational diabetes - basically I had to chug some super-sugary orange drink, then they took my blood one hour later to make sure my body was dealing with the sugar properly. I really hope I'm good, because I can't stand getting my blood drawn! This week is also when we start having check-ups every two weeks instead of four :) I feel like my belly (and you!) is just getting bigger and bigger by the day ... but that's a good thing!

How far along? 28 weeks
Maternity clothes? Oh yes, maybe time to start buying some new tank tops too :)
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Still very good! The only thing interupting me is the need to use the bathroom several times a night!
Best moment this week? Getting home from my trip - I missed your dad and my own bed SO much! And our anniversary dinner on Saturday night - delish!
Miss anything? Running is becoming tougher and tougher - I miss running without getting terrible leg cramps
Movement? Lots lately - one of my favorite things to do is watch my belly to see your big kicks! Your dad thinks its pretty cool too
Food cravings? Gummy bears, chocolate pudding
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not really
Have you started to show yet? You betcha
Mood? Happy to be home and in the final stretch of pregnancy - and so excited to meet you!
What are you looking forward to this week? Our doctor's appointment on Thursday and our first baby shower on Saturday with your Grandma P. and all of her friends!!

Happy Seven Months Baby!!!

All my love, Mom