My, oh my, how I've grown!

So I had Marco take some more belly shots of me just to see how far I've come since the last pics were taken at 23 weeks and 5 days. WHOA! (said in the best Joey Lawrence impression ever). What a difference 9 weeks made! So in case you forgot, these shots are what I looked like at 23w5d pregnant.

And now... here I am today at 32 weeks 4 days pregnant. I can only wonder what the next 7 to 8 weeks will bring!

I actually did weigh in yesterday

But I didn't have time to post it. My weight actually dropped a little in the past week (.7 of a kilo) which is fine by me and I'm sure it won't last. I'm going to take some more belly shots and post them just as soon as I can so you can see my ever expanding waistline. It's quite impressive if I do say so myself. I seem to be carrying quite high an my belly begins right below my bra and ends somewhere below that I can no longer see.

The leg cramps have subsided for now but I fear they will return. I'm doing all I can to keep them away though.

I only have 54 days left until my due date! I can't believe it! We just bought a cradle for Sadie to sleep in in our room and are painting it white. I'll post pics when it's dry. It looks really beautiful!

What I really can't believe is that I only have 23 more days of work, including weekends! WOOHOO! Unfortunately, they haven't found a temp to replace me yet, which worries me because it does take quite a while to really be able to work on your own here. I just don't want to come back to a complete disaster in October if ya know what I mean. I know it's not my problem, per say, but it's just how I am. Can't help but want things to go smoothly for my colleagues!

So that's the it of it for today! Hope you all are having wonderful, healthy weeks!

Not a fun way to wake up

For some people waking up is never fun. It doesn't matter if you're surprised by the cute puppy jumping on the bed or woken to the singing of the blue jay outside of your window. Some people just aren't programmed to function in the wee hours of the mornings and need a few minutes (sometimes hours) to fully "wake up".

I am not one of those people. I can spring out of bed, start singing a tune and begin my day within minutes of being aroused from my slumber. Ask anybody who has ever had to sleep in the same house with me or work with me in the early morning hours. I'm a morning person through and through.

This last week has been an exception for me. Oh, I was springing up from the bed alright but simultaneously I was screaming in pain, thrashing around, waking up the entire building and begging my husband to have mercy on me and help me. Another fun side effect of pregnancy that many people don't know about...

Leg cramps!

I've always been plagued with the occasional leg cramp in the night but for the most part I can sleep soundly. Maybe once every 3 or 4 months I would wake up with a cramp in my calf that would fling me out of bed in seconds.

This past week has been total leg cramp hell. And it's not just in my calves, I get cramps in my feet, calves, inner thighs and shins...pretty much my whole leg. Sometimes I get them all at the same time!

I've been so good at eating my bananas for my potassium which is supposed to keep these suckers away. I eat at least one a day and sometimes two. I take a multi-prenatal-vitamin so I should be getting enough of everything, all my vits and minerals. I've been reading the magnesium can help keep the cramps away but haven't tried that theory yet. You can bet your ass I'll be doing so today! I've even taken to stretching out before bed like I'm getting ready for a run not for a long nights sleep. Nothing is working.

I really can't pin down which one is the worst. The inner thigh (running from where my leg begins down to my knee) was a surprise for me. I didn't even know you could get a cramp in that muscle! And I REALLY had a hard time figuring out how to get it out! The cramps in my feet are odd but fairly easy to work out. The shin cramps are painful but work out within a few minutes. Yeah, I guess that leaves the calf cramps as the winner of the "sucky cramp" award.

Last night was the kicker with the calf cramps. I slept like baby all night long but was woken up at 5 howling in pain. Actually I was screaming and I quote "OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! Marco please help me! OW! OW! Marco, please please! OW! OW! I can't get it out OW! OW! OW! OW! Marco help me!" Superman did fling himself to my feet and help me get the cramp out but it did take some time. He, half asleep, wasn't as the right angle to push my foot straight up. I also think he underestimated the power and stubborness of a cramped calf. He was pushing my foot up, trying to stretch the muscle but he was sleepily sitting at a strange angle (imagine that) and was pushing my foot up and to the side causing the cramp to move to just one side of my calf yet started another cramp in my shin. At the exact same moment I received the gift of a third and fourth cramp in my other leg in both my shin and my foot.

As I continued to yelp in pain and give instructions between OWs (yes I know, I'm a control freak) I finally got it out that he was pushing my foot crooked and with one final fed up and adrenaline filled attempt he straightened up my foot, pushed it to the ceiling and alas my calf was free. I hobbled out of bed immediately as to keep my foot at a 90 degree angle, staving away the cramp. Standing and a few slick movements later, all the cramps in both legs were gone. Ahhhh.

Of course who can sleep after that? Then you get what I like to call "ghost cramps". It's like aftershock of an earthquake where your leg starts back down that bloody darkened path to cramping just enough to remind you of the pain but not enough to send you into a rubbing, shouting frenzie quite yet. It's also just enough to keep you awake. All my thrashing, hooting and hollering also woke up the baby, who happily kicked and punched me for the next 20 minutes.

I don't know what I'm going to do about these cramps. I'm afraid to go to sleep because I don't want to accidently stretch, cramping up my muscle and starting the cycle over again. If any of you have any suggestions I'll gladly take them! Now today I feel like my legs have been beaten and are bruised. Good thing I only have 58 days left (give or take!).

Holy COW! (literally). The nursery mural is finished!

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8QcsWTNm2bMTA

My wonderfully generous, extremely talented friend, Alexandra, worked all weekend long (seriously, she came home with me from work on Friday, worked until 1 am, stayed the night, started again Saturday morning at 9:30, worked non-stop until 1 am, stayed the night again, up and working 9:30 Sunday and went until it was done at 4:30) and I honestly have to say she did such a phenominal job that I was in tears when she was finished(damn pregnancy hormones).

The finished product is just amazing. It is everything I wanted and more than I could have imagined. When I said I wanted a mural with animals and a white picket fence for the nursery I couldn't have imagined I would end up with something so beautiful! I can't say enough wonderful things about it.

There is 90-some odd pictures but it shows the process from beginning to end for each little creature. Put it on super-speedy if you don't have time for all those pictures!

She is freaking amazing. What the hell is she doing working as a contract administrator? I have no idea.

20 worst foods in America

I know I have been far far from blogging about weight loss since finding out I was pregnant but I couldn't pass up passing on this little gem for you all to read. Here is a list of the 20 worst foods in America according to FirstCoastNews.com

I will have to admit I haven't eaten most of these foods but only because the restaurants don't exist here or back in the US where I am originally from, but as many of the menus of these chain restaurants seem so similar it can still give you a good idea of what you totally should stay away from when enjoying a meal out.

Hope you can find this useful!

We had Sadie's 3d Ultrasound! today!

Well we had Sadie's much awaited 3d ultrasound today. I'll have to admit, I was slightly disappointed. She would NOT move her hand(s) from in front of her face so we didn't get one single picture of her whole face, only half shots of her left side. Now I'm assuming her right side matches her left side but still, I wanted to see the whole little sweet face! And believe me, we tried everything. The guy was shaking her, I was shaking her, when we were nearing the end and she stubbornly still hadn't moved her hands, he had me actually get up off the table and jump up and down for about 2 minutes to try and get her to move. What a little brat! It's funny though, every ultrasound we've had she's had at least one little hand up by her face. I guess it's just how she's comfy.

She is measuing right on target with one little exception...she has super model long legs, measuring 3 full weeks ahead of schedule! The guy told us "don't buy too many 0-3 month clothes for her, she's not going to fit." He was really surprised at the length of her legs and said he's not seen a little girl with legs that long in a long while. He said measuring 1 week ahead is more normal but 3 weeks was exceptional!

He was also able to get rid of any doubt that she is not a Sadie, but rather a Ty. She was too shy to show her face but had no problem flashing her privates for the camera. We saw both the inner and outer labia and her little va-jay-jay. She's all girl!

We saw her strong little heart beating away, counted all of her fingers and toes, saw her kidneys, gall bladder, spine... all of her perfect little parts. She, surprisingly had hair. Long hair. 8 mm long to be exact (most babies at this stage only have 3 mm). I asked if it is the hair that will fall out and he said, nope this is the real stuff, she has so much he couldn't count them (which I guess is something he usually can do). She's healthy as can be, just camera shy for her little face. If it gives you any idea... we have 32 picture on the CD rom and I'm only going to post 3 in her album, they just weren't that great, which was disappointing.

I guess I should be happy though. I only have 10 weeks left. Yes, 10 weeks! I have an extremely healthy litle girl in my belly and we're just about as ready as we can be to welcome her to our home, Lord knows she already stole our hearts!

Here is the picture of her little girl parts. The "L's" are each labia. I'm sure she'll LOVE that I posted this on the internet when she's 18! (the "bottom" is each of her little butt cheeks!)

And here is another face shot with her hand on her cheek. Notice she looks a little pissed here. It's after all of the shaking we did to get her to move her hands. The "pillow" she's laying her little head on is actually my placenta!

Happy Mothers Day!

Good morning everybody and Happy Mother's Day to many of you! Marco was so sweet and bought me a plant with beautiful pink and purple flowers in a woven basket and a very sweet card. I totally was not expecting anything at all and just the sight of it had me in tears. Damn hormones!

And although I have a lot to be thankful for this Mother's Day I know this can be a difficult and even heartbreaking holiday for many others so I just wanted to send out this wish to all of you...

For those who have somebody who calls you "Mommy"... I know you appreciate the special gift you've been given. I wish you a day full of love and joy as you celebrate this Mother's Day, you've been given so much to celebrate.

For those of you who became Mothers to only lose your child(ren) unfairly and all too soon, I wish you peace and strength and healing to make it through this day. I can only hope your little angels are there with you somehow today.

For the Mothers who haven't conceived yet, I wish you courage and strength and love and hope to keep on going down the path to motherhood. You may not be called "Mommy" yet but you're still a mother in your heart. I wish this to be the very last Mother's Day that you don't hold your baby in your arms.

To those who don't have or no longer have a Mom to celebrate with today I hope you can find a special memory tucked away inside somewhere that will bring a smile to your face and warmpth to your heart.

No matter which "Mother" category you fit in (and I'm sure many of you fit into several of them) I wish you a very Happy Mother's Day!

And of course.. to my Mom, I love you so much Mom! I can't tell you in words how much you mean to me. You have always been my biggest fan and my greatest support and I am so grateful for you. You have always set such a wonderful example for all of us kids and I only hope I can be half the Mom to Sadie that you have been to us. I hope you have a wonderful day and I only wish I could be there to celebrate it with you!

very quick update

I’m on a short break at lunch but wanted to give you all an update. I gained 4 pounds (2 kilos) since my last weigh in. In the past 4 days my belly has changed shape enormously and now people at work are finally saying “WOW, you’re really looking pregnant”, which although it translates to “wow, you’re enormous” I still don’t mind *wink wink*. I went to my midwife’s appointment today and I am measuring a little ahead, 1 – 2 weeks, still but nothing she is concerned about. I now go for appointments every 3 weeks since the end is getting nearer. I got my diabetes test results back and I do not have gestational diabetes so YAY for that! Sadie is turned head down already so that’s good as well. I thought it was a little early for that but apparently not! It’s normal for baby to be upside down for the rest of the pregnancy. Just the fact that she’s in “birthing position” makes me a little anxious and excited! WOW! It’s really happening!

We have our 3d ultra sound on Tuesday of next week and we can’t wait! Sorry so short but I’ll try to write something worth reading a little later. Hope you’re all having wonderful, healthy weeks!

Minor freak out yesterday

Marco and I were baby stuff browsing the other day and came up with the idea to make a list of things we still need before Sadie's big arrival. When I saw on my little ticker that I only had 80 days left until she shows her face I thought, no time like the present!

I went to the store we always shop in, pen in hand, smile on face. About 20 minutes into the little "project" the smile was gone and panic had sent in. The list is ENORMOUS! And then I realized... I'm in the 3rd trimester! How in the world did that happen?!??!?! All this time the weeks have been creeping by and creeping by and now all of the sudden I'm in the final stretch of this crazy pregnancy ride. When did that happen?!?!

Back to the freak out...although there are a lot of small items and everyday items (burp cloths, pacifier, diapers, wipes, crib sheets, thermometer, swaddlers, etc.) on the list, they're still there and still need to be purchased. The list is a page long! A full page!

I'm such a 'planner' but I feel like I've totally dropped the ball here. I won't be having a baby shower so it isn't like we'll be getting a lot of these things and I believe most of friends and family who will come visit after she's born will bring clothes as that's just what is fun to buy! (and we'll be thrilled with them, don't get me wrong!) We don't have one single diaper in the house! Not a one!

In all reality I do realize what Sadie will need immediately after being born is me (and my ample breasts), Marco, some diapers and a lot of love but holy crap (!) I am just freaking out at all the stuff we "want" to have before she arrives and don't have yet. I've now split my list into "before Sadie arrives" and "after Sadie arrives" to try and get a ballpark figure of what we're going to need to spend on the little one in the next 79 days. WOW! This really snuck up on me.

After frantically calling Marco to let him know what horribly unprepared parents we are I darted off to the "cheap" store because I just felt I had to check something off the list! I got a 62 pack of diapers, one Dr. Browns bottle (as I plan on breastfeeding so won't need many bottles at first I hope) and a nasal aspirator (or snot sucker, whichever you prefer). Three things down only 50 something to go! Not only that, I felt like a total poser buying diapers like some baby police were going to come up to me and say "Ma'am we're going to have to ask you to please put down the diapers, we know you don't have a baby yet." It just felt so unreal still like I was a kid playing pretend.

That night at the grocery store we saw a sale on baby wipes and bought 6 packs (actually 2 packs of 3). LOL She may not have much but she'll have a clean butt!

I'm a little less panicked now that I have my list and know we can get everything in time but holy crap I was a mess yesterday.

Tomorrow I'm going to Alexandra's house for some fun and she has the sketch for the mural ready! She'll be starting it in the next few weeks and I can't wait to see what she's come up with!

Hope you all are having wonderful, healthy weekends!