Categories
Pregnancy

Fourteen Weeks

I was really late with the weekly pregnancy update for week thirteen, but I’m trying to be better. While I’m showered & dressed today {officially 14w day}, Jason took these photos of me once I returned home from friends’ wedding last night. I’d taken off my tights already & my hair looked better earlier in the night, but for a $11 clearance GAP maternity dress, I think I looked pretty good for making it at the wedding until nearly 10p!

Post-wedding at fourteen weeks

How far along? 14w

Maternity clothes? Rocking maternity pants exclusively. Can still wear 3 out of 4 pairs of my pre-preg leggings under dresses & tunics. Still wearing normal tops when I can.

Weight Gain? I haven’t weighed since my last appt but probably so.

Stretch Marks? No, thank goodness. I’ve been using Burt’s Bee’s Mama lotion. Not sure it’s helping but it does make my dry, stretching skin less itchy.

Sleep? Pretty good. I roll around a lot & try to fight 29+ years of back/stomach sleeping by rolling from side to side.

Movement? We know they’re moving from the ultrasounds but I don’t think I can feel anything yet.

Genders? We hope & pray for healthy babies first & foremost. But I’d love to have boy/girl combos. Just a hunch but I kinda think B is a girl.

What I Miss? I really don’t like to complain. After all the work & prayers that went into getting us pregnant, I feel too grateful & blessed to whine {much} about aches & pains. But this week, back pain has really kicked in as well as sciatica pain that kicked my butt Wed & Thurs at work. So I miss being randomly painfree &/or being able to take drugs.

Symptoms? This question’s getting weird. No longer need “symptoms” to know I’m pregnant. I’ve got the belly to prove it! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Food cravings? Not much as changed from when I answered this last week, still loving all things cheese/carbs. Also loving fruit & ice cream.

Food aversion? I said before that Mexican food is still a no-go. I was sad about this while I shopped at Trader Joe’s today as I {used to} enjoy their frozen Mexican dinners & lunches. Plain chicken isn’t my favorite either but since I don’t eat beef/pork, I force the meat I do eat down {& take an iron pill & that cheese & yogurt helps with protein too}.

Labor signs? No, thankfully.

Belly button in or out? My super innie is still an innie but less of one.

What I’m Looking Forward to? 2012! The year my babies will be born. 1/9 is the next big date for us as that’s our next MFM appointment.

Weekly Wisdom? Eat! I get super whiny {Jason can attest to that} if I get crazy, can’t-get-up-off-the-couch-to-make-food hungry. Thankfully, I rarely let myself get that hungry & if so, the husband as been around to bring quick snacks.

Milestones? Definitely in my second trimester at fourteen weeks. The trips are the size of lemons {about 3.5 inches long}. Their arms & bodies are more proportional & this week their organs are starting to function {aka their peeing in me now}!

Categories
Photography

Project 365 Week 51

Another confession, after fifty-one weeks of taking photos {nearly} everyday, this {next to last} week, I sucked at project 365. I was stressed out with all that was going on at work & home getting ready to be gone for a long Christmas weekend & taking photos was the last thing on my mind. I *think* I made up for it with photos Christmas weekend & since but that’s a new week & another post to come.

Day 351: Saturday night was BA’s Tacky Sweater Party. It deserves it’s own post, but since I’m running two weeks behind when it comes to blogging, here’s just a few of my favorites from that evening.

Tacky Sweater Party!

Day 352: After running to the mall to use a few gift cards that had been burning a hole in my pocket, Moe & I had a chill afternoon.

Days 353- 356: Mon-Thurs were days filled with work, wrapping & packing. I didn’t take a single photo. Not enough when we picked up two out of our three cribs Thursday night.

Day 357: Friday morning I rode down with my aunt & uncle to Charlotte. A Christmas weekend post should be to come. But here’s one photo from that Christmas Eve Eve day.

Papa’s tree
Categories
Everything Else Reading

BlogHer Book Club: The Magic Room

My most recent BlogHer Book Club pick was Jeffrey Zaslow’s The Magic Room. I read the synopsis in my email & on the back of the book, & I thought I’d enjoy reading about Becker’s Bridal & the families & brides shopping there. That’s quite an understatement. I brought The Magic Room to work one day when I knew I’d be eating lunch alone. I cried just reading the introduction {like big crocodile tears} & had to close the book in fear of being “that girl” reading & crying alone.

I finished The Magic Room last night after reading while in the car with my parents Christmas Eve & while taking chill breaks this weekend. I loved it; I think non-fiction is a new favorite of mine. I loved how Jeffrey weaved individual brides’ stories along with the story of the Becker family. I loved how, just as he wanted, the love of daughters really shined through. If I’m ever in Michigan, I’ll have to make a stop in Fowler & see Shelley & maybe Alyssa at Becker’s. Any Michigan readers ever been there?!

I think The Magic Room is my favorite of the BlogHer Book Club books I’ve been sent to read. I’d recommend this to anyone who’s purchased a bridal gown, or to someone about to or dreaming about their wedding. I’d love for Dads to read it to see the bridal world & what makes that dress just so special from another Dad’s point of view.

This was a paid review from BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are all my own. You can join the discussion on BlogHer’s Now Reading The Magic Room.

Categories
Pregnancy

Thirteen Weeks

I was a very bad blogger over this past long weekend. I ran away to family & stayed away from computers. But I did remember to take a photo Sunday for this post. I also realized last week as I was catching up on a few pregnancy blogs that I’d missed a few of the questions, so I’ve added them this time.

Merry Christmas from me & the trips

How far along? 13w4d

Maternity clothes? Absolutely for pants. And while I can still wear a few normal tops & sweaters, I’m transitioning to maternity tops too.

Weight Gain? I haven’t weighed since my last appt but I believe the babies’ belly is growing so yeah.

Stretch Marks? No.

Sleep? Pretty good.

Movement? We know they’re moving from the ultrasounds but I don’t think I can feel anything yet.

Genders? We hope & pray for healthy babies first & foremost. But I’d love to have boy/girl combos. Just a hunch but I kinda think B is a girl.

What I Miss? I kinda missed wine & margaritas this weekend but my Trader Joe’s sparkling pomegrante made me feel festive anyways.

Symptoms? More tired than normal, had to find a chair in Crate & Barrel while watching over our goods Sunday, & hungry! I woke up at 447a Christmas eve morning & couldn’t go back to sleep until I ate a banana & a bowl of Frosted Flakes!

Food cravings? Cereal, Mac & cheese, ice cream & pizza are always good.

Food aversion? Mexican food! I tired our local stand-by El Rodeo yesterday and had to do everything in my power to keep it down after eating half of my quesadilla & a little bit of beans & rice.

Labor signs? No, thankfully.

Belly button in or out? I had mine pierced in HS/college & the bottom hole has been MIA for years. As the belly grows, that bottom hole is beginning to make an appearance. But it’s still an innie for now.

What I’m Looking Forward to? We picked up all three cribs within the past week. We also received some baby items for Christmas. I’m looking forward to getting that all into our house & start organizing it in their room.

Weekly Wisdom? Errr, is it bad that I can’t think of anything this morning? Maybe I’ll edit this when I add the photo.

Milestones? Thirteen weeks! I feel like one of the baby emails I received Saturday said I was out of the first trimester then another said this was the last week. Either way, I’m definitely more than a third of the way through this pregnancy!

Categories
Pregnancy

Sometimes I Forget…

that I’m pregnant. Like while I’m working away or wrapping presents or at the mall.

And then, my belly brushes against my desk or

someone at work says congrats since they just heard the news or

my back starts hurting from leaning over while taping up gifts throwing the gifts into bags or

I walk into Loft then remember I don’t fit into anything in the store or

I have to pee again or

I’m hungry again…

and then, I smile really big & remember just how grateful I am for this pregnancy.