31 Week Bump-Date

March 10, 2014

 

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along:
31 Weeks, 3 days

Size of baby:
According to The Bump, Baby GIRL is the size of a Pineapple!

Maternity Clothes:
Same as before, I am trying to become more stylish with my maternity choices instead of just shirt and pants, and it has been a little bit difficult, but that is okay, I will work it until its gone..might as well while it is here, yeah?

Gender:
It’s a GIRL! See previous post about Gender Reveal. Squee!

Movement:
This little babe is moving!! Just over the weekend I can actually watch her shift a little bit…not the full body, but I can feel her squirming…and it feels so strange!The kicks are getting more frequent and strong. I still have not felt the hiccups or the full body roll/shift from one side of the body to the other…I am sure it is only a matter of time!

Sleep:
Pretty good actually! I don’t want to jinx myself…but for right now, I have zero complaints about sleep.

What I miss:
Same as before, Laying on my stomach…a lot. Having a glass of a wine. I miss those things.

Cravings:
Well over the weekend, home girl was craving a Coconut Macadamia Nut tart from Big River here in Corvallis. Luckily, we live pretty close so Papa Chim was able to meander out and get one! I was also craving some sparkling apple cider. He also brought me home 2 bottles of said cider. What a sweet man I have!

Symptoms:
My bones hurt…my body aches..you know normal preggo symptoms I guess? My energy is also starting to burn out a little bit. This past weekend we had a few things going on, and I would just tire so quickly! It is hard for me not to push myself to be more active and pack a TON of things into our weekend. But I just need to listen to my body and tell myself to take it easy.

Favorite Moment This Week:
This past weekend we sold our 2^nd and final futon (YIPPEE!!), which meant that it was the final thing out of the baby’s room! We had also bought a dresser (FREAKING FINALLY!), on Craigslist a couple of weeks ago and so Tim used this past weekend to refurbish it to exactly what we were wanting for Baby Harlow. He sanded it down, and re-stained the dresser to a black stain and we went and bought dresser drawer pulls for it and it is a COMPLETE Transformation! I wish that I had a before picture…but he made it come true, and bonus…he had fun doing it! So on Saturday, I went to a baby shower for my friend Rachel, she is due April 8^th, and he stayed home and worked on this dresser! The baby shower was super fun, and so big! It was kind of overwhelming how many ladies showed up to celebrate her little one. She is very blessed. After I came home, I was completely wiped out from all the festivities and  Chim was tired from working on her dresser all day, so we both came home and had a little mini movie marathon. Complete with “Look Who’s Talking”, “Father of the Bride-Part 2”, and “The Simpsons movie”. I mean obvi…which movie night isn’t complete without those gems? Then on Sunday, we went and picked up some baby girl clothes from his step-brother and drove around and looked at houses, (wishful dreaming at this point). After we came home, we got a chance to sort out all these clothes that our friends have blessed us with, (SO many freaking clothes!) Our girl is already spoiled beyond belief! We sorted them out and then started on the cutest little laundry loads I am pretty sure have ever been in our washer. We also got a chance to visit with Tim’s parents as they stopped by to meet the Chugs.

Worst Moment This Week:
I am bummed because we want to buy a house and make it our own, and have sadly come to the realization that although we could afford the mortgage, until we pay off our debts, it probably is not a reality. Ugh, life goes on though right?

 

 

 

30 week Bump-Date

March 2, 2014

 

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along:
30 Weeks and 2 days!

Size of baby:
According to The Bump, Baby GIRL is the size of a Cucumber!

Maternity Clothes:
Same as before, maternity pants and leggings and some of my old shirts still fit! I went shopping  a couple days ago to find a cute dress for our maternity pictures! It was really difficult to see all the super cute dresses and clothes that they are coming out with for Spring. I have NEVER not fit into things I love…and it is really depressing to see something way super adorable but not be able to get it because the seam goes right across my belly and looks SUPER unflattering! UGH! #preggoproblems

Gender:
It’s a GIRL! See previous post about Gender Reveal. Squee!

Movement:
Same as before, the kicks are getting more frequent and strong. I still have not felt the hiccups or the full body roll/shift from one side of the body to the other…I am sure it is only a matter of time!

Sleep:
Pretty good actually! I don’t want to jinx myself…but for right now, I have zero complaints about sleep.

What I miss:
Same as before, Laying on my stomach…a lot. Having a glass of a wine. I miss those things.

Cravings:
Nothing too bad. Except for yesterday I was craving fast food something fierce. I don’t even like fast food/ nor do I eat it normally…so I indulged, and then of course felt guilty afterwards. Annoying. Also at my doctors appointment they told me that she may have either had a growth spurt, or I have a lot of amniotic fluid, but she is measuring big. And she grew quite a bit since the last appointment I guess. So they told me to lay off the carbs. My reaction? Well then what am I supposed to eat? Is there anything else. UGH, so frustrating…but I understand what is necessary for me and baby. I know that we are destined to have a bigger baby at birth because my brother and I were both huge babies. I guess we just know how to grow em’? Ugh..

Symptoms:
My body aches. I am tired of being pregnant. I know it will get worse before it gets better, but im just done. I want to work out and run and even though I know I can work out now, it is really rough. I do some things, but I am SUPER limited. I don’t want to feel like I have nowhere else to go on the scale but up. It is really stressful. I have never been this size in my whole life, and honestly…I hate it.

Favorite Moment This Week:
So much! At our doctors appointment on Thursday besides finding out that I need to not be eating 7 loaves of bread and a giant bowl of pasta for dinner, we found out that my glucose levels are not even dangerously close to diabetes stage! YAY!! Also, they told me that my iron levels are really good, and so I am super healthy, my weight looks good (even though it scares me), but baby is measuring big. Apparently, if she continues at this rate, they may bump my due date, and also have a few more ultrasounds in the next coming weeks to make sure she isn’t getting TOO big. Yikes! Harlow is going to be a troll…lovely. Also, we had our maternity pictures yesterday. Tessa is one of my closest friends and she happens to own her photography business! She did my Boudoir shoot a few years ago, and I knew that I wanted her to do the maternity and newborn pics for Baby H. The sneak preview we have seen is BEYOND ADORABLE, and I can’t believe I have to wait 2 more weeks to see the final result! AHH! I am going crazy. I want the pictures like yesterday, but nevertheless, good things come to those who wait. Ugh. ALSO, we had the first of our 4 baby showers. It seems a little excessive to have so many, but we have family in Oregon AND Washington and of course friends in both places! Our first one, his parents threw for us, and it was so sweet and I loved every minute of it! We were so spoiled already, but I can’t believe how excited I was getting for things that aren’t even mine! They are for baby Harlow.  We were so spoiled. Not a ton of pictures from the event, but im sure some of them will surface. If I am going to be a blogger, I clearly need to be a better photographer.

Worst Moment This Week:
Just the carb thing…but if iM complaining about that, then that means we are in good shape yeah? Also, shopping and finding literally almost nothing that fits. I know it is to be expected, but its just stressful for me. But as long as this little sea monkey is healthy, I believe that these stretchmarks and whichever else my bod decides to throw at me, will become so small and worth it in the end.

29 week Bump-Date

February 22, 2014

 

I am beginning to think this picture thing is going to be a bi-monthly thing...sorry

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along:
29 Weeks and 2 days!

Size of baby:
According to The Bump, Baby GIRL is the size of an Acorn Squash!

Maternity Clothes:
Same as before, my old shirts are mostly all pretty tight, so I am loving the new maternity long sleeve knits that I bought for our maternity pictures. We had to reschedule them because of rain, but I am so freaking excited because we get to do them next weekend!

Gender:
It’s a GIRL! See previous post about Gender Reveal. Squee!

Movement:
Same as before…She is moving around like crazy! The last few days, the movements have become less of a swift kick or punch but I will be laying down and I can actually feel her squirming around. It is the weirdest thing. To all of you ladies that have not felt this…the best way I can describe it is like a worm or something wiggling under a sheet. WEIRD.

Sleep:
Pretty good actually…again I had another night where I didn’t really wake up at all! Which I guess is good in a way because that means I am well rested, but on the other hand I should be getting up to pee… but my back hurts so bad when I lay down at night. I want that to go away!

What I miss:
Same as before, Laying on my stomach…a lot. Having a glass of a wine. I miss those things.

Cravings:
Nothing super crazy as of late. Just normal food, my appetite has gone down except for the other day when I ate my weight and Harlow’s in taco casserole. Tim had left me more than my fair share for lunch and I proceeded to wolf THE WHOLE THING down. Totally normal.

Symptoms:
My bones really started to hurt starting last week. They just ache…I feel like my whole frame is being jarred…oh wait…it is. Besides that, just the kicking of this little one..and the squirms, and having to go pee every 30 seconds.

Favorite Moment This Week:
Well, we have been searching like crazy to find a dresser for this little one, because I basically want to get the perfect nursery done before she gets here! We have the room painted (thanks babe!), and I feel like everything else is just waiting on the furniture. We have scoured second hand stores, Craigslist, actual furniture stores to no avail! I feel like its not asking too much to be able to find a dresser and a chair that isn’t ridiculously expensive! I don’t even mind if it is a project dresser and we have to do some maintenance on it! I just wanted everything done by now and I am feeling defeated. The good news is though, in our attempts to find a dresser for the little bebe, I finally found her white shag rug that will go in the middle of her room, and the most perfect lamp! It is the small victories. I still have a few more places I want to check out for a dresser, but if any of y’all know someone or have one…we are interested!! We want it to be short enough to be able to double as a changing table…but seem to be having the worst luck! And the chair we have been looking, just not as actively. We found a really nice chair at Babies R’ Us, and if we don’t find what we are looking for somewhere else, we might just have to make the splurge! Anyway, these were good (yet small) victories, but some of my most favorite moments putting her room together. Also, our first baby shower is coming up next weekend, and our maternity picture reschedule! Squee!

Worst Moment This Week:
The glucose test! I survived, but talk about a stress ball of nerves I was! We got there at 8am, and they immediately called me in to take my blood! We walk in and I just stand there awkwardly in the middle of the room because I am too freaked out to sit in the chair and have my arm displayed all vulnerable like. He tells me, “ Uhh miss, you can take a seat over there…?” Almost like a question…I wanted to scream no…actually I want to run like hell out of here… but I obeyed and took a seat. Then he is asking me for my last name and I can’t even say it and I just burst into tears. Tim came over and tried to console me, but there was no consoling at that point. I let the flood gates open and the tears just started to roll. They eventually did the stabbing, and of course, never as bad as I picture it in my head. I couldn’t believe that I had 2 more pokes of this crap. So after they drained me of about 2 vials Tim happily told me…um thanks babe, I could have done without THAT knowledge, I went back to the waiting room. They explained that they had to run my blood over to another lab to make sure that I really was fasting. Can’t I just reassure you, that no I have not had anything to eat in the last 12 hours, and I’m THISCLOSE to going crazy on someone out of Hangri-ness? Apparently not. So after the 45 minutes of sitting in the waiting room, they came out and exclaimed that I had passed, (no shit) and gave me an orange sugary drink (it tasted like super sugary Orange Crush) and told me I Had to down this in 5 minutes. It wasn’t a big deal, and wasn’t so bad, so I downed that, and then had to wait another hour to make sure that my levels don’t get dangerously high when im processing the glucose. After the hour, I went in for another blood draw, again…I basically started to hyperventilate like there wasn’t enough air in that room, but Tim said I did good because I didn’t shed a tear that time! Bless his heart, things are looking up! Then I was told to go and wait in the waiting room again…because I had to wait one more hour for the final blood draw. After an hour of reading the books I had brought along they called my name again, and did the final draw! This one hurt! I guess after having 3 blood draws out of the same arm your arm starts to get sore after awhile…who knew!? But I was so FREAKING relieved that the worst was over! Believe you me, I am terrified to get the results back…I do NOT want Gestational Diabetes because I have heard that you have to prick your finger on the daily. Can we just talk about how many tears I would shed if I had to do this awful chore? For some reason, pricking my finger is even worse than an actual blood draw. Maybe its because having my finger just out there in the open seems vulnerable...who knows!!! But it is an actual scary thing for me! After we were done, Tim had to go to work and I went home. I called out for the rest of the day because I was exhausted and I think I just was so stressed out about the whole situation and just needed the afternoon to relax.

28 Week Bump-Date!

February 13, 2014

 

 

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along:
28 weeks!

Size of baby:
According to The Bump, Baby GIRL is the size of an Eggplant!

Maternity Clothes:
All pants maternity, and some shirts and things are starting to not fit anymore. A couple of days ago, I went to Motherhood Maternity after work (thinking that our maternity pictures were this weekend) to get a few more basics! I picked up a few basic long sleeve knits and a dress and some leggings! I now feel like I can wear more than 2 maternity outfits! Woopiee!!! AND I wanted to get some cute things for our maternity pictures that we have scheduled this weekend!

Gender:
It’s a GIRL! See previous post about Gender Reveal. Squee!

Movement:
Same as before…She is moving around like crazy! The last few days, the movements have become less of a swift kick or punch but I will be laying down and I can actually feel her squirming around. It is the weirdest thing. To all of you ladies that have not felt this…the best way I can describe it is like a worm or something wiggling under a sheet. WEIRD.

Sleep:
Pretty good thus far, I am just waiting for that to change however.

What I miss:
Laying on my stomach…a lot. Having a glass of a wine. I miss those things.

Cravings:
Nothing super crazy…I was craving a Chipotle burrito something fierce last night…but I just had eaten dinner and did not feel right going and purchasing 2 dinners…even though I felt like I Needed that burrito in my soul.

Symptoms:
Just the kicking of this little one..and the squirms, and having to go pee every 30 seconds.

Favorite Moment This Week:
I had our first doctors appointment where I have to start going every 2 weeks. It feels surreal because even though May seems far away, I know it will be here before we know it. And these appointments every 2 weeks makes me feel like im in the home stretch! Crazy! I am so excited for our baby showers coming up and I just received the invites for 2 of my showers this week! CANNOT WAIT!!

Worst Moment This Week:
I am so freaked out about our glucose test coming up within the next week. From looking at the internet, it appears as though every doctors office is different about how they go about the glucose test. Some doctors offices will do 1 blood draw when you get there, give you a sugar drink and then take 1 more blood draw after about an hour. Of course, my doctors office, will give you a blood draw when you get there, give you the glucose drink, take your blood after an hour, and then go another and give you another one. A total of 2 blood draws and a 3.5 hour test!!! I am so nervous, I don’t have it in me to do this….Remember my first blood draw for this adventure?? I will imagine it is that times like….1000. I know I am being a baby….but whatever. Its my baby and I will cry if I want to? Doesn’t apply? Whatevs.

 

27 Week Bump-Date!

February 10, 2014

 

No picture this week folks!

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along:
27 weeks and 4 days!

Size of baby:
According to The Bump, Baby GIRL is the size of a Rutabaga! Whatever the freak that is…

Maternity Clothes:
Same as before…all pants maternity, trying to see what dresses still fit…they are getting shorter and shorter it seems. And my darling Chim went out and bought me some new undergarments yesterday as the ones I had were digging into my chest and making it not comfortable at all. My favorite moment of the day was coming home and taking my bra off because of how uncomfortable I was feeling!!

Gender:
It’s a GIRL! See previous post about Gender Reveal. Squee!

Movement:
She is moving around like crazy! The last few days, the movements have become less of a swift kick or punch but I will be laying down and I can actually feel her squirming around. It is the weirdest thing. To all of you ladies that have not felt this…the best way I can describe it is like a worm or something wiggling under a sheet. WEIRD.

Sleep:
Pretty good actually, I know that I am reaching the final stretch where that sleep is going to become non existent…BOO…but I am getting more and more excited to have our baby showers and meet this little one.

What I miss:
Laying on my stomach..and not having to pee every 5 minutes. I literally will go into the bathroom to brush my teeth, use the restroom before said brushing of the teeth, and then afterwards….not fun. I also can’t wait to have my body back and just be able to feel like I can do something about this ever growing belly and weight.

Cravings:
Same as before, I am LOVING orange juice, and I had a few cravings the other day for sprinkle donuts. So do you think  I indulged? Well…when in Rome.. Err.. I mean Corvallis. You betcha.

Symptoms:
Just the kicking of this little one..and the squirms, and having to go pee every 30 seconds.

Favorite Moment This Week:
IT SNOWED! And Im not even talking like a couple of inches or whichever. We got almost 2 feet of snow! ERMERGERD. The whole time I have been in Oregon and I have NEVER seen snow like this…Oregon may have redeemed herself a little bit with this. Normally, I am near tears because my dear Washington gets slammed with a good snow storm usually once a year…and the weather is usually better (read: Snow storms and thunder storms and wind) than Oregon. However, this weekend was different and Oregon actually got slammed with snow! Hooray for us! Unfortunately, since I am about 7 months pregnant, the snow activities are limited for me. Timothy would not let me go sledding, which I am sure is in my best interest, but you can’t blame a girl for wanting to! And apparently snowboarding, skiing, and the like are also out as well. I can’t wait until next year to be able to hit the slopes and go and try out my newfound “skills” HAH. Pick up right where I left off in my snowboard training in Japan. Also, we are getting more and more excited to meet this little one! We picked out the perfect rug (since we have hardwood floors in our home) and I am excited to go to our baby showers and really get her room put together!

Worst Moment This Week:
I can feel my energy starting to wane these last few days. The second trimester was great and I was able to accomplish so much! Now, we went on an outing yesterday to pick up a few things and I about had to take a nap before I was able to accomplish much else! Other than that, I have been feeling pretty great. Not excited about the 3^rd trimester that seems to be rapidly approaching, but I am hoping that everything goes as smoothly as it has been. Also, I have to schedule my Gestational Diabetes test, which is really scary for me. I thought that I was just going to have to go in for 1 blood draw, and they check my levels and make sure everything is kosher, if not, THEN they go in for more blood draws. I had no idea that I was going to go in for a 4 hour test. I am scared…and I have yet to schedule it because of said fear. I know that I must, and I will probably call tomorrow, but even thinking about this test has my stomach turning. Y’all know how I did with one blood draw at the beginning of this whole deal? Shakes, Tears? The works…you name it…I had it. So now I have to do it all again…but this time….times like 4.

 

 

 

 

SNOW!!!

SNOW!!!

 

To be more appropriate, it should be titled, HOLY S WORD that is a LOT OF SNOW!

 

Here in the Willamette Valley we are not used to getting snow storms, Read we get a dusting on the ground and people Literally FREAK OUT!! Well we were not only blessed with one...but TWO snow storms this year! How exciting! In total we got around 20 inches or so....Can you imagine my excitement!?! (Totally not being sarcastic, I actually LOVE it)

 

 

Pictures tell it best...so here are a few we took of our snow days

 

 

Chim running with the girls in our parking lot

 

 

Poor little Mildred she just about disappeared in the snow...here she is on a padded down trail...and her cone...

 

Sullivan just having a grand ole time

 

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Our Patio

 

Chim and the girls running around

 

Sullivan was trying to save snow in her harney. When we took it off she had about a half an inch of padded snow in there!

 

 

Dont mind the giant polar bear in her natural habitat...