December 30, 2014

Weekly Update: Week 30

{  A little lumpy this week :)  }
How far along? 30 weeks.

How much weight have you gained? Weighed in at 20 lbs. up this morning. Even after all those cookies....

Any cravings? Salad! After eating so many sweets between all of our holiday parties, I want salad, but I think it's more of a general craving than an actual pregnancy related craving. 

What are you wearing? I love being off work and not having to dress business casual. If we're just at home, I've been in pajama pants non-stop. Even when my family came over Christmas day... I was thinking we should have made it a pajama party for everyone! (Next year maybe... with matching pajamas...) Other than that I've been wearing my maternity jeans out and about, but even with maternity jeans and maternity shirts, my belly is still getting the best of them and trying to hang out whenever possible. 

How are you feeling? Symptoms? I'm still feeling good for the most part! Mostly, I just get full feeling, like there's not enough room on my insides. After being upright for a while it feels really good to lay down and stretch my torso out. I also get pretty worn out by the end of the day, as well as  little cranky sometimes.

Stretch marks? Still none.

Belly button in or out? I think 3/4ths of it is ready to pop out, but the last quarter of it is holding it back, 

Sleep? It took a downward turn this week, I've been sleeping pretty poorly. I have to re-position a lot, and my pillows don't stay in the proper supportive places, and I have to move more slowly and deliberately otherwise I feel like I'm pulling something. Then it's harder to fall back asleep lately, and when I do, I've been having rather unpleasant dreams. Soooo.... it's not been the best, but at least I get to sleep in this week!

Best moment this week: It's been such a nice week, I don't know if I can choose! Christmas was  a great time to see family and friends, and be with loved ones (even if it's only through Skype for some). Tyler and I have had quite a bit of time off and have been productive on the nursery. I FINALLY got my curtain fabrics! Tyler put the last coat of paint on the walls, installed a new cabinet drawer. 

Worst moment this week: Worst moment... hmm... I'm drawing a blank this week.

Miss anything? I am missing having more energy. I have so many things on my checklist, and although I'm making progress, there's a lot that I still have to do. Like cleaning, there's always so much cleaning, and I just need some more energy to do it!

Movement? Oh yes, quite a range of them. They are pretty sporadic now and don't last long a lot of the time, But I feel a lot of slow sweeping movements across parts of my belly as she makes major moves, hiccups come a couple times a week, sometimes she goes completely bonkers and I feel jabs everywhere in my torso. But the newest is her tickling me. Sometimes she'll start poking me down by my hip (usually when I'm laying on my side) and it TICKLES! Like someone is trying to poke you there from the outside, except with her I can't defend myself!

Excited for anything? Only ten more weeks to go! I'm getting incredibly excited and nervous about meeting her!

How’s dad-to-be? He has also been pretty tired this week. He has been off of work a few days, but it's made his days in the office more hectic since it is the end of the month and the holidays! But he's been having fun with his new Christmas toys and he's been super great about picking up my slack when it comes to making dinner and/or anything else I've been too tired to do. 

EDIT: It's really only 9 weeks! I always do my posts at the end of whatever week I'm writing about so I was really on day 7 of my 30th week yesterday, so there's only 9 weeks to go!!

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December 28, 2014

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We just went to our last holiday party yesterday. It was so nice to see family over the holidays, and although we celebrated three different times, I didn't feel like they were too stressful. Our families and friends definitely spoiled us this year, and we are so grateful to you all!

It didn't feel like the holidays quite as much this year, even though I was really looking forward to them since July. I think it's a mixture of us having so much else going on plus the warmish weather we have been having. We were hoping for a lot of cold and snow this winter, but instead it's been above freezing and raining a bunch. Mud doesn't quite put me in the spirit like a winter wonderland does.

We did get more lights up on our house this year. I purchased some solar LED lights for our front pine trees, and we put up a few strands around our carport too.

We prefer homemade decorations as opposed to store-bought when it comes to the holidays, and especially when it comes to stockings. So last year we picked out fabric, and I got started on making our own special stockings. Tyler's I completed by hand last year, but I only got the boot of mine done. So this year, it was a goal to finish mine (and Norbert's). This time I borrowed my mom's sewing machine. I completed the rest of my stocking but unfortunately, I jammed the machine (oops!) and didn't get done with Norbert's in time. (Santa didn't end up bringing him anything this year anyways. I think it was because he got into the trash too many times.)

{  Tyler's stocking  }

{  My stocking  }
 We were pretty last minute on most of our preparations though, and we definitely did not get cards out in the mail this year even though I was really hoping to. But since we didn't get physical cards out in the mail, I made a digital one instead!


We are SO looking forward to this new year and all the changes it is going to bring us!

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December 22, 2014

Weekly Update: Week 29

{  Tyler said my hair looks like a who-dunnit! Ha ha!  }
{  Also, it's a goal to start taking these with an actual camera instead of our phones so they're not so blurry!  }

How far along? 29 weeks.

How much weight have you gained? 22 pounds

Any cravings? Yes! I was all about the cottage cheese I got at the end of last week. Have you ever eaten strawberries and cottage cheese together? Yum! But that's not all... I've also been craving ICE. It was hot in the office on Friday and I would have killed for some ice, and ever since then I've been munching on it. We've gone out to eat a few times and I've made Tyler sit there and wait after our meal while I finish off the ice in my glass. (It's better than homemade ice!)  We went out for salad for lunch yesterday, but detoured to a steak place instead. Then tonight I read something online about a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich "Elvis Style" which mean is has marshmallow cream on it! It sounded sooo good, but we don't have marshmallow cream or bananas, so instead I made a friend peanut butter and jelly sandwich with cream cheese on it. Yeah, I guess I've had a few cravings.

What are you wearing? Still getting use out of some of my old tops that are getting shorter and shorter on me...

How are you feeling? Symptoms? Feeling good! Starting to get worn out a little easier, and my feet aren't happy if I'm on them for too long, but I think that's pretty good for where I'm at! I was able to bake ALL day yesterday though! One of my other symptoms, I guess, is pregnancy brain. Last weekend Becky and I made cookies and I forgot to add the sugar... yesterday, out of nine different kinds, I think I only forgot the vanilla in one recipe, but still, I am rather forgetful as of late. And then there was a double whammy symptom incident which I will save for the worst moment of the week...

Stretch marks? Nope.

Belly button in or out? Still in between. If I'm laying on my back it's definitely still in, If i'm sitting up and I press my finger next to it, it pops out! Ba ha ha! It's weird!

Sleep? Waking up to pee some, but mostly sleeping well still. 

Best moment this week: Crib is put together, nursery has a first coat of paint, and curtain material has been ordered!

Worst moment this week: I woke up in the middle of the night one night with charlie horses forming in both legs (a common pregnancy symptom around this time). I rolled over to pull on my feet for some relief and immediately felt a bloody nose begin. Ugh! Talk about rude awakening. I had to wake up poor Tyler too to get me  a tissue since my leg cramps were immobilizing me. 

Miss anything? I miss the days when time didn't seem to fly by so fast!! As of Wednesday we'll  only be ten weeks away from baby (give or take)! 

Movement? Lots of body parts sticking out in weird places. She kept sticking something out by my rib cage the other day. I think she's doing yoga in there like her mama. 

Excited for anything? Christmas! Tomorrow is my last day of work until break, and then the festivities will begin! I have sooo much to do on my time off, so I don't think it's going to be super relaxing, but hopefully I'll get a lot accomplished!


How’s dad-to-be? His back is muuuuch better and he's been getting around fine. He's out Christmas shopping right now. He was in a good mood when he left, but judging by the length of this shopping trip, I don't think he'll be as happy when he gets back home. :)

Edit: Tyler came home and brought marshmallow cream and bananas! Best husband!

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December 16, 2014

Weekly update: Week 28


How far along? Week 28

How much weight have you gained? I think I'm up to 20 whole pounds!

Any cravings? Cottage cheese. 
Also, we went grocery shopping last night and I went impulse shopping for sure! Peanut butter crackers, onion dip, edamame. Everything snacky was looking really good! The donuts looked absolutely heavenly, but I resisted because I was going in this morning for my glucose test (no results yet).

What are you wearing? Mostly the same things I have been wearing. We were supposed to wear our work polos today, and mine barely goes past my belly button! I had to wear an undershirt of the same color to try to keep it from being super weird looking. 

How are you feeling? Symptoms? I've been feeling good still, minus some heart flutters earlier in the week that were a little concerning. I talked with my doctor and they are not worried about it at this point. It's pretty normal with all this additional blood I'm pumping through my body.

Stretch marks? Nope.

Belly button in or out? Still just in a state of limbo. 

Sleep? I'm sleeping pretty well still. Norbert was sick this weekend so he gave me some practice waking up to take care of/clean up after him in the middle of the night. 

Best moment this week: Little lady got her first hiccups this week! Twice! and it made me really happy!

Worst moment this week: Tyler threw out his back on Saturday morning. We were getting started on what was going to be a pretty productive day, but as he was cleaning up the leaves in front he was suddenly in a lot of pain. He could barely walk the rest of the day. I still got a lot of cleaning done, but the rest of our weekend was not very productive.

Miss anything? I'm missing being able to lift things and carry things as easily as I used to. Using ladders, being allowed to paint. So many things are frowned upon while pregnant. I feel pretty lame and limited in what I can do to get things ready around here. 

Movement? We are at a point where she still kicks a lot, but I can feel her more subtle movements too. Also, it's pretty crazy but we can gently press on my belly and feel her in there more frequently. I'm pretty sure we've identified her head a few times... 

Excited for anything? We got our crib delivered this week, so I'm excited to be able to put it together. I'm also excited that Christmas is coming up, although I am TOTALLY NOT READY. I have barely begun my gift shopping. And we probably should have already shipped our out of town gifts... ooops! They might not make it in time. But I am excited, none the less, even if I'm not on top of things this year.


How’s dad-to-be? He's feeling better each day and looks normal while walking around again, He doesn't enjoy being immobile and unable to do things, so he hasn't enjoyed the last few days too much, but he's definitely on the mend.

December 14, 2014

20 week ultrasound video

We are laying pretty low this weekend. Tyler did something to his back yesterday which has put him out of commission. So since he's been hauled up on the couch and bored, he took our twenty week ultrasound video and edited it up to share. Since this was our anatomy scan, the original video was about 23 minutes long, and I know most of you (probably not even the grandparents) feel like watching an ultrasound video that is that long. Heck, I haven't even watched the whole thing through a second time. So this one is less than two minutes and set to a beat. Stay tuned to the end and you'll see her 3D debut!


And yes, he did include a shot of her ladybits in there... that was the moment we found out we were having a girl!

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December 9, 2014

Weekly Update: 27


How far along? 27 weeks. Helloooo, third trimester! Nice to meet you!

How much weight have you gained? Approximately 18 lbs. Baby girl herself is also starting to pack on the weight as she grows by about a quarter of a pound every week now (according to my pregnancy app. not my doctor)! This week she's been the size of a cauliflower.

Any cravings? We had to make a special trip to the store the other night for cookies and milk. I've been snacking on gingersnaps ever since. 

What are you wearing? I've started caring less and less about my outfits. My maternity pants all fit funny. They are either too baggy or too short, and they just make me feel frumpy. So I just go with whatever. Dresses are still my favorite, but I don't have enough of them to wear as often as I'd like. 

How are you feeling? Symptoms? I'm feeling really good this week! I've had energy and no major complaints.

Stretch marks? Still avoiding them.

Belly button in or out? It's still in, but there's part of it that kinda looks out. It's just in a weird state of being right now. 

Sleep? Like a rock. The light goes out and so do I. I wake to re-position and occasionally to pee, but I've still been waking up early and easily in the mornings. 

Best moment this week: This whole weekend was good. We were productive! We picked out a new light for the nursery to replace the existing ceiling fan. The switch in that room has never actually controlled the light, so Tyler did some handiwork and switched out the fixtures and installed a new dimer switch. I'm so excited that we'll be able to turn on a very dim light when we go in for those late night feedings and such. He also replaced our thermostat. We've moved into the here and now and finally have programmable settings! Here's to hopefully saving a few bucks on our heating and cooling bills from here on out! He ALSO added some additional shelving to our kitchen cabinets. We now have room for our wine glasses and baby bottles. 

If that's not enough, we also went Christmas tree shopping and put up all of our decorations! Then yesterday Tyler put a first coat on the nursery ceiling. Goodbye beige paint, hello nesting! It felt great to accomplish (have my husband accomplish... let's be real, he did the bulk of it) so many things and CHECK them off our list!

Worst moment this week: I decided on curtain fabric, and we were going to go purchase it this weekend. Tyler was even willing to go along to get it. I checked online to make sure it was still in stock at the local store. They didn't have as much as I wanted, but it was enough to work with, however, when we got there we couldn't find it in the store anywhere. Their system also showed that they had it, but the lady helping me couldn't locate it either, so we walked away empty handed. 

Also, it was a goal to work on our registries, but I ended up being locked out of one and the other was having so many technical glitches that I ended up getting very little accomplished. So while Tyler was checking things off the list left and right, my projects were falling apart left and right. Overall, everything that got finished totally outweighed the rest!

Miss anything? I guess I've been missing soft cheeses quite a bit. Tyler and I went out for a nice dinner this weekend and tried a new, local restaurant. They had some really great sounding items, especially appetizers, on their menu but I had to rule out so many of them because of the blue cheese, goat cheese, or feta cheese.  I am a cheese girl so it was a little painful to do.

Movement? I've been noticing that one side of my belly will be normal and soft-ish, while the other side will be hard if I poke it. So i'm not sure if it's her head or her back or her rump, but I've been able to feel her in there. She's also been a little miffed at my bladder apparently, because she's been giving it quite the beating this week. 

Excited for anything? We ordered the crib and it should be arriving any day now! I think putting that up is really going to be an exciting reminder about how close we're getting. I've already been playing with the light and just peering into the nursery the last few days, and I imagine I will keep staring at it more and more as it continues to come together. 

How’s dad-to-be? I think he's feeling good and less overwhelmed. He said something this weekend like we've done the bare minimum needed to bring a baby home. So now we get to keep improving, but he's confident we have the necessities for basic survival. 


{  We found our tree... another live one this year  }
{  Tyler can now take pictures from both sides of his phone at the same time...
and I look HUGE in this picture, but I think the dress is deceiving  }

<<<<<>>>>>

December 2, 2014

Weekly Update: 26


How far along? 26 weeks

How much weight have you gained? Well, it was Thanksgiving... so I'm up to around 16 lbs.

Any cravings? Still just more fruit! I really can't complain about healthy cravings. 

What are you wearing? Being in the warm weather most of the week allowed me to be pretty casual. Also, it was pretty fun to bikini up and let my belly soak in some sun! I think I'm going to need more maternity shirts soon though, because I just keep getting bigger and my shirts are looking shorter and shorter.

How are you feeling? Symptoms? Mostly good! I had some crazy sore muscles the past week, and I'm not sure if that was pregnancy related or not + I am still getting a very crowded organ feeling on my right side under my ribs.  

Stretch marks? Nope, but I loaded up the sunscreen on my belly this week to help prevent any sun damage. I hear sun and stretching skin do not go well together.

Belly button in or out? Still in, but I'm guessing only for a few more weeks at this rate. 

Sleep? I've been waking up quite a bit at night, but it could be due to the fact that I haven't been in my own bed most of the week. I still wake up feeling pretty rested despite the interruptions.

Best moment this week: I had a couple small pregnancy victories this week... First, strangers have started noticing my belly and feeling confident enough to say something about it. It could be that in Mexico people aren't as nervous about offending pregnant ladies as they are in the states, but I had at least four strangers ask me about it! 
Second, I got to lay on my belly for the first time in many weeks and it was glorious! We went to the beach and Tyler offered to dig me a hole for my belly. Genius! Sometimes, it's the little things that can really make you happy!
I also can't forget the wonderful Thanksgiving meal I consumed! I wish I could eat it again right now. 

Worst moment this week: Answering this question... Maybe I should take this question out of the line-up. I really don't like it much, and it's hard to come up with things without sounding super whiny. However, I will keep it, because when the time comes and I really need to vent about a no good, horrible day, this question will be here for me. 

Miss anything? Great jeans. My maternity jeans are not great. I had the urge to go buy a nice new pair of jeans, but that is something I won't do for at least a few more months until my body is my own again.

Movement? She is a stinker. She was so shy this week, until yesterday morning at work it was like she thought my uterus was one of those trampoline world places. I have a theory that I was just too well fed for most of the week and she was in a food induced stupor, then yesterday my breakfast was rather scant and she was protesting to the best of her ability. 

Excited for anything? I realized that I have forgotten a lot of nursery rhymes and lullabies. I used to LOVE nursery rhymes and can't believe I'm so bad at reciting them now. I am really excited to brush up on them. Also, I am excited to learn some new lullabies. I love music and enjoy singing in the privacy of my own home, but I don't do it enough. A baby/fetus is the perfect audience. Teach her a familiar melody now, and maybe it will be soothing later on when we're trying to comfort her in her brand new world. 

Also, I begin my third trimester tomorrow... Ah! I can't believe it is already here! Doctor appointments are bumping up to every two weeks now!

How’s dad-to-be? He's feeling tired. And he's ready to make some progress on all this baby stuff. I feel like I keep saying this over and over, but it's true. And with all of our travels, we haven't gotten very much accomplished, but now we are home; we are not getting on another airplane for the foreseeable future; and we are ready to get into nesting mode. (We hope!)

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November 25, 2014

Weekly update: 25


How far along? 25 weeks.

How much weight have you gained? I'm not sure since I have been away from my scale for a while, but I've had a pretty heavy appetite, so I'm probably up a few...

Any cravings? Jut more citrus, and juice. 

What are you wearing? Well, we are currently in Mexico, so I am trying to wear my summer-ish clothes, but I don't have any that are specifically maternity. Also, I don't think I packed enough. I meant to bring a lot more dresses to wear... oops!

How are you feeling? Symptoms? I've been a little more sluggish, and I'm starting to get a crowded rib-cage feeling on my right side. I've been doing a lot of stretching to try to make more room in there!

Stretch marks? Nope.

Belly button in or out? In, but still getting shallower.

Sleep? Sleeping well, even though we've been staying up past our normal old-person bedtime. Sadly, we've still been waking up early though.

Best moment this week: Making it to Mexico (without our passports) to spend time with the family!

Worst moment this week: Knowing that our baby won't get to meet another very special member of our family. Papa Bob was excited to meet you, little girl, and he will always love you very much!

Miss anything? A margarita would be nice :)

Movement? Not sure what it is about this trip, but she's been more reserved this week. She's just acting shy making it harder or family to feel her.

Excited for anything? Two days away from Thanksgiving!

How’s dad-to-be? He says he's feeling unprepared, as he sits on the porch this morning reading a
one of his many pregnancy books... He's still prepping!

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November 18, 2014

Nursery Curtains



I have previously mentioned that I am trying to pick out curtain fabric for the nursery. Currently, my vision is to paint the walls a navy blue and have a lot of other fun colors in the room as accent colors. A little pink is okay, but I am definitely trying to avoid TOO much PINK!  So I'm looking for some fun, big, colorful patterned curtains to base the rest of the color palette from. I've looked at a few stores so far and I have some options, but I'm not sure that I've found THE fabric yet.

I am also trying to avoid too much of a theme. No farm life, or monkey themed nursery here. I'd rather fill it with a multitude of things that we love that match based upon color more than theme.

So once again, here is a possible paint color for the walls:

{  Velvet Evening - Behr  }

And here are my top fabric picks so far:
WARNING: I took photos of the fabric with my phone, so the colors and quality may be slightly distorted.

Option 1: 

Colors: Grey, coral, burnt orange, navy, white, light pink, yellowish green.

I love the pattern and that it has an animal on it (how fun is the lion?!), however it didn't incorporate quite as many colors as I was hoping, and the colors it does have would be tough to match. I can imagine myself searching for something in that yellowish green color and comping up empty handed.

{  Sarah Watts - August collection  }

Option 2:

Colors: White, orange, light blue, yellow, lime green, brown, pink, coral.

I again like that this pattern has animals incorporated. Birds and flowers would be light and airy and feminine without being overly pink. I like how big and abstract the pattern is as well. I like the variety of colors and think they'd be easier to incorporate into the rest of the room. 

{  Legacy Studio Cotton Fabric-Fresh Fusion Large Spring Floral Cream  }
Option 3:

Colors: Orange, lime green, dark green, navy, light pink, magenta, lavender, yellow, white. 

I thought this was very bold and fun, but I think the orange background might be too much for me. But it's so HAPPY!

{  Keepsake Calico - Orange Gypsy Dancer Floral  }

Option 4:

Colors: Off-white, lime green, teal, orange, purple, navy.

The color scheme is not as wide in this fabric and it's not as abstract as some of the others, but it is probably the biggest pattern of the four, and I think it would be beautiful as curtains. Just not sure about curtains in our nursery.

{  Keepsake Calico - Allover Contemporary Floral  }
I think at this point my top pick is #2, but I also really like #1 and #4. Poor #3 is just a little too orange I think, and also already not available for purchase online. My luck it would be gone in store too if I were to decide on it. 

Any favorites? Or similar suggestion?

P.S. Tyler is really tired of looking at/talking about curtains...

<<<<<>>>>>

November 16, 2014

Weekly Update: 24


How far along? 24 weeks.

How much weight have you gained? 13 lbs.

Any cravings? More citrus! Oranges, pomellos, drinking lemon water and lemonade. It’s so refreshing!

What are you wearing? It’s taken a turn for the cold here in the Midwest, so I’m currently in the market for a new winter coat. I’ve been wearing all my old ones, but some are just barely fitting over my belly. They won’t last much longer.

How are you feeling? Symptoms?   I’m starting to feel the dry winter air. Dry skin, dry lips, and dry nostrils. I’ve got the humidifier on full blast today. I’m also still having some round ligament pains in my belly, but still pretty normal overall.
Stretch marks? None, but I need to start putting on more lotion because of the dry air!

Belly button in or out? In.

Sleep?  Trying to sleep on my side all the time is not working out so well. I wake up flat on my back quite frequently.

Best moment this week: We got our first snow of the year… and the second! And apparently the third as it has just started snowing again as I’m writing this. And today we just might put up our twinkle lights on our trees out front! The holidays are so close!

Worst moment this week:  I’m coming up blank, but I guess that’s a good thing! Or it’s just my pregnancy brain kicking in again and conveniently forgetting the rough parts of the week.

Miss anything? Not really, I’ve been pretty content with how things have been going.

Movement? She’s still pretty active, but she gets shy around others whenever I try to let them feel. Tyler got to see her moving for the first time the other night. I’ve started seeing my belly move even when I’m not necessarily focusing on it. Just out of the corner of my eye, I’ll see her kicks.

Excited for anything? We leave for AZ/Mexico on Friday night for a week of family time and Thanksgiving.


How’s dad-to-be? He is hoping to be productive today, organizing our mess of a basement so we can move our guestroom furniture to the new basement guest room, and possibly starting to paint the ceiling in the nursery…

<<<<<>>>>>

November 11, 2014

The weeks just fly by!

Here we go! I'm so excited to start my weekly pregnancy posts, FINALLY! 

First, since I haven’t made the official announcement yet…. It’s a girl!! We are going to have a little lady around here pretty soon, and we couldn't be more excited.

I have a separate log of sorts that I've been trying to keep for myself, so I've been writing some things there even if they didn't make it to the blog in a timely manner. I'll start things off with a pretty lame attempt from very early on at week 5:

JULY 2, 2014:
How far along? 5 weeks.
How much weight have you gained? None.
Any cravings? Just hungry most of the time.
What are you wearing? Same ol’ same ol’.
How are you feeling? Symptoms?  Astonished… A few little crampy twinges earlier this week but okay otherwise.
How’s dad-to-be? Excited and protective. 


{  My belly on 7/11/14. I hope to see you again someday, abs!  }
We felt the first movements at 18 weeks. We were cuddling on the couch in front of our first fire of the season, when I felt a tap somewhere on the inside that I was pretty sure could have been a baby movement. I told Tyler, and he placed his hand on my belly and shortly after we both felt it again! It was super exciting, except we weren't 100% sure that was really it... It wasn't until our 18 week ultrasound a few days later that we knew for sure. At the appointment, I could see her moving and feel her moving at the same time, and it was confirmed. Since then, we have felt her more and more as she gets bigger and stronger.

{  Belly as of 9/30/2014. It's poppin'!  }

NOVEMBER 3, 2014:
How far along? 22 weeks
How much weight have you gained? Approximately 10 pounds or so?
Any cravings? Nothing too intense this week, although citrus-y things have been sounding lovely and refreshing.
What are you wearing? My favorite work outfits are my leggings and sweater dresses because they are super comfy. In general, I hate pants. But I have a few pairs of maternity pants that I wear. I’ve given up on pretty much all of my normal pants.
How are you feeling? Symptoms?  I’m feeling good! For some catch-up information: The first trimester I was TIRED but very lucky because I did not suffer from any morning sickness. Now my energy is back to normal most of the time (although I still get tired more quickly than before). I have noticed that I have started sighing a lot more, especially when getting up, or bending over, etc. I think this is the beginning of starting to feel big.
Stretch marks? No.
Belly button in or out? In, but I can now see the bottom of it!
Sleep? Sleeping well, but I now use four pillows to stay extra comfy.
Best moment this week: Celebrating  a friend’s wedding. I love wonderful life events. Especially when I have a great excuse to tear up during the speeches… Oh, it’s just the hormones…
Worst moment this week:  Darkness at 5pm, more bare trees, and going back to work. I’d rather be out in the sun playing in the leaves!
Miss anything? I miss hot tubs. I’ve been taking warm baths, but we’ve stayed quite a few places with hot tubs lately and I’d kill to get in and relax!
Movement? Lots! Kicks and rolls of all sorts. We had a Dr. apt. today and when we were listening to the heartbeat we could hear her moving all over inside. The doctors are always commenting on how active she is when we are in, so I think that’s a good sign!
Excited for anything? To get started on the nursery! I’ve been trying to pick out curtain fabric as a jumping off point.
How’s dad-to-be? Still excited of course! He’s been doing a lot of reading, and last night he put together a check-list of everything that we need to get done before baby arrives, so he is preparing.

{  I got to be pregnant on the beach in Galveston, TX! 11/1/2014  }

NOVEMBER 8, 2014:
How far along? 23 weeks.
How much weight have you gained? Still approximately 10 pounds, maybe a few more.
Any cravings? No, my appetite has taken a chill pill. I am still enjoying a variety of foods, both healthy and unhealthy though!
What are you wearing? Still my maternity pants and regular shirts, although the shirts are starting to get short on my belly. I have to wear long undershirts to make sure they cover my maternity pants and even then, the short shirts might be looking a little silly soon.
How are you feeling? Symptoms?  I’m feeling pretty good physically. My belly has been a little sore this week, but I think it’s just round ligament pain (I’m assuming that’s what it is?) and possibly a little acid reflux. I know of all these things, but when I experience them for the first time, I’m never sure if I am classifying them correctly. So I’m really just guessing that what I was feeling was acid reflux, but don’t hold me to it! But other than that, no physical complaints. I’ve been a little down this week and more moody than normal. Also, a little overwhelmed by all the things we’d like to get done before baby comes (and ideally before my third trimester hugeness and exhaustion kicks in!)
Stretch marks? Nope!
Belly button in or out? In. 
Sleep? Tyler is out of town this weekend, which normally means I don’t sleep as well. But last night I slept with five pillows plus a body pillow and got to take up the entire bed! I slept pretty wonderfully.
Best moment this week: Was there one? I think it was going to our first birthing class. We didn’t learn much new information from the class content itself, but I had a lot of questions that I wanted to ask that were specific to our hospital, so I got answers to those which makes me feel a lot better about our hospital choice!
Worst moment this week: After our doctor appointment on Monday we stopped to grab a bite to eat at Quiznos, and it wasn't until we got back to Edwardsville and Tyler was dropping me off at my car that I realized I forgot my purse there! Darn pregnancy brain. (Although, I've been known to do it not pregnant too.) I had to get to yoga, and Tyler had to get to hockey, so we couldn't go back to get it until the next day. 
Miss anything? Cold cuts. You tell a girl she can’t have something, and then all she wants is a Turkey Tom from Jimmy Johns. I really didn’t even like them that much until I couldn't have it.
Movement? She kicked me so hard at work yesterday that I made a noise because she surprised me, so yes she’s been moving around like crazy.
Excited for anything?  The Holidays! I’m not ready for them yet, but I can’t wait! I have my Christmas lights ready and waiting to go up, and I’ve literally been daydreaming about my Thanksgiving meal for months now. So excited!
How’s dad-to-be? He has a LOT going on right now, so he is very busy and stressed. But the little one still gives him something to smile about. 


{  Tyler was out of town, so I had to do my own bump photo...  }

I turn 24 weeks tomorrow, and baby is forecasted to be the size of an ear of corn... Stay tuned....

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November 2, 2014

Blog struggles

I was so much better at blogging when we lived in Hawaii! I went back recently and was rereading some of my posts from that year, and not only did I write more frequently, the posts were much better quality. They weren't necessarily just brief life updates, but they were personal snippets and stories from life. They were inner dialogues and moods captured in the moment.

If any of you didn't keep up with that blog, you can find it now linked at the top of the page, or you can simply click here to go back to the very beginning.

I think a lot of my success with keeping up with that blog, was the amount of free time I had. Tyler and I had very different schedules so I had a lot of time to myself to sit down and write. And it was free time often in the morning or midday, which is when I am much more motivated to sit down and tell a story.

I like writing when I have good lighting. As you know by now, I love good lighting. And natural light (especially of the lovely dappled kind) inspires me. Writing at night is not the same.

Now, by the time I get home from work, I don't have the energy or patience to get back behind the screen and blog. I generally have about half an hour before Tyler gets home, if I don't work late (which I've been doing a lot of lately) and then once he gets home we figure out dinner and spend some time together for the rest of the evening. And it's dark... Then wake up and do it again. Weekends are mostly spent together too, doing the things we didn't have time or energy to do during the week (other than blogging apparently). I am still not a fan of adulthood and full-time employment if you can't tell.

Also, we were so removed in Hawaii. With the time difference, it wasn't always easy to pick up the phone and call friends or family, so I loved the blog as a medium for staying in touch. But here, I feel like we're more connected and this blog doesn't serve the same purpose, even though I'd love it to. Maybe this one is more for myself? Friends and family, are you out there reading? Let me know if you are and maybe that will help motivate me to pick up the pace!

I have disappointed myself thus far in this pregnancy. It was a goal to blog weekly and do weekly updates about the pregnancy complete with growing belly pictures. Here I am over halfway through the pregnancy and only have a couple posts about it, and they are nothing like I was envisioning.

But I plan to start. I will document the second half much better. I promise!

I have been reading blogs now for years and I have three that are my favorites. I tell Tyler stories about them like I actually know them. Because I feel like I do! I have followed them for years and I have watched their children grow, hearing about their struggles and triumphs and the daily life in between,

If anyone is looking for something new to read or follow check them out. They're all mom bloggers, but they have extremely different styles....

For some hilarious stories start reading BrittanyHerself from the beginning. She doesn't blog as frequently anymore, and her style and content has morphed as she has become incredibly successful promoting positive body image and writing a book. She is brutally honest and open about life, and can seriously make you laugh out loud.

GirlsGoneChild is full of beauty. Beautiful writing frequently focused on raising strong girls, and strong boys, as well as beautiful photographs of her family life.

And then there's LittleBabyGarvin who's blog is a little more simple, sharing many themed posts for holidays and seasons, with a lot of product suggestions and pictures of her adorable girls. I started following her because of her adorable chalkboard bump pictures that she posted through her first pregnancy complete with the same weekly questions (which is the style I was planning to emulate for my pregnancy).

So these are my highly recommended reads, as they are the blogs that have inspired me. Of course, I encourage you to keep reading here as well, because I am going to make an honest attempt to increase the frequency of my posts. It's something I love to do and I hope my friends and family who are still far away love it too. I want to improve for you!

So here we go... I hope this is the start of Lightly Dappled 2.0 Pregnancy Edition, where I will keep you abreast of all the little things that we are going through getting ready for baby!

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October 22, 2014

Drizzle

We just got back from a trip to Seattle and have settled into our normal workweeks, so I like to keep thinking back to the good time we had over the weekend!

It was business for Tyler, pleasure for me. It worked out well since I could get my pregnant resting out of the way while he was in sessions, and then have enough some energy for a few touristy things later. We weren't alone either, we got to spend time with Tyler's mom and dad on the trip too!

I had only been in Seattle once a few years ago, and it was by accident. I was stuck there for a night after the taking a bus from Bellingham, WA (because the airport I was flying through closed down because of a "giant" snow storm) and I spent WAY too much time in the airport trying to get home. So I don't count this experience as really "being in Seattle."

This was my first OFFICIAL trip to Seattle. Because of time and energy restraints, we didn't go overboard on the touristy side of things, but we really enjoyed the things that we did see! And of course, the food that we ate! It was fall there and the many trees on our street were turning colors. The weather was a bit drizzly most of the time, which is what we expected of Seattle. I think I'd be pretty disappointed if it wasn't! But we also had one full day of beautiful sunshine to enjoy too.



We visited Pike's Place Market (multiple times actually).

Yes, we saw them throw the fish, AND we got to see them drop one... luckily it didn't hit anyone (though it came close) because they throw those suckers HARD! The market was pretty with all the colorful produce, and the cheap flower stands. I would have fresh flowers in the house all the time if I could go to that market on a regular basis! I also loved wandering down Post Alley too, with the cute shops and eateries. We found a great little kid/baby store that we wandered around for a long time picturing our little one in all the cute clothes.




Then we also saw the gum wall... yikes! And yes, I've started showing off my belly in  most photos. otherwise you can't even see it's there.


One of my favorite places was the Chihuly glass museum. We attended a dinner there, and got to first go through the exhibit, and it was beautiful. Totally whimsical and fascinating too! I loved the garden portion that made you feel as if you were in Wonderland or maybe a Dr. Seuss book.






We did not go up in the Spaceneedle, but being right under it was fun too. To get a good view of the city, Cindy and I went on the ferris wheel down on one of the piers. It was one of the dreary days so we couldn't see the surrounding mountains, but the view of the sound and the city were nice. 

{  Yum! City art  }

On our last day in town, Tyler and I decided to take the ferry over to Bainbridge Island for dinner, and we fell in love! We walked into a quaint little town right off the ferry, where we saw a giant pumpkin, lots of little shops, and had a wonderful dinner. We stopped at every real estate window (which is not uncommon for us no matter where we are) and looked at the amazing places available on the island. I've been Zillowing some amazing places as well. We didn't take Then on the way back we got to see the twinkling city skyline. Yay, Seattle! I would love to go back again!





And since I was SOOO bad at blogging last year.... I'm going to throw in a few pictures from the same time last year when the conference was held in Palm Beach, Florida:



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