6 months

Owen is officially 6 months old!

We don't get the official measurements until his doctors appointment Friday, but I'd put him around 20-21 pounds and 27ish inches. He's in 9 month clothing and is getting bigger by the day.


Owen loves fans, his doggies (he tracks them around the room and often grabs at them if they're nearby), bath time, being held and going outdoors. He still strongly dislikes the car and taking a bottle. The bottle thing is definitely a new development. A couple months ago he was taking one like a champ, but then Nate got busy with work and I spent 99.99% of the time breast feeding him, so now he will usually wait until I'm home and then eat.

We started Owen on solids a couple days ago. I want to do a combo of baby led weaning/purees, but so far it's been mostly purees. He just takes a couple teaspoons once or twice a day of them, and he hasn't refused to eat anything yet! I think Nate particularly likes that he can now take part in the feeding process :-).

Back when I was pregnant and daydreaming about where we'd be at different ages, I pictured us having our stuff together a little bit more at 6 months. Compared to 3 months we have it way more together, but not as much as I thought. Owen is the happiest baby when he's awake and rested, but he fights naps and bed time like none other. He's still up 6+ times a night, and doesn't sleep alone. I'm also the only one that can usually get him down (Nate's been successful a handful of times) so that means we have yet to venture out of the house sans-baby later than 7pm.

It's also a crapshoot if Owen will tolerate being watched by anyone that isn't me. Sometimes we go out and he's totally fine, and other times he's a mess (just a couple weeks ago when I was getting my hair done my mom had to bring him to the salon because he wouldn't stop crying). I have a hard time fitting in "me" time because I'm always worried he's going to be upset when I leave. I know this time is short, so I'm being patient for now, but it'd be nice to feel a little more rested and have some freedom. Owen also just isn't one of those babies that can be put down for more than 5-10 minutes at a time, so getting chores/workouts done requires some creativity and/or baby wearing. Our Ergo has been a life saver in that respect, and is also one of the few things that Owen will fall asleep in!

Owen, you truly are the love of my life. Even after a sleepless night, there's nothing better than waking up to your baby coos and watching you light up when you see my face. Snuggling you and hearing you laugh are just the best. I can't believe how much you've grown in 6 short months, and I'm so excited to see you learn and explore every day!

It's been 5 months

So I have no idea where the time went. As soon as we had Owen, our life became a whirlwind of diaper changes, breastfeeding and spit up. I say that, of course, with the upmost love for my son.

Our last picture before we became parents!

Oh Owen, you've changed our life in so, so many ways. The most noticeable change of course, is my change in occupation. Yes, that's right, I'm now enjoying being a stay at home mom now. It's amazing how an 8lb, 3oz baby can instantly change your career mindset. The minute I held you in my arms I knew that, if there was a way, I'd be giving up spreadsheets and meetings for tummy time and play dates. Not every day is easy, but I feel truly fortunate to get to see you grow and learn.



Owen can now grasp things with his hands, coo and talk in several different pitches, and can do full-on pushups. While you only have interest in rolling if there's a boob next to you, I have a feeling you'll be an early crawler. You love your Sophie teething toy (shoutout to my friend Jenny for getting this!), bath time and snuggling with mom. You also think Dad is the most interesting man in the world, and if he's talking while you're eating you'll pop off and just stare at him.

 

Less than 1 month old

 

The one question I always get from people is "how is he sleeping?" Ha. Well unfortunately, that's never been your strong suit. Around 3 1/2 months we started having you sleep unswaddled, and that coupled with the 4 month sleep regression just really screwed things up. I try to put you down in your crib for bedtime, but some nights that doesn't work at all, or if it does it only lasts a half hour, tops. Mostly you're in our bed, and even then I'm lucky if I get a 2 or 3 hour stretch before you wake me up wanting the boob. Luckily I just oblige, and then I fall back asleep, so it's not too bad :-). You also can only nap in 1 of 3 places: in your bouncer (but I have to bounce you the whole time), laying down with me, and in your Ergo carrier. The only time you'll nap longer than a half hour is laying next to me though, so we do a lot of that. Some days it drives me nuts, and some days I enjoy every second, realizing these moments are fleeting.

I couldn't be more in love with our little family. Having you come into the world and adjusting to life as parents has definitely had it's ups and downs, but we wouldn't trade it for anything. I love you with my whole heart, my sweet boy.


Owen and I, 5 months old

Owen's Birth Story

I figure I'll need to get this all down before I forget (newborn sleep deprivation is real, folks).

Honestly, I was kind of thrown for a loop when little man came just past his due date. The week leading up to his birth I had no signs of going into labor. Honestly, I was getting a little discouraged and even starting wondering if we'd have to induce at some point. Lo and behold though, Sunday evening into Monday morning (my due date) I started having contractions. From about 11pm to 6am I started having a cramping sensation that was uncomfortable enough that I couldn't sleep through them, but weren't getting stronger and were sporadic. When they all but stopped that morning I was sure it was false labor, but Nathan and I stayed home just to be sure. That day I ate spicy food for lunch, got acupuncture done at my chiropractor (for the 3rd time that week), took a nap, and went on a walk. I basically tried all the "natural" techniques that say they can induce labor.

While I'm still not sure that any of these really worked, around 6pm that night when we were going for a walk my contractions picked up again. Nate started timing them, and we noticed they were more regular. When we got home we finished packing our hospital bag (even though I wasn't convinced it was the real thing yet) and even made a trip to the grocery store for some stamps and Target for some dog food and snacks.

When we got home from running errands, the contractions were consistent but I still didn't think they were strong enough to warrant going to the hospital. I have had enough friends that were first time moms who got sent home because they weren't far enough along, and I was set that if we were going, I wanted to make sure we wouldn't have to come back home. Eventually when Nathan realized my contractions were getting stronger, he won out and got me to go. We showed up to the hospital just after midnight on Tuesday. Once we were all set up in the room the nurse came in to check me mid-contraction (definitely not the most pleasant experience) and said I was a good 5cm dialated. I was so relieved that we were staying and so in shock that this was actually happening!

Once we knew we weren't going back home, I called my parents and had my mom come to the hospital. By that time the contractions were getting stronger and were so close together I was having a hard time coping, but my mom being a nurse I wanted her there in case I wanted an epidural. She showed up around 1am, and by 2:30am the anesthesiologist had administered the epidural. I kept telling Nate and my mom that I was so nervous about it, but I honestly didn't feel much and the relief was amazing. I kept saying that it was made out of angels tears (definitely an odd comparison but hey, it sounded right at the time). By that point I was 7cm and the nurse was thinking by 7am we'd have a baby.

My mom left for Nathan and I to get some rest, knowing it was going to be a big day for us. From 2:30-6:30am my progress slowed and I only dialated another cm, so they put me on pitocin to get things to pick back up. From 6:30-10:30am we waited it out as I made it the last 2cm, and then around 10:45am I started pushing. Since they had weaned me off the epidural by that time, I could feel pressure as he made his way down, but no pain. He was almost out by 11:30am, but his head was stuck so the doctor had to make a cut (again I was nervous about this, but it didn't hurt). With the next couple of pushes I felt a lot of pressure and then cries as Owen was placed on my chest. Nathan and I were stunned and I kept looking at him and Nate saying "he's here!" All three of us were crying so hard, and it was one of  the most surreal, and beautiful moments of our lives.

Now that he's here we can't imagine ever being without him. I also feel fortunate that he's such a good baby, and that my recovery was really quick. My body handled delivery like a champ, and I can feel my body bouncing back slowly but surely. Breastfeeding was challenging at first, but after meeting with some lactation consultants we're doing a lot better.

 Your dad and I love you with all our hearts, Owen. We can't wait to see you grow (just don't do it too fast, okay?).

Owen Reece

Owen Reece was born 4/12/2016 at 11:45am. He was 8lbs 3oz and 20.5 inches long. The past week has been such a whirlwind. Nathan and I never knew we could love someone so much. We're still in the newborn trenches, but I hope to write his birth story and post updates soon. As for now, I'll continue to enjoy the little boy laying on my chest sleeping soundly. He is my everything. <3

39 Weeks

Weeks along: 39

What's new with baby: Baby is the size of a small watermelon or pumpkin. He's anywhere from 19-21 inches and weighs anywhere from 6-9lbs. His brain is still developing, but he's officially "full term" by the new OB standards (I guess 37 weeks is outdated so I spoke too soon a couple weeks ago!).

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Still uncomfortable. He hasn't dropped yet, which is causing some fun pressure on my rib cage when he likes to stick his feet up there. I've also been getting more swollen, especially from the knees down. Nothing too horrific, but some nights I definitely have little sausage toes and cankles.

Cravings: Brownies a la mode. Totally hit the spot Saturday night when we were relaxing on the couch watching a movie.

Workouts: I'm starting to forget what I've even done! I know I did two workout sessions, both had around 20 minutes on the elliptical and then at least 20-25 minutes of walking. I was going to throw in a third session this weekend, but I decided to be a bum instead :-).

Baby Purchases: I picked up little man some shorts and baby blue khakis for the summer time. This kid has a ton of onesies, but nothing to cover his legs!

High point of the week: Spending a girls night with my BFF. She treated me to a manicure and then we had dinner. Having some quality one-on-one time with her was so refreshing, and exactly what I needed.

Concerns/Issues: This work conference Nathan has later this month. He's going to wait to see when our little guy makes his debut to see if he can log in from home, but if he has to go he has to go. Also, I'd be lying if I didn't say labor and delivery still made me nervous. Now that we're just days away from my due date, it's nerve wracking not to know what day he'll decide to come and how everything will go.

Missing: I think "not being pregnant" sums this up nicely for this week ;-)

Sleep: Hit or miss.

Looking forward to: Meeting our little guy!

38 Weeks

Weeks along: 38

What's new with baby: Baby M is the size of a Ukelele, or if you want a more generic comparison, a pumpkin. He's anywhere from 6-9 pounds and 19-21 inches. Right now he's growing hair on his head (if he'll have any at birth) and is just about fully cooked.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Just uncomfortable, and definitely moody as a result. I know we're not even at 40 weeks, but I'm kind of done being pregnant.

Cravings: Nothing in particular this week, although that doesn't mean I've been staying away from eating crap :-)

Workouts: One 3 mile walk, a 35 minute elliptical session and another 20 minute elliptical session and 25 minute walk. Not too bad this week, but the walks are slow and my belly and back are definitely sore afterwards.

Baby Purchases: I almost forgot to purchase a baby book! I'm glad I had some friends remind me last week so I could order one off Amazon to arrive in time. It's now in my hospital bag so they can stamp his little feet/hands in it when he's born.

High point of the week: Sunday after all the Easter activities Nathan and I just relaxed on the couch for hours. While the couch isn't really comfortable, it was nice to get to spend time with just the two of us.

Concerns/Issues: Him coming late and having to induce. Nathan has a work conference towards the end of April so I don't want to go too far over my due date and risk us not spending time as a family.

Missing: Moving around without requiring considerable effort, my feet at their normal size, not having a baby pressing on my ribs, wearing regular clothes, sleeping (although this won't change).

Sleep: Still sucks :-)

Looking forward to: Being done at work and spending time as a new family.

37 Weeks

Weeks along: 37

What's new with baby: All my apps tends to have some discrepancies when telling me height/weight, but this week I've really noticed a difference! At this point our baby could be anywhere from 6.2-9.2 pounds (please, not 9.2 pounds!) and 19-21 inches long. He's considered "full term" as of this week.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Oh sciatica pain. I never knew the joy of it until I started getting pain radiating from my lower back down through my legs. Round ligament pain has also made it's way back into my life and I can now feel my legs/ankles (although at this point they're really cankles) swelling. These last few weeks are just making me feel super glamorous and attractive ;-)

Cravings: PB&J sandwiches with milk have definitely made their way up the list this week

Workouts: Two 2.5 mile walks. Pretty tame this week.

Baby Purchases: Nothing this week

High point of the week: Going out to dinner with a few other couples from our birthing class on Saturday. It turned into us hanging out for 3+ hours, and it was really nice to get to meet new friends and all talk about being first-time parents. We also had our growth scan. He's measuring just a couple days ahead and is already an estimated 6 lbs 10oz (around the 60% percentile). It was great to be assured that everything looks great, and it was especially awesome that he happened to be in the perfect position that the tech could switch over to 3D so we could see our little guy's face one last time before we get to see it in person!

Concerns/Issues: Labor/delivery, although at this point I'm ready to get it over with and not be pregnant/FINALLY meet our son!

Missing: Mobility.

Sleep: Blech, not awesome. I'll get maybe one decent night followed by another one where I'm getting up 6-7 times completely awake.

Looking forward to: Having this baby and finally getting to meet the little guy. I know he's more likely to come on/after his due date, but I'm still crossing my fingers that he comes a little before then :-)

36 Weeks

Weeks along: 36

What's new with baby: Baby M is now the size of a Cabbage Patch doll (or a honeydew melon). The only thing that isn't entirely developed with our little guy is his digestive system, otherwise everything is up and running. At this point my doctor told me they won't stop anything if he decides to come early, so the final countdown has finally begun!

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Just uncomfortable, but I feel like that's to be expected at this point :-)

Cravings: I killed a whole box of Life cereal in 3 days this past weekend. It was a smaller box (trying to make myself feel better here), but yea, I went to town on it. Nate thought it was pretty funny considering I think I've bought Life maybe once in the past 10 years.

Workouts: One 2.5 mile walk, one 35 minute elliptical session and another 2 mile walk outside with Nate on Saturday morning.

Baby Purchases: I bought myself some lovely nursing tank tops (sarcasm), does that count?

High point of the week: Having brunch with some friends in KC this past weekend. The food and service were awesome, and it was so nice to squeeze in some girl time before little man comes.

Concerns/Issues: Labor/delivery and handling life as a new (sleep-deprived) mom

Missing: Shopping for cute new clothes! I'm 1000% over my boring maternity wear, and the only shopping I've been doing lately is for matronly-looking nursing bras and camis. I can't wait until I have options and don't have to worry about factoring in an ever-growing bump :-)

Sleep: Still sucks for the most part. I had a decent night of sleep maybe a couple nights where I only got up 2 times to use the bathroom, but otherwise it's usually waking up every hour or two to either flip over (cue lots of grunting) or pee.

Looking forward to: Our growth scan on Wednesday and the following weekend! Baby M was actually measuring 38 weeks at my 35 1/2 week appointment, so the doctor ordered a sonogram to see if he's really measuring big or was just positioned weird. Saturday we have dinner with 2 other couples from our birthing class. It'll be fun to connect with some new people around our age that are having babies the same time as us, and the plus is that we're all having boys!

I also got a shot of the pigs both taking over the snoogle (and yes, Max usually has his tounge sticking out when he's super-relaxed with the best derpy face ever). I think they're going to have separation issues when it goes away :-)

35 Weeks

Weeks along: 35

What's new with baby: Out little guy is about 18 inches long now and around 5 pounds. Across all the different pregnancy apps he's been compared to anything from a honeydew to a rabbit to a kid's size backpack.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Still some lower back pain/lower belly pain, especially on the days where I get some activity in. At night the babe also likes to be right up in my rib cage so in order to be comfortable, I've been leaning over an exercise ball on my knees when watching TV. It's quite the sight.

Cravings: Pancakes and crepes. My family came over for breakfast this weekend and I had more than my fair share of both :-).

Workouts: Walked 2.5 miles 2x during the week at lunch and then hit up the dog park for a 30 minute walk with Nate and the pigs. Speaking of the pigs, I couldn't help but snap this picture when I was getting ready for work the other day. Daisy + the snoogle = true love.

Baby Purchases: I actually think this is the first week where we haven't purchased anything specifically for little man ;-).

High point of the week: Going to my sister-in-law's house on Saturday to play with our nephew and new niece. We got in lots of newborn snuggles, relaxed on their porch and grilled out.

Concerns/Issues: No change from last week - still good ol' labor and delivery.

Missing: Mobility, sleep, not being able to breathe.

Sleep: Still not great. Waking up 3-5x a night to use the bathroom isn't horrible, it's waking up because my hips start to ache and flipping over to the other side that's a pain. I told Nathan I feel like a beached whale at night :-).

Looking forward to: The weekend! We have no plans and it's glorious.

34 Weeks

Weeks along: 34

What's new with baby: Baby M is now between 4-5 pounds and about the size of a butternut squash/basketball hoop. Between now and 40 weeks he's mostly just packing on the pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Lower back and belly pain, but I think that comes with the territory at this point.

Cravings: Fruit and Reese's eggs. I think everyone can agree, Reese's eggs have the perfect ratio of chocolate to peanut butter :-).

Workouts: Four workouts this week, which I'm calling a win! Did two 2.5 mile walks and two 35 minute elliptical sessions. I've kind of backed off the weight training as it seems like my body is a fan of cramping up when holding/lifting weights, but I'm going to shoot for at least 2-4 days of activity as long as I can. At this point I consider anything where I'm required to waddle/move around as a workout.

Baby Purchases: We purchased the rest of our registry stuff we needed. Thanks to all of our friends and family, we only had to buy a few nursing/pumping odds and ends. I know I've said it before, but this kid is already spoiled, and we are blessed to have so much support.

High point of the week: Meeting our new niece! Nathan's sister had a beautiful baby girl this past Wednesday, and getting in some baby snuggles made us even more excited to meet our own little guy. She's a beautiful baby, and I can't wait to get all of the cousins together for some play time.

Concerns/Issues: Labor and delivery. This hasn't changed, and probably won't until it's over and done with.

Missing: Mobility, sleep and my old body. This is the first week that I started to feel more self-conscious about how I look. Up until now I've been loving the bump (and I still do most days), I just already feel huge and can't imagine growing for another 6ish weeks.

Sleep: Still sucks. Last night I woke up at 1:30 in the morning wide awake and seriously contemplated getting up for the day. Luckily I forced myself to go back to bed, but getting a 2 hour stretch of uninterrupted sleep is rare right now. I'm sure my body is just getting me ready, but it would be nice if that kicked in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy instead of the last 6 :-)

Looking forward to: The weekend and spending it outside! We've been fortunate to have 60-70 degree days here and it's been so nice to go on walks, enjoy the weather and sit on our porch swing with the pups.

33 Weeks

Weeks along: 33

What's new with baby: Baby M is now 4 pounds and about the size of a ferret (or a durian fruit, pick whatever weird comparison you like best). He's still packing on the pounds, and hopefully moving to the head-down position.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Nothing to complain about. The most annoying things are muscle cramps and then feeling uncomfortable when he's in a certain spot, but all in all nothing too bad.

Cravings: Mexican food (but let's get real, when have I not craved it?)

Workouts: An hour walk with Nathan, one elliptical session (I think...I can't remember if it was a walk or a gym session) and another 2.5 mile walk.

Baby Purchases: We went and got some odds and ends at Buy Buy Baby this past weekend - pack n' play sheets, a baby K'tan, Nose Freida, and some cloth diapers to use as burp cloths.

High point of the week: Spending some more quality time with Nate this past weekend. We went on a walk just the two of us on Saturday, did a brunch date, and then went to dinner after our breastfeeding class on Sunday. I'm trying to savor the last weeks of it just being the two of us before we meet our son :-).

Concerns/Issues: Labor and delivery, but what's new?

Missing: Being able to flip over from side to side in bed without it being a challenge.

Sleep: Definitely not great. Still waking up every 1-2 hours and getting up earlier and earlier in the mornings. The plus side is I've been getting in my workouts before work, the downside is by 3pm I'm starting to get pretty sleepy. Luckily my overall energy level hasn't dipped too much, which is making me feel better about being sleep deprived when we have a baby waking us up every hour or so :-).

Looking forward to: Our last childbirth class at the hospital. We've met a few other couples there that are due around the same time we are, and the instructor has been amazing so I've really been looking forward to our Thursday evenings lately. This last class we're all bringing in treats and then scheduling a time to do dinner.

32 Weeks

Weeks along: 32

What's new with baby: Our little babe is just under 4 pounds and 17 inches long, or the size of a armadillo. To help our guy grow, my blood volume has increased 40-50% by now.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Still feeling good, but let's talk about muscle cramps. Those things are a B. I wake up a couple times a night needing to stretch one out, and sometimes when working out I have to stop what I'm doing because my toes are cramping so bad. Put this on the list of things I won't miss when I'm no longer pregnant :-)

Cravings: Valentine's day candy :)

Workouts: A 30 minute elliptical session, 2 mile walk, 40 minute elliptical session and a 5k walk to round out the week. My lower back was definitely feeling it, but it was good to get a little more activity in.

Baby Purchases: Bought some frames for the prints I got for the nursery. Now we just have to put them up (we meaning Nathan since I have 0 faith in myself when it comes to hanging anything securely to the wall).

High point of the week: Valentine's weekend. It was the perfect mix of busy and lazy, and Nate and I got in lots of alone time together which is always nice. On Sunday he woke me up with 2 dozen red roses, a giant bag of candy hearts, and a fancy decaf coffee. We went to lunch with his mom, saw a movie and I enjoyed the beautiful weather outside by going on a long walk with my mom.

Concerns/Issues: Just the usual - childbirth (going through it and healing after)/taking care of a newborn/being prepared for his arrival

Missing: Nothing this week.

Sleep: Still not great. Turning over in bed is getting harder each night, and I'm consistently waking up 4-5 times. Surprisingly I'm not that tired during the day though, so that's a win!

Looking forward to: My last shower at work and then buying the rest of the stuff we need for when he's here :-)

31 Weeks

Weeks along: 31, single digits baby!

What's new with baby: Our little guy is over 3 pounds now and is about the size of a foam finger. He'll be gaining half of his birth weight from now until he's born.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Feeling good this week!

Cravings: Nothing too crazy I can think of, but the sugar cookies that I had at my shower were seriously amazing and totally hit the spot.

Workouts: A 5k walk and a 35 minute elliptical session. Not great, but the week was busy.

Baby Purchases: I bought his going home outfit with my friend Rach. He has so many adorable outfits that people have graciously gifted us, but his first one I wanted to be from me :-). Having my good friend there who's been such an amazing support to ooh and ahh over it made it even more special.

High point of the week: Oh my gosh, the whole week was amazing! We had our 3-D ultrasound on Wednesday and it was so surreal seeing his little face. He looks exactly like Nate as a baby, which only made me even more excited to meet him. I also got the biggest surprise this weekend when my good friend Rachael surprised me by flying up from Atlanta! I thought my mom had been planning my baby shower, but it turns out the whole time Rach and my BFF Katlyn have been doing everything without me knowing. The shower was absolutely amazing, and getting in some girl time with her and my friends was just the best. Little man and I definitely felt the love this weekend, and if I could re-live it all over again I would!

Concerns/Issues: None this week

Missing: My rib cage not having a baby kicking it ;-). I can definitely tell he's getting bigger as some of his kicks are starting to get a little uncomfortable.

Sleep: Truth be told, not great. I'm waking up every 2-3 hours and can't seem to get comfortable, even with the snoogle. I think this may be the beginning of the end of sleep.

Looking forward to: Putting everything away in his room and getting his nursery 100% ready.

30 Weeks

So I realized that I've been basically a week behind in my posts. Today I'm 30 weeks, so I'm skipping a week to get back on track ;).

Weeks along: 30

What's new with baby: Baby M is almost 3 pounds and 16-17 inches long! Since he's been packing on the pounds, he's been shedding the all-over body hair that was keeping him warm. He's making his way head-down to get ready for D-day.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Definitely getting sore in my lower back after working out and slowing down overall, but otherwise feeling good!

Cravings: Cherry almond ice cream. Nate and I picked some up Friday night and I was in heaven.

Workouts: A 40 minute elliptical session on Tuesday, 20 minutes on the elliptical/15 minute walk/weights Wednesday, and a BodyPump class Thursday. Surprisingly the elliptical feels amazing, but walking on the treadmill has been a little painful as I get some round ligament pain if I go faster than 3 mph.

Baby Purchases: We may have traded in my car for a small SUV :-). Nate has tried to convince me since I first got pregnant that my compact car was not going to be car seat friendly. Well, a couple weeks ago when we tried putting the car seat in the middle of the car and taking it out, I realized he was 100% right. If we weren't giants (I'm 5'10" and Nate is 6'3") I think we could have worked around it, but it's definitely nice having a car that we don't have to squat in and out of.

High point of the week: I had my first shower this weekend. My sister-in-law who is 37 weeks pregnant threw me the most amazing shower for Nathan's side of the family. I don't know how she managed to make every last detail perfect all while being so close to having our niece and running after our 18 month old nephew, but it was spectacular. Baby M and I definitely felt the love!

Concerns/Issues: I think making it through the first couple weeks. Healing after labor and delivery all while taking care of a newborn still sounds like a daunting task. We're so excited to meet him, but I'm definitely a person that needs sleep.

Missing: Mobility. I know it's only going to get worse before it gets better, but I definitely feel like I've reached the "beached whale" stage of pregnancy.

Sleep: Hit and miss, and the weird dreams continue. Last night I had a dream I wanted to go back to college this semester to get my MBA, but I was stressing out because I realized I'd be having a baby halfway through the semester.

Looking forward to: Our 3-D ultrasound this Wednesday. I can't wait to see his little face :-).

28 Weeks

Weeks along: 28

What's new with baby: Little man is the size of a roller blade. His lungs are more mature, he now has eyelashes and he's continuing to pack on the baby fat.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Feeling great this week! My lower back was a bit sore after working out this week, but went away after a quick trip to the chiropractor.

Cravings: I had a craving for chocolate chip cookies so I made some this week. I brought the bulk of the batch to work, but not before I had more than my fair share ;).

Workouts: A 5k walk on Sunday and two 35 minute elliptical sessions with weights at the end.

Baby Purchases: I bought this rug for his nursery. I want to create an inviting space for his room, but having pregnancy brain seriously hinders my decision making abilities. After looking for a couple weeks straight, I kept going back to this one, so Nate convinced me to go ahead and order it :-).

High point of the week: Trivia night with my bestie and her boyfriend. The  4 of us took second place and won a total of $25 (woo!). To celebrate Nate and I went to Sonic afterwards for a little treat.

Concerns/Issues: Just trying to prioritize everything before he's here. There's a lot we need to do in terms of getting his nursery all ready, saving for when I'm on maternity leave and then taking care of some bigger stuff before (car maintenance, dog teeth cleanings). I know we can get it all done, I'm just impatient and would like to have everything scratched off the list well in advance.

Missing: Skiing, but what's new? :-)

Sleep: Still great! Some weird dreams, but I can't complain.

Looking forward to: Going to dinner with our friends tomorrow night in KC for restaurant week.

27 Weeks

Daisy decided she wanted to be in the picture this week ;)

Weeks along: 27

What's new with baby: Baby is now the size of a camping lantern and is just shy of 2 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Continuing to feel good, but definitely slowing down a little. Last night I fell asleep on the couch at 8:15ish, woke back up at 9:15, and then promptly went to bed and didn't wake up until 6:30 in the morning. I guess I better enjoy it while I still can ;-).

Cravings: Besides eating all the fruit, I had a craving for Chipotle after my doctor's appointment, so Nate obliged and we had an early dinner.

Workouts: 2 2 mile walks and one 25 minute elliptical session, plus some weights sprinkled in.

Baby Purchases: Nothing this week. I'm trying to figure out how to decorate the rest of the nursery, but I can't make up my mind on what would work well with the furniture and colors we have.

High point of the week: My doctor's appointment. It's always great to hear little man's heartbeat and spend some extra time with Nathan when he comes.

Concerns/Issues: I had a mini panic attack dealing with our new insurance this week. Nate had sent in our marriage certificate multiple times to verify me as a dependent, and when he checked on it Tuesday it showed me as "denied." Uh, yea, being 6 months pregnant and not having insurance is NOT an option. Luckily after we faxed them the marriage certificate (for the third time) and some tax documents ASAP we got it all worked out, but it made for a pretty stressful day.

Missing: Skiing/traveling

Sleep: Continues to be good. I wake up every now and then with some back/hip pain, but for the most part it's been a solid 8 1/2-9 hours. I have no idea how I'm going to adjust when I'm living off of a couple hours of broken sleep.

Looking forward to: My sister-in-law's baby shower this weekend. She's due just 7 weeks before me with a little girl and I cannot wait to celebrate her and our soon-to-be niece!

26 Weeks

 

It's crazy how much things change in 6 short weeks :-)

Weeks along: 26

What's new with baby: He's now the size of a head of a lettuce and is anywhere from 13 1/2 to almost 15 inches long! His eyes after being closed shut will open soon, and he's continuing to learn how to breathe by swallowing amniotic fluid.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: Feeling good this week! With the belly growing bigger and bigger I'm starting to feel my sense of balance shift and my hips loosen, but I'm not quite at the waddling stage yet ;-)

Cravings: Nothing in particular, but I've definitely turned into a snack monster. Fruit, granola bars and peanut butter on crackers have all been consumed frequently this week.

Workouts: Getting better. Managed to squeeze in a 30 minute walk, a BodyPump class and a 30 minute elliptical session + 1 mile walk this week.

Baby Purchases: Nothing that I've bought, but his grandma and grandpa have sure made up for my lack of purchases :-). They got him a whole slew of stuff this week from clothes to a crib mattress. All three of us are so lucky to have such supportive families.

High point of the week: Nate and I did a date night on Saturday and it was fantastic. We saw The Big Short, which if you haven't seen I highly recommend.

Concerns/Issues: I had a nightmare about the baby last night. Even though it's silly I've been thinking more and more today about how I hope we both are healthy when he's born.

Missing: Nothing this week.

Sleep: Like a million times better this week. I've been getting a solid 8-9 hours every night with only waking up once or twice. I wish I could say I had more energy as a result, but it has at least made waking up easier.

Looking forward to: My baby showers! I have some awesome family and friends that I can't wait to celebrate with. They're not for another month or so, but I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

25 Weeks

Weeks along: 25

What's new with baby: Baby M is the side of a head of cauliflower (anywhere from 13.5-14.8 inches) and is packing on some weight. He now has a sense of balance so he knows up from down, and he's been stealing my antibodies as his immune system strengthens.

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Symptoms: The beginning of this week still started off rough, but thanks to some antibiotics my sinuses now don't throb and I'm starting to be able to breathe through my nose again. Little man seems to be unaffected by my cold because he's active as ever, so at least one of us has some energy :)

Cravings: That Taco Bell craving definitely came back, and this time I let the floodgates open and had a crunchwrap. I think it's been a solid 5 years since my last one, but it totally hit the spot and now that I can breathe again I was actually able to taste it.

Workouts: Even though my energy levels were still down, I managed to squeeze in a couple walking workouts and a Body Pump class.

Baby Purchases: I couldn't resist the after-Christmas sales, so I picked up a couple outfits for him from the clearance rack at Gap. They're so cute, and each item was only $6 after all the discounts so it was definitely a win!

High point of the week: Feeling better for sure! I had some pretty rough moments the 2+ weeks I've been sick so it was such a blessing to start to feel like myself.

Concerns/Issues: Nothing this week. Just focusing on babe and I getting back to 100%.

Missing: Not being restricted by anything. With us finally getting some winter weather all I want to do is hike and ski (and maybe have a glass of champs or two for New Years), but I won't be partaking since making sure babe is safe is my first priority. As much as this pregnancy has been easy, I have to come clean and say that there are some days where I'm ready for him to be here instead of continuing to be pregnant. Props to the moms that have hard pregnancies, growing a baby is tough work.

Sleep: Better this week!

Looking forward to: Feeling more prepared for his arrival by getting some of his room done!