31 Weeks

How Far Along? 31 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 13 pounds

Have You Started to Show? Just yesterday I was trying on some new maternity shirts for Nick when he said “Wow! You’re belly is getting really big!” I feel like our little man went through a growth spurt this week as well.

Stretch Marks? None.

Belly Button? O-U-T out!

Maternity Clothes? I received my maternity coat from Macy’s and was really disappointed. The Motherhood Maternity Hooded Belted Open-Front Coat that I was most excited about fit really well and was super cute but it was so itchy! The Jessica Simpson Maternity Houndstooth-Print Belted Puffer Coat made me look like the marshmallow man from Ghostbusters…no thank you! My mom and I went shopping this week and I did buy a couple long sleeve basic maternity tops and some amazingly comfy fleece lined maternity leggings that I am in love with! I also bought a few knit open sweaters that aren’t maternity but are super cute!

Symptoms: No major symptoms this week. I am finally over my cold, hooray! I did have some nausea a few times this week, but I think it’s just tied to the times that Baby Morelli is going through a growth spurt.

Movement? We had an appointment with our midwife this week and after feeling my belly she confirmed that Baby M is head down! I’ve been talking to him about his arrival in a few months, telling him that he needs to be head down, facing back and have his little arms crossed over his chest; our little man is so smart and such a good boy already listening to his mommy! I can tell that he is definitely getting more cramped in my belly! He moves all the time but now when he’s doing his “running man” it feels like his feet are going to come through my skin!

Sleep? Ugh. Two night of pregnancy insomnia in a row really kicked my booty!

Exercise? I was really bad about exercise this week. It’s hard to get the energy to work out when you’re not sleeping and you’re getting over being sick. I’m hoping to get back on track this week.

Food Cravings: Every morning when I get up (even those 3 AM mornings) I have an apple from my dad’s ranch with peanut butter and Chobani Greek yogurt. I’m addicted!

Food Aversions: Chicken. Nick and I went to Costco this week and they had all the rotisserie chickens lined up to put the lids on and I almost lost all the samples that I’d just eaten. I really hope that I’ll be able to eat chicken again when I’m no longer pregnant.

Happy or Moody? Happy, but I did have a couple grumpy moments this week that I think were more from lack of sleep than hormones. Thank goodness I have such a patient, loving husband.

Miss Anything? Lattes! With fall in full force I really miss having a nice warm latte to drink while I’m out and about.

Nursery Progress: I received two exciting calls this week-one from Romina furniture and one from Monte Designs! Our bursary furniture is officially on its way to our house! I can’t wait to get it and start decorating!

Best Moment This Week: Again, I had several “best moments” this week. The first was dinner with our dear friends, Mike and Doreen. We met for dinner at the Italian Kitchen and enjoyed a nice meal while catching up. Nick and I always love getting together with Mike and Doreen; they are some of the nicest people and we always have a great time when we see them. My second best moment this week was a little surprise gift from my mom! My mom gave me the baby blanket and baby outfit that I’m wearing in the picture of me sleeping in the German basket that my mom used as a bassinet. I am so excited that she saved it for me all these years! I can’t wait to get a picture of our little man in the same basket with the same blanket wearing the same outfit! (A side note about the outfit-it’s blue not pink or anything so it actually looks more like a little boys outfit.)

Looking Forward to: Our intro to cloth diapering class this Saturday. We took a breastfeeding class last weekend and I feel a little less anxious about breastfeeding now. It’s funny I’m not anxious about our birth but I am nervous about breastfeeding. I know how beneficial breastfeeding is to a child and I just want to be the best that I can be for our little man. I started reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding this week and I think that will be a really great guide to have around.

30 Weeks

How Far Along?  30 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 12 pounds

Have You Started to Show? Whenever I’m walking away from Nick he likes to tell me that I don’t look pregnant from the back. I then usually turn around with my hands on my hips and remind him that I DO look pregnant from the front. I’m pretty much all belly these days.

Stretch Marks? No stretch marks here! I use my Mother’s Special Blend Oil twice daily and my Nubian coconut papaya lotion. I have noticed that my skin has been a bit itchy lately so I have been lotioning in between oiling up.

Belly Button? Out. I’ve accepted it, but if I lay flat on my back it is flat still so at least that’s something!

Maternity Clothes? My search for the perfect maternity coat has not been easy! I found two super cute maternity coats at Nordstrom: the first coat is the Japaneese Weekend'MamaCoat' Convertible Jacket and the second coat is the Isabella Oliver 'Alma'Double Breasted Wool Blend Maternity Coat. However, the Japanese Weekend ‘MamaCoat’ is $278 and the Isabella Oliver ‘Alma’ coat is $429! Ouch! If I were to spend that kind of money on a jacket it would have to be a NorthFace! Since I will only need it for a couple months I just couldn’t justify the price. Thus my search continued! I found a few other jackets at online stores that I liked but you have to pay to ship them back. Nordstrom has spoiled me with their free shipping, free returns. I then looked at Motherhood online and found two coats that looked like they might work. I have learned to read the fine print about returns and upon further investigation I read that online purchases can be exchanged for new merchandise in the store or refunded via store credit only. Again, no thanks! I then remembered that Macys carries some of the Motherhood lines and eureka! I found the two jackets I wanted to try. The first is the MotherhoodMaternity Hooded Belted Open-Front Coat and the second is the Jessica SimpsonMaternity Houndstooth-Print Belted Puffer Coat. The best part is they are both only $99! I ordered both coats to compare and am hoping that one works out. We are still having a beautiful fall but the nights are chilly so I know I will need a coat very soon. I wore my NorthFace down vest on a two-mile walk this week and was very disappointed to discover that I couldn’t zip it around my big ol’ belly!

Symptoms: My headaches and heartburn have virtually vanished thanks to Kathy, but I have been fighting a cold/soar throat all week. I keep telling myself that I will not get sick but I have to admit that I haven’t felt 100% this week. Kathy gave me a Silva Solutions homeopathic cold and flu solution to take and I know it has helped keep this darn cold at bay, but it is just fighting to hang on to me. I have also been using my nettie pot like crazy and drinking honey and lemon tea to help my throat. I LOVE the honey and lemon tea and think I may still have it after I beat this cold! I still drink my red raspberry leaf tea everyday and will continue that, but the honey and lemon is a nice treat!

Movement? It still amazes both Nick and I how active our son is in the womb! He is constantly on the move and has even been ‘showing off’ more lately! I spent a day running errand and hanging out with my mom this week and she got to feel her grandson kicking and rolling around like a wild man! Nick has also named one of his new moves ‘The Running Man’ – it truly feels like he is trying to run inside of me! His little feet just start pushing out against my belly on the far right side and then he tries to ‘run’! It is such an odd feeling, sometimes it tickles and other times it is sort of uncomfortable. He also likes to use my bladder like a trampoline - it's not so enjoyable when he decides to do this.

Sleep? This category really should be titled ‘Lack of Sleep’. If I’m not waking up to pee I’m waking up because I’m starving! This usually happens between 3 AM and 5 AM. The only problem with getting up to eat something is that once I’m up I’m awake for the day. I’ve tried bringing snacks to bed but I still can’t fall back asleep after I eat. I have also been getting stuck in bed. It’s definitely harder to get up and I get caught/tangled in my pregnancy pillow almost every time I try to get out of bed. It really is quite comical!

Exercise? We have walked the doggies a few times this week, but I have been so busy this week and I haven’t been feeling that great so my exercise hasn’t been the best. Here’s hoping this next week will be better.

Food Cravings: Eggs, beef, Chobani Greek yogurt and blueberry banana smoothies. I also made a really good beef and vegetable soup this week. Whenever I make soup I tend to make a huge pot so I am going to freeze a couple containers of soup so we can pull them out for meals after our little man arrives. I really want to have several meals frozen ahead of time for us to enjoy after Baby Morelli arrives so this is a good start.

Food Aversions: Chicken especially fried chicken. To me, the smell of fried chicken is almost as bad as the smell of diesel trucks.

Happy or Moody? Happy! Even though I haven’t been feeling great this week I have been really happy. I’m just so excited for our little man to arrive it’s hard to let anything get me down.

Miss Anything? Felling healthy. Since I’m rarely sick it is so frustrating when I do catch something. Even though it hasn’t been a horrid cold it has still been annoying! I always have a new appreciation for being healthy when I’m sick.

Nursery Progress: Our furniture has finally arrived in New York and will be delivered to us by the end of the month! I can’t wait to see it and really get down to business decorating the nursery! My baby shower invitation went out last week and I have already been receiving gifts! My friend Shannon bought us the 4Moms Infant tub and the 4Moms spout cover. I am really excited about both of these gifts, as I know we will use them all the time! My friend Natalie also sent me some surprise gifts that arrived all wrapped up from my Amazon Registry. Thus far I have resisted the urge to open them, but I don’t know if that will last. I love all the items on my Amazon registry so it feels like Christmas every time the UPS man arrives!

Best Moment This Week: I had several ‘best moments’ this week. The first was attending the infant first aide and CPR class at Mother’s Haven with my hubby and mom. After learning how to perform CPR and the Heimlich on an infant I feel so much more prepared for the arrival of our son. The class was really great and we all were so glad that we took it. After we finished the class my mom and I both had to pee, when we finished I showed her a few of the cute baby items that Mother’s Haven carriers. We then noticed that Nick was nowhere in sight, I just figured he was on his phone returning calls outside, but I was pleasantly surprised when we walked out. Nick was bust watching the instructor give a car seat safety demonstration and asking her questions. It just melted my heart yet again to see him taking his daddy duties so seriously! On the ride home he said that we need to get our car seat soon so he can install it and have the instructor check it. The instructor teaches the first aide and CPR class once month at Mother’s Haven and will gladly inspect anyone’s car seat to insure that it is properly installed. She also told us that Kootenai Medical Center offers car seat safely inspections! What a great thing to offer new parents! My second best moment this week was a call from my friend Natalie! I haven’t talked with her since she returned from her trip to South Africa so it was great to catch up! I only wish she lived closer so I could catch up with her in person!

Looking Forward to: Our next class at Mother’s Haven. Nick and I are going to a breastfeeding class, Unlocking the Mysteries of Breastfeeding, this Saturday and I am really looking forward to learning more about breastfeeding. It’s all so new to me and I am very eager to learn. I also ordered The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding this week. My friend Laura, who has an amazing blog, Tiny Toes Little Nose, recommended it and said it was the only breastfeeding book I would need to read. I think it will be great for all those nights when I have pregnancy insomnia!

29 Weeks

How Far Along? 29 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 12 pounds! Our little man went through a growth spurt this week!

Have You Started to Show? I definitely feel quite a bit bigger this week. I also noticed that people have been touching and rubbing my belly more frequently. I know some women don’t like it when people touch their belly; I however am not one of those women. I love it when people rub my belly! I rub it all the time and personally think Baby Morelli likes it too! He is sometimes shy when people rub my belly and other times he like to show off for them! It’s pretty cute!

Stretch Marks? Still stretch mark free. My belly has been pretty itchy this week even though I oil and/or lotion up twice daily. I have been trying to resist the urge to scratch, but Nick did catch me scratching my belly (albeit gently) this week.

Belly Button? Well I’m not happy to report this, but Nick finally has agreed that my belly button it OUT. I know it will go back in, but it just looks so strange!

Maternity Clothes? I took my Citizen maternity jeans to Nordstrom to have them hemmed and I should have them back by Friday. They were about a foot too long, which is just crazy! I’m 5’7” and normally I hem my jeans a little, but my maternity jeans had enough extra material for a pair of baby jeans! I also tried on several of my coats thinking that one of them may work for the winter; however, I was sadly mistaken! I need to find a maternity coat very soon.

Symptoms: I’m happy to report that my headaches are WAY better! I am so blessed to have a wonderful god mom, who just so happens to be my chiropractor as well! My headaches lessened with each adjustment and now they are almost gone completely! I truly don’t know what I would do without Kathy! I always feel way better after her adjustments. Kathy also gave me a new probiotic and I haven’t had heartburn since I started taking it. With the headaches and heartburn gone I thought I was in the clear, but last night my throat started getting a little soar and a wicked Charlie horse also woke me up. You win some you lose some I guess. I just keep telling myself that I will not get sick!

Movement? I can tell that our little man is getting a little more cramped inside. He still moves like crazy but now he is pushing out way more. I also think he is starting to try to figure out how to get head down. I have felt his feet in my right ribs several times. He is such a smart boy already! He also gets the hiccups almost daily!

Sleep? It’s hard to sleep well when you have to go to the bathroom 4 or 5 times a night but I do my best. I had one night of pregnancy insomnia this week where I woke up at 3 AM and couldn’t go back to sleep. Finally at 4:30 I just got up for the day and paid bills and cleaned house. I also find myself tossing and turning frequently throughout the night. It’s just hard to get comfortable these days.

Exercise? We have walked a few times this week but I haven’t been real good about my exercise. We have been super busy this week. I’m hoping to get back on track this week.

Food Cravings: I still love Chobani Greek yogurt and blueberry banana smoothies with peanut butter, but with the weather changing I have been craving soups too.  I made a batch of lentil soup this week that just hit the spot!

Food Aversions: Still can’t stand chicken! 

Happy or Moody? I have been a little up and down this week, mostly happy, but I was a little irritable a few times this week.

Miss Anything? Sleeping through the night.

Nursery Progress: One of my best friends, Shannon, sent me the Petunia Picklebottom diaper bad that I wanted! I decided on the backpack style so it won’t interfere with my baby wearing. The navy blue is so pretty; I can’t wait to start using it! I’m such a lucky lady to have such thoughtful friends and family.

Best Moment This Week: My mom, Kendra and I went out to lunch this week at Huckleberry's and discussed our plans for my baby shower. It was so great to have some girl time. My brother's girlfriend is an absolute sweetheart and my mom and I both adore her!

Looking Forward to: Nick and I finished our last HypnoBirthing class last weekend so now I have us schedules for several classes at Mother’s Haven. We have a baby wearing class Wednesday and an infant first aide and CPR class this Saturday. My mom is also going to take the first aide class with us.

28 Weeks

How Far Along? 28 Weeks

Total Weight Gain: 10 pounds

Have You Started to Show? I feel like I should change this question because obviously I’m showing, but it’s still fun to acknowledge the changes in my body from week to week.

Stretch Marks? None

Belly Button? I would say not it but not out yet. Nick thinks it’s even or flat so we will just go with that for this week.

Maternity Clothes? I have been looking at maternity coats online, but I haven’t seen anything that I love yet.

Symptoms: Headaches and heartburn. This has been one of my tougher weeks symptom wise. I have been experiencing some pretty intense headaches lately. I’ll be just fine one minute and then the next I’ll have a pounding/throbbing headache behind my eyes. I have been getting chiropractic adjustments (thank goodness for my wonderful god mom) and they give me some relief. I know it’s just the hormones and it will pass, but it’s hard to function normally when you have a headaches-I truly feel for people who experience migraines.  I have also had almost constant heartburn lately. No matter what I eat I get heartburn!

Movement? Our little man has been practicing his karate kicks and punches this week! Nick has been able to feel some of his more intense movement this week so that has been really exciting. After he felt some pretty strong kicks this week he leaned down to my belly and said, “I can’t wait to meet you!” It melts my heart every time he talks to his son. I also think our little man has been getting the hiccups! Lately I’ve been feeling a consistent little pulse for about a minute or so, not very strong like a kick or a punch, I can only think that it’s the hiccups.

Sleep? I have ok nights and then some rough nights. Baby Morelli has been sitting really low lately so I feel like I get up to pee about 5 times a night. He has also been really active at night lately. We go to bed around 9 PM and listen to our HypnoBirthing relaxation CD and I’m usually asleep within a few minutes, but I wake up around midnight to go to the bathroom and it just continues from there. I have also been really hot at night, which is unusual for me.

Exercise? We have been experiencing the most beautiful fall that I can remember so Nick and I have been walking the dogs as often as possible. I also ordered some cork yoga blocks and a yoga strap so I can keep practicing my yoga at home.

Food Cravings: Beef. I can’t get enough beef. We had tacos twice this week and t-bone steaks with sweet potatoes. I think I could have a steak, burger or tacos everyday and be perfectly happy.

Food Aversions: Still just chicken and greasy food. I don’t think I’ll eat chicken again until I’m through my pregnancy. I’m hoping that it will sound good again, but I really have no idea.

Happy or Moody? Happy. Even though I’m more uncomfortable than I have been and I’ve head headaches I still love being pregnant. Every time I feel our son move inside me I smile. It makes all the unpleasant parts of pregnancy so worth it!

Miss Anything? Motorcycle rides. With this beautiful fall weather I have really been sad that I can’t hop on the back on Nick’s bike and go for a ride.

Nursery Progress: Nothing new this week, but I did call Romina Furniture to check on the status of my order. I was told that our furniture should be in New Jersey some time the week of October 20^th and from there it will be shipped to us. I can’t wait for it to arrive!

Best Moment This Week: I had the best weekend! Friday night Nick and I went on a date night and Saturday we went to GreenBluff with my mom and her husband. Nick got his ’67 Nova back this week so we decided it would be fun to drive it to dinner for our date night. His Nova has been in the shop for a while now getting some new gears and a new rear end. We drove the Nova to Cedars for dinner and sat at a table right by the water. It was a beautiful night and it was great get out and enjoy an evening together. 

On Saturday after our HypnoBirthing class we picked my mom and her husband up and drove up to GreenBluff. They are currently having their fall festival so we ate some great BBQ and listened to a really fun live band. My mom also bought us the cutest little crocheted little baby hat! After we walked around and took pictures we enjoyed some fabulous dessert! I had a bowl of the most delicious pumpkin ice cream! 

Nick told me he was done taking pictures for the day-needless to say I wasn't happy about that!

Then we headed down to a little farm to pick hunt for the perfect pumpkins! This proved to be a bit more challenging than one might think. The pumpkin patch was so dusty and I completely forgot how pumpkins have stickers/thorns on the stems! I found two perfect pumpkins after walking up and down two fields but I still wanted a little baby pumpkin. Nick finally caught on to what I was doing and said, “Oh, I see! You want a daddy, mommy and baby pumpkin!” My husband is one smart cookie! I was about to give up when one of the workers told me they had a different field of sweet baby pumpkins! Why didn’t I ask in the first place! We literally took about four steps into the field and found our perfect baby pumpkin! Now all 3 of our pumpkins are sitting on our front steps! Overall it was an awesome weekend spent with the people I love and cherish! I am one lucky lady! Here are some pictures from the pumpkin patch and of our adorable pumpkins. I tried to get a picture of our pumpkins with my little babies, but they wouldn't pose at the same time!

Looking Forward to: Feeling headache free and normal, or as close to normal, again soon.