23rd week and I can't wait...

In case you couldn't pick up on the sarcasm, evidently this is the week when this kid starts to pack on the pounds. You can only guess what that means for me. I'm probably about to officially out grow all of my regular work pants. To date, I've been able to rotate about 4 pair that were size 6 with the help of the belly band but I'm afraid my days are numbered. I've ordered a second pair of big girl pants. Hopefully they come in soon.

I went to church today and you can't help but observe the various family dynamics that are present and one thing occurred to me. There are definite advantages to boys. One example: You don't have to do their hair. I saw a family with two little boys and they had little crew cuts. That beats dealing with long hair and knots. And to think that this little guy won't have to worry about Pawpaw coming at him with a comb the barber gave him (which is not meant for girl hair) claiming to want to "help get the knots out" is great.


I'm also excited that we're finally trying to work out the bedroom situation. It's a slow process but ultimately, we need to find room for a crib, changing table and dresser in an already crowded room. I'm continuing to sort through my clothes and make sure I am only keeping what I wear and S is going to have to do the same. Then we are going to have to figure out what pieces of furniture come out of that room to make room for baby stuff.

We are also getting closer on names. We're negotiating still but we both like the names we just have preferences on which to call him on a daily basis. More to come!

Pounds Not Ounces

The 22nd week of pregnancy is marked with a huge milestone. Little Bob is weighing it at 1 pound this week. That will mark the first time he's measured in pounds not ounces. In total, I've gained somewhere between 14 & 15 pounds and I still have 18 weeks to go. This should be interesting. I need to stay around the 25 to 30 if at all possible. That is what's considered normal for pregnancy. That would mean I would need to shed about 10 pounds post baby to get back to pre-baby form. That seems so far away right now.

S and I also went and did some registering at Baby's R Us this weekend. It you look at the registry, I think you'll notice very clearly what items he registered for (hint - "My first soccer ball"). It's a much easier store to deal with when you go on off hours and your husband is with you. We did pick out a lot of big things but we still need to decide on a crib and furniture.

We both agreed on bedding too which was nice. It's at Pottery Barn Kids. it's got the perfect amount of blue and green. Thanks Mom!


Now if we could only agree on a name that easily. S has his vote and I like it, I'm just not sure I'm sold on it yet.

We also did some nesting this weekend. I guess you could call it that. We are having to actually share closet space (oh lord) which is going to test our marriage. So we started clearing out more old stuff in the basement to make room for cedar lined closets (to be built) or modular units that we can use to switch out seasonal clothes. We had the old metal cabinets from the kitchen upstairs that we wanted to use so we've got the bottom ones in place now. S has to hang the top ones and I need to go get a countertop to go over the bottom units. We also need to look at carpeting that area down there (carpet tiles) and investing in a bigger TV since the treadmill is down there, I'm hoping or expecting to spend a lot of time there. If my little guy is anything like my niece, he will want to be held and walking all the time. I guess we can burn a couple calories together. Luckily we've made it through an entire year without water in the basement which is a huge thing. The flood of 09 will be one we never forget.

As for the workouts, I'm having to get more creative. Running is a thing of the past. Maybe 2-10 minute increments at the most but it's always sprinkled in to a more walk heavy sweat session. Weights are my one saving grace. I've been able to for the most part continue those. It is funny though to walk back to the weight section with all the muscle heads and see the looks I get. It's pretty obvious that I'm pregnant and they aren't sure whether to try to stop me from straining too much or stare. Either way, it's pretty entertaining. There are a few of them I do know and every time we pass and say hi, I can tell they aren't sure if they should ask if there's a baby in there. So I save them the awkwardness and let them know early. Your welcome muscleheads! :) Stare away boys, little bob and I'll be doing some bicep curls over here in the corner!!

Kicking, Punching and Whatever Else

Little Eli (I'm just going to start trying different names to see what I like) is definitely starting to make his presence known. I'm constantly feeling little nudges and I can almost feel like he might be doing flips in there. It really is a crazy feeling. Every time I tell S to feel it, little one stops moving. Poor S!

I did add a few more things to my registry last night but I want to go in and look so I know there are things that are in stock.

I went swimming this afternoon after work. I was so nervous to put my swimsuit on for fear that it wouldn't fit. I was pleasantly surprised that it did. Now I just had to get over the fear that I would look like a beached whale struggling to do some laps. Once I realized it was just me and another elderly woman, I was able to relax. Normally swimming is just another task. My goal is usually to swim a certain distance (1/2 mile, full mile or more). Once I started swimming today, I decided not to count laps. It was nice. I was able to just enjoy being weightless in the water. Swimming is different than anything else I do because it's the only activity where I can't put headphones on and get lost in the activity. When you swim, you are truly alone with your thoughts and no other distractions. That can be good or bad. Today was a LONG day at work so all I wanted to do is something mindless. Nothing better than going up and down a lap pool. You don't burn as many calories as running or biking but it does work different muscle groups. Besides, I've got to get little **Insert Name Here** introduced to the water early.

More Nursery Options

I think I've found two bedding options that like better than the one previously provided. These two are from Land of Nod which is a Crate and Barrel site.




The crib quilt on second option is on backorder and isn't scheduled to ship till September which is a bummer.

21 Weeks..

So I'm 21 weeks now, over half way there. What to Expect tells me that he is about the size of a large banana right now. He is also starting to taste everything I am eating. I guess I better watch what I eat a little more carefully. I probably shouldn't eat so much junk food. They also point out that some women will start to notice stretch marks. I think I can thank good genetics for my lack of these scary pink lines running amok on my stomach however, i think I'm going to have to deal with some ugly veins in my legs.

S and I continue to bounce around names. We're getting close but haven't decided on one yet.

Small Eye Openers Yesterday

So I guess you could say I've been thinking about October 26th sort of as Dday. The day the whole world comes to a stand still, my life changes forever and I have to start to deal with big kid issues. Yesterday I ran across some small reminders that once this little guy is born, life will be normal (the new normal) and that my entire life won't be all about the kid, which is something I'm a little nervous about. I know theses are small but regardless, to me they said: "See, life will go on".

1. Last week we had taken our new car in to get it detailed, oil change and tire rotations. We got it back and it wasn't until yesterday that I noticed the new oil change reminder in the upper left hand corner. The date for the next oil change was "11/3/2010", that's PB date (post baby).

2. Yesterday morning I was listening to the radio and they were giving away tickets to Justin Bieber (which is the only way I'd ever want tickets to see him) for a concert to be held in STL in the middle of November.

Just hearing about activities planned after little guys birth reminds me I'm not going to be pregnant forever and that soon I'll have another little buddy to do all these little mundane activities with. Now I'm kind of looking forward to them.

The Blog is Getting Around

I know this really doesn't have anything to do with Baby but I think it's fun to look at every now and then. The blog is starting to reach people in more states. What you can't see from the picture is that someone in Poland and Germany have also visited it.

The Hunt Is On

So now that we know Baby Mac is a baby boy, we can start to think about baby gear (i.e. furniture, bedding, etc). I've done a little looking and found somethings that I like.

I don't think S or I want a themed room, rather something that he can grow with. So the hunt for bedding continues. Everything I've found has had animals or something on it.

I did find one possibility on Distinctive Nurseries.com but I'm going to keep looking. It's hard to remember that this is for a little boy. I want to find something sophisticated. I'm not sure this fits the bill.


When I'm not looking for baby stuff, I do think I'm feeling more movement. They are small but it does feel good to know that he's right on track.

It's a Boy!

S and I went this morning bright and early to see what type of baby is in my stomach. If you didn't read the title, it's a boy! I noticed it right away!

Do you see what I see? Mimi would be so proud!!

I'm sure by now you've guessed that I'm not absolutely loving being pregnant but if this is like a marathon, then the sonogram we saw today was a much needed water break. It made all the frustration worth it.

We also found out that he is weighing in at about 11 oz right now which is right on track with the delivery date of Oct 26. We saw so many angels of this little guy it's hard to share them all.


This one reminds me of skeletor but it shows all the necessary features.

This is What 20 Weeks Looks Like

It's been a while since I provided photographic proof that this pregnancy is actually happening so this is what 20 weeks looks like. It doesn't look as bad as I feel like it looks like when you look at it from the side. You can't tell from this picture but that will be about the last time I wear those shorts. Things are just not fitting like they use to. I got told last week that I was having a "butt baby". Loosely interpreted, it sounded like I was being told that I'm gaining most of my baby weight in my butt (oh great). Maybe I should be taking the picture from that view.



It's hard to believe that on Monday we'll be able to name that little bump.

I felt it!

I had a Dr. Appointment today she confirmed that what I thought I was feeling was in fact movement. While listening to the heartbeat, I heard what sounded like a hiccup and felt a little jump. It was pretty crazy. It is amazing, every thing that happens is a new experience and am just lucky that so far things have gone ok.

Another new experience this appointment was the tape measure. From now on, a tape measure will measure the size of my stomach and provide some insight into the progress being made.

Monday bright and early, we head to Missouri Baptist to have an ultrasound which promises to show us the sex. I can't wait! It might make me realize that there is truly something amazing happening and at the end of 9 months, we'll be the proud parents of a baby girl or boy, instead of just feeling fat.

19 Weeks and Frustrated

To date, I've only had one of "those days" where I seriously just want to forget what's going. I just want to get up, put on my regular clothes (and button them), get a day of work in then go to the gym and push it. I don't feel satisfied if I don't feel good about my workouts. I know it's sad but it's such a big part of who I am. I just am having a hard time dealing with the changes. Maybe next week will be different when we find out what the sex is. Maybe.