Bonus Post: Throwback Thursday!

Throwback Thursday - video reveal edition:

 

It's hard to believe that we gave everybody the big news 10 weeks ago! The time is flying faster than Berta on her way the food bowl at dinner time! 

And here's a Throwback Thursday - gender reveal edition photo from the super fun ultrasound appointment at Miracle in Progress:

Fun memories and even better ones to make come May!

Week 23!

It's Thursday, that means it's time to flip the page on another week...23!

Despite the fact that the week seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye, we did manage to fill it doing things like:

Eating green smoothies.

 

Cleaning up dad's spilled green smoothie. 

(Don't worry, Ian disinfected the countertop after!) 

 Snuggling.

Napping.

Playing with shelter pets. 

 Boycotting going outdoors to go potty. (It was -40...again.)

More snuggling.

More napping. 

 

Wrestling.

Eating Jason Smith pizza at Bob's Your Uncle. 

 Taking Louis V to his first Iowa basketball game.

 Cheering on our beloved Hawkeyes (and then having a discussion with LV about the importance of free throw shooting.)

 Eating Carver-Hawkeye ice cream. 

(It's the silver lining to the night after losing the game by 2 in overtime.)

"Helping" mommy get ready for work.

 Injuring mommy in the process.

(Or maybe he was just trying to get inside to visit Louis?)

 PS. That is not a stretch mark down and left from the cat scratch, it's my shark bite scar (also known as the reason for my retirement from bike riding.)

I don't have a picture to show for it, but yesterday Ian underwent his first round of gum surgery. Poor guy can't eat much and has to wear a retainer to protect the roof of his mouth where they took tissue and used it for his gums. I did feel a little guilty eating leftover pizza in front of him last night, but Baba saved the night by dropping off some Whitey's. :) He even shared a few bites with me (okay, maybe I had more than a few) -- I foresee another salted caramel shake in the near future. We're hoping for a speedy recovery!

And that's how we spent week 23, never a dull moment!

Question and Answer Corner:

How far along: 23
Baby is the size of a: Mango or grapefruit. He's almost a foot long and weighs up to 20 ounces! They say we might be able to see him squirm now, crazy! His face is almost fully formed at this point, now he just needs to fatten up to fill it out! He's more aware now and thanks to a fully formed cochlea (the inner ear mechanism that houses all the components of hearing), he can hear us talking (although it's a little muffled in there)...that means he's now learning just how funny his mama is, right, dad? ;)

Weight gain: The scale is holding steady this week, whew. 

Maternity clothes: Still on a quest to find work pants that fit well. Very thankful for free shipping and free returns these days! 

Stretch marks: I don't see any yet.

Belly button in or out: In, but I can tell it's starting to make its way out!

Sleep: The back soreness is annoying, I'm thinking it might be time to try out a body pillow.

Best moment this week: I had another fun day popping into the Humane Society to visit my buddies (and stumbled upon an ADORABLE beagle being surrendered) and the trip to Iowa City for the basketball game was a lot of fun. Had they won, it'd take the cake for the best! (Mmm, cake.)

Worst moment this week: Watching Iowa shoot free throws. (And trying to get my sick kitty better, fingers crossed!)

Miss anything: Having clothes that fit to wear to work. It takes a little longer to get ready in the morning now. I will add in what I don't miss though, shedding like a Newfie in the shower! It's so much nicer washing my hair when half of it isn't shedding onto my hands...even if I only do it twice a week. ;)

Movement: No big change here. I hate those long stretches of not feeling anything, it makes me nervous!

Cravings: Still eating lots of green smoothies. Crackers and cheese have sounded really good to me this week, too. And now I'm craving another salted caramel Whitey's shake, man was that good.

Queasy or sick: Still nothing on this front.
Baby items of the week: Baba found an adorable little outfit on the sale rack at Von Maur, it was too cute for her to pass up, so that'll be making its way into his closet of little clothes. :) Maternity clothes on order are baby-related, but not nearly as fun. Let me tell you, shopping for clothes is way more fun when it's not done out of necessity to find something that fits over your buddha baby belly!

Looking forward to: The Puppy Bowl. :) 

 Random site note:

I got an email today from our vet office wishing Berta a happy birthday. I'm not sure where this came from -- we adopted her on July 14th and I would've never picked a cold, winter day as the arbitrary date on which she should celebrate her birthday. But, I think it must've been meant to be because she ended up getting a present today from someone she's never met! A great big THANK YOU to Sharron Solis for the squeaky football, Berta will be sure to play with it (or least nap with it) on Super Bowl Sunday!

Week 22

We've arrived at week double deuce (or double dos for my Spanish professor father-in-law) and the bump seems to be doubling in size! 

 

I think it's safe to say I've popped!

It's pretty nice to have this built in belly heater given the winter we're having. I keep assuring Louis V (and myself) that it won't be -30 forever!

 Q&A Time:

How far along: 22 weeks and counting.
Baby is the size of a: Papaya or spaghetti squash. He is about 11 inches long and weighs a whopping 1 lb! His eyes and lips are more formed this week causing him to look more and more like a newborn each day. His vision is also developing now and my fingers are crossed that he gets his daddy's genes in that department!! Louis V is sleeping in cycles of about 12-14 hours per day, I know Ian is jealous of that schedule! (He and Berta are sleepy soul-mates already.)

Weight gain: The doctor today told me 14 lbs, but I think she is forgetting that the first time I weighed in there was around 12 weeks. But because I like her math better, I'm going with her number.  

Maternity clothes: Finally ordered a few pair of maternity pants for work, time to be comfortable! I also got a new pair of maternity jeans, they are super cute and comfy and I'm really excited about them. Other than that, I did take a trip to Old Navy yesterday and bought some tops a size up--hoping that works for the growing bump! 

Stretch marks: Still no, but seeing as the belly is growing at a rapid pace, I'll have to inspect closer each week. 

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Sleep disruption is mostly due to the pets, not the baby. :) I am having a little trouble getting comfy thanks to lower back pain, but again, can't really complain.

Best moment this week: Super fun girls night on Friday and a fun, little date night with my boo on Saturday. But, the doctor's appointment this morning for the little guy was the best. :) Everything looked and sounded good--heartbeat was great and both baby and mama are measuring right on at about 22-23 weeks. We got a great report! Next up is the glucose test, ick.

Worst moment this week: Every time I hear the forecast is pretty much the worst moment of my life. This winter is BRRRR-utal!!

Miss anything: Not having lower back pain.

Movement: He's become really active in the past couple days, so fun! Ian felt his first kick from the outside last night while we were watching a movie...but don't worry, we won't name him Django to commemorate the moment. ;) 

Cravings: My friend, Jess, gave me a recipe for a spinach smoothie and it's my current obsession. I have one daily! 

Queasy or sick: Not at all, feeling very fortunate.
Baby items of the week: Louis V received an adorable mustache romper from the Burkles last week, perfect for the little man. Also, the planning for his baby shower is underway, so that's very exciting!

Looking forward to: Heading to Iowa City on Tuesday for the Iowa v. Michigan State basketball game, Wig & Pen pizza is calling my name!

Week 21

WEEK 21

 It's hard to believe that we're now over the hump bump for bringing Louis V into the world! It seems like the weeks are just flying by, a pretty crazy feeling. 

Also a crazy feeling? The way the bump got HUGE between last week and this week! I guess it makes sense since the baby is growing like a weed in there during this time period of the pregnancy, but I'm still trying to get used to it...mostly when I put something on that fit me last week and now barely fits over the bump. About time to go maternity clothes shopping, I guess! (At least for work pants, I feel a little inappropriate knowing my pants are not only unbuttoned, but unzipped as well. It does make it easier for my frequent trips to the bathroom though!)

While the bump isn't great for my current wardrobe, it is great fun for the beagle. Berta really enjoys the new spot to rest her head, but I'm not sure Louis V enjoys listening to her chainsaw-style snoring.

When she's not deafening the baby with her ZZZZs, Berta is keeping watch on our sick kitty, Wrigley. 

 

He has pancreatitis and isn't doing so great. :( Fingers crossed that we can find some meds that work and get him better! 

 That's a little photo recap of our week, now for the Q&A:

How far along: 21 weeks 
Baby is the size of a: Carrot (which seems smaller than a banana to me, but these size references have been confusing all along!) He's about 10.5 inches long and weighs approx. 12 oz, he's getting big! He now has taste buds and can tell what I've been eating -- he picked a good time to develop those since I had Red Lantern for lunch and Bass Street for dinner yesterday! Louis V is eating well. ;) He's also got eyebrows and eyelids now, very exciting stuff!

Weight gain: Oh, I'd say 11 or 12 lbs.

Maternity clothes: No, but it's probably time.

Stretch marks: Nope!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: I've been sleeping well, but I got a killer calf cramp last night. Time to double up on my banana intake.

Best moment this week: Getting back to the shelter to visit my other kids (aka the ones I want but can't bring home with me):

This is Robert Baratheon, an adoptable dog at the Humane Society of Scott County. He wanted me to be his new mommy (and I wanted to take on that roll), but he had to settle for a hugs and kisses. He really liked the baby! I highly recommend this handsome gentleman if you're looking to add four legs to your family! But please note, I will demand visitation rights. ;)

Worst moment this week: Multiple trips to the vet for Mr. Wrigley. And cleaning up after him at home. I think he's trying to prepare me for this baby!

Miss anything: Watching TV comfortably in bed, darn sore back and not being able to lay flat!

Movement: I don't feel like the movement has ramped up at all, he must be a sleepy fella like his dad?!

Cravings: Still waiting on those cornflake treats from Baba! (Just kidding, Mom!) No cravings really, but as the pounds start to pack on, I should probably try to eat as healthy as possible for my meals--they say the baby will like things he tasted in the womb, I don't want him coming out craving Little Caesar's Pizza!

Queasy or sick: Still feeling great and enjoying every minute of it!
Baby items of the week: Louis V got his first package in the mail!

 The Shlaes family sent him this #adorable onesie! Big thank you to Deedee, Marc, Molly and Kaley for thinking of the little guy, he's #superlucky to be loved so much!

Looking forward to: Girls night tomorrow with Wendi, Wendy and Jess! And hopefully to a full recovery by Wrigley as well.

  

Over the bump with the baby and over the hump for the work week!

20 Weeks - HALFWAY!

 Well, we've hit the halfway mark, woohoo!!

There has been significant bump growth this week, as I'm sure you can see. :) I'm not sure how much of it is baby and how much of it is the huge sushi lunch I ate yesterday. (Don't worry, all rolls were baby safe!) Whatever the cause may be, the bump is out there for all to see and I imagine it's now readily apparent that I'm pregnant and not just carrying extra holiday weight. (At least that's my hope!)

 

As exciting as this milestone is, I've been comparing it to making the turn at the Bix. (For those of you who don't know, the Bix is an annual 7-mile road race in Davenport, IA run by about 18,000 people. The course is brutally hilly, starting with Brady Street hill--a hill which is about 1/3 of a mile uphill at a 7-9% grade. Yikes.) Oh, did I mention that the race takes place the last weekend of July? Nothing like a nice run in 100 degree heat (and humidity!) It's pretty much torture, but we do it every year. And we love it.

So, back to my analogy, making the turn at mile 3.5 is wonderful and a great accomplishment--much like hitting the 20 week mark of this pregnancy--but you know the rest is no walk in the park, specifically, mile 5 (my nemesis) or what I'm assuming will be weeks 32 on (it just can't be  comfortable when you have a huge bump coming out of your midsection.) And I'm not even going to go into the whole labor thing, I imagine that will be like mile 5. On repeat. For 500 miles. Times 50000. And then some. 

So, much like during Bix, I am smiling away at the halfway point and excited to hit this milestone. However, I know there will be some grimacing and a few mutters of "Is it over yet?!" and "What did I sign myself up for!?" in my future. BUT, at the end, it is always, always, ALWAYS worth it. And I know this will be, too. Times 500 million. And then some. :)

A little Throwback Thursday to Bix Weekend 2013:

A few of my friends and I ready for a Saturday run. ;)

My running partner, Wendy. (Without her, I'd quit at mile 5.) We finished and were very happy to pose to commemorate that feat.

WE DID IT!! (Elle Woods voice)

Post-race party with Wendy and Maggie! Before we had to bundle up. (I guess we should've seen Polar Vortex coming?!)

Bix 2014 is two months after Louis V is due, hopefully I can partake in the torture fun...but I definitely won't be setting any (good) records.

And to conclude the weekly post, here is the latest round of Q&A:

How far along: 20 weeks! We're at the turn! :)
Baby is the size of a: Banana, yum! He's now over 10 oz and 6.5 " long (head to rump, about 10" when measured head to heel.) He now has working taste buds and is gulping down amniotic fluid daily like his daddy downs OJ (a lot!)

Weight gain: Maybe 10lbs? Yikes.

Maternity clothes: Still not yet. I'm holding out as long as possible (and probably stretching out my normal jeans while doing so, oops.) Long tanks and unbuttoned pants work well together. 

Stretch marks: Nope!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Sleep is going well for the most part. A few leg cramps (not sure if Louis V is to blame or the three cats sleeping on my legs at night) and a stuffy nose is all, not too much to complain about.

Best moment this week: My parents returned from Vegas, yay!! 

Worst moment this week: -50 degrees. 'Nuf said.

Miss anything: Still missing warm weather, it's really sad when a high of 9 degrees is a "warming trend" and wind chills above 0 are non-existent.

Movement: He's definitely upped his kicking game this week! He likes to kick me in bed in the morning and at night (his way of saying "good morning!" and "good night!" perhaps?) He also kicked me quite a bit Wednesday, maybe he didn't like all the work talk during a long day of meetings?? Probably not that though considering we were talking about trains and he is a Belby boy. :) I'm excited about the increase in movement and even more excited for the time to come when Ian can feel it, too!

Cravings: I cannot get enough of my mom's cornflake treats right now. Other than that, I'm just HUNGRY. A LOT. 

Queasy or sick: Nope, still feeling A-OK for the most part.
Baby items of the week: Baba brought home a few new and adorable outfits from Vegas. :) I seriously just adore the tiny clothes he will be wearing, I can't wait to dress him!

Looking forward to: Seeing my friend, Wendi, FINALLY! Coincidentally, I haven't seen her since Bix weekend!(I just now realized this should go in next week's post since she's coming to town next Friday, but I don't care. I'm excited about it now!)

Week One-Nine...For Auld Lang Syne

Happy New Year!!

It's hard to believe 2014 is here...and before we know it, Louis V will be here, too!

 In 2006 came love, in 2011 came marriage, in 2014 will come a baby in a baby carriage. :)

We are excited to see what this year of the baby will bring! I'm sure it will include lots of love, little sleep, many laughs and a few tears. Overall, I think it's safe to say that 2014 will be our most exciting year yet. Oh, boy!

I hope everyone ended 2013 on a high note and I wish you all the best to come in 2014! 

I also hope some of you enjoyed some champagne for me as you toasted to the New Year. Since I was drinking water, I decided to do it in style with my Swarovski flute...everything tastes better when it sparkles. :)

2014's first round of Q&A:

How far along: 19 weeks 
Baby is the size of a: Mango or heirloom tomato (I prefer heirloom tomato because it reminds me of the homegrown ones I always got from Grandma Smith.) Louis V is now 6 inches long and over one half pound (8.5 oz)! His arms and legs are now in proportion with the rest of his little body and he's developing his senses!

Weight gain: Still around the 8 lb mark, I think.

Maternity clothes: I've been sporting lots of looks from my mom's closet this week, but nothing maternity just yet! Unbuttoned jeans are now my go-to.

Stretch marks: Nope!

Belly button in or out: In.

Sleep: Sleep is still good. Dreams are crazy though!

Best moment this week: Does last week's appointment count? I think so. :)

Worst moment this week: Well, I had a third date with the plumber despite my preference of it being a one-and-done relationship. (It is now FINALLY fixed, no more walking through the entire house to use the bathroom during the night!!) Another thumbs down came in the form of a UTI...two big thumbs up for weekend, on-call doctors and antibiotics though.

Miss anything: Double digit temperatures and pool season (at this moment, the pool is being covered in a fresh blanket of snow.)

Movement: More of the same this week, he can start kicking me harder any time now! ;)

Cravings: Nothing in particular. Still eating lots of PB&Js and enjoying all the candy from my stocking. I did win the wife-of-the-year award (I know, the year is still young) this morning when I whipped up some egg nog french toast for the daddy-to-be. His cravings count, too!

Queasy or sick: That's a negative. :)
Baby items of the week: I received it about a month ago, but I haven't featured it yet, so it's the item of the week: an adorable, homemade, personalized taggie blanket from Aunt Tara! It's so soft that I kind of want to use it for myself now! Also, Louis V received Sophie the Giraffe from sweet Amy Reeves. I adore all things animal and I've heard this is a very popular baby item, so I'm sure he's going to love it! Lucky boy, that Louis V.

Looking forward to: An Iowa Hawkeye bowl victory this afternoon and my parents returning from Vegas (I'm hoping they bring warmer weather with them!)

Cheers and GO HAWKS!!