Kate - 6 months

Wow, 6 months! I don't know where the time has gone, but it's sure been fun! I have learned a few things over the past 6 months:

• I know it's cheesy and cliche, but what they say is true. I never knew it was possible to love another human being so much!
• Brian is the absolute best husband/father I could have ever imagined. He has always been a wonderful husband, and I knew he was going to be a great dad. I just didn't realize how great.
• I can function on less sleep than I thought possible. We've gotten a little spoiled now that Kate sleeps so well at night, but there was a time that I felt like a new woman on just 5 hours!
• The smallest things are so exciting when a baby is involved! When Kate put her foot in her mouth for the first time I talked about it for days. :)

Length: We go to the doctor on the 14th, so we'll find out then

Weight: Around 14 lbs

Clothes: We're making the transition to 3-6 month and 6 month clothes now. She's at an awkward size; her 3 month outfits are getting too small, but most of her 3-6 month stuff is too big.

Sleep: We've got a pretty good nighttime sleep routine down. Kate is asleep by 7:15 and wakes up around 6 or 6:15.

Likes/Dislikes-

• Food: Formula is still Kate's main source of food, but we have had fun introducing solids. So far she seems to really like green beans, carrots, apples, and avocado. We have learned that Kate will not stop eating just because she's full. She's not so enthusiastic about her formula, but when we give her something she likes she'll eat until she makes herself sick. We learned this the hard way. :/

• Toys/Games: Kate has started to interact with her toys much more. She loves to shake her rattle, but her favorite activity is her exersaucer. Peek-a-boo has become very entertaining for Kate as well. Anytime we make faces or funny noises she giggles and squeals; it's adorable!

• Other: Bath time is still one of Kate's favorite times of the day. I have just noticed her getting excited after her bath though, when I get ready to put her lotion on. As soon as I rub my hands together she knows what's coming and gives me the biggest grin. Kate also loves to stand and bounce. I don't know that she'll ever learn to sit or crawl, but she'll be walking before we know it! Another favorite of Kate's: her fingers! I feel like she's been acting like she's teething for weeks now. Constantly sucking her fingers, never-ending amounts of drool...but no teeth.

Developmental Milestones: Kate finally rolled from her back to her tummy about a week ago. Of course she chose 4:30 in the morning to do this, and then got really mad when she couldn't get herself rolled back over. I was still excited though! She has also made tremendous progress with her leg and core strength. She loves to stand up. When we try get her to sit she pushes herself up to standing. She is doing great with standing, but I worry about sitting. I don't think she'll ever learn to sit if we can't keep her down on her bottom.
      We have seen a lot of language development in the past two months. For the longest time it seemed like we heard the same one or two sounds over and over. Just recently Kate has started to experiment with "r," "b," and "d". She loves to talk!

Kate - 4 Months

Length: 22 1/4 inches

Weight: 11 lbs 9 oz

Clothes: Around 3 or 3 1/2 months we had to stop putting newborn clothes on Kate. They were still fitting her body, but her supersize head was too big! :) We're in 0-3 month and 3 month clothes, and they're fitting pretty good now.

Sleep: 10 hours! Kate is sleeping from 8 to 6 now, which I am thrilled about! She does occasionally wake up to talk at night, but she's always happy and falls back asleep within a few minutes. Napping is another story though. Kate is not a good napper. We are lucky to get one good nap a day. She's more of a catnapper. I guess I'd rather be getting a full night's sleep though, so I can't complain too much.

Likes/Dislikes-

• Food: Still using Alimentum (The worst smelling formula you will ever encounter!). We've been putting rice cereal in her bottles for a while now to help with her reflux. In the next few weeks we'll start trying to feed her with a spoon once or twice a day. I just ordered her highchair last night, so I'm excited to start this fun new phase!

• Toys/Games:Tummy time isn't so bad anymore! Kate still likes playing in her play gym, both on her back and her tummy. She also really likes sitting in her chair and playing with a butterfly toy that I hang from the toy bar. Just recently she's started to enjoy her bumbo. I attached the tray and put a couple toys on it. She'll grab her little rattles and pull them off the tray so they fall on the floor. 

• Other: Kate likes to sit on our laps and look out. She loves watching bigger kids play. She also stares at the TV whenever it's on-which I hate! She still LOVES bath time. She kicks her legs like a little frog. It's the cutest thing!

Developmental Milestones:The last post I wrote was the day Kate rolled over for the first time. She's gotten pretty good at it now! She gets close to rolling from her back to tummy, so I don't think it'll be too much longer. Her head control is pretty good. She can sit (with us holding her back and belly) and hold her head up for a pretty long time. We have also seen a lot of language development in the last two months. Kate babbles and coos like crazy! She even wakes up in the middle of the night sometimes just to talk to herself. When I should be sleeping I end up laying in bed listening to her cute sounds. :)

The last two months have been pretty eventful for little Kate. My cousin got married, so Kate got to meet all of the French family, including her only great-grandfather. I went back to work, so Kate is staying with Grann (Brian's mother) every day. We also met Kate's endocrinologist. For those who don't know, Kate has Turner Syndrome. TS is a chromosomal disorder that can affect various organs, growth, thyroids, and other things, so we have lots of doctors! :) The endocrinologist will be the doctor we see the most, so we were looking forward to meeting him. Meeting the doctor was good, but we were there for almost 3 hours, and Kate was done with the whole thing after about 30 minutes of waiting. It was a long day!

Kate - 2 Months

How do I already have a 2 month old!? Time has really flown by since May 2. I just can't believe Kate is already 2 months. We're really starting to have a lot of fun with her as she develops more of a personality and becomes more active.

Length: 20 1/8 inches

Weight: 8 lbs 6 oz

Clothes: We're completely out of preemie clothes and into newborn. She still has some room to grow in most of her newborn clothes, so I think we'll be here for awhile. That's ok, because she has some really cute newborn outfits! :)

Likes/Dislikes-

• Food: After dealing with some tummy issues, we have temporarily switched to formula. She likes what we're using now- Alimentum. She does not like soy formula!

Tummy time in her Braves shirt. I wonder who dressed her?

• Toys/Games: Kate loves to lay in her play gym and look up at her toys and in the mirror. She smiles at her reflection and the toys, and she is beginning to swat at the toys hanging above her. She still does not like tummy time. I think she gets frustrated because she wants to crawl so badly! She doesn't have the upper body strength to hold herself up yet, so she scoots herself around the mat with her feet.  

• Other: She loves to be outside. In the evenings during her "witching hour" if we take her outside she usually calms right down. Bath time has become one of her favorite times of the day too. She gets so relaxed, and most nights really enjoys having lotion rubbed on her belly.

Bath time!

Developmental Milestones: Kate definitely knows her mommy and daddy's faces and voices. When Brian holds her she just stares and stares at him. She is definitely a daddy's girl already! She has begun "talking" and trying out her voice with little coos. It's so adorable! She is smiling more and more everyday, and is getting to the point where I can usually make her smile. Her little hands grasp anything within reach; she likes to hold her bottle when we feed her. She rolled over this morning! We had her on her tummy, and she got mad (of course) and started really swinging her legs and head around. The next thing I knew she was on her back! Luckily she chose today to do this, because Brian was home with us to see it.

Father's Day

Our first trip to church

This month has been so much fun! It is amazing how much she grows and changes each day. Getting her feeding issues figured out has really helped with her sleep and crying. She's still eating every 3 hours during the day and most nights, but she is beginning to try and stretch out her nighttime feedings. She had her first set of shots at her 2 month appointment yesterday. I think it was harder on me than it was on her!

Happy just before shots

Kate - 1 Month

I'm a little behind in posting this, Kate just turned 2 months old 2 days ago. Better late than never though!

Length: 19 inches

Weight: 6 lbs 10 oz

Clothes: We're still mostly in preemie clothes, but they're starting to get a little snug.

Likes/Dislikes-

• Food: Breastmilk

• Toys/Games: Kate likes to sit in her vibrating chair and look at the toys that hang above. She doesn't get too upset during tummy time, but it's not her favorite.

Developmental Milestones: Kate is able to focus on our faces much better. Her head control is also getting a lot better.

This first month has been difficult at times, but so wonderful. Kate is still eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours around the clock. We're staring to get on somewhat of a schedule though, so I know that will make things easier. She is also a little colicky. It just breaks my heart when she cries and cries and there's nothing I can do to help. I know that this is only temporary though, and every day gets a little easier. Even with the struggles, I wouldn't change a thing about my life right now. It is amazing to me that such a small person can already have a little personality. I have had so much fun just getting to know her and helping her get to know me. I know every month is going to be more fun than the last!

My Birth Story

Kate's entrance into the world was not what or when any of us expected. It was a crazy/scary/exciting experience, and I don't want to forget any of it. This post is more for me than anything else, so this is my warning to any of you who do not want to know every little detail (possibly TMI) of Kate's birth. :) 

I was to the point in my pregnancy that I had weekly check ups. I went in for my 37 week appointment. The next day was supposed to be my last day of work, so I had a list of errands to run after my appointment to wrap up the year with my students. We started with my ultrasound. Weeks before, I had been told that I had a mature placenta, which basically means it looked farther along than it should, and could possibly stop working properly. Because of this I got weekly ultrasounds for the last few weeks. During the ultrasound my doctor said Kate looked great, but she wasn't measuring any bigger than the week before. He also mentioned that I did not have as much amniotic fluid as I did the week before. At this point he did not say anything to make me think we'd be having Kate earlier than planned (We were planning on inducing at 39 weeks). Once we were finished with the ultrasound he checked my cervix. I was 1 cm dilated and 65% effaced. Once the doctor was finished with the exam he jokingly said, "Well, are you sitting down?" At this point I realized we may be delivering Kate earlier than expected, like maybe in the next few days. That's when he said "I think we need to go to the hospital tonight." I was shocked! He explained that Kate was fine, but if we waited any longer she might not be. He told me to go home, pack my bag, get Brian, and then head to the hospital. So I went.

On the way home it hit me. I was going to have a baby in the next 24 hours! I had so much to do in my classroom before leaving for the year! I had so much to do at home to get ready for Kate! I made my calls to my parents and work, and then tried to process everything that was happening.

After packing our bags and stopping for one last childless meal at Dairy Queen- I had to get a blizzard :) - we were off to the hospital. The plan was to start cervidil that night to get my cervix ready, then start pitocin in the morning. I checked in around 7:30 that night. My nurse hooked up my IV, my heart rate monitor, Kate's heart rate monitor, and a contraction monitor. Because this delivery was so sudden we didn't have time to wait on my lab results for my Group B strep test, so I had to get an antibiotic through my IV. Around 9:30 my nurse started the cervidil and told Brian and I to get as much rest as we could. Easier said than done! Between already being uncomfortable just from being 37 weeks pregnant, all the monitors I was hooked up to, the burning/icy sensation from the antibiotic, and the nurse's frequent checks it was pretty hard to get any sleep. Around 2am (I think) the nurse came in and told me they were going to remove the cervidil. They had been watching the monitors and noticed that Kate's heart rate dropped during each contraction. I had been pretty calm about everything up until this point. Once she told me Kate's heart rate was dropping I really started to worry. My nurse reassured me that they were closely monitoring me and Kate, and they would be there if anything looked abnormal. We were still planning on starting pitocin in the morning, but without the cervidil working all night there was a good chance my cervix would not be ready and we'd end up needing a C section. We were also concerned that Kate may react the same way to the pitocin that she did to the cervidil. I hated the uncertainty. There was nothing I could do but wait and see though.

After a long night, I was really hoping to take a shower before they started my pitocin. I wasn't allowed to take off my belly monitors though, so I couldn't even get my shower! Before starting the pitocin my nurse checked my cervix. I had gotten to 2 centimeters. Not much progress, but I was still hopeful to have a normal delivery. We started the pitocin and waited for the real contractions to start. They started pretty quickly! After about an hour of my contractions getting progressively stronger, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I admit I'm a pretty big wimp, but how anyone could ever go through labor drug free is something I could never even imagine. I needed my epidural! Trying to sit still through extremely painful contractions while getting my epidural was pretty difficult. It was worth the discomfort though. I felt immediate relief.

Shortly after getting the epidural, my doctor came in to check my cervix. I had progressed to 4 cm. I still had 6 cm to go, but I felt good about my progress. Kate was doing fine too. No heart rate problems at all. During all of this Brian was communicating my progress to both of our parents. We didn't want them sitting in the waiting room all day, so when we were told that I was at 4 cm he told them to wait a little while before heading to the hospital. That turned out to be a mistake. About 20 minutes later my doctor came back and I was 9 centimeters dilated! Brian quickly got on the phone and told our parents to get to the hospital now! The nurse also noticed that my blood pressure was getting very low, so they gave me a medicine to raise it. Kate was still doing ok, so I wasn't terribly worried. My doctor left the room to get a cup of coffee while we waited for that last centimeter, but he never got that coffee. All of a sudden I started feeling a lot of pressure pushing down. I told my nurse, she checked, and she could feel Kate's head. It was time! She paged my doctor, and then told me it was time to start pushing. A short 24 minutes later, at 12:49 pm, Kate was here! I couldn't believe I was holding my baby girl! She was a small, but healthy 4 pounds 15 ounces.

Sweet Kate

Kate and Brian went to the nursery while the doctor finished with me and rolled me down to my room for the next 2 days. The next 48 hours were spent talking to nurses and doctors, learning to nurse, and getting to know Kate. Brian and I were both exhausted from round the clock feedings and diaper changes, but we were so in love it didn't matter. We were a little nervous when it was already time to take her home after only 2 days. We've survived so far!

Introducing Kate Elizabeth

Kate is here! She made her debut a little earlier than expected, but she is a strong, healthy little girl. She was born at 37 weeks 1 day. I'll do another post later this week about the whole labor experience- it was quite a surprise!

First mommy-daughter picture

Our first family photo

Kate Elizabeth Ferguson

May 2, 2013

4 lbs. 15 oz.

18.5 inches

34 Weeks - Maternity Pictures

We already have our maternity pictures back! We got them done last weekend with Kristin Fuller. Visit her website www.captured-by-kristin.com to see some super cute kid and baby shoots she's done. I had so much fun! I'm not sure I can say the same for Brian, but he was a trooper. Here are a few shots...

We also had another shower today. My awesome sunday school class hosted a shower for us at church. The girls did such a great job putting it together, and we got a lot of great stuff! I forgot to take any pictures at the shower, but here is a picture we took once we got home:

Kate isn't even born yet and I think she has more clothes than I do! :) She is going to be one spoiled little girl, but I am perfectly ok with that.

34 Weeks

How far along: 34 weeks 4 days

Cravings: Still loving salad. Yesterday I had to have some boiled peanuts, and once I got them they were sooooo good!

Sleep: I've resigned my self to the fact that I'm not going to get more than a few hours of uninterrupted sleep for a while. Now it's bathroom trips, rolling over in bed, and a very active baby keeping me from sleeping. In a few weeks it'll be a hungry baby keeping me from sleeping. I guess I'm just preparing myself now for what's coming soon!

Movement: She's still very active, and getting stronger!

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, hip/back pain, swelling in my feet and hands, exhaustion, hot flashes, heartburn, constant (like every 30 minutes) trips to the bathroom, and now I can add leg cramps to the list. I think the swelling is my least favorite symptom is the swelling. Sometimes I feel like my hands and feet are going to explode. Luckily I'm able to sit and put my feet up at school a good bit. I have two other awesome teachers in my classroom for part of the day, and during the time I'm alone my class has been so great.

Belly button: It's getting closer to being flat. I'm not sure it's going to ever pop out though.

Weddings rings on/off: off, definitely off

Mood: Happy/excited/nervous about getting closer to the big day. I've just recently started thinking about the fact that in just over a month I'm not going to have her with me all the time, and I won't feel her moving throughout the day. I'm so ready to see her and hold her, but at the same time I know I'm going to miss how close I am to her right now.

Missing anything? I still want a big turkey sandwich. Sushi is another food I can't wait to eat again. I got a california roll from Kroger the other day, and it just wasn't the same.

Best moment of the week: Getting our pictures back was very exciting! I wasn't expecting to be able to see them so fast. Our shower today was so great. It's amazing how loved our baby is without ever meeting anyone!

Baby's Growth: This week baby is the about the size of a butternut squash. We have an appointment this week, so we can get a better idea of how big she really is. She can recognize and react to simple songs, so now is the time to start singing to her.

33 weeks

Less than 50 days to go! I can't believe how close we are to having a little baby in our arms! Last weekend I had my first baby shower. It was wonderful! I have such amazing friends to throw me such a beautiful shower. Here are a few pictures:

The Wonderful Hostesses

Kate's beautiful new onesies

 

Such a cute outfit! Thanks Vanessa!

My mom

My mother in law

This weekend we had our maternity pictures done. We tried a couple weeks ago but ended up having horrible weather. Luckily the weather today was perfect! I can't wait to see how they turn out.

33 weeks

How far along: 33 weeks 4 days

Cravings: I'm still eating anything within reach, but I find myself wanting ice cream and salad more than anything else.

Sleep: Sleep? What is that? Just kidding, it's not that bad. I am still up every few hours, but I'm learning to live with it.

Movement: Constantly! In my last post I mentioned that she was breech, which can cushion some of her movement. Well, she's flipped and I'm feeling every last roll, punch, and kick. She is one active little girl!

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, hip/back pain, swelling in my feet and hands, exhaustion, hot flashes, and heartburn. I have noticed the swelling a lot more in the last week or two.

Belly button: barely an innie

Weddings rings on/off: off

Mood: Happy/excited/nervous about getting closer to the big day.

Missing anything? Right now what I'm missing most is just being able to move around easily. Everything from rolling over in bed to getting up off the couch takes so much effort! I love growing this baby inside of me, but I am ready to have my body back.

Best moment of the week: So many! My baby shower is at the top of the list. I had such a great time celebrating, and then putting baby things away in our nursery. We also had a really good appointment this week with one of my doctors. Another great moment this week-I got a pedicure! :) Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze one more in before I'm a mommy. Getting our pictures done today was also so fun!

Baby's Growth: At 33 weeks our baby is the size of a durian fruit...whatever that is. She's keeping her eyes open while awake and starting to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Her bones are hardening and she's going through major brain development.

30 Weeks

We're 3/4 of the way there! I have to say, I'm glad to be getting close to the end. This whole pregnancy thing is starting to get a little old. I'm ready to hold my baby! Since my last post we've made some more progress in the nursery. We (Brian) found a glider on Craigslist for $30! It's in great condition, we just need to recover the cushions to match our color scheme.

We had an appointment today with my doctor. He took some measurements and got a couple 3D pictures of her face. I was a little disappointed because the pictures aren't that clear. She wasn't cooperating and kept putting her hands in front of her face. We got a little glimpse though!

Our maternity pictures are supposed to be this coming weekend (Thank you Caitlyn & Emily!). I wish I had scheduled them for this past weekend. The weather was gorgeous! Of course rain is forecast for this weekend. Hopefully that will change by Sunday.

30 weeks - getting bigger!

How far along: 30 weeks 5 days

Cravings: Anything and everything! I'm not picky at all these days, though I do crave sweets and fruit constantly.

Sleep: Not so great. Between bathroom trips and just being uncomfortable I'm only getting a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep at a time these days. I guess I'll be ready for all those sleepless nights once baby girl gets here!

Movement: Lots! She's doing more pushing and stretching than kicking now. It can be kind of painful sometimes, especially when she pushes her head or her little bottom out against my belly. The past couple days I haven't felt quite as much moving around. We found out at the doctor today that she's breech which can keep me from feeling as much movement. We were assured she still has plenty of time to flip, and my belly will continue to get abused :)

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, heartburn/indigestion, exhaustion, and back/sciatic pain. I also noticed some swelling in my feet for the first time the other day. It was finally warm enough to wear flip flops, and I went shopping for a few hours. I think wearing tennis shoes at work every day has really helped prevent swelling up until this point.

Belly button: Still an innie, but getting much more shallow.

Weddings rings on/off: off-I have a stylish replacement I got for $13 at Charming Charlie's.

Mood: Happy/excited/nervous about getting closer to the big day.

Missing anything? Comfortable sleep

Best moment of the week: Seeing our sweet baby's face at the doctor's today. Even though she didn't give us very good shots, it was still so exciting to get a little glimpse of her facial features.

Baby's growth: As of today, our little girl weighs 3 lbs 3 oz. She is 15 to 16 12 inches long. She can react to touch, sounds, and light.

28 Weeks

Hello third trimester! On one hand I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER, but on the other hand I can't believe I'm already in my third trimester. In less than 3 months we'll have a baby girl! Last weekend Brian and I went up to Chattanooga to visit some family and friends. It was great to see everyone, and we got some baby gifts, which was super exciting! While out at dinner with my friends we had to wait at the bar for our table, and I got offered a seat by 2 different strangers once they saw my belly. :) That's the first time anything like that has happened so far.

We also got our crib this week! I was so excited I made Brian open the box and put it together right away. I love it! We also got a few free baby items from a friend, so we're getting closer! My first shower isn't until March 30, so I'm trying not to buy anything yet, but it's hard. I'm ready to have the room together.

28 weeks-In front of our new crib!!!

How far along: 28 weeks 4 days

Cravings: Nothing new or unusual.  Still loving chocolate cake (and pretty much anything sweet), orange juice, and grapefruit. I feel like I'm eating nonstop though! I'm just always hungry!

Sleep: Nothing that new here either. I'm still waking up several times a night and having crazy dreams when I am asleep. My bathroom trips are starting to become a little more frequent.

Movement: She's getting big enough that I feel her moving constantly. When she rolls around and repositions it feels kind of strange. It's almost like the feeling you get when you go down a roller coaster. Her kicks and punches are getting stronger and more frequent too. As odd as it is (and painful sometimes!), I am loving every minute of it!

Symptoms: The back (and butt) pain is getting worse, and my feet have started aching. They're not swelling yet, just sore. It's much worse on days that I do a lot of standing or walking, so I'm trying to sit as much as possible at school during the day. I've also been a lot more tired, and I get winded very easily. Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now too. Not every day though; some days I don't feel one all day, others I feel several. They're not really painful yet, just kind of uncomfortable.

Belly button: Still an innie, but I'm not sure how much longer it's going to stay in. I'm not sure how I feel about that!

Weddings rings on/off: My rings are officially off. I can still get them on most mornings, but they just get so tight as the day goes on it was starting to get painful. I'd also hate for them to get stuck!

Mood: Happy most days, but I have the occasional pity party and feel sorry for myself. When I start to feel this way I just remind myself that in less than 3 months I'll have a sweet little baby girl to hold in my arms and it'll all be worth it.

Missing anything? I really miss the ease of putting on and tying shoes pre-pregnancy. I have to admit, when I'm at school I get my students to tie my shoes a lot of times because it's just much easier!

Best moment of the week: Getting the crib put together! Her room is slowly coming together. I'm hoping to go look at gliders this weekend.

Baby's growth:
By this week, our baby weighs 2 1/4 pounds and measures 14.8 inches from the top of the head to the heels. She can blink her eyes and may be able to see the light that filters in through the womb. Her energy is concentrated on gaining fat and muscle tone. I want her to keep gaining lots of fat in the next 2 1/2 months! I can't wait to squeeze her chunky little legs!

25 Weeks

I've fallen behind a little bit on posting lately. We've made a lot of progress in the nursery! By we, I mean Brian. :) He finished the dresser, cleaned out the room, painted the room, and moved the dresser into the room. I helped a little...I bought two frames at Marshalls! I'm so excited about the paint color. It is exactly what I imagined when I thought about her nursery in my head. I can't wait to get more furniture and make it look more like a nursery.

The beginning of our nursery! Notice the fabulous frames.

Baby's first shoes :)

25 weeks - In the nursery!

How far along: 25 weeks 4 days

Cravings: Chocolate cake, or anything similar. Just the other day I discovered Chocolate Chocolate Chip cake cookies at Kroger. This may be a bad thing, because now I can get my chocolate cake fix way too easily! I am also still loving orange juice.

Sleep: I've been a little more restless at night lately. She's woken me up a few times with her kicks and repositioning, and I'm starting to have a harder time getting comfortable-even with all my pillows. I'm also having some crazy dreams. Last week I dreamed we had a giant squirrel living in our back yard who had a mane, and we called him "King Squirrel." I have no idea where this stuff comes from!

Movement:She's moving around like crazy now. I love it! Brian feels her pretty much every night now.

Symptoms: My back pain has pretty much gone away. There are still days I am a little sore if I do too much though. I've started getting more heartburn, which is no fun. I have tums with me pretty much everywhere I go. My students even know where my bottle is in the classroom so they can get it for me if I need it!

Belly button: Still an innie.

Weddings rings on/off: on, but getting tighter

Mood: Happy

Missing anything? I'm still really wanting a turkey sandwich. Cute bathing suits are starting to show up in stores, and that's one thing I love buying every spring. Not this year though!

Best moment of the week: Turning the back room into a nursery! I am so excited about our progress. Sometimes I just go in there to look at it, even though there isn't much to it yet.

Baby's growth:
Our baby is nearly a pound and a half and 13 inches long! She is now able to support her body weight. Brainwave patterns are beginning to develop, which means she will be able to remember things like the sound of my voice. The intricate details of the hands and fingers are now 100% complete. Pretty soon, we'll be kissing them!

22 Weeks

The biggest development in the past two weeks is the increase in movement. I feel her moving constantly, and her kicks are getting stronger. My weight gain is still pretty steady. I don't think we have to worry about this little girl getting enough nutrients! I did have a stomach virus a couple days ago, and couldn't eat for a day. Thankfully it passed pretty quickly and I'm back to my normal (non-stop) appetite.

We went down to Valdosta this weekend to celebrate our nephew Jack's 1st birthday. It's hard to believe it's been a whole year since he was born! If this year passed so quickly with him, I'm just dreading how fast my own little girl will grow up.

 Jack just days after birth

Jack-Already 1 year old!

22 weeks-In Valdosta at Jack's party

Maternity clothes? Yes, but I am still making a few non maternity tops work.

Weight gain: Around 18 or 19 pounds. I feel like I'm gaining so fast! My doctor is happy with my weight gain though, so I'm just going to embrace it!

Cravings: Nothing consistent. I just discovered Chick-Fil-A's cookies and cream milk shake a couple days ago though, and they're all I can think about now!

Sleep:Still waking up several times a night, but I'm usually able to fall back asleep pretty quickly. I've been using a body pillow for several weeks, and now I've added another pillow on my other side. I think this has helped a little.

Movement: All the time! She's starting to kick hard to enough for me to see my belly move if I'm looking at just the right moment. Two nights ago Brian was able to feel her kick for the first time. It was pretty amazing. :)

Symptoms: I've started wearing tennis shoes pretty much every day, so my lower back/tailbone pain has gotten a little better. I am beginning to have Braxton Hicks contractions though! They're not too bad, and not very often. I had no idea they started this early.

Belly button: Still an innie, but getting closer to popping out. The bottom hole from when I had my belly button pierced is now exposed.

Weddings rings on/off: on, but getting tighter

Mood: Happy

Missing anything?turkey sandwiches and shopping for cute spring/summer clothes

Best moment of the week: Brian feeling her kick. I love every time I feel her move, and it made me so happy for Brian to finally be able to experience it with me.

Baby's growth:
Our little girl is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct. Her eyes have formed, but still lack color. She is about 11 inches (the size of an eggplant!) and weighs almost a pound!

20 Weeks

We're halfway there! I can't believe in 20 weeks (or less!) I'll have a beautiful baby girl! It's exciting and terrifying at the same time. We started our registry yesterday at Babies R Us. It's a bit overwhelming. Even with input and advice from friends who have been through this recently there is still so much I'm clueless about. I think we'll have to go back at least 2 or 3 more times to make it through everything.
We haven't really started the nursery yet, but I have been busy gathering ideas on Pinterest. Brian started sanding my old dresser this weekend. If it works the way we want I think it will turn out very cute, and it'll double as our changing table! We have a lot of work to do in the next 20 weeks!

20 Weeks-Before going out for my birthday dinner

Maternity clothes? Yes! My clothes started getting a little snug around 8 weeks, and now I'm almost solely wearing maternity. I wore some non-maternity leggings this weekend (in the picture). They're high-waisted so they go over my belly. I thought they would stretch to last me most of my pregnancy, but they were pretty tight! I broke down and bought some maternity leggings (along with a few other things) at Oldnavy.com. I still have a few non-maternity items that are working for me (the top in the picture isn't maternity), but I don't know how much longer I'll be able to squeeze into my regular clothes...

Weight gain: 16 pounds! Yikes! There's no mistaking my baby belly now! Luckily I think most of my gain so far has been in my belly. I know it won't stay that way forever.

Cravings: Nothing weird or any unusual combinations. I have been eating a lot of grapefruits lately, and I have craved orange juice pretty much the whole time. That's kind of odd because I was never a big oj drinker. I also love anything with carbs! Healthy, I know. I'm trying to get veggies in too!

Sleep: So so. I wake up once or twice a night to go to the bathroom, but I'm also starting to wake up a few times a night from either being hot, on my back, or just uncomfortable. I have a body pillow, which I think helps some, but I just want to sleep through the night once! Luckily I can usually take a nap after work before Brian gets home if I need it.

Movement: I've felt her a couple times, but it's still just little flutters. Tonight I actually felt her a little more than before, so I hope that means she's getting bigger and stronger and I'll feel her more.

Symptoms: My lower back is starting to get pretty sore and uncomfortable. Just in the past few days I've been having some pain in my tailbone too. If I sit still for too long I have to reposition because it's so uncomfortable.

Belly button: Still an innie, but it's wider and more shallow, so I know it's only a matter of time.

Weddings rings on/off: on, but they're a little tight some days

Mood: Happy for the most part. I do have the occasional bad mood/irrational anger for no reason at all, but I generally recognize what's happening and try not to take it out on anyone :)

Missing anything? I would love a glass of red wine and a cold Hoegaarden with an orange slice! Also, some deli turkey would be so good. I never knew how much I could miss a regular old turkey sandwich. I told Brian I can no longer make him turkey sandwiches for lunch because it's torture!

Best moment of the week: Registering! It was overwhelming, exhausting, and a little stressful, but it was also so exciting! It was so fun choosing things our little girl will use in just a few months!

Baby's growth:
Our little girl weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now and is about 10 inches from head to heel. She can now see, hear, and smell. She is also practicing swallowing and breathing.