Happy Bump Day = 26 Weeks!

This past week has been a crazy one for me. After getting back from our trip to Vermont I immediately began re-packing for my trip to California over Memorial Day weekend. My sister-in-law's baby shower was on the 25th and knowing that I wouldn't be able to be there when my nephew is born (as I'll be a month from my own due date) and that I hadn't seen her since last Christmas it was important to me to make the trip out.

I have to say though - while it was awesome to be able to be there for her and spend time together - it was definitely overzealous of me to travel two weekends in a row! I hadn't even recovered from Vermont (physically speaking - I was exhausted) and then I flew to California for a grand total of 38 hours! By the time I got home on Sunday night I was a walking zombie! Luckily, because of Memorial Day I had Monday off and was able to relax the whole day.

Since then however, it's been one thing after another. We have done some yard work (fertilizing, planting, weeding), are starting a fairly large construction project at our house on Monday - one we really weren't planning to have to do this year, we are finally able to start on the nuggets nursery and there have been some big changes for me at my office. I feel like as soon as I'm caught up with one thing something else comes up! I'm doing my best to take it one day / thing at a time and hope that it all comes together the way it's supposed to!

Needless to say, I am very much looking forward to this weekend, hoping to find some time to just lounge by my mum's pool and read a trashy novel!

Mommy at 26 Weeks

Baby at 26 Weeks

Size: 15 inches and about 2.5 pounds

Development: Eyelashes and eyes are fully developed and are starting to open (not much to see in there though), immune system is fully functional and he's breathing now too! He's also practicing "walking" by pedaling his legs!

Symptoms at 25 Weeks
Headaches: Unlike many pregnant women I've gone the opposite way with this. Prior to pregnancy I had chronic migraines but since getting pregnant I've only had one or two minor headaches - here's hoping it stays that way!

Forgetfulness: Not sure if it's pregnancy related or if it's just me being me, but I am definitely more forgetful these days than normal! List making has becoming my only way to get through the day!

Clumsiness: Still standing! I've heard about clumsiness being an issue for a lot of pregnant women so I find that I pay much More attention when I'm walking or doing things that require balance.
Skin, hair, and nail changes: Skin is officially clear! Woohoo! Hair isn't as full or lustrous as it supposedly should be, mine still falls out at about the same rate as normal. Nails are growing like crazy but are certainly stronger and healthier than ever.

Currently Craving: Nothing - no cravings even now, so I'm trying to continue to eat as healthfully as possible.

How's the belly looking: ROUND! Although slightly football-ish which I don't love. I'm hoping that it will round itself out a bit over the next few weeks.

Sleep: Definitely experiencing pregnancy insomnia for a multitude of reasons - need to pee, RLS, discomfort, my brain won't shut off etc.

Movement: He's finally making himself known! It's a crazy feeling and even now there are times when he kicks me and it startles me. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to the feeling of something pushing my stomach from the inside! Haha!

Exercise: Four days a week for about an hour. Using the Arc Trainer for cardio as it doesn't require a significant amount of balance and still lifting as much as I can without straining myself.

Innie or outie: Officially an OUTIE. I don't love it because I feel like it's almost obscene when I wear tight shirts but hey I'm pregnant!

Stretch marks: Nope! Still hoping I'm going to be one of the lucky ones.

Rings on or off: On! Been better about drinking my water so I'm retaining less fluid that before.

Maternity wear: I actually need to purchase a few new summer-weight outfits. Temperatures are starting to creep up here in Boston (we're expecting 90's this week) so it's time to put away the polyester and wool and break out the linen and chiffon!

Baby related purchases:  Still nothing. We've been very lucky with hand-me-downs thus far, so I haven't felt it necessary to go out and purchase anything extra. However this weekend I'm hoping to get the curtains, mattress and rug for the nursery. At least that way I'll be able to see how everything fits together in the room.

Days Left: 98 ... holy cow! How is that possible? (that math seems a bit off too but I'm going off the What to Expect app)

25 Weeks (unpublished from 5/22)

Mommy at 25 Weeks

Baby at 25 Weeks

Size: About 14 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds - the size of a head of cauliflower!

Development: Capillaries are forming and filling with blood. Air sacs are developing in the lungs and the nostrils are starting to open.

Symptoms at 25 Weeks

Heartburn or indigestion: None as of yet

Snoring: According to Brian, I've always been a snorer!

Tingling hands (carpal tunnel): Nope!

Varicose veins: No varicose but unfortunately I have not been able to avoid spider veins

Symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD): Yes, yes and yes. Unfortunately it's getting worse as time goes on. I find I'm in more pain first thing in the morning and then again in the evening - especially after a day where I've been walking more than not. Hoping it doesn't get any worse as my doctor has informed me that SPD can put some women on bed rest toward the end.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS): Yup!

Skin, hair, and nail changes: My skin is finally clearing up - first trimester I felt like a teenager all over again with the acne I was dealing with. My hair hasn't really changed that I've noticed. I have always had incredibly thick hair so any additional growth would be masked by that! My finger nails are growing like weeds though. I can usually go about 3-4 weeks without a manicure but I'm finding now I'm having to do it every week or so.

Currently Craving: Nothing. Honestly - I haven't had any true pregnancy cravings up to now. There are days where I want something sweet or salty but I think that's more my body needing something rather than craving it. I haven't had to send Brian out for any midnight McDonald's runs just yet!

How's the belly looking:  Not really sure to tell you the truth. I had a co-worker tell me I'm "tiny" for how far along I am, and then in the same day a total stranger told me I was "huge"! Personally I feel like I'm right where I should be. I mean my uterus is the size of a soccer ball at this point...

Sleep: Sleeping is definitely becoming more difficult. Between trying to sleep on my side (I'm typically a stomach sleeper) and the amount I'm getting up to pee I'm guessing my 7 hours a  night has been easily cut down to 5 at most.

Movement:  This little guy is as laid back as his daddy. I've really only felt him kick a handful of times and it's usually at night when I'm paying attention. The amount of "butterflies" I'm feeling though have definitely increased. Some of the books I've read have said the more active a mommy-to-be is during her pregnancy the more relaxed baby is in utero. Not sure how accurate that is though.

Exercise: Still at it. Hiked a 3,000 foot mountain this past weekend and am still doing 45-60 minutes of cardio 4 days a week. Due to my SPD and just overall growing pains I've cut back significantly on my weight lifting. I'm not thrilled about that, but as long as I can keep up the cardio I'm ok.

 

Innie or outie: Half and half. I had lapriscopic surgery back in October and my belly button has never been the same. I think if I hadn't had surgery I'd still have an innie but because of the surgery part of my belly button has popped out! It's disturbing to look at!

Stretch marks:  None yet - thankfully. I'm not holding my breath though because both my mother and sister got them, so I'm sure they are on their way. Cocoa butter is my best friend!

Rings on or off: Still on although they are tighter in the morning than they used to be.

Maternity wear: But of course! I'm still getting plenty of hand-me-downs from friends, but I think it might be time to invest in some more summer dresses!

Baby related purchases:  NONE! I know! Can you even believe it? I have not purchased one thing (not a onsie, book, blanket) for the nugget yet. I think once his nursery is set up I'll be more inclined to do so but at this point it's just not something I've done.

Days Left: 105 - holy cow! Almost into double digits!

Mini Baby-Moon

For many couples the term "baby-moon" means a tropical getaway on the beach somewhere. For Brian and me it ultimately meant a small cabin in the woods with my cousins and our dogs. Yes, we'd thought about a more romantic destination but logic and timing got the better of us and we decided something closer to home was a more realistic option. Given Brian's seven day a week job and my lack of vacation time we knew it was a more mature decision to do a long weekend. (I have to say I'm proud of us! Our families will tell you we tend to do things without thinking them through completely!)

Around the time we were discussing our getaway I got a Groupon notification for a resort in Vermont. After looking through the pictures and finding out Berklee could join us I was hooked. It was exactly what I was thinking - relaxing, private and far enough away that it felt like a treat. We asked my cousins (Ryan and his wife, Alissa) to come along and bring their dog Camilla who just so happens to be Berklee's best buddy! We left on Friday mid-day and arrived at the Sterling Ridge Resort around 5pm.

Our Cabin - #6 very private

Living Room / Dining Room  

Bedroom #1

View from our Front Porch 

Upon finding out where we were heading, Ryan and Brian decided that they were going to be "mountain men" for the weekend - bringing along their Bear Grylls survival kits on the off chance we were lost in the woods or needed to build a fire. When we arrived at the resort the first thing they did was attempt to do the latter a la BG. They broke out their knives and flint and set to work. Alissa and I were both doubtful that they'd be successful but after only a few short moments they proved us wrong! It was at that moment they determined that no fire (fire pit or grill) would be lit that weekend with the use of a match! It was their challenge to themselves! Of course no camping trip would be complete without the customary s'mores so after a dinner of hot dogs, burgers, grilled corn and pasta salad we all indulged (a bit too much) in gooey marshmallows and melted chocolate! I'm pretty sure if my glucose test had been on Monday I would have failed miserably!

Mountain Men

Bear Grylls style 

SUCCESS!

The next morning we decided to go hiking with the pups. We had spoken with the women at the front desk who was shocked that at 6 months pregnant I was even remotely interested in climbing a mountain. Originally we had hoped to climb Mt. McKinley - that is until Alissa informed me Mt. McKinley is unfortunately in Alaska but that Mt. Mansfield was in Vermont! The woman at the desk told me Mt. Mansfield isn't for the faint of heart - that it's about a 6 hour round trip hike with quite a few treacherous places along the trails. She suggested that we take the scenic toll road (to the tune of $25) to the top and then "hike around" up there a bit. NO THANK YOU! We'd come to Vermont to hike and hike we will! As we drove in the direction of Mt. Mansfield, still debating on whether we'd make the attempt, we drove through Smuggler's Notch and decided to hike Sterling Pond Trail instead.

Sterling Pond Trail

The View from the Bottom                        "What did I get myself into?" 

Sterling Pond                                                   Going Down

Do we look as tired as we feel?  

Now, when we decided on this trail it wasn't based on any information that we had about it (difficulty, distance etc) it was solely because it looked pretty and we'd heard there was a pond at the top. By the time we reached the pond Alissa and I were exhausted! I really wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it back down - but obviously I had no choice in the matter! We spent about 30 minutes at the pond letting the dogs swim and play while we rested and snacked on avocados and peanuts! As with most hikes, going down is a more delicate process. Your body automatically wants to go faster than it should and the pressure on your knees/quads is much more intense than going up. I had to go far slower than I would have liked but am glad for it! We made the entire hike (including our rest) in just over 2 hours. We spent that evening by the fire laughing, eating s'mores and patting ourselves on the back for finishing the hike!

Sunday morning came far too quickly for all of us and as we packed up to leave we decided that we'd be back ... maybe not this summer (although hopefully) but definitely next summer and we'll stay longer! Maybe we can even convince Sarah to come with us and bring C!

It was really a wonderful weekend and just what Brian and I needed. We both returned to work on Monday feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the week. We have a crazy busy summer coming up and the 15 weeks remaining before the nugget arrives are going to fly so it was perfect timing for us to get away.

If you are in the area and are a "camper" of any sort or just enjoy the peace and quiet of Vermont I highly recommend Sterling Ridge Resorts as your next destination!

Thunder & a KICK!

On Thursday of last week we had our first spring thunderstorm in the city. It was one of those days that started off a bit gloomy, then brightened into sunny skies. Right around the time I was preparing to leave work I happened to look out the window of my 24th floor office and could see the dark clouds rolling in over Cambridge toward the city. I was happy I'd brought my umbrella.

Luckily for me, the subway (T) that I take to Brian's office is right below my building so I can avoid any unfriendly weather quite easily. Once I get to Cambridge however, it's a bit of a different story. In a way similar to downtown Boston, downtown Cambridge is a bit of a wind tunnel so umbrella or no umbrella if it's raining, you're going to get wet! My walk from the T to Brian's door was a bit treacherous - cars splashing water all over the sidewalk, people trying to prevent their umbrellas from turning inside out, cyclists and runners putting extra umph into their sprints home - but I made it literally just as the real rain started coming down! It was as if a tsunami fell from the sky! The phrase "it's raining cats and dogs*" (which never really made sense to me) definitely fit that afternoon's downpour!

As I settled into Brian's desk to wait for him to finish up the first flash of lightening happened. I immediately started counting; "one one-thousand, two one-thousand" and so on until I reached 9 and the thunder clapped ...the storm was still nine miles away. Thank goodness too because I hate thunderstorms.

When I was a little girl I used to go to sleep-over camp in NH, one summer we had a terrible thunder and lightening storm and the May pole in the playground right outside my cabin got struck. Since then I just haven't been a fan of thunderstorms! But I digress...

Over the next hour the storm changed personalities quite a few times; the wind and rain would die down and then rapidly increase again. Just before 6pm another downpour came and along with it a huge flash followed almost immediately by the thunder... I didn't even have time to count. And then... KICK!

The nugget, like his momma, is clearly afraid of thunder and lightening! For the next 5 minutes he was bouncing around like crazy as if he was trying to find the best place to hide from the storm. In my cliché (and dorky) way I kept rubbing my stomach telling him he was okay that it was just a thunderstorm and nothing to be afraid of. I'm not sure who I was trying to convince, him or myself but I'm sure he could sense my own feelings about it. We had a little conversation that night - he and I - about being each other's "Thunder-Buddies". If you've ever seen the movie Ted you know exactly what I'm talking about!

It's funny to think that this little guy is taking on a personality of his own already (and maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part) and I can't wait to see which of mine (and Brian's) idiosyncrasies he inherits!

Today there is no fear of a storm - the sun is shining high in the sky and it's going to be about 80 degrees - I'm certainly regretting not taking the personal day I had planned! I hope you get out to enjoy a bit of the weather wherever you are!
 
* It's Raining Cats & Dogs

24 Weeks = Viability Week!

This is a huge week for baby and me! We are officially 24 weeks which many women refer to as "Viability Week". According to Wikipedia (I know not the most reliable source) Fetal Viability of babies born at 23 weeks is only 20-35% while babies born at 24 weeks jump to 50-70%. While this is definitely reassuring, it also means significant neonatal care and no guarantee of survival without long term medical care.
I am in no way hoping for this little guy to come early, but it does give me some sense of relief that if he were to come early, anywhere from this point on there's a good chance he'd make it!

My Glucose Challenge Screening Test is coming up this week and I'm hoping for negative results. A negative result means that my body properly processes sugar. I'm not really looking forward to it though as I've heard the drink is disgusting! I think (although what the heck do I know) that because I'm relatively healthy and we don't have a family history of diabetes, that I should be okay. Keeping my fingers crossed!

Going forward for blog purposes (and because I'm interested!) I'm going to try to keep up with the Pregnancy Calendar on the "What to Expect" website. It will be fun to compare what types of things I "should be" experiencing vs. what I'm actually going through!  

Week 24 Pregnancy Symptoms

Constipation: Haven't been experiencing this issue. However, I have been making sure to have plenty of fiber in my diet and drinking plenty of water. I find that both help quite a bit.

Occasional headaches: Prior to pregnancy I had chronic migraines which required a daily medication, but since becoming pregnant these have subsided (YAY!) and I haven't really experience too many headaches. Again, I feel that a balanced diet, exercise regimen and lots of water are contributing factors.
Lower abdominal achiness: Oh brother! This is a big one for me right now. And I wouldn't call it "achiness" by any means. It's all out pain! Luckily I've spoken with my OB and she has assured me everything is fine with the nugget and I'm just experiencing severe Round Ligament and SPD pain. Relaxation and a heating pad seem to help.

Backaches: Can't say these have been a problem as of yet. Every once in a while if I sit or stand for too long I'll get some minor pain but changing positions frequently definitely decreases this issue.

Leg cramps: I've been getting calf cramps in the late evening/early morning. I need to be careful in how I stretch because if I do it incorrectly or too quickly the cramps then become Charlie Horse pain! Again, making sure I'm drinking plenty of water, including potassium in my diet and continuing to exercise has kept these at bay for the most part.

Vision changes: No vision changes here. Although I would say toward the end of the day my eyes get that "tired, heavy" feeling.

Mild swelling of ankles and feet: Haven't noticed too much in this department yet - but I've been really cognizant of keeping my feet elevated whenever I can whether it's at work or home on the couch


Baby at 24 Weeks
Size: About 11 inches long and weighs one and a half pounds - the size of a cantaloupe! He is now gaining roughly 6oz per week!

Developments: Hearing is much sharper now and loud noises, including a dog barking (Yay Berklee) and mommy and daddy's voices can be heard (although muffled)!

Features: The face is almost fully formed, complete with eyelashes, eyebrows and hair - although since there is still no pigment yet, baby is still sporting white hair!

Happy 3rd Birthday Berklee!

On a warm day in July Brian and I brought home the most adorable little girl in the world! It was literally love at first sight! When I arrived to pick her up she was sitting quietly in the corner while her brothers and sisters ran around each other barking and playing. It was as if she was on her very best behavior for me! As soon as I picked her up she immediately nuzzled into my neck and started licking my face. There was no way I was going home without this baby. 

That was three years ago and our world has never been the same. Miss Berklee Marie (yes she has a middle name) was born on May 10, 2010. She became our first baby on July 3 of that year. Since then we have watched her grow into the best dog we could ever hope for. She's rambunctious, funny, energetic, loyal, loving and recently incredibly protective (of me). She is a tri-colored miniature Australian Shepherd. And we couldn't love her more!

She loves to play fetch and swim (but hates the pool), she sleeps in bed with us - although I'm not sure how that will work come September - and she is a constant companion. No matter how long we're away from her - whether it be an hour or a week (she stays with my parents) she is so happy when we return. Our greetings are similar to that of Dino and Fred Flinstone - if she were any bigger she'd knock us flat on our backs! Because of her breed she has no tail so when she's happy her whole bum shakes, it's quite a sight to see!

I could have had a horrible day at work, where nothing went right, but the second I walk in the door and see her little face it just doesn't matter anymore. Nothing can ever be wrong when she is around.

My parents are just as in love with her as we are and they refer to her as their "grandpuppy" The year we brought her home was also the year my parents had to put down the family dog. Bingo was a standard Australian Shepherd who lived an amazing life. He was 18 years old when they finally put him down. Berklee was by his side right up until the end, sharing his bed (and her bones) with him until my mum had to take him away. She has told us many times that having Berklee there (Brian and I were in Hawaii) "saved" them because while they were incredibly sad that Bingo was gone, at least they had little Berklee to come home to. My dad will call me on a Saturday and ask me if I'm coming over - if I answer "yes" his next question is whether or not Berklee is coming. And if I dare to show up unannounced without her, man I better have a good reason!

Berklee was the perfect addition to our little family and I just know that she will watch over her little brother as he grows up. It is my hope that they will be each other's wingman/dog in our sons early years! I have no doubt that she will love and protect him just as she does with Brian and me!

Berklee
(12 weeks vs 3 years)

Lucie's List - Registry Woes

All first moms-to-be (and even second and third time moms) know that figuring out what you'll need for baby vs what you think you'll need is one of the hardest parts of getting ready for his or her arrival.

Everything I've read says you really should start your registry around week 20 -- seriously? We only just found out that we were having a boy in week 19 and already I'm supposed to start picking things out that he'll need ... I don't even know where to start!

My mother thankfully is a Pinterest freakazoid. She is on that thing every day and is constantly sending my sister and me links to things she thinks her grandbabies need to have! One of the links she sent me was to Lucie's List - and oh boy is that thing a God send. Meg, the author is the mother of two young girls and has been reviewing products for moms-to-be the last few years. In addition to her registry recommendations she also write an honest (and quite funny) blog that I read as often as she updates it. Being a new mom it's always nice to see other women that roll their eyes at some of the crap that is out there. I mean really - there is more information on what you're supposed to do with your own child than is necessary.

This week, just days after I completed my registry (or so I thought) I received an email with Meg's updated registry cheat sheet. The very first thing I did was print it out (along with a copy of my own registry) and began comparing. Happily, because of my obsession with her site and constant hounding of my mommy-friends, I was right on the money with the things Meg recommended registering for at this stage. 

When Brian and I first went to register we were both very excited - little did we know how truly overwhelming it was going to be. We met with the "registry consultant" at Babies R Us - a women in her late 60's who last gave birth to a child in an era when women were burning their bras and Roe vs Wade was in the Supreme Court. After listening to her very scripted speech we took to the aisles ready to start scanning. The moment we stepped foot in the car seat aisle we froze ... there were at least two dozen to choose from with various patterns and styles! I knew (only because of Sarah and Mr. C) that I was looking for a Graco Snug Fit 30 and low and behold we found one we loved! Slowly but surely we made our way through the "big stuff" (car seat, stroller, pack n play, swing) before coming to a dead end in the diapering section. How were we ever supposed to pick out diapers for a child that's not even here yet? What if we get Pampers and he only likes Huggies? Or what if we get Luvs and he constantly blows out of them? We decided not to register for them that day. We had spent about an hour going through the aisles debating over the different brands and patterns - I wanted everything to match, Brian just wanted the "best" for our baby. It was concluded that I would return the following weekend with Sarah so she could really help me do what I needed to!

That very night when I got home, I went online to our registry and deleted just about everything we'd chosen. I didn't like the pattern, it was too "boyish", the stroller was too bulky etc etc. By the time I went back with Sarah we were starting from scratch ... and thank God too because as we went through the "must have" list she was saying "don't register for that" ... "you're going to hate that swing" ... "try folding the stroller yourself" ... oh brother was I in for a rude awakening. I quickly learned that it's not about ME and what I like/want, it's about what this little nugget is going to need and finding items that will make my life easier. Does it make sense to buy the Graco Stroller System just because I like the pattern when the reality is that it's far too bulky for me to lift in and out of the car by myself? Probably not. It took Sarah and I less than 90 minutes to go through the list and get the majority of the items scanned. She suggested I use her online registry as an example - take a look at what she had (items we couldn't find) and register for those from home. By Tuesday my registry was done! And not a moment too soon because the shower date has been chosen! We're just two months away and if I know my family/friends people are going to start buying the second the invites go out!

Needless to say, the combination of Lucie's List and my sister's current first-hand knowledge helped me put together a respectable looking registry. Two of my girlfriends have also been giving me suggestions of what their children have liked/used so small things have been added/changed here and there but for the most part I think I can safely say "I'm Done!"

Happy Shopping!!

First "Scare"

I had a minor scare the other day. Woke up feeling "off." As the morning progressed that feeling turned into pain in my lower abdomen and lower back. I have been experiencing some pain in my pelvic region due to SPD (Symphysis Pubic Dysfunction) as well as some RLP (Round Ligament Pain) but this was entirely different. The pain felt very similar to period cramping - the kind you get before a really heavy period. The last time I felt pain like that was when I was starting my miscarriage; and while miscarrying at 20+ weeks is far less common than prior to 12 weeks I was still nervous. When the pain hadn't gone away by 11am I called my doctor. She told me over the phone that "it's probably nothing" but that she wanted to see me anyway.

During my appointment she checked for his heartbeat and did an internal exam to make sure my cervix was still closed - both resulted in good news. We were able to hear the heartbeat and he was moving around quite a bit. After doing the internal exam she determined that the pain is definitely related to both my SPD and RLP, but that she wants me to keep an eye on the amount of pain and keep her updated. She has officially banned me from lifting anything more than 15 pounds (which sadly means I can't walk around with Baby C on my hip) and if I'm working out I need to pay attention to the types of lower body exercises I am doing.

It's definitely frustrating to feel constant discomfort - especially at this stage - but I'm doing my best not to complain about it since it comes with the territory. As long as I'm careful and don't over do it, I tend to be ok; but I can't walk for too long, nor sit for extended periods of time - it's a daily struggle to consistently change positions!

While I'm glad everything turned out okay and it truly was "nothing" having a scare like that was really frightening!

I hope wherever you're reading from you have a fabulous weekend! It looks like it's going to be a perfect spring one here in Boston!