2011... what a fun year!

2011 has come and gone! It feels like it went by fast but when I look back some things seem so long ago!
Read about some of the highlights of 2011 here!

Happy New Year my friends! I can't wait for the adventures 2012 will bring!

When do you think??

I've set up a baby pool to guess when Babelet is going to arrive! Place your guesses here:
Babelet's Baby Pool

It's Resolution Time!

It's that time of year again- New Year's Resolution Time!
Since I don't really know what to expect as a new mom, I'm going to try to be a little conservative with my resolutions/goals this year!

My 2012 Resolutions/Goals!
1. Eat more fruits and vegetables (preferably organic) and limit HFCS (especially coca cola). Shop at the farmer's market May-Oct
2. Cook healthy meals for my family, build up a freezer stash of meals
3. Get outside in the fresh air everyday (especially once Babelet is here)- even if it's just a walk down the street.
4. Run a 5k before the end of the year aka get back into running
5. Make time for my husband and schedule date nights.
6. Make time for myself- to read, relax, exercise and maintain a sense of self.
Most Importantly,
7. Take time to just take it all in and enjoy our amazing life.

25 weeks!

Wow if the rest of the weeks keep flying by like these have then April will be here before I know it!
I'm home from vacation and on winter break for the next week and trying to relax as much as possible. I have a bad habit of over-doing everything so slowing down for pregnancy has been challenging. Everyday I have something small to get me out of the house on my schedule but besides that I have scheduled a long nap for everyday.

I've had some reality checks lately with friends having pregnancy complications and even going into labor really early (around 30 weeks) so I'm trying to make a conscious effort to really relax, clear my schedule and just do a lot of nothing. It's easier said than done though!

I'm up 4.5 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight and have an appointment with my midwife tomorrow. My appetite is still not back and I'm lucky if I can eat 2 meals a day. Since I'm home on break, I'm trying to eat more snacks but I've been pretty queasy most of most days. It's starting to make me really exhausted and kind of fatigued. I wish I liked food as much as I used to! For now, I can rest more but once January 3 comes around I'll be back to work and that really kicks my butt- which is expected from 29 first graders!

We had a nice Christmas and Christmas Eve, very low key and calm. We went to dinner on Christmas Eve (my steak was delicious!) and then opened gifts. Christmas morning we went to mass then to friend's for brunch then set up the nursery furniture! It was a nice day!

I love our nursery furniture- it's really pretty. I'll slowly set up the nursery in the next few months but we don't have much to set up now that the furniture is done. I'm sure after my shower in a few weeks I'll have more organizing to do. By then, I should be in full nesting mode anyways :) Here's a preview... we still need to buy a mattress and blackout shades for the windows, build the glider, get the changing station put together (and filled) and move the shelf into the room.

I did not like the dress I wore on Christmas and am on a mission to find a cute maternity dress for my shower (preferably not sleeveless), maybe a sweater dress or longer sweater style. Any shoppers - I'm up for suggestions! A lot of fun things are coming up in the upcoming weeks! We're going to the coast for a few nights with friends, my baby shower in PA, daves birthday/our babymoon and the birth classes are starting. I think I'm going to hold off on the maternity photos in California and wait for a bigger bump in March... maybe I can find someone to take some at the Oregon coast instead.

Measurement Update:
Me: 40 inches at bellybutton
Dave: 34 inches at bellybutton
Midwife's measurement of uterus: 25cm= 25weeks= perfectly on track
Weight Gain: 4.5 lbs total

Decisions, Decisions...

Pregnancy brings all kinds of decisions big and small. Many I've been considering since the first weeks I found out I was expecting but since I like to be informed I've been researching like crazy.
So many decisions to make!!!
Some decisions I've been working on are:
1. Baby Gear- ugh, there's so much stuff and everyone has a different opinion on "must haves" versus "wastes" A lot of items end up on both lists from different people. Some things are a swing, a pack 'n' play, bottle brands, diaper brands, a boppy, etc. Just tell me what my baby will like damnit!
2. Breast feeding
This is a decision that I know what I want and just hope it works out for me and babelet! Since I had breast reduction surgery twice (in 2000 and 2001), I know that there is no way to know how successful I'll be in breastfeeding. But the dilemma occurs on whether I want to try to breastfeed directly and hope I get enough or whether I should pump and exclusively bottle feed breastmilk so I know I'm getting enough supply. I've been researching this a lot, read a book on Breastfeeding After Reduction (BFAR). I know that if it doesn't work, I can supplement with formula and I'm ok with that but do I want to try to breastfeed directly- still working on that one!
3. Cloth Diapers
I've always wanted to cloth diaper babelet but once I started researching there are so many options! Some people wait a few months to start (once the baby gets bigger). I'm considering a newborn diaper trial then I'll try to build up my cloth diaper stash. It's impossible to know which brand will work best for my baby so I think a trial might be best. I'll be home for (at least) 5 months so I feel like I should give it a try. I'm considering all in ones and prefolds in all the brands. I might buy some g-diapers with disposable inserts for when we are out and about.
4. Cord Banking
I don't really understand this so I put dave in charge of researching... I'll let you know what he decides. I also plan to ask my midwife if our hospital donates cord blood or does delayed clamping. I really need to start researching this.

At this point, I'm trying to get some things on our schedule for the next few months... Our life is getting pretty busy so options are limited. Things like
X birthing classes (booked these for the month of February)
_ Cloth Diaper class (just need to go to the store to get more info on our options)
_ Infant CPR
_ Maternity Orientation at the hospital
_ Breastfeeding Class

24 weeks!

wow 24 weeks already! It feels like I've been pregnant for a long time and to think that I still have 16 weeks to go- it sounds like forever!
But, babelet is growing and running around in there. I'm a little nervous about how low babelet is- I've been reading my uterus is about 2 inches above my bellybutton but all the kicks I feel are still really low. It's funny but I'm actually disappointed that I don't really like food anymore. I have always LOVED food and the fact that I'm never hungry and never want anything (especially sweets) makes me kind of sad. Who am I?
It's been a CRAZY week. We flew a red-eye from Portland to Newark to go to Heather and Graig's wedding on Saturday (my birthday!). The overnight flight wasn't too bad and it didn't hurt that my mom had scheduled me a prenatal massage for when I got in. I actually slept for probably about 4 hours (of the 5 hour flight- not bad). I was really tired all day Friday though. My mom had a holiday dinner on Sunday since my brother and I will both be gone for Christmas and it was a birthday party too. It was nice to see people. I did manage to eat pizza and/or calzones 5 times in the 3 days though so that was a success :)
Then on Monday, we went to NYC and had a family reunion with Dave's family. It was so fun. He has a small family- the 3 siblings each have an only child... so with all 3 generations (including spouses) it was 12 people and we were all there! Dave's one cousin's wife is pregnant with twins and I've loved going through this experience with her. She's been on bedrest since before Thanksgiving (and she's only 30 weeks now) but she was allowed to dinner. Wow, it takes a lot of belly for 2 babies- I don't know if I could do it! I'm excited for the 3 newest cousins to meet each other in June at Amy's wedding.
Tuesday night for one of my birthday presents, Dave took me (and his parents) to see Mary Poppins on Broadway. I love Broadway shows- the sets are just incredible. Since Mary Poppins is one of my favorite movies, it was a great show. Wednesday we were able to meet up with Melani for lunch- I'm glad we were able to see her since we were so busy!

Now that I'm back home, I'm 24w6d and I am up 4.5 lbs! WOOOHOOO I'm finally gaining weight- slowly but surely. I wonder what the next 15.5 weeks will bring me! I never thought I'd be so excited to gain weight in my life!
We get to fly back again next month for my shower. I'm very excited about my baby shower that my mom is having but after these 2 flights, I'm not looking forward to getting there. On the way home last night I was extremely uncomfortable- another month isn't going to help!
Here are some pictures from NYC:

And... what I'm disliking right now Volume 1

Since I wrote a "What I'm loving right now post" I thought it would be fitting to write about what is really getting annoying too :)
1. Holy Heartburn- I've always had acid reflux issues but this heartburn is like fire. It sucks. I'm taking zantac daily and even using mylanta when I have to- to take that nasty liquid it must be bad.
2. Charlie Horses- I get woken up a few times a week screaming with the worst charlie horses. They are so painful and my leg will feel bruised for the rest of the day
3. Putting on my shoes- I'm sure it's going to get worse in the next 16 weeks but putting on my sneakers is becoming increasingly difficult. blah, nothing makes you feel great like not being able to bend over to tie your shoes
4. Egg Aversion- I love eggs and haven't been able to eat them since I got pregnant. I miss my eggs damn it!
5. Sleeping In- I haven't been able to sleep past 6 in weeks. I guess it's my body's way of preparing me for a newborn- or just telling me that going to bed before 9 is a little crazy.
6. Baby on my bladder- I've always had to pee constantly but with the baby laying on/kicking my bladder, it's not helping... the worst part is I teach from 7:30am-10:50am without a bathroom break. That's a long stretch for a pregnant lady. I'm at the point where I can go to the bathroom and before I'm done washing my hands I'm ready to sit back down and go again. Annoying!

What I'm Loving Right Now... Volume 1

I know I'm only (almost) 24 weeks and I have a lot longer but since I've been pregnant now for 6 months (or as my dad reminds me a year has 52 weeks so I still have 2 weeks to go to 6 months) I thought I'd let you know what I'm loving right now. I have a feeling as the weeks pass, I will have some things that I am loving even more as my belly gets bigger and I get moodier :)

1. This Guy
Seriously, my husband is pretty amazing. He is so supportive and would do anything for me. He's going to be an amazing dad- hopefully he doesn't spoil babelet too badly! If he treats Babelet anything like he treats me- baby will be spoiled.
For now, I can't wait for him to be able to feel Babelet consistently because he tries to be patient every night and just finally felt something last night but can't feel all the kicks yet.
2. My Snoogle
Yes, I know I rave about the snoogle but seriously I am dreading my week away from it. It's huge, it takes up our whole bed- both annoying but I sleep so well with it. It's worth it.

3. Starbucks Strawberry Banana Smoothies
These smoothies have a ton of protein and fiber (thanks to some powder) and have been my breakfast of choice for the last 6 months. For the first 20 weeks, they were a huge percentage of my daily intake since I really couldn't keep much else down. They are SO good.

4. Old Navy Maternity Leggings and Tank Top
These leggings are the best! I think every non-pregnant person needs them too. They are low rise and sit perfectly below my belly. Also, they are tight in the legs but not in the waist so they're perfect for traveling. Super comfy!
I wear one of these tank tops almost everyday. They hold me in and give me great support, my belly seems tired/sore if I don't wear it.

5. Starbucks big water cup source: amazon.com
Without this cup, I'd probably be dehydrated. I'm not sure why (it's probably the straw) but it makes drinking a ton of water so easy. Dave wishes it was dishwasher safe but it's still on the list. Yep, I love it.

6. Prenatal Massages and My Chiropractor
I've always been pro-massage and chiropractic, even before being pregnant I have viewed them more as a preventive medicine/treatment instead of a pampering treatment. If you get regular massages and it prevents stress and tension which could limit the need for medications- it's a medical treatment in my eyes. Also, my chiro has done wonders for my hip and back problems - I have went about every 3 weeks for the past 2 years. Without him, I'm not sure I would be able to walk somedays.
I've continued with my chiropractic care the entire time I've been pregnant and now I'm going every other week. My back and hips have been really sore but the adjustments have been easy. My chiro does prenatal adjustments on your back since I can't be face down. He still uses hot packs but doesn't use the stim machine anymore. I plan to continue with my adjustments (probably going to once a week pretty soon) throughout my pregnancy- hoping it will make my delivery easier.
Once I became pregnant, I waited a long 12 weeks for my first prenatal massage (most places in our area don't want the liability during the first trimester). I have been going once a month since and look forward to my hour of relaxation every month. I've been to 3 different places for the 4 prenatal massages I've had so far- 2 places do the massage on your side with lots of pillows and 1 place had the pregnancy pillow. I didn't notice a difference between the 2 methods- they both do wonders on the tension in my neck, upper back and lower back.

23 weeks!

The holidays are almost here! This is my favorite time of year- my birthday is in just one week (really my favorite day of the year is my birthday so that explains it). Last night we had our annual holiday party/cookie exchange and it was a lot of fun. I forgot to take pictures though! :(

The babelet has really started moving a lot in the past few weeks. Babelet is constantly kicking, flipping and moving around. It's such a strange feeling. But then, when Babelet decides to sleep a lot I freak out that something is wrong. I'm feeling better- just tired and still don't have much appetite. My weight is still pretty consistent, I feel like I should be gaining more now since I'm showing more but my midwife is not concerned. I got a snoogle pillow about 2 weeks ago and it has changed my life in terms of pregnancy-sleeping. Dave calls it the bed barrier since it keeps me barricaded off but boy I wish I would've bought this from the beginning instead of trying to use the Boppy Maternity pillow first. That thing was a joke.

Our carpet cleaning and nursery furniture delivery is scheduled for this week but we probably won't set up the nursery for a few more weeks. (We'll let the carpet dry then dave has to assemble the furniture, etc) We still need to finish registering (possibly today) at BRU (and add some to amazon). I'm trying to hold off on any big baby purchases until after my big shower in January but it's all picked out.

Last night my pregnant friends were at the party too and it made me so excited to be pregnant together. Lisa is due mid-Feb, I'm due April 7th and Caitlin is due May 5th. Portland will be a fun place to be this summer!

I'm still trying to decide what I want to do next year... my options are try to find a half time teaching position or stay home full time with the babelet. I can see pros/cons to both sides. At least I have awhile to decide. I'm on a temporary contract (again) this year so its not like I'll know my options until the summer. However, this week, the lady I was hoping to have babysit if I went back to work (she just opened a bilingual daycare) announced she's having twins in July (this will be #4 and #5 for her)! So, she won't be able to help me out come fall.

We are traveling to PA for the holidays and I'm NOT looking forward to the 6+ hour flight. I have an aisle seat (not preferred for sleeping but preferred for bathroom breaks) but it's a long flight especially as a red-eye. Hopefully it's not that bad because we're flying back again in January!

22 weeks!

Since I finally started feeling human a few weeks ago, I feel like not much has changed and that's a good thing. I can eat- not like I did prepregnancy but maybe that's another problem- I am still very tired (8:30 bedtime) but my daily life is ok.
Our nursery furniture is in (they called) but we still haven't scheduled the delivery. Part of it is I want the carpets cleaned before putting furniture down and we're waiting to schedule that first. Our bedding arrived yesterday and I really like it (I haven't taken it out of the bag yet but from what I see, I like it). It's not top quality but it was a good value and since I won't use some of the pieces anyways it works... some of that stuff is so ridiculously priced.
My mom sent my shower invitations for my PA shower and people are getting excited :) I'm not sure how many people will come but I know she invited a lot. I hope people remember I live across the country and ship stuff instead of expecting me to lug it home.
We are going to the coast for a few nights and I'm excited to get away. There's always so much to do around the house it's the only way I relax. Dave and I have both been working too much and it'll be nice to just hang out. Besides, the weather at the coast isn't usually sunny in December but the forecast says it will be! I'm looking forward to walking, being outside, ice cream, caramel apples and resting. Should be fun.
Update: Our trip to the coast was amazing! We stayed in Seaside at The Inn at the Prom. We had an oceanfront room with a fireplace. From our bed I could see the waves and the sunset. It was perfect and just the relaxing weekend we needed. We rested, Dave ran, we went out for breakfast and just hung out. PERFECT.