33 Weeks - Prego Update

STATS:

How far along: 33 weeks and 0 days. 

How big is Baby-A: About 17 inches long.

Total weight gain: 162 lbs. Total prego weight gain of 25 lbs at this point.  

Sleep: Very little...from about 1-4am.

Best moment of the week: When I'm at the pool.  It's the only time I don't feel like a whale. 

Food cravings: Chocolate pudding.

Symptoms:

Nausea - All the time.  Today breakfast stayed down for no more than 20 mins.

Hunger - Mostly mid mornings. Very little in the evenings. 

Heartburn - Barely there. Yeah!

Nosebleeds - None. Yeah!

Chest Pain - My poor ribs...ouch!  The other night Baby-A was kicking my ribs so hard for three hours straight and all I could do was bite down on a towel to keep from screaming. 

Braxton Hicks - All the time.

Clothes: This morning I was seriously considering joining a nudist camp until Baby-A is born.  Down to only two tank tops that are comfortable. 

Exercise: Swimming at the pool.

Movement: All the time. 

Day 25

As my no fly date keeps getting closer, I've been really struggling with the decision we made for me to come back to the states.  There are sooooo many nights that I feel like calling Hubby and asking him to book me the first flight back to Italy. 

Life isn't bad.  I enjoy the times I get to hang out with family, going to the pool, getting Baby-A's nursery stuff done (things I couldn't have accomplished in Italy because the stores just aren't there).

It's just that I miss Hubby so much.  No matter how busy I am, or who is with me, nothing fills the void.  Every kick and movement from Baby-A makes me think of Hubby...and she kicks ALL THE TIME.  Being a wash of pregnant hormones doesn't help either.

I use to have a saying, "No reserves, no retreat, no regrets."  It was so much easier to live when my heart wasn't involved.  Now that half of my heart is in Italy...I'm at a loss on how to get back to this.

On paper, our decision to send me to the states was the best, but trying to remind myself of this, nearly a million times a day, just isn't cutting it. 

Maybe when Baby-A comes, I'll be so wrapped up in taking care of her that I will have less time to think and I'll just run on autopilot.  Maybe my labor experience will be so great that I will KNOW this was the perfect decision.

But for now, I'm going to set my motto aside and borrow Dory's from Finding Nemo.

"Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming.  Just keep swimming."

Day 23



Went for a walk, and Buddy was ready to go inside before we were!

Bought a few things for Baby-A.

 

Had rice for dinner.  Since "morning" sickness is back, I'm sticking to plain foods until I can figure out what works and what doesn't.  Thankfully I love rice and buttered bread.

What you aren't seeing in pictures (good thing too) is me breaking down early this morning and having a "Florida rains" moment after.... I tried to make toast and the toaster wasn't working, tried to get on the internet and email Hubby some car info he needed and the internet wasn't working, went to watch a favorite show of mine and that show isn't part of the cable package here, started to research baby bottles when the internet came back up again and got internet information overload as well as the internet crashing on me every few minutes, went to get in the shower and two spiders started crawling up my arm...

Hubby called and tried to console me by advising me not to stress the small stuff.  I shared with Mom just how awesome he is even though not stressing the small stuff is alot easier said then done.  Mom commented on how Hubby is just trying to do everything he can even though he is miles away and can't give me a hug or anything else...and that brought another Florida rains moment.  I do miss him soooo much.

So Mom gave me a hug, I helped her finish altering a shirt that she was struggling with, and both of our worlds were put to right for the time being. 

Now I'm going to waste the rest of the evening away by watching scandalous reality tv shows until I get tired and go to bed. 

32 Weeks - Prego Update

STATS:

How far along: 32 weeks and 0 days

How big is Baby-A: Weighs about 4 pounds.

Total weight gain: 160 lbs. Total prego weight gain of 23 lbs at this point. 

Sleep: Doing pretty good.  I'm getting around 5-6 hours of sleep a night.  Of course I would love to get alot more than that, but Baby-A kicks and wakes me up nearly every morning between 2-3am.

Best moment of the week: Finding the perfect fabric for Baby-A's nursery and being able to Facetime soon after shopping to show Hubby. 

Food cravings: Peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches.  I could eat them for every lunch and dinner!

Symptoms:

Nausea - It's back again, but I'm doing pretty good at avoiding puking.  Mostly just feel sick to my stomach.  Stopped taking the anti-nausea medication because of the side effect of depression, which I certainly don't need. 

Hunger - It comes and goes, depending on the nausea.       

Heartburn - Not so bad.

Nosebleeds - Almost none.  Yeah!

Chest Pain - In full force.  I just keep reminding myself that this is all temporary. 

Braxton Hicks - All the time.  I'm almost use to them by now.

Clothes: Finally broke down and bought a maternity swimsuit.  I was soooo scared to try them on, but the one I bought actually looks amazing!  And it was a HUGE ego booster when I fit into a size small, considering the weight gain and the fact that I feel like a whale.

Exercise: Trying to walk as much as I can.  Feet and hands swell up big time after each walk, but I still try because I know it will make labor alot easier if I stay active.

Movement: Baby-A kicks and moves around all the time.  When I'm tired of my insides acting as her punching bag and I need a break, I pull up old voice messages from Hubby that I have saved on my phone and play them next to my belly, and INSTANTLY she is still.  Baby-A is definately going to be "daddy's little girl." 

Day 21

Went shopping for 4th of July decorations, now that the holiday is over and everything goes on sale!  Found a few things like streamers and other decorations for my grandpa's birthday coming up.

Of course I couldn't help but wander over to the fabric section, and it was a good thing that I did...found the PERFECT fabric for Baby-A's ocean nursery.  I'm going to return the sheets from our last shopping escapade back since the blue and the strips don't go with this fabric.  I don't have anything for my bed now, but it's okay.  Isn't this cute?!

Watched "Tower Heist" again with Mom.   Such a great movie.  It doesn't hurt that I love Alan Alda. 

Made homemade no bake cheesecake with homemade blueberry sauce.  Of course we couldn't wait till I set properly to eat a slice, but it was so good!  Mom had some Mexican vanilla that we used in both the cheesecake and the sauce, and what a difference that made.  I'm completely hooked on Mexican vanilla now and will have to find a way to buy some for myself. 



Day 20

The porcelain godess has claimed me once again in this pregnancy.  I've been taking anti-nausea off and on since the beginning, but my new OB here was concerned because he said it causes depression. So I stopped taking the med and now I'm back to paying homage to the porcelain.

Here I thought all the sadness and emotional mood swings that I've been dealing with were just a normal part of being pregnant.  Why didn't the Army docs tell me about this side effect of the medication they gave me?!?! 

This morning I went with Mom and brother to the O'Fallon 4th of July parade.  It was so hot outside that my shirt was soaked with sweat!  But the parade was pretty cool.  My grandpa was suppose to be in the parade, with the float of the Korean War Veterans, but he was unable to make it.  We cheered loudly for the "boys" when they passed. 

Got to Facetime with hubby this afternoon.  I LOVE talking with hubby.  He is my better half, best friend, and love of my life.

Spent the rest of the day taking a nap, watching TV, and relaxing in the AC.  I'm in love with two things right now (being 8 months prego in the middle of the summer)...the pool, and air conditioning.

Happy 4th everyone!

Day 17

Did alot of running around today.  Everyone here has been so generous sharing their things and letting me borrow everything from a bed to even closet hangers...but I still needed to go out and buy some stuff. 

Found 2 sets of full-size sheets that I'm going to make into queen sheets for me, and basinet and crib sheets for Baby-A.  Mom found them and I'm so excited!  I hope Hubby likes the colors.  From the very start, he has been doing most of Baby-A's room, including decorating it.  The only thing I wanted to do was the crib linens, mostly because I figured I'd probably have to sew them since no one sold anything I liked.

Toaster trays for pizza pans.

Made homemade pizza with two toaster trays.  Was at my sister's house, and no offense to my sis, but she has no baking utensils or things like baking sheets.  I don't know how she cooks all the amazing food she does without the basic cooking things. 

Hung up all of Baby-A's clothes today and she already takes up half the closet.  This girl has more clothes than me!