24 weeks

How far along: 24 weeks

Gender: Girl!

Weight gain: plus 10 lbs.. ahhhhhh

Maternity clothes: other than dresses, I only wear maternity clothes
 

Stretch marks: still thankful to be able to say none yet

Belly button in or out: still in

Sleep:  sleep is getting HOT. We are AC snobs in our house, I've been turning it down to 66 to sleep!

Best moment this week: Feeling a full foot kick. It wasn't just a little jab, I could feel her foot in my hand. MAGICAL!

Worst moment this week:  Chuck getting the stomach flu. Poor thing. Just praying I don't get it now!

Miss anything: going with booze this week. I've never been a big drinker, but going out to dinner with friends and NOT being able to have a cocktail is kinda hard

Movement: above comment about full foot kick, still melting

Cravings: nothing specific. I've always had a wide range pallet, but sushi is still up there on my cravings I can't have

Queasy or sick: nope

Looking forward to: crib delivery! Since purchasing our home, nothing makes me more excited than a clean house, and new furniture!

One more thing, Happy First Fathers Day to this AMAZINGLY man, who will no doubt in my mind, rock at fatherhood! I love you to the moon and back, Chuck! 

23 WEEKS!

How far along: 23 weeks

Gender: Girl!

Weight gain: up 8 lbs now! The most I've ever weighed 

Maternity clothes: just loving summer maternity clothes. I seriously hate wearing pants
 

Stretch marks: none yet, but this bump is growing by the minute

Belly button in or out: in and getting shallow 

Sleep:  my boss bought me a Dohm white noise machine last week. I think it's helping, we don't hear the neighbors barking dog anymore

Best moment this week: registering for baby girl, ordering our rocker, and choosing a crib! Soo soo exciting

Worst moment this week:  nothing this week. Feeling so blessed

Miss anything: sleeping on my back and stomach for sure. My back hurts 

Movement: love answering this one this week! Chuck felt his first baby girl kick. Heart melted into a puddle

Cravings: still on the Fage yogurt kick, but eating quite a bit more ice cream too:) 

Queasy or sick: nope

Looking forward to: so many things. I'm loving all these feelings of excitement now that we're getting things accomplished. I'm so grateful to all our family and friends for everything they help us with 

Ready and Willing

New Found Glory.

A band I've loved since I was a "tweenager". A band who somehow always has the right words to say, and never fails to find the right time to show up on my Pandora, or my music playlist. 

NFG put out a new album last October called Resurrection. Every album I buy I immediately listen to the whole thing through and through and learn and love all the new songs. One song in particular hit some strong chords back in October. It was around this time I was losing hope for Chuck and I starting a family. Doctors appointments we're getting more and more disappointing and I couldn't bare to go to them alone anymore. This song, called Ready and Willing, though I'm not 100% sure what the band wrote it about (though the music video seems to be about when NFG signed and became famous, and I don't know how in the world they found such young kids to look like them for this video, haha), the meaning to me was obvious. I had been so ready for a family, I was so willing to risk it all. And instead of feeling defeated, I needed to be willing to keep going, because little did I know, my future had great plans.

"I’m ready and I’m willing to take you on. I’m ready and I’m willing to lose it all"
"When my back goes out, I’ll know I did it all, And have stories to tell.
When my eyes go bad, I’ll know I’ve seen it all, They’ll be light when my vision fails.
My legs will go bad, But I walked 5 continents, I won’t need to stand.
I hope this life I lived will wake you up, So you could do it again."


Now that we finally are able to look forward to a little girl of our own, these words have filled my heart with more meaning than you can imagine. I wasn't willing to give up then, and I'm NOT willing to give anything up for her now. Since day one Chuck has encouraged me to do the spontaneous, to think outside the box, to let "free will" take over. And its been a learning experience to let my nerves take a break and live life a little fuller. 

So after hearing these words for the first time in this song, I KNEW, we had to live this great life, full of love and adventure no matter what. Now I know, we have to live this great life, full of love and adventure, for her. 




Hope you tap your feet, or bang on your steering wheel, or scream these words with the windows down like I always do:

22 weeks

How far along: 22 weeks

Gender: Girl!

Weight gain: up 6 lbs still

Maternity clothes: yes I wear maternity clothes mixed in with my own, but dresses and skirts seem to be the most comfortable

 

Stretch marks: none, please please stay this way

 

Belly button in or out: still in, haha!
 

Sleep:  sleep seriously sucks, I'm so scared for the next 18 weeks cause I toss and turn so much already

Best moment this week: all the energy that showed up! I've been a machine after work I get so much stuff done!!

Worst moment this week:  ANOTHER bladder infection. Seriously, my doctor seems concerned, I now have to see him every 2 weeks.

Miss anything: Now that I've been able to drink coffee, and find some cooked sushi I like, the biggest thing I miss is sleeping through the night

Movement: this girl kicks constantly. As I'm typing this right now, she is kicking over and over and over again. My heart is so full
 

Cravings: don't know how it took me so long to try Fage greek yogurt, but turns out, it's delicious! I also really enjoy my 2 pieces of Dove milk chocolate at night!

Queasy or sick: Feeling great this week!

 

Looking forward to: registering for baby girl this weekend with Chuck and the help of my fabulous sister-in-law!

21 WEEKS

So much has been happening over here now that our weather is getting better. We've been working on so many house projects, including the nursery and I can't even wait to see how things turn out! 

How far along: 21 weeks

Gender: Girl!

Weight gain: Im up 6 lbs from pre-pregnancy, ugh that's so hard to see on the scale

Maternity clothes: Moving in to wearing mostly maternity clothes now. Regular shirts just aren't long enough!

Stretch marks: None yet

Belly button in or out: Still in... not sure for how much longer

Sleep: been sleeping really bad this week. I sleep in all positions most of the time, and now that I'm only allowed to sleep on my side, I'm having a hard time. Plus my 4.5 pound who thinks he's 40 pound dog sleeping in the middle doesn't help!

Best moment this week: feeling like summer here! Chuck and I planted our chili pepper plants and pots in the front yard, and I had so much fun with all my nieces and my nephew at our Memorial Day picnic! My niece Pearl is obsessed with Chuck, it's the CUTEST thing! Makes me feel all kinds of butterflies thinking about our little girl with him!

Worst moment this week: going back to work after a long weekend full of sunshine

Miss anything: this week I'm really missing sleep

Movement: We're actually seeing her little kicks from the outside already, its incredible!

Cravings: This week, muffins. I've been buying Heinens bakery muffins and eat one every day. The cinnamon coffee cakes ones are TO.DIE.

Queasy or sick: Haven't felt too sick in a while, but my stomach definitely gets uncomfortable after every meal

Looking forward to: My mom and sister-in-law started planning my shower. Those 2 could probably rule the world if you told them they're in charge, so I'm ALREADY excited for it!

20 weeks. It's a.......

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How far along: 20 weeks

Gender: GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't even believe we finally know and can call this little pumpkin by her soon to be name!

Weight gain:  I'm up only 2 lbs still! Hoping that walking is paying off

Maternity clothes: Maternity pants are so comfy, I only have 2 pairs and feel like I should just replace all my jeans with them!

Stretch marks: None yet

Belly button in or out: In, but boy does it look deep

Sleep: this one is up in the air. I sleep pretty good until Chucks alarm goes off at 6am. I don't get up til 7am (okay 7:45am) so I just toss and turn for 1-2 hours.

Best moment this week: The gender reveal ultrasound. Chuck wasn't going to be able to go because of work, and TOTALLY made my day when he got out early and got to be there! And having my mom there was extra special!

Worst moment this week: Chuck having a really bad cold and feeling so miserable. He never gets sick, so when he does, I feel terrible for him

Miss anything: I still really miss a good sweaty work out, and now that picnics and dinners on the deck are happening, I miss cocktails. (sorry, just being honest)

Movement: She kicks so much, its the best feeling ever

Cravings: Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha's! Iced or hot, I've been LOVING them every morning

Queasy or sick: I felt great this week. I hope this is behind me

Looking forward to: All the amazing things we have planned for baby girls nursery, and finishing up some house projects before she makes her debut! It REALLY helps to have a husband who basically knows how to do everything from building a pedestal, to mounting a TV, to building a chicken run! (yes, we have chickens)

19 weeks!

How far along: 19 weeks

Gender: We will know TODAY. Can't wait

Weight gain:  I'm up 2 lbs!

Maternity clothes: I officially can't wear my own pants anymore without a very large hair tie

Stretch marks: None yet

Belly button in or out: In

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good with my Snoogle pillow. I don't know why I waited to get pregnant to get one of these. Amazing

Best moment this week: Seeing baby kick from the outside! HOW CRAZY!!!

Worst moment this week: 50 degrees... BOOOO!!!

Miss anything: I miss a really good sweaty work out, since I was so sick in the beginning I lost all my motivation to work out, now it's that much harder to get back into it. I've been walking 3 miles 3-4 times a week with my mom and its helping

Movement: SO MUCH. All day long. I absolutely love it.

Cravings: PICKLES. I'm officially a stereotype.

Queasy or sick: I still get a little queasy when my stomach gets empty.

Looking forward to: Planning BLUE or PINK! ;-)