Pregnancy Update: 34 Weeks

Highlights this week include my 34 week appointment, a breakfast date and lots of studying. A big thanks to whoever linked one of last week's photos on Pinterest, what a compliment!

Bump: Today's dress is from Motherhood Maternity and is also one I bought very early on and have been wearing throughout particularly for work.

1. How far along are you? 

34 weeks

2. How big is baby? 

A butternut squash (which seems enormous?!). Estimated weight according to my app is 4.63 pounds. 

3. Total weight gain/loss

At the 32 week appointment I had gained 20 pounds total. As of my 34 week appointment this week I gained 1 more pound, so I'm now up 21 pounds total. Of course when you're dealing in that small a number it varies by time of day, water retention etc. I think the point is that my weight gain still seems to be healthy, and really that's all that matters.

4. Purchases

Again we didn't make any purchases this week. We're planning to order or shop for the rest of the essentials pretty soon. I think I have enough warm weather pregnancy clothes to make it through the next 6 weeks and I'm so far totally okay wearing the same outfits every week - I'd rather save money now for some more nursing compatible clothes I'll need in the future and other expenses we have coming up.

5. Sleep

Objectively sleep is a lot worse this week, but it doesn't bother me a lot since I have the flexibility in my schedule to rest when I need to during the day. I do realize how completely blessed I am to be spending these last few weeks with such a self-directed schedule. I fall asleep fairly easily, but I'm waking up a lot more and almost always staying awake between 1.5-3 hours in the middle of the night. About 3 times this week I woke up around 2:30 or 3 AM and just stayed awake and got up with John at 5. 

6. Symptoms

I had a really painful neck strain this weekend but who knows if that was pregnancy related or would have happened anyway. My hands and feet do swell in the heat, so usually they'll be a little swollen after I walk Luna, but otherwise they're pretty normal. I'm also just bigger. I really noticed it this weekend when my neck was hurting - how much effort it takes me to sit or stand from lying down. I'm sure that's only going to get much worse.

7. Rings on or off?

Off. I'm still wearing a substitute ring that's a little bigger in place of my wedding band and it's very comfortable.

8. Belly button in or out?

We decided last week that it's out. 

9. Food cravings

Most of what I'm craving is healthy, but I do feel like my cravings are getting more specific. Not weird foods, but I'll really want a particular meal at a particular time. 

We went to Tia B's La Waffleria this weekend for a breakfast date. There's a build your own option as well but I chose the Bombay Coconut. It's vegan and gluten free. This place has been here a while and is super close to our house but for some reason we haven't tried it before.

I also got a soy London Fog

10. Fitness

I did a lot less exercise this week if I'm objective about it. I walk Luna regularly, and also still walked to campus 3 days last week, but even when I did yoga it was a little lighter and more stretching and breathing than really strengthening. I have goals for this week - obviously I'm not becoming any kind of athlete, but I'm more productive in studying and my other tasks if I exercise too so I have some plans.

11. Feelings and Mood

I was a little moodier this week. I'm still mostly happy but I definitely have a harder time bouncing back from a disappointment or a stress. Or more often a problem I've made up in my head.

12. Pregnancy Perks and Snarks

My baby's movements are big enough now they're easy to see from the outside when you look at my belly. That's been going on for a while but it seems more dramatic now. This week I took advantage of it to send a video to my sisters, which I'm sure they found completely creepy. You're welcome.

13. Best moment this week

I met John for lunch in the middle of the work day one day this past week. I had been having a hard day and it was really helpful. I think I was kind of down during the actual meal, I doubt it was a highlight of the week for John but it was really great for me because it turned my day around.

And that's it - thanks for reading my 34 week update, see you soon.

Pregnancy Update: 33 Weeks

Highlights this week include a lot of days when I didn't really get dressed because I was studying at home.

Bump: This week I'm sporting a Stitch Fix dress again. I'm dressed up for our baby shower, which I'll write about another time.

1. How far along are you? 

33 weeks

2. How big is baby? 

A bunch of celery or cauliflower. Estimated weight according to my app is 4.19 pounds. 

3. Total weight gain/loss

I've gained 20 pounds total as of the 32 week appointment, with an 8 pound gain in the past 4 weeks. I'll have another update on this next week since I'm now to every-2-week appointments.

4. Purchases

We didn't make any purchases but we had a baby shower and received lots of gifts which was really wonderful. In the next few weeks we'll be buying the rest of the essentials to have before he arrives. I'm kind of looking forward to working on the "supplies" preparation because it feels like a very tangible way to help me feel ready.

5. Sleep

I had more middle-of-the-night insomnia this week. A few times when I woke up at night I couldn't go back to sleep for an hour or 2. 

6. Symptoms

I'm feeling overall pretty good this week. I think a little more regular exercise has been helping avoid aches and pains. The most noticeable thing now is just how pronounced his movements are - I can feel him a lot more when I'm not paying attention than I used to. I'm also having that classic "nesting" feeling and find myself wanting to organize and get rid of things.

7. Rings on or off?

Off. I sorted through my jewelry the other day and found a kind of simple inexpensive ring that's bigger than my regular ones so I started wearing that instead.

8. Belly button in or out?

I'm going to call it out. It doesn't look like I expected it to, which may seem weird that I had a mental image of what by belly button would look like in pregnancy, but turns out I did. It's flipped out, but it's not uniformly flipped out. It's like flat with a hat.

9. Food cravings

It's still smoothies and vegetables. I also made this Summer Curried Corn Chowder this week that was really good.

10. Fitness

This week I've been walking a long loop around the golf course more regularly but I didn't go to the gym at all, and I'm still doing yoga for my strength training but often it's only 10 minutes a day. I'd like to do a bit more this week.  

11. Feelings and Mood

I'm really doing pretty well and feeling mostly happy. Instead of moody or cranky, I'm finding that when I'm not feeling happy the negative emotion is anxiety. I'm worry about a lot of things and I think I get overwhelmed more easily.

12. Pregnancy Perks and Snarks

As I mentioned, we had a baby shower hosted by a friend from church this week. A bunch of our friends came and it was just really nice - we felt very supported.

13. Best moment this week

There were a lot of great moments this week that were small things - we're really just enjoying these last few weeks of our very quiet lives. I think the best moments this week were my long walks. They helped calm my mind, I always take Luna and she's always really happy to be walking and it makes me feel active and healthy.

And that's it - thanks for reading my 33 week update, see you soon.

Pregnancy Update: 32 Weeks

Highlights this week include a big weight gain, Mother's Day and some mood swings.

Bump: This week I'm wearing a Motherhood Maternity sweatshirt I've had since pretty early on. It's surprisingly cool today considering the 80 degree temperatures of the past week.

1. How far along are you? 

32 weeks

2. How big is baby? 

An squash or Florida pomelo. Estimated weight according to my app is 3.75 pounds. 

3. Total weight gain/loss

Finally time for an update! 

At my 32 week appointment last week I had gained 8 pounds since my previous one, or 20 pounds total. While the total weight gain is great, I was a little worried about that much gain in just 4 weeks, or 2 pounds a week. My weight gain pattern throughout this pregnancy has been a very small gain over 4 weeks, then a large gain at the following appointment over the next 4 weeks. Even though I knew this logically, it was maybe the first time in this whole pregnancy I'd really felt some negative body image. 

I haven't really talked yet about why I don't weigh myself between appointments. Some pregnancy resources mention you should weigh yourself every 1-2 weeks to make sure weight gain is healthy. It's fairly optional though and I choose to only be monitored at my doctor's appointments. As many of you likely know I've been unhealthfully preoccupied with weight at some points in the past. This has been much improved in the past 3 years, but I knew pregnancy was a time when those feelings might come back, between weight gain and rapid changes in my body. For that reason, I knew my body confidence and health would likely be best served by eating intuitively and letting my doctor watch my weight. 

I'm still extremely happy with this decision, and my doctor isn't worried about the recent gain. Some negativity lasted for about a day, and then I got over it. I think I was a little disappointed to find that the scale still could affect my mood like that, when I've been overall feeling beautiful and healthy. 

I'm trying to be reasonably conscious of what I'm eating and just wait to see how it looks at the 34 week appointment. If I need to make larger changes at that point to keep the weight gain healthy I will.

4. Purchases

I had to look back at my transactions because I couldn't remember this week. I didn't personally make any specific baby purchases, but we did get some new things.

We got Luna groomed, which is a gift to ourselves because it way cuts down the dog hair in the house, but it's not technically a baby/pregnancy purchase I guess.

John bought me this outfit for our baby as a gift. It's so cute.

Available here from Amazon

5. Sleep

I'm experiencing a tiny bit more insomnia this week and more aches and pains. I'm definitely changing sleeping positions a lot more often because of that, but overall I'm getting enough rest.

6. Symptoms

I started swelling in the last half of this week occasionally in my hands and feet. I'm also still feeling the occasional reflux. It isn't really heartburn - it doesn't hurt - I can just feel the refluxing. Last night I fell asleep a little too soon after eating I think and woke up with that sensation about 3 hours later and had to sit up for a while. Pregnancy brain is also really strong this week. I'm mixing up words and at least twice I've taken my foot off the brake without putting my car in park and rolled into a curb while trying to stop. I've also noted the regular pregnancy clumsiness seems to have increased a bit. I broke a bowl this morning.

7. Rings on or off?

Off! Most of the time my hands are completely normal and the rings fit fine, but there were a couple instances when it seems like it might be hard to get them off, and I don't want to worry about that, so I took them off. It also makes it even easier to moisturize my itchy skin without worrying about getting lotions into my rings. 

8. Belly button in or out?

Flat? It's still somewhere in between.

9. Food cravings

Smoothies and vegetables. It's hot enough now I'm mostly wanting cold things. And I usually crave something sweet every day. 

10. Fitness

There were a couple days this week when I was planning to walk outside and the day crept up on me and got too hot, but mostly I've been doing a variety of gym, yoga and walking. I don't have specific goals for the coming week, I just want to keep being active every day. 

11. Feelings and Mood

Mostly the week was fine, but I had a super moody day on Friday. I was just feeling really overwhelmed and really just let it be a not-very-productive day. Once John got home for the day I felt better, and I've felt fine since, ready to tackle the coming week.

12. Pregnancy Perks and Snarks

See my Mother's Day post for a couple quick highlights from my (sort-of?) first Mother's Day. I hadn't really thought the day applied to me, but there have been happy wishes and presents and it's been really nice.

13. Best moment this week

John's been reading to me and my belly this week and I've been enjoying that time. It's relaxing and our baby usually moves while he's talking.

And that's it - thanks for reading my 32 week update, see you soon.

Happy Mother's Day!

My mother is the best. I mean I'm sure everyone thinks that, but I'm right.

If I can be a tiny percentage of the mother she is I'll be doing okay. I just wish I weren't so far away today, but fortunately the move is just about 3 months away.

Mom and I, August 2015, Sandia Mountains

Today's been a very nice day. Even though we're 2 months from the due date, I've been treated very kindly by those around me and received lots of Mother's Day wishes. 

John made me breakfast (chocolate chip pancakes) and bought an outfit I had previously loved but not bought for our baby.

My own Mom sent me a Mother's Day present with lots of things I'll be needing soon plus some very cute clothes for our young man and I thought that was so great.

I guess I wasn't really expecting to feel like a mom yet this Mother's Day, but I do.

So Happy Mother's Day to my mom and all you moms or soon-to-be moms out there.

Thanks for reading, see you soon.

Stitch Fix Maternity Review #3

I got another Stitch Fix this week and I'm very excited to share it with you.

You can read my first Stitch Fix post for an overview of how it works. 

In short: I get 5 items chosen based on my personal style, I get to try them on with my current wardrobe, keep the ones I love and send back the others.

This time in my note to my stylist Natalie I asked for another maxi dress since I have an upcoming graduation and baby shower, that everything be compatible with breastfeeding, and to keep the palette "light and bright" for spring.

So here they are:

1. Dante Cut Out Metal Oval Layered Necklace from Bancroft

After my feedback on my last fix I thought the size of this was great, but I wanted a little more color or variety of pattern I guess - it just didn't feel like me.  

Status: Returned

2. Carlita Knit Maxi Dress from Loveappella

[cute candid John - thanks]

This pattern was nice, but it was the exact same style/cut as the maxi dress I kept from my last fix. I imagine the selection of maternity maxi dresses at Stitch Fix is still a little limited, but I was hoping for something a little different.

Status: Returned

3. Andria Knit Maternity Dress from Loveappella

I don't really have anything this color in my wardrobe and I liked it, but the dress was too thin with visible underwear lines that I have tried to avoid showing in this photo. I also thought the cross-front was really awkward. Either the seams go directly across my chest, or I could pull both sides down a little but then it was way too much cleavage. Just did not work.

Status: Returned

4. Liam Lace Henley Maternity Top from Full Moon

This color is awesome, it still has a little room to grow, it's nursing compatible, it's super soft and I just love it. I'm actually wearing it as I type this. 

Status: Kept!

5. Albany Ruffle Front Maternity Knit Top from Market & Spruce

This color was really pretty and I thought about keeping this, but it just felt a little tight. I probably have 10-15 more pounds to gain and several inches in my belly and I just wasn't sure it would last me to the end. It did really frame the belly though and I liked that.

Status: Returned

Cost:

Dante Cut Out Metal Oval Layered Necklace from Bancroft: $32

Carlita Knit Maxi Dress from Loveappella: $78

Andria Knit Maternity Dress from Loveappella: $68

Liam Lace Henley Maternity Top from Full Moon: $48

Albany Ruffle Front Maternity Knit Top from Market & Spruce: $48

Total Cost for items kept: $48 (minus $20 already paid for styling) = $28

Even though I only kept one item, I feel like my stylist really listened to my feedback and this fix felt very personalized. I've just found in looking at my complete wardrobe that I don't need a lot more until after I deliver. Although I did want another dress for either graduation or the baby shower, not having one I wanted in this fix actually led me to look again at what I have, and it's plenty.

I've decided not to ask for another fix until after I deliver, and then I'll see what I need. I feel like my postpartum body is just a big mystery at this point - I have no idea what my shape or size will be or how quickly I'll lose weight. With that in mind, I'm just planning to work with what I have and get some inexpensive basics in between if I need them. 

Anyway, this was fun and I'm very glad Stitch Fix has maternity clothes!

If you want to try it, you can check out Stitch Fix here for more information. If you decide to sign up, using my referral code [which is the above link] helps me out with some site credit which of course I appreciate, but you don't need a referral code to sign up.

Which item is your favorite? 

Bump status in these photos: 31 weeks.

Thanks for reading, see you soon.

Week in Review: Housewife and Studying

I'm participating again this week in a weekly linkup over on Clean Eats, Fast Feets called Week in Review, so read on for the list of what I did this week.

It was a real mix of super productive and fun things - at the beginning we were traveling back from our Babymoon in Arizona to home and then I was still on vacation at home and had a lot of tasks to tackle but a lot of fun things to do as well. I never really get to be a housewife, so I gave it a shot this week.

Obviously you can't really read everything on this planner page from the photo, but it kept me organized and all the highlights are in the list below.

Week In Review

1. Drove back from Arizona to home in New Mexico.

2. Finished Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner (really liked it). 

3. Cleaned out my makeup storage to keep only products I actually use/want.

4. Made a meal plan, bought groceries (and stuck to it!).

5. Listened to some new podcasts. I enjoyed Death, Sex and Money (okay that title's kind of serious, but it's good).

6. Cleaned out inboxes: unsubscribed to lots of newsletters/ads, deleted old emails.

7. Had the heaters switched off and the swamp cooler switched on for the summer - and then had a freezing cold windstorm this weekend and regretted my decision a little.

8. Cleaned out a dresser drawer (okay it was a junk drawer) and a chest of drawers in my closet. I filled up a full paper bag with trash and another for donations.

9. Took Luna to the park for some Vitamin D.

10. Cleaned out my work purse.

11. Did online modules on safety and harrassment for my department that we have to do every year. Why do I need to do these again 2 months before I graduate?

12. Sent a Mother's Day gift.

13. Cleaned the fish tank.

14. Made a Boards study plan and unearthed my MedStudy books (I hadn't used them to study in a while).

15. Submitted the required forms for my current rotation, which helped me define my goals for the month and how I want to spend my time most effectively so I learn something.

16. Took a long walk around the golf course with Luna.

17. Went to a yoga class.

18. Had friends over to watch Game of Thrones

19. Got a Stitch Fix (post coming soon)

Here are some photos from the week:

31 weeks pregnant!

A photo of my wonderful husband/photographer

Smoothie

Taco Salad

Veggie Tofu stirfry

The clean fish tank (his name is Egbert)

My old half marathon medals (I took a picture because I got rid of them in the cleaning process)

Luna at the park

Don't forget to head over to the linkup to read the other blogs that are participating.

Thanks for reading, see you soon.