28 weeks!

I'm still pretty exhausted from my crazy week last week of subbing full-time (doing all teacher-ly duties), working 20 hours at Curves, and just being a pregnant woman, so I'll have to settle with the lowly pregnancy poll for yet another week. This week isn't looking to be too much better, time-wise, but I do have a pediatrician consultation and my 28 week appointment!

How far along? 28 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 12 lb (give or take)
How much does Baby weigh?: approximately 3 pounds!
Maternity clothes? Definitely. I can't even wear my t-shirts anymore, so I've moved to Jony's side of the closet.
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: Since I've been so busy/exhausted lately, it's been pretty good. Just a few bathroom trips, but I've grown used to that.
Best moment this week: ordering the bulk of Jeffrey's diapers!
Movement: So much. I even managed to freak out a couple of students by having him move while I stood in front of them. Hilarious.
Food cravings: none
Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: I've started having Braxton-Hicks contractions (don't worry- completely normal. NOT actual labor contractions; they're just practice!)
Belly Button in or out? For the most part, it's out. Sometimes it takes a trip back in, though.
What I miss: being able to eat a full meal at one time
What I am looking forward to: Labor Day- a full day off of all jobs for both me and Jony!
Milestones: Finishing our Bradley classes, ordering all of Jeffrey's cloth diapers (well, most of them) and the first time Jeffrey started a school year (same goes for me!)

#of things left to do in the nursery: 13 (i think it may be awhile until we have some more progress in this area)

# of things left to buy: 15

Comparison

Since I'm wearing the same shirt, I thought it would be fun to do a little side-by-side action:

9 weeks vs. 27 weeks

And, our first homemade gifts! From Aunty Coby (or Great-Aunty Coby to Jeffrey). It'll probably be a little bit until he can fit that jacket (and it's pretty girly with sparkly threading throughout it...), but the blanket is gorgeous!

Meanwhile, this long-term sub position (which I was offered the full-time job for and declined, so I'll be staying until they find a replacement) is exhausting me. I hope they find a teacher soon. I don't think I can physically handle it for too long. Teaching (including everything that goes into teaching: planning, grading, dealing with admin/parents, etc) + part-time job after school + being 27.5 weeks pregnant= not fantastic.

27 weeks!

Hooray for 3rd tri! I love being in the final countdown. Only two more months of working left!

Since yesterday's post pretty much took care of what's going on in my life (i'm so boring), I leave you with the regular poll this week:

How far along? 27 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 12 lb
How much does Baby weigh?: approximately 2-3 pounds!
Maternity clothes? Definitely
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: I've developed a pretty consistent bathroom schedule, as well as dealing with discomfort. It's not an easy task to switch positions!
Best moment this week: entering the 3rd trimester!
Movement: Every week, I am shocked by how much he moves. I can tell if he's having a growth spurt day now. Otherwise, it's almost constant.
Food cravings: doughnuts
Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: I've started having Braxton-Hicks contractions (don't worry- completely normal. NOT actual labor contractions; they're just practice!)
Belly Button in or out? I think I have to admit that it's popped out. Sometimes it crawls back in, though.
What I miss: not worrying about being exhausted/suffering from low blood sugar as the school year begins
What I am looking forward to: September- lots of exciting things planned!
Milestones: We're in the final trimester!

#of things left to do in the nursery: 13 (we put new pulls in the closets this week. Big progress, haha)

# of things left to buy: 16

A Beginning and an End

Today, I am 26 weeks and 6 days pregnant. That means- 3rd trimester! YAY! It's hard to believe that I'm getting so close to the end. I even got a stranger comment yesterday when I got my wedding rings inspected/cleaned. He took me by surprise when he asked how far along I was- I still don't really believe that I look that pregnant. Especially in a t-shirt, which I was wearing. It was fun, though! We'll be celebrating entering the final trimester by, again, going to our Bradley class! It's our second to last class. Wierd.

So, what am I at the end of? Summer. How sad. The school year starts up again tomorrow. I'm a substitute, and I wasn't really expecting to have any jobs for at least another week or so. I got a call from a principal on Friday, however, asking if I could cover for a teacher the entire first week! No easing back into it for me! I'm interested in how it will be to sub on the first day of school. I also have my other part-time job at Curves four nights this week. What does this all mean? I'm going to be completely exhausted by next weekend. It is amusing to think that I was in my first and third trimester while subbing. At least I'll be able to eat this time, even if my selection of professional clothes is pretty scanty. Wish me luck to make it through the week!

26 weeks!

How far along? 26 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 12 lb
How much does Baby weigh?: approximately 2 pounds!
Maternity clothes? Definitely
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep: It's really hard to find a comfortable position and even harder to move around during the night. So, sleep has been rough.
Best moment this week: Jeffrey kicking his daddy in the face (multiple times), haha!
Movement: He had a growth spurt last week and now he's all over the place. My belly is constantly moving, it seems.
Food cravings: doughnuts
Gender: BOY!
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? The top is now out, so it looks like my belly button has a little hat.
What I miss: having a selection of clothes to wear (it seems to get smaller and smaller as the days go by)
What I am looking forward to: September- lots of exciting things planned!
Milestones: double digits! We met with a pediatrician and really liked her! We have one more to meet and then we'll make our decision- Jeffrey almost has a doctor! We also finished up all of the big projects in the nursery- on to decorating!

# of things left to do in nursery: 14

# of items left to buy: 16

Double Digits!

Eek! It seems so close but far away at the same time. We'll celebrate this occasion by going to our Bradley class to learn about actually getting him out, lol.

Choosing a Pediatrician, part 1

We decided to go ahead and start the journey towards choosing little Jeffrey's doctor while my OB appointments are still monthly to make it a little easier for Jony to attend everything. We figured it might get a bit much if he's leaving for a different thing every week. We've gotten 2 recommendations, so we figured that we'd start from there and see where that got us. I called yesterday to make pre-natal consulations. Low and behold, we actually got an appointment with one of them for today. The day after I called. I can't deny that I'm pretty dang impressed with the scheduling timing on that one. Our next one is not until Sep. 2nd. Anyways...

We REALLY liked her. She took us back to her office and asked us a few questions about our health, our parents health, and what our plans were regarding birth and such (hospital, etc). She then told us a bit about her and the practice (which has everything we want- yay). She emphasized that she is 100% supportive of breastfeeding before we even had the chance to ask her. She was thrilled that that was our plan and gave us lots of tips, advice, and even a little package! She answered all of our questions very thouroughly and with the answers that we were looking for. She's all about choosing the right vaccination schedule for each child and doesn't necessarily follow the "norm." Basically, she would be a great fit for us. We left feeling very secure that, even if we hate the other pediatrician, that we would be set on that front.

We'll see how the next one goes! He's my sister's pediatrician, so I'm intrigued. I'm also worried- we were going to the same Ob/Gyn, but you can see how that worked out. I think switching made it a little tense between us, but it's getting better. I know it's because she doesn't agree with how her birth went, and she's probably wishing that she would have done the same when she was in my position. I'm hoping that it won't cause more issues if we decide to go a different route with pediatricians, too...

25 weeks!

I decided to add in a "mama's view" to start documenting belly growth in that manner as well. Enjoy!

This last week was pretty eventful- this week, there is nothing happening (except lots of working). Boring. We had our anniversary getaway to a Victorian bed and breakfast in a small town a few hours north of Houston. We had a wedding to go to there, so we just combined it all. It made our little getaway pretty cheap since we didn't have to pay for any food! It's actually the city that both of us went to college in, so we always enjoy going back. We love the city, even though it's teeny-tiny, and plan to retire there someday. It was so nice just hanging out with J and just being together. We knew that times like that would be very rare in a few months, so we took it to the fullest. I will say, though, that we will be going on dates at least once a month (sans Jeffrey). We refuse to become one of those families that's all about their kids. Jeffrey will be included into our life- our lives will not become all about him. He'll get to hang out with his grandparents (who will love that), and we'll get to be a happy mommy and daddy who are still in love!

Speaking of grandparents, my mom bought us our infant car seat as an anniversary present! She's so excited about having a grandson, but we've officially banned her from all baby stores and our registry. My parents have bought us way too much already. It is fun having it all set up and cute in his room, though! It's the Graco Snugride in Sterling:

My Baby

Deep breath! Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. She can't understand what any of it means yet, but she's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).

Success!

First off, I slept through the night last night. As in- no getting up to pee and no waking up due to discomfort. Amazing.

Today was my appointment with my new OB, and, as the title of this post suggests, it was a success! We feel SO much more comfortable with him! He was so nice, but he still has that dry sense of humor that makes us feel at home. We were able to ask questions and get answers that we like to hear. He is very "patient-oriented" as he stated. His philosophy is that it is not his pregnancy, so he doesn't make the rules (in regards to what type of birth you want). Mommy and daddy do. He reassured us that switching hospitals was a good choice for us, as the new one is very big into midwifery and much easier to cut through the red tape to go natural. Apparently, our old hospital is very "traditional." How politically correct of him, huh? Although, he did say that they like to induce and section everyone there. In regards to the actual appointment, blood pressure, fundal measurements and heartbeat are great and right on track. We'll have another ultrasound around 30-32 weeks to check growth and make sure that CP cyst is long gone. So, we're feeling good and very confident that we're going to feel happy with how our birth goes.

Last night, I went to my first La Leche League meeting. It was just a small group, but it was nice hearing stories and challenges from other breastfeeding moms. I was the only pregnant one there, but they were all very welcoming and excited for me. It'll be nice to have that support system set up for after Jeffrey is born.

24 Weeks- V-DAY!

It's a nice feeling to know that if Jeffrey were to be born at any point after this that he has a chance of survival. We're still hoping for at least 13 more outside-babyless weeks, but it's so reassuring to have reached this point. It's a wonderful anniversary present to give to his parents! We spent a lot of time in the nursery this past week and feel really good about where we are at now. There's still tons to do, though. It's insane to me when people keep commenting that we must be done with it now...not even close. We completed 3/18 of our Nursery To-Do's and have our glider and ottoman all set up and arranged. Only a few more big pieces left to put in there (mostly organizational stuff for the closets), but the furniture is in it's final placement! I got a big bag of goodies from my sister (hand-me-downs from the niece- Woo-hoo!) and started going through all of that. We sorted out all the clothes by size (she didn't find out the gender, so she had a lot of gender-neutral clothing) and put up some of the toys that will fit in perfectly with our nursery scheme. That definitely helped with it looking so bland and white. I'm ready to get some stuff up on those walls, though!

This is a pretty busy week for us- on Wednesday, I'm going to a La Leche League meeting. Thursday, we meet our new OB! And then, on Friday, we leave for our weekend get-a-way to celebrate our anniversary/babymoon!

# of things left to do in the nursery: 15

# of items left to buy: 17

One year!

Today is our 1st Anniversary! In some ways, it's hard to believe that a year has gone by. In others, it seems like it's been forever! We've come a long way this past year- new house and a baby on the way! I don't think I could have ever foreseen being this happy at this time last year. We don't have huge plans (we're celebrating next weekend, really). After our Bradley class, we'll probably just watch our wedding video and maybe even go out for dinner. Our cake is all defrosted and waiting in the fridge for us to take a bite. I hope it's good! Here's a few snapshots of our lives one year ago...

and many more years to come :)