24 Week Updates: Baby 2.0

Nothing like starting the 24th week with a BANG and a good scare…..

I've been having a LOT of issues lately with constipation, and this morning took the cake- very reminiscent of the events that happened around week 25 with Iyla. I essentially felt like I was- *AHEM* giving birth in a whole different way this morning- and much to my alarm, after the "birthing," there was a LOT of red blood in the toilet. I assumed it was from whence the exodus had come, but no, upon further investigation, it was definitely vaginal bleeding. Which NO pregnant woman ever wants to see at any point in her pregnancy.

My first thoughts were rational, that of course this had been caused by my straining. However I quickly snowballed into very fearful irrational thoughts, especially after I purposefully laid down, ate some apples, and jiggled my belly to get baby to PLEASE OH PLEASE kick or move.

Nothing.

Now, she typically isn't noticeably active first thing in the morning, and I did feel her kicking all over last night, but still. Red blood at 24 weeks followed by no evident movement = good grounds to FREAK OUT.

I called my doc's office and they said most likely it was some kind of slight vaginal rupture, as those veins are full of extra blood and prone to this during pregnancy- especially from straining. Nonetheless- the lack of movement was enough for them to schedule me to come in for a heart check on baby.

I had breakfast scheduled with a friend prior to the doc appointment, and THANK GOD halfway through breakfast baby girl started kicking away. Oh was I relieved! And at my doc appointment they were able to find her heartbeat, though not easily due to all the moving she was doing. The nurse concluded that the straining had likely just ruptured some vaginal veins, causing the bleeding. Since I hadn't had any further bleeding, hadn't had any cramping, and baby's heartbeat sounded good, it looks to (hopefully) have been just a one time freak scare.

I WILL for sure be upping the colace tonight, as I absolutely don't want a repeat performance of this morning's events!

And…. now to the official 24 week updates.

How far along? 24 weeks today!

I had the realization hit me yesterday that there are pretty much only THREE months to go until baby arrives, which given my planner Type A personality, signals it is time to start the wheels in motion toward active preparation for baby. This includes:

*Locating, re-familiarizing myself with, and sterilizing all bottle parts
*Doing the same with the breast pump
*Ordering nursery furniture (we need everything: crib, dresser, chair, curtains, rug, shelves, etc)
*Converting the guest room into a nursery (likely in May)
*Locating, washing, & organizing all of our newborn baby clothes
*Designing and organizing the guest room/now nursery closet (additional clothes rods, shelves, etc)
*Locating & re-familiarizing myself with all baby equipment (bouncy chair, Rock n Play, swing, Pack n Play, carriers, etc)
*Deciding what we will have baby sleep in upon her arrival (she'll be in our room initially)
*Purchasing a double stroller? (I am not 100% sure we will need this, but am thinking we likely will- given Iyla isn't much of a walker or biker. Hoping to find a used double BOB to save $$)
*Purchasing & starting to read books about being a big sister to Iyla
*Coming up with a BIRTH DAY plan concerning who will be on call to come stay with Iyla. Labors often start in the middle of the night, so I may need a hierarchy of people on my "get here NOW" list to call.

I figure if I space these things out over the next 3 months, with the goal to have everything ready to roll by July 1st, we'll be in good shape!

How big is baby? This is a big week for baby and one of my favorite milestones: VIABILITY! This basically means that at this point baby is developed enough to possibly survive outside the womb, should the situation arise. Now- this little lady is not allowed to even think about exiting until July- preferably MID July at the earliest, but this is still a very reassuring milestone to hit.

The baby apps say she should be around 1.5 pounds at this point, 12 inches long (as big as a cantaloupe!), and that her facial features are pretty much fully formed with eyelashes, eyebrows, & hair.  Her brain is growing rapidly, and her taste buds are fully developed.

How big is Mama? I weighed myself before AND after this morning's event, thinking there would for sure be a difference. But low and behold- same weight both times… confirming another TWO pound gain from last week! Maybe the growth/gain isn't going to slow…. and so be it. I was at 132.4 this morning, so a 22.4 gain total overall this pregnancy, with an estimated 16 weeks to gain go!

And as usual, this is very on par with what I looked like and had gained at 34 weeks with Iyla (almost to a T!)- showing I am still measuring about 10 weeks ahead on everything this round.

24 weeks with baby girl #2, 22.4 pounds gained

34 weeks with Iyla, 21.8 pounds gained

Sleep? No big changes there. Feeling sleepier overall this week during the day.

Food cravings/aversions? Still haven't gotten back into seafood, and lately haven't really been desiring salads or greens much either (hmmm, correlation to this morning's events?)

Symptoms? 

*I had a couple days this week with vertigo and nausea, which was an interesting combination.

* Extreme constipation (but you knew that already)

*My 'baby brain' is in full effect, and I find that as soon as I enter a room to tell BC something I've already forgotten what it was I wanted to say. I have to write things down immediately or they will be gone into the ethers forever.

*Oh so achey. My hips/thighs/back are super delicate, aching when I sit or stand or lie down too long. I am also having more trouble getting comfortable at night; every time I creak turn over to change position I feel pain and tightness.

Big sister?

Iyla had a very fun and full weekend! On Saturday we had my company's Client Appreciation Party, where Iyla spent the afternoon running around, dancing, making new friends, and enjoying the spoils from the kids' piñata:

New lollipop buddy at the party

On Sunday while I attended a baby shower for a friend, BC took Iyla out to breakfast and to the Honk Festival- where street musicians performed and paraded up and down the streets of East Austin. She loved it!

Here are a few more shots of Iyla from this past week:

Here she'd called me over to announce that "Santa is back for another Christmas!" Her imagination is awesome these days.

Most looking forward to? Our trip to California in just a couple of weeks! We were able to shift around some of the lodging (saving SO much money), so happily the trip is ON. One full week of just BC and I relaxing, while Grandma comes to have some lovely quality time with Iyla. I told Iyla that Grandma would be flying in from Kansas for a special, long "sleepover party." Not sure who will be having more fun- BC and I or Grandma and Iyla!

Nursery Progress and 36 Week Updates

I dare say our nursery is just about finished! The bedding is washed, drawers are organized, closet stocked with newborn and 0-3 clothes.... we are definitely getting there and making some good progress. The items remaining to do in baby prep land:

*Create a diaper station & stock it (possibly 3 stations- one in the nursery, one in our bedroom, and one on the 1st floor). This will include organizing the cloth diaper stash & familiarizing ourselves with how to use them.

*Figure out what the little one will be sleeping on in our bedroom (Pack n Play? Rock n Play? A yet to be purchased co-sleeper?)

*Assemble the Pack n Play and Bob Stroller/car seat adapter

  TO BE DONE THIS WEEKEND

*Install car seat bases, mirrors, & baby shades in both cars

   TO BE DONE THIS WEEKEND

*Get familiar with the breast pump- sterilize all the parts

*Set up the baby monitor

*Continue to cook & freeze meals & stock the fridge/pantry (in the freezer so far I have 5 single servings of Butternut Lentil Soup, 5 servings of veggie chili, pork chops, salmon, tilapia, & catfish).

*Stock up household necessities (toilet paper, kleenex, paper towels, toothpaste, lotion, hand soap, etc)

  CHECK! DONE YESTERDAY

Here are some recent shots of the nursery. I got the cute Etsy mobile! Currently working my bird branch in as a sort of decorative piece for now:

I bought two floating wood shelves I am hoping will work behind the glider- hopefully BC can hang those today

Here are my 36 week updates:

How far along? 36 weeks today- I am officially considered 9 months pregnant!

How big is baby? Looking forward to our growth scan next week to know for sure, but the apps say she should be in the 5.5- 6 pound range by now, about 18-19 inches long- the size of a large cantaloupe. Her main job continues to be packing on the baby rolls!

Weight gain? Not much this week, up another 1/2 pound for a total of 24 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight.

 36 week belly- cold front addition! Yesterday Austin had a lovely cold front blow through, dropping temps down from the 90's into the mid 50's. I was pleased to find ONE sweater that was long enough to cover my belly. When we headed out to meet friends for a birthday celebration last night, there was a lot of oo-ing and ah-ing about how my belly 'had popped' in the last week (I had just seen these friends at the wedding celebration last weekend). I think the horizontal stripes probably added to that effect, but there is definitely no denying the bump- this little baby is growing!

And a regular clothed 36 week belly shot for comparison. It does look smaller sans stripes

Sleep? Crappy again this week. Waking a lot in the night and unable to fall back asleep. Not much new there. I actually did get a good nights' sleep last night, which hopefully will allow me to be super productive today.

Cravings/Aversions? Last night after dinner I was again craving ice cream. When we got home I broke out a box of cereal, thinking that might curb my sweet tooth in a healthier way. I stared at the cereal box for a full minute before returning it to the pantry and breaking out the Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream. *Heaven*

Symptoms? Still struggling with constipation (worse this week likely due to the batch of cookies I made and largely consumed!) Also just feeling really slow & physically tired over all.

Most looking forward to? Hitting the official "full term" point at 37 weeks next week! We are also super excited for our growth ultrasound on Halloween, when we'll get our last official look at the baby (and Franny). 

32 Week Updates

How far along? 32 weeks yesterday

How big is baby? We actually had a growth ultrasound this past week- and she looks to be about 3.25-3.5 pounds, which is right on track. The ultrasound tech said she was "petite," with a smallish head and abdomen (so looks like she favors me there- which is JUST fine- BC has a huge head!) She was measuring in the 8th percentile, so definitely a little lady. It was confirmed she is head down- and is actually using Fibroid Franny like a pillow- ha.

And speaking of Franny- she hasn't grown much, but also hasn't moved one iota out of the way. The U/S tech still isn't optimistic that the baby will be able to squeeze past to come out the good 'ole fashioned way, and he put our odds of needing a c-section really high (but did say "miracles can happen!' Great.) We'll see what my regular doc has to say when we meet to go over these stats- but at the last appointment she was of the mindset that we would allow me to go into labor naturally and give this baby a shot at pushing past Franny. Obviously we'd be monitoring me closely- and if it became evident that indeed there was no way of coming out vaginally, then at that point we'd go ahead with a c-section.

Weight gain? Up 19.2- pounds total. That is a that is a 2.7 pound gain from last week! I feel like I am two stepping with my weekly weights- down a smidgeon, then up a bunch! Down a smidgeon, then up again!

32 week belly

Sleep? Schizophrenic brain is here again- when I wake to go the bathroom in the middle of the night my brain unfortunately wakes too, and I've been having about an hour nightly just trying to get back to sleep. I've also still been waking super early. In between those times I sleep really well and soundly- just wish my body & brain could connect the dots and STAY asleep.

Cravings/Aversions? Strawberries are a new one tasting amazing to me- not necessarily something that I need and crave, but pre pregnancy I didn't love them- and I'd have to say I am loving them lately.

Symptoms? Ack- constipation with a vengeance. I had ANOTHER episode of what happened in New Mexico! That marks two of those episodes within a week, which is ridiculous.

Other than that I am actually doing pretty. well. Still having Braxton Hicks on and off, had one migraine last week, and more tired than usual. But all things I can handle.

One weird thing that happened for about 30 minutes during my shower yesterday and then again today- my left ear was "popped" like when the air pressure changes on an airplane. My voice sounded like a loud echo in my head, and I could NOT make it stop for the life of me. Not with eating, drinking, yawning, chewing gum, etc. It was extremely distracting & strange.  I finally found that tipping my head backwards for awhile would help it temporarily clear. I have no idea if this is related to pregnancy or not, but I have NEVER had that happen to me for such a long period.

Most looking forward to? Going through my baby shower loot! My shower was yesterday and the generosity was off the charts. I will work on a separate post with pictures & updates from that- including the final dress selection. I appreciate all the votes & comments on my dress choices from the last post- and ended up going an entirely different direction! I have a lot of dresses to return tomorrow...

I'm Too Sexy for my... (Baby Shower?) and 31 Week Updates

Finding the right dress.

As a female, there are many occasions where this act becomes a labor of love as much as a pain in the a**. Homecoming. Prom. Graduation. Wedding shower. Wedding. House Hunters (not all ladies struggle with this one, but it was a doozy! Needing at LEAST 3-4 'professional' looking dresses to be seen on National TV. No pressure, right?)

And now the baby shower. This one is proving to be extra hard, given the additional curves I am working with. I have tried on no less than 15 dresses in my quest, and my UPS man has been working overtime with all the mail order deliveries I've been getting (and mostly returning). I actually got a call from the Wells Fargo Fraud Protection Department due to the fact that there were so many recent charges placed to random Maternity stores across the US. I sheepishly verified that yes, indeed, those were all mine. Whoops.

The first real dress contender I had was this lovely wine colored frock:

Fits me very well and was Babycakes approved. The *only* problem is that it is made from a heavier material and has sleeves, and it is still 90 degrees daily here in Austin. AND I am a sweater. I don't think having armpit sweat rings would be a cute look for the shower.

In the last major clothes order that arrived Friday, there were 2 more possible contenders (out of about 8!) I think this little black dress is cuter in person than in this picture:

And then- THEN I tried this on. I immediately was quite smitten- it was SO comfy and it somehow made me, in my almost 8 months' pregnant glory, feel pretty (I added the belt):

I felt like I had found the one. Yes, it was quite fitted and showed all of my lumps & bumps curves- but nothing some good 'ole maternity spanx or a slip couldn't calm (which have been ordered- like I said, the UPS man is definitely earning his paycheck these days!).

Then I showed it to BC.

His response? "Isn't it too small for you? It's really tight."

AWESOME.

BC and I have quite the history with fashion- he was/is the first partner I've ever had who has pretty particular aesthetic opinions on what I wear. In the beginning this was a big source of contention between us, but over the years we have worked it out. However, I felt pretty deflated by his comments, totally 2nd guessing what had minutes before been my favorite choice. I definitely don't want to come off as too va-va-voom sexy for my BABY SHOWER, especially with my mom and my mother-in-law in attendance. So I've gone ahead and ordered the next size up in this dress on express delivery, to see if maybe it fits a little less snug- though I fear the length on the next size will be way too long, as this one is already long on me as it is- needing some elevated sandals to make it work (ah, the perils of a maxi-dress on a 5'2 frame).

Dear Readers of mine- I'd love to have you weigh in on the dresses! I know it is a bit hard going on just pictures, but if you are willing, I'd love to get your feedback on the 3 choices in the comments section. Which dress would you choose?

Now on to my 31 week updates:

How far along? 31 weeks yesterday. Only NINE WEEKS until our due date! That is 62 days according to my pregnancy ticker. Holy s***

How big is baby? She is compared to either a head of lettuce or a pineapple this week, likely around 3+ pounds and over 16 inches. All of her organs are fully formed and functioning with the exception of her lungs, which are still working hard to reach final maturity.

I was able to confirm at my doctor appointment this week that she is already head down! I had suspected as much, given the hiccups I feel daily are always way low on my right side. This is great news- perfect positioning for birth- so here's hoping she stays put down there.

31 week belly

Weight gain? I actually was DOWN 1/2 pound as of yesterday at the 31 week mark- for a total weight gain of 16.5 pounds. Of course this morning things seem to have gone up again- but I am also suffering from a relapse of wicked constipation.

Sleep? I'm having another bout of waking WAY too early and being unable to get back to sleep. Friday it was 5am. Yesterday was a blissful 6:45am. This morning was 6am. I've also had a couple nights where sleeping on my back was leaving me short of breath (yes- I am still occasionally sleeping on my back! But I think those days are getting seriously numbered).

I had my first dream this week where I had given birth. Our baby girl was at the hospital and I was anxious to get ahold of BC and go see her (there was no act of birth in the dream, just the knowledge that it had happened and she was here!) Awesome part of the dream? That I put on my pre-maternity jeans and they instantly fit. Not so awesome part? She had arrived on October 10th- which in my subconscious state I noted as 10-11-12- a very cool birthdate indeed, but that would make her about 6 weeks early, which is not so great. I also took conscious note that I didn't yet have a carseat- one of the first baby gear items absolutely necessary. Cue me upon waking to doing some registry stalking- our carseat hasn't yet been purchased, so I have a HUGE mental note to get that ordered ASAP after our shower.

Food cravings/aversions? Not much new here- still preferring fish to meat & loving my sweets.

Symptoms? Apparently in the 3rd trimester progesterone kicks up quite a bit, and for me that is manifesting in a few forehead pimples, bloody noses, and really extreme constipation. I actually had another awful encore of what happened in New Mexico, and am adding prune juice to the shopping list. I also wonder if progesterone has anything to do with my early waking, as that was happening a lot in the 1st trimester as well.

Physically, I am having weird tugs in my glutes and inner thighs. I went on a 2 mile walk this week (which proved to be DIFFICULT- lots of round ligament tightening coupled with Braxton Hicks)- and it felt like my right inner thigh muscle was totally pulled. I suspect this has to do with the whole hip widening/pelvis opening action going on. On a walk with BC the other night I was getting noticeably winded, which apparently is pretty common at this stage in the game as my uterus starts pushing upward and infringing on my lungs.

Most looking forward to? We have an ultrasound on Wednesday and I am so excited to see our little one again and see how she's grown! Also super excited for my baby shower... here's hoping I can settle on the right dress SOON.

26 Week Updates

BC and I made it home safely from our Babymoon- albeit extremely late last night. We had another full day of travel including a 2.5 hour drive from Taos to the airport to board the 1st of our 2 flights (and you better bet I quadruple checked the take off times!). Our final flight from Houston to Austin was delayed about 2 hours, and when we finally boarded we sat on the plane another hour before taking off, then had to circle Austin for about 45 minutes due to storms. That flight is only supposed to be 25 minutes- it was the longest "short" flight I've ever been on!

We finally arrived home around 1:30am to our very happy fur baby Sam:

Here are my (sleepy) 26 week updates:

How far along? 26 weeks (as of yesterday). I've officially entered the single digit countdown to our due date! Just 97 days to go....

How big is baby? She is nearing the 2 pound mark, around 14 inches long. This week's food comparison says she is about the size of a head of lettuce. Her body is working hard to continue producing "surfactant" in her lungs- an important substance needed for the lungs to function. Her hearing is also getting better and better, and BC warmed my heart this trip by declaring that it was time to start her music education! He has started choosing songs he loves from his phone app and playing them to my belly. So sweet.

Weight gain? I was VERY curious to see where I'd be with this after a week of vacation. I was definitely eating a bit more than normal, but was also walking a lot more than normal, so it likely all balanced out. The tally this morning? Up another 2.2 pounds from last week! For a total of 13.4 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. The prune juice I lifted from the VIP lounge has finally set in, so I can't blame constipation for the gain- I think this is all baby, and that is what we want. Grow baby girl, grow!

First 26 week belly shot in purple tank

This picture was literally taken immediately after the previous one. Doesn't it look like I instantaneously got bigger once I put on the gray tank top? Weird. I guess there is something to be said for the slimming effects of dark colors!

Sleep? We stayed in two awesome hotels in New Mexico, our favorite of which was hands down the El Monte Sagrado in Taos. That bed was A-MAZING and so, so comfortable! I slept super well the entire trip, including almost daily naps.

Food cravings/aversions? I have noticed I have a slight aversion to red meats in the form of brisket or BBQ. If we order something like that, my body gives me a definite NO after a few bites. I also haven't been craving steak or red meat nearly as much as in weeks prior. This trip I was really loving fish (trout is fresh & plentiful in New Mexico) and veggies, with the occasional chocolate ice cream cone thrown in (had my first ever cone from a Baskin Robbins on the Santa Fe Square and it is safe to say I am now a bit obsessed, and may have to seek them out here in Austin).

Symptoms? As mentioned in previous posts, some interesting physical changes have happened in the past week. Somewhere between Texas and New Mexico- weeks 25-26 - my belly button completely flattened out, and as of this morning now has a slight outie bulge at the very top. I also confirmed that my hips have widened, due to my difficulty pulling up old familiar pants.  I have some kind of bloody mucous almost every time I blow my nose, resulting in full on nose bleeds about every 3 days. And the constipation- oh the constipation! But you've already heard enough about that.

Most looking forward to? Right now a nap. I popped up at 7:45 with BC's alarm (he had a golf date with the boys this morning)- meaning I only had about 5-5.5 hours of sleep. I'm looking forward to a quiet day snuggling Sam at home before returning to 'real life' tomorrow.

Pregnant Hilton Gold Member Lifts Prune Juice From VIP Lounge

It was bound to happen sooner or later- a blog entry devoted to talking about something most people prefer not to discuss, but seems to come up sooner or later on most pregnancy blogs (BC- turn away now!).

Constipation.

This is something that pre-pregnancy I already struggled with, always at its worst when traveling. So now add in 6+ months of pregnancy and a week long trip to a dry mountain climate, and Houston, we have a problem.

Have you ever heard of the expression 'ripping someone a new a**hole?' Yeah, I think that literally happened to me yesterday. In fact it now feels like I may have several a**holes down there, though sadly none of them are functioning properly.

I had gone to the restroom prepared to do my duties and immediately realized I was in a precarious predicament. Things moved *ahem* down, but then got lodged right by the exit, stubbornly holding on for dear life. I spent close to a full 15 minutes working the few abdominal muscles I have left... wiggling, breathing, standing then sitting again, humming, straining, trying every.single.thing I could think of to dislodge the troops. To no avail.

It felt like I had a bag of marbles stuffed inside me.

I finally realized I had to go in. Things were not going to come out as they should, so I literally had to take matters into my own hands. It was mortifying and disgusting and immensely painful.

Mind you, this was all happening in a fancy Hilton Hotel restroom, where we were staying for free due to my Hilton Honors points. I've been using a Hilton American Express card for years now, putting all major purchases on the card and paying it off in full every month for maximum award points.

This year I proudly achieved "Gold Status," complete with a shiny new gold card which gives members benefits like free WIFI & free breakfasts. And on this trip I discovered a new perk: Hilton Hotels have a top secret VIP lounge reserved only for Gold Members.

VIP Lounge + pregnant woman = DANGER.

This lounge was right next to our hotel room, accessible by our room key. Inside it was fully stocked 24 hours a day with cookies, muffins, cereal, bagels, juice, granola bars- the works. I may or may not have stopped in to grab something every time we passed by.

On the last visit before we checked out I noticed there was prune juice among the drink options. My acupuncturist had highly recommended this as something to help my constipation, but I have never been able to find any at our local grocery stores. And low and behold here it was, in the Hilton VIP lounge (is constipation a prerequisite for Gold Status?). Knowing we were checking out and heading to a Marriott hotel in Taos- where I had NO special status- I did what any self respecting girl would do: I stuffed a bag full of food & drinks, including clearing out the entire prune juice supply.

The last remnants of my Hilton VIP lounge stash. 

Hoping there weren't any secret surveillance cameras in the room....

So there you have it- the extreme measures one will go through to obtain regularity. I can't say the prune juice is working any magic just yet, but in 2 days we'll be back in Austin, and I'm hopeful my system will return to a more normal rhythm then. Marbles be GONE!

22 Week Updates

I've been a busy girl with work this week! My dear friend Lisa- who is also a Realtor- is leaving for a week's vacation (during which she'll be married!). Her business was officially handed over to me yesterday, so needless to say this upcoming week may be even busier (especially if this morning's activity was any indication). I am grateful we have one another to help out during these transitions in our lives- as we truly trust each other and run our businesses in the same manner. She stepped in 4 years ago when I married BC, and I am more than happy to return the favor.

Baby Girl has been very active this week- lots of little gentle kicks & punches throughout the day. I also had my first experience yesterday of seeing my stomach become lopsided! I was lying on the couch and when I looked down there was a definite bulge to the right of my belly button. She definitely favors my right side- I have NEVER felt any kicks on the left, which is interesting. Perhaps she is trying to stay as far away from Franny as possible....

And how cute is THIS idea? A tree decal with shelves! I am keeping my fingers crossed that BC doesn't boycott it as being too "baby" or "cutesy," b/c I really, really love it and think it would be adorable in our nursery.

How far along? 22 weeks

How big is baby? About 11.5 inches long- this week's fruit size comparison is a Papaya (what is up with all the random, unusual fruits?). The pregnancy websites vary in what they estimate her weight is - anywhere from about 3/4 to 1 full pound of baby. One interesting fact: a baby's hair is pure white at this point in their development- the pigment that will ultimately determine their hair color won't develop for another couple of weeks.

Weight gain? I am now up a total of 7.8 lbs, which is almost a 2 lb gain from last week! This week I had my first random stranger comments about being pregnant. One guy at the gas station called out 'congratulations!' and asked if it was a boy or a girl. Another guy at a convenience store joked that it looked like I needed to go on a diet. Real funny, dude. One of my girlfriends remarked that only a guy would be brave enough to comment at this point in a pregnancy. Women tend to be a bit more careful, in the event that in lieu of pregnancy I just carry extra weight out front, or maybe just gave birth a few months ago. You just never know.

22 week belly

Food cravings/aversions? Baked goods taste like pure heaven to me. I'm not going overboard with them, but oh are they dee-lish. I just devoured an afternoon piece of coffee cake- perhaps there *is* a correlation between this delight in baked goods and the almost 2 lb swing in weight this week?

Sleep? Great! I think the nightly Magnesium is really helping across the board- with migraines, constipation, AND sleep.

Symptoms? Still occasional round ligament pain that needs time to stretch out when I get up from sitting. I've also had a strange mix of feeling a bit congested coupled with really dry nasal passages, leading to some mild bloody noses. I've noticed (sorry for TMI!) my nipples are also starting to darken a bit, which I've heard happens in pregnancy as an evolutionary means to help the baby more easily find its food source. Amazing stuff.

Most looking forward to? Hopefully a relaxing pool day tomorrow! I've been working so hard I am hoping to unwind a bit, and water + sunshine is a sure fire formula for me toward total relaxation.

I am also excited for my first official appointment with my new clinic this Tuesday- Nurture OBGYN. I'll get to have a brief look at Baby Girl again by ultrasound, which is always a treat!

16 Weeks (The Hormonal Roller-Coaster)

Today I am 4 months pregnant.  While out shopping earlier, I was loving catching glimpses of my wee baby bump in mirrors- it is definitely noticeable now to anyone who knows me (though strangers may just think I am bloated!)

This past week was the first where I felt some strong hormonal tides commandeering my body. Wednesday night's sleep was racked with insanely manic, busy, stressful dreams- constant frenzied stories in my mind. I slept though the night, but b/c of the crazed dreams woke Thursday in a sluggish fog which hovered over me the entire day. I proceeded to have one of 'those' days- where full glasses of water were spilled, knees were bumped, calls were dropped, horrendous drivers were cutting me off, etc. The energy was seriously awry.

I started the day trying to be very zen about it all- "I have a towel right here to mop up that gallon of water!" "What's another bruise on my knee?" But as the day progressed, I became a grouchy, ornery mess. It also didn't help that my nausea had come back to taunt me.

To test me further, one of my colleagues left town Thursday- and I was set to cover her business while she was away. She had left me a list of buyers, sellers, contracts, etc, and said that things should be pretty quiet.

*Famous last words.*

Within 2 hours of her leaving I'd heard from two different clients of hers, one of which had a new listing they wanted to see ASAP.

Did I mention my own business has been quite busy as well?

The best way to describe how I felt with every call coming in (from her clients and my own) was:

"GrrrrrRRRRRRrrrrrrr."

Thursday evening before bed I said a little prayer to please please PLEASE calm the manic dreams. Let me rest and feel rested. The Universe listened- no manic dreams! However, it threw me another curveball; I awoke in the middle of the night to a massive headache. A throbbing, nauseating, pulsating headache. I took 2 Tylenol, drank a glass of water, & eventually fell back asleep with my knuckles lodged into the nubs on the back of my neck. Thanks, Universe. I'll be adding that little gem to the nightly prayer list of items to please avoid.

Needless to say Friday was another "grrrrrRRRRrrrrr" day. Little patience, little energy, and an overall feeling of being extremely drained. It was a non-stop business day- writing offers, showing property, answering calls, etc. As the day came to a close, I took a MUCH needed catnap before heading out with BC for date night.

And as such, my batteries were gently recharged. We had a fabulous dinner, and I even allowed myself about 1/2 a glass of white wine as a naughty treat (it was a-mazing). I watched a documentary called "First Position" that I'd been wanting to see, and got to bed nice and early.

I slept soundly. No manic dreams, no headaches.

This morning I woke up with rainbows and butterflies all around me. An email came in from my colleagues' clients wanting to go see homes about a 35 minute drive away.

"Well, SURE! Does 10am work?"

As I was returning from my country house viewing adventure, another colleague who was out of town texted me, asking if there was any way I could show his buyers a few homes in East Austin later that day?"

"No problem- send along those MLS numbers!"

And thus was my Saturday. Admittedly I was a bit exhausted by day's end from it all, but oh so grateful for the abundance of patience and ease and sunshiny happiness I awoke with today. It was needed.

I attribute the hormonal surges to a lot of activity going on with the babe- which is a nice segway to my 16 week updates:

How far along? 16 weeks

How big is baby? The size of an avocado! The coolest thing about this week's development is that tiny bones are forming in the baby's ears, meaning he/she can now start to hear our voices! Knowing this, I am going to be singing more to the little one, in the hopes that he/she inherits my ear for music (unfortunately BC, as much as he tries, is tone-deaf). The little one is developing eyelashes, eyebrows, & more hair, and also forming taste buds.

Total weight gain? Up 2.2 lbs this morning. Sadly, still constipated.

Sleep? The manic dream episode this week was something else- like my system was oozing with stress hormones & using them to create an exhausting nocturnal adventure. Between that and the horrible headache I had two really off nights. Other than that- as long as I get to bed at a decent hour- I sleep well. Reading prior to bed helps a LOT- I can only go about 10-15 minutes before getting bleary-eyed, but it definitely puts my mind in a state of ease.

Food cravings/aversions? We had sushi last night, and it tasted like pure HEAVEN (don't worry- I made sure the rolls I ordered had allowable, cooked fish inside). My body needs a healthy dose of protein daily, and I am definitely wanting to eat more often. I don't feel well if I eat too much or too little- leaving me feeling on most days like poor little Goldilocks.

Symptoms? My nausea kicked back in the last few days, on/off throughout the day. The crazy manic dream episode was new and something I hope I don't revisit. I am still feeling pretty fatigued, and had quite the hormonal mood swings this week.

Most looking forward to?  Some ENERGY. Where are you, oh so elusive 2nd trimester energy? I promise to put you to good use should you choose to gift me with your presence. I am also very much looking forward to starting to feel the baby move- apparently that often begins between 18-20 weeks... not too far off now!