From a tiny poppyseed...

We were eating hot dogs (my food of the week) on poppyseed buns the other day and I looked down at all the poppyseeds that were left on my plate.
Wow. Baby was just a little poppyseed a few months ago.

Now he's huge! It's so weird to look down at the poppyseed and then my belly and realize how much he's grown. The whole thing really is an amazing process and such a miracle to create a little person in such a short amount of time.

32 Week Update

Baby's the size of a jicama!
By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

I can't believe it's July 4th weekend already. The time is flying by! All winter & spring I kept thinking how far off the summer was and now it's here and half over! The baby is going to be here so soon.This weekend was Grandpa (soon to be Great Grandpa's) birthday and everyone was super excited about getting to see the baby soon. Lots of belly rubs and baby talk! We also got a bunch of cute hand-me-downs from cousin Ryan and even a few things that we gave him as a baby!

Oh, morning sickness...you never really do go away, do you? You creep back up just when I think you're starting to go away. It seems to be getting a little worse lately, but I'm reading that it's common for a lot of girls in 3rd trimester. Don't we have to deal with enough already? Pressure down there, being out of breath, no room left to eat, stretched skin, etc? I don't want to have to buy another container of Preggy Pop drops with 7 weeks to go!

So the popping belly button...it's getting VERY close! There's about 75% that's just about to pop any second and then 25% still makes a little hole. Looks like it's going to pop out any day now!

On a good note, we spent a lot of the 3-day weekend working on the nursery and we're almost done! Between my crafty skills and Daddy's handyman skills, we were able to get everything finished up and all the wall art hung. The only thing left to do is caulk and fill nail holes! It's so excited to get everything finished up because it means we're getting down to the end. I'm having so much fun getting things organized in the closet and going through shower gifts to put things away.

I really wanted to go see fireworks and check out the craft fair, but I chose to stay home and use every bit of energy to get things finished up. I just look forward to the future years of fun 4th of July parades, BBQs, fireworks and fun!

Indiana Baby Shower

On June 25, we had our first baby shower in Indiana with Hubby's family.
My sister decided to come along for the long drive and I was glad to have her there.

Hubby got our nephew's baby drool all over his shirt before the photos, so this is our awkward pose trying to cover it up!

They decorated with cute little trains and stars.

We played a sock matching game where everyone at the shower got one of these colorful packages. Inside were two mis-matched socks. Whoever had socks that were identical to mine would win a prize.

My two cute socks

My sister had the matches!

For the next game, I measured my belly using this cute mommy tummy tape. Then all the guests had to guess how long my piece was and cut their own to match.

Noelle thought it would be a good idea to measure her 11 year old and then add a little extra.

Here I am comparing my tape to Grandma (soon to be Great Grandma) T.

And comparing to Noelle and her daughter...

Everyone here is cracking up because Natalie & Diane's measurements were WAY too big!

And on to the gifts!

Gotta love the awkward opening gifts poses!

Very excited about our new baby monitor!

Who can resist cute newborn booties?

It was a really fun day and I'm so glad I was able to spend some time with Hubby's relatives before baby is here. Next time we're in Indiana, the baby will be coming with us!

Never been so excited to do laundry

because of the new laundry basket I bought! Plus, it's totally cute in blue to match the baby's room. (We keep laundry baskets in the closet to throw clothes right in.) I'm so excited that I found a one-handed laundry basket to make life easier. The ones we had before were huge and I was always tripping down the stairs, leaving marks on the walls, and barely fitting through the doorways to get to the laundry room. This is perfect!

I'm also excited to do laundry to wash all the new baby stuff I have. Once it's washed, it's ready to go!

31 Week Update

Baby's the size of 4 navel oranges!
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Our first baby shower in Indiana was this weekend, but I'll do a separate post for those details.

So the big drama this week was the storm that passed through. There were tornado sirens going off so I was woken up and dragged to the basement with Kitty. No terrible damage from the storm, luckily, but the power went out the next day. And the next day. And the next day. More than 3 days with no power was not fun. We had to throw out all our food in the fridge & freezer to start all over again. It was very hard to sleep when it was hot in the house and there were noisy generators running all night. The night the power went back on was the best sleep I've had in a long time!

2 giant trash bags full of foodOur poor empty fridge...

So...hot dogs! I'm lovin' em! All my friends and family think this is totally weird. I don't even usually eat red meat. But I've been really wanting a good Vienna Beef with a deli pickle on a soft bun. I think we counted that I've had 7 already this year! I'm also back to strawberries like I was a couple months ago.

Braxton Hicks slowed down a little this week and I really tried to stay hydrated. The weekend was more difficult since drinks weren't always accessible and I forget that I should keep something with me at all times. I definitely need to work on that...

Sunday we went to the breastfeeding class at the hospital. 2.5 hours of breastfeeding information is a little much, but it was helpful to learn more about it. I'd rather be a little more informed before having a baby and jumping in. I learned some things I didn't know before so it was definitely worthwhile. I can't believe that the next time we'll be at that hospital will be when I'm in labor!

Random people and their comments

I have to say that I think I've been pretty lucky with this recently. I always hear these stories about the rude comments pregnant women get and you wonder how anyone could possibly think it's okay to say these things.

I've had the random questions like, "How much weight have you gained?" and "You're really small. Are you sure the baby is ok?" But other than that, it's been pretty minimal.

Oh wait, now that I think about it...back when I was the morning sickness queen (now I'm just the princess) people used to tell me all these different things they did to help them feel better. I just wanted to scream, "No, you don't understand. I've tried everything possible and nothing works!" Seriously, you think I haven't tried that yet when I've been sick every single day for the past 25 weeks?

I also have not had a stranger belly rub yet! I kinda wanted one just to say I had it, but nothing yet. Only my family has done it, but that's fine with me.

Maybe it will happen much more often after the baby is born when I get all the comment about how I must do things a certain way or I'm a bad mom. Sounds fun, right? : )

The piggies

That's what Hubby calls my toes.

The piggies are getting very hard to reach these days! Anyone who knows me knows I'm super cheap and hate to spend too much money on things I don't need. I've always done my own nails except for a couple times a year because it seems dumb to pay for something I can do myself. But it's getting pretty hard to reach down there and be comfortable painting my nails without smushing the baby.

I'm officially calling it quits on pedicures on myself until after the baby is born. I can still cut my nails, but even that will probably get more difficult. I'm splurging on some pretty toes for the next 3 months! Nothing too fancy, but I'd like them looking decent for the summer.

30 Week Update

Baby's the size of a cabbage!
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

The big 3-0! Or as Hubby calls it...the Dirty Thirty! It feels like I've been waiting for this week forever & it's such a big milestone. It's been a big week for baby-related appointments and getting things finished.

Lots of requests for more belly photos, so here they are!
We met with our pediatrician this week which was a special treat for me because she was my pediatrician too! I was shocked to recognize some of the women at the front desk from when I used to go there too. Totally weird to go from being a patient to the mommy of a patient! The doctor was just like I remember her and I think she'll be great with the baby. Luckily, she also has rights in the hospital so she'll be seeing the baby after he's born.The next day, I had my 30 week appointment with my OB and everything is still going perfectly. The baby measures 30-31 weeks and right on schedule. I was a little shocked that he *might* be a little big. He better not turn into a huge 11 pound baby in the next 2 months! My mom went with and asked some questions about labor and delivery so she was happy to get some answers on things she was curious about. I'm starting appointments every 2 weeks which means it's getting down to the end!

I got a lot accomplished this weekend and it was fun to finally make some progress! After a month, I finally found the last piece of wall art that I was looking for. The one I wanted was always scratched in the 4 stores I went to and even after getting a rain check. Finally, I found one that looked decent and got 50% off. I also was able to find this wooden train to paint that I've been looking all over for. It took me 4 different stores and a drive from Schaumburg to Vernon Hills to get all the pieces, but it's so worth it! Can't wait to paint them! I also got really weird about receiving blanket fabric during the last few weeks b/c I really wanted ones that were cotton t-shirt-like material rather than the flannel they sell everywhere. I must have spent hours online looking for them. Finally, I found 3 and got them for the sale price of $16 that were regularly sold for $40. Love my bargains : )

As I've been saying every week, Kitty is getting more and more clingy and protective of his mommy and baby brother.

Don't question my choices

Gosh, people. Don't question my registry. (And to my friends who have suggested things, this does not include you. You know I love you and appreciate all your help.)

But the other people can shut up, please.

You don't even wanna know how many hours I've spent online looking at things and trying to make the best decisions. I picked that item because I read good reviews about it or a few people recommended it to me. If I didn't pick the brand you like, too bad. If I don't have something on there, there's a reason it's not on there. Trust me, I know what I'm doing.

I purposely did not fill it with toys and clothes because I know people love to buy that cute stuff anyway. I did not put things that we won't need for awhile because I'd rather get the important things we need right away and wait on the others. I don't expect 200 gifts so I tried to pick out the things that were the most crucial to have. I'm sure we'll be out buying stuff in the fall, but I love shopping!

Of course, I'm very grateful for any gift that someone gives us for the baby, but this just bugs me!

Thankyouverymuch,
Pregnant and Hormonal Lisa

Braxton Hicks

Yep, I've got 'em now. It took me awhile to realize that's what they were, but I'm pretty sure now. The little tightening pain in my belly is starting to come more frequently now. I really didn't know what to expect, so I don't know if they're worse or better than I thought. Just a little annoying. It happened a lot today in the car and yesterday while at my desk at work, so I'm thinking that sitting makes them worse.

I guess I'll be enjoying these for the next 2 months!

29 Week Update

Baby's the size of a squash!
Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Yeah, he's starting to get pretty big! People are making comments to me all the time now and even strangers are coming up to me when I'm out. I was kinda waiting for this to happen since I'm a late bloomer : ) I'm reading that he's going to double or triple in weight by the time he's born and I just don't see how he's even going to fit! My skin feels like it's going to rip now, so I can't imagine it in a couple months!

This week has been a little better in terms of pain and being comfortable. I'm learning more how to cope with the huge belly and how to avoid feeling so stuffed all the time. My chronic cough and allergies both have surprisingly gotten better so that's a nice perk.

We had our hospital tour on Saturday! There was a presentation first that went through a lot of the information and questions. Then we had a bathroom break (I love that they schedule that into the tour!) And then we walked around to see labor & delivery, the nursery, and the recovery rooms. It was nice to see that all the rooms were private with a bathroom and shower and flat screen tv. I really enjoyed going to see the hospital and it made me feel better knowing what to expect and where we would be.

It's already almost the middle of June and the time is going by so fast. He's going to be here before we know it!

Registry Stalking

I refused to do this for my wedding. I love surprises and I didn't want to know what anyone was buying me.

But it's so much torture now! I've been checking Babies R Us every few days like a crazy mom. Today when I went on, I promised myself that once something was purchased, I'd stop looking.

Ok, 3 things were purchased and now I have to stop!

We'll see how this goes...

Migraine-free

I can't even believe I'm typing this. It just occurred to me this morning that I haven't had a migraine in awhile.

Wait, what?!?

How is this possible?

I started getting major headaches at 16 years old and started getting migraines at 18. They've been non-stop for 11 years despite treatments, meds, etc. First trimester, they were horrible. I had them almost every day and it was torture not to be able to take my pain meds. For second trimester, they started to slow down and I was only getting them at night which was a lot easier to deal with. Now that I'm in third trimester, I haven't had even one. Great, I probably just jinxed myself with this. I didn't even know what life was like without them! I'm sure it's a combination of my crazy hormones and being less stressed than I used to be. But whatever it is, keep it up! I'm liking this!

That's hot.

Yep, that's a sexy look. I am now the proud owner of a maternity support belt thanks to my very low baby boy. It's getting hard to walk and exercise now that he's constantly putting so much pressure on me and my poor bladder. I literally have to pee 4 times during the hour at lunch when I change, work out, and change again because it's so bad.

I'm willing to give this a try at least for long walks so I can be a little more comfortable. It's SO stylish!

28 week update & lots of bump pics

Baby's the size of a Chinese cabbage!
By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Here's the 28 week bump! How weird that I'm wearing my college graduation party dress that I bought 7 years ago!

Oh how things have changed in just a week! I went from happily comfortable to a wiggling baby that is trying to break free. I went from hardly any pain to having a hard time doing anything because the baby is hurting me.
Of course, I'm still so happy to be here. I'm just shocked at how quickly this all changes. Now I get the whole 3rd trimester pain. I have a hard time walking and sitting sometimes because there's so much pressure on my bladder and belly. There are some times when my belly feels so full that I feel like I'm going to pop at any second. Just a few bites of food and I feel like I ate a 5-course meal. I seriously think my belly button is going to go "pop" any second now. Just this week it started getting more difficult to sleep because he's moving so much. And here he goes now as I type this...

Perfect shirt for the occasion!No big food things this week. I'm more full than anything so I don't really have any desires for certain things. I'm getting more and more thirsty, but I can never think of anything good I want to drink besides club soda. Beer is looking awfully thirst-quenching though...

As for the good things, I love the summer weather we're getting now. I can wear flip flops and tank tops all the time! The heat is a little harder to breathe in than usual, but I still love it. It took a lot of guts, but I finally got the nerve to wear my first dress. I felt so naked in this when I put it on in the morning before work, but it got better throughout the day. As much as I'm a girly girl, I don't like dresses because it feels like I forgot to put my pants on or something. I'm feeling better about it after wearing this, so I might try it again next week.
We've made a lot of progress on the baby's room this weekend too. Lots of crafts and renovations on their way to being done!

"Baby"

Baby T still does not have a name so we just call him Baby.
"Baby kicked me." "Baby is trying to rip through my stomach." "Baby needs a foot massage." (or Mommy)

Not much time left! This is such a huge decision and I don't want to make it in one day. I do want to decide because I have crafts to do with his name, but I don't want to tell people and get their stupid opinions. Hubby really wants to tell people once we decide, so that's why I'm putting it off. I told him I'd be very sad if people say anything negative and he said they wouldn't. Ehhh, I don't know about that. People will want to change our minds if there's still time. If we don't announce it until the birth, it will be too late and that's his name.

Maybe I'm just overly sensitive and worried about this, but it bothers me. If we decide on a name, we obviously took some time to think it over and we're happy with it. Why do people feel the need to give their input like we just decided in 2 seconds and want to change it? And why do people feel the need to go out of their way to suggest names they like? It's completely our decision and I don't want input from others. I've looked through the name books a zillion times and I promise I saw your precious name in there. If I liked it, it would be on my list.

Special deliveries!

I've been anxiously waiting to get some fun packages delivered this week. I was checking the doorstep every few hours over the weekend to see if anything was dropped off.

Yesterday I came home to 2 boxes!

We've been waiting impatiently for this one...the glider & ottoman! After many hours of testing and debating chairs in the store, I wasn't willing to spend $500 for one that matched the room and was actually comfortable. The cheaper one I liked didn't come in a color that matched and so I didn't want it. After some research, my last resort was the Danielle Glider & Ottoman set from Target. It got awesome reviews so I figured I'd give it a try. The color made me a little nervous because people have differing opinions of it and it's really hard to tell from a tiny picture on the web. We were shocked when we opened that box to see that the yellow cushions were almost exactly the same as the wall color!Ok, so it's not as smushy as I would like, but I think it will work. I'm making some extra pillow to make it more comfy. I'm happy to be spending 1/3 of the price we would have paid for a fancy one.

In the second box that arrived was our mobile! Again, another internet purchase that had me a little worried. The mobile that went with our bedding set was not what I wanted. I'm not really into the buoys and life preserver because it kinda makes me think of someone drowning. Does that seem like a happy thing to have in a baby's room? I don't think so.I LOVE this teddy bear one that I found at Target and it matches great. Turns out, the song it plays is the same song my mobile played when I was a baby!I love getting the room ready and seeing how it gets cuter week by week : )