Picture update

Here's my pregnancy progression update. I'm going to do every 8 weeks this time, just to switch it up :)

[caption id="attachment_413" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 4 weeks[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_414" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 12 weeks[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_415" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 21 weeks[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_416" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 28 weeks[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_417" align="aligncenter" width="225"] 36 weeks[/caption]

 

I'm a Big Kid Now!

Today we get to do adult stuff... the fun kind! We are going to look at houses!

I am finding that I want it all (what's the phrase? A steak taste on a hot dog budget? There's one to do with caviar, but I can't think of it right now...) I want a nice home, that was built fairly recently, with nice (preferably newer) appliances, in a nice neighborhood, that's easy to sell when we need to, with a big kitchen and preferably counter space in the bathroom, in the ward we're in now. Oh, and with storage, and I wouldn't mind a garage and a back yard. I may not get all that, and it's really hard for me to say what are things I'm willing to compromise on, and what things I'm not.

Maybe I should make my list longer, and put some things on there that I can compromise on. :)

It's going to be a long month

So today I did a little bit of perennial massage (TMI? Sorry) and then went along with my day. At one point I was sitting in a really uncomfortable position, and my abdomen didn't really like it. When I got up to go to the bathroom I felt slightly crampy, and there was a tad bit of bloody show on my pantyliner.
This got me going... Only till I realized that it was probably because I was sitting funny, and I gave myself a massage... Oh boy... I'm not even full term yet. I'm not even ready for this baby to come yet! We haven't gotten everything we need!
How do I keep myself calm during this waiting period?

Just Kidding!

Today I had Braxton Hicks from about 11:30 to 5 or so. They started out being around 15 minutes apart, and the last two or so hours they were 10 minutes apart. I was kind of excited, but also very calm (which surprised me). I knew everything was going to be ok either way.

I had a lot of errands to run today, so I didn't slow down till close to 5, but as soon as I sat down they went away. I think I'm ok with that, considering that I still don't have a place for her to sleep when she comes, I don't have my bags packed, and her clothes aren't washed. And since I'm not full term, I would prefer that she stay settled at least for a few more weeks.

BRRRRR

Sometimes I think Jonathan is silly. For example: Today it was about 5 degrees (says Jonathan, I checked the weather and my source says it was 13... either way it was FREEZING!) so what does he do? He gets out his under-armor, has me teach him how to wear a scarf, and off he goes on his bike. Ok that's just silly. I'll tell you why. He has access to a completely good, RELIABLE bus system that he can even check online if it's on time or not and its FREE for all Purdue students. AAAAANNNDDD... it's right outside our front door, and it drops him off down the street from his building.
I don't understand what his reasoning is for riding his bike...
But I will say, he does have some sense, yesterday morning, with wind chill it felt like -19!!! Needless to say, he didn't ride his bike, although he thought about it. He also admitted openly that it was really cold.

I love Jonathan

Yesterday Jonathan and I had a few really awesome discussions. I'm so grateful that I'm married to someone who I can truly open up to, and I don't have to worry about being judged. I don't often think about it, but it's such a blessing to be married to someone who I have such a good relationship with. Not everyone is, and I recognize that, and I'm grateful that I am.

I'm also grateful that he stops to ponder about life, and things that are most important. It's very easy to just get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget to slow down and ponder. He's a good ponder-er.

Craftyness

I finished my wall decorations. Just wanted to update :)

 

Blessings

This week has been so wonderful! I got multiple bags full of baby clothes! I have narrowed it down to things that I LOVE and anything that I just like, I'm going to pass on to the next girl in the ward who needs clothes.
I'm so grateful for the people who gave me these clothes.  (Each pile is a different size) Part of me wants to go through the clothes again and take more, just because I know I will need more than this... Thoughts?

Stretch Marks

While I was in Utah, within a matter of days I went from having no stretch marks to about 10! I had a few mixed feelings about it.  This is something about pregnancy that I didn't fully embrace before I got pregnant. I knew it was a possibility, but I also know a few women who didn't get them at all. I would deal with the idea by just pushing it out of my head. So when they came on so quickly, I didn't have time to respond. BAM! There they were... and they are never going away!
Now I have to say, I'm so grateful for a supportive husband who loves me and thinks I'm beautiful regardless of what changes are happening. As a matter of fact, every time I mention anything that may possibly be negative about my body he always says without skipping a beat "and that's ok!" He's so awesome! As a matter of fact, the vibe I get from him is that he loves me all the more because I'm willing to give up the body I had before to bring children into the world. (I only share this because I'm confident that all other women who read this also have husband's who feel the same way). This makes my feelings on the "stretch mark" subject a lot better. I'm so grateful for that! I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with the knowledge that deep down, my husband was grossed out by my stretch marks.
Anyway.... back to what I was saying. I caught a glimps of myself in the mirror the other day and oh my heck! The entire underside of my belly is all stretched out! It really shocked me! Jonathan was a bit worried, and he came into the bathroom to make sure I was ok. I was... I just showed him my stretch marks, and we marveled together for a minute. I probably have close to 30 now... I haven't counted, but I'm sure it's close to that. As I am trying to accept this new part of pregnancy (which I'm finding is kind of a struggle) I decided that I just need to change the way I think. I have decided that stretch marks are a rite of passage. Now that I have them, I am a real woman. (not saying that those who got through pregnancy without them aren't... it's just a rite of passage for me).

That's right! "Don't be insecure, girl... Own [those stretch marks]! Work that [belly]!" (get the quote?)

Nesting

In my Pregnancy Calender (a very cool calender that I was given, basically it's a 40 week calender with your progress and tips and such in it) it says "Nesting - scientists say it's an instinct. Go with it!" Jonathan asked what nesting was and I told him that from what I heard, it's just when soon-to-be mom's go crazy cleaning things, or doing something to prepare for baby to come.

If he would have waited a week, he could have experienced it first hand.
...So we have a two bedroom apartment out here. One is our room, and the other is going to be Baby's room. For now it's the craft room/anything that doesn't have a place's room (which we all know equates to the junk room, and also the "quick, someone's coming over, so let's make the apartment look clean, so throw everything in the extra room" room). One of the things I wanted to do when I got home from Utah was clean and organize that room.

I started cleaning that room, and since I can't do too much at a time, it took me about a week, but it looks SO good! I didn't realize it, but after several days of doing the same thing, Jonathan asked if I was nesting. Then it hit me. I'm totally nesting!

Bring it on! I'm ready to get ready for this baby!

People are funny

Jonathan came home one day this week and told me an interesting story. He was chatting with a few people from his program, and one girl asked how I was doing. (side note: People out here are AWESOME! Everyone from his lab mates, to the secretaries in the office know I'm pregnant, and ask Jonathan how I'm doing...) He told her that I was good, and then without a skip of a beat she says "babies are gross!" and goes off about how gross they are. This started a discussion about it.

Jonathan wasn't offended or anything by it, he just commented to me how interesting people are. This got me going too, I'm not offended either, but sometimes people don't think. That's all. After talking about it I said "I bet she is re-living that moment in her head, just wishing she could turn back time." I don't know if she is or not, but I feel that way all the time. I often say open-mouth-insert-foot comments!

For example: Right when we moved into our new ward out here I met a Brazilian lady. I was talking to her and told her that I have some awesome recipes for Feijoada and I would love to make it for her and her family. She wasn't too impressed by this comment. She was very gracious and simply offered to have us over instead :). After finishing up the conversation, I realized how rude and insensitive that was (yes, I'm a little slow). And, Oh how I wished I could have turned back time! Thankfully people are forgiving, and I just talked to her a bit later and apologized for my lack of thought in that comment.

Moral of the story? People are funny.

That's it... it's official

ok. I admit it. I'm addicted to ice. It wasn't too bad till I stayed at my mom's house and she has a fridge with an ice machine that can SHAVE ICE!!! I rarely went longer than a few hours without refilling my cup with ice. It was bad.
I figured my obsession would go back to normal when I got home, but now I'm finding that I still want it. (It's not because I'm iron deficient. I had my dr check me... I'm good. I just really like ice)
With mom Kershaw's gift of Jello Jiggler molds, I now have way too many ice trays... which means I eat way too much. And it doesn't help that I have the excuse of hot flashes to chomp on it...
That's all

A Different Christmas

This Christmas was a different one for Jonathan and I. A few months ago, we were trying to decide if we could afford going out to Utah for Christmas. We decided that if all of our parents pitched in, then we would be able to swing it financially. We figured we didn't want to just ask them to pay for our tickets, so we asked for plane tickets instead of gifts for Christmas.
Everyone was super willing to do that for us, but that meant basically no gifts to open Christmas morning. I was a bit ... worried (that's not the right word, but I can't think of the right one right now) about how I would respond to this reality on Christmas. Gifts are a big deal for me... they always have been. But I'm happy to report that I was very pleasantly surprised. My expectations were correct, we didn't have very many gifts to open on Christmas morning, but I did still get to have the same joy I always do as I watched my family members open the gifts we gave.

I LOVED my time in Utah, I LOVED spending so much time with both sides of my family. To me, that's what the season should be full of... family. I'm so grateful for the relationship I have with my family. It seems that regardless of how long the time has been between seeing each other, we always pick up where we left off. It's a good feeling.