21 weeks :)

How far along? 21 weeks! 

Maternity clothes: I'm still wearing regular shirts for the most part but I have a nice collection of cute maternity jeans that I'm almost strictly wearing, more just for comfort not because it's TOTALLY necessary. And plus, in my opinion maternity jeans make me look more "smooth" and actually pregnant vs just chubby with a large muffin top. There are a couple pairs of stretchy colored skinny's that I still manage to wear.

Stretch marks?Still doin' well!!

Sleep: No problems yet! Having some weird dreams

Best moment this week: Well I had a good week as far as how I felt. I think I only had 1 bad headache and that's AMAZING comparatively speaking!! I feel like I'm finally crawling out of the pit that I was stuck in for so long! And this weekend was a good one as well, Josh and I got a new vehicle on Friday. We got our first "family vehicle"-a Denali, so that was pretty exciting. And then on Saturday I did my niece's makeup for her senior prom, and had a blast hanging out with those girls for the afternoon.

Miss anything?: I've FINALLY reached the smooth portion of pregnancy, so NOTHING at the moment. I'm just hoping this part lasts as LONG AS POSSIBLE! ;) 

Movement: Still sporadic and really only when I'm laying down or paying particular attention, but I'm definitely feeling her now. Still not feeling definite "kicks" yet. It feels like I have a baby mermaid in there flapping her fins around, or like she's doing the wave or something. So bizarre, but really pretty cool. 

Food cravings: Nothing particularly different. Still on an almost strictly spicy food craving streak. Scrambled eggs doused in salsa is another big regular craving I've had. I think this little girl is going to have her mama's taste in food ;)My only other constant craving that is a little out of the norm for me is Apples. Still granny smith for the most part, but i've expanded to other kinds too.

Anything making you queasy or sick?  Doing really well as far as queasiness goes!! Still get a bit gaggish within like 10-15 minutes of waking up occasionally, but I can deal with that.    

Gender: A little Chick-a-dee! :D 

Labor signs: Nope 

Symptoms: A set of 2-3 hiccups almost CONSTANTLY, and headaches (less and less though) 

Belly button in or out? It's still hangin' in there!

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? Very HAPPY!! 

Looking forward to: Everything really! Summer nights, softball games in the warm weather, My birthday, beach days! We have to get there eventually right???

20 weeks/Happy Easter!

How far along? 20 weeks! I have OFFICIALLY hit the half way mark! Unreal. 

Maternity clothes: Still only sometimes  

Stretch marks? Still rockin & rollin. It's gotta catch up eventually right?? 

Sleep: Still sleeping really well. Trying to get as much of that good sleep as I POSSIBLY can 

Best moment this week: Well, with the exception of maybe 1 day- i've been feeling really good this week so that's a PLUS, and today is Easter and what better way to celebrate making it safely to the half way point!! Oh...and we have most LIKELY decided on a name and that's pretty dang exciting too! :D 

Miss anything?: Ummm I can't really think of anything at the moment! 

Movement: I think i'm slowwwwly starting to feel more and more movement. It's more just light taps here and there and the occasional eerie feeling of what I assume to be her shifting around or something. So crazy. 

Food cravings: Still on an almost constant mexican food kick, and i've been putting tabasco sauce on like EVERYTHING I eat. I don't know what I will do if/when heartburn kicks in. My need for spice is too great! I'm a freak.  Other than that it's just random things that will just strike me and i'll HAVE to have. Nothing too bizarre (yet) though. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing really! WOO HOO, let's keep this rollin!   

Gender: GIRL!!! 

Labor signs: Nope 

Symptoms: Still have the occasional headache. The T3 I was prescribed with really didn't do a lot for me, in fact the one time I tried it, it ended up making my headache worse. I have it pretty well controlled right now just using the tension headache medicine that has tylenol and a little caffeine. So i'm hoping that just does the trick from here on out until these headaches are a thing of the past! 

Belly button in or out? Still in, although I have noticed lately it has gotten a bit more shallow so I'm sure that's on its way out lol 

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? Really really happy!!! 

Looking forward to: More days like today!!!! It is SO beautiful out. Just gives everyone a little more pep in their step! I'm SO ready for it to STAY like this!! 

I hope everyone has/had a Happy and Blessed Easter!!! 

19 weeks! Hello lady!

How far along? 19 weeks

Maternity clothes: Here and there. 

Stretch marks? Still hangin in there! Getting on more of a steady routine with applying that oil. I've started mixing a couple pumps of that with some cocoa butter and it is DREAMY

Sleep: Really well actually

Best moment this week: Well we had our OFFICIAL hospital anatomy scan today and it went really really well! I'm wearing the wrong color in my picture because it was signed sealed and delivered- this baby is a GIRL!  I'm so so glad they were able to confirm it without a doubt! So i'll put some pictures at the end that we got! 

Miss anything?: Back to missing my headache-less days! :( 

Movement: Still nothin, the last couple days there are moments that I feel this really goofy feeling, like sort of a creepy crawly sensation and i'm wondering if maybe that's her doing some somersaults or something! 

Food cravings: I've really craved mexican food this week for some reason   

Anything making you queasy or sick? Still just when I have a headache.  

Gender: GIRL!!! 

Labor signs: Nope  (I hate this question) 

Symptoms: Headaches!!!! I am quite literally at my wits end with these headaches. It's nearly every day and the majority of those days ends with a full blown debilitating headache that sends me to my bed with an ice pack at like 7. I have tried everything I can possibly think of or research. Caffeine, tylenol, excedrin, ibuprofen (both of those with full permission from my midwife) chiropractor, balms, oils, drinking EXTRA water, getting lots of rest, heat, ice, feet in hot water with icepack on neck. NOTHING is working. Finally at my visit today she prescribed me some T3, which is tylenol with codeine. Obviously won't be a regular regimen but we are just hoping to put a stop to the cycle because sometimes that's all it takes. For any of you that actually READ all my blathering, please say a little prayer for me for some relief. It's really wearing me down. Another weird thing that has been happening since i've been pregnant is how MUCH I hiccup! Seems like every time I move I hiccup. And it's only once or twice (thankfully) but what the heck! haha 

Belly button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? When i'm not doubled over in pain with a headache, i'm really happy!  

Looking forward to: Summer!!!! We are back to winter this week it seems and I am TIRED of it. 


Now for some ultrasound pics! We even got some fancy 3D ones! :) 

18 weeks!!

How far along? 18 weeks! We'll have this baby in our arms before we know it!  

Maternity clothes: We went to a community garage sale this weekend and I got a whole BUNCH of adorable maternity jeans from this lady there. Skinny jeans and capris. In other words maternity jeans that don't LOOK like maternity jeans which is exactly what I want. And the best part? $2 a pair! YES PLEASE! 

Stretch marks? Still doing okay! I'm not very good at regularly applying that stretch oil everyday, i'm sure i'll be kicking myself someday because of it. 

Sleep: Other than struggling pretty horribly from congestion from this cold still, i'm sleeping really well! 

Best moment this week: I had an amazing week! Finding out our baby no longer has to be considered "It" but a SHE was pretty dang surreal. We had fun narrowing down name choices! I had my first midwife appointment on Wednesday and that went really well, I think i'm really going to like them. And then this weekend I went to a big community garage sale for maternity/baby/kids stuff with my awesome sisters and niece. I seriously had the best time finding all kinds of adorable treasures for our little chickadee. She's so loved and blessed already. Check out our insane haul! We didn't spend more than $60 for ALL of it, and there's even things missing from the picture! To say we did good is an understatement. (Now we just have to hope there wasn't little boy parts hiding under that stinkin cord!)

Miss anything?: Nothing at the moment!

Movement: Noo. I just found out I have an Anterior placenta, basically meaning it's on the front. So all her little kicks and jabs are being cushioned from me feeling them, and probably will be for awhile. I'm looking forward to it, but I can be patient in that sense. She'll be giving me hell soon enough haha. The only thing I have noticed more lately is just the heaviness of having her in there. Mostly when i'm laying on my side or something. So bizarre. 

Food cravings: The only thing I really crave regularly is fruit! Which i'm THANKFUL for! At least it's not donuts or candy or something that's going to make me gain 50 lbs.  

Anything making you queasy or sick? The only time I feel queasy now is when I have a bad headache. Which does happen still occasionally. My midwife told me that I AM allowed to take the things that helped me pre pregnancy. (excedrin, ibuprofen, etc) My baby will NOT spontaneously combust if I use something besides Tylenol. Moderation is key obviously, and as long as I'm not using them through my 3rd tri up to the day I deliver it will be FINE. That was a relief because at least I know I can maybe start to get a handle on these damn things. 

Gender: GIRL!! Hoping they will be able to absolutely without a doubt confirm that at our official anatomy scan, which is NOW April 14! 

Labor signs: Nope 

Symptoms: headaches STILL, and really wicked round ligament pain which has been extra prominent with all the sneezing and coughing i've been doing lately. yeeeouch!   

Belly button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? HAPPY!!!  

Looking forward to: our LAST (for now anyways) hospital ultrasound on April 14th! (Unless we decide to do one of the crazy 4D ones...which let's face it we probably will) 

17 weeks + SURPRISE!!!

How far along? 17 weeks!

Maternity clothes: Every now and then, still don't need to all the time. 

Stretch marks? I'm still doing okay, but I had a dream the other night that I had HUGE sore stretch marks so that was a bit frightening 

Sleep: Okay I suppose!

Best moment this week: Well I ended up getting sick AGAIN with an awful cold, so that was pretty unfortunate. My immune system has really taken a SEVERE beating obviously. But the BEST moment was today!! (Oooo the suspense!) 

Miss anything?: I miss not catching every plague that crosses my path! 

Movement: Noo not yet. 

Food cravings: Oranges and Apples

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nothing in particular

Gender: !!!!!  

Labor signs: Nope 

Symptoms: headache, and then all my horrible cold symptoms but i'm not sure they count.

Belly button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? This week i've been BLAH again. 

Looking forward to:  Spilling the beans...

cause oh yeah, by the way...........................................................................

WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!!!!!! 

I swear it's not an April Fool's joke. 

Now, I guess I have some 'splainin to do. SO, as you all know we had our anatomy scan scheduled for next week. Well I just last week finally made the decision to transfer care to the midwives at U of M. So I was in a predicament. Do I keep the ultrasound appointment with the old providers and then have to transfer all that information? Or do I just wait until 20 weeks with the new providers? OR..do I give in to my insanely impatient ways and get an elective ultrasound now AND a 20 week ultrasound with my new provider. I think you can guess what choice I made. 

So we went and did that TODAY. Of COURSE the little peanut had the cord absolutely RIGHT on top where we wanted to see and she had the cord in her hands messin around with it, but the tech was pretty confident that it was a GIRL!! (I mean, even willing to bet 100 dollars! :P) So we were SHOCKED! We were both totally thinking boy, but we are thrilled!! She will have Josh wrapped around her little finger I can already see it. I must say I am glad we will get one last chance to check and make sure the cord wasn't hidin anything! BUT OMG! We're having a little girl!!!!!  They couldn't get the best shots of her cause she was movin all over the place but she's so cute and we already love her so much!!

16 weeks!

How far along? I'm 16 weeks! 

Maternity clothes: I went shopping at my favorite thrift store and got a nice little starter set of maternity clothes, it's still not COMPLETELY necessary yet but i'm definitely getting there. Better to be prepared! ;) 

Stretch marks? Still holdin up! 

Sleep: Sleeping okay, not so much this week but in general sleeping well. 

Best moment this week: I don't really know to be honest because I had an absolutely AWFUL week. Starting Monday I came down with a horrific migraine which then migrated into an awful awful sickness of some kind. I had a low fever, headache, chills, and absolute non stop vomiting. On Wednesday I started to feel improved as far as the "bug" went but they think I was so badly dehydrated and starving that It just started re-triggering baby nausea all over again and my body just couldn't catch up. So Wednesday evening after not eating or drinking anything since Monday it was decided that I needed to head to the ER to get IV fluids.  She pumped me full of fluids and nausea medication and I felt SO much better. I have felt good ever since so lets hope and pray something like that NEVER happens to me again. I feel like I could cry just thinking about it. Miserable. So I guess I could say my best moment was when I didn't feel that way anymore! 

Miss anything?: Can't think of anything at the moment! 

Movement: It's really hard to say! Every so often I feel a little gas bubble type sensation that maybe COULD be the flutters? But i'm really not sure obviously cause I have nothing to compare it to. Could just be actual gas LOL. 

Food cravings: I haven't really eaten enough this week to even KNOW what i've been craving lol. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? This is becoming a bit redundant but again,considering most of the week EVERYTHING made me sick, it's hard to say. 

Gender: 2 weeks until we (hopefully) find out!! AHHH I can't wait! 

Labor signs: Nope 

Symptoms: achey head, that can stop any time and that'd be alright with me!   

Belly button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? This week i've been BLAH. 

Looking forward to: I'll give you one guess!!!! C'mon April 7th!!! 

15 weeks!

How far along? 15 weeks! Just truckin' along!  

Maternity clothes: Still not wearing any yet. I have a few pairs of pants that are just laughable at even the thought of trying to squeeze into them. But I have a lot of jeans with a good amount of stretch in them. So i'm good still. 

Stretch marks? No sign of 'em yet! But I have noticed a lot more itchiness so I'm definitely stretchin! I've been enjoying that oil that I ordered. It has a nice light smell and even though it is an actual OIL and goes on much like a tanning oil-it doesn't feel OVERLY oily. Which I like! It absorbs into your skin really quick and you don't feel like you've been at the beach all day and need a shower. And it washes off your hands easily too. So far so good! 

Sleep: Sleeping really well lately! Well..besides the OUTRAGEOUS dreams I've been having. Honorable mention (in condensed version because it went on FOREVER): Josh and I got a large pet snake and we decided to play the snake charmer song for it. Which then caused the snake to go berserk and proceed to push one of my nephews down the stairs on a chair. I was then terrified of the snake and tried to get Josh to give it away but he wouldn't because he had grown too attached. (Which is REALLY bizarre because Josh HATES snakes-not this one I guess) The only other parts I remember were me letting it out to go to the bathroom and it coming up to me and rubbing its head on me to get pet like a cat. SO SO weird. 

Best moment this week: I had a routine OB appt this week and everything seems to be going very well. We listened to the heartbeat which is in the 150's, and she told me she has seen no significant truth to the wives tale about the heart rate, so I guess I won't take that one TOO seriously. And then we discussed our next ultrasound which will most likely be the last one we have and the one that we'd find out the sex of the baby. They typically do that one around 20 weeks. I hesitantly asked my doc if there was ANY way we could have it done during my 18th week because Josh will be out of town for work during my 19th and 20th week. I was expecting her to say no, that she'd prefer that I wait, but to my surprise she said that would be NO problem- that's something we should definitely be together for! I was SO happy and excited. I LOVE my doctor! 

Miss anything?:  I still miss not getting these recurring headaches, but otherwise nothin! 

Movement: Not yet!! Can't wait for that. 

Food cravings: The only thing I can think of that i've pinpointed specifically that I want lately has been Granny smith apples. Love love love. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Still morning mouth and brushing my teeth. The only other time I feel sick is when I have a bad headache. 

Gender: We will find out April 7th!!! The countdown begins! Literally.....21 days, 20 hours 18 minutes. ;) 

Labor signs: No thank God. 

Symptoms: Still getting the headaches and the occasional floods of nausea. Otherwise I'm feeling really good!  

Belly button in or out? Still in

Wedding rings on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? Most of the time i've been happy!

Looking forward to: Our ULTRASOUND!!! Cannot.WAIT!!! Now we just have to pray that the little peanut will let us see the goods!! :)