Friday, January 27, 2017

28 Weeks & Looking Back on Trimester 2




Trimester 2 in a nutshell...

The Bump:  Winter is an interesting time to be growing a baby bump.  I suspect sweaters, coats, scarves and layers keep people you don't know very well keep people guessing longer than in warmer months.  I had publicly announced I was pregnant everywhere but in my doctoral program where I had only personally shared with a handful of classmates I have gotten closer to.  Wednesday night my professor asked me during a transition.  She said she had been going back and forth for a couple of weeks now (I have her for my Monday night class to), but seeing me in my maternity style shirt that night she felt confident enough to ask.  Bump pic scheduled for the next week or so (we are shooting for one a month...I'm not sure how the once a week picture takers keep up!).

The growing bump has also revealed that my seemingly bottomless, black hole of a belly button (it literally was a hole where you could not see or feel any sort of "button") really does have a bottom!  I saw it for the very first time just a few weeks ago.

Symptoms:  Heartburn vanished for a while, but then came back around week 24.  It is not food specific rather seems to strike at about 7 each evening.  It's not terribly severe, and clears up with two Tums.  I also continue to pee like it's my job.  I continue to go 3-4 times a night AND have now added what feels like a million trips during the day.  I will sometimes pee, walk out of the bathroom and feel like I have to pee again almost immediately.  Ella either is using my bladder as a soccer ball or it has shrunk to the size of a grape:(.

The exhaustion has subsided some as I have had a number of breaks (Thanksgiving break, winter break, snow days, etc.) during trimester 2.  That being said I have head several people comment this week that I am moving a bit slower (I would be offended, but I feel like I am moving slower too!).  The last notable symptom is over the last 2-3 weeks I think I have started experiencing some Braxton Hicks.  They are just a couple times a day, generally when I am walking.  I plan to discuss more in depth with the doctor next Tuesday.

Not really a symptom, but Isabella has become a very busy little girl!  Just about any time I stop moving (answering emails at my desk, sitting in class, getting ready to go to sleep) I can feel her dancing around in there.  No painful kicks or punches yet, but she definitely lets me know multiple times during the day that we are in this together!

Diet:  Carbs with side of cheese followed by a healthy dose of sugar!  No specific cravings per se, but if it doesn't involve carbs I don't want anything to do with it.  In trying to get a handle on the heartburn I started having a glass of chocolate milk each day-yum!  With my glucose test coming up next Tuesday, I have cut out almost all sweets this past week.  I was going to try to minimize carbs, but that was too hard:(.  My goal was to gain 25 points this pregnancy and as of Tuesday I was at 20! New goal is 30...hopefully that once sticks as I imagine everyone's stories of dropping the baby weight will look very different for me as I round the corner to 40 (years that is-not pounds)!

Exercise:  I successfully walked more this trimester than last and even threw in a prenatal workout video here and there, but overall I think I am going to regret my "exercise plan" (or lack there of) when labor kicks my backside!

Emotions:  It has been a very happy second trimester.  Fears and doubts have quieted down (especially since hitting viability at 24 weeks!) and have been replaced with excitement about meeting Isabella Grace:).  I am trying to keep my anxiety about the world around me way down (J.T. said he is taking that one on for both of us) and just trying to remain a place of peace for Ella to grow strong and healthy.

Purchases:  Maternity clothes.  I scored a pretty decent wardrobe at a very reasonable cost.  I bought several pairs of paints and a number of tops at a consignment shop with a maternity section (probably spent less than $150 for like a dozen pieces).  Then a teacher brought me a bag of tops (free!).  My kindergarten team gave me a gift card for Motherhood for my birthday which I held onto until the after Christmas sales (scored 8 pieces for $15 out of pocket).  Throw in like 8 pairs of leggings ($50) and I have a $200 maternity wardrobe which should get me all the way through work and play (fingers crossed!).

Other than her take home outfit I bought a few organizational pieces for the nursery, but otherwise am going to wait until after the baby showers (one in February for local friends and family, one in March at school and one this summer with family and friends up North) to see what else we still need.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Friday, January 20, 2017

27 Weeks

So I've started this tradition of keeping track of Isabella's weekly progress with the whole fruit/vegetable comparison thing; however, as we get further along I struggle with the comparisons.

This week my What to Expect When You're Expecting app told me she was the size of a cucumber.  I guess they are comparing her length, but when you say she's the size of a cucumber and last week you told me she was an eggplant I can only visualize her as a shape shifter!

However, I do have a soft spot for tradition, so here we go for week 27:

Isabella is a the size of a...


Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Musical Household

Tonight I came home from class and J.T. asked if I wanted to see the present he got.  He showed me a picture of a banjo on the computer screen.  His stepfather makes banjos and it turns out he asked his mom for one for Christmas and it is now completed.

My husband loves listening to music, but has never played an instrument...or sung in a chorus....or can read music.  So I asked him what brought on this sudden interest.  He responded that he wanted Ella to grow up in a musical household.  Awww, so sweet!

Friday, January 13, 2017

26 Weeks and Crazy Weather

Isabella is now the size of an...


Monday the low temperature was 5 degrees.  Today on the way home it was 73 degrees.  So I'm just going to leave this here:


Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Easing in to 2017

Between working full time, taking three classes and growing our little girl I have been expecting 2017 to knock me on my backside.  However, I love our God as I feel He is setting me up to be busy but not lose my mind.

Last week was a 5 day work week (we were the only school I know of who went back on the second), BUT that was actually a good thing for me.  It kept me active and my eating in check so I did not gain any weight at all (yay for healthy!).

This week things were supposed to amp up as my classes started.  I am taking classes Monday nights, Tuesday nights and Wednesday nights.  I tried a Saturday class in place of a night class in the fall and hated it.  Well my classes did start, but, as a result of our couple of inches of snow on Saturday and subfreezing temperatures, we have yet to go back to school.   I am hoping we go back to school tomorrow, and as luck would have it my Wednesday night professor had to cancel our first class due to being at a conference so I only have regular school tomorrow.

Next week is MLK so it will be a four day week and only two evening classes.

So I won't be working at full capacity until we are almost to February.  So instead of getting my butt kicked for almost four months it's only going to be about three--win!


Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Word for 2017

Many of my best thinking moments and brainstorms have taken place in the shower.  So it should come as no surprise that my word for 2017 came to my while I was showering this morning.   My word for 2017 is:




I see this encompassing physical health, mental health and spiritual health.  I also see this encompassing my health and Ella's.


Monday, January 2, 2017

Puzzles


A teacher I used to work with generously offered us three bins of baby items from her now 4 year old little girl.  I went through the bins and ended up with some great finds.  

Then I ran across these two items...

 

Some of you looked at this two items and immediately knew what they were.  

Some of you (hopefully I was not the only one!) looked at these two items thought "what the...?".

It took a group of 5 adults--most of whom have more than one college degree and two of whom have (grown) children--a million guesses, about 24 hours, and the internet to determine what they are.  

For those who aren't in the know the item on the left is a head support for use in strollers and carriers and the item on the right is a baby sling.

Hmmm...I wonder how many more puzzles like these 2017 will hold for us as new parents!



Sunday, January 1, 2017

OneWord365

I love new beginnings.  Historically, I have always considered myself fortunate because I got two new beginnings each year-- the beginning of a school year and the beginning of a new year.  I like reflecting and then setting goals/resolutions and these opportunities for change.

2015 ended and 2016 began in a sea of personal turmoil.  It is amazing how only one facet of your life (granted a pretty significant facet) can so dramatically impact the big picture.  I was sad, lost, and ready to throw in the towel.  As we moved into 2016 I was not my usual self and didn't set any goals or have any primary objectives in mind.

It is amazing the difference a year can make.

With all that is going on I had not considered a specific resolution or goal.  A few days ago I stumbled up on this site:


I think it is an awesome way to set a goal/resolution for a new year.

In retrospect I see what my 2016 word was:  Trust.

I am having a harder time committing to my 2017 word.

Given all the change that lies ahead I am leaning toward adapt or flow (as in go with the), but am hoping I get a nudge that helps me to find the word.