26 weeks.

Even though I was off work this past week it feels as though so much happened! We were in New York, we spent some really nice days together at home, we cleaned {& cleaned!} and cooked {& cooked!}, friends were over, Thanksgiving was had, so much football was watched, we went out to see a movie, and we still have two mornings left to sleep in. We are so grateful, as always, for everything we’ve been given; our lives are so privileged and there’s so much joy and beauty in life. Looking ahead to next year, we can hardly believe that we get to be blessed with our little girl and the chance to be parents. On that thankful note, we’re also at 26 weeks!

No, I did not get dressed today.

How far along: 26 weeks

Symptoms: It’s been such a good and relaxing week, though my whole back was aching after cooking for several hours Wednesday and Thursday, but I think that would happen in an un-pregnant state. My belly is feeling about as big as last week but I’m feeling really full after eating not too much. That’s been happening for a while now but I think it’s a bit more noticeable.

Baby girl is moving around and squirming up a storm. Some days she’s a bit quieter than others and other days she’s all over the place. The other night I woke up to use that bathroom and it felt like she was hitting me with both her hands and feet. I’ve heard the movement/kicks can be pretty forceful a bit later on; she’s definitely gaining force as the weeks go on but I haven’t experienced any pain from her movement yet.

Overnight I’m waking up every two to three hours to use the bathroom.

It’s hard to get comfortable sitting around on the couch in the evenings. It could be just our couch but it’s either my lower back/hips that get sore or my legs that are feeling restless. Stretching them out a bit seems to help but not very much. Thankfully my legs aren’t too twitchy/restless when I’m laying down, mostly just sitting on the couch.

My gums are still sensitive and my sinuses get pretty stuffed throughout the day. I’m not getting bloody noses but every time I blow my nose you would think I had just been having a bloody nose; fun.

Wait gain: 154. But it’s the day after Thanksgiving – come on!!

Size of baby: a head of lettuce or a scallion; the scallion actually came with an explanation that it’s hard to come up with a veggie for each week and that this is merely an approximation {as they all are, right?!}…I think it’s the length of the green onion that they’re referencing.

Exercise: Not much of anything this week; just some good walking in NYC and lots of cooking on my feet this week.

Milestones: our last Thanksgiving as a child-less family; wow!

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: sweet baby girl.

Movement: yes, yes, and yes!

Thoughts/questions/concerns: hopefully my medical records got transferred and I can start going to the birth center before we go to the west coast. I’m also still anxious about my upcoming air travel but I think that relaxing and being confident that it’s all OK will be my best course of action.  

Sleep: Ugh; I’m waking up every two to three hours for the bathroom.

Goals: make it through school the next three weeks so that I can enjoy our two-week winter break. After that, it’s a nine-week {or so} stretch before baby girl gets here.

Random: this week has been SO nice; being home with Mike and relaxing. I really hope that by Sunday evening I’m feeling rejuvenated and ready to go back {I’m definitely not there yet but it’s still Friday so I have time}.

  
xoxo, natty ♥

Le menu.

If you're not interested in recipe/menu breakdowns, you probably aren't going to be interested in any of this. But I'd like to remember so here goes! 


The breakdown from yesterday's smorgasbord: 

Appetizers - I made a baked brie {no real recipe} with a bit of pepper jelly and toasted almonds wrapped in the puff pasty with the brie, Mikey made sausage and goat cheese stuffed cremini mushrooms {yum!!}, and some friends brought over an AMAZING cranberry/jalapeño/cilantro/bit-o-sugar relish that goes over cream cheese {eaten with crackers}. I ended up putting that cranberry stuff all over everything and loving it.

Turkey - brined and roasted using Pioneer Woman's brining recipe and The Joy of Cooking for all other bird-related quandaries. It was good. I worried it would be a salty turkey because it was a kosher bird {for no real reason} which came in a salt solution and I stuck it in a brine Wednesday before thinking about the saltiness but it was perfect. The dark meat didn't come out too well but the white meat was moist and delicious.

Stuffing - Mikey did it! He found a recipe and took care of this part of dinner; thanks sweetie!! It was yummy and he added in sausage which was a great touch.

Mashed potatoes - Pioneer Woman, again. Mostly because I was looking at her brine recipe and then her taters sounded/looked too good to not try. They were delicious but I don't think I re-warmed them enough so they were a bit stiff but still tasty.

Sweet potatoes - I made the chard I do every once and a while and some guests brought a delicious sweet sweet potato casserole {sweet versus my savory dish}; mine was good, as it usually is, but I was loving on the sweet option last night.

Gravy - I used the turkey drippings and a Joy of Cooking recipe. It was my first go at gravy and everyone seemed pleased enough.

Green bean casserole - friends brought this and it might have been the first I ever tried? It was so good!

Rolls - Trader Joe's.

Dessert - I made pumpkin cheesecake {SO good as usual but I was PEEVED when the water bath {this is a one-a-year type of recipe and I made it Wednesday to help Thursday be more relaxed} leaked through the foil into the springform pan but the crust was still crunchy {& everyone knows that cheesecake crust is the best part}. Our friends brought a pecan pie they made {to appease my man; it's his favorite} and a pumpkin pie. I made whipped cream to top it all. 


We had a wonderful day, full of thanks for friends and relatives, even though we weren't able to be with our families. It's fun to think about how this was our last Thanksgiving as a two-some {three-some if we count Guinness. Which we do}.
xoxo, natty ♥

Thanks.

We're so thankful, today and every day, for all of our blessings.

A Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
xoxo, natty ♥

Prepping!

xoxo, natty ♥

Light eating, grateful, and prepping.

In preparation for the big eating set for the latter part of the week we had soup and salad for dinner tonight.

Black bean/pumpkin soup with a butternut squash salad but soup and salad nonetheless.

As for being grateful, I'm awfully glad we're not traveling anywhere this week; it's so gross outside and even just driving a mile to pick up Mike earlier today took forever.

And prepping; I need to be on top of my game tomorrow and get as much ready/done for Thursday as I can. We're hosting and though people are bringing some dishes, "dinner" is earlier than I'm used to on this holiday {our plan is for 4}, and that means I have to be up and at em in the morning. Plus we have one oven and I need to bake/roast several things so there will be some juggling going on.

In all, I'm excited and looking forward to a cozy day inside tomorrow getting ready for Thanksgiving. 

xoxo, natty ♥

A bunch of groceries.

We're supposed to get some weather tomorrow and Wednesday so I figured mid-afternoon today was  good time to pick up anything and everything we need for the feasting set to happen later this week; our refrigerator is so full right now it feels as though I have all the groceries we'll need for weeks to come; funny how it goes so quickly.

This hat is on the sidewalk near our apartment; has Walter White been roaming around?

What else is going on today?

1. I had a lazy morning; ahhhhh the joy and pleasure of vacation but I'm not ignoring the fact that it goes by ever-so-quickly.

2. My husband and I have some together-in-DC time slated later this week; Newseum anyone?

3. I also have an appointment for my little computer's power cord tomorrow; let's hope this is painless.

4. There's that squirmy baby in my tummy; I'm loving her kicks and punches!

5. We've got some potential friend time coming up in February; we're so excited for this potential visiting!!!

I hope that you're staying warm and well wherever you are!
xoxo, natty ♥

A few sights.

Today dawned sunny and COLD {windchill in the 10 to 12 degree range}.

But Mike and I still made a day out of it.

We had determined that bagels and pizza were the menu of the day and after a delicious bagel breakfast we set out.

We hiked over a mile to visit Ground Zero and the 9/11 memorial. 

It was beautiful and sad.

You can't see the antenna from here.

Then we took the subway {so grateful to be out of the biting wind!} to check out Macy's and the library. We only made it to Macy's before we got low on time which is OK because we briefly visited the library yesterday and it gives us something to look forward to on our next visit.

I loved Macy's old wooden escalators.

A scramble back to Greenwich Village and a pizza later, we were packing, packed, and on the road back to DC.

The scene of Saturday morning's incident. Don't park your car here; note the one tiny sign at the corner - that's all there is on the whole block.

We're very grateful for our friends whom we visited, that this morning our car was where we had left it last night, and that we had a super enjoyable little visit. And thanks to Mr. Mike for getting us safely home. We both agree that we kind of loved New York and are really looking forward to our next time there; might it be with an extra little passenger?

xoxo, natty ♥

Busy times.

Since I have this upcoming week off and we owed our friends a visit {they've come to DC several times}, we too the jump and scurried up to New York last night. But our friends are actually gone now - they were heading out of town so our visit was an 18-hour one and we're sticking around until tomorrow so that Mikey can make it to work Monday.

This is my first time in the city and since we're here for such a short time, we're exploring a few random things here and there. 

Today we had a nice brunch, walked around the library a bit, whipped through Times Square {too.much.everything}, got our car towed, rescued our car {with a lot of money} from a very interesting impound lot on a pier on the Hudson River, unexpectedly drove our friends to JFK airport, and ended our evening with delicious Indian food {the best we've had since we got to the east coast} and cupcakes.

Lions {& where the Ghostbusters once were}!

Woah!

Boo.

Lots of stuff!

And good food!

It's been such a fun day, I can hardly believe I woke up in my own bed yesterday morning and had a normal work day; it feels like it's years from today. We were so happy to visit with our friends and we're very grateful they were willing to dedicate time to us as they were getting ready for a trip; thanks friends!
xoxo, natty ♥

25 weeks.

It’s been a good week AND I’m on vacation for nine days so here’s to the nice even number of 25 weeks!

How far along: 25 weeks. 

Symptoms: moving baby, getting full easier, and several people today told me that I just got much bigger all of a sudden and I kind of feel it; the belly certainly pops out! My feet and legs still hurt and I asked the doctor about it at our appointment this week and she informed me that it’s something that happens to some women – I think, personally, that it’s a combination of weight gain, relaxing ligaments, and other weird pregnancy/hormone related fun things.

Wait gain: I was down last week but at the doctor’s this week I was up to 151. But, I was wearing boots and a heavy necklace so maybe let’s say I’m at 148 or 149.

Size of baby: a cauliflower or a rutabaga.

Exercise: I’ve been trying to walk Guinness for at least 20 minutes in the evenings and I did so several times this week. I also managed a ten minute session of one minute walking/one minute running. And I stretched afterwards which was lovely.

I decided that I feel horrible not exercising and I’m feeling like I have a bit more of a handle on work time management {but is that ever true for a teacher?} so I’m making an effort to leave work as early as I can to a) avoid some nasty traffic, b) have more time at home, and c) maybe try to get in a bit of movement. I’m not complaining because I’m so fortunate to have a great job and home but the two hours I spend driving each day are when I would normally try to get in a bit of exercise. And get dishes/laundry sorted. And hang out with Guinness. So I’m coming to the realization that my days need to be managed/scheduled to the minute because of this commute which is fine because it won’t always be this way. 

Milestones: we found out that we’re having a sweet baby girl! And that our baby is beautiful and healthy {we are SO grateful for that}. And we got some good pictures of her to boot so it was a good week for the growing Melamed family.

I also got my records transferred to the birth center and hopefully they’re able to take us still and if so, I’ll be so happy because the more I’m reading, the more I’m looking forward to working with a midwife.

What I miss: running. Bending over without much effort.

Sex: girl!

Movement: she’s still at it and I’m loving all of it. There are some times when she’s dancing on my bladder which is an interesting feeling; not so much like I need to run to the facilities but rather it just kind of feels really weird from the inside?

Thoughts/questions/concerns: I’m starting to feel nervous about flying next month but I’ll be sure to check in with the doctor and I know I’ll be fine.

Sleep: I’m getting up to use the bathroom several times a night and I have to flip flop from side to side to be comfortable. I also have all of myself kind of propped up/cradled with my pillow (Snoogle!) and blankets.

Goals: keep trying to get in some movement and fine-tune our registries. 

Random: we’re in New York City right now with friends and we’re so happy to be here!!

xoxo, natty ♥

Still out.

My computer is still out of commission which is fine by me, though I have some things on it I'd like to be able to access over the weekend but oh well. It's just the power cord so I have an easily solved problem on my hands here, it's just time I need to find.

In other news, we had a great night out with friends and are looking forward to the weekend.

Onward!!

xoxo, natty ♥

Selfie wearing pink!

xoxo, natty ♥

Offline!

My phone and computer are without chargers so I'm a wee bit unplugged tonight, which is totally a good thing.

On that note, it's almost Wednesday, right?

xoxo, natty♥

Quick notes.

The day/afternoon/evening all got away from me so this will be quick but here are some good and happy thoughts.

"Where's the trail {back to the car}?"

1. I'm still feeling good about our wonderful Philadelphia outing this past weekend; friends and running and other cities are so much fun!!

2. One down, four to go...until a week off.

3. We have some tentative plans for yet another weekend jaunt Friday to Sunday. This time to New York City {where I've never been} to visit some friends; I'm a bit overwhelmed thinking about it but really excited nonetheless!

4. It was so warm and blustery and beautiful today.

5. We found out we're having a healthy baby girl. ♥! ♥x1,000,000,0000000000000000!

I hope you're well wherever you are Reader. And that if you got a new car today you had a nice little farewell for your old set of wheels {you know who you are Becs!}.
xoxo, natty ♥

Miles ahead!

We had a great overnight in Philadelphia.

Mike and I decided that we like the feel of Philadelphia. We stayed downtown {which has amazing murals everywhere!} but we also got to explore a few little residential pockets on our dinner excursion last night - we ended up in what was very obviously an Italian neighborhood  and had a great dinner {thanks Santucci's!}.

We went with friends; there were three of us not running and we has a great time cheering on everyone.There were tons {TONS} of happy spectators and lots of dogs too!

And we saw Robert Griffen III in our spectator route. 

We found all of our friends at miles 1, 5, and 13/26. The Philadelphia Marathon is a massive race {30,000 runners} so it was wonderful to be able to see our people. I also felt like it's one I would be willing to do; the course is relatively flat, the cheering was great, and Philadelphia seems like a great city.

I also started to feel really motivated for when I'm able to get back into running {next April/May hopefully}...there's nothing like being at a race to get me feeling that way.

After a delicious brunch we waited in the hotel for a bit while our bags were unearthed from the valet and found ourselves sitting across from the men's marathon winner {celebrity sighting #2!}; he looked as though he was in no pain {unlike the multitude of finishers around us} and very happy to be posing with people and his trophy; it was so cool!

The Dandelion Pub.

A tired but fun car ride home later we are back in our place gearing up for this last week before a little Thanksgiving respite.
xoxo, natty ♥

Love.

We're in Philadelphia for the night.

I had signed up to run the Philadelphia marathon with Mike and some friends but then I got pregnant and running started to be really hard {dead legs} so now I'm here to cheer in everyone else. Most of our crew is doing the half marathon, actually, so I get to do some cheerleading and then we'll all enjoy a well-deserved {for some, at least} brunch before heading back to DC.

I 'mcertainly feeling some running nostalgia but I known I'll be back behind a finish line soon enough and with my own little cheerleader somewhere along the course.

Good luck runners!

xoxo, natty ♥

24 weeks.

Another week; yippee!!! Let’s see what’s going on these days.

How far along: 24 weeks

Symptoms: I’m feeling unwieldy. Leaning over is getting challenging so putting on socks and shoes that require more than a slip on necessitates some sitting down. I’m also having to use the bathroom more frequently, though it’s most notable at night since I’m busy and in class all day. The little guy/girl inside me also hits on my bladder a fair amount which is an odd feeling, almost like I need to go to the bathroom but almost like a little zing from inside. Also, I’m noticing my face is much rounder than normal and even my legs are bigger; the pounds are adding up.

And! I forgot to mention it last week but I’m sure that I felt baby have hiccups when we were in Shenandoah; I felt two nudges about 10 inches apart, they happened at the same time, and they happened several times in a row.

Wait gain: I was at 143 this morning, which is waaaaaay down from last week. I’m thinking it’s because I didn’t have a huge dinner last night and I had just woken up/gone to the bathroom so I was a bit dehydrated. I’m certainly not eating less so that’s the only explanation I could come up with.

Size of baby: an ear of corn or a cantaloupe; HA!

Exercise:  I’ve gotten out with Guinness for a little walk several times this week. It feels just fine. I think I need to be doing some stretching but my body feels so stiff from standing on linoleum all day that I’m not sure how much stretching it would take to feel as flexible as I used to be.

Milestones: we inherited some baby stuff this week and I cleared out a space in our closet for little one. Thanks to our friends who no longer need their baby things and thanks to my growing body because the new closet space is where the majority of my wardrobe used to reside.

I snagged some more maternity items for myself this week. My choices are getting very limited since I’ve been trying to wear a lot of non-maternity tops but the belly is making that less and less of a sensible wardrobe choice. Hopefully only a few more things after this newest batch and I might be able to make it through to March. Or is that naïve and wishful thinking? We’ll find out, I suppose.

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: not yet!

Movement: yes, yes, and yes!

Thoughts/questions/concerns: we have another doctor’s appointment coming up this week and I hope that everything looks/sounds good and that baby is doing well.

Sleep: I wake up at least twice a night for the baño. I’m also starting to have a hard time getting comfortable; the belly needs to be propped up but my back/hip also start to hurt if I spend too much time on one side.

Goals: get through a good doctor’s appointment.

Random: we’re going to Philadelphia this weekend to cheer friends and brother-in-law on in the Philadelphia marathon/half-marathon. I was supposed to be running this marathon, actually, but pregnancy got the better of me 11 weeks ago.

xoxo, natty ♥

A wonderful gift!

I received something wonderful in the mail yesterday.

Thank you to my dear sweet friend; you fountain of love you!

xoxo, natty ♥

Long lost blooms.

 

xoxo, natty ♥

Nary a flake.

Today's weather yielded neither raindrops nor snowflakes but it did bring some way cool {for us} temperatures...because we're all really interested in weather! Aren't we?

But, colder days always make me feel tense - as though I need to buckle down and that spring better hurry the heck up. It's cold and it's harder to do things outside and holidays are expensive and what joy is there in the deep and dark days of January and February?

But the past few years I've had a desire to not waste these days hoping for the longer ones ahead so maybe in the next few days I can whip up some potential things to value/look forward to/enjoy about this time of year. Off the top of my head right now...I'm not running anymore {thanks bambino/a!} which kind causes me less stress {even though running is an outlet for me}; I'm not worried about getting in my miles/staying in shape/eating as many salads as I can. I think part of my winter woes is that I always need a push to get out to do my run when the temperature is less than 60 degrees. And sometimes, cold weather or not, I feel anxious/stressed if I don't feel like running or feel pressed for the time to fit it in {such a first-world/yuppy problem but hey, they're my feelings}. So now I get more time, don't need to worry about running...let's look for things to enjoy!

I also wonder how much of this "ugh, winter" feeling comes from teaching - as much as I love the profession it's tiring and there are really long and busy days so longer days mean that summer and a break are coming up. I suppose for us in our little home, though, that there is no break in sight, ever, considering the bundle of joy {& nerves} that's coming our way in March. 

There is no point to this post except that maybe I'm coming around to the idea of "leaning in" {thanks Sandberg} to these things that are scary/stressful/whatever.

On that note, I'm off to enjoy the rest of my evening! 
xoxo, natty ♥

Looking for it.

Mikey and I have been in a very busy time of our lives. "Busy", of course, is all relative and we're so keenly aware of how wonderful our lives are. 

You can be confident that this is happening again this year.

Nonetheless, it helps me to search for some positivity...

1. We might get some snowflakes tonight/early tomorrow morning...we don't live in a regularly wintry climate {famous last words} like Minnesota {where we met!} but it's still exciting to get a bit of weather. 

2. Tickets to visit family on the west coast/in the southwest are being purchased as I type these very words...yea for time with not-oft seen loved ones ♥.

3. Two great dinners this past weekend are yielding some solid left overs that will take care of dinner at least through tomorrow; that's pretty awesome for two people working/busy all day.

4. There's a squirmy baby inside of me...kind of a weird sensation still but I am totally loving it.

5. There's also a warm and stinky dog on the couch next to me...as well as a husband down on the other end; these two alone could sustain me for weeks and months.

What's up with you today Reader? Weather heading your way? Think a good thought for the Philippines, be grateful for our veterans, and enjoy what's left of your Monday.

xoxo, natty ♥

Calm.

Next weekend is posed to be a busy one and then the rest of November and December also fall into that category so the past two days Michael and I enjoyed major down time (a.k.a. we are boring and we are OK with that).

Hopefully it leaves us recharged for the work/school week...but do you ever feel like no matter how rested you are on the weekend that the week ahead is still taxing?

Well, rested or not, let's hope this is a good week ahead for all!

xoxo, natty

Happy bursts of color.

Today's set of errands yielded this cheery bunch.

 

And different colors in your diet are good for you; win - win!

xoxo, natty ♥

23 weeks.

Crazy multiple pregnancy update days have ceased effective immediately after this one. I'll only bring it up once a week in such a fashion!!! But for today, I'm happy to report the following.


Another week flew by bring us to 23 weeks pregnant. I felt so proud to make it to 17 weeks pregnant and though it wasn't that long ago, now that's all we have left {hopefully! --> Keep fingers crossed!}.

How far along: 23 weeks

Symptoms: I forgot to mention it two weeks ago but I am starting to see parts of my bellybutton I had hoped never to see; I dare predict a potentially stretched out and flat belly button by late February/early March. This week I felt more queasiness {still!} and hunger. I feel a strong need for animal-derived protein {feed me meat [preferably chicken]!!!!!} each day and the past day I've been thinking fondly about eating some peanut butter; do we have a muscle-builder on our hands here?

I also am still feeling very full if I eat over a certain amount. Full as in, woah, this belly is stretching.

The linea negra is still there though I've yet to notice any stretch marks.

My legs feel a bit restless at times which makes me think I should/need to be exercising.

Wait gain: 149...not bad considering where I was at a week ago {148} and that I'm still eating a decent amount.

Size of baby: a grapefruit or large mango --> yum, fruit salad!

Exercise: we hiked in Shenandoah last weekend and I went on a couple of walks this week. The first hike was brutal because it was straight downhill {my calves and quads!} and that also included straight uphill - about a mile and a half of it all. But it was pretty and it was a good thing for us to get outside.

Milestones: nothing, as far as I can tell. A few weeks ago someone in public asked when I'm due, that was a first, but nothing else has really happened.

We read to the little dude/dudette some nights {Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are}, though Mike doesn't think it's the best use of his time. I'd like to establish a good bath/story time/bed routine as earlier as possible so why not start now {minus the bath & bed time}?!

What I miss: it's getting hard to lean over and put on socks/shoes.

Sex: not yet, the stinker.

Movement: still going at it and I'm loving every second. There were a couple of really active days and then a couple of not-so-active days; the quieter days are almost hard because they make me worry a bit but then he/she gets at it again.

What I'm looking forward to: finishing our registries. Mike never helped me register for our wedding so I can at least get him to do this one.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: I hope the babe puts on a good show for us; we go in not this week but the following for a scan to check that cyst and hopefully see the sex.

Sleep: I'm waking up every two to three hours for the bathroom; this seems to have recently developed...not fun. Sleep quality is good though.

Goals: get in a walk this weekend and one next week. Maybe stretch a bit too.

Switch to the birth center after the next ultrasound.

Buy or borrow from the library Ina May Gaskin's book on giving birth; I've heard it's a nice read that helps to normalize a process that seems to have been made somewhat feared and/or unnatural.

Get a baby book!

Random: it's hard to believe that the holidays are almost here...time to crank up the Christmas music {it happens earlier and earlier each year anyway...}.

Also, I've been slogging through some baby books which I'm really enjoying; there's always something to learn.
xoxo, natty ♥

Week 16 to 22.

Today's a doozy but I'll be all caught up after today so bear with me...start from the bottom for chronological order.

22 weeks.

And what a great World Series win for Boston!! Which brings us to…

Kind of a weird angle but the bump is very prominent. And I'm tired; this is at the end of a really long day - I'm in real clothes only because we were out with friends and I wasn't at home/able to change into an elastic waist.

How far along: 22 weeks

Symptoms: a squirmy baby…and a light linea negra – the line that forms from the belly button down on some women during pregnancy. And continued pregnancy gingivitis {uck} so my gums bleed when I brush and floss and they’re swollen {I’m finally calling a dentist this week}…that one’s been happening for a while but I keep forgetting to write it down. Still very hungry all the time but I do get really really full {feel like my belly is gonna pop} whereas pre-pregnancy I’d just feel really full.

Wait gain: I’m at 148 now; up four pounds from last week which is Not Good. But, in my health’s defense, I just ate a large dinner and drank a ton of water so I’ll check it out again in the morning.

Size of baby: a papaya or a spaghetti squash. Another odd set of produce comparisons.

Exercise: nothing. But maybe that weight gain will spur me on to walk a bit.  

Milestones: Not much, just continuing to be thankful for a healthy pregnancy and hoping for it to continue this way.

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: not yet!

Movement: yes and it’s getting a bit stronger. The little guy/girl is so roly-poly some days and I love it so much.

What I'm looking forward to: finding out boy or girl and going home to visit family; since it’s November I can officially say we see them all next month!

Thoughts/questions/concerns: just waiting for that next ultrasound.

Sleep: I just wish I were getting more of it. But the quality is just fine, though I was battling some sinus issues this week and the congestion was making breathing at night very uncomfortable - bottom line: I got over it.

Goals: get in some exercise? And switch to the birthing center.

Random: We’re going back to Shenandoah for an overnight tomorrow; we’ll be staying in the lodge and not camping, which is much easier but still enjoyable. Next week is going to be a long one at work/school for us both but then Thanksgiving break {we each get the whole week} is on the horizon.

 

 

 

 

21 weeks.

Same pants as last week; even though I'm wearing mostly maternity things now, it seems as though the supply may need some diversifying.

How far along: 21 weeks

Symptoms: good movement. Feeling a bit sick at the start of the week. Feeling really sick, actually – it was hitting me at around 3 in the afternoon and it would last for a couple of hours. It’s subsided in the past day but it was weird that it came back. 

Also, despite the queasiness, I’ve been RAVENOUS. We have a really nice dining hall at work {akin to a small college’s cafeteria} and I almost feel embarrassed at lunch each day when I visit each station for something. Maybe baby’s having a growth spurt? I’ve also been feeling full faster, despite all the eating. It’s mostly in the evening when I’m not as active after I eat {as opposed to lunch when I go right back to the classroom} so that's probably why. I’ve been more tired than usual this week too so maybe definitely a growth spurt.

Wait gain: up to almost 144 this week. Yeah, something’s happening. I’d been keeping steady at a one pound gain a week, which is what I’m supposed to do from here on out, but this is almost three pounds in a one week span. Let’s hope it doesn’t keep up like this!

Size of baby: a carrot or a pomegranate. I think this week’s combination is the weirdest duo.

Exercise:  same as last week - nada; does teaching high school count? Mental exercise?

Milestones: We got our first baby clothes {other than some fun shoes ♥} in the mail {thanks Jacqui and Aaron!!!!} and Mike has felt more kicks but not much else. I’ve been working on a registry too, which is kind of a milestone?

What I miss: nothing =)

Sex: not yet!

Movement: yes and I love it. It’s nerve-wracking when baby isn’t as active at some times as at other times but he/she starts squirming around pretty quickly after taking a rest so then I feel better.

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the sex!!! Going home in December to California and Arizona.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: just waiting for that next ultrasound.

Sleep: it’s been kind of crummy this week but I don’t think it’s pregnancy related.

Goals: get in some exercise? And switch to the birthing center.

Random: I’m HAPPY it’s Friday! I guess maybe it’s kind of neat to think about how for all of the things we’re doing right now {going back to school, pumpkin carving, apple picking, gearing up for the holidays…}, it’s the last time we’ll do it all without a little one in tow…I think it’s a very exciting and happy thing.

And, I think I may have "popped" a bit this week? Here's a side by side from this and last week.

My head looks so tiny in this week's shot; weird angle.

All that eating was for something!

And here's the poor hound feeling scared and neglected while I was doing my self-photoshoot.

Look by the blue & white bag. And those cute shoes on the right!!!

In the foreground that's our drying rack that was moved out of the normal spot and Guinness was NOT A FAN of what was going on.

 

 

 

20 weeks.

And we made it to half way {at least let's hope [and pray and wish and will] so!}; woo hoo!!!

I call this "Barefoot and Pregnant".

How far along: 20 weeks

Symptoms: more movement {yippee!}. I’m still smelling things more and then today had a random bout of morning sickness, though it has never been sickness, just queasiness. It hit in the afternoon too which never really had happened before.

Wait gain: 141; from my start of 125 that’s a 16 pound gain. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, for my BMI prior to pregnancy I should gain between 25 and 35 pounds. But everyone is different. If I were to double what I’ve gained so far {since I’m at the half-way point} then I’d be nicely in that window but I’ve heard that the biggest gain is in the latter months of pregnancy. I know that I’m eating healthy {thought not exercising like I could/should} and that I’m feeling OK about things so I’m not too worried. 

Plus, I believe I wasn’t at the weight my body would normally like to be at pre-pregnancy; I started eating freely {no more salad-only lunches} after I found out and that packed on a few pounds early on but then the gain has leveled out.

Size of baby: a banana. Both websites state this. What’s neat is that now baby’s length/height is measured as it would be for you and me; from our head to our feet. Prior, fetuses are measured crown to rump since their little leggies are so curled up {I love the word "rump"!}.

Exercise:  same as last week --> nada; does teaching high school count? Mental exercise? Although I got in some good walking with my dad and I walked to pick up our vegetables this week too.

Milestones: this was a big week for dad; Mike got to hear the heartbeat, see the baby on ultrasound, and feel a kick from the outside. 

We were supposed to find out the sex but the little guy/gal would not uncross his/her legs. As a friend of ours pointed out, the kid’s already keeping secrets from his/her parents. 

This ultrasound was the big 20-week anatomy scan and everything looked beautiful; yea! There is a little cyst on the baby’s brain, which sounds really scary {choroid plexus cyst} but isn’t; it’s supposed to dissolve on its own in the next month or so and then we get to go back to confirm that it’s gone and THEN maybe we’ll find out the sex {talk about a lesson in learning to relinquish control!}.

What I miss: nada nada limonada; nothing!

Sex: not yet!

Movement: yes! Baby’s more active some days than others. Mike was able to feel it {so cool!} {he said he thinks it’s just gas} and I’ve seen a few bumps from the outside too. This part of pregnancy is amazing.

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the sex in a matter of DAYS weeks! Someone at work mentioned that now it’s kind of nice to still have something big {other than the birth, obviously} to look forward to. It’ll also be nice to feel more and more movement.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: that cyst was a weird/scary thing to find out about until the doctor seemed so relaxed about it. Other than that we have a baby with a beautiful heart, a good brain, and all his/her limbs {with some crossed legs}. 

Also, I'm not enamored of the OB practice I'm currently at and I've been meaning to get myself into/over to a local birthing center. There's also a midwifery practice nearby so hopefully I'll be transitioning over to one of those two places soon. The current place is OK but it's almost factory-like; there are so many doctors and so many patients it just doesn't feel that personal. Plus I'm really dedicated to the idea of having a nurse-midwife throughout the rest of this pregnancy and delivery.

Sleep: good still.

Goals: get in some exercise?

Random: we won’t break 70 degrees in the next week and for the first time in my life I’m OK with that; as I had heard, pregnancy really does make me a bit warmer. It’s actually nice to enjoy the cooling weather. 

Also, we had such a great time with my dad visiting; thanks so much for trekking out here grandpa! It's crazy to think we'll see family once more before they have a new little one to dote on.

 

 

 

19 weeks.

My dad’s here this weekend; yippee!!!!!! And that brings me to 19 weeks too!

Yeah, that hair has got to go. But where to find the time...

How far along: 19 weeks

Symptoms: more movement {!!!}, smelling things a lot more {wasn’t this supposed to happen at the beginning?}, growing a bit more up top and in the bump, though it hasn’t “popped” yet {or at least I don’t think so}…

Wait gain: TBD in the morning; we had a big dinner tonight and I forgot to step on the scale this morning.

Size of baby: an heirloom tomato or a mango; what an interesting mix of fruits and vegetables this has been! Wouldn’t it be funny if they used inanimate objects instead; a stapler and 20 weeks, a car key at 12 weeks…

Exercise:  nada; does teaching high school count? Mental exercise?

Milestones: I’m still pretty excited about feeling this little thing bopping around in there.

What I miss: nada!

Gender: not yet!

Movement: yes. It’s intermittent and I can’t find a specific thing {sweets, lying down, etc.} that seems to really get him/her going.

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the sex in a matter of DAYS! And feeling stronger, more consistent movement.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: Not much of anything, I’ve been so busy with work there’s not much brain space left over.

Sleep: good, just not enough! And I’m loving my big pillow {see last week}.

Goals: get in some exercise?

Random: my baby’s amazing grandmother sent me some much needed, loved, and appreciated maternity tops. And a pair of the cutest shoes for little Melamed; thanks Kathy, we loved the gifts so so much ❤. 

18 weeks.

In looking at these pictures, maybe it's time I get this hair taken car of? The blonde of yesteryear that grew out into an ombre is starting to look ready for a change.

But, here's to18 weeks!

Taken early this morning, my eyes are still puffy.

How far along: 18 weeks

Symptoms: not much new. My upper chest area is still quite sore and seeming to continue its growth pattern {yea!}. I am pretty positive that it’s a baby inside of me that I’m feeling flickering around and not just gas {SO exciting to me ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤}.

Wait gain: 139.

Size of baby: a bell pepper or a sweet potato!

Exercise:  nothing still. I’ve done a couple of walks with reason {to go somewhere or run an errand} and that’s been nice.

 

Milestones: Again, I’m pretty sure these flutters are the little blob…WOW!

What I miss: white wine again this week ;)

Sex: not yet!

Movement: I think so but only when I’m sitting or laying down.

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the gender in a week and a half.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: Same as last week, I’d love to have the ultrasound and be sure that things are going well in there.

Sleep: still good but tummy sleeping is getting a bit more uncomfortable.

Goals: get in more movement.

Random: a fairy godfriend sent me an AMAZING and thoughtful gift this week; “Belly Laughs” by Jenny McCarthy and…a pregnancy pillow!!!! It’s a huge snake-like thing and I tried it out last night; I love it. It curls up around me and I can slip it between my legs, which is great support. I’m a big pillow person anyway so this is especially special gift.

 

 

 

 

17 weeks.

This is last week's post from September 27th when I was 17 weeks along.

Mike is the best husband and loves me so sweetly but a good picture taker, he is not.

How far along: 17 weeks

Symptoms: this week I’ve been super emotional/teary {starting to cry at most anything}, tired {which is funny because I didn’t feel exceptionally tired at all during first trimester like they say you do}, and HUNGRY. 

I’ve also had some no-fun bouts of queasiness, especially in the mornings if I don’t eat enough. I had these weird electric shock feelings in my abdomen but nothing came of them. 

My bosom hurts still and is actually growing enough to warrant a new bra size; yippee! 

There might be a faint linea negra starting up, too.

Wait gain: 137; up 17 pounds from 120.

Size of baby: an onion or a turnip!

Exercise:  nothing still, though I walked around a track a bit while Mike was playing soccer. I’m feeling bad about it. But, I’m also exhausted after work and my feet hurt from being on them all day. I was better this week about leaving work earlier and having some more time at home in the evening so maybe after another week of getting home a bit earlier I’ll feel good and ready about getting out in the evenings for a stroll.

Milestones: I bought a new bra in a size up; that was a brand new experience.

What I miss: running fast. When I was walking around the track earlier in the week I was missing the feeling of sprinting around those curves so maybe I miss being in shape and running fast and strong. Soon enough.

Sex: not yet!

Movement: maybe? Only lying down in bed and only if I’m lying on my stomach, though, this is embarrassing...it could be gas?

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the gender next month and going to the birthing center for the first time this week.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: I just wanna know everything is OK. I think that each time before an appointment comes I’ll feel concern and stress until I can hear that heartbeat.

New category! Sleep: I’m sleeping fine still but I'm starting to feel uncomfortable on my belly; almost like there’s a big bubble in there? Which I guess there is?

Goals: stay at work less, start to walk, eat enough veggies.

Random: I wanna know boy or girl!

 I had mentioned in the week before that I'd like to make a quilt for baby and then Rebecca up and showed us just how beautiful friendship is by making each of her five bridesmaids a quilt. Enough quilt to wrap up in on the couch. That girl.

 

16 weeks.

The week home with my new quilt brought me to 16 weeks on September 20th, 2013.

How far along: 16 weeks
  Symptoms: queasy, tired, bosom hurts and is growing {totally growing [for me], like, woah!} {& getting lopsided :/}, and my upper back hurts {?!} {could it be from needing a better bra? I don’t think the change in size up there is that big of a deal but I’ve always been extremely petite so perhaps even this much of a change makes a difference}.

Wait gain: 136 this week, up one from last week. Not too shabby for the amount of eating that transpired over our weekend in Minnesota.

Size of baby: an avocado!

Exercise:  nothing still. I didn’t make/find anytime for walking and haven’t attempted a run yet. I am so tired by the end of the day and with my upper back hurting really badly all of a sudden it’s hard enough to make dinner and take a shower. Plus it’s 8 PM by the time those two things happen…

Milestones: I maybe felt a tiny flutter one or two nights while lying in bed but I don’t think it was baby. And we’ve officially said goodbye to our last summer as childless married folks. It’s funny the think of all of these “lasts” when the actual baby seems so far away.

What I miss: my back not hurting! But nothing much else this week beyond running. Mike has been getting in his runs and I feel so jealous when he gets home because that post-run feeling is like nothing else.

Sex: not yet!

Movement: not yet!

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the gender next month.

Thoughts/questions/concerns: Why does my back hurt this way?

Goals: same as last week à start walking this week maybe get in a short run. Stay at work less and be at home to relax.

Random: I remembered that I’d like to get an actual paper/hard copy baby book. My mother-in-law and I saw some really cute ones at the National Archives gift shop this summer and I took pictures of them so I could maybe search and find the same ones online to choose from and order.

 xoxo, natty ♥