26 Weeks

 

26 weeks! If the Jellybean stretched out, she'd be a little longer than this loaf of bread.

How far along? 26 weeks. The Jellybean is the size of a head of lettuce, or if, like us, you don't have a head of lettuce handy- a loaf of bread. About 14 inches and a pound and a half to two pounds. Her eyes are forming and her eyelashes are already in! She's practicing for our world, taking big breaths of amniotic fluid. She also gets hiccups! I've felt them a few times already.
Gender? It's a girl! We speculate daily as to what she will be like.
Movement? Yes! She moves much more during the day now, and Thomas is fascinated by her movements and how active our little girl is. A sure way of getting her to wake up is by having her daddy talk to her- within 10 minutes she's moving around. She's getting stronger, too. It's definitely not painful yet, but I'm finding out how big she is getting by where her kicks are! It is by far one of the most awesome parts of pregnancy.
Food cravings? Apples, white cheddar Cheez-its, yogurt, garlic bread, hamburgers.
Pregnancy Manners: I'll just paste this from my Facebook page: At 26 weeks pregnant, I'd really like for people to stop looking at me like I'm lying, asking "seriously?!?!?!?!", or straight up saying "I don't believe you" when they find out I'm pregnant. Given 2 ultrasounds, incessant kicking and stretching, indigestion, not being able to fit into my pants anymore, and a host of other symptoms too inappropriate to list here, I can assure you that I am carrying a little girl in my stomach, despite my small size. And because I have heard this from multiple people, I'll share this one: Exclaiming "You're about to POP!!!" to a pregnant woman is never a good idea. You have no idea how far along she is- she may have another 4 months of being pregnant. Even if she only has another 4 days, you exclaiming how huge she is probably isn't making her feel any better. 

 Love this picture!!

Have you started to show? Given how many times I have heard that I don't look pregnant, I guess it probably depends on who you are and how pregnant someone has to look before you believe it.
Sleep? Like I mentioned last week, I've cut my Benadryl down to one per night- and it's been awesome. I've had a stuffy nose (pregnant or not, never helpful when trying to sleep) for the last few days, but other than that, I am sleeping well.
Symptoms? It got real today. I had my first Braxton Hicks contractions. Not fun. I had two on the drive back from Florida today (Thomas had eye surgery). Of course, they were during a stretch where I couldn't really get out and move around to ease my discomfort. I'm guessing (or hoping) they won't be so uncomfortable when I'm not stuck in the same position for hours!
Belly Button in or out? Still in, very shallow.
What are you looking forward to? My parents have generously offered to paint the nursery for us on Sunday, so we are very much looking forward to that! Then we'll be able to put together the crib and dresser and finally start to see her room come together!
Total weight gain? 14 pounds.
Best moment this week? While driving to and from Jacksonville isn't really my cup of tea, I do have to say that it was really nice spending Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with Thomas. It's not a vacation to get PRK eye surgery, but after his first night shift after 2.5 months of day staff, I remember just how precious it is to spend time with my husband. I am thankful for that.

 A freshly baked bun in the oven.

Note to the Jellybean: Little girl, part of me wants to speed forward to August because I just can't wait to meet you. The other part of me wants you to spend as long as you need in my uterus! Every week I read these crazy new developments you're making- swallowing, breathing, growing your digestive tract, experiencing light. So I know this time in there is so important to give you your best shot at making it in this big world. Considering how much we have left to do, I think it's also good if you give us these last few months! I can't believe how much you've nuzzled into my heart and into your father's. I'm crazy attached to you- from the first time I saw you, a little grey blob with a heartbeat to a little fetus with a face and limbs who sucked her thumb in front of us. I can't even imagine what it will be like when I see your face in my world and get to hold you for the first time. Well, perhaps a little part of me knows, because my eyes are filled with tears right now and I'm laughing too. We passed the 100 days until your due date mark too! See you in 3 months, Jellybean!

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25 Weeks

 Happy 25 weeks! I forgo the cauliflower for a much more attractive prop. :)

We had a nice picture before this goofy one... but I had my eyes closed.

How far along? 25 weeks. The Jellybean is the size of a cauliflower. 13.5 inches and a pound and a half. As we are approaching the final trimester (eek!), she's starting to work on getting bigger- getting that cute baby fat. She also has hair color, and I'm definitely hoping for a little redhead!
Gender? It's a she-bean! Girls are fun to shop for.
Total weight gain? Almost 14 pounds.
Movement? All of the time! She's now in the few weeks where she's most active- there's tons of room for her to do full flips and wiggle all over. She can definitely be felt from the outside now. Sometimes it will be a little burst of movement- just one or two kicks, other times she'll go bananas for half an hour. She moves when she's hungry, moves right after she's been fed, and has started moving more during the day (which means I can try and have more friends and family members feel her). It gives me hope that she won't be nocturnal forever.
Miss anything? A margarita. I am positive this Jellybean is worth every second of not drinking, but it will be super to have those again.
Food cravings? More fruit, tea, yogurt, cheese, Tostitos hint of lime tortilla chips, burritos, cucumbers, baby carrots and salad dressing. Lots of Mexican food.

Pregnancy Manners: A new topic for this week! Here, I'll list some things that most pregnant women wish everyone else knew/respected (are pregnant/have been? Leave me a comment and I'll tack it on in the weeks to come!). I'll start with a nice, big, obvious one- unless you were invited, keep your hands off my stomach. Asking is fine, but respect my wishes. Definitely don't come at me with your hands out. Usually I'm happy to let you feel the weird, giant, firm, sphere that is my stomach, but ask please!
Have you started to show? I have a 24/7 baby bump.
Sleep/Bipolar Disorder? Sleeping pretty well, other than when an upset stomach wakes me. I am thrilled to let you know that the Benadryl I take nightly to help me go to sleep is down from two capsules to one! I started taking it as a fetus-safe way to fall asleep. After years of Bipolar meds that forced drowsiness, my body had forgotten how to sleep on its own. So cutting my Benadryl in half is an excellent sign that my body is remembering more of what it used to do all of those years ago. Medication is helpful, but it's really awesome when you don't need to take it (or take as much)!
Symptoms? Oh my aching back! You and your little habitat are putting a lot of pressure on my back. Thankfully Thomas is very generous with back rubs and I've found a creative way to pop the pressure that builds up at the base of my spine (if you need that trick, let me know). Also indigestion has taken a rapid turn for the worse. I'll leave it at that.
Belly Button in or out? More of a kiddie pool, definitely not the deep end anymore.

What are you looking forward to? The big thing this week is meeting with my former pediatrician who will hopefully become the Jellybean's pediatrician. We have a little meet up on Monday to talk some things over. As the days I have left until the arrival dwindle, every minute counts!
Best moment this week? A little unrelated to the topic of pregnancy, but very much related to you- your Aunt Hannah graduated Saturday (see above)! I was tearing up as she started walking across the stage (mostly your fault, as these hormones make me cry at every blessed thing), but pulled myself together. You were kicking like mad this morning all through her ceremony! I don't blame you, that's one cool aunt you have and I'd be pretty excited to meet her too.
Note to the Jellybean: I promise I'm not as weird as these limited pictures make me seem. I just get a little awkward when the camera is turned on me. Let's just say that modeling was not a career choice for me and there's a reason why, before this little project, I could go about 4 months between photos of me. Despite my marginal embarrassment that I post this on the internet weekly, I'm glad I am doing this and I hope that I get to share this with you in a few years... and turn the camera on you in a few short months! Love you, baby girl.

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24 Weeks

Yes, way overdue, but I did write it- I just never got a picture. Until now!

How far along? 24 weeks- just 16 short weeks left to go! The Jellybean is the size of a cantaloupe- which is excellent, because cantaloupe is coming into season and I am craving it. Also learned that my uterus is the size of a soccer ball. Must be why it's harder to breathe. Little girl is almost a foot long! From last week: So you know, there is a little bit of a discrepancy in the size of the fruits.  Unlike the first trimester where embryos develop at around the same pace, the fetus in the second trimester after week 19 or so develops differently. Some gain weight faster, some slower. It's normal, and why babies are born at different weights. I'll keep trying to give you measurements, but they are only guesses (unless I have another ultrasound).
Gender? It's a she-bean!
Total weight gain? Still 13 pounds. My midwife said last Monday that this is great. Weight needed varies from woman to woman- as long as I'm not underweight, I'm getting the right nutrition for the day, the baby is still measuring well, and I'm not eating for two, then I'm golden. I definitely don't skip meals and I eat frequent, small snacks. Lots of walks every day (another reason having dogs is great) keep me active, but not straining anything.
Maternity clothes? I'm itching for some warmer weather to go for a swim! I found a maternity swim suit and I'm ready to break it in.
Movement? Three every lucky people have felt her move- my mom and sister felt her go nuts Saturday, and Baby Byrd kicked for her daddy on Sunday. She must be tired from all that because I've only felt a few small kicks tonight, and normally she's up.
Miss anything? I drooled over some sushi at Fresh Market on Sunday and I will be happy when the thought of Chinese food no longer makes me gastrointestinally disturbed.
Food cravings? Smoothies, tomato soup, chocolate chip cookies, cheese, and white cheddar cheez-its. Chipotle too. Who doesn't love Chipotle?

Really? Cantaloupe? I guess I believe that.

Have you started to show? We were in the midwife's waiting room last Monday and a noticeably pregnant woman walked out of the office. My mom leaned over to me and whispered "You'll get that big!" I whispered back, "I don't believe you!" After talking with my midwife (see above in the weight section), I'm fine with where I am. The little girl in me is doing great and my body is taking on what it needs to take on.
Sleep? Sleeping well and sleeping a lot! As my mom reminded me, as lovely as this little girl may be- she's a huge drain on my energy... and she provides none in return. So I'm trying to let myself sleep longer and not feel guilty about it.
Belly Button in or out? Wide, shallow, and still an innie.
Symptoms? Pregnancy brain. I am so tired of forgetting. I keep a calendar in my kitchen, planner in my purse, and iCal on my phone- but if I forget to write something in there... oh dear. Usually any mishaps are easily fixed and forgiven, but I do feel really bad when it starts to interfere with other people and is no longer just about pot holders in the freezer. Other than that? Backaches, dry skin, fast hair growth, fast nail growth, some circulation issues.
What are you looking forward to? I've signed up for a breastfeeding class, infant CPR, and a newborn class already and getting those on the calendar has made me feel a little more at rest. We'll be choosing a pediatrician soon, painting in May, and slowly checking things off our to-do list.
Best moment this week? Definitely seeing how happy my mom, sister, and Thomas were at feeling the Jellybean kick. I've been enjoying this movement for a month now, so it's awesome to be able to share that that joy. My mom came to my midwife appointment today (Thomas had work and I like to have someone there to listen) and she got to hear the heartbeat (holding strong at 140 bpm). It's fun getting to share these things.
Note to the Jellybean: Hey there Jellybean! How are you, little girl? You must be doing a lot of growing in there right now because my energy is sapped. But you take what you need and I'll keep filling us full of good food (and a little ice cream) and sneaking in a few naps. I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going by! I remember the Saturday morning I found out you were in me like yesterday. Lots of hyperventilating. There was definitely a happy dance around my room. I had to sit quietly on the bed for 20 minutes until I calmed down enough to tell your dad (and one of only two times I've ever seen him cry).
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23 Weeks

 23 Weeks! My little girl is the size of a grapefruit.

How far along? 23 weeks and officially in my sixth month. Wow! The Jellybean is the size of a grapefruit. 11.5 inches long, and over a pound. So you know, there is a little bit of a discrepancy in the size of the fruits. If we go by this grapefruit, she shrank from last week. Unlike the first trimester where embryos develop at around the same pace, the fetus in the second trimester after week 19 or so develops differently. Some gain weight faster, some slower. It's normal, and why babies come out at different weights. I'll keep trying to give you measurements, but they are only guesses (unless I have another ultrasound).
Total weight gain? 13 pounds. Slow and steady.
Maternity clothes? I went shopping this weekend and got some more maternity bottoms. Little Girl isn't sitting very low, but she's not very high either. Having some give in my pants keeps both of us comfortable! Not many maternity tops because I'm not very big. They tend to make me look frumpy and no one likes to feel like that!
Movement? It's glorious. She freaked me out yesterday, refusing to move until almost midnight. Baby books tell me that it's normal, before week 28, not to feel anything for a day, but since she started moving where I could feel it, it's been very constant. After half of a protein shake with some sugar in it, she picked back up again! Last week, for the first time, she moved and I could feel her kick with my hand on my stomach. Say some prayers for her to keep that up, because as you know, Thomas would love it!!
Gender? It's a she-bean!

 I know y'all live to see me look goofy, but this week I demanded some good shots.

Miss anything? Being able to sleep on my back. Really, not too many complaints.
Food cravings? Nilla wafers, tomato soup, and fajitas. I love the Odwalla smoothies, shakes, and juices for when I'm still a little hungry or feel that I didn't live up to my nutrition requirements for the day. I've heard the Naked brand of juices are also good but I haven't tried them yet.
Have you started to show? Yep, even though I still have people tell me I don't look pregnant!
Sleep? I have done better with getting to bed earlier and falling asleep faster. I am sleeping like I'm in a coma though! I'm thinking of backing off my usual two Benadryl to one. And I've definitely been setting an alarm so I don't miss out on the whole day.
Bipolar Disorder? Still under control. I mentioned that I saw my psychiatrist last week and I see my therapist every three weeks. Everyone has to do what works for them, but this has been good for me (and keeps all of my medical professionals happy, too).
Belly Button in or out? Still in. Getting wider though.
Looking forward to? My midwife appointment on Monday! I have lots of questions and as always, hearing that heartbeat makes my day. I love having made the slightly more unconventional choice for a midwife, even though she still works with 9 other OBs and I'll still deliver in a hospital. If I've learned anything so far though, it's that pregnancy (and soon parenting) are things where you ultimately have to make decisions on your own that make you comfortable.
What will I do with these pictures? Sometime around a major holiday, Shutterfly will send me a code for some free prints. I plan on working these blog posts and the pictures into a pregnancy book of sorts for me to remember and for my little girl to read as she's growing up.

This one is my favorite.

Best moment this week? Three this week (in no order).
1. Finishing my registry at Babies R Us! My kind neighbor/friend took me out for the afternoon and helped me out so much! I will definitely pass that gift on to other friends who are pregnant later because it was just so helpful and eyeopening.
2. Going to Ikea this weekend to get some things for the nursery and then my husband insisting that we go to the Gap Maternity store in Charlotte (since we don't have one here). For an hour, he wandered the corner of the BabyGap devoted to maternity clothes with me and picked things out and sat in the dressing room. Have I mentioned that I love him?
3. Taking the Jellybean to her first art exhibit in Columbia. She's just so portable! ;) I saw a beautiful exhibit on the Impressionists that I had been longing to see and the rest of the day I got to spend with my awesome sister, Hannah! A lucky week for me.
Note to the Jellybean: Hello Little Girl! You got your first two quilts today! It makes your mom feel like a slacker since I haven't gotten started yet. You'll be happy to know that your puppies, Moby and Otto, are calming down in preparation for your arrival. You haven't met them yet (even though you can hear them bark!), but they love the little girls who live next door and are very good with them. Sorry if you've felt Otto's paws on my belly a few times- we are still working on getting him to jump less. But at night, he loves to sniff your current abode and rest his head on my belly. We are wondering if they know you're in there. Keep moving and shaking in there, Little Bit. Grow nice and strong for us. Love you! Pin It

A place for the Jellybean

It took 10 days and countless man-hours, but the nursery went from this heap (mid-organizing)...

To this blank slate:

The desk (which is really just a folding table) is still up so that I can sew and work on some projects for the nursery. This is a small room, so once we get it painted and assemble furniture, I'm kicked out. Hopefully that will happen soon, because I have a very large un-assembled crib sitting in my dining room- and it's time it found a new home. 

I don't have a ton for this post, but it's a great deal more than what I had 6 weeks ago, which was nothing more than a vague notion that the child should have a place to sleep when the time comes. First up, paint. Last week I posted a rather intimidating picture of 50+ paint chips and a photo beneath of a more manageable selection. Turns out, none of those "final selection" chips were our final selections. Of course. I'm still glad I brought them all home, because they looked totally different than they did in store. After taping them up and living with them for three days, I brought 3 samples home with me and put them up on the wall.

Satin paint samples + textured walls + window on the opposite wall + photographer who doesn't know what she's doing = glare. But this still captures the colors well. The left was just too dark for us and the right just too bright. The middle is soothing, still a good dose of color, and is just very relaxing in person. It's called Still Tidewater, a Lowcountry name for these walls if there ever was one. If you're curious the one on the left was Serendipity (a tempting name!) and the right is Sprinkle.

While I'm sold on the paint color for the room, I'm not set on any accent color(s). I'm leaning towards yellow and white or grey, but citrus tones also seem fun. Poor Thomas. I'm entrenched in nesting and planning every detail and... well he works on a submarine and couldn't tell you what an accent color is. Lest you think he doesn't care, what I mean is that he's happy to roll strollers, put a crib together, read books to my belly, and indulge my every craving. He's an operations man. Yes he does have an opinion on that stroller- he has to operate it! I am simply a very pregnant woman, who with a blessing of hormones and a swelling belly, has decreed this room my project. I'm the details foil to my big-picture husband. And we are a super team.

So here's what I've got:

-A brand-new, never used or even had the box opened glider, thanks to Craigslist. [The Storkcraft Tuscany Glider & Ottoman in beige and espresso wood]

-Chunky knit ottoman/poof [Target in grey, but comes in many colors]

-Softest Owl and little bunny [Pier One]

-Yellow lamp [Target]

-Table [hand-me-down, no idea where it's from]

-Elephant basket [Marshall's, brand is Sheffield Home]

-Bird print [World Market]

Not pictured:

-Babyletto Hudson Crib (so modern! I fell in love with it and scooped it up when it went on sale)

-Ikea Hemnes Dresser (we're skipping a changing table, but after looking high and low for options for a low dresser that could double as a changing table for a while, this truly affordable one with clean lines is what I came up with.)

-Window seat that's coming from my parents

We want a nursery that's fun, soothing, and highly portable. Much as I'd love to paint a mural or quote on the wall, I would hate having to paint over it when we move. So with the exception of painting the walls one color, we want everything to be able to move along with us. Because odds are good that we will move before the Jellybean can even walk. And no, the giant whiteboard will not be staying in her room. She may beg for it when she's a toddler though!

To Ikea tomorrow! I'll post more nursery-related things when we have furniture assembled and the room is painted. Have a great weekend!

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22 Weeks

 

 22 Weeks- Little girl is the size of a papaya! I just finished laughing in this 

photo, if you can't tell. My photographer is not very serious.

How far along? 22 weeks! The Jellybean is the size of a papaya. About 11 inches long, and almost a pound. Seriously? My little girl is the size of that fruit? It's huge!
Total weight gain? 11 pounds
Maternity clothes? For me, anything with spandex or elastic is considered maternity wear.
Movement? Yes! Every single day. She woke up yesterday morning at 7:30 for about 45 minutes- just squirming and kicking and moving around. It is completely amazing. Still makes me grin every time it happens. I love it! She's a nocturnal little thing though, not much movement during the day.
Gender? Girl! I love never having to refer to her as "it" anymore. She'll always be my Jellybean.
Miss anything? I miss being able to move, bend, and have the energy I used to have. But I really like being pregnant and I am really blessed to have a pregnancy that is going so well. Thank you, family, friends, and readers, for all of your awesome support.
Food cravings? Hamburgers, strawberry-kiwi Jello cups, baby carrots, more of the Italian 5-grain bread from Publix (if you live near a Publix, go get some!), shrimp scampi, and lots of ice cold water now that the weather is warming up.

When I import my photos, these are the bulk: ridiculous shots. Today- no good ones at all.

"I don't know who you are. I'm just a pregnant lady with a papaya." 

Have you started to show? Yes. It's still small, but I am enjoying my little belly. It will get bigger when it needs to. Still have no idea how my papaya-sized child is fitting in there, though!
Sleep? What happened in the last week? It's been taking me forever to fall asleep. No fun.
Bipolar Disorder? It's been great. No troubles. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist today and was happy to say that all is still going well! We talked a bit about post-pregnancy as well. It's great to have an optimistic and realistic doctor. We'll continue to make sure that I'm safe and healthy, simply playing it by ear- no rush to return to medications if things still seem to be going well. And every effort to remedy any problems if and when they show up.
Belly Button in or out? Still in. Still getting more shallow daily.
Looking forward to? Everything! Some registry things in the next week, and just general things to welcome this little girl into our family. Today was the first day I could feel her kicks by putting my hand on my belly, so I'm thinking that she'll be moving for her dad any time now!
Best moment this week? Finally completing cleaning out the nursery. Over the last week or so, I've probably put in 70 hours of cleaning and organizing to get all of my stuff out so we can fill it with things she will need! The crib and glider are here, and a trip to Ikea on Friday will cover the other big room needs. We also picked out a paint color! I'll do a nursery post this week.

"What are we going to do with a papaya?"

Anyone have any good papaya recipes? 

Also, sorry Baby Girl, that this is half of your genetics. 
While the other half is the person that made your mother make this face.
Yikes. 

Note to the Jellybean: Hello Little Girl! I got a little shocked the other day when I said out loud that I only had 18 weeks left in this pregnancy. Really? More than halfway there? After what seemed like an endless wait before telling people, and another long wait for a baby bump, perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised. We are excited for your arrival, but we have a long list of things to do before you get here. Most of those to-dos involve buying things- even trying to be conservative in our needs, babies come with a long list of stuff to get. For now, while my body can still provide everything you need, your dad and I are content with our favorite parts of preparing for your arrival- singing, reading, and talking to you. See you in a few months!

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