New Week.... New Clothes!

What a week! We had a repeat ultrasound on Tuesday and got to see our HEALTHY, GROWING baby girly again... the lady who did the ultrasound said she has some chubby cheeks! And she has the cuuuuuuuutest little profile :) Little did I know that they were also planning to do my glucose tolerance test. Apparently our doc likes to 'suprise' test her patients so as to get a more realistic reading, as opposed to the more traditional fasting test. And boy were we suprised! Michael took the morning off of work to go with me to the appointment, but had to be back by noon for a flight. Well, the glucose test takes over an hour... so a little heads up in this situation would've been nice. Fortunately we were able to see our baby girl, meet with the doc, do the glucose test, stop for Starbucks, and get back to Kingsville just in time.

I've been pretty conscious of my eating habits while I've been pregnant and haven't had a whole lot of crazy, awful cravings (Captain Crunch, chocolate chip cookies, pickles, extra sharp cheeses). When I have had a craving I'll take a few bites to satisfy and be done with it. I've still been exercising at least 5 days a week. Doc said I'm 'perfect' as far as weight gain... YAAAAAAY!! While I was on the treadmill at home this morning I glanced over at our baby jogger - can't wait to little girl is old enough (they say 6 months) to head out for a run with me. I'm looking forward to family bike rides, walks, and maybe even running together some day :)

That glucose stuff is terrrrrrrific-ible! Like a super sweet orange gatorade that gets worse with each swallow. Bleck.

We're heading north for Christmas next week and I just realized that I have hardly any long-sleeved/sweaters/winter clothes that fit comfortably with my growing belly! Here in Texas I'm still wearing tanks and shortsleeve cotton shirts with a light cotton cardigan if it gets chilly (I'm talkin 68 degrees). Soprano and Express Featherweight Tees have been GREAT because they stretch so well. Stretching sweaters? Not so much. SO - with the nearest maternity store or department store with a maternity section being an hour away, I headed to *gasp* Maurices and was pleasantly suprised. Leggings and long sweaters... and some flat black suede boots... I love my heeled boots, but I probably shouldn't be wearing them a whole lot.

I've been having baby dreams this week too... she is the most beautiful little girl! Can't wait to meet her! She kicks and flips all the time... I think we have a little athleta on our hands :) Daddy says no dance team and no cheerleading (and to er, "stay off the pole")... I say, whatever she wants to do (obviously off the pole)! The world is hers for the taking!!

25 Weeks Pregnant
You’re 25 weeks pregnant and it’s probably dawned on you that soon you’ll actually have to deliver this baby. (A little scary, but exciting!) What’s cool is that most hospitals will let you preregister, which means you can put in your paperwork early, so the day you go into labor, you don’t have to stand around filling out a bunch of forms before you get admitted. Maybe you’re getting nervous about delivery, or maybe it’s your haywire hormones, but you might start to have trouble sleeping around week 25. This is a common complaint of many moms-to-be. Some people will tell you that’s just your body’s way of prepping you for sleepless nights with baby, but those comments won’t help you get the rest you need! Experiment with different strategies for getting some sleep. One idea is to drink extra water early in the day, so you can start tapering off your intake as you get closer to bedtime. That way, you might need less bathroom breaks during the night and can keep sleeping. After all, now that baby’s crowding your bladder, you’ve got to pee. A lot.


Baby's the size of an eggplant! During month six, the average fetus measures about 13.6 inches to 14.8 inches and weighs about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.

Baby at 25 weeks She's enjoying her new sense of equilibrium -- she now knows which way is up and which is down.
She's growing more fat and more hair too!

Pregnancy symptoms at 25 weeks
Constipation. Be sure to eat plenty of fiber-rich foods!
Hemorrhoids -- baby is putting a ton of pressure on your digestive tract. And the constipation certainly isn't helping.
Gas and bloating. Your hormones are slowing down digestion, creating excess gas.
Heartburn. Since baby is pushing on your digestive system it can push stomach acid up your esophagus.
All-over aches and pains, thanks to hormone fluctuations.
Trouble sleeping. It's tough to get comfy with that big belly in the way!

6 months! Holy Cow!

I can’t believe I’m 6 months pregnant! 24 weeks translates into 6 months, right? I keep asking Michael that… it just doesn’t seem possible and I certainly don’t feel like I look 6 months pregnant like I thought I would. Bigger? Yes. Huge? Not yet. Although, a friend of ours saw me at the squadron Christmas party on Saturday for the first time in several months and the first thing he said was, "OH MY GOD! You’re huge!" This coming from a guy that they call The Hulk and also made an appearance on American Gladiators did not exactly make me feel tiny (kidding ;) it was all in good fun)… considering he is the one that is huge. I told his girlfriend that she has some ‘training’ to do.

Anyway…. Thanks to my wonderful Grandma and parents we now have our jogging stroller and crib all ready to go! The crib came in this week and Michael assembled it yesterday – it’s adorable and I love how the room is really starting to look more like a baby girl’s room! It took the two of us to figure out how to assemble the crib mobile though J The rocker should be in this week and then we’ll be able to arrange the furniture better. I can’t wait to add little touches… like wall shelves, letters of her name, pictures, and maybe even some fun vinyl wall decals ordered off of Etsy. My only dilemma so far has been the closet. Our house is relatively small with very little storage space. Baby’s room previously served as our guest room/my craft room. Well, I decided to keep half of the closet dedicated to my craft things since I plan to use them even once she is born rather than haul it all to storage and save the other half for all things baby girl. Now I’m worried that half of a closet isn’t enough room for her things. Thoughts?

Here’s the 24 week update!Drink up! Around 24 weeks, your doctor will order a Glucose Tolerance Test -- one of the more memorable prenatal tests -- to see if you’re at risk for gestational diabetes. Basically, the test is designed to see how your body processes sugar, so you’ll be asked to drink a cup of a sweet drink called Glucola (which reminded us of Gatorade) and then hang out for an hour. Once the hour is up, you’ll have your blood drawn and then it will be tested to see how your body has processed the sugar. You know what’s also sweet? Those movements and kicks you’ve been feeling. They seem to get stronger every week. At week 24, baby’s progress isn’t just about internal stuff, it’s about her looks too. With pinker, more opaque skin, she’s looking more and more, well, like a baby. You, on the other hand, are probably experiencing some of the discomforts of the later months of pregnancy at week 24 -- leg cramps, backaches, swollen feet. Hang in there, mama-to-be!
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Baby’s the size of a papaya!
Your 10.5-to-11.8-inch fetus weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces and every week she gets closer and closer to being ready to survive (and thrive!) in the outside world.


Baby at 24 weeks

• Her see-through skin is gradually becoming more opaque.
• And it's got a new pink glow, thanks to the small capillaries that have recently formed.

Pregnancy symptoms at 24 weeks

• Swollen ankles and feet. Be sure to elevate them while you're sitting. Not yet, thank goodness!
• Leg cramps, which can be sign of dehydration. Yes.... terrible ones!
• Back aches -- Yup, still!
• Linea nigra. That's the dark line that runs up the center of your belly. It will fade after baby's born. Nope.
• Stretch marks, which may continue to appear as your skin stretches even more. Fortunately, no.

Maternity Clothes: Almost all maternity… jeans especially although I still wear a BellaBand so I can wear a pair or two of my favorite non-maternity jeans. I can still fit into regular tops, but if I’m feeling extra self-conscious I’ll throw on a maternity shirt. My grandma also sent me some super cute maternity dresses! I wore one to our Christmas party and got lots of compliments on it.

Movement: LOTS! She rolls over, kicks, punches…. We even saw her move from the outside, which was pretty neat. She’s most active in the late afternoon/evening… I can’t get enough of feeling her wiggle around!

Food cravings: Extra sharp cheddar cheese (w/ pickles...), Regular Coke (NOT giving into this one, so Coke Zero will have to do)

Symptoms: Sore feet and aching back!

Exercise: Gradually decreasing the intensity. I still exercise 5 days/week. I usually do 3 days of circuit training (i.e. 20 minutes of total cardio time plus lower/upper body strength moves) and then 2 days of 30-45 minutes of cardio. I haven’t been running much because it hurts in my groin! So it’s either the elliptical or fast-paced, incline walking, which does my heart rate just fine.

Bumpin'!

Holy moly, I haven't updated in 2 weeks! Have I told you that we decided on a name? Yep.. Baby Girl has an official name.. but we're not sharing :)

I finally felt her move last weekend (it would've been November 11th). We decided to go to a movie (In Time w/ Justin Timberlake = it was worth seeing!!) and I really wanted Skittles, which is odd because #1 I rarely eat candy and #2 when I do eat candy, it's something chocolately, definitely not skittles or starburst type things. So I gave in to my graving, downed the entire bag (it's okay, Michael kept the popcorn to himself), and a few minutes later I jumped right in the middle of the movie. Michael asked if I was okay and I told him I felt her move! This last weekend she has been moving like crazy... probably because she is so excited about her newly painted room :) We picked out 'Autumn Harvest' and 'Mother of Pearl'... her bedding came last week also... can't wait to order her crib and get everything situated so I can start adding all the detail-type stuff... either way, this little girl is going to have one adorable room!

The kicking feels like little 'pops' or 'bursts'... definitely hard to explain. On Saturday Michael was able to feel her, too :) We can't wait to meet you Baby Girl!

your baby's the size of a banana!

At 10.5 inches and about 12.2 ounces, she's big enough now that you've probably been feeling her movements.

 

 

Baby at 21 weeks

• As her digestive system preps for the outside world, she's manufacturing meconium -- the tarry black substance you'll find in her first dirty diaper (ew)!
• If it's a girl, she's already got a lifetime's supply of eggs in her womb -- about six million of them!

pregnancy symptoms at 21 weeks

• Some heartburn and/or indigestion. Avoid spicy and greasy foods and other triggers.
• Braxton Hicks contractions. Your uterus might occasionally feel tight as it practices for labor.
• Leaky boobs. Your milk ducts will be fully developed by the end of this trimester.
• Dry, itchy skin, from all that stretching over your growing bump.
• Stretch marks. You skin gets pulled thinner as baby grows. Don't worry, they should fade significantly after birth

19 weeks and finally feelin it...

Feeling pregnant that is.

My belly is starting to feel more like a baby bump than just more of a tummy than I'm used to having; which was really disheartening since my peronal favorite body part has usually been my flat, toned tummy. But now it's a little more rounded, a little more firm, and a little more baby bump-ish!

Michael was supposed to be home today, but will now be home tomorrow :( The overwhelmingness continues with baby and Christmas goings-on. One day at a time, right? I'm really, really looking forward to having him home and to our ultrasound appointment next Thursday!!

I'm not too familiar with mangoes, so I'll have to check one out at WalMart when I'm there later so see how big baby really... but here's what's going on this week:

Baby's the size of a mango!

At about 6.0 inches long and weighing in at about 8.5 ounces, she's getting there!

 

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Baby at 19 weeks

• Developing a protective coating over her skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at her birth.
• Working on her five senses. Nerve cells for her sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in her brain.

 

 

Symptoms at 19 weeks

• Aches and pains in your abdomen, caused by your muscles stretching to accommodate baby. YES! Especially when rolling over at night or stretching above my head - ouch!
• Dizziness or lightheadedness Good thing there's a wall/door right next to our fridge. I was getting water this morning and got suddenly lightheaded...
• Leg cramps: one way to ease the pain: Extend your leg and flex your ankle and toes toward your knees. Or enlist your partner for a calf (and back!) massage. Sometimes... I keep a box under my desk at work to prop my feet up. I try to stretch and move around as much as I can during the day.
• Hip pain. If it bothers you at night, try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees. I felt this for the first time the other night when I was getting up from the couch... it felt like I had done a really instense plyo workout.

18 Weeks = No Sleep

Apparently my body is right on for not being able to sleep much this week. I've been super uncomfortable and my mind just won't shut off at night. At the end of the workday I'm completely exhausted and usually nap/read for a half hour or so before making dinner. This may also have to do with my current obsession with The Hunger Games series; I'm on the 2nd book, Catching Fire. Regardless, I can't wait for Michael to be home again (one week to go!) to help me relax and help with dinner every once in a while. I made a baked pasta dish on Monday that lasted me most of the week and a good friend had me over for yummy enchiladas last night, so life's been easier on the cooking front this week. It was nice to have some company for dinner as well!

I just got a wave of anxiety about how much there is to do before baby... eeeks. Baby registry, baby room, birthing classes, baby shower.... fortunately I can't think too much about the registry or the room until we find out the sex, right?

Sooo...

What the heck is baby doing in there at 18 weeks? A lot!

He’s working his muscles and practicing all kinds of moves. (Can you feel them yet?) Over the next few weeks, you should make sure to start sleeping on your side. That’s because baby (and your uterus) are getting big enough to press against large veins in the back of your abdomen, which can reduce the amount of blood going to your heart, making you feel lightheaded, or worse, lowering your blood pressure. Of course, your veins aren’t the only things that are prone to pressure -- you might be too! Not only are you super busy, but you might be having some not-so-fun symptoms, like swollen feet or hands, backaches, leg cramps and nosebleeds. And the stress and discomfort might be keeping you up at night around week 18. Be sure, in your hectic schedule, that you plan some time to unwind. (Great excuse for some pregnancy pampering! Can you say prenatal massage?!) It’s important to give your body and your mind a break for a little while. That just might help you get the sleep you need, too.

The size of a sweet potato!

She's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and she keeps on growing rapidly.

(That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.)

Baby at 18 weeks:

• Yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing!
• And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it!

Pregnancy Symptoms: What you might be feeling at 18 weeks

• Baby's kicks -- they're getting stronger! (I haven't felt any yet, this makes me want to cry! Where are you Baby?)
• Swollen feet and/or hands. An annoying pregnancy symptom, but nothing to worry about as long as the swelling isn't sudden or severe. (No)
• Back aches. Baby's putting a lot of pressure on your insides. (Occasionally, but I really think my exercising has helped a lot with avoiding these)
• Leg cramps. They can be a sign of dehydration, so drink up! (My Nalgene bottle never leaves my side! I've gotten cramps in my calves, but only when I stretch throughout the day)
• Varicose veins, a product of all that extra pressure on your circulatory system. (Nope!)
• Trouble sleeping. Your mind is working overtime and you're getting more and more uncomfortable. (Yes...... )
• Increased pressure on the veins in your nose may be causing nosebleeds. (I haven't had any in a while, this is good news at least)

I really don't feel pregnant. I know I have to wear pants with stretchy waistbands right now and sleeping is uncomfortable because I'm a tummy sleeper. I've also noticed that bending or reaching over to pick things up has gotten more difficult (any annoying), but other than that I'm a little sad that I don't feel more pregnant. I know I will eat my words in a few more weeks, but at 18 weeks I feel like I should at least be showing a little more or feeling a kick or two!

17 and some change...

I'm 17 weeks and 2 days! Work has been crazy busy so my blogging time has been reduced.. yes, I was blogging at work. My bad.
Michael has been gone 9 days so far... and we have 12 more days to go. Almost halfway there! It's gone fast, but I still miss him like CRAZY. I've been keeping busy at work, working out, cooking, and deep cleaning the house (which is what I usually do when he's gone). So far I've cleaned out the garage, gone through and sorted all my clothes and shoes, cleared out and organized the guest room/craft room that will become baby's room soon, and various other little cleaning things. I sat in the "baby room" today and visualized what it will look like as a nursery..... ah can't wait!

I've remained consistent with my workouts - 6 days a week/45 minutes, alternating between cardio days and circuit training days. My cardio days are purely running (usually 3+ miles) and my circuit training is a mix of cardio on the spin bike or elliptical along with a circuit of upper/lower body strength moves. I'm usually the first one to the gym in the mornings (5:30!) so I have my pick of equipment and have found the back room to be a nice place to set up my circuit with body bars, free weights, bosu balls, and medicine balls. Nice!

What have I been eating to refuel after those calories burned??! Well, my usually healthy meals plus the following new recipes I tried this week...

Oreo Bars- Delicious!!


Avocado Pasta - Pretty good, a little heavy on the garlic..


Crock Pot Lava Cake- Good, but I have a much better recipe for individual lava cakes.









Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cake- AMAZING! Perfect for a Saturday or Sunday morning.


Tomato Basil Cream Ravioli - Yummy, but very rich.


You can find all of these recipes by following me on Pinterest! Sorry, I'm being lazy and don't feel like linking all the recipes to their respective websites.

Anywho... this is what's goin on in Week 17!!

Try not to get freaked out by the numbers on your scale. At 17 weeks, baby’s working on getting stronger, and your body’s working on getting bigger. That means putting on some pounds and -- we hate to break it to you -- getting some stretch marks. Make sure you document your growing bump by taking lots of photos. Sure, you might not always feel so pretty, but one day you’re going to look back at pregnancy and reminisce (really -- we promise). You’ll also want to start figuring out some plans, like whether or not you’re going to find out baby’s gender (you should be able to soon!), and what kind of childbirth class you’d like to take. As you start making these decisions, the pregnancy will feel even more real, which is probably super exciting, but part of you is probably feeling a little nervous. After all, you’re at week 17; that’s almost halfway there and there’s still a lot left to do. Chill! You’ll get it done. Just remember not to try to do it all yourself -- ask for help!

Baby's now the size of an onion!
Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints.

Baby at 17 Weeks:

• Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
• And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.
• She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.

Pregnancy Symptoms: 

•  Sweat, mucus and more bodily fluids. They're in full force, because of your increased blood flow.
• Weird dreams. This might be hormonal, but it might also be the result of your nerves and anticipation.
• Itchy boobs and bump -- as they're growing, your skin is stretching thinner.
• Rapid weight gain. You've probably gained about five to 10 pounds by now. (Try 13!)

Welcome to Your 16th Week of Life, Sweet Baby!

So what's up with Baby Swyers at Week 16? It's news to me, too, so let's find out:

Stay on the lookout for some fluttering sensations in your abdomen. It might not be right at 16 weeks, but pretty soon you’ll start feeling baby moving around in there. At first those moves might feel like gas or a muscle twitch, but over time, as baby gets bigger and stronger, they’ll be unmistakable. Baby’s starting to be able to hear your voice -- and she’ll recognize it at birth -- so feel free to chat her up.

Avocado-Sized!

Now, she's about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and she's big enough that your doctor may be able to hear her heartbeat.

Baby at 16 Weeks

• She's listening to your voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in her ears.
• She's growing hair, lashes and eyebrows.
• And she's forming taste buds.

Pregnancy Symptoms

• You might start feeling baby move!
• I'm not sure, but I thought so the other day when I was sitting quietly at my desk.... felt like a muscle twitch to me!
• Back aches, another effect of pregnancy hormones. Make sure you're exercising, that you're sitting and standing up straight and do some stretches.
• First nasty back ache yesteryday.. I move around enough at work and stretch everyday so hopefully I can minimize this.
• Shortness of breath, as your lungs continue to get more crowded.
• Even bigger boobs -- they should be ready for breastfeeding by the end of the second trimester.
• My balance has been off lately when I bend over to pick things up... 'nuff said :)
• Forgetfulness (a.k.a. pregnancy brain). No one knows for sure what causes this!
• I would describe it as my brain feeling like it's in slow-motion...
• Faster hair and nail growth (a great excuse for a new cut and manicure).
• Dry, itchy, sensitive eyes. Blame the hormones once again.
• Glowing skin (finally -- that pregnancy glow that people are always talking about!)

I think it's absolutely amazing that Baby can hear my voice already!! I've been saying funny things to him/her for a while now... like, "Please be like me, please be like me" (kidding, of course) whenever Michael does something ridiculous. The second trimester has been smooth-sailing so far... more energy and able to eat normally again! I can't wait to feel Baby move and know that it was really Baby moving in there. I'm not positive what I felt the other day was movement, but the thought was super exciting!

In other news... Michael is off to El Centro for 3 weeks again. He left this morning and all I could think was that when he comes back he'll probably want to know who this huge woman is in his house... I expect to be showing a bit more in 3 weeks! Here's my bump (or lackthereof) now:



One of the many things I do to keep busy when Michael is gone is to try out new recipes... Here's a few that I plan to whip up on a Saturday or Sunday morning while catching up with all my DVR'd shows that I "can't" watch when he's home (Grey's Anatomy, Dr. Phil, Millionaire Matchmaker, etc):

Cinnamon Roll Cake

 Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake


YUM!