Baby H: 30 weeks

I should really take pictures in the morning when I have my hair & makeup done, instead of after work when I look tired!

 

How far along? 30 weeks. Only 10 weeks to go - this pregnancy is flying by!!

Baby Size: Baby H is 15.7 inches and 2.75-3. pounds. The size of a cabbage.

Total weight gain: 30+ pounds. 

And just because it's fun to see how big I've gotten {HA}...

Maternity clothes? The only time I'm not wearing maternity clothes is when I'm home and I'm wearing Nick's t-shirts & sweatpants. I may have even ventured out in public a time or two wearing this...keepin' it classy!
 

Sleep: Waking up several times a night. And since I'm awake...might as well go to the bathroom.  Jayde has decided she likes to sleep on the floor next to my side of the bed...so I have to try to roll out of bed & not step on the dog in the middle of the night.

 

Best moment this week: Conquering my fear of the sewing machine!! I finally took it out of the box {I got it for Christmas} and sewed my first project - a burp cloth. I have a long way to go before I'm a decent sewer {sewing straight is hard!!} but I'm excited to get started on the sewing projects for the nursery. They may not end up perfect...but they'll be homemade with love!

 

Miss Anything? Bending over/moving normal. Pre-pregnancy work outs - I worked out 4 times last week, but it's not at the same intensity as before I was pregnant.

Movement: Movement all day, but Baby H is really active at night when I'm laying around.

Food cravings: No cravings. 

Anything making you queasy or sick/symptoms: I have several pregnancy related ailments at different times - nothing serious or painful and my doctor said they should all go away after I have the baby.
- Nose Bleeds - stuffy & bloody noses - mostly in the mornings when I wake up.
- Pregnancy hoof - My foot doesn't hurt as much as it used to and I can now extend it further, but it's still numb in spots.
- Pregnancy paw - Shooting pain in my thumb when I try to reach for things...
- Tailbone pain - Whenever we go out to eat - I ask to sit in a soft booth instead of a hard wood chair.
- Trouble sleeping - still waking up alot to move & try to get comfortable.
- Leg Cramps - No leg cramps this week! I've been doing a better job of stretching after I work out, so I'm hoping that will help. 
 

Gender: Not finding out. This week's wives tales to predict the gender of the baby - Laying down: If a pregnant woman prefers to lay on her left side, she's having a boy. If she prefers resting on her right side, she's having a girl. I fall asleep on my right side every night. Based in this wives tale: it's a girl.

Have you started to show yet: Can't miss the bump!!

Mood: I may have had a pity party for myself on Sunday morning. I felt fat. My ring wasn't fitting. I didn't sleep well & was tired. I just wanted to stay home {instead of going to church} for once instead of being gone. It only lasted about 30 minutes and then I was back to my happy self...but I do believe the pregnancy hormones have kicked in!!

Stretch marks:  Not yet...

Belly button in or out: I think it's decided it's staying in.

Wedding ring on or off: Off. I may have had a mini meltdown on Sunday morning when I tried to put my ring on before church and realized it was cutting off the circulation to  my finger.

Labor Signs: No.
 

Thoughts:
We have our maternity pictures today and can't wait to see how they turn out! I love our photographer {the same one that did our wedding} and he always does such a great job!! I've been looking for a perfect outfit to wear for weeks...and decided there isn't a perfect outfit for a preggo girl! I think I am happy with the outfit I settled on.

Not sure if it's nesting or spring cleaning, but I finally found time to do some cleaning this weekend and my house smells like cleaning products/spring scented glade plug-ins and I'm lovin' it! I've also started to get the urge to clean out drawers and closets...as a self-proclaimed pack-rat...this makes me very happy because I need to purge so much junk! I even printed off a free printable spring cleaning list to follow {and check off when I finish cleaning}!! 

I am so thankful for Nick. He has been so great. Caring & helpful - I've been tired at night when I get home from work and get done working out, so he's been making dinner most nights, doing dishes, laundry, etc. He's a great uncle to Chloe & Abey {and my nieces & nephews}...and a great dad to Jayder already!! But he's going to be an even more amazing dad to Baby H!! I can't wait to watch the interaction between him & the baby! {I maybe tear up every time I see him holding Baby Abey and think about  him holding our own baby!!}

I feel like pregnancy is full of so many funny stories. I had a chicken wrap with honey mustard dressing for lunch the other day and didn't realize I dripped dressing on my boob! I went around talking to co-workers before I went into the restroom & realized I had a stain on my left boob. Nice, huh?!
 

Baby H: {Maternity Picture Ideas}

We have our maternity pictures this week, so of course I've been searching the internet looking for ideas! We'll be using the same photographer that did our engagement & wedding pictures and our family pictures last fall -  so I'm not worried about the quality of the pictures at all! And honestly, he'll have enough great ideas that I probably am wasting my time looking for ideas!
 
I have a few outfit ideas for pictures and I'm hoping they come together. I'm planning on Nick wearing something he already owns - jeans and a button down shirt. I'd really like to wear a dress and add fun accessories - I have two dresses to pick from a this point so I just need to decide on the accessories. Knowing me, I won't decide until the last minute...and I'm sure I'll buy a few more items that will make my decision even harder!!

 

Dress Option 1 {via}

 

 

Dress Option 2 {via}

I'm watching the forecast closely and I'm hoping that we'll be able to do some outdoor pictures! Here are a couple pictures/styles that I like and hope to re-create.

Pictures of Nick & I together:

 

 

 

 

 

 Me & the belly pictures:

 

 

Belly shots:

 

 

 

And maybe one or two pictures with Jayder since she's so excited to be a big sister!!

 

 

Baby H: 29 weeks

How far along? 29 weeks. Baby H may begin to settle into the proper birthing position this week, which is head down, facing back. {Yikes!}

Baby Size: Baby H is 15.25 inches and 2.5 pounds. The size of butternut squash.

Total weight gain: 30 pounds. 

Maternity clothes? If I told you I bought more maternity clothes this weekend...would you think I have a problem!?! In my defense - I got them at Kohl's and got a really great deal on them!
 

Sleep: I'm still waking up several times throughout the night and sometimes it's taking awhile to get comfortable & fall back to sleep. I bought a body pillow this past weekend, so that is helping me be more comfortable at night. It is getting harder to flip from one side to the other {especially with the large body pillow!}.

 

Best moment{s} this week: After Sunday dinner, Nick fed Baby Abey and then he {Baby Abey} took a 2 hour nap laying on me in the rocking chair. It made me realize in a few months - that will be our own baby we'll be feeding & taking naps on me!

 

Miss Anything?  Bending over/moving normal.

Movement: Yep, regular movement all day long.

Food cravings: No cravings.  

Anything making you queasy or sick/symptoms: I have several pregnancy related ailments at different times - nothing serious or painful and my doctor said they should all go away after I have the baby.
- Nose Bleeds - stuffy & bloody noses {yummy, huh?}
- Pregnancy hoof - The top of my left foot {near the ankle} is numb now.
- Pregnancy paw - Part of my left thumb is numb, but my doctor said as long as my first 3 fingers don't go numb...I should be fine. 
- Tailbone pain - Sitting at the bar on a hard for 4 hours about killed me - I feel like I need to carry a donut around to sit on!
- Trouble sleeping - not sleeping well + no caffeine = tired.
- Leg Cramps - I had my first leg cramp during the night this week. That was not fun - hopefully I don't get too many of them!
 

Gender: Not finding out. This week's wives tales to predict the gender of the baby - Dreams: If you have dreams that you are having a boy, you will have a girl. If you dream about having a girl, it will be a boy. Dreams show the opposite of what you are having. I've had several dreams with baby girls in them. Based in this wives tale: it's a boy.

Have you started to show yet: The belly is getting in the way more & more. I hit it on bathroom doors in public restrooms, it's harder to squeeze by people and I spill on it on a regular basis!

Mood: I'm ready for this nesting phase to start!! I know I have alot of work to do on the nursery...but I don't feel like the nesting stage has really kicked in.

Stretch marks: None.

Belly button in or out: Still in...but kinda funky looking

Wedding ring on or off: On - but tight.

Labor Signs: No.
 

Thoughts:
Nick bought a 'daddy vehicle' last week. He's been driving a 2-door 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass for years and it was time to upgrade to a 4-door vehicle. He decided to go with a Ford Escape, so he would have room the haul things around and have room for a carseat, too!!

We received our couples shower invite in the mail this week {our first baby shower} and I'm SO excited!!! I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends to throw a shower for us! And I can't wait to see all the cute little baby things that Baby H gets!!

I finally signed up for the birthing class at the hospital. I wasn't sure if we were going to do the classes, but decided since I wasn't reading any books during this pregnancy - it might be a good idea to know what's going on when I go into labor!


 

Nursery Notes 7

We're still {slowly} making progress on the nursery. I was out of town 4 weekends in a row, so I didn't get as much done as I'd like to - but I can still do some shopping to get the items I need!!

 

The last big item we needed to order for the nursery was the glider & ottoman. Since the nursery is going to be on the 2nd level of our house and the glider will get lots of use - nursing the baby, snuggles after bath time and middle of the night feedings - I wanted to make sure I got a good quality one. After searching the Internet, I found the Little Castle Charleston Swivel Glider Collection at Target and thought it would be functional and look great in the nursery. The back of it is taller, so it should be comfortable for Nick to sit in as well.

On our trip to Minneapolis earlier this month, we were able to exchange the broken piece for the shelving unit in the nursery. While we were at Ikea, I decided to pick up a couple of other items for the nursery.

We found a hamper and another storage unit for the closet.

 

 

I also picked up several Ribba frames & shelves. I plan on making a wall collage over the dresser with these shelves & frames - something like these:

 

I keep putting off sewing items for the nursery and I know I just need to start on those projects! If I get them done, I'll feel like the room is closer to being done and I can buy the finish touches for the room. I'm hoping to make time this weekend {since it's my only weekend at home this month}. I need to make curtains, crib skirt, crib bumper, changing pad cover and bunting. 

 

{via}

 

I'm working with the same chevron fabric and hope they look at good as they do in these pictures!

 



I hope to get some projects finished in the next week and have more updates on the progress!!

 

Baby H: 28 weeks

How far along? 28 weeks - Hello 3rd Trimester!!

Baby Size: Baby H is 14.8 inches and 2.25 pounds. The size of chinese cabbage.

Total weight gain: 28 pounds. Yep, that's up 3 pounds from last week. Might be due to all the snacking I did on the Chicago trip?!

Maternity clothes? I may have an addiction to buying maternity clothes. I bought several more pieces from GAP while I was in Chicago over the weekend. Now, it needs to start warming up so I can wear all my cute new spring clothes!!!
 
Still wearing similar outfits to my pre-pregnancy days...just have the bump as an accessory these days! -->


 

 
Sleep: I miss my sleep. I'm waking up several times throughout the night and laying awake for 30 minutes or so before I fall back to sleep. I'm not uncomfortable and I don't get up to go to the bathroom...so I don't know what the deal is. Guess my body is getting me prepared for the lack of sleep that is to come in 3 months!

Best moment{s} this week: Girls weekend in Chicago. Hearing the heartbeat at my 28 week appointment. {heartbeat is in the mid-130's...according the wives tales - that means BOY}

Miss Anything?  It's amazing that I don't miss having a drink. It didn't bother me at all this weekend that I couldn't have a drink with my girlfriends. I still had a great time with them...and I wasn't hung over the next day! {bonus}

Movement: The baby was dancing to the music at the P!nk concert!!
 

Food cravings: Nope.

Anything making you queasy or sick/symptoms: I have several pregnancy related ailments at different times - nothing serious or painful and my doctor said they should all go away after I have the baby.
- Nose Bleeds - still getting them about once a week.
- Pregnancy hoof - my foot doesn't hurt when I extend it anymore, but there are times when I still get a sharp pain down my leg/foot.
- Pregnancy paw?!!? - I may have pregnancy paw as well...it's similar to my foot situation - I get a sharp pain in my thumb when I extend my arm/hand and part of my thumb is numb. It could be carpal tunnel? 
- Tailbone pain - My tailbone still hurts when I sit for long periods of time or when I sit on a hard chair.
- Trouble sleeping - not sure if it's due to the hormones or nerves...but sleep has not been my friend lately.
 

Gender: Not finding out. This week's wives tales to predict the gender of the baby - How I'm carrying: If you are carrying the baby low and in front then it means you're having a boy. If you're carrying high and expand horizontally, then it means you're having a girl. I'm not exactly sure how I'm carrying, but several people have said based on the way I'm carrying the baby, they think it's a girl. Based in this wives tale: it's a girl.

Have you started to show yet: I had my first encounter with a stranger this weekend that said I was huge and asked if there were twins in there. So it starts....

Mood: Ready for warmer weather!!!

Stretch marks: None.

Belly button in or out: Still trying to poke out.

Wedding ring on or off: On.

Labor Signs: No.
 

Thoughts:
I had my 28 week appointment on Tuesday - which included my glucose test. The drink wasn't that bad & I passed!! I am measuring 29cm and the Baby H's heartbeat is in the mid-130s.  I will now start going every 2 weeks for my appointments.

I had an amazing trip to Chicago with my girlfriends to see the P!nk concert. I was able to hang with my friends for the most part, but did relax when I felt like I was getting tired. Lucky for me, the girls were okay with my idea of watching them drink in the hotel room on Saturday afternoon after walking up & down Michigan Avenue!





I've started using the Jergen's natural glow lotion. I'm ready for it to warm up so I can wear my cute new spring dresses & capri's - and I don't want to be pasty white when I wear them! I'm loving the color that it gives me...but I still hate the smell of it. I've been putting it on a bedtime, so I don't feel like I stink all day long!
 
I worked out to my biggest loser DVD this week and am able to do less & less. I can't believe how fast I get tired! I can't do as much cardio at this point, but I still do as much as I can and try to fit in workouts 2-3 times a week.

Windy City Weekend {Chicago & P!nk}

This past weekend I traveled to Chicago with my college girlfriends for the P!nk concert. We ordered the tickets back in September and it seemed like this weekend was never going to get here...but finally it did and I was so excited for it the entire week before the trip!



Ann & I on the Megabus

We left early Friday morning via the Megabus. Haven't heard of the Megabus?!? It's the best invention ever!! It picked us up in downtown Des Moines,  made one stop in Iowa City and dropped us off at Union Station in Chicago - only a mile from Michigan Avenue and our hotel. It's much cheaper & more convenient than driving our own vehicle, manuvoring through a strange city and paying for parking for the weekend. This is the 2nd time we've taken it on a girls trip to Chicago & I'm sure we'll take it many more times!





We arrived in Chicago around 3:00, and were ready to get our drink on {mock cocktails & water for me!} - we stayed at the Embassy Suites and they have a free happy hour daily that we could enjoy!

 

 

 

 

After happy hour, we went out for dinner and then found a piano bar across the street from our hotel. The piano bar was alot of fun {even for the preggo lady} - the piano player was pretty good, but the crazy drunk woman swooning over the piano player was even more entertaining!

 

 

 

 

I had a great time at the piano bar, but by 11:30 - I was ready to head back to the hotel and call it a night!! I was getting tired & uncomfortable from sitting on a hard wood chair all night.

 

On Saturday, we headed to Michigan Avenue to do some shopping. I found some cute spring clothes at GAP {can't wait for it to warm up!!}, a couple scarves and necklaces. After a few hours of shopping, we were ready to go back to the hotel and relax before getting ready & heading out to the concert.

 

We went to happy hour at the hotel again - free beer is always good - and then went to the United Center for the P!nk concert {the main reason we went to Chicago}. Some random band, The Hives, was opening up for Pink and we had no clue who they were, so we found a table close to our seats and had our own pre-concert party!

 

At the hotel before leaving for the concert

 

 

 

 

This was my "nobody puts baby in the corner" look

 

It was finally time for P!nk to take the stage - the concert was AMAZING and we all had a great time!

 

 

By Sunday, we were all exhausted and ready to go home. We had to wait in the rain for an hour for the Megabus, but it was well worth not having to drive & getting a 2 hour nap on the way home!

Baby H: 27 weeks

 

How far along? 27 weeks

Baby Size: Baby H is 14.5 inches and 2 pounds. The size of cauliflower.

Total weight gain: 25 pounds. 

Maternity clothes? All maternity clothes. All the time. I was still wearing some of my pre-pregnancy leggings, but those are starting to get too uncomfortable so I bought a couple more maternity leggings to wear. 
 

Sleep: I may have finally hit that "not sleeping well through the night stage". I'm not getting up to go to the bathroom, but I wake up every couple of hours and lay there for 30 minutes or more before I can fall back to sleep.

Best moment this week: Lots of great moments this week!! Finding my outfit for maternity pictures, picking up the rest of the items for the nursery at Ikea, ordering the glider & ottoman for the nursery and getting a delivery of 10 cute little sleepers for the baby. I can't wait to see the baby in all these cute little sleepers!

 
Miss Anything?  Being able to move normal. Nick laughs of me because whenever I move, I make grunting noises. Getting off the couch seems to be getting to be more of an event these days!!

Movement: Movement every day.
 

Food cravings: Nothing in particular.

Anything making you queasy or sick/symptoms: The usual - bloody noses & pregnancy hoof.

Gender: Not finding out. This week's wives tales to predict the gender of the baby - Dad's Weight: If Dad gains weight, its a girl. If his weight stays the same, its a boy. Nick's weight hasn't changed since I've become pregnant. Based in this wives tale: it's a boy.

Have you started to show yet: I had a co-worker ask when I was due and said my belly looks huge already!! {Atleast he said my belly looked huge and I don't look huge everywhere else} I have a feeling with being so short - my belly is going to be ginormous!!! 

Mood: Tired. I feel like I'm always on the go and don't have time to relax and now with getting less sleep than before - I'm feeling more tired than normal.

Stretch marks: None.

Belly button in or out: I've given up on figuring out what's going on with the belly button.

Wedding ring on or off: On.

Labor Signs: No.
 

Thoughts: 
Nick & I traveled to Minnesota this weekend to attending a Christmas get together with the Schuler side of the family. It's always nice to spend time with my family since I don't get to see them very often. On Sunday, we went to Ikea to return the broken piece for the shelving unit in the nursery and I was able to pick up some final pieces for the nursery - frames, curtain rods, etc. We also went to the Mall of America, so I could find some maternity clothes. I found a couple cute items at H&M {love that store!} and Destination Maternity. Now, I'm ready for spring to be here so I can wear my cute new clothes!!

Not sure if I need 3 maternity dresses for spring, but they're all so cute I couldn't pass them up!!

I'm  starting to feel more & more pregnant. It's getting more difficult to bend over and to get off the couch - and I'm sure it's just going to get harder as my belly continues to grow! And after last weekend - being on the go and not getting much sleep {and walking around Ikea & MOA for 6+ hours} -  I've noticed that I'm getting tired easier. Trying on clothes was exhausting - you'd like I just got done running a 5k because I was so drained!