The Home Stretch

Not a lot has been happening around these parts... Just the fact that I'm getting bigger and bigger and more and more uncomfortable!  But I have finally reached the THIRD AND FINAL trimester in this glorious pregnancy of mine.  Baby Girl is getting big and strong, and she definitely lets me know just how big and strong at all times of the day!  I am constantly feeling her little feet jabbing under my ribs, her tiny little body flipping and rolling to find a more comfy spot, and her little bum pushing against my bladder (resulting in my running to the loo more times in a day than any one person should experience.) 

Would I trade it for anything? Absolutely not! It is honestly the coolest feeling and most fun thing to watch in all the world!  I can't wait until I can hold my little wiggle worm and love and kiss on her all day!  

Cheers to 12 more weeks! Maybe less if I'm lucky ;)

An Update

While browsing through my past blog posts, I realized that I have hardly gone into any detail about my pregnancy.  Stuff like symptoms, cravings, mood swings, etc.  Silly things that most of you probably don't really care about, but that I myself would like to remember!  

So, here's the latest with Baby Girl and I...

(I am actually 23 weeks today, but this was the last belly pic)

*I started to feel my little bundle of joy around 18 weeks... most women describe it as "butterflies fluttering" but I would say it felt more like popcorn popping.  

*She gave her daddy his first high five between 19 and 20 weeks.  I wish I would've had his reaction on video, it was priceless :)

*These days, the little miss moves all over the place.  Especially at night, when her daddy lays his head on my belly.  I can feel her a lot more strongly and can actually SEE her squirm around.  It is so bizarre to watch my stomach pop up in different places.  Her daddy likes to joke that her crazy movements remind him of the movie "Tremors." 

*She can hear things now, so her daddy and I have been laughing and singing and acting silly A LOT.  And we've been better at keeping our voices down while arguing ;)

*She is currently 11 inches long and weighs in just over a pound.  My belly feels heavy and I find myself wondering how it's ever going to stretch anymore... I'm in for it :)

*I haven't noticed any stretch marks. YET. (Thank you Palmer's Belly Butter)

*My belly button will probably make it's big debut in the next week or two... it's  just about there.

*I've noticed certain "areas" of my body getting bigger... i.e: thighs, butt, luv handles.  And I'm not sure I like it too much... watching that number on the scale creep up and up, is something that I've never experienced before and I freak out a bit every time I get on it.  I have gained a healthy amount of weight though thus far, (I'll spare you the exact number of lbs) and I just have to keep reminding myself that it's ALL WORTH IT! 

*I bought my first items of maternity clothing the other day (blast!).  Two pairs of pants.  I'm still able to wear all my shirts and tops, but I thought I'd be able to bypass the whole thing, at least for a little while longer.  I was mistaken.

*My feet and ankles are starting to swell, JOY.  

*I forget.

*Everything.

*And I'm clumsy.

*The heartburn has been OUTRAGEOUS.  It doesn't matter what I eat or don't eat, it rears it's ugly head with EVERYTHING I eat, at all times of the day. She better have a full head of hair!

*Peanut butter has become my recent love, smeared all over frozen waffles and drenched in syrup.

*Still obsessed with pizza. And popcorn. And chocolate. (healthy much?)

*And still cannot look at a chicken enchilada. (gagity, gag gag me)

*The book "Becoming Baby Wise" is genius and we've been reading it religiously.

*The guest/junk room that will become the nursery, is FINALLY cleaned out.  A couple coats of paint are in order in the upcoming weeks, followed by furniture and decor :) So excited for that!

*Her daddy and I are hoping that she will make her grand entrance earlier than predicted, the 30th of October to be exact... Daddy's birthday :) But realistically, we know that probably won't happen.

*Besides the aching in my ribs, and finding it hard to breathe, I feel pretty good!  

17 more weeks!

Road Trip

Last week, Jace and I went on a last minute road trip up to Missoula for the 4th of July.  From there, we headed over to Seattle with Grandma and Papa for our cousin Dan's wedding.  A lot of time spent driving in the car (at 22 weeks pregnant mind you, not ideally comfortable) but all in all, it was a fun quick trip!  The last time I was in Seattle was over 10 years ago, so I was very excited to go back!  I love that city!  We had perfect weather every day we were there, the wedding was beautiful, and the time spent with family we don't see very often, was well worth it!

Missoula on the 4th

Such a fun city!

Riding the ferry to Vashon Island for the wedding

The reception

And the happy couple :)

Another Peek

Jace and I went for my 20 week ultrasound today to get another peek at Baby Girl.  It was so fun to see how much she's grown over these last few weeks!  Everything is measuring right on with my due date, and Baby Girl looks healthy as can be!  

I cannot say enough how blessed I feel to have this precious babe growing inside of me.  The human body is AMAZING and this experience is truly a miracle in action.  I'm amazed at how my body is changing to accommodate her growing little self, and I'm even more amazed at how her little tiny body has developed and grown!  It still blows my mind that a little human is in there, and I can FEEL her!  And in just a little over 4 months, I will hold her in my arms!  I'm getting all emotional just thinking about it... I love her so much already, and I'm sure that that love will explode my heart when she's actually here.  

So here she is... 20 weeks and 2 days!

It's confirmed that she's still a GIRL!

Yes that is her foot on her face :)

My little flexy baby!

Hump Day

Wednesday.

Hump Day.

MY Hump Day :)

I am 20 weeks pregnant today!

I've hit my "Hump Day" in this joyous pregnancy and it's all down hill from here.  

I can only hope that the second half treats me as well as the first half did.

And here's to hoping it goes by just as fast, if not faster!

Did I mention that I LOVE being pregnant?

Cause I do :)

Strawberry Camping Trip

Last weekend we went up to Strawberry Reservoir to camp with my family for a few days.  Despite being 19.5 weeks pregnant and TOTALLY uncomfortable (I don't even want to know how uncomfortable I'll be at 40 weeks!) we had an absolute blast! My family rocks and we had so much fun 4 wheeling, playing in the creek and just hanging out.  It was a nice little getaway from the outside world as well. 

Baby Girl's first 4 wheeler ride :) 

Our tent on the trailer bed was the husband's genius idea.  I slept there with him the first night, and it was one night too many. I quickly realized that a slowly deflating air mattress and 30 degrees with not enough blankets, did not sit well with me and my aching back. And ribs. And hips.  The second night I set up camp in my parents' trailer, with a bed and a heater :) Now that's camping!

This little girl wanted NOTHING to do with a nap... until her Uncle Jace got a hold of her :) 

I. CAN. NOT. WAIT. for this man to put his own little girl to sleep. 

 He will be the best daddy!

I love this little girl loving her goldfish crackers :)

Totally bombing the picture that was supposed to be of just mom and dad :)

Until next time...

Which will probably be next summer when I'm no longer pregnant :)

I Had A Dream

Back in January, before I had even become pregnant, I had a dream.

In my dream, I was in the hospital having just given birth to a perfect, sweet angel.  A baby girl.  As I sat there holding her, I was overcome with love and emotion as I recalled the details of her face, her hands, her feet.  She was beautiful.  She even had a name. 

4 months later, I was laying on an ultrasound bed in the Maternal Fetal Medicine Clinic at UVRMC, anxiously looking at the screen to see either "boy parts" or "girl parts".  Knowing in the back of my mind that it was a girl... it HAD to be.  I dreamt of her!  

Finally, after much patience waiting for the umbilical cord to move out of the way, and waiting for baby's hand to stop covering it up, we saw those three cute white blobs that indicate a GIRL!

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.  

I knew it.  

My dream was becoming reality.

I look at her darling little face in the ultrasound picture and I am brought to tears.  Knowing the gender, makes it so much more real!  

Words cannot describe the LOVE I already feel for this sweet baby girl :)