23 Weeks

And STILL growing!

Bellyflop

The baby was SMILING all throughout the "emergency" ultrasound--which calmed my nerves!

Have you ever done something so dumb, and while you're actually doing it, it's as if you're having an out-of-body experience where you can't stop yourself no matter how hard you try?

A few nights ago, my back was killing me (a common occurrence these days) so much that I couldn't really even bend down to get into bed. So, being the smart and thoughtful person I am, I went face-first onto the mattress. Now, typically that wouldn't be a big deal, right? But nowadays face-first means belly-first, and as soon as I "landed" my stomach hurt so badly that I actually yelped--which alarmed Ryan, which alarmed me even more, and I started crying. Really? Who does that?

Determined not to freak out and be "that first time mom" who calls the doctor with every bump and bruise, I decided to wait until morning to see how I felt. The next day my stomach hurt still (like I had done a thousand crunches or something), and even more alarming, the baby had only been moving maybe 10% as much before.  So when I called the doctor's office, they asked me to come in, which I had assumed they'd have me do regardless.  (The nurse did ask me about ten times to explain exactly what happened--"You what? Bellyflopped into bed? Onto your stomach? Why?"--which didn't help my disposition.)

So I went in (twice, actually, because they didn't have an ultrasound tech in the first day, so they just checked me out and listened to the heartbeat and asked me to come back the next day too) and got a bonus ultrasound!  It's funny how MUCH babies can change even from week to week; this time I could really see the baby's face in detail on the monitor, almost as clearly as a 3D ultrasound.

Everything turned out to be fine, thankfully. And, for my own peace of mind, I did get an explanation--apparently my bellyflop MANUALLY TURNED the baby 180 degrees, so that it's no longer breech. Hmmm. No wonder my stomach muscles were a bit perturbed at me! And I couldn't/can't feel as much kicking anymore because the baby's feet are on the opposite side of my body now.  So, although I don't recommend it, I now have a new skill in mothering, just in case the baby flips back to breech between now and June. :)

Sacrifices & Spaces

Pared down, but no room to spare!

As many of you may (or may not)  know, Ryan and I have had our home on the market for a while now, and although my mother insists that fate will have us moving on June 20th (I'm due the 23rd), I have to prepare as if we're definitely going to be in our tiny townhouse when this baby comes home. As many of you may also know, both Ryan and I have a lot of clothing...and I mean A LOT.

Thankfully my nesting instincts and logical side have made parting with many of my old clothes very easy (thank you Plato's Closet for the extra cash, and I hope you enjoy the rest, Atlanta Mission).  The rub is that since we've moved in, Ryan and I have never shared a closet (and really never could)--and I got stuck with the unfortunate luck to be using the future nursery's closet...and dresser...and armoire...and linen closet.  Now I'm trying to make room for baby's things IN ADDITION to mine, and it's been a struggle.

I've been working on cleaning out my "closet" (and all of the other places I've stored my things in the room) for a month now, and have had to be realistic about what could go into storage (sorry cute, fitted summer dresses, not this year!) and what I really won't ever wear again.  I'm glad to say that I've pared down so that I can fit everything into the clothes closet comfortably, leaving baby with a linen closet, a dresser and the changing table.

I do have to say that I feel guilty that I'm taking the big closet, but then I remind myself that my clothes are bigger than the baby's will ever be. Plus, apparently it will be easy to pack up and store items that are too small or too big easily since babies change sizes so quickly...current moms, please weigh in!

Anyway, since I can't really do anything decor-wise in the nursery, this is the only update I can give on that front.  (Oh, March 3rd, you can't come quickly enough!)

On a side note, I have convinced Ryan to also clean out his closet, and I am proud to report that he's about halfway there! (Which is a big accomplishment for my procrastinating, loving husband.) It's only fair, right?  :)

A non-negotiable for our next house? TWO really, really LARGE closets in the master bedroom. Oh, and probably a large closet in the baby's room, especially if it's a girl...

22 Weeks

22 weeks

The weirdest feeling is having strangers comment on your being pregnant (thankfully I am, or, man, that'd be a blow to the ol' self esteem!). A Russian man opened the door for me the other day, and after I said thank you and walked through, he commented, "Mothers with baby go first." It took a few seconds for me to process what he said since he was the first random person to mention my belly...and then it hit me--I'm past the "chubby tummy stage" and onto the official "BUMP" stage. Yay!

That's What She Said...

So that's why he left "The Office..."

Oh, and I forgot to mention what we have to look forward to on our next visit--a meeting with Dr. Michael Scott! I know, I know. The poor guy was probably just coasting along, building up a great reputation and practice, and then "BAM!" that dang Ricky Gervais had to come along and invade the States.

Since we're now in the "need to meet all the doctors and midwives possible" phase of our prenatal care, I had wondered if we'd get around to him.  Thankfully, he's up next, and I can't wait. Is it bad that I have such high expectations? I mean, he's probably super serious and old or something, but one can hope, right? I will definitely have to hold back all of my internal commentary (I'm sure he gets at least one off-color "Office" reference a day), and just hope a "That's what she said!" doesn't accidentally slip out...

20 Week Appointment

Teasing me from our junk drawer...

Last Friday we had our "20 week" appointment (which was more like 20-weeks-6-days, which, until I got pregnant, I never really thought mattered; in fact I always wondered when asked how far along a mom was why they didn't just say "5 months," but apparently it's a big deal).  Everything went really well; I had expected something to go wrong because everyone had warned me that something almost always comes up at this appointment, meriting another check up.  But we had a great time, a great ultrasound tech, and a quick catch-up with the doctor about our previous worries, and we were done!

Now everyone keeps asking us if this kid's a boy or girl, and the answer is--yes, we're finding out, but no, we don't know yet. I know that sounds crazy, but we've decided to do a Gender Reveal, and because of some scheduling snafus, we're doing it on March 3rd. Seriously, March 3rd might as well be a year away considering how anxious I feel every time I look at THE envelope!  Since we're really just sitting in limbo (we can't register, or decorate the nursery, or shop for clothes yet), I've been channeling all of my energy into crafting and planning and anything creative I can get my hands on...and I'm thankful Ryan has been so great to not roll his eyes too much at me. :)

20 weeks, 6 days--right on target!

Sidenote: Ultrasounds are amazing to me. Until I had my own, I (truthfully) never got that "Awww!" feeling about anyone else's, but there's something about actually seeing the baby move in real time (not just a picture print-out) that elicits a total adrenaline rush. I have a really hard time sitting still and not laughing during them! From this profile pic, I think this kid's got the Aquilio nose...

21 Weeks

21 weeks down!

So being pregnant = being BIG, no matter what anyone says. But, per many requests, I figured it's time to let this cat out of the proverbial bag and start the week-by-week progress pictures...

Kickpuncher

Ryan was outta' town, so it was just the dogs and I left to celebrate!

Just a quick note...the baby kicked last night!  Several times, in fact!

I've been talking to other moms about when they first felt their babies move, and it's been either about 15 weeks or about 22+ weeks it seems. For a while I've been having a sensation like the baby was pushing on the front of my stomach, but it never felt like what anyone else had described (goldfish swimming, bubbles, tickling, gas...). Thus, when people've been asking whether I've felt the baby, I've not been sure what to say.  I started to think that maybe I was growing an alien that was trying to burst out from my belly (instead of nice babies who tickle their moms)--then last night it happened!

It was 11:30 p.m. on the dot, and I was watching Teen Mom 2 (guilty pleasure), sitting on the couch with the dogs when I felt a kick...or a punch. I'm not sure. Actually, intuitively, it felt like a punch, but no one says, "My baby punched for the first time!" so...I'll go with the ol' "baby kicked" for formality.  Or, for those "Community" fans out there, let's call it a "kickpunch." :)

This thing is really happening!

Resolutions + Cravings

Mmmm.

I've really taken to this whole "resolutions" thing this year. Maybe it's because having a baby makes you realize that all those lazy or foolish things in your life aren't habits you want to pass down to a future generation; maybe it's just that being pregnant seems to make you obsessive compulsive...either way, at the Shove household, we're rolling with it!

We live (literally) a couple hundred yards from Whole Foods. It's the closest grocery store by far, and so we've always used it as our go-to for last minute items and as our entertainment on "free sample Sundays." I remember being a newlywed and walking around Whole Foods with Ryan, and on the way out I said to him, "Well all that stuff is so expensive, we'll never shop there much." The times have changed, though, and so have our priorities.  A few weeks ago, we went ahead and took the plunge: We committed to a 99% organic grocery philosophy.

I say 99% because there are a few things that we haven't been able to part with; Ryan with his Boar's Head deli meats and cheeses (seriously, don't even mention buying another brand around the guy), and me with my Panera salad dressing. (Plus, when we have people over, organic versions of party foods aren't really budget-friendly.)

Since being pregnant, I haven't really had many cravings per se, but I have become obsessed with Panera's Greek salads. Thankfully, my dear friend Kendall Kim mentioned casually that Super Targets carry Panera brand salad dressings! I was in shock. Anyone who frequents Panera knows that a salad and a drink can run you nearly $10, so when I hunted down a whole bottle of their dressing for $5, I felt like one of those super-couponers on TLC. And now, even with our no-excuses, 99% commitment, it's been super easy to re-create at home!

I can't get enough of the stuff. I seriously could eat a "Panera" Greek salad for every meal. I always imagined craving ice cream or burgers, or some other ungodly food, when I was pregnant. Who'd have thought--Greek salads? I suppose there's nothing to complain about there...unless this baby comes out craving kalamata olives. :)