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!

Weekend Update - Almost 16 weeks

This weekend was soooooo nice...

Friday we went to Doc's on Padre Island for a dinner party for Michael's squadron... it's a looooooong drive from Kingsville, but Doc's is a fun, yummy place and it was nice to chat with some people we hadn't seen in a while. I ordered a cranberry & sprite so it at least looked and felt a little more festive :)

Saturday was for cleaning, cooking, and football! Huskers won in an awesome/not-so-awesome game against Ohio State. We enjoyed a low key evening with BBQ pulled chicken from the crockpot and pumpkin pudding, which I also made in the crockpot. BTW, I found both of those recipes on Pinterest and they were delicious!

Sunday we went to church then headed to Corpus for shopping/dinner date. Michael was sweet enough to accompany me during a much-needed (and dreaded) trip to shop for some maternity clothes. The lady was very helpful so all Michael had to do was read all the post-game Huskers articles and give me his approval whenever I stepped out of the dressing room :) The belly pillow you put on to see how clothes will fit you a few months was a fun thing to see! I ended up with a couple pairs of jeans, leggings (ehhhh... not so sure about those yet), and a couple tops. Then we headed to Water Street for a late lunch/early dinner... it was pouring outside and we really enjoyed a leisurely meal watching the storms blow through.

Now it's back to work... and what a suprise this morning! I think I felt the first movements - little flutters almost like muscle twitches! Can't wait for our ultrasound appointment next week!

Hungry, Hungry Hippo!

I don't know if it's because I've been working out in the mornings the past 2 days or what, but my appetite has suddenly cranked it up a notch (or two, or three, or four....)

I got up at 5:15... hit the gym from 5:30-6:30...

My Momma-To-Be Workout looked like this:
10 Minutes on Stairstepper at a Level 5 (my HR was somewhere between 130 and 145)
Lat Pulldowns x 12
Tricep Pulldowns x 12
Seated Row x 12
Squats w/ Bar x 20
Plie Squats w/ Bar x 20

Repeat all x 3 (So 30 minutes on stairstepper, and 3 sets of each exercise). Whew!
Bye bye 500 calories... time to refuel..

For breakfast I had a small veggie omelet (from Schwan's),  1/4 C. cottage cheese, and a mini bagel around 7:30
 +   +

At 9:15 I dove into the cup of grapes I brought to work...

At 10:00 my tummy was rumbling again so I reached for a handful of oven roasted dark chocolate almonds stashed in my desk...

It's now 10:55 and I am starving! Lunch isn't for another hour.... my choices are: Peanut M&Ms, Swedish Fish, or more almonds.... I wish I had some of that eggless cookie dough I made last night :)

My sweet, sweet husband stopped at the store for me to pick up some chocolate chips because craving #2 kicked in... not cookies, just the cookie dough! You can find the safe-to-eat recipe here.

Uneventful Week 15

This week has been pretty eventful, but I suppose that's a good thing. Work keeps me busy so I'm more focused on that rather than headaches and being hungry all the time. I have to eat about every 1.5 to 2 hours otherwise I'm so hungry I get nauseous. I have been getting a lot of headaches (behind my right ear) and am trying not to take Tylenol (or any unnecessary meds for that matter). Hot water with lemon helps, as does exercise, but that's always been my go-to cure-all (and it's not always feasable, like at work).

Running has always been my 'release', my time to myself, and my way to relieve stress (AKA 'running it out'). Keeping my HR at 130 or below has become increasingly frustrating - if I really, really stick to that it means no running at all anymore. The other day I alternated between 5 minutes of running with 2 minutes of walking for 3 miles... it was decent but I still didn't feel that relief after my workout. I need to find a new release or stress reliever ASAP.... suggestions welcome!

Michael is leaving next week for 3 weeks. I feel more dependent now than I ever have (and I despise feeling dependent)... with my emotions running high, he's been great at making me feel okay. I'm going to miss my hugs and my cry-out sessions. At least it's not a deployment... I'm grateful for that.

Only 15 days to go until we find out if we're having a BOY or GIRL! Whaddya think? My vote is for GIRL - I've said it from day one... I just feel it.. and I even had a dream about how beautiful she is. I'll eat my words if I'm wrong :) And ultimately, I don't care either way... I think a boy would be great, too (Hello, Darthvader commericial!)

Baby's the size of a navel orange!

The average fetus at 15 weeks weighs 2.5 ounces and measures 4 inches -- and his proportions are becoming even more normal, since his legs now outmeasure his arms.

 

Baby at 15 Weeks

• You probably can't feel it yet, but she's squirming a ton!
• She might even be hiccuping in there.
• She's making lots of progress: her joints and limbs can all move now.

 

Pregnancy Symptoms: What you might be feeling at 15 weeks

• Nosebleeds, thanks to increased blood volume and sensitive nasal passages.
• I don't think I've had a nosebleed in my entire life and I have one about every other day!
• Heartburn, gas and/or indigestion. More to blame on the hormones.
• We don't need to go there... let's just say Michael would agree..
• Frisky! Take advantage of the increased libido.
• See above. TMI?
• Swollen gums, another pitfall of those pregnancy hormones. Make sure you're taking care of your teeth, and see your dentist for your regular checkups.
• Nope! So far, so good..
• Shortness of breath. As baby grows, your lungs start to get crowded.
• YES! An odd, odd feeling... even just laying down for bed at night I'll get a sudden feeling like I can't catch my breath.