Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Count Down to Baby - 28 weeks & update on Nesting List

This week has actually been really productive on the baby front! 

Date: 7/31/13

Due Date: 10/22/13 though there has been some talk of moving that estimated due date to 10/20.

How far along?: 28 weeks & 3 days :)

Weight Gain:I haven't gained any over my pre-pregnancy weight according to the doctor. Though I'm fairly certain that will change after my next appointment considering I can tell how much I'm growing and that my belly has seemingly exploded over night!

My baby is the size of a: Small Cabbage - I like Pregnant Chicken's version better, a Chihuahua!

Maternity Clothes: Yes, and much to my dismay - I'm probably about to have to go get more.

Stretch Marks: Oh yeah... The 3 became six. Symmetrical and lovely around my belly button like a cat scratch on each side. Hopefully that will be the last of it!

Belly Button In or Out: These days we have several different versions of "out" - we have the slightly popped out version that I sport most days, then we have the "baby is high & pushing" version that makes it poke out and be visible through even my most baggy shirts and lastly we have "Baby girl is trying to leave the womb via my belly button" version that makes my belly button stand up and take on a whole life of it's own (and did I mention painful?!?)

Wedding Ring on or off: On & loose

Symptoms:Well I have the Pregnancy gingivitis going on - that was lovely to discover (though the bleeding gums had tipped me off, so I suspected). I'm tired, can't bend over etc. but really most days it isn't a big deal - to quote my mother "I'm myself, just bigger".

Cravings:  Sweets, I'm trying to keep this one under control and slate the craving with fresh fruit smoothies made at home (cost effective!)

Aversions: None that I can think of!

Sleep:Could be better... I think I may have become a permanent resident on our couch because the bed just isn't cutting it anymore.

I am loving: Setting up the nursery & together time with John. I'm having trouble accepting that time between just the two of us is about to become scarce.

I miss: Good sleep...

I am looking forward to: Birthing & breast feeding classes! And baby showers are coming up soon!

I'm freaking out about: Not too much.

Best moment this week: Nothing land mark, but we're making great progress in the to-do list department!

Worst moment this week:Dentist :(

Emotions: Pretty good! I'm clingy to John - which even he has commented on, but I'm just trying to soak up all the "us" time I can before baby girl gets here! 

Milestones: We're in the 3rd trimester, less than 12 weeks to go!

Movement: Tons! It's still odd to actually see my belly move!

It's a...:GIRL!

Exercise: Good! We've been walking in the evenings and I'm hoping to increase our distance by a mile in the next couple of weeks. And... I really need to be doing some squats, gotta get on that!

Diet:Good, nothing out of the ordinary. I could probably use some more water intake but I've never been stellar at drinking enough water.

Goals for the upcoming week: Have the inevitable fight with the hospital about my "anticipated deposit", the amount they think I'll owe for this delivery. It's outrageous! Particularly because they didn't file my insurance correctly so they think my deductible is $1,500 more than it actually is, nor do they show the fact that we have, in fact, met our deductible. UGH.

Nursery: It's coming along! I'll post pictures when it's a little more "put together" and a little less of the room where we're currently dumping all things baby.

Bump watch:

If you look really hard - you can actually see the tips of my toes!

Update on the Nesting List

- Get pre-registered at the hospital (Completed 7/25)
- Interview & hire a doula - I've picked one that I think I'm going to really like! We are working out a time to meet for the interview... so some progress on this front!
- Write a birth-plan (with the doula)
- Birthing classes Registered 7/30!
- Pick a Pediatrician Found one that comes highly recommended along with the other 3 doctors in her practice. As long as our "interview" doesn't have any unforeseen surprises, we're good to go on this front!
- Visit the Dentist I saw the dentist on the 30th. Pregnancy Gingivitius is wreaking havoc with my gums so I will get to see them at least once more before baby girl comes!
- Wash all of babys clothes from Newborn through 3 months
- Set up nursery essentials (bedding, put clothes & diapers in dresser etc.)
- Hang wall art for nursery
- finish changing name legally
- Update our Wills, my Living Will and End of life directives
- Enter all time for DCCPS & ACPF to date
- Have my office ready for someone else to use at a moments notice (daily starting at 35 weeks)
- Clean upholstery in car & have towels adjusted to make seat covers
- Make seat covers for new van.
- Pepper to the vet
- New tires on Car.
- Baby-Proof House
- Pack a hospital bag for mommy, daddy & baby
- Get Guest Room set up & ready for guests (I'm not marking this one as "complete" because there are a few things I'd like done before we have guests when baby girl makes her debut, but it was "guest ready" for John's cousin last weekend so the bulk of the work is done!)
- Install Doorbell
- Install car seats (week 37/38)

- Have at least 2 weeks worth of freezer meals ready to go before baby comes (this means I've got to get our chest freezer out of storage {and find a place for it to go!}!)

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Before the baby/Nesting List

I am in hopes that publishing this list will get my rear in gear and hold me accountable to actually get these things done. I'm sure the list will grow as I think of more things and shrink as I (*hopefully*) get stuff accomplished. 

- Get pre-registered at the hospital (Completed 7/25)
- Interview & hire a doula (completed!)
- Write a birth-plan (with the doula) (Completed 9/18, post coming soon!)
- Birthing classes
- Pick a Pediatrician
- Visit the Dentist
- Wash all of babys clothes from Newborn through 3 months
- Set up nursery essentials (bedding, put clothes & diapers in dresser etc.)
- Hang wall art for nursery
- finish changing name legally
- Update our Wills, my Living Will and End of life directives
- Enter all time for DCCPS & ACPF to date
- Have my office ready for someone else to use at a moments notice (daily starting at 35 weeks)
- Clean upholstery in car & have towels adjusted to make seat covers
- Make seat covers for new van.
- Pepper to the vet
- New tires on Car. (Half way there - 2 more to go)
- Baby-Proof House
- Pack a hospital bag for mommy, daddy & baby
- Get Guest Room set up & ready for guests
- Install Doorbell
- Install car seats (week 37/38)


**Edit for additions to list**
- Have at least 2 weeks worth of freezer meals ready to go before baby comes (this means I've got to get our chest freezer out of storage!)

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Moving Weekend!

It is finally  here!! 
I never thought we would make it - and it isn't happening quite like we thought it would...
but we finally moved!!

Rather than purchasing a house like we planned, we took a hard look at our finances and decided that the best route would be for us to rent (as cheaply as possible) until we were ready to buy after the little one comes this fall. It will probably be about two years more before we make it back to the buying discussion.

For months we have been living in a house full of boxes. Since we knew we would be moving - if it wasn't something essential, we packed it up and set it aside.

That's just one wall of boxes (about 3 deep towards the wall).

Considering I'm really rather pregnant (we moved in my 23rd week of pregnancy) - we knew I wouldn't be much help with the heavy lifting. My brothers, who are usually our go-to labor source were on a mission trip to New Orleans, so they weren't really around much until Late Saturday night with an early Sunday moving day.

With these variables, it took a lot of planning - but we got it all worked out thanks to a bunch of our friends. John and I loaded a 20 foot trailer we borrowed and the beds of two trucks with boxes and non-furniture items Saturday (in the hot-hot-hot Texas heat!)


I worked and wiggled and manuvored boxes to fill every single available space so none was wasted.

Then Saturday evening Joshua - the youngest brother, fresh off a week long trip and long drive home came out and re-did the brakes on a truck and solved a few other unexpected problems that arose (like the trucks inability to start...).


Ever in true fashion, the project couldn't have possibly been completed in a regular way -
So this is how rednecks jump a truck that is pinned between a house & a fence. I don't recommend trying this at home.


At 1 am we were finally packed, the truck was repaired & everything was set up to take the first load the next morning first thing before church. John, Josh and I loaded into the car, all of us so relieved to finally be sitting down and I realized I had no clue where the keys were...

There was no denying that I was the last to have them, but where I put them - no idea!
Y'all Pregnancy Brain is real! Especially when tired.

After searching we gave up and located the box we had packed the key holder in, complete with a spare key to the car.

The next morning when Josh & I went to bring the 2 trucks and trailer into town to be unloaded I located the keys (sunlight, it does amazing stuff!)

Ever so logically placed on top of boxes!
While Josh, the other brothers & I were in church - John and a friend moved all the boxes into the house to sit on the tile and wood areas (the carpets were being cleaned).
It took the two of them an hour and a half to unload what it took us about 5 or 6 hours to load the night before.

After a delightful and well deserved (for them...) lunch at Fuzzy's Taco, Josh & John took the trailer back out to our old house to load the last of the boxes & all of the furniture. During this time I started unpacking the kitchen and met the 4 other friends coming in to be our afternoon crew.
The livingroom full of boxes only took 30 minutes to be sorted into the appropriate rooms after everyone arrived (& the carpet dried).

About that time the boys arrived with the second trailer full.

All in all, it was a successful move! We were "finished" by 6:30 and everyone was able to head home in a timely fashion to get to bed for a workday Monday, leaving John and I to put together the bed (with Joshua's assistance of course) and locate the necessities for the next day.

On the note of being successful: We only broke one thing!! 

We love our new home and I'm really enjoying getting to finally nest!
This is the first home we've really had that I've gotten to set up house in. Our last house was always in disarray between remodel projects and we weren't in the one before that long enough to do anything.

I can't wait to share pictures!!
Particularly of the nursery - where most of my time is spent these days!

Monday, July 15, 2013

Bumpdate 25 weeks!


Maternity Clothes: Yes - I have an ever growing wardrobe of maternity clothes. I plan to start packing away some of my smaller non-maternity clothes for the eventual day that I can wear them again so they aren't taking up space in the closet.

Stretch Marks: The same few on my belly :(

Belly Button In or Out: Out & showing through shirts. Though it seems to be less sensitive than it did in earlier weeks as it first popped out.

Wedding Ring on or off: On & loose.

Symptoms:I can tell I'm nearing the 3rd trimester and that my glorious 2nd trimester is coming to a close. I'm tired, achy (legs & feet) and the middle of the night bathroom runs have started again.

Cravings: Nothing in particular, though my appetite has picked up.

Aversions: None.

Sleep:Pretty Okay - not amazing. I don't feel perfectly comfortable but I'm not miserable either.

I am loving: Setting up the nursery!! I've really gotta get going on the dresser re-do though, I'm not going to have much more to do in the nursery for a while if I don't get that done.

I miss: sipping sweet adult drinks in the summer time. Swimming in lakes/Gulf... any non-chlorinated water.

The hubs put the play mat together this week!
I am looking forward to: Finishing up what I can in the nursery for the time being, baby showers, getting her closet all set up.



I'm freaking out about: Tomorrows 4 hour glucose test. I failed the 1 hour test :(I really don't want gestational diabetes!

Best moment this week: Getting moved & settled into our new house!

Worst moment this week:I think it's a tie between learning I have to take the longer glucose test and how sore I've been from moving us & Johns parents.

Emotions: Pretty okay - I seem to dwell & worry about silly things quite a bit here of late.Oh and I'm guessing my hormones are at a pretty okay level for pregnancy because things that I used to let roll off my back now make me want to SCREAM!

Milestones: We have a viable baby (last week!) and the baby will start opening her eyes soon!

Movement: Tons! I haven't been looking at my belly at the right moments to see her move from the outside but I know that when she kicks hard it makes my whole belly move!

It's a...: Baby girl!!

Exercise: Moving us in the hot Texas summer counts, right??

Diet:Good - though having sweets around has proven to be more than my self-restraint can handle!

Goals for the upcoming week:To get the dresser project started, wash all her clothes & get them hung up by size.

Nursery: It's coming along! Crib is put together, now we just need a mattress & bedding.

Bump watch: