First 2 Weeks

As you can imagine I've taken literally a million pics of this kid and its only been two weeks!  So I thought I'd share a few of his first two weeks at home.......

In the oh so comfy nap nanny, Knuckles still not sure about our new addition

                                                



He's yawning, I swear

Sleep sacks are the BEST!! Soooo easy to change them in the middle of the night and they are roomy so you are able to get a lot of use out of them.

Cutest hospital pic ever, couldn't resist :)

                Nap Time!!                      

                                                                

Another great invention.......the BOPPY!

Hello baby Jack

Well its been a while but I'm back and happy to announce that little Jack Kong has arrived!!!  He decided to come into the world at 39 weeks, making him exactly one week early :)  Today my little bundle is 2 weeks old!!  
We are so thankful and extremely happy to have him in our lives, who would have thought you could love something so quickly and so so much!  He is just precious and I could stare at him all day!  Which is pretty much what I do since all I do is feed him and watch him sleep all day!  We've been super lucky so far, he's a really good baby :)
So it began early morning about 4:50am I woke up because I was having contractions.  I still wasn't sure at that point whether these were the real deal or not since I'd been having false labor contractions for days now.  Then they slowly got more intense so I began to time them.  Now they say they should be 5 minutes apart for an hour.  Mine weren't all that consistent, however they were more regular than they'd ever been before.  So at about 8:20am I called my doctor who told me to hang out at home for another hour and then go to the hospital.  So we did and to our surprise I was 6 cm dilated upon arrival.  So with that said I was staying and officially going to meet my little guy that day!!!  I wasn't really nervous, I was more or less taking it minute by minute and dreading each contraction since they definitely got worse as time went on.  We got to the hospital at about 10am and was put in a little exam room, hooked up to a machine with a monitor around my belly to monitor the baby's heartbeat - this is where they told me how dilated I was.  After this was determined I was moved to the delivery room where I remained.  I opted for the epidural and oh how thankful I was to get that!  It didn't hurt at all, in fact the IV they put in my hand was way more painful than the epidural.  I just remember how weird my legs felt initially once it took effect (but quickly got used to it), they were totally numb yet I could still move them.  Contractions were showing up on the monitor next to my bed and apparently I was having some pretty intense ones but I seriously didn't feel a thing!!  It was very pleasant and I really couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable birthing experience.  In fact I'm not really sure why all women don't opt to have an epidural, there is no risk to the baby, the drugs do NOT reach the baby, and every doctor I've talked to has said the same thing.....that the only real risk is that it doesn't take effect so you end up feeling all the pain.
Anyway,  Johnny played music on the iPod which was there for us if we wanted to use it.  Jack was born to a Jack Johnson station on Pandora...hehe.  Johnny was GREAT throughout the entire process, my doctor was awesome, as well as the two labor nurses in the room with me.  We literally just chatted the entire time, except for me when it was time to push.  Then all I could think about was getting this baby out, since I was exhausted.  And I figured out that they had stopped the epidural drip pretty early on so I started to feel lots of pressure when a contraction was coming on before it even showed up on the monitor.  I believe I started pushing around 2pm and Jack was born at 3:40pm.  All I can say is there is nothing like it when your baby is out and you can see him and hear him, and feel him.  It was so emotional and happy, and definitely something I would do again.
We opted to have the baby room with us in my room which is something I'm super glad we did.  I can't imagine having him down the hall in the nursery.  I would constantly be thinking about him and wanting him there with me.  Johnny spent every night with me.  He was a champ for sleeping on that reclining chair next to my bed. 
I will try to post more often, there are so many things I'd like to say to new moms or moms to be.
Here are some pics, of course more to come!!

We are READY!!!!!

Isn't he just so precious??!!

Proud Daddy, they are so adorable :)

Johnny up with Jack in the middle of the night at the hospital

Getting ready to go home!!!!  YAY I couldn't wait to get him home, you are stuck in your room while at the hospital and I just wanted to be able to walk around if I wanted.  

All strapped in, we are headed home with our baby boy!

38 Weeks

OK so officially 38 weeks pregnant and am really hoping that something happens this week.  I thought I was having contractions tonight but they didn't hurt, my stomach just got really tight for a short time and then relaxed.  Maybe braxton hicks?  I'm trying to stay positive and keep myself busy........so I naturally decided to make curtains for my bedroom which totally brightened it up, and then mom came over and she helped me with the last part of the quilt I'm making for little Jake in Albany.  I told myself it had to get done before baby comes otherwise not sure when poor Jake would get his quilt :)
This weekend I spent it relaxing as much as possible, I did some sun bathing and laid in the pool (my extra large kid pool that is), and it was GREAT!  Mom finished making the skirt for the crib and brought that over, so now I think I can honestly say we are READY, now we just need a little baby.  Johnny and I took the dogs for 2 walks today, I read that walking can help naturally induce labor......fingers are crossed!
Not much to really talk about going on with baby right now, he is just getting bigger at this point.  Should be between 7 and 7.5 lbs according to my doctor.  I'm really afraid that if I go full term he will be a BIG baby....yikes!

So here is my pic of the week:

How many weeks?  38
Baby is the size of : about 7-7.5lbs in weight this week - every baby is different though so who knows!
How am I feeling: I feel fine, just not staying at the restaurant as long during the day anymore, it just gets soooo hot and I just can't move like I used to be able to.
Can't eat:  nothing that doesn't really appeal to me, I've been drinking a lot of milk with ovaltine
Energy level:  pretty good, some days I'm really tired and others I have a ton of energy
Maternity Clothes?  OF COURSE, although in the summer weather I've discovered long maxi skirts are great because I can buy my regular size and they just sit low under my belly.....so it was fun to be able to buy some non maternity stuff that I can wear post pregnancy :)
Movement: He is always moving around but you can totally tell that he has little to no room left inside because its no longer actual kicks its just moving around and usually its a foot in the same spot every time
Looking forward to:  The big day

37 Weeks

37 Weeks today and I must say its been a pretty relaxing day, not to mention I've been really tired today for some reason.  I took 2 naps!!   I've been all by myself since last night since Johnny decided to take off to Canada and party all weekend rather than stay home with his 9month pregnant wife........smart move right??!!  He seems to think he knows more than the doctor and knows that I will not go into labor any time soon.
So I spent my time shopping of course and then doing stuff around the house.  Caught some sun which felt great!
So I get the feeling from here on out nothing is really going to feel that much different, other than the constant poking and prodding from baby, I really can't say anything spectacular has happened this past week.  I just feel more and more heavy when I walk, and am finishing up my What to Expect When You're Expecting book, finished packing hospital bag other than some random stuff that I'm still using.  Not sure what to bring for baby to come home from hospital in.  It's July and hot outside but I'm not sure how hot baby will be, is a onsie enough along with a blanket?  Or should I bring a sleeper that is long sleeved?  I don't know, I'm going to bring both.  Also I have no idea how big this kid is going to be and whether or not he'll even fit into a newborn outfit or not. So I feel like I need to bring a newborn and a 0-3month size outfit.  If he's going to come early I wish he would just get here already.
So according to all baby sources he is technically considered full term this week and will only chunk up from here on out......yikes!
 
So my pic this week is me taking it of myself in a mirror since Johnny was MIA.

How many weeks?  37
Baby is the size of : about 6.5-7lbs in weight this week - every baby is different though so who knows!
How am I feeling: I feel fine, just hot with the heat and a little heavy down under so I walk slower sometimes.
Can't eat:I just eat a lot of little meals throughout the day, actually I have just this past week noticed that I'm not even that hungry anymore.  and when I went to the doctor I didn't gain any more weight  which I've read tends to happen towards the end of pregnancy.
Energy level: well if today was any sort of indicator I was so sleepy all day
Maternity Clothes?  OF COURSE, although in the summer weather I've discovered long maxi skirts are great because I can buy my regular size and they just sit low under my belly.....so it was fun to be able to buy some non maternity stuff that I can wear post pregnancy :)
Movement: He is always moving around but you can totally tell that he has little to no room left inside because its no longer actual kicks its just moving around and usually its a foot in the same spot every time
Looking forward to:  The little guy's arrival :)

36 Weeks

36 weeks = 9 months!!!  And boy am I ready!  Nursery is done, baby classes are done, making progress on a name (I think), hospital bag is halfway packed.....but a list is made of what I need.  I feel like its so close and ALL I think about is when and how is labor going to begin for me.  Now all I need is to go to my weekly appointment on Tuesday and hear that I'm even more dilated....fingers are crossed.
Not much really happening this week other than me and baby are getting bigger.  I worked at the restaurant on Saturday which turned out to be very busy due to a festival going on on all of Main and East Ave and I realized I can't move like I used to be able to now.  Its just that much harder for me to bend down and all I felt like I was doing was bending down to get this or that.  So its definitely time to start taking it easy I think.
So according to all of my baby resources baby should be 6 or more pounds by now, and my weekly doctor's visit (yes I wrote this post over a couple days) proved this to be true.  She estimates that he is high six, not quite 7lbs yet.  She also mentioned that she probably won't let me go past 39 weeks.  Bad news is that I'm no further along than I was last week though.  I know, I know, that can all change within a few hours, but I can't help but be a bit disappointed.  I've also been experiencing sharp shooting pains in my lower abdomen, sometimes all over, sometimes just on one side or the other.  Doctor said that is perfectly normal and its just baby getting into position to come down the canal!!  So as painful as they are (and boy are they PAINFUL) I welcome them if it means getting closer to the big day.
Here is my pic that I did take on Sunday when I officially turned 36 weeks:

To the left is a pic of the curtains I made for the nursery, which besides a couple of pics to go on the wall, I can finally say is complete and ready for my little bambino!  The material is searsucker which both Johnny and I really  like.

 To the right is a little bit better pic of the detailing I did on the bottom to dress them up a bit. 















I'm currently working on and just finished the front of a super adorable quilt for our friends in Albany, actually for little Jake who should of had his quilt 6 months ago!!  But it was hard to manage in our little apartment at the time and then we moved so now that I have a sewing/craft room its much easier to get things done :)

How many weeks?  36,    about 20+ inches long 
Baby is the size of : about 6-6.5lbs in weight this week, according to my doctor he could even be a bit bigger but not quite 7lbs yet.....thank goodness since I have 3.5 more weeks to go!
How am I feeling: Feel great!  Just heartburn of course.  Feeling lots more pressure down below, like he's going to fall out...hahaha
Can't eat: Nothing specific, just that my stomach is being really squished right now so I'm not eating really large portions at once. I snack a lot.
Energy level: definitely Energy level is surprisingly high I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well
Maternity Clothes?  OF COURSE
Movement:Most definitely, I know exactly where his little feet are most of the time.  Sometimes they are trying to go up under my rib cage which can be pretty painful
Looking forward to:  The guy's arrival :)

35 Weeks

35 weeks pregnant!!!  YAY!  Went to the doctor on Monday and was told that baby is head down (thank God!!!) and is very low so should not move at this point.  Also I'm 2 centimeters dilated.......I'm so excited!!!  I know that this may not mean much at this point but I really think I will go early.  My doctor said there is no way I will go past my due date being this far along already.  She said that she doesn't anticipate anything happening within the next two weeks but anything could happen after that.  Baby Kong is really on his way :)
We had our final baby class tonight and we got a tour of the labor and delivery room which was kind of scary.  I just don't like hospitals, but there's no way around it.  I think maybe it just made things really real for me and put things into perspective.  We saw the baby nursery which Johnny compared to a pet store but with real human babies....since you could just stand and gawk at them through a window.  They were so tiny and cute though.
I'm now racking my brain trying to think of everything and anything I need to buy or do still before little man arrives.  The nursery looks great....just a few last minute things to do still, baby clothes are washed, just need to wash blankets/quilts and things like that.  Although the woman who did our class tonight was really blunt and honest about a lot of things which is great, and she mentioned how she thinks its so funny how everyone is told that they have to wash everything baby in baby Dreft (special detergent) when in reality the babies spent the first 3 days of their lives wrapped in hospital wear which was washed and bleached in the harshest detergent around!  hahaha good point!  Needless to say I did not buy the Dreft but I did buy Tide hypoallergenic.
In other news its going to be in the 90s tomorrow and I feel like a house!  Well not really a house but I am still dumbfounded that my stomach continues to get bigger, its really amazing how your skin stretches like it does.
So I started to think about what women do who have their water break in the middle of the night, they must have such a mess on their beds.  So I've decided to put a pad under the sheets on my side of the bed.  I mean can you imagine Johnny cleaning up that mess??!!  Yeah right!
So here is this weeks pic, I will upload more of the nursery soon.

How many weeks?  35,    about 20 inches long or longer
Baby is the size of : about 5.5lbs in weight this week
How am I feeling:  All in all I feel great, really can't complain for how far a long I am at this point :)  My heartburn is happening more and more and not just at night anymore
Can't eat: Nothing really turns me off at this point
Energy level: definitely Energy level is surprisingly high I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well
Maternity Clothes?  OF COURSE, and  just bought some nursing tanks and bras!!
Movement: Since I found out this week that he is head down, all of the movement up high I now know are little feet !!  :)
Looking forward to:  everything baby!

34 Weeks

Not much has really changed, other thank more than one person has told me that I've definitely dropped and I look different (as far as the way I'm carrying).  Not sure about that but time is ticking so maybe I have.  I don't feel any additional or new pressure below and I don't feel a sense of relief (pressure) up top below my ribs.  So who knows.  I made curtains, well started them today for the nursery.  I have to just do the bottom cuff and then they will be finished and I can start putting everything together.  Johnny finished the chair rail and painting the trim, so his part is done........all up to me now.  Oh he has to finish painting the bookshelf so we can load it up with the little guy's major book collection.  It's going to be a hot week so I'm not looking forward to that aspect, but definitely glad to be having nice weather.
Here's my 34 week pic:

How many weeks?  34,    about 20 inches long or longer
Baby is the size of : about 5lbs in weight this week
How am I feeling:  All in all I feel great, really can't complain for how far a long I am at this point :)
Can't eat: I actually find myself eating less because the baby is on top of my stomach and I'm not as hungry as I once was.
Energy level: definitely Energy level is surprisingly high I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well
Maternity Clothes?  OF COURSE, and having difficulty finding things to wear when its really hot out.  I refuse to buy anything else maternity at this point!
Movement: he has been favoring my right side for all of his jabbing lately, another sign he's running out of room inside there!
Looking forward to:  getting through the heat this week, its going to be a rough one I can tell.  Two words....Air Conditioning!!!!

33 Weeks

33 Weeks preggers this week...yay!!  Although it seems this week will never end.  We started baby classes this week, Monday I had a breastfeeding class and then Tuesday both Johnny and I started "Baby Basics" which is one day a week for three weeks.  This is most likely the root of my exhaustion since I haven't gotten home before 9:30/10ish yet this week.  I was so thankful to be able to come home and not have anywhere to go tonight!  Both classes so far are great and I can already find them very helpful.  This I'd say doubles for Johnny since he really has no idea about a lot of what's to come and I can see his amazement in class.  Another important factor is that we will be delivering at this hospital and everyone teaching the classes and that we've met who works there is so extremely nice, they really make you feel comfortable and at ease about being in there hands.  Not much else to really tell this week other than movements from little K are getting more and more breathtaking and painful, according to the books, amniotic fluid is at its max right now and not buffering as much as it once did since little guy is getting so big.  Supposedly he is gaining about .5 a lb a week from here on out so he's almost 5 lbs or maybe he is depending on how big of a baby he'll be.
Doctor appointment went well on Monday, have another one on the 18th and then its weekly visits until baby K arrives.
Nursery is almost done, Johnny has been working diligently on putting chair rail up and I have washed all clothes and some blankets.....this is a work in progress of course.  My moses basket stand arrived and its so cute!!  I just love it.  I found this guy who makes them to order out of all natural hard wood, EVEN the side brackets that hold the basket into place.  I did a lot of research and found that those brackets are typically made of plastic and have been known to break/snap.  So this was important to me to have something completely made out of strong wood.  He stains it to your liking and I can still smell the fresh scent of stain when I walk into my bedroom......is this weird that I like it???!!! HAHA....whatever.
So here is my weekly photo....next one to come in just a few days.

How many weeks?  33,    about 20 inches long or longer
Baby is the size of : Over 4.5lbs in weight
How am I feeling:  All in all I feel great, really can't complain for how far a long I am at this point :)
Can't eat: I actually find myself eating less because the baby is on top of my stomach and I'm not as hungry as I once was.
Energy level: definitely Energy level is surprisingly high I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well
Maternity Clothes?  Wishing I had some maternity shorts but refuse to go buy anything else at this point, I'm like a month and a half away so it seems pointless to buy more maternity clothes right now.
Movement: painful dragging from belly button to side.....its got to be either a fist or foot
Looking forward to:  this weekend and getting to relax!!!!

32 Weeks

Ok so I'm behind again, as of Sunday I am 32 weeks preggers!!!  Finally 8 months and the countdown is on as far as I'm concerned!  Its been a pretty hectic 2 weeks......last Sunday when I was 31 weeks I had my baby shower (which is why I forgot all about posting that day) and  boy was it hot outside.  Despite the heat it was a perfect morning brunch spent with good food, friends, and family :)  Baby Kong already has a closet full of clothes and he's not even here yet!!  Not to mention everything that needs to get folded and put into the dresser.  Nursery is getting closer to being done, Johnny finished the hardwood flooring in the closet area, put up the trim, and I found an area rug that is perfect for the room.  Picked up the rocker from mom and dad's and the dresser from grandma's.....we have decided to use pieces of furniture that have been in the family for the baby's furniture.  The rocker was given to my mom from my grandparent's when they found out that she was pregnant with me, I have many fond memories of that rocker growing up.  The dresser that was my mother's as a child growing up will be the dresser/changing table for the baby.  I just love that these pieces have sentimental value and are able to be passed down like this.  I wouldn't have it any other way.
So things that have gotten worse....HEARTBURN......not fun!  I finally broke down today and bought some tums on my way home from work.  I hate taking them mostly because of the chalky texture but chugging milk every night and attempting to sleep upright was not doing it for me anymore.  Also interestingly enough while I was looking at all of the different flavors of tums at the store I somehow managed to pinch a nerve in between my shoulder blades!!!  You've got to be kidding me, right???!!!  So now I've got this pain right in my upper back that hinders me from moving in certain directions (work should be so much fun tomorrow) and Johnny somehow seems to think that laying next to me while massaging (and not even looking at what he's massaging) is just as efficient.....hmmmmm.  No wonder I got a gift certificate to a spa for massages from him for my shower.....he HATES giving massages, always complains his fingers hurt  hehe.
The weather all last week and so far this week as well has been really hot and I'm now understanding what women mean when they say having a summer baby is tough because the heat affects you that much more when you're pregnant.  I feel disgusting all day long and so uncomfortable when I'm hot.  Today was so humid which makes it even worse.  At one point I went upstairs to my brother's office and just sat in front of his window AC until I was cool enough to go back into the kitchen, it felt SO good!
Baby is moving around like crazy, I'm convinced he doesn't sleep.  I can tell he's running out of space in there because I'm starting to feel movement in the same places over and over.  Apparently he is approximately 19 inches long this week, so really only a couple more to go.  About 4lbs or a little over in weight.  According to my baby books, he is just fattening up at this point, his skin is no longer translucent and actually looks like ours now.  I wonder if he'll suck his thumb, I guess he's been able to suck now for a little while.  My brother sucked his thumb for the longest time and boy was that a hard habit for my parent's to break!
Oh one other thing, Johnny and I had a wedding to go to over the weekend and all I can say is that weddings are NO FUN when pregnant!  I basically sat at a table by myself all night while Johnny was off having a good time.  Oh but I did have a girl talking my face off about having a baby and everything I should expect for a good portion of the night............JOY!!!!

I don't have a ton of pictures from my baby shower, if you can believe it we forgot to pose for pictures!!!  I'm so mad at myself for that.  So I've posted some of what I do have.
My pic of the week:






32 Weeks in nursery which is not yet complete

How many weeks?  32,    19 inches long or longer
Baby is the size of : Over 4lbs in weight
How am I feeling:  My back hurts now and my hip joints are sore at times still, I've not pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve in my upper back right between my shoulder blades (don't even ask me how this happens!!)  Also battling heartburn....yuk!!
Can't eat: starting to realize what gives me heartburn now, no spicy things :(
Energy level: definitely Energy level is surprisingly high I have to say, I think I'm doing pretty well
Maternity Clothes?  Wishing I had some maternity shorts but refuse to go buy anything else at this point, I'm like a month and a half away so it seems pointless to buy more maternity clothes right now.
Movement: Tons of movement but its starting to seem to be in the same general areas which is s sure sign that little man is running out of room inside my tummy :)
Looking forward to:  having the nursery complete and ready my baby Kong's arrival, hopefully will finish up this weekend.

Some more random picks from last weekend when family was in town for my shower:

 Putting together a diaper cake

 Celebrating Elin's 2nd birthday

 Goodies at my shower

Chocolate Mustaches!!!  A sure sign a little man is on his way :)

My 31 week bump at my baby shower, I'm with my cousin Justine who is also pregnant, I'm 3 months ahead of her I think.

30 Weeks

Mother's Day and I was 30 weeks!!!!  I took pics but didn't get a chance to post on Sunday so I'm finally getting around to doing it tonight.  We had our first BBQ at the new house on Sunday and I would say it was a success, too much food of course bu nothing wrong with that!
Big week this week.....my baby shower is Sunday and LOTS to do to get ready.  Along with everything there is still so many things to do to get ready for company this weekend.  Johnny has been working so hard to get the house ready for family coming into town.
Baby is ridiculously active these days, and I have to say its really fun.  My favorite part of the day is when I get into bed at night, watch TV or go on the computer, and little guy is the most active.  He rolls all over in my belly and I can watch it happen.  Lately he's been favoring my right side more and more so my stomach will totally shift and there is a hard bump where either head or bum is pushing out.  Its so neat to experience.  Then maybe a foot or fist or possibly elbow jabs me on the side and can feel the hard little bump pushing on me.  I just love it.  Although it only makes me more anxious to meet him and just wish July would get here already!!  Every time Johnny tries to feel it the baby stops moving, its so weird, like he is playing games or something.
So here is this week's pics:

How many weeks?  30,    17 inches long or longer
Baby is the size of : Over 3lbs in weight
How am I feeling:  My back hurts now and my hip joints are sore at times. Other than that I am feeling pretty good I think
Can't eat: nothing new i guess
Energy level: definitely I'd say its been pretty good considering the circumstances.  Some days I'm much more tired than others, today I was really good
Maternity Clothes? I refuse to buy anything more maternity other than nursing bras!  So I bought some tanks that were a size up which seem to fit because they are a baggy fit anyway, plus I figure I can probably still wear them post pregnancy.
Movement:  LOTS of moving around, rolling and shifting from side to side, and a little foot or fist or something of the sort keeps jabbing me on my side, pretty cool actually
Looking forward to:  This weekend!!! My baby shower :-)


Here are some pics of Johnny and my  Dad power washing and putting new shutters on the house on Mother's Day.......

This was pretty entertaining to watch from down below because Johnny is afraid of heights so it took him a while to get up there...hehe

29 Weeks

OK so I know I've been slacking on the blog lately but for good reason.....we finally moved into our new home!!  We've been in it for about a week now and I didn't have internet for a few days...hence my skipping a week.  Sooooo had my glucose test this past week, this is where they test for gestational diabetes.  Since I haven't heard anything from either doctor or lab I'm going to assume no news is good news :)  I had to not eat anything sweet or with sugar the night before and especially the morning of.  At the lab they gave me a bottle of what looked and tasted like really sweet orange soda which I had to chug and then sit for an hour in the waiting room only to have them then take 2 tubes of blood from my arm...YUCK!   Have I ever mentioned I HATE giving blood, surprisingly I didn't pass out.  I did however end up with 2 large bruises on my arm for whatever reason....hmmm...oh well I'm just glad I didn't fail and have to go back for the 3 hour test!!!
In other news, Johnny and I are finally able to work on the baby's room...super exciting!  We painted the room over the weekend and my dad is coming over to put hardwood floors down tomorrow.  By the way he put them in our family room over the weekend and they look FABULOUS!!!  Can't wait for every other room to have them as well.......in due time of course :)
My baby shower is in just 2 weeks and sooooo much to do before then.  Johnny has been really good about diligently working after work trying to get things done......Thanks Babe!
As far as changes go baby Kong is not just kicking me anymore, he is now elbowing and kneeing me!  He even woke me up in the middle of the night a few nights ago with a huge jab with some appendage scraping my stomach.  You can totally watch my stomach making waves as he moves around.  Today at Scripts my dad and I were watching him move from one side of my belly to the other, I never get sick of watching this happen.  Even though I'm not one of those women that love being pregnant I do think I will miss those little moments when I feel like he's saying "hi mom" with all of his squirming around.   

So here is this weeks pic......not a very good one though, Johnny was NOT in the mood to be taking pics so I'm stuck with this one. 

Here are a couple of Daddy putting the crib together because he is too excited to wait.......we then had to take it apart again when it came time to paint and do the floors :(  Oh well it was neat to see it put together

In the above pic you can see what the room looked like before we made it our weekend project.....I hate the clouds but Johnny likes them so we compromised and left one wall where the crib will go and painted everything else.  I'll post "after pics" when its all finished

How many weeks?  29,   about 17 inches long
Baby is the size of : About 3lbs in weight
How am I feeling:  My back hurts now and my hip joints are sore at times.  I've seemed to have pulled a muscle in one side of my butt........literally everything they say is going to happen during pregnancy  HAPPENS!
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego.  I'm actually not as hungry as I have been up until now since my little bugger is getting so much bigger
Energy level: definitely tired in afternoon and exhausted by bedtime
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. I've also been buying just medium or large size tops which seem to be working as well, maternity sections at stores are often picked over and this way I figure I can still wear post pregnancy.
Movement:  kicking is now jabbing elbows and knees.
Looking forward to:  getting the nursery done and really getting settled into the house.  Oh and my shower and family coming into town!!

27 Weeks

As of yesterday I am 27 weeks pregnant....which means only one thing......this is my LAST week of my 2nd trimester!!!!  YAY the beginning of the end is in sight and I can't wait!  My little kicker is kicking more  than ever, so much that I can watch my stomach move as he does it, and I just want to meet him already!!  Anxious much?  I know, but I can't help it.  So apparently he is over 2lbs, 15 inches in length, and has more taste buds right now than he'll ever have, even after birth.  Sooooo he can taste and react to the food that I am eating.  Hiccups may start soon which excites me because it's something new that I've never felt before.  Oh yes, and I now have back pain, just great :(  and I'm afraid that my feet will grow in size because I'm on them all day....I've read this can happen. 

Ok now for my rant of the week......why is it that some people feel it necessary to tell you exactly what they think about your current state of pregnancy without really thinking about it first????  In the same week I had a customer at the restaurant tell me that I'm getting puffy....what does that mean???  And she said it all cutesy like it's something I've been striving for and have now achieved.  Then a couple days later another woman told me that she thinks my butt is getting bigger than my belly!!  I was shocked and just looked at her and said "I can't believe you just said that to me"  which is a heck of a lot better than what I really wanted to say!!!  I just don't get it......BUT I've accepted the fact that some people just have no class...AND I'm over it!

Sooooo in other news, we are STILL waiting to hear when we will close on our new house and I am SO VERY FRUSTRATED.  We are still hoping to close this week and move this weekend....fingers crossed

Here's the pic of the week:

How many weeks?  27,  should be about 15 inches long
Baby is the size of : Over 2lbs
How am I feeling:  good but uncomfortable when full and when bending over....such as trying to put on socks and shoes.....and my back has started to hurt more and more.  Its like the aches and pains just hit me all of a sudden :(
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego
Energy level: definitely tired in afternoon and exhausted by bedtime
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. I've also been buying just medium or large size tops which seem to be working as well, maternity sections at stores are often picked over and this way I figure I can still wear post pregnancy.
Movement:  kicking is more pronounced and definitely more frequent
Looking forward to:  feeling the baby's hiccups, and starting my 3rd trimester!!

26 Weeks

26 weeks today and July can't come fast enough!!!  So according to all of my baby books and the internet, baby is a full 2lbs this week, is able to open his eyes and can see (even though its dark inside my belly).  The pupil doesn't have any color just yet though so too early to determine what baby Kong's eye color will be....something tells me it will be brown or just maybe green like mine :)
The heart burn has STARTED and its NOT fun :(  I usually get it starting in the evening and then during the night.  One night last week was really rough, I had to keep sitting up in attempt to make myself feel better.
Still in a holding pattern on our new house, we "should" find out this week when we close and both Johnny and I are hoping for next week as our move date.  Did some more packing this weekend and seem to be in pretty good shape as far as that goes.  Just can't wait to get in and start on the baby's room!!!

Also something they don't tell you before you get pregnant....what's with all of the nose bleeds??  I wake up every morning all congested and unable to breathe and then have random nose bleeds at different times throughout the day.  I've never had an actual nose bleed until I got pregnant, very strange.  I've been sleeping with a humidifier on at night but I think its helping Johnny's snoring more than it is me (which isn't a bad thing!)
Here's this week's pic:

**All I can say is THANK GOODNESS I had a bunch of big and baggy shirts pre-pregnancy!  They have saved me in the clothing dept. that is for sure


















How many weeks?  26,  should be at a whole 2lbs
Baby is the size of : A 2lb chuck roast...hehe
How am I feeling:  good but uncomfortable when full and when bending over....such as trying to put on socks and shoes.
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego
Energy level: definitely tired in afternoon and exhausted by bedtime
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. I've also been buying just medium or large size tops which seem to be working as well, maternity sections at stores are often picked over and this way I figure I can still wear post pregnancy.
Movement:  this kid is moving constantly!  I love watching my belly move at night when I'm trying to fall asleep
Looking forward to:  JULY and meeting my little man

25 Weeks

As of yesterday, Easter Sunday, I am 25 weeks along and July can not come fast enough.  I am SOOOO very anxious and eager to meet my little peanut!!  Johnny decided to start shopping online for baby Kong and today arrived the first of his shopping spree......  One is a little Northface jacket which he got 3-6 months.....I hope it will fit!! Fingers are crossed because its so stinking cute!!!

Here's a picture of me and baby boy with the Easter Bunny, I found him hopping by Scripts Cafe over the weekend.....hehehe 

Not a whole lot to update this week so here is my 25 week pic:

How many weeks?  25,  a little over 1 and a half lbs
Baby is the size of :  We are officially out of fruit comparison's, baby has outgrown them :(
Gender:  A little man
How am I feeling:  still great!
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego
Energy level: good in the morning and tired come the afternoon
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. 
Movement:  kicks are getting harder and I can see my belly moving if I catch it at the right moment.
Looking forward to:  Moving and getting to start setting up the nursery.....closing date is getting closer I just know it :)

24 Weeks

24 weeks and 2 days!!  I'm a couple days late this week because Johnny was out of town for the weekend and I didn't have anyone to take my picture with my trustee chalkboard :)
So I am officially in my sixth month which I can't believe!  When people say it's going to fly by they aren't kidding.  It stinks though that pregnancy is technically 10 months rather than 9.  Currently planning for the baby shower which I'm getting excited about.  REALLY excited that both of my sister-n-laws will be there with both of my nieces!!!  It's going to be so much fun.  Now that I know I'm having a little man its actually really fun coming up with ideas.  I stopped at Carter's today on my way home to browse the clearance rack and found a ton of good buys.  Since it's double stamp day I somehow managed to fill up an entire card in one shopping trip!!!  Not that hard actually.  Johnny doesn't even protest anymore when I come home with something, he just lets me show him everything I bought and then mumbles something about how much stuff this kid has already and he's not even born....hehehe.
I'm starting to feel some of the restraints of being pregnant.  I can't put socks or shoes on the same way anymore, I get tired and out of breath from doing things I'm used to doing, I can't always sit the way I want due to discomfort....I forget I have a big belly now :)  My mom has finished 2 out of the 3 quilts she is making (this kid is going to have so many blankets) and they are really pretty.  I picked out fabric and she is making me my bedding set (bumper and crib skirt), I can't wait for that to be done and to have everything all put together.
So here is my picture for this week, I snapped it as soon as I got home from work.....that would explain why I look so lovely (BLAH).

Knuckles got in on this week's pic, isn't he a cutie??!!  Hard to believe that he weighs 8lbs and that is the size of a new born...yikes!
How many weeks?  24,  about 1 and a half lbs
Baby is the size of :  We are officially out of fruit comparison's, baby has outgrown them :(
Gender:  A little man
How am I feeling:  Feeling great!
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego
Energy level: about the same
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. 
Movement:  LOTS of movement, little guy is kicking up a storm
Looking forward to:  Moving and getting to start setting up the nursery. 

23 Weeks

So today I am 23 weeks and guess what everyone........we are have a baby BOY!!!  Yes, we were not going to find out but one of the nurses slipped up at one of my appointments and kept giving me clues as to what it was (without knowing she was having diarrhea of the mouth!!) and then finally said as I was scheduling my next appointment...."So is your husband really wanting a boy??" which then confirmed all of my suspicions.  So I had already had them write the sex of the baby and seal it in an envelope so when I got home I told Johnny that if he wanted to open it he could since I figured I already knew.  Of course I was right and he was a VERY happy soon to be daddy!! We kept the secret between the two of us for a while but then decided to start telling people since its just so exciting :)  Plus now that I know buying for baby is so much more fun, I find myself gravitating towards the baby sections of all stores and before you know it I'm walking out with nothing but cute little baby outfits!!  I told myself I wouldn't do this but its just uncontrollable, everything is just so darn cute!
So here is my pic for this week:

Just keep in mind that I did just have a big lunch from Cheesecake Factory before this was taken......mmmmm and it was delicious :)
How many weeks?  23,  a little over 1lb
Baby is the size of : I'm not quite sure because the website I usually look at says a pomegranate but  I'm not sure how correct that is.
Gender: its a surprise:  Surprise ruined.....its a BOY
How am I feeling?  I've been getting a lot of headaches lately, they just hit me at random parts of the day.  Can't really take anything other than regular strength Tylenol which does nothing to help!!
Can't eat: nothing really other than the usual stuff you have to avoid if you're prego
Energy level: great in the morning, but quickly down hill in afternoon
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!  oh and leggings, those still fit. 
Movement: little guy is kicking right now!
Looking forward to:  anything and everything

22 Week Update

Hi everyone, its almost time for my 23 week post but I thought I'd share some news, since my last post only days ago I have been feeling the baby kick like crazy!  Johnny felt it for the first time tonight, it was pretty neat.  I had my doctor's appointment on Tuesday which went great, baby is measuring normal on everything, is weighing in at 1lb 2oz, and moving around like crazy.  At one point during my sonogram my little peanut was playing with it's feet.....was super cute!  My last visit baby Kong was breech but has since turned around and (according to the sonogram tech) seems quite comfortable in this position.  Keep your fingers crossed that baby stays in this position!! 
In other news, I took a stroll by a mirror the other day and didn't have pants on and just about passed out!  Lets just say things are spreading and we definitely have cellulite....yikes!!!!!!!!!  Not a pretty site.  The doctor told me on Tuesday that I've only gained 13lbs in 5.5 months which apparently is not a lot.  She said as long as baby is doing fine then all is good.  Well let me just tell you that it DOESN'T feel like "not a lot"!  I'm just going to pretend that it's not there and hope it all disappears when baby is born :)
It was 78 degrees today and I spent the day being HOT!  I had to go out and buy a crap load of t-shirts since I have none that fit and the restaurant gets so warm when the weather is nice.  Its March and I almost got the fan out for tonight, but figure that might be jumping the gun. 
Well that's my little update for this week.....talk to you all again in a couple days for lucky number 23!!!

22 Weeks

I'm 22 weeks pregnant today and I can finally feel the baby kicking/moving!!!!  I've felt little flutters here and there but I'd then go days sometimes weeks before I felt it again.  Last night while I was trying to fall asleep I felt a lot of movement and a kick that was substantially harder than usual.  It made me smile :)  Then today my little chicken has been moving all day at different times throughout the day.  I mostly feel it when I'm laying down on my back (which shows you how much I laid around today).  I kept calling Johnny over to feel it but he couldn't.  He didn't have the patience to wait for it to happen so we will keep trying.
The weather has been so nice, 70s in March!!  I am so happy and just pray that it stays.  Today was a lazy Sunday so in my picture below I really do look like a slob but that's what Sunday's are for I guess.  According to the baby books that I have at 22 weeks the baby is about or at 1 pound in weight.  Wow, took long enough I feel.  Now I bet I start really packing on the pounds!

How many weeks?  22,  about 1lb
Baby is the size of : well one baby website said a papaya but that doesn't make all that much sense to me...oh well.
Gender: its a surprise :)
How am I feeling? still a ball of energy in the morning, and of course exhausted by mid afternoon
Cravings: I bought peanut butter cup ice cream today, really wanted a white caprese pizza from My Tomato Pie the other night so planned a shopping trip around picking that up....hehehe
Can't eat: ummmm nothing that I can think of has really turned me off this past week.  In fact my eating has increased...yikes!
Energy level: great in the morning, but quickly down hill in afternoon
Maternity Clothes? Yes but I can still fit into some of my tops that I have which I squeeze myself into every chance I get!!
Movement: YES YES FINALLY!!  It is more frequent now which is really fun
Looking forward to:  I have a sonogram on Tuesday

21 Weeks

21 weeks yesterday, I get to check one more week off!!  I can honestly say I feel really pregnant now, not that I didn't before, its just now I look pregnant and its noticeable to others and not just pudgy looking.  I felt some bubble like feelings the other night so I'm going to believe that was little baby saying hello.
Some GREAT news for our growing family....We bought a house....YAY.....and so I've been packing as much as I can each night after work, trying to get it done now since I'm not sure how I'll feel in a month or two.  Hopefully we close sooner than later :)
Its a great feeling to be able to picture what room will be the nursery and I can finally start to visualize how I want to decorate.
I've been experiencing some acid reflux the past couple nights, not sure what that is all about, I've heard heartburn can be a big irritating part of pregnancy so I'm hoping that isn't next!
Here is my 21 week picture....I admit its not the best but with everything pulled out for packing It was hard to find a spot to place my chalkboard.

How many weeks?  21,  about 10.5 inches (baby is really growing!!!)
Baby is the size of : Banana
Gender: its a surprise :)
How am I feeling? I can't get over how much energy I have in the morning, but then I literally crash around 2-3pm every afternoon.  
Cravings: still on a Pellegrino kick, cereal-specifically raisin bran and great grains with raisin, dates, and pecans.  I've eaten a lot of raspberry strudels at work lately - they are my weakness when they are still warm from the oven.  
Can't eat: I don't think garlic mayo agrees with me right now, I've tried eating it on a sandwich twice lately and baby immediately tells me NO MORE!
Energy level: great in the morning, but quickly down hill in afternoon
Maternity Clothes? Oh yes, I finally went shopping over the weekend and picked up a few things at the mall, but then found my way to "Destination Maternity" which carries A Pea in the Pod and Motherhood brands.  Definitely expensive but I shopped sale racks and got some really good deals I think. 
Movement: little bubble like feelings and flutters....but not many
Looking forward to:  what this week will bring!!

My new maternity pillow is amazing by the way...  I LOVE it, and so do both of my dogs!  Its a battle every night to move them out of my space when I want to roll over...Johnny has somehow started sleeping closer to my side as well, I wake up with him usually hugging one side of my pillow....its a big hit with everyone...hahaha
Here are some pics of things I like as far as nurseries go, plus an absolutely adorable bunny hat :)

  The top and bottom pics both have the crib that I want, I love this style.  The bottom pic has the poms that I think is a great way to add a pop of color whether its a boy or girl you can color coordinate.  Since I want to do a very neutral nursery theme this idea really appeals to me.  Here is a link to Martha Stewart's demo on how to make the poms:  http://www.marthastewart.com/how-to/tissue-paper-pom-poms-how-to

Another pic with the crib I like....

I was at a party over the weekend and I was talking a girlfriend about pregnancy books and how BORING they are.  You are expected to know all of this stuff but nobody tells you anything so you have to read the stupid books!  She agreed and gave me a couple of books to try that are more on a conversational level and are humorous.  "Belly Laughs"  by Jenny McCarthy which is really funny because Jenny doesn't hold back.  She tells it like it is and I can totally relate.  The other one is called "The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy" which I haven't started yet but it looks like it will be good.  So my advice to other pregnant women out there falling asleep every time you try to read a baby book, is to try these.