Week 33

33 weeks! Where has the time gone? Of course, this last month is the longest. I no longer care what fruit or vegetable the baby resembles because he's huge. I get shortness of breath. I had a bit of swelling last weekend, but that's rare for me, and I haven't had any since. My leg cramps have even lightened up. The baby has been pretty active as he has been the entire pregnancy - rolling and kicking and what seems like head butting me.


I have weekly doctor appointments now to check on movement and amniotic fluid. It's not a full ultrasound, but it's nice to take a peek inside, see he has enough fluid to swim and still has a heart and brain and all the important stuff. We're definitely in trouble because I've never captured a still image of him. He's always moving - or he's super camera shy.


As for the home front, we've made progress. I made a strict schedule and the hard dates have been made so far. It's a three-leg process and the first was completed. I have limited time to complete the second leg, but I'm confidentish. Once we have the next two weeks done, we'll be in good shape to see what we need even though I have a small list set up already of things we need and things I'd like. So, it's coming together. Now, if the baby would just be patient and 1. not be born on or before Easter or, even better, 2. wait until April 28, the scheduled date for his birth. That would be great. Or he could take cues from his sister and come whenever he darn well feels like it. *g* UPDATE: The doctor visit went well. It was the first weekly visit so it was abbreviated as I was just there. I gained a pound from last week which pleased the doctor and is creeping me out. I got a nice view today where there was little movement which was nice. It was also a clear visual that it is, indeed, a boy growing inside. We are having a repeat C-section which is being scheduled today unless he is as impatient as he feels. So, April 28 is the big day (6 months after Little Miss's birthday to the day) if he makes it that long. I hope he does!

Recipe

I've been baking.  A lot.  Although, any baking for me is a lot.  I baked a batch of Williams Sonoma sugar cookies.  We made them green for St. Patrick's Day and Snow White because that's the cookie cutter Little Miss chose. 




Then, we had a billion bananas so I made chocolate chip banana bread last night.  The recipe is below:


Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter (at room temperature)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 tablespoons milk
•  ripened bananas
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• About 1/2 bag chocolate chips (totally your preference on how much you like)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl, combine the sugar and the butter.  Use a mixer on low until combined.  Add eggs and blend.  Add milk and the bananas and mix for about 1 minute.  The batter may look at little lumpy – that’s ok!  Add the flour and the baking soda and mix until blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.


Spray 2 loaf pans with non-cook spray and divide the batter among the two pans.


Bake for 45 minutes. You should be able to insert a knife into the middle of the loaf and the knife should come out clean.


I baked mine for a bit longer as the blogger did.  Also, as with every new recipe, I messed something up.  I read 1 1/2 CUPS of sugar and then 1 1/3 TBS of milk as both cups.  I poured the milk in and was like that seems like a lot.  So, I strained out the milk and figured the batter was moist enough and kept going.  It was cheaper to continue on than it was to start over.  I tested a piece out of the oven, and it came out fine if not a little too moist.  *g*  I froze one loaf and kept the other out to snack on this week.  I may not like baking, but I'd like to do it more.  Also, when they told new moms to have a lot of food in the freezer, I don't know if chocolate chip banana bread was the original intent.

"Teaching Responsibility"

Little Miss is learning about money - its value and meaning.  So, we've let her know that she can earn money by doing chores.  We haven't made this a mandatory action.  She is responsible for a lot and time is limited.  We expect her to help and do as asked though on a daily basis.  The rules were that if she did a job that she normally doesn't do and it's not something fun (aka "helping" me bake cookies), she can get some monetary reward.  Last Monday, during the snow day, she folded all the laundry.  Originally, as with other chores in the past, she was just going to do it for all the change in my wallet.  This is a gamble because it can be $5 or 18 cents.  This past Monday, it was 18 cents, and she was still excited.  She did such a good job, Husband gave her a dollar.  Yesterday, he gave her another basket and gave her another dollar.  She's now a money-hungry monster.  In the meantime, we get lazier.

Weekend Update - Nesting

Do not get the idea that I'm nesting.  If anything, I'm anti-nesting.  That said, we needed to clean and purge.  This past weekend, Little Miss spent the weekend with the In-Laws while we cleaned out our storage unit.  We had a lot more items than we thought.  Some were for the new baby and some were kept in case we had a girl.  Because we are not, we now have quite a bit of things to sell or donate.  When we got home, I started to clean Little Miss's room.  My goal was to take out all of the toys from her room and put them all in the living room and also purge quite a bit.  We've also used her closet as storage of sorts so I wanted to make the closet for the kids.  I made progress although I had a giant headache so I didn't make as much progress as I had hoped.

On Sunday, the In-laws came to watch Little Miss skate and do the hand-off back to us.  Then, we came back home, and I finished up Little Miss's bedroom and went through all her toys.  I didn't finish putting the toys away, but her room is complete - for now.  Because she was tired from her sleepover, she was a little sensitive, and she was was upset that there were so many changes.  We talked them through, and it's all good.  She even handled the purging of her toys well.  Mostly her biggest issue was placement so we worked with her where could.  Because everything is tidied, she also has a lot of toys she hasn't seen in awhile which is like getting all new toys so she didn't miss the things we are getting rid of as much.

This week, I need to finish up in the living room - all the odds and ends.  Most importantly, I need to clean our room specifically our closet.  It shouldn't be that bad, but it's the room I've been putting off.  Then, it's just a matter of going to my parents' house, getting the last of the baby items from them and getting everything ready for the tag sale because I don't anticipate having time until after it's over.  It'll come together.  My plan shifted, but the big steps have been met.  I'm thankful for a snow day today though because I stayed up late to finish Little Miss's room.  It looks so good.  It hasn't been this clean since before she was born.  I have all the baby items put away (though not cleaned yet) and a fairly good stash of diapers and wipes started.  Of course, this is before we added actual baby items which will change everything, but there is more room than there used to be for them!

Weekend Update - Busy Weekend

The second weekend in March is the only weekend I did not plan on cleaning or tidying - and for good reason.  I decided to get a manicure to use up some Groupons that I had.  Then, we had dinner with the In-Laws, Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law, Nephew and Mother-in-Law's cousin and his wife.  Little Miss took an instant liking to them both.  It was a yummy restaurant at a place near to us that we have never visited.  I think it's safe to say we may be going back.  After, we went back to the In-Laws for awhile so the kids could play, and we could visit longer.

On Sunday, we were all a bit slow-moving after a late night.  I had book club and met the girls at Clyde's in Alexandria.  We talked about the book which was really good and had brunch which was excellent.  The waiter was doing us a favor and left us alone, but it made me late to see Little Miss ice skating.  I still got to pick Husband and Little Miss up at the rink though.  

Meanwhile, I had a lot of cleaning still to do and there was a lot little anxiety over the growing list of things to do. 

Weekend Update - In Like a Lion

March started with a busy weekend!  I had slowly started cleaning - mostly easy things like tidying the closets and desk.  There wasn't anything challenging being done.  I also organized under the sink in my bathroom.  All the things needed to be done, but they weren't the most pressing.  However, we do try to put Little Miss's activities first if we can.  So, on Saturday, we woke up and met a bus stop friend and her mother to visit the National History Museum.  It is the last month before the dinosaur exhibit is closed for 5 years.  It turned out the kids didn't really care.  They were happy to just run around and hang out.

She was so brave at the museum though!  She held the biggest beetle that I've ever seen and some sort of green insect.  She got nose to nose with a tarantula (didn't hold her because she was busy eating though). 

We stayed at the hotel straight through lunch and then hit up IHOP on the way home for a quick but late lunch.  Then, I dropped off Little Miss and got ready to go out for the evening.  I met some friends for some Mexican which was delicious.  I bet it tasted better with a margarita, but I did not have one.  The guacamole was delicious though.  On the way home, I stopped across the street to bring home some homemade pop tarts and a chocolate donut for breakfast.

On Sunday, I woke up with Little Miss, and we had a delicious sugar-filled breakfast.  Then, after lunch, we went to the first ice skating lesson of the next level up.  Husband went to play golf and met us there afterwards, but Little Miss and I had a good time.  There were only 2 kids in her class so she got a lot of attention and really learned a lot in one lesson.  

In the evening, Husband and I settled in for a nice dinner while we watched the Oscar ceremony.  It wasn't the best program and we saw very few movies, but it was still a nice evening.

Weekend Update - Everything is (Not) Awesome

I had grand plans to start cleaning this weekend.  My "official" cleaning schedule hadn't started yet, but I had no plans so I thought I would get a little out of the way.  I did not.  I did nothing.  And it was glorious.  Little Miss woke us up early in the morning sick to her stomach in bed, but she was a champ.  We all kind of just sat on the couch all day.  In the afternoon, I dragged myself out to go grocery shopping before dropping Husband off to play poker.  Little Miss was starting to feel better so I took her out of the house for some fresh air.  Unfortunately, because she was sick, Little Miss missed out on her last week of ice skating lessons and a playdate and sleepover with her cousin.  

On Sunday, to make up for the missed sleepover, we met Sister-in-Law and Nephew at the movies.  Little Miss loved The Lego Movie.  It perked her up, and the weather was beautiful.  It was a good afternoon.  In the evening, Husband went to a friend's house so it was just the two of us.  All in all, a good lazy weekend.

Weekend Update - President's Day Weekend

As we almost always do, on President's Day weekend, we went to my parents' vacation townhome. It snowed all weekend long. ALL. WEEKEND. LONG. I had just twisted my ankle the week before so it was a whole lot of nothing, but it was a fun weekend. Little Miss went out to play in the snow (and found a huge icicle - below). She played a bit with Nephew. Sister and her boyfriend also made the trip. Husband took her, in the snow, to go ice skating. She stayed out there for hours. The girl so loves her ice skating. She found an adult woman who also was on her skating level and accompanied her around the rink.

Friday Catch All

Here is a Friday catch all:

1. Over a week ago, Little Miss got in trouble.  She has rarely gotten in trouble.  She gets chastised and there are some small punishments here and there as with any child, but there have only been a couple of serious infractions.  So, she had her television severely restricted for almost 2 weeks.  Worst of all, she's had to TALK to us and discuss feelings and actions.  We ceased the punishment a day early after one final talk for various reasons, but talking about how she disappointed us and others and how we have seen her exhibit better behavior and know she can do better still makes her cry so the lesson is getting through short-term.
2. I gained 3 pounds in 2 weeks which is a lot for me.  The benefit of having gestational diabetes last time (versus not having it this time) is that it really limited my weight gain.  It'll be interesting to see how it goes this time.  I'm still on the low side in terms of weight gain based on charts, but we'll see.  I'm measuring typical to 35 weeks regardless of the fact that I'm only in my 32nd week.  Baby is moving quite a bit and often.  Blood pressure is still very low.   Plus, we have an approximate date for the C-section.  Of course, many things could change before then - the hospital may not have an opening, the baby may decide to come earlier.  If all goes to plan (babies and life have a habit of throwing a good plan out the window as we all know), he'll have a birthday 6 months apart from Little Miss.
3. The weather is ridiculous!  It's cold.  It's warm.  It's freezing.  It's slightly warmer.  All the rain and snow melt has delayed baseball considerably.  Little Miss is taking baseball and ice skating this Spring.  She has loved ice skating so far so we want to foster that as much as possible.  She's super excited to start baseball, but we'll see how she likes it.  It's twice a week and will definitely make things challenging.  It'll be worth it if she likes it though.  She is coordinated enough to do well if she wants.

Week 32

Let's see. Week 32 (and really the coming weeks) won't have too much differences. The baby is the size of a squash though it doesn't say what kind according to this site. Based on my size, I'm going to go a freakishly-huge, prize-winning-at-the-county-fair big. You know, technical term, of course. The site goes on to say that the baby is moving to head down, but mine has been head down for quite some time with very active arms and legs.


I finally had to give up and go all maternity pants which is unfortunate because I really only have a couple of pairs. My pre-pregnancy shirts (if long enough) mostly fit, and I have a handful of maternity tops, so that should carry me through. Just last weekend, I just started to feel huge overnight. Just moving is a challenge. Plus, now I get those looks of sympathy though still not always a seat on the train which is fine as long as I have room to read.


We've made a little progress with the apartment. I'm still just barely on schedule. No one in the household is sleeping well which is making us all a little grumpy. I need to finish up Little Miss's room this week and then our closet. Once that's done, toys and miscellaneous items can be sorted through next week. I've found doing a little during the week is actually easier than leaving it all to the weekend. Of course, once I finish all this tidying (and then subsequent deep cleaning), it'll be time to start doing it all over again. Still, I'm happy with the progress. Well, satisfied at the very least.


My next doctor appointment is Friday as I'm every two weeks now. We'll see if we can do better with the non-stress test and continue to stay ok with the amniotic fluid index and all the other check-in points. I feel like I keep eating my weight every day so hopefully, my weight hasn't reflected that. A woman at the grocery store said I was bigger with Little Miss yesterday which made me feel a little better though I don't know if I felt bigger with her. I don't remember my measurements with her, but I know she (and, therefore, I) measured large with her, too.

Week 31

Week 31 has no big changes from Week 30. According to this site, the baby is the size of a pineapple, 15-16 inches and a little over 3 pounds. So, basically, at this point, he'll be packing on weight from this point forward.


I feel like I've hit a plateau in terms of size. I haven't had a ton of swelling, but I was on my feet a lot last weekend. My feet were a little swollen on Sunday, but it was hardly noticeable. I fell again on Saturday so that may also result in a little swelling of the ankle from aggravating the sprain a bit. Either way, it was fine by Monday. The movement hasn't been as routine, but the baby is definitely more active than Little Miss at least at this stage. Obviously, at this stage, there's a discomfort level. I'm getting around ok, just a lot a little slower. I'm sleeping ok, but I find if I stay up later, I sleep better for consecutive hours.


We've started doing a full Spring Cleaning. I've done two closets, the bathroom and the majority of the living room. I know it doesn't seem like a lot. I don't purge often, but when I do, I go through everything and reorganize everything so I picked through make up, coats, broken hangars, everything. I consolidated bottles of liquor and organized all of Little Miss's arts and crafts. It's an undertaking. The biggest tasks still loom though - Little Miss's bedroom and our closet. I just purged most of my things last year so that shouldn't take long, just some straightening. Husband is on his own with his things. Plus, I recently reorganized the kitchen which is coming in handy at this point. I plan to do all of that within the next week. Starting next weekend, we're doing actual preparation which shouldn't take long - just a trip to storage and then we work on what is out at my parents' basement and then the finishing touches. All should be ready by early April though so I can figure out what needs to be purchased.


We have generous family and friends and co-workers though so some of the gifts have been coming in which helps curb my buying. I've not bought anything yet. Little socks are killing me! They're just precious. If they weren't so impractical, I think I'd have a billion tiny socks.

Movies Watched in February 2014

1. Monsters University
2. The Lego Movie

I recorded Monsters University when it premiered on cable, and Little Miss watched it with me. It was really cute. I don't think she's ever watched Monsters, Inc. or didn't love it, but she liked this one. It also had us talking about school and bullies which made for an interesting movie experience with her. She really liked The Lego Movie. She didn't like it as much as Frozen, but she enjoyed herself immensely. I'm a few Weekend Updates behind, but we went with Sister-in-Law and Nephew so it was a nice afternoon out for us all.

Books Read in February 2014

1. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
2. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The months where I read non-romance books are always a bit lighter in quantity.  I also didn't do any reading when I wasn't commuting which adds to the time it takes me to finish a book.  That said, this month had quality (which is not to say other months did not).  Wild is non-fiction, and I had mixed feelings throughout, but I ended up enjoying the author's journey.  The Night Circus isn't for everyone, but I loved the storytelling and found it very charming.  So, no complaints for my February reading.

30 Weeks (Bonus)

I had my doctor appointment this morning.  We had a little non-stress test to see the heartbeat versus movement.  He was contrary as usual, only moving enough to "voice" his unhappiness.  The doctor declared the results "so so".  We got a quick sonogram to measure heart, brain and amniotic fluid.  He's got a heart and brain, and the doctor was pleased enough with the fluid levels. 


He seems to be growing.  I'm still measuring consistently on the large side, but I'm not really gaining much weight which doesn't concern the doctor so it doesn't concern me.  It's not for lack of eating.  As it is, I've had to hold back because I feel like I could just be a constant eating machine if I let myself. 


I start going in every 2 weeks at this point, but it's just so inconvenient.  Still, it's a bonus to get to peek inside each time which I didn't get to do last time.  The benefit of being considered high risk, I suppose.  It amused me that my blood pressure is the same every single time I visit.  That's never been an issue before at least.  If anything, on rare occasions, it drops low, but it's usually pretty steady and on the lower side of normal. 


So, knock wood that things continue to go smoothly.  His head is very low so it's a little uncomfortable, and I can get some contractions if I push myself too hard so it's been a balancing act getting ready for his arrival and resting at the same time.  We'll see how that goes in the next few weeks.  I hope (and need) to get a lot accomplished this weekend.  Also, I should start thinking about getting the few things we need for the baby.  We need only 2 big things, but there are a few wants thrown in there as well.  As with the first time, my restraint in purchasing things is overwhelming considering that I don't usually have a lot of willpower when it comes to shopping usually.

Tough Questions

Husband had a going-away event for a co-worker this week.  Very briefly, this week, he was the favorite parent.  Little Miss was disappointed he couldn't pick her up after extended day.  So, she just looks at him and says:


"Well, Daddy, who's more important?"


That certainly put him in the hot spot.

30 Weeks

I wrote this post and it disappeared.  It was a lengthy one, too. Anyway, here it goes again. We're at 30 weeks which is just ridiculous.  I have my doctor appointment on Friday before I start going every two weeks.

I believe I'll be able to go a mixture of non-maternity and maternity clothes for the rest of the time.  My shirts have been working hard, but maternity clothes just fit me so poorly.  I'm hoping that my co-workers aren't too tired of the same old same old.  I'd at least have some more options if the weather warmed up a little for dresses.

Luckily, no heartburn this time around which is nice.  It was so bad with Little Miss.  I do have shortness of breath which I didn't have before.  No swelling, and I've been sleeping fine which is good.  I do have an itchy belly, but I've been trying to moisturize which helps. 

I have a fairly aggressive March getting everything ready because, so far, we haven't done anything to prepare for the baby.  Unless you count actively denying that time is passing quickly.  We do that quite a bit.  We don't need too much other than a car seat and a monitor.  There are a few other wants, but the car seat is a priority.  

The baby is very active though getting quite cramped.  There is a lot more stretching than kicking lately.  I'm hoping he stays in there a good while or, even better, until his scheduled date which would be a new development in this house.  Little Miss beat her c-section date by a couple of days.  Either way, we'll see!

Must Be the Home Stretch

Little bonus baby post this week.

Last Friday, I found out that I passed my 3-hour glucose test!  This basically means I don't have gestational diabetes this time.  I'm still going to try to stay a little disciplined with my eating schedule, but it means I don't have to be as crazy vigilant as I'd have to be if I failed the test.  I rewarded myself with not testing over the weekend. 


Last night, Little Miss sat on my lap and looked at me seriously.  "Momma, I need to talk to you," she said, and I braced myself for whatever was going to come out of her mouth next.  "You haven't taken your diabetes test lately."


I explained that I didn't have to, but I could occasionally if it made her feel better.  She's a very good nurse and has always looked out for me and the baby throughout this entire process.  It was super sweet.  She actually went with me for the glucose test and was all right up in the nurse's business while the blood was being drawn.


A woman gave me her seat on the Metro today.  So, I figure that officially marks the fact that I'm huge.  I don't always accept it depending on when a seat becomes free, but I did today.  I appreciate it more on the way home, but it was nice of her.  A woman touched my belly today, too.  Normally, people don't though or without permission (not including family which I give a begrudging pass to). 

Week 29

Baby is the size of an acorn squash so says this site. I don't need a website to tell me that he's moving a lot more. 2 hours straight last night was constant movement and kicking. I think it wore him out because today has been quieter, much closer to the regular schedule. I actually don't feel like I've grown any though this is the week a lot of people have commented on the size. I have grown much more awkward and slow - though this is also in part due to my sprained ankle. It's functioning, but I still walk a little gingerly just in case.


Based on conversations with my doctor, we'll be doing a C-section again.  Most likely, I estimate that we will be the last week in April some time unless the baby decides to come early like Little Miss did.  My plan is to be done with preparations by the end of March, possibly that first weekend in April depending on how things go.  That should be plenty of time regardless for upkeep of the household and maybe start freezing some dinners and foods.


The website also says now is the time to start finalizing preparations. In my case, I should start doing any preparation. I do have a pretty strict schedule in March, but there's the possibility that I can start a little this weekend. I did all this earlier last time so being so pregnant and doing everything is taking a little assistance, and I'm not the best at asking for help. Plus, I like to plan everything out in my head before acting on a plan. It'll come together.


It's always hard for me to prepare because I'm not really the person who bonds with a baby until I'm holding he/she. So, it's very abstract until then and then you hit the ground running so there's no thought process. It'll be an interesting ride, that's for sure!

Conversations with a 6-year-old

The car ride home from school is when all the magic happens.  Little Miss is still excited from school, she's not tired yet, and actual conversation happens before the fatigue attitude sets in. Last night, we couldn't leave school until a little boy's father came so we could all walk out together.  Luckily, we were parked next to each other so the kids held hands and crossed the street together.  They said goodbye and, once the car door closed, this is how it went down:


Little Miss:  When we're 18, [Boy in Class] and I are going on a date. 
Me:  Oh, really?  What are you going to do on your date?
Little Miss:  Probably go out to dinner, but he doesn't know that yet.
Me:  Whose idea was the date?



At this point, I'm thinking it's all imagined in her head and this poor boy has no idea what's in store.


Little Miss:  The date was [Boy in Class's] idea.  He may have a better idea what to do though.


Well, at least the kids are waiting until they're 18.  Earlier this week, she told us another boy tries to kiss her and only her. 

Weekend Update - Marathon

I'm a weekend update behind, but two weekends ago, we ran around like crazy people.  We had a quiet Friday.  Then, on Saturday, we were up for skating and then, I visited my mom.  Mom fell skiing and did all kinds of damage to her knee.  So, I went to visit and see if she needed anything while recuperating.  Then, I rushed home to change and go out to dinner with the In-Laws for Father-in-Law's birthday.  We got home late and were exhausted!  It was a good day though, just packed full.


On Sunday, we were up early to go to brunch with Husband's friends.  Little Miss loved being the center of attention, and the food was delicious.  She took a nap when we got home, and we just relaxed.  I think I wanted to nap but didn't.  Either way, it was a relaxing afternoon before an odd week full of sprained ankles and snow days.

Week 28

According to this, the baby is mostly growing. With medical help, he could actually live outside of my body which is kind of terrifying considering we have nothing ready and haven't bought one single thing. 

I have my 3-hour glucose test on Friday, but I've been checking my blood for the last few weeks routinely. My mornings are high more often than they are not which was typical for me last time though I'm hoping I won't need insulin again. I've had high meals here and there but not regularly. Strangely never when I expect a high number. What I find helpful is when I eat my carbs/sugars. If I eat them in the afternoon as a snack before I walk home and my dinner is somewhat sensible, I'm in good shape. I've found breakfast unpredictable, but I can usually control my lunch numbers.  Either way, I don't expect to pass the test.

Funny story - I wrote half of this earlier in the week and was about to say it has been 2 weeks since my fall.  I was feeling really good about myself.  I'm still bruised from that fall, but they don't hurt.  Then, on the way home from work, I got my foot stuck in the road and fell spraining my ankle pretty badly (or pretty well if that was my goal).  Later that night, it was huge, and I couldn't sleep all night - which meant Husband didn't get to sleep either.  Little Miss was great.  She ate dinner and did her homework by herself.  She gave herself a bath, propped my foot up and even gave me her stuffed animals to help heal me.  

I worked from home on Tuesday and Husband drove me to the doctor where it was a sprain, but the baby is doing fine - moving constantly, good heartbeat.  As with the last time on my restricted diet, I lost weight, but my belly is growing.  So, everything seems to be working except my ankle.  Because of the snow prediction, Husband drove me to work on Wednesday so I could get items I needed.  The ankle was feeling better, but it relapsed a little as it has been aching since then.  I can at least put weight on it and be mobile so that's good.  I expect it to be sore and swollen a little longer, but at least I can sleep.

Hopefully, this won't affect the actual preparing for the baby which I've put off until the next few weekends through March.  It's still kind of surreal.  I swear I forget until I try to get up out of bed or off the couch or put on shoes.  I feel like my size has stabilized.  After huge growth in the second trimester, I don't feel as big.  The third trimester did hit hard, and I'm almost instantly slower and awkward though.  I like to think I don't quite have the "make it be over" face yet though. 

Super Bowl

As I said before, Little Miss was rooting for Seattle during the Super Bowl.  At halftime, when it was looking rough for the Broncos, she said, "Well, I guess it isn't Year of the Horse after all."  

Wiser words have never been spoken.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Last Friday, Little Miss's kindergarten class celebrated the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year). So, I dressed her in my old Chinese outfit. Because it was also sports day at school, she wore her Rangers jersey over it. She loved both, and they matched so why not combine all things awesome in her world?

Books Read in January 2014

1. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes
2. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
3. Blitzing Emily by Julie Brannaugh  (NOTE:  This is part of the Love and Football series.  The order of which can be found at Julie's website, but Blitzing Emily is the first book - and 99 cents currently for the ebook.)
4. Melting the Ice by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is part of the Play-by-Play series. The order of which can be found here.

This marked the return to the heavy books. Me Before You and Eleanor & Park were great books, but they dealt with some heavy subject matter. Blitzing Emily was a perfect follow up when I needed something cheerful. Sometimes, romance burns me out, but it is a nice fallback when things get too heavy.

Week 27

Week 27! According to this site, baby is breathing (it’s amniotic fluid, not air, but it still counts) and even showing brain activity. I can't believe we're rounding into the third trimester already. We're totally not ready, but there is a lot of weekends that I've put aside to do very specific things. 

I've gained 10 pounds since pre-pregnancy. I'm measuring slightly larger than average which was how I progressed the last time. Blood pressure and all other tests are still normal as of last Friday's appointment. I'm still squeezing into some pre-pregnancy clothes with the belly band, but they aren't as comfortable. It's just SO HARD to find pants that fit, and it's too cold to wear all my dresses. If it can get at least to 40 degrees, I'll mix it up a bit. Currently, I'm just making what I have do. My doctor asked me if I was tracking my blood sugar - which I have not been consistently. However, I started tracking. Other than Super Bowl, my numbers have been pretty good. I'm good at managing it except my resting numbers in the morning are still a little high which is frustrating. As carbs are my best friend, it's sad, but it does manage my weight a little better - and baby size - so I keep reminding myself of that. 

It's seriously like the third trimester came in like a lion. All of a sudden, I'm having trouble sleeping. I'm peeing all the time. The belly just seems weighted down whenever I move. The baby seems to get the hiccups a lot. There's a lot of movement still though less kicking and more trying to get comfortable as space becomes more of a premium. And that's just the more pleasant symptoms. So, hopefully, things will continue to go smoothly. Because I had gestational diabetes last time, I'm skipping the one-hour test and going straight to the three-hour test next Friday. Then, my next appointment is at the end of the month. Then, I get to start going every two weeks. We are having another c-section which we'll figure out closer to the due date, but I expect (hope) it'll be after Easter.

Luckily, everything we received for Little Miss was green or navy with a few pink things.  Some clothes can be handed down, but the nursery items can be.  The car seat isn't up-to-date so we'll need a new one as well as a new stroller.  Other than that, there are a few things I'd like (new pack and play, for instance, and a non-pink vibrating chair), but we're in good shape.   I scooped up a Baby Bjorn from a friend.  I wasn't big into the baby wearing when Little Miss was little, but I figured I may need it this time to be a little more hands free.  We should be outdoors more as Baby will be born in Spring versus late Fall.  It'll all just come down to these last couple of months!

Weekend Update - Back to Normal

Last weekend, Little Miss was finally healthy! So, it was back to our regular routine. Friday was a quiet evening. Saturday was hanging out and then skating lessons. She was so happy to be back and passed her level so she is all cleared to take the next level of skating next time. The Inlaws came to watch her which pleased her to no end.  The Washington Capitals were practicing so we got to watch them do a few drills which was exciting - even for non-Caps fans. We went home and had a quick lunch before running back out to a birthday party. Little Miss swam and got to play with some friends. Then, we went to the grocery store and ran a bunch of errands. We finally got home late in the evening and were all exhausted.

We were having friends over for the Super Bowl so there was a lot of cleaning on Sunday. Nothing like the last minute! We also cooked a bit. I made egg rolls. Husband made some chicken cutlets, pasta with vodka sauce and sausage bread. It was all delicious. Little Miss stayed up until halftime. She was rooting for the Seahawks and was pleased that they won. Then, the weekend ended pretty much as soon as it began!

Week 30

It's surreal just typing Week 30!  Anyway, details can be found here, but nothing new since last week really.  I'm really only uncomfortable in the morning and evening.  I do find myself short of breath, but I don't have the crippling heartburn I had with Little Miss.  I think it's because this one rests a lot lower so I get a bit uncomfortable low in the belly, which I didn't have with her, but it's much easier to tolerate than the heartburn. 


I have my monthly appointment on Friday morning after which I start going every 2 weeks to check in. 


I actually haven't been feeling as big lately, but then I caught myself sideways in the mirror yesterday.  I suggest never looking at yourself sideways in a mirror.  I'm wearing non-maternity clothes today - belly band around the pants and a stretchy top - and am still quite comfy which is nice because I refuse to buy additional maternity clothes.  Everyone at work will just have to get used to seeing the same couple of dresses and pants for the next couple of months.  I can't wait until summer - the stretchy, endless stream of sundresses.  I mean, I can't say I'm looking forward to dealing with a swimsuit, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.


Luckily, I'm still sleeping fairly well though I have had some wacky dreams, but I suppose no more wacky than usual.  Overall, light symptom week though which is good.  I still can't complain, but sometimes I think I'm too old for this when going through the day-to-day of being pregnant.  *g*


I do have to start getting ready for the baby which means doing a lot around the apartment.  There's little we need, but it's a matter of shifting what we have and getting what we need into the apartment and just organizing.  I set aside some time, but then other things came up.  I may have to do things during the week and reevaluate.  We were invited to a playdate this weekend, and I have dinner out with friends.  I hate to have Little Miss miss a playdate when we've been postponing this one for months.  I'll just have to buckle down after work and see if I can make up time before baseball season starts (more on that once it starts, but Little Miss is starting baseball because ice skating booked up).

Weekend Update - Home Sick

I don't know if being homesick is as bad as being home sick.  Either way, last week, Little Miss got hit with the flu.  Luckily, she had the school holiday on Monday (and we were both home) and a Teacher Work Day on Tuesday (and my work was only open a partial day).  There was a snow day on Wednesday.  At this point, the flu moved onto Husband so I went to work while the two sickies stayed home.  On Thursday, there was a 2-hour delay.  So, she only missed a day and a partial day.  We held her home on Friday just to be on the safe side.  She'd be ok in the morning, but her fever had trouble staying away for a full day so it was a wise decision.  On Saturday, she relapsed, but she woke up Sunday feeling great and had just a really good day full of dancing and singing. 

Unfortunately, with all the sickness, she did miss ice skating and a birthday party, but there wasn't much choice.  On Sunday, we cleaned a portion of her room and purged her bookcases.  The girl is ruthless.  If she doesn't want something anymore, it just gets the axe.  We haven't gotten to toys yet so we'll see how she is with the rest of the items in her room.  She also got the dusting spray and a pair of socks from her room and dusted half the apartment on her own.  I sat on the couch and watched her.  So, successful Sunday all around.  Husband took the bus to New York to watch the Winter Classic (Rangers vs. Devils) so it was just the girls all day.  Overall, it was an unexpected relaxing weekend full of movies and cuddling.  Can't ask for better though next time we could do without the flu.

Week 26

Back with another week's update. You can find details here as always. It says the baby is "13.6 to 14.8-inches and 1.5 to 2.5 pounds" or the length of a head of lettuce which is kind of a random vegetable.


As for the other symptoms, I get the occasional headache, but it hasn't been too bad.  No swelling, and I've been mostly sleeping well.  I have had a few little practice contractions, but nothing crazy.  I do feel it when I run around more like when I'm rushing to get Little Miss after school because if I don't pick up by 6PM, there are issues with Extended Day so if I'm caught up at work, there's a little stress and panic.  There is still a bit of movement, much more than with Little Miss, but the baby is getting bigger because they are less kicks and more pokes and rolls.  I don't feel noticeably bigger from last week.  I also feel like the more maternity clothes I wear, the less big I feel because maternity clothes run big on me versus squeezing into pre-pregnancy clothes so it's more of a mental thing.


I did stumble on the way home last week.  I hesitate to fall because I really tripped and just landed on my knee.  I cleaned it up when I got home and there's been a lovely bruise, but everything is fine.  It was too late to call my doctor, but Little Miss had a physical so I just bought it up to her doctor.  The doctor seemed as unconcerned as I was.  My next doctor appointment is Friday morning.  I make my appointment for the big glucose test at that point.  If I don't pass, I'll have to enter rehab for my cocoa addiction as the withdrawal symptoms could be bad.   

Bedtime Stories

For the last 3 nights, Little Miss has gone to bed with House at Pooh Corner. It's a lengthy book that my grandma gave me when we were expecting Little Miss. It's part of a set of 4. The books predate me by quite a bit. The first night, she read the Introduction. Last night, she read up to page 4, but she hasn't given up. It's a small, dense book with chapters and very few pictures. Previously, she's grown tired of longer books - even long picture books - so it's nice to see her get enjoyment from this one. I don't know how confident I feel in her finishing this book, but I'm glad she's enjoying it so far.

Week 25

Month 6?  Where does the time go?  According to The Bump, the average fetus measures about 13.6 inches to 14.8 inches and weighs about 1.5 to 2.5 pounds.  I don't feel too much bigger this week than the last.  Pretty much status quo.  I'm still in a mix of regular and maternity, but I'm squeezing into my pre-maternity pants still because I refuse to buy clothes that will only be worn for a short time.  I'm hoping the pre-maternity pants will fit long enough to make it through the Polar Vortex at which point I won't mind switching to maternity dresses.  I have a pair of maternity tights en route, too. 


There is activity when I wake up in the morning, after lunch and then very late at night - usually around 11PM, but last night it was closer to 12:30AM.  Husband watched my belly do the wave back at him. 


It's a little surreal to think that he'll be here 3 months, give or take.  I do have 3 weekends marked off in my calendar to start the big overhaul.  Little Miss announced she wanted to get him a present for when he's born.  Likewise, the baby will be getting Little Miss a present. 


I may have bookmarked a lot of little boy clothes.  One outfit may have been a pink and navy embroidered collared-shirt set.  I asked Husband if it was too preppy and, strangely, he said no.  I'm actually gravitating towards all things crabs.  I'm not sure why that's the unofficial theme to my choices.  I won't buy or at least I won't until the necessities (and a few other wants) are covered.  Babies don't need clothes if they have grandparents.  That's the one lesson I've learned. 

Weekend Update - Long Weekend!

Last weekend was a nice long weekend.  On Friday, we did nothing as is custom in our house.  On Saturday, we got up and did nothing until it was time to watch Little Miss in her skating lesson.  She did great.  After, she did about a half hour of public skating by herself.  She went around the big rink 6 times and was very proud of herself.  We went home.  Little Miss took a little nap and then all three of us went to the In-Laws' place to celebrate Mother-in-Law's birthday (which was actually last weekend).  Little Miss picked out her present all by herself the previous week from gift to card to wrapping paper. 

On Sunday, I stayed in bed as long as possible before meeting a friend at the nail salon.  Then, we had a bite to eat and then I got my haircut.  It was very relaxing especially knowing that we all had Monday off. 

Of course, on Monday, Little Miss was not quite herself.  She had been clingy all weekend, but she gets a little out of sorts when her routine is thrown off.  Then, she had a fever mid-morning.  She spent most of the day being lazy in bed.  She is good at keeping up with the liquids, but she didn't eat too much.  She went to bed without fuss, but she was up and miserable early this morning.  Husband got her some ibuprofen, and she was able to rest when her fever went down again.  So, she's home today sick.

The silver lining is that yesterday was a holiday and today the entire city is shut down.  Husband is home because the Federal Government is closed.  Our county happens to have a Teacher Work Day so there is no school.  I'm working a half day.  So, basically, it's a good time to get sick.  I'm organizing my work in case I have to stay home tomorrow, but Little Miss is a trooper.  Hopefully, this will leave her system quickly.  She has a couple of birthday parties coming up and our February is moderately busy.

Movies Watched in December 2013

1. Beasts of the Southern Wild
2. For a Good Time, Call...

Very pathetic month. I watched Beasts of the Southern Wild while we made pierogis all day. It is streaming on Amazon or Netflix. I forget which one. For a Good Time, Call... was on cable and I watched it streaming via HBO Go. It was a funny, raunchy comedy with a little bit of heart. I liked it. There's some romance, but it's really about the friendship of two women who seemingly have nothing in common except that both need a roommate.

Books Read in December 2013

1. We Are Water by Wally Lamb
2. Holiday Games by Jaci Burton  (NOTE:  This is part of the Play By Play series.  The order of which can be found here.)
3. Divergent by Veronica Roth  (NOTE:  This is part of the Divergent series.  The order of which can be found here.)
4. A Christmas to Remember by a handful of authors - Jill Shalvis (a short story part of the Lucky Harbor series), Kristen Ashley (a short story part of the Chaos series), Hope Ramsey (a short story part of the Last Chance series), Molly Cannon (a short story part of the Everson Texas series and Marilyn Pappano (a short story part of the Tallgrass series.
5. Holiday Kisses by a handful of authors - Jaci Burton (a short story part of the Kent Brothers series), Shannon Stacey, Helen Kay Dimon (a short story part of the Holloway series and Alison Kent
6. Christmas on 4th Street by Susan Mallery (NOTE: This is part of the Fools Gold series. The order to read the books can be found here.)

This month looks grander than it was.  The first book was for book club and took me the majority of the month (and some of November) to read.  The others were almost all Christmas novellas plus Divergent which continues my Young Adult trend.  I can't help it.  There is a lot of good, quality Young Adult novels out there.  For once, I read all of my Christmas books during the holiday season.  I rarely do that, but I had more than usual this year so figured it would help me end up in the Christmas frame of mind.  Plus, all the happy was a nice follow-up to the book club book which was a little heavy to say the least.

Week 24

Week 24 has nothing major coming up - little bit of growth, fleshing out.  The baby is the size of a cantaloupe (according to this site which seems very big.  Then again, I seem very big.  I have my next appointment at the end of the month and then the glucose test will be directly after that.  Fingers crossed though, worst case, I imagine I'll take the 3-hour test and it's nothing I didn't do before.  I'll just miss my carbs.  A lot. 


The baby moves a lot - usually in the morning, after lunch and late at night between 11PM and 1AM.  I could barely sleep the other night because of the jumping jacks.  It has to be jumping jacks because there was just pokes and kicks everywhere. 


I'm still wearing a mix of maternity and doctored regular clothes.  I'm probably at the very end of being able to fit into t-shirts though.  Sweaters and longer shirts are working fine still though.  If I can get through the worst of the winter with what I have, I'll be happy.  Hopefully, March will be mild so I can wear dresses and skirts.  I may just have to buy a pair of maternity tights at some point, but that's not so bad. 


My mind is still reeling how fast the time is going.  My goal is to get all my birthday presents and Easter presents out of the way because the Spring is a busy time for that type of thing.  A big goal is to really go through and purge all the girl items we've been saving.  I did some Fall cleaning last year, but I need to be a little more thorough this time.  As with last time, I'd like to have everything all set by 4 weeks before due date.  We were ready 2 months beforehand last time not including the little things.  I'm thinking 4-6 weeks realistically this time. 


I'm not too daunted by the idea of 2 children.  It'll be difficult.  I mean, I'm not naïve, but the benefit of the 6 1/2 year difference is that Little Miss can do so much independently.  I anticipate some adjustment of course, but I know it would be more of a challenge to have two children completely dependent on their parents.  On the flip side, of course, is that they will be 6 1/2 years apart which is a lot.  Pros and cons.

Thursday Tidbits

My little widget says the baby is using his hands which is funny because I swore last night he was clawing his way out.  Husband was asking if there was some kicking movement, but I said nope, more like a scraping.  That was typical for Little Miss, but this is a first of the baby. 


Since Monday, Little Miss has been perfect though.  Tuesday was pleasant and then she was allowed to pick out Mother-in-Law's birthday gift.  She was very focused and knew exactly what she wanted to get so we did that yesterday.  She's been eating very well all week in part due to the fact that she has a new love affair with ham (I don't blame her).  She's also back to eating cheese after a break. 


The apartment, for the first time in awhile, isn't a total pit.  There is still too much in it, but we have to organize our storage unit eventually anyway so the boxes from Christmas can sit in a corner for now.  It's physically clean at least.  Plus, if we're not putting the Christmas stuff away, Little Miss gets a little extra time with her Christmas tree.  It takes no time to dismantle it so she can have it until we make the trip to storage.  At this rate, it could be until March. 


I have snowman plates that I usually use in the winter.  This winter, they are not coming out.  I'd take them out now, but I know they won't be put away in March so why bother.  I'll just take a year off. 


Oscar nominees are out today.  I have to figure out if I can see at least one or two movies before the awards.  I saw very few of the big movies.  Of all the movies nominated, I saw Captain Phillips and Frozen (Best Picture and Best Animated Film).  I'd see a couple of others if given the opportunity.  We'll see.  It'll depend on timing and what is still in a conveniently-located theater.

Good Golly, Make It Stop

I don't see how the teen years can be worse.  I pick up Little Miss at 6PM from Extended Day.  She is the happiest kid on the planet.  We talk all the way home.  Then, in the elevator, I thought her say a bad word.  So, I ask her what she said, and she refuses to answer.  I told her she isn't in trouble, but she needs to own up to it.  She never did, but she broke down in tears at the thought of being in trouble.  This is at 6:30.  I make her dinner, and we write a couple of more Thank You notes from Christmas, and she's ok.  Then, at 7, she won't eat and starts crying again.  She's been crying and sobbing her heart out for the last hour.  We finally brushed her teeth (while she cried) and put her to bed where she is currently crying.  Good golly.  I'm exhausted.

It sounds like Husband is having better luck and more patience than I.  That said, I took over homework last night due to a breakdown on both their parts so   I guess it all evens out.  She's still crying, but I have doubts that she'll throw up over it at least.  Night is young though.  She could go either way.

Weekend Update - Girls' Weekend

Last Thursday night, Husband flew to Vegas for his annual Boys' Trip.  Little Miss was looking forward to our weekend together.  On Friday, she was such a good helper getting herself all ready for school.  Friday night, we mostly just hung out on the couch.  I let her sleep in our bed at night. 


Little Miss slept late on Saturday.  We had a nice breakfast and then went to skating lessons.  She did awesome again.  Afterwards, we had a little snack and then she stayed to do the public skate and went around the rink for 3 laps.  Because public skate is included in the lesson, I let her dictate how long she wanted to stay.  After, we went grocery shopping.  It took forever.  She had to go to the bathroom twice (twice!) while there, and it was crowded.  So, by the time we got home, I just heated her up leftover pasta despite buying her dinner at the store.  After, she helped me clean and put away laundry a little.  She at least did the things she is responsible for like her room and then she lost interest in my things halfway through.


On Sunday, she helped me dust and sort my socks which is a task unto itself.  Then, we had lunch and went to a playdate with a classmate from school.  The girls seemed to have a really fun time.  Then, Little Miss and I went home to get ready for a friend to come over to view the Golden Globes. 


Little Miss may not be an adventurous eater, but the girl does like to try free samples at the grocery store.  I wonder if I can get the grocery store to plan what it gives away when we go there to introduce new foods.  This week, we got some deli ham which isn't new, but she doesn't usually like lunch meat.  She's since eaten a half pound of ham since Sunday. 


Husband came home Monday afternoon in the nick of time.  I needed trash taken out, lightbulbs replaced and the toilet fixed.  Also, I finally took down Christmas so the tree needed to be removed.  The apartment is just about back to normal.  It should be closer after the long weekend when I have a block of time to reorganize a bit.


It was an exhausting weekend full of running around, but it was worth it.  I also made some homemade chicken nuggets last night for Little Miss (which I don't count as new food) and she declared them "the best".  So, some days I get things right.  Last night, during homework, Little Miss wrote three full sentences, spelled words correctly that I didn't even know she knew, and just wowed me with her knowledge.  Based on an article I read about preparing for First Grade, she's well on her way. 

Side Dishes of Note

I'm not even going to bother posting a recipe because I changed it or it's so very basic.  Last weekend, I bought a pre-seasoned pork tenderloin.  It wasn't my original plan, but it worked well.  As sides, I roasted broccoli and made mashed potatoes.


For the roasted broccoli, I made florets from a handful of heads of broccoli.  I sprayed a baking sheet, drizzled olive oil down and maybe salt and pepper.  I added 4-5 garlic cloves and stuck it in the oven at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until it started to brown.  After it came out, I sprinkled some lemon juice and parmesan cheese.  The original recipe had some lemon zest and pine nuts, but I didn't want it too lemon-y and I was too cheap to buy pine nuts.


For the mashed potatoes, I boiled mashed potatoes and then added a heavy cream, butter and roasted garlic mixture.  Beforehand, I threw 2 heads of garlic in a 425 degree oven which nicely preheated it for the broccoli.  Then, I threw the liquid in with the drained potatoes and whipped.  I don't normally whip as I prefer mashed, but there was a mess and a minor kitchen disaster so I ended up whipping them.  They still tasted good.  I cut back on the amount of heavy cream and butter than the recipe called for so they weren't as moist as they probably could have been, but they were still good.  They could have used some salt, but I notoriously don't salt anything.  I salted the potato water, but I can see where some salt and pepper would add a lot to the dish.


I have never roasted broccoli before, but I think it was delicious and really flavorful.  Potatoes are potatoes for me.  We agree on roasted potatoes more, but mashed potatoes are a nice treat every so often and really hit the spot.

Weekend Update - Ice Skating

Last weekend went by in a blur.  On Friday, I worked from home because it was super icy in my neighborhood, and I didn't want to risk the walk to work.  Schools were closed.  However, Husband took Little Miss into work with him so I got to actually work in peace.  I partially tidied up the apartment after work hours.  Husband and Little Miss came home late, but we had some family time in the evening.


On Saturday, Little Miss had her first ice skating lesson.  It went well.  Only a few kids had ever been on skates before so Little Miss was a little ahead of them, but she enjoyed herself quite a bit.  We went home, had lunch and took a nap afterwards.  Then, I woke up and went to bookclub while Little Miss had a Daddy Night. 


At around 2:30AM, Little Miss woke up upset over something.  Husband was begging her to let him know what was wrong so he could fix it and, around 3AM, the fire alarm went off.  As it is better safe than sorry, we bundled Little Miss up (luckily, she fell asleep with her clothes on) and walked down 16 flights of stairs to the lobby.  By the time we got there, we were told it was a prank.  Luckily, we didn't have to go outside.  Little Miss loved walking down the stairs.  As a treat, I brought her something to drink and a snack as incentive.  I grabbed a few other things like my purse and phone which I did not grab the last time we evacuated, but I like to think I have the capability to learn.  We all went back up (by way of elevator) and went right back to sleep - and slept late on Sunday morning!


On Sunday, it was a very lazy day full of good intentions.  The only thing that really got done was some grocery shopping, and there wasn't much choice in that matter.  Next weekend should be fun though.  Husband is going to Vegas on his annual boys' trip, and Little Miss is looking forward to a girls' weekend.  We'll see what actually pans out, but it should be fun regardless. 

Week 23

Week 23!  That's just ridiculous.  The doctor appointment last week was uneventful.  I'm measuring exactly where I should be.  The doctor is pleased with size and shape and weight.  Baby still has a heartbeat.  We're in good shape at the just barely over halfway point.  According to this site, the baby is the size of a grapefruit (though according to other sources, the fruit can vary - staying with this site to be consistent) and should be around a pound or a pound and a quarter.  As with last time, no swelling of the ankles.


I'm still fitting in prepregnancy clothes more or less - no to the button-downs or some of the shorter shirts. With belly band help, I can still wear the slim cropped Gap pants I bought last week. My goal is to still fit into these pants afterwards. Otherwise, the sale wasn't helpful. I should be able to which would be great because I bought like 4 pairs. I was so excited they fit because it's so hard to find maternity pants, and it is too cold to wear a skirt or dress. This will become more challenging in the next month or so, I'm sure, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it.  My skin has been dry so I've been trying to be better about moisturizing. Other than that, no other symptoms other than ones that will never make the blog.


The baby is still active, much more active than Little Miss even at her most active. She stretched and rolled, but this one is a kicker - in the morning, middle of the afternoon and late at night. It's a lot like clockwork. She's been super cute with her baby brother. She talks to him and treats him like he's a person already - saying goodbye or goodnight, giving kisses. It's very cute. She's been very accepting of my limitations and has really become quite helpful around the house. She cleans her room more than I clean mine. She picks things up off the floor. I'm sure she'll not be as enthusiastic once he's here, but I have confidence she'll still be a pretty good helper.


We have a name, it's the boy name leftover from Little Miss. As with Little Miss, I won't use it regularly on the blog, but it's not a secret. I think I even have a nickname for him eventually for blog use, but I may keep with tradition and call him Baby for the first year as I did with Little Miss. Then, I'll transition to a nickname that fits him.

Weekend Update - Christmas!

Christmas week was a blur. Little Miss had off from school. She came to the office with me for a couple of hours, but she had a lot of Daddy time. On Tuesday, we went to Christmas Eve Mass at church after I worked a half day. Then, we hosted the In-Laws and Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew for dinner. On Christmas, we opened a lot of presents and then went to Brother-in-Law, Sister-in-Law and Nephew's apartment for dinner. The kids played very well together and were very patient to open presents. Little Miss received the soundtrack to Frozen which has been playing non-stop since Christmas morning. She also received ice skates, books, clothes and other items. All were big hits.

The day after Christmas, we went to my parents' house and met up with them and Sister, her boyfriend and Nephew. We didn't do too much that first day, but the kids did open presents and played. On Friday, the crew went skiing and snowboarding while Husband and I took Little Miss ice skating. She loved it. We forgot her helmet at home, but she did great. She got right back up again every time she fell - and she had a couple of bad spills. We felt bad. She fell flat on her face which left a mark (or three) and then fell a final time that resulted in the end of skating.

On Saturday, Sister, her boyfriend, Nephew and Little Miss went tubing. It was a beautiful day, very mild so it wasn't bad sitting out and watching them. This baby has been inconvenient in my winter sports schedule. After 2 hours of tubing, Little Miss wanted to go ice skating and then skated for a couple of hours. I don't know how she did it. We went to the house for dinner and then took off for home.

On Sunday, Little Miss and I slept late and then went to The Kennedy Center to see the Mo Willems's Elephant & Piggy We Are In a Play! We had a blast. Little Miss loved the Metro and shuttle. She made instant friends with a little girl on the shuttle. I was a pushover and bought her a plush Knuffle Bunny which hasn't left her side since. It was a really great holiday, and I'm trying not to think about the zoo next year will be with a baby.

Week 22

Month 5?! How did that happen? Based on this link, the average fetus measures about 10.5 to 11.8 inches and weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. There has been a lot more activity in the last week or so, more consistent movement. There seems to be a little in the morning when my alarm goes off, some after meals, but the big party is usually between 10-12 at night. Some rolling but mostly strong kicks whereas Little Miss rolled a lot and stretched, but she wasn't a kicker.

The belly has expanded as expected, but I'm still mostly in non-maternity clothes (which doesn't mean that my 2 pairs of maternity pants aren't appreciated). I'm trying to squeeze in as many months as possible in non-maternity clothes with the aid of elastic bands and my belly band. It's so hard to find maternity clothes that aren't too big or way too long, and I refuse to spend the money to alter clothes for a couple of months. My winter coats should work through the thick of it. My mom bought me a trapeze coat which is adjustable, but it's not as warm as my other coats, and it's a walk to and from the Metro. I'm more active this time around with the walk to and from the Metro which helps, I think. I'm still awkward enough that it makes me question the importance of anything I drop on the floor. Fun time though. This is the time where you start to look pregnant but can still do things without being a total cow.

My next appointment is tomorrow actually. I'm thinking things should go well unless the doctor wants to discuss the ultrasound a couple of weeks ago.