32 Weeks and Few Days

My apologies everyone! I am very behind on my blog. It seems like my to do list is getting longer and longer these days. I guess it's a good preview of what our life will be like. Ha!

Overall, I've been feeling good...most of the time. I'm at the point where I'm pretty tired most days and my back hurts so much that by the time I get home from work all I want to do is sit on the couch with me feet up. Outside of that I don't have any huge complaints. The baby is still moving around, A LOT, and I can definitely tell it's growing very quickly. When the baby moves my stomach seems to move with it and feels more like an elephant than a baby. The babies favorite position seems to be tucked into the bottom of my stomach...so I live in a constant state of heartburn and shortness of breath. There is a reason why they call the second trimester the "Honeymoon Period"! Also, my stomach seems to get tighter and tighter everyday. Baby is growing really fast!

A lot has happened since my last post. We spent Thanksgiving in Arkansas, my amazing friends hosted a very sweet baby shower for me, and we have started putting together the babies room. It was really nice to spend Thanksgiving with my family. We ate too much, relaxed, and ate again! We spent enough time in Arkansas that we were able to spend time with friends and lay around too. My friends Erin, Erin's Mom Renee, Cara and Maureen hosted a wonderful shower for me. It was so nice to have the chance to visit with everyone and I was so appreciative of everyone's generosity. Our baby is definitely set!!!

The baby weighs about 3.75 lbs and is about 16.75 in. long. This weeks fruit and veggie comparison is Jicama! I've never eaten a Jicama before, but I swear the baby feels much bigger than this.

So, on to the good stuff. We bought a new camera this week, so we spent the afternoon in the mountains testing it out. It's amazing to see the difference between the pictures with our old camera compared to our new one. Tyson has become "paparazzi-ish" trying out all the settings and figuring out the new features.

I go to my next Dr. appointment on Tuesday for my 32 week appointment and an ultrasound to see whether the placenta has moved out of the way. If it hasn't we are going to start planning my c-section for around the middle of January. This baby may be here a lot sooner than we thought! It's extremely exciting and overwhelming at the same time! We interview our Pediatrician this week too. All of the loose ends are now getting tied up. We are definitely getting close now! I'll keep everyone posted.

I hope everyone has a great week!

28 Weeks and Almost 29...

Well, everyone I am once again behind. Ha! I've been out of town a lot lately so I haven't been as diligent as I should. This past Monday I had my 28 week appointment. Along with my Dr. appointment, I had a Glucose Tolerance Test and another ultrasound. My Dr. did another ultrasound to check on the growth of my placenta. At my 20 week ultrasound my placenta was sitting on the edge of my cervix. My Dr. figured it would move and scheduled an ultrasound at 28 weeks just to be safe. Well, my placenta is still sitting on the edge of my cervix and if it doesn't move by 32 weeks my Dr. is going to schedule me for a C-section. Honestly, I was really upset about the prospects of having a C-section. I've spent my entire pregnancy preparing myself for a natural, unmedicated birth and wanting the experience of being the one to bring our baby into the world. I know a C-section is the safest thing for me and the baby, but I still feel a sense of loss because I won't have the "experience". After talking to a very sweet friend (THANK YOU BROOKE!), I feel much better. Regardless of how I deliver we will still have our little one in the end. That is the most important thing! There is still time for my placenta to move, but if it doesn't it will be fine either way.

Well, onto the good stuff. The baby is measuring at 2.5 lbs and about 15 inches longs. Now the baby will start to quickly put on fat and plump up for it's arrival. I made friends with the ultrasound tech during my appointment and she, sweetly, took some 3-D pictures of the baby along with the normal ultrasound pictures. Usually 3-D ultrasounds provide the best pictures around 30 weeks when the baby has put on more fat, but I still think mine turned pretty good for being on the fly. So, here is the 3-D debut of the baby (please note we aren't finding out the gender and the baby is constantly moving!).

I promise there isn't a hole in the side of the babies head...it's the shadowing of the skull and the suture lines of skull will disappear once the baby puts more fat on.



It's time for the fruit and veggie comparison! Tomorrow I'll be 29 weeks and the baby is the size of a.... Butternut Squash! Which coincidentally are one of my favorite vegetables.

Well, I'm signing off for this week. We will be in Arkansas next week for Thanksgiving and my baby shower so I'll have more pictures to come. Also, I'll do a mini post belly picture post at the beginning of next week.

27 weeks tomorrow!

Well, I'm kind of behind on my blog so hopefully this will catch everyone up. The baby has continued move around...constantly. All day and night. Everything I've read says the baby sleeps around 12-14 hours a day, but I'm convinced our baby only cat naps on and off. Haha! Also, the baby feels like it's resting really low and my belly is starting to stick straight out more than being round. My belly feels big enough now that eating large meals is no longer an option. I end up feeling really full because there is less room now...so smaller meals are the deal from now on.

Baby stats:

• The baby is about 14 inches long and still weighs a little over 2 lbs. The baby will start to put on weight really fast now.
• The baby's lung are now able to breathing air and the brain stem can now regulate the basal body temperature.

This weeks fruit and veggie comparison is...CAULIFLOWER!

Tyson has done so well playing along with taking my bump pictures from the very beginning. I will admit that I'm super picky about how the pictures look. He has developed a new method for taking pictures so I have lots of choices. He takes them in rapid succession, one right after another so I have a bunch to choose from and he doesn't have spend the whole night taking "redo's". Here are the pictures from tonight's photo shoot...Once I realized what he was doing I couldn't stop laughing.

On to other fun things. So we spent last weekend in Vegas with friends. We ate, gambled, went to the pool, saw the Hoover Dam, and walked everywhere! We met two other couples and partied all weekend. I know what your thinking..."How can a pregnant girl have fun in Vegas?"...Well, it's possible and I had a blast.

Best breakfast ever!

Well, that's it for this week folks. Hope everyone has had a great week!

Week 25 and a few days

Well, folks the weeks are rolling by. Not much has happened this week. We have decided which birthing classes we are going to sign up for and have agreed on a names (finally!). Also, I've noticed that I really huff and puff during my runs this week. It's kind of shocking that all of the sudden my normal run, literally, takes my breath away! Another effect pregnancy has had on me is indigestion. Me and Tums have become really close. My dreams have continued to be very vivid and odd (sometimes) which makes for interesting mornings as I try to piece them together.

The baby still weighs somewhere around 2 pounds is about 13 inches long. It's movements have become much more "visible" and can be kind of uncomfortable at times. This week the baby weighs...

About as much as a Rutabaga

and is about as long as Challah Loaf



And for the real deal...the bump picture

Things that I really enjoy eating...

So people ask me about weird cravings all the time, so here is a synopsis of what has been especially yummy!

• Fish tacos from Wahoo's (a chain in Denver)
• Strawberry, banana, oatmeal, and Greek Yogurt smoothies
• Apples
• Hand cut french fries from Vine Street Pub (local restaurant in Denver)
  
• Cranberry juice mixed with club soda
• Brach's mellowcreme pumpkins (because its fall...of course!)
• Cheese
• Artichokes
• Milk
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Dubble bubble gum (Yes, the kind people give out as Halloween candy that no one likes.)

I don't eat all of that together or any specific combination, but anyone of those has a tendency to hit the spot.

Tyson and I are headed to Vegas at the end of the week, with friends, for a Babymoon, so next weeks post should be more fun.

Hope everyone has a great week!

24 Weeks and a few days

If you are counting by weeks, this marks the beginning of the sixth month of my pregnancy. Over the past couple days I have been thinking about how quickly the time has passed, but at the same time some parts of it have passed slowly (like the treacherous first trimester. Ha!). I had my 24 week appointment this past Friday and met with one of the other Obstetrician's at my doctors office. Since there are four doctors in the practice I will meet with all of them, over the course of the next few visits, in case I deliver after hours and my doctor isn't all call that day. Other than meeting with one of the other doctors it was a rather routine appointment. My blood pressure was good, she checked the baby's heart beat (which was good), we discussed the pediatrician I have been thinking about picking, and I got a flu shot. Generally, I go without getting a Flu shot ever year, but since I'm pregnant my doctor made a few valid points as to why I should get one. If I weren't pregnant I would've passed on getting one like every year, but since I'm set to deliver in February (still in Flu season) I went ahead with it.

I've been noticing that bending over isn't as comfortable as it used to be and it's more comfortable for me to sit up straight to "open up" my abdomen. Also, I'm more out of breath than usually during my runs and slower than I used to be. This week the baby weighs between 1 1/2 to 2 pounds and is about 12 inches long. The baby will start putting weight on quicker now that it's body and organs are developed. I think I'm going to carry pretty low from now on...maybe with a little luck I'll be low enough that the baby will just have to walk out when I deliver. Ha!

This week we have an ear of corn!!!! Seems fitting for Fall.

Lately, I've been having lots of feelings about motherhood. For some reason the enormity of being a parent hit me this week. While I know it will be wonderful I've been feeling/wondering whether I will be a good parent and how I will figure out what/when to do it. I know motherhood is a natural part of life, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared and feeling a little overwhelmed. The bright spot is that the more I read about pregnancy, breast feeding, ways to comfort your child, fetal and baby development/needs...the better I feel. It has made me feel more prepared. I started a book called, "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League International. While the need and desire to breast feed is natural it can feel kind of intimidating...probably due to it's importance and wanting to get it right. This book has been an awesome source of information about breast feeding and connecting with your baby. I would definitely recommend it!

On a lighter note, I made a wonderful discovery this week! Maternity leggings from Old Navy are AWESOME!!! The designers at Old Navy must have had me in mind when they made them...they are incredibly comfortable and only $10 a pair. I'm already so attached that I will be pretty sad when I won't have an excuse to wear them anymore. Until then, they are amazing and I can't believe I didn't find them earlier. I will probably order another pair just to have a spare. If you are pregnant you definitely need a pair. KUDOS maternity leggings!

Our dogs seemed especially interested in the belly picture this week. They might be feeling a little neglected, so here are a couple pictures of their attempt to participate. Enjoy!

Hope everyone has a great week!

23 Weeks and a few days

This past Friday was the 23 week mark for me and I all the sudden realized how fast my pregnancy is going. It's kind of scary and really exciting at the same time. The baby's movements have been much stronger lately. It no longer feels like little nudges or pokes...now it's kicks and jabs. I have my 24 week appointment this coming Friday and I think I might have another ultrasound. At my last ultrasound they found the placenta was resting close to the bottom of my uterus and wanted to follow up in a month to make sure it was growing up the side of my uterus, instead of across. So that means we get to see the baby again! Now, that its growing faster it's really cool to be able to see how much it grows over the course of a few weeks.

As I move through my 23rd week the baby is starting to put on more body fat and the face is fully formed. It's about 11 inches long and weighs anywhere between 12.7 to 20 oz. At my 20 week ultrasound it was measuring about 12 oz, so it's probably on the higher end of the spectrum by now. My bump doesn't look much bigger, but it is starting to feel bigger.

This week's fruit and veggie comparison is a Papaya! I think I like this one the best...so far

It feels more basketball-esque this week.

What else is going on in our life...

This past weekend has been the first cold weekend we've had. It was nice on Friday, but we woke up to sleet/rain and COLD temperatures on Saturday. Needless, to say I was not ready for the cold and felt like I had to say my goodbyes to summer. Tyson even had to break out his cold weather, Halo playing outfit! I thought his ensemble looked so funny/cute I took a picture of it. Enjoy!

He is so good about putting up with my antics. He even smiled for the pictures while I was trying not laugh so hard I could've cried. Do you notice all the pillows stacked up behind for support?!

In other news, I started a new job (within my same company) today. My new job will require much less travel than my old one, so that will be good for our expanding family. I will very much miss my old role and the teammates, but since I'm with the same company I won't be too far away and will still be able to catch up with them. Overall, the new opportunity I was given will be really good for our family and that's what counts.

Until next week! Have a good week!

22 Weeks!

It's been a busy week for the Lawrence household. My grandfather passed away last weekend, so Tyson and I made a last minute trip to Arkansas this week. It was wonderful to see all of my family and most of my extended family, but I genuinely wish it could have been under different circumstances. It was a short trip and we are both tired, but it was very much worth it. We even made some time to go to La Huerta! YUM!!! From what I could tell the baby loves La Huerta just like its parents. My parents were able to hear the baby's heart beat and it was great to have the opportunity to spend time with parents and siblings...even though it was short. Roya, my sister in law, rented a fetal heart rate monitor so we were able to hear her baby's heart beat as well.

No new baby updates this week. It has been really active, which based on our ultrasounds isn't surprising, and it tends to move around a lot when I attempt to take a nap. I love to feel the baby move and I like to take naps, so you can see my predicament. I know what everyone is thinking...I guess I better get used to it. This week the baby weighs almost a pound and is about 11 inches long. Drum roll please...

This week the baby is about the size of a spaghetti squash

It's pretty hard to believe it's that big already! My belly is becoming more round as well. I feel like it's becoming more obvious that I'm pregnant.

How I've been feeling lately:

• Overall, I feel pretty good.
  
• Right now, the baby is breech so it does a jig on my bladder on a regular basis. All the movement can make conference calls and my morning runs kind of dicey.
• I've been feeling like I don't get around as quickly as a used to. Sometimes making fast movements can be kind of uncomfortable and I don't walk as fast anymore.
• I've found it takes more time for me to get comfortable when going to sleep at night. It seems to require lots of pillows and Tyson giving up most of his half of the bed. Love you hunny!!