23 weeks and my love/hate relationship with this pregnancy

Ah, the love / hate relationship I have with this pregnancy. I hesitate writing this post because I feel like I do a lot of complaining on here so I will start with what I LOVE.


LOVE
The baby, of course. Whether it's hormones or maternal instinct or whatever you believe, a mother's love is the most powerful force in the universe. Yesterday, I felt him move around nearly the entire day. Given that I can't see or hear him, it's the only form of communication he has with me and I relish every moment. The kicks are still gentle enough that I feel them, but I'm not uncomfortable. I actually saw my tummy pop up for a second when he kicked me. And Daddy got to feel him over the weekend! He was kicking strong and steady so I had him put his hand where I knew he would feel it and finally, the little monkey gave him two good kicks right in his hand. 
Which brings me to my next love of this pregnancy, my husband. I feel like all the love I have for the baby is shared with him too, because the baby is part of him, and it just makes me love him even more. And he's amazing. I'm really lucky.


HATE
Ok you didn't think all that love and rainbows could go on too long did you? Because I'm in PAIN you guys. Yes, I'm more than halfway there, but the baby is only ONE pound. Will I feel six times more miserable when the baby is SIX pounds!? 
Sleeping is so uncomfortable, and I have a LOT of growing to do still! Some nights are better than others, and this post is coming off one of worst nights yet. Like, crying at 4am, I feel like someone threw me down a flight of stairs, I have a headache kind of uncomfortable. My lower back sears with pain and when I wake in the middle of the night to roll over, I get a shooting pain from my hip that I was laying on all the way through my leg down to my toes. OW.


So, yeah, I'm getting a little bit worried about the next 4 months. It took this little guy 23 weeks to gain a pound, and now he's going to gain like 5-7 more in the next ~17 weeks!? 


And don't you dare even suggest that this baby is born more than 8 pounds. I'm just not built for that. I'm already starting to worry about how this baby is coming into the world! ANY fleeting thought that I MAY have had about a natural labor is completely gone. I watched this GREAT documentary by Ricki Lake, and while I think natural childbirth is probably the right and natural way to do things, I'm going to take the epidural behind Door #2 please. Thankyouverymuch.


LOVE & HATE
There's one more thing to add, before I go on to tell you what the baby will be up to this week. My boobs! This has to go into the love AND hate category. These things are already HUGE. LOVE because it's just downright impressive. I was already a decent size before I started this journey and now I've got boobs in a size people only pay for...!! HATE because I've got freak show boobies!! And I have to buy a new bra, which I hate doing.


Speaking of boobies, check out one of Trent's new outfits haha

And finally - what's baby up to this week? Not much to see here. 23 weeks old and fattening up. From what I read, he's going to gain another pound in the next few weeks! He can hear really well now, and can be startled by loud noises. He's familiar with my voice and the sound of my heart and tummy growling. 
<3

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year blog followers!! 
While Thanksgiving is the traditional holiday to 'give thanks' I found myself doing a lot more reflecting this New Year's holiday. 2011 was very good to me.


To start the year, I received a promotion at my job and have had the opportunity to work with a great group, learn new things, and make an impact at my company in new and exciting ways.


Next we had our wedding and all of the exciting things that went along with that. All of the events leading up to the wedding gave us so many great memories and time spent with friends and family. Once in a lifetime moments that I will never forget, and will surely look back upon during 3am feedings...! I am so grateful to everyone who was involved and made that time special for us. 


We had our first full year in our home. We put a new roof on and we are in the process of making some more improvements to our heating system. We had a few hiccups: a few leaks, an overflowing dishwasher, a sewerage backup (FUN!) and I'm sure a few other "whoops" moments that I'm forgetting, but in the end none of it was significant and we were able to laugh at it all.


And to round off the year, we found out that we were expecting baby Trent. That journey will bring us into 2012 and I'm so excited for the year to come. But as we welcome the new year, I did want to take a few moments to thank everyone who has supported us all year long. I've also rediscovered some friendships with some of my mommy friends and I appreciate all of your advice and guidance! We love you all and can't wait to introduce Trent!!

Baby has a name!

Given my cravings lately, I should probably just name the baby "Fudge." I'm really uninterested in anything 'savory' lately and would be completely ok skipping every meal in favor of dessert. Of course, I am eating normal foods but even then I try to sweeten them up. Breakfast? Waffles and syrup or a sweet cereal. And I get through my lunch and dinner just to get to the fudge, thin mints, ice cream... or all 3.
While near and dear to my heart, Fudge might not help him with his popularity in school. 


And so, we will call him Trent Alexander.


I used a name book and some online name dictionaries and came up with a list of names for my husband to review. This was the only one he liked which made it easy! We think that it's unique enough to be different, but common enough that people will recognize it and not wonder how to spell it or say it. 


And so there we are. I will no longer have to refer to him as 'baby' when blogging and now you all know who we are welcoming into the world. I can't wait to meet him!!!!

22 weeks and dreaming...

Sorry blog followers!! I realize that I have been a bit absent from filling you in the last few weeks. I committed to writing at least once a week to let you know what's going on with my growing belly and the cutie pie inside of me. But I missed week 21 and now you'll have to bear with me as I catch you up on everything. So get comfortable.


To be honest, the last few weeks I've been achey and moody. The Christmas holiday was getting me down - but forget all that! I have this whole week off, Christmas is OVER (yessss) and I'm feeling good (today)!


So where do I start?
Well, I'm 22 weeks today and looking at the calendar it's starting to sink in that we will get to meet our son in the next 4 months!! WHOA! That is SOON! January will fly by because we're traveling to Mexico, we have snowy February, March is my baby shower, and then the baby could really come anytime in April!
I feel him move all the time now and the "fluttery" or "squirming" feeling has been replaced with real kicks. He's letting mommy know that he's growing strong and he's getting ready to meet his family!! Unfortunately Daddy hasn't felt it yet but I'm sure he will soon. I can feel it from the outside every now and then but as soon as I move over to Daddy to snuggle in hopes that he'll feel a kick, baby settles down.


I find that I dream about him often. I picture what he will look like and he is always the happiest baby. In my last dream he looked at me after he was born and just smiled the cutest happiest smile. That's what dreams are for :-) I KNOW he will be born screaming his tiny little head off but in my fantasy he is cute, pink, has a head FULL of hair and just loves his mommy to pieces. 


I'm also getting a lot bigger so he's making his presence known there. All I can say is THANK YOU for maternity clothes. I really don't know what I would do without full panel maternity leggings, maternity jeans, and maternity tops. I'm telling you, buying a medium or a large just does NOT work. Not for me anyway. I'm very lucky to have the maternity wardrobe that I do. I got some great hand me downs, a gift card for my birthday to Motherhood and lots more gifts for my bday and xmas. It's just too depressing to even try to put on any of my old clothes. They look SO weird. Maternity clothes aren't baggy all over - just in the belly. So they fit everywhere that you are NOT pregnant. It will probably be an adjustment to get back into clothes that aren't so comfortable!


And speaking of gifts - baby got some AMAZING gifts this xmas. Notably, a friend handed down her son's wardrobe to the baby and I can't believe how much there is. It's truly amazing. Baby also got his first pair of Nike Jordan's from his Aunt and Uncle and they are TOO cute!! His grandmother knitted him a blanket and daddy's family recorded their voices onto a book! He also got some really sweet gear for the upcoming Red Sox season! A green 'monstah' onesie and a 'Yankees Yuck!' onesie. Daddy bought him a Sox jacket to match.


Daddy also got me these really cool things called Belly Buds. They are specifically designed to play music to the baby!! They stick to my belly and I have been playing music for him and he seems to respond! I created a Pandora station of classical music and baby lullabyes. Here's a picture of me using them:

Ok what else?
Well, onto the standard weekly update, baby is as long as a spaghetti squash! Which explains my expanding waistline! He is almost a pound and has lots of deep wrinkles in his skin because really soon he's going to start to fill in with lots of fat, making that cute chubby face that we'll get to see soon!
We get to go see him in 3D after we return from Mexico and I can't wait!


I think that just about covers it!! I hope to have some more exciting updates for you as the weeks pass. To end, here are a few pics of me from Xmas:

Nesting!!!

I finally understand what this nesting phenomenon is all about. I am in full force nesting mode and loving it. The baby's nursery is coming right along.


In the past week we had the nursery painted, furniture delivered and crib assembled. I had a friend basically give me her child's entire wardrobe up through size 3 months and it was SO fun to look at everything, fold it all and organize it into the dresser. I bought some of the items for the baby's "theme" and started to decorate and I love how everything is coming together. I love walking by his room and picturing him in there. Looking at the clothes I couldn't wait to see them on the baby. So, yeah, I'm getting really excited!!


If I didn't have to wait for the shower, I would have everything purchased and set up by now haha. But I'm really looking forward to having all my friends and family together to "shower" the baby in presents and I can't wait to start planning it with my sister. 


Here is a sneek peek at the baby's crib with the "monkey rockstar" theme:

20 weeks - HALFWAY THERE!

WOOOHOOO!!! I'm halfway there!
Ok I really had to muster up that excitement. Yes, I am truly happy that I am halfway there, but I have had a tough couple of weeks...


Let's just say mommy isn't doing too well. Pelvis aches. Lower back aches at night, keeping me up most nights. I'm sleeping propped up on a hundred pillows (which seems to help a bit.) I'm having another tooth pulled this week (ow.) The holidays are depressing and stressful. 
All I want to do is hold my baby boy in my arms and shower him with love and kisses...


Ok ok ok ... before this gets TOO depressing, there is a bright side. We booked a trip to Mexico in January and we are definitely excited to be getting away, into the sunshine, into the pool, and for Jay - into a lot of tequila. This babymoon concept is a great one, except for the sobriety part. I think I'll have to plan this vacation again for 2013. Daddy will watch baby by the pool while mom drowns herself in a drink that will look something like this:
(I actually drank this drink, nicknamed 'Wilson' on our honeymoon. And then passed out by the pool for a few hours. GLORIOUS.)

Ok, now onto baby. He's kicking up a storm and it's the most amazing feeling in the world. Despite the aches and pains, I love those kicks. He's getting bigger and stronger and now at week 20 we measure him from head to toe (rather than head to bum) and he is as big as a banana! At this point I've gained about 10 pounds and I'm expected to gain about a pound a week for the next 20 weeks. Whoa.

A lot of the same stuff continues on this week for baby... baby's bones are hardening, tooth buds sprouting, finger prints almost completely in place. New this week is that the eyelashes and eyebrows are in place (cute!). 

My hormones are taking over and I already love this little person with such a protective force, I can't describe it. I love my husband more and more and feel closer to him each day. It's truly amazing... So here's to hoping that the next 20 weeks pass even more quickly than the first 20!!

19 weeks - almost halfway there!

So my 19 week update says this:
"Think you're big now? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come."


Oh boy. Oh I KNOW I said I couldn't wait to get the trademark pregnant belly. I know. I'm sorry. I take it back. Go easy on me, I'm new to this.
I'm not ready to grow anymore! This is big enough, thankyouverymuch. I'm already having trouble sleeping due to lower back pain and it doesn't look like my maternity shirts can handle much more! And I have 20 more weeks to go!? Yikessssss.....


I feel the baby move a lot now. It's really cool. It's the strangest sensation and I'm sure will change with time as this little hockey player inside of me grows bigger and stronger. For now it feels like squirming. Sometimes a thump here and there. I felt it from the outside of my belly for the first time yesterday when I had my arm there and I was typing. I can't wait for Jay to feel it, but it's not consistent enough yet, or strong enough yet.


Ok but enough about mama. For this week's food comparison I bring you an heirloom tomato. Baby is 6 inches head to bum and about 1/2 a pound. His brain is developing senses like hearing, taste, smell, touch, etc. They think he can hear me now and I tried to put headphones on my belly to see how he'd react. He was squirming around alright! I think baby is due for a flashlight hip-hop dance-a-thon! 
His arms and legs are the right proportions to the rest of his body now so they say that he actually looks like a very mini baby now. In the next few weeks he will start to develop all that good baby fat that makes babies so chubby and cute. We get to see him again in January for our 3D/4D visit and I hope he bulks up by then so we can get some good chubby cheeks pictures!