20 Week Appointment

So just had my 20 week appointment yesterday.  I must say this whole pregnancy thing is really a roller coaster of emotions.  (mostly good one I might add).  Every time the phone rings and it's the doctor you wonder, WHY ARE THEY CALLING ME? and yes you wonder in capital letters.

How far along: 19 weeks 5 day

Total weight gain/loss: 12  lbs - yes I was weighed yesterday. You like my earlier estimation? Yeah, that means 9 lbs. in 4 WEEKS! Although my Dr. was AMAZING as usual and she said baby is growing at the perfect rate and I am growing at the perfect rate, I still think I should slow that rate down.  I blame Mexico.  Maybe you aren't supposed to have dessert after EVERY meal??? It was fun while it lasted, but back to reality now.

Maternity clothes: Wearing them proudly.  My bigger bras aren't so big on me anymore though.  I may have to go up another size after this is all said and done.  We'll see.

Sleep:  I am happy to announce that sleep is still great! I give credit to my borrowed Snoogle.  Although last night I did wake up at 3am to pee. First time in a while, we'll see if this is the restart of something annoying.  I even made the mistake of trying to hold it for a while, why do we think we can do that? 

Best moment this week: Hearing baby kicking and moving around at our 20 week appointment and CRIB CAME IN! When you order furniture it can take 1 week or 12 weeks, you never know! So Crib and Dresser are in, hopefully picking up the crib tomorrow, because we got the dresser home, but it was tricky and it's stuck in the garage, becuase I obviously can't lift it. The crib didn't fit in the car. Julie - if you're reading this you will be getting a call from us to borrow Matt's super huge muscles :) and hopefully semi bigger car so we can get everything upstairs 

Movement: Definitely feeling her on the inside, but nothing on the outside yet.  Hopefully sooner rather than later, but DR. said probably not for another 4 to 6 weeks.  

Food cravings: SPICY STUFF, milk and pickles

Labor Signs: nope.

Belly Button in or out: innie, but I did notice it isn't as deep as it used to be, hahaha (gross)

What I miss: Wine to help me relax after a stressful day!

What I am looking forward to: Outside Baby Movements

Weekly Wisdom:  Relax and Enjoy! as always :)

So we had our Anatomy Scan as you know and I did get one of those dreadful calls afterwards and it's only dreadful because when they call you think "WHY ARE YOU CALLING ME" as I stated before.  Well apparently they didn't get a good look at her face and they have to rule out cleft lip and any other things with the face. I take this as a Godsend because I very very much disliked my scan lady. She was curt and cold and just said the wrong things.  I even told my Dr. some of the things that happened and Dr. agreed with me :) So I'm going to a different place and hopefully will have a different person and a different experience.  Also great to see baby again in 2 weeks :)

Another note.  So went to dentist yesterday and in the elevator a man stood across from me and said "when are you due?" with a smile on his face. I immediately started beeming. No one noticed before. No one asked. This was my first time for a stranger :) YAY YAY (or so I thought). I reply "i'm due in April.  I'm halfway" he then replies "You're kinda big aren't ya?" ENTER WORLD SHATTERING FEELING. Really? People really say this? So surprisingly I find the words to speak and I say "You're kinda rude aren't ya?"  He then shuffles uncomfortably and says "Oh I didnt mean it that way".  Fortunately elevator opens, I give him the evilest eye I can gather up and I walk away.  Unfortuantely we then both walk into the dentist office.  I sit and begin texting my mother and DH this horrible story and he sits there until the person he is picking up comes out and he leaves.  I can only hope time #2 is better.  Seems to me these big things in pregnancy need do overs.  Anatomy Scan and When ya due question prove that so far.  Hopefully 2nd times a Charm.

Note #3 - We had our hospital tour last night.  I was probably the least along.  One girl is due MONDAY!  there were about 12 of us (6 preggos and 6 significant others) It was a great time.  Everyone asked lots of questions. Even DH asked one, which was a total happy surprise that he got into it.  It was also very very exciting and a little scary because it was definitley getting real.  And if I do say so myself, I looked tiny compared to some of those girls so THERE! 

Until next time.

Tracey :)

I CAN'T STOP EATING!

So I'm in my 19th week of pregnancy.  Ultrasound tech said I was measuring a week ahead, but she wasn't very nice so I don't trust anything she says.

And I don't know if this is normal, but I CAN'T STOP EATING!  I feel like I'm always hungry.  This is not good!

It would be one thing if I was craving salads and veggies and fruits, but I'm not, I'm craving anything and everything I see.  For example,  a coworker brought in chocolate cake his wife made (i'm on piece #3!!!!)  Mind you, the first two pieces were very small, but now I've taken an even bigger piece!!! HAHAHA! Somebody stop me.

This was my food today:

Blueberry Morning Cereal - 6:50am
Lance Cheese Crackers - 7:45am
Oreo Yoplait Yogurt - 9am
Tuna Fish Sandwich - 12am
Green Apple - 1pm
3 PIECES OF CHOCOLATE CAKE - 1:21pm

and i'm not even close to stuffed.

Fortunately Chris forced me on a walk yesterday (not that motivated these days).  Hopefully he can work his magic again soon!

On a side note - I met Patrick Henry Elwell for the first time on Saturday.  Son of proud parents Lauren and Mark.  He was ADORABLE and such a good baby.  I like to think I'm cooking him up a nice little girlfriend, but he better never break her heart :)  Here is a pic of Chris holding the little angel.  He's a natural already!

RIVIERA MAYA

So,

We are back from a week in Mexico.  It was AMAZING, WONDERFUL AND PERFECT! The weather was beautiful 90% of the time. The food was good and the pool was very refreshing!  Here are some pics

ON OUR WAY

 FINALLY RELAXING

 They had very nice day beds right on the beach to lay in...I liked that there was always a chair to sit in somewhere, never over crowded.

 Lots of fun Wildlife to look at.

 Belly Shot :)

 This is the day we saw a stingray in the ocean and the last day i got in the ocean :)

 Did I mention the food was great? Well the desserts were AMAZING!

 These are coati.  Kind of freaked me out, but they were really harmless and cute.

 This is the day Chris and I walked to this lagoon he found. It was the best thing all week.  Crystal clear water with fish everywhere and sandbars that went out very far to walk and sit on.  LOVED IT!

 Watched the Mayan Show and got our pics taken with the performers.  It was fun.

19 Weeks

How far along: 19 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: 7 - 10  lbs

Maternity clothes: Wearing maternity clothes because they are just more comfortable.  Still wearing regular shirts just as much though and regular sweatpants too.

Sleep: Sleep as been amazing. (knock on wood)  I haven't been waking up to anything or anyone, which I can only imagine won't last forever. We'll see :)

Best moment this week: Finding out we are having a BABY GIRL :)

Movement: Still nothing concrete, but still "thinking" i'm feeling movement. Impatiently waiting for the "definitely no doubt about it" kicks

Food cravings: SPICY STUFF, milk and pickles

Labor Signs: nope.

Belly Button in or out: innie.

What I miss: Wine to help me relax after a stressful day!

What I am looking forward to: Feeling baby move for sure 

Weekly Wisdom:  Relax and Enjoy! as always :)

Pic included in Riviera Maya post.... :)

17 Weeks

How far along: 17 weeks 3 day

Total weight gain/loss: 3 - 5 lbs

Maternity clothes: Wearing maternity clothes because they are just more comfortable.  Still wearing regular shirts just as much though and regular sweatpants too.

Sleep: A very good friend of mine loaned me her Snoogle. I bought my own cover for it and I LOVE IT! Thank you LINDSAY KLEIN! I feel like I'm in a cocoon at night that makes me feel nice. I also don't need any other pillow but that one instead of the 4 I was using. Now if only I could fit it in my carry on for work trips :)

Best moment this week: Will come tomorrow when I board my flight to RIVIERA MAYA!

Movement: Well, I can't say for sure, but i definitely THINK I felt it. Last night when I got back to the hotel room there were definitely lots of "bubble" like "popcorn popping" like movements when I laid down for the night. It wasn't other things like upset stomach or gas or hunger. So who knows. We'll see if the feelings get stronger!

Food cravings: SPICY STUFF. I've been eating lots of hot peppers/jalapenos, probably a good time to head to Mexico 

Labor Signs: nope.

Belly Button in or out: innie.

What I miss: Wine to help me relax after a stressful day!

What I am looking forward to: Feeling baby move for sure and on the outside and FINDING OUT THE GENDER!

Weekly Wisdom:  Relax and Enjoy! as always :)

Internet Info: Try not to get freaked out by the numbers on your scale. At 17 weeks, baby’s working on getting stronger, and your body’s working on getting bigger. That means putting on some pounds and -- we hate to break it to you -- getting some stretch marks. Make sure you document your growing bump by taking lots of photos. Sure, you might not always feel so pretty, but one day you’re going to look back at pregnancy and reminisce (really -- we promise). You’ll also want to start figuring out some plans, like whether or not you’re going to find out baby’s gender (you should be able to soon!), and what kind of childbirth class you’d like to take. As you start making these decisions, the pregnancy will feel even more real, which is probably super exciting, but part of you is probably feeling a little nervous. After all, you’re at week 17; that’s almost halfway there and there’s still a lot left to do. Chill! You’ll get it done. Just remember not to try to do it all yourself -- ask for help!



your baby's the size of an onion!
Baby continues to beef up. Now she's about 5.1 inches long and weighs about 5.9 ounces.

Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.
And she's growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.
She's growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too.

These Days.........

 I am currently writing this as i sit on a 737 from Chicago to Baltimore.

Here I am.....HELLO - Looking rough ;)




Life is currently semi busy for myself. Was in Kansas last week and Chicago yesterday and today.  Tomorrow me and my hubby are off to Mexico.  The specific reason for the trip is 100% to celebrate Chris turning 30.  I planned it about 6 months ago and it has now morphed into the celebration of his birthday, our Anniversary (2 years ago yesterday) and BABYMOON! I need a vacation and I need to spend some quality time with the hubs.  True we eat dinner together most nights and spend a lot of time together, but a lot of those times are interrupted by meetings, phone calls either from friends and family (not that I am complaining about that part) and I hate to say it WORK.

Chris has one of the best work ethics I have ever come across in my life.  He doesn't put things off and he doesn't do anything half-assed. (excuse my language). A prime example of this happened last Sunday.  i am happy to say we have officially found a church we were happy with.  We are not die-hard church goers, but definitely feel it is important to have as a part of our lives and hopefully a part of baby's life too.  Anyway, he took me to breakfast first and then church all the while having his computer in the backseat in case of emergency.  Fortunately we made it through both without interruption but right when we got home it was back to the office for him.  He may be 20 feet away from me, but he is in another world. It's going to be nice to be in a different country with no distractions for 6 days :)

After Mexico comes Thanksgiving. So excited to see Lin, Stef and Briana (along with their significant others). A quiet night is in store as they all have children to go home to (briana - 3 kids, Stef - 4 kids, Lin - 1 baby boy)

Here we are a few months ago :)

and I would rather sit on a couch and eat rather than stand in a crowded bar even for 5 minutes.  We always have a good time together just reminiscing and catching up.  Definitely going to be fun! We then have family dinner time. Being almost 17 1/2 weeks pregnant, any big meal that you don't have to cook sounds like heaven on earth.  Am I right? Especially when there are 2 family meals in 1 day.

Back to reality and a three day trip to New Hampshire the beginning of December. I want to say I am not complaining, but I guess a little part of my is...I'M TIRED!  We've had the "travel slow down talk" at work, but apparently it is not taking affect yet. My boss is always accommodating to travel with, but I am looking forward to no more nights in a hotel room/flight delays/time differences.

I'm ready to cuddle with my little bubble.  I had a dream in the hotel room last night I had a little boy, so who knows what the heck it is gonna be.  I can tell you one thing though, we'll find out soon enough.  The dream was actually a nightmare though because I had the baby but didn't remember the delivery.  I just woke up in the hospital with a baby boy in my arms (healthy I might add).  I am definitely looking forward to the full experience.  I say that now as I have not experienced labor pains and child birth.  :)  But it is true.  I think it's going to be amazing just to have my water break (hopefully naturally).  A lot of new experiences await me in these next short 5 months.

Am I rambling on too much?

I realize I did not take a 17 week pic, but I'll be taking lots of pics in Mexico the next 5 days so hopefully I'll be happy with at least a few of them and will be able to post wonderful memories on here soon.

I did get a wonderful surprise present for our Anniversary from Chris.  A fossil watch which i LOVE LOVE LOVE!  here is a pic.


It's a little big on me, but we can get a link taken out soon.

Well I better right 17 week update next so until next time...
Tracey


Sent from my iPad

16 Weeks

I think we can start leaving off the days in the post title.....

Today was my 16 week appointment at 8:30 am this morning.  I met with the third of the 8 doctors within the practice and he may be my favorite one yet.  I know everyone has different opinions, but my ob-gyn practice is the TOPS in my opinion and that is really the only one that matters in this particular situation! My Dr. today was so easy to talk to. He made jokes, but was serious when answering all questions.   We heard the babies heartbeat (only for a few seconds), because they swam away, but it was the first time we've heard it just using the outside doppler stick thing.  Every new stage is fun to announce, hahaha. Next appointment i'll be HALFWAY (OMG)!

How far along: 16 weeks 1 day

Total weight gain/loss: 3 lbs. (was weighed today and very happy)

Maternity clothes: Wearing maternity clothes because they are just more comfortable.  Still wearing regular shirts just as much though and regular sweatpants too.

Sleep:Sleep and me are not friends right now. I love my husband dearly, but the snoring has either gotten worse orrr i've become more sensitive to it. Either way I feel bad for Chris as I hit him about 3 times a night now yelling at him to stop snoring (i'm not the nicest in the middle of the night).  I've also started to build myself a little cocoon of pillows because I'm working not laying on my back (stomach laying is already out of the question) I hope it gets better soon. 

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat of course - We also got to schedule our ANATOMY SCAN!!!! Soon enough I'll be able to replace it with he/she. (End of November)

Movement: not yet, but I hear it can start any day now so waiting impatiently

Food cravings: MILK! I also made a roasted chicken last night with Chris (one of my Julie Child recipes from her French Cooking book). it was DELICIOUS, maybe the whole chicken making me want to puke thing is over...I can only hope.

Labor Signs: nope.

Belly Button in or out: innie.

What I miss: Wine to help me relax after a stressful day!

What I am looking forward to: Feeling baby move

Weekly Wisdom:  Relax and Enjoy! as always :)

Internet Info: Stay on the lookout for some fluttering sensations in your abdomen. It might not be right at 16 weeks, but pretty soon you’ll start feeling baby moving around in there. At first those moves might feel like gas or a muscle twitch, but over time, as baby gets bigger and stronger, they’ll be unmistakable. Of course, feeling those movements comes with other issues, like having your lungs crowded by your growing babe. That could make it seem tough to catch your breath from time to time. Don’t worry: There are some positive symptoms you might be having at week 16. For example, some moms-to-be find their hair and nails grow faster. (Your hair might actually look thicker and more lustrous and your skin might look radiant, too. Woo hoo!) Another cool fact? Baby’s starting to be able to hear your voice -- and she’ll recognize it at birth -- so feel free to chat her up.

your baby's the size of an avocado!
Now, she's about 4.6 inches long and weighs about 3.5 ounces, and she's big enough that your doctor may be able to hear her heartbeat.