34 Weeks

How Far Along:  34 weeks

Baby Size: A butternut squash.

Total Weight Gain: 21 lbs. I should be slowing down now because it is more uncomfortable to eat but of course me and my huge appetite have not really felt like eating less.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity and non-maternity.

Stretch Marks: Nope.

Sleep:  I am sleeping well.  I’m either getting up to pee less or just getting used to it.  I am starting to feel really tired again, just like the first trimester.

Best Moment of the week: Spending lots of time with the hubby taking our baby classes and squeezing some dates into our precious alone time before the baby comes.

Miss Anything?: Being able to bend forward and stretch out my back.  It is weird to just not be able to do things that you have been able to do your whole life.

Movement: Tons of movement.

Food Cravings: Nothing in particular but even though it is uncomfortable to be really full, my appetite is huge.

Anything Making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs:  No.  My doc says I could be having some Braxton Hicks but am not really feeling them or am not recognizing them as contractions.  I am trying to pay a little closer attention to tightening in my belly now.

Symptoms:  Butterfingers. I drop everything! I have read that this could be due to my joints, ligaments, etc loosening up.

Belly Button in or out: Flat.

Wedding Rings on or off: On.

Mood:  Good but more emotional lately.

Looking forward to: Baby shower with my family this weekend.

Exercise: I haven’t been as good about exercise this week. I might try to get back on it to boost my energy. Funny: Well my nickname at work has officially become Prometheus.  For anyone not up to speed on their Greek Mythology, he was credited with the creation of man.  I had to look this up, since I haven’t exactly been studying any Greek mythology lately J  This is what you get when you have a dodgy British manager at work with a quirky sense of humor.  Here he is, dodgy "Peeta" aka Peter.  He thinks he's so funny.

Nursery

First, I will start with Blake's closet.  I used a cabinet above an open shelf in her room for Blake's wardrobe.  I already use the regular size closet for my clothes so this was the only place I had left.  It worked out perfectly because I could customize this space with paint and a homemade chandelier, making it a cute display for her tiny pink clothes and shoes.

From a wider angle, you can see exactly how the cabinet sits in the room.  The clothes hanger bar is just a shower curtain tension rod that I got from Target and hung in there.  I added baskets to hold the loose items like swaddle blankets, hats, headbands, and socks.  I always love matching hangers for a clean look and these were very cheap (like less than $2 for a semi-big bundle of them) from Target.

{The shelf underneath is yet to be styled so I tried not to show that for now.  Also to the right, is her bathroom which for now is just painted pink and does not have accessories}

  

Blake's tiny shoe collection.  We have tons of clothes but might need to expand this area.  I have a feeling she will just be in socks for a while so I know I have time :)

Another angle to show the chandelier.  This is the same one that I made a while back and used to hang in my old walk in closet.

I painted the stripes on the wall, which was not that bad actually, using a laser level, painters tape and a little bit of patience.  Also, if you are prego, ask for the safe paint at Home Depot that doesn't give off as strong of fumes.

The framed prints came from Etsy, the changing table pad and polka dot cover are from Pottery Barn Kids, and the baskets are from Babies R Us. 

The crib bedding is from the Harper collection at Pottery Barn Kids and the adorable elephant was a gift.  I made the hanging letters with materials from Hobby Lobby. 

Her hamper is from Babies R Us and the "baby" sign hanging from it came on a baby present gift bag that I saved because I thought it was so cute.  

 These pillows were also a gift and are from Home Goods.  It's amazing how well they go with the nursery decor.  I am still planning on getting some kind of chair for this corner, rocking or otherwise, but for now they are just hanging out in this corner making it cozier.

And last, this is my somewhat small collection of cloth diapers.  I have started with the Sunbaby brand of pocket diapers because they came recommended and were the cheapest to buy in bulk.  I currently have 24 of them and am starting slowly with a hybrid approach, where you do both disposables and cloth.  I will be sure to have a post later on to update how the cloth diapering is going.  It seems to be a great debate so for now I have no expectations except that I really want to give this a try and I hope it works out.  It's so much cheaper and better for our planet.  

Next, I need to add an area for a baby library, find a chair, finish her bathroom, and style that clutter filled shelf.  More on that later...

Summer Time

Getting some sun on the bump.
  

I have been getting mixed opinions on this but is baring the bump gross? I don't think so. 

P.S. I love my new Billabong California Love hat :)

32 Weeks

How Far Along:  32 weeks

Baby Size: A squash.

Total Weight Gain: 17lbs at last appointment.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity and non-maternity.

Stretch Marks: Nope.

Sleep:  I get up to pee at least twice a night so that’s a little disruptive.  Nothing like what the baby will be like in the middle of the night so I guess it’s not too bad.

Best Moment of the week: 3D/4D Ultrasound.  It was so cool to see her moving around and making faces.

Miss Anything?: Not really.

Movement:  She had hiccups for the first time J

Food Cravings: No.

Anything Making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs:  No.  I keep waiting for Braxton Hicks contractions but nothing yet.

Symptoms: I’m getting some aches and pains now at work.

Belly Button in or out: Flat.

Wedding Rings on or off: On.

Mood:  Pretty good.  Just a little tired lately.

Looking forward to:  My shower this weekend!!

Exercise: It’s getting hard to workout and work in the same day now so I try to do one or the other.

Pregnancy Must Haves: Update for 3rd Trimester

1. Tums
Heartburn can pop up out of nowhere so I keep these on me at all times.  Doctor says they are just calcium and totally safe.

2.  $25 massages
These places have been popping up all over the place in the last few years.  Shop around because they are not all equal.  Also, make sure they are comfortable working on a pregnant person because usually they are doing reflexology massage and some spots (on the foot) can trigger uterine contractions.  I for one can not afford a bunch of prenatal massages as I prepare for this baby but a 60 minute, fully clothed, reflexology for $25 is totally do-able and you can just walk-in anytime.

3. Hospital Classes
I can not stress enough how much I recommend taking classes, whether at your hospital or elsewhere.  Baby classes have really boosted my confidence in bringing this baby home.  I have felt so clueless about everything from bottles to bras to bathing my child once I get her home.  They really can help you out and answer all of your questions about products and baby care.  We are only part of the way through our classes (we are taking breastfeeding, baby care, and childbirth) and have already learned so much.  Advice from friends and family is valuable but can vary widely and can sometimes be outdated.  The internet can be overwhelming.  I'm not saying that the teacher of my classes does everything right but it's a great start with all the info in one place.  Then, once we get her home and see how she is, we can decide what is best for us and for Blake.

4. Water, water, water
So far I am not all bloated and puffy and I would like to keep it that way for as long as possible.  Staying comfortable is key to surviving these last few weeks.  I am drinking a ton of water and trying to keep my salt intake down.

30 Weeks

How Far Along:  30 weeks

Baby Size: About the size of a cucumber. (really? This is bigger than an eggplant?)

Total Weight Gain: Don’t know.  I have an appointment next week.

Maternity Clothes: Squeezing into what I can.  It might be time for a few new summer items.

Stretch Marks: Still no.  Apparently she is going to double in height and triple in weight in just a few months so we’ll see.

Sleep:  I’m sleeping well but Cody has been getting me up a few times a night. I don’t know what this new thing is about, maybe just too hot for him right now.

Best Moment of the week: Kyle was laying his head on my belly, talking to Blake and she put her hand/foot/head/butt/?/some body part right up against his cheek and held it there.  So cute.

Miss Anything?: No.

Movement:  She is so strong now.  My belly gets so lopsided and I can see kicks and rippling across my belly.

Food Cravings: No.

Anything Making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Girl.

Labor Signs:  No.

Symptoms:  Calf cramps at night that are really not a big deal.  I just stretch them out and they go away.  My limbs also go to sleep much quicker than they used to.  If I sit too long in one position I get all tingly.

Belly Button in or out: Flat.

Wedding Rings on or off: On.

Mood: Fantastic.  I keep saying I love being pregnant and how I feel so great and people just shake their heads and say…Just wait.  Ok, ok I get it.  I will become more uncomfortable as time passes but, you know what? Maybe this pregnancy just agrees with me.  Maybe, since I’ve made it to almost 2 months out and I still feel good, it really won’t be that bad.  Even if I wake up tomorrow and feel terrible I got 7 ½ months that were great.

Looking forward to:  My shower.  I got a sneak peek when I saw the invitation and it is going to be so adorable.  I have such talented and creative ladies in my life J

Exercise:  I have been taking long walks and doing light resistance and weight training.  I feel so much better on the days that I work out.  I have so much more energy for work.  It’s worth it just for that because I’m getting to be a little bit slower at work.  Funny: The younger (teenage) boys at work are cracking me up.  I swear they walk behind me in case I might fall.  The kitchen floor gets slippery and they are constantly salting it so I won’t slip.  If someone even nudges me they flip out.  It’s cute but I keep trying to tell them my baby is fine and even if I fall it will most likely be okay J.  On the flip side, (some) customers don’t even notice I’m pregnant and have no problem impatiently waiting/sighing when it takes a minute for me to bend over and pick something up that they dropped.

Master Bedroom

Slowly, we are getting the new house together.  We really have to work with what we have and get creative since we don't have a lot of extra money.  Here is where we are with the master bedroom and I think it will be staying like this for a while.  I really like the calm soothing quality it has.

Summer BBQ Recipes

I saw these recipes on TV the other day and quickly wrote it all down.  I'm not sure if I got all of the ingredient amounts correct but it turned out great so I guess it doesn't matter.  Here's what I made:

Shrimp Skewers
Marinade:

• 1tbs lemon juice
• 2tbs chili sauce
• 2tbs honey
• 1/3c vegetable oil
• 1/4tsp of Chinese 5 Spice
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 2tbs parsley, finely chopped
• 2tbs green onion, finely sliced

Mix all ingredients of the marinade together and stir in peeled and deveined shrimp and let them marinade for an hour or two in the fridge.  Soak wooden skewers in water while shrimp marinade so that they don't burn on the BBQ.  

Throw on the BBQ when you are ready to eat because these cook in about 2 minutes on each side.  Be careful not to overcook because shrimp will get rubbery. 

Corn on the Cob with Ancho Chili Lime Butter
Oil the corn and put directly on the grill.  These take the longest of anything to cook so put them on first.
Ancho Chili Lime Butter:

• 1 stick room temperature butter
• 3 big pinches of Ancho Chili Powder
• a few drizzles of honey
• zest of one lime

Stir together and spread on the warm corn when it is finished cooking.  This is sooo good :)

**I don't have a picture of this one.

Grilled Veggie Salad

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: 

• equal parts white wine vinegar & olive oil
• about 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• about 1 tbs parsley, finely chopped
• salt and pepper 

Shake together and taste to see if you need to tweek any of the ingredients.

Roughly chop veggies to grill on the BBQ.  I used red onions (cut in discs), asparagus (whole), corn (whole), zucchini (cut in half), red bell pepper (quartered). Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper and put on the grill.  They cook pretty fast so keep an eye on them.  When they are done, chop into bite size pieces (cut corn off the cob) and add to spring mix greens.  Toss with honey mustard dressing and serve while the veggies are still warm.