31 Weeks

How far along? 31 weeks and 4 days

Total weight gain: About 33 lbs, and all belly! 

How big is baby? The size of a pineapple, which really puts it into perspective! Baby Tuna is about 19 inches long and weighs almost 4 pounds!  All five senses are fully developed and she’s getting smarter (which makes sense because I’m feeling like my IQ has dropped about 50 points!!).  We also found out that her head is down at the bottom, which explains why i’m feeling so much weight and pressure at the bottom of my belly every time I stand up.

Maternity clothes? Yes! Even though a lot of my old jeans still fit (with the help of a BeBand), there is NO WAY that I could fit in the majority of my old tops. And why would I want to try? Maternity clothes are sooo much more comfortable!

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter! 

Sleep? When I’m asleep, I sleep well, but I wake up a zillion times to pee and every time I need to flip from my left to my right side. I can’t wait until I can sleep on my stomach again!

Best moment this week? Christmas, spending time with my little brother, and the Hubs getting to see so much of her movement, since he’s been around all week. He got to tag along to our check up this week and was able to see how big Baby Tuna is when the doctor was pushing around on my belly.

How are you feeling? Tired remains at the top of the list, along with lower back pain and feeling out of breath all the time. Overall, though, I still feel pretty good, I just can’t go for too long before feeling worn out. The doctor said my iron levels were a little low (typical for a vegetarian), which could explain why I feel like a deflated balloon, so I have to take a supplement every other day.  It tastes like ass, but hopefully it will put a little more pep in my step. 

Miss anything? Mimosas! There have been so many occasions recently that called for champagne, and sparkling apple cider is a nice alternative, but nothing beats a mimosa on Christmas or New Year’s Day. Come Easter brunch, I’ll be ready for a nice big mimosa!  

Movement? Baby Tuna’s movements feel so different than they did a few weeks ago. Sometimes she’s pushing out from top to bottom, making my belly ripple. It’s the strangest feeling!  

Food cravings? Peppermint EVERYTHING! Christmas cookies and a big salad (which I can’t eat because of what it does to me). We also treated ourselves to Haagen Dazs at the mall the other day where I had a peppermint dazzler thing. It was sooo good! Peppermint bark ice cream with crushed oreos and chocolate sauce. Oh yum! 

Aversions? Even though egg salad doesn’t bother me, breakfast eggs are still disgusting.   

Anything make you queasy or sick? The vat of barbacoa at Chipotle is pretty gross. I’m not even sure what it is exactly, but the beef and chicken cubes were a lot less offensive looking.

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s really flattening out. The Hubs thinks it’s gonna pop soon.

Wedding rings on or off? On, but feeling tight from time to time.

Mood?  Pretty happy most of the time, but getting a little anxious when I think of all we have left to do! I also get super irritated by total strangers commenting on the overwhelming size of my belly. I get it, I'm HUGE, but, 1. Yes, I'm sure I'm not having twins, 2. I promise I'm not due "any day now", and 3. the Hubs and I aren't exactly small people, so is it any wonder that a giant Amazon baby is swimming around in there?!  

Looking forward to: Pajama Day, Part Deux, on New Year’s Eve Day. Because of our travelling this year, the official pajama day didn’t happen. Instead, I will have to kick the Hubs’ butt at Mario Cart on New Year’s Eve.   

30 Weeks!

How far along? 30 weeks and 5 days (I’m a little slow this week!!)

Total weight gain: I’d say 30 lbs, plus the Christmas cookies I’ve eaten today as they came out of the oven. All of that weight is in my face and belly.

How big is baby? The size of a head of lettuce (a huge head of lettuce!), 18 inches and a little over 3 lbs.  I have a feeling that Baby Tuna may be a bit longer than that!

Maternity clothes? Yes! Even though a lot of my old jeans still fit (with the help of a BeBand), there is NO WAY that I could fit in the majority of my old tops. And why would I want to try? Maternity clothes are sooo much more comfortable!

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter! 

Sleep? Sleeping OK most nights, but still no naps. I just lay there thinking of all the things that need to be done. I hope the Baby Tuna inherits her daddy's ability to sleep and not mine! Had a hard time sleeping in the hotel this weekend at the wedding, but that was because a concrete slab would have been more comfortable!

Best moment this week? Best moment has to be watching Kara and Alex say their “I do’s.”  I'm so happy that I got to be a part of it! The rehearsal dinner was a lot of fun (and delish thanks to catering by Tijuana Flats and a candy bar!), the ceremony was absolutely beautiful, the reception was great (even though this bridesmaid was too exhausted to do much dancing), and the mashed potatoes may have been the best thing I have ever eaten!!!

How are you feeling? Tired remains at the top of the list, along with lower back pain. Overall, though, I still feel pretty good, I just can’t go for too long before feeling worn out.

Miss anything? Being comfortable.   

Movement? She was quiet for a couple of days, but is definitely back in business now! She has woken me up the last few days with a lovely kick routine, and she did more dancing at the wedding than I did! 

Food cravings? Peppermint EVERYTHING! And have you had chocolate Cheerios yet?!!!

Aversions? Still eggs. No thank you.  

Anything make you queasy or sick? Public bathroom smells. Sorry if that’s TMI, but I’ve had to go in a lot of rest stop and department store bathrooms lately. And no mater how clean they appear, they are always some kind of stink-fest.  Blech!

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s getting flatter.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Is it possible to be happy and moody at the same time? Apparently, I have a low tolerance for bullshit these days. But I would say that overall, I’m a pretty happy girl.

Looking forward to: Christmas and the day after Christmas, which the Hubs and I call “Pajama Day”. As the name suggests, we chill in our pjs all day, eat cookies, and play wii games. It may be my favorite day of the year. We often do it again on New Year’s Day, it’s that good!  

I have always been a BIG fan of all things peppermint, especially at this time of year. But right now, my obsession with peppermint is at epic levels! Here are some of my favorites! 

1. Bath and Body Works Twisted Peppermint candle 

2. Winter Oreos (They aren't peppermint, but look it!) 

3. Candy Cane Kisses

4. Old Navy Candy Cane PJs

5. White Chocolate Peppermint M&Ms

6. Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

7. Philosophy Candy Cane Body Wash

8. essie Leading Lady polish

9. Old Navy scarf

10. Philosophy Peppermint Bark lip shine

29 Weeks

How far along? 29 weeks and 3 days

Total weight gain: close to 30 lbs. What?!?

How big is baby? The size of a butternut squash, 17 inches and about 3 lbs.  I have a feeling that Baby Tuna may be a bit longer than that!

Maternity clothes? I desperately need some new stuff…but it’s more fun to buy for baby girl! Is it bad form to wear sweatpants to a rehearsal dinner? (Just kidding, Kara!!) 

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter! 

Sleep? Other than getting up 57 times to use the bathroom, I’m sleeping OK, but not enough. Just wish I could make myself take an afternoon nap.

Best moment this week? Another good checkup with the doctor, including hearing her heartbeat. I never get tired of hearing it. Still waiting on results of my glucose screen, but I’m guessing no news is good news.

How are you feeling? I can sum that up in one word: tired. Not enough sleep and all this baby baking business can really wear a girl out. Not sure how I will make it through the next couple of weeks. We have so much to do: a wedding (yay!), Christmas, doctor appointments, a visit with the anesthesiologist, and a bridal shower. Whew!

Miss anything? Being comfortable and sleeping through the night. 

Movement? So much! She’s gotta be squished in there, and every now and then the flutters and wobbles feel a bit more pointy, like she’s trying to get a little more elbow room.  

Food cravings? Peppermint anything, vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and Christmas cookies (though I haven’t had any yet).

Aversions? Still eggs. No thank you.  

Anything make you queasy or sick? Apparently prenatal pilates. It hasn’t made me quit, but almost every time I do it, I have to run to the bathroom when I’m done. Weird.   

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s getting flatter.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Is it possible to be happy and moody at the same time? Apparently, I have a low tolerance these days. But I would say that overall, I’m a pretty happy girl.

Looking forward to: Kara and Alex’s wedding next week!

28 Weeks - Third Trimester!

How far along? 28 weeks and 3 days. . . Third Trimester!! Woot woot!

Total weight gain: about 25 lbs.

How big is baby? The size of a small cabbage; about 17 inches and almost 3 pounds!  

Maternity clothes? I desperately need some new stuff…but it’s more fun to buy for baby girl!

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter! 

Sleep? Meh. I’m down to about two or three nights a week of really good sleep, but the rest are pretty sucky. The fan in the guest room (where I usually end up by about 1:30 am) makes the most annoying knocking sound, so it makes it difficult to get back to sleep after each potty break. In theory, I’d like to take a nap every day to make up for it, but that has yet to happen. I’ve never been a great sleeper, so while some ladies say the third trimester prepares you for the lack of sleep you’ll get once the baby is born, I feel like I’ve been preparing for that my whole life!

Best moment this week? Surviving the glucose screening test, which wasn’t really too bad. The glucola stuff tasted like flat orange soda or an orange Otter Pop. Went down easy. Could have done without the needle in my arm an hour later, though. The BEST best moment was the Hubs bringing home two super yummy donuts last night from an event he had at his store. One was my favorite (Krispy Kreme-style glazed), which was a delishy treat! (And my first donuts since becoming pregnant) It’s the little things that make me happy!

How are you feeling? Lower back pain, but I think that if I wasn’t so lazy and actually did my prenatal pilates more than twice a week, that wouldn’t be so bad. Also have tightening in my belly sometimes, but I read that those might be the beginnings of Braxton Hicks. Some numbness in my left leg at night, but that goes away as soon as I roll on to my right side. 

Miss anything? Loading up on peppermint mochas every other day. I still indulge, but only once a week.  

Movement? Most definitely! She’s most active after dinner till bedtime. The Hubs has enjoyed feeling her knocking around in my belly.

Food cravings? Peppermint anything is always a big favorite, and now the candy cane Kisses are a dangerous temptation. Still wanting jelly beans, vanilla ice cream with fresh strawberries from the neighborhood green market, and peanut butter graham cracker sandwiches.  

Aversions? Eggs again. I had scrambled cheesy eggs for breakfast on the morning of my glucose screening, and they totally hit the spot. So I had them again the next day and they made me feel yuck all day. So I’m off eggs for a bit again. Except those found in Christmas cookie dough. :O)

Anything make you queasy or sick? The Hubs' chicken salad. Partly because I’m a vegetarian and chicken is just gross, but partly because it smelled wretched. I had to run from the kitchen when he was making it and light a twisted peppermint candle from Bath and Body Works. 

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s getting flatter.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  happy…with some mood swings on the side. Usually caused by instant hunger or idiot people.

Looking forward to: the Holidays and Kara and Alex’s wedding in a couple of weeks! Also decorating the Christmas tree, which better happen tonite. Poor tree has had nothing but lights on it all week! 

27 Weeks

How far along? 27 weeks and 2 days

Total weight gain: 22-25 lbs…yowza!! Of course, if I pretend that I started at 110 pounds (which I did not) it doesn’t sound so bad. Haha!

How big is baby? The size of a rutabaga (but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one in person, so that comparison means nothing to me). She’s about 15 inches from head to toe, and weighs about 2.5 pounds. Her brain is showing activity and she can bat her eyelashes. How sweet! 

Maternity clothes? I really need some new stuff…but it’s more fun to buy for baby girl!

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter!  

Sleep? If I can get comfy,  I usually sleep pretty well. Most nights I end up in the guest room, cuz I’m afraid that my fortress of pillows is crowding the Hubs. He’s such a good sport, though!

Best moment this week? Hearing Baby Tuna’s heartbeat at our checkup this week – loud and strong! I never get tired of hearing that!

How are you feeling? Exhausted! Not sure if it’s from being sick and the excitement of Thanksgiving, or if I’m getting an early jump on that third trimester fatigue. Trying to take a nap every day, but without any success.   

Miss anything? Bending at the waist. Sounds crazy, I know. But it’s just not happening any more, and I seem to be struggling with gravity more than usual…dropping everything! And why would Publix stock the prenatal vitamins on the bottom shelf?!?!

Movement? Oh ya! She’s following in mommy’s dancing footsteps! We may have a future Rockette on our hands.

Food cravings? Graham crackers with peanut butter and glass of milk is my new favorite snack, but I’ve had a wicked craving for Starburst jelly beans…probably not the best craving to have a few days before my glucose screening test.

Aversions?  None this week.

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not really.  

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s getting flatter.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Happy, but it isn’t always showing. If I’m overly tired, hungry, or overwhelmed…turn-on tears. Same thing happens when watching Carter’s commercials (“You were mine the minute I became yours”…you are a robot if that doesn’t get you!), Subaru commercials, and Extreme Home Makeover, which has come back for the holidays so that we can all have a good cry!

Looking forward to: Getting and decorating our Christmas tree this weekend, and continuing work on the nursery. I also took advantage of an amazing cyber Monday sale at Baby Gap, and can’t wait for the stuff to get here!

26 Weeks

How far along? 26 weeks and 3 days

Total weight gain: Who knows! Feeling a bit like a stuffed turkey after enjoying all of the deliciousness yesterday.  

How big is baby? The size of a head of lettuce. She’s about 14 inches long and probably weighs about 2-2.5 pounds. Baby Tuna’s eyelashes have also grown in.

Maternity clothes? Some of my original tops don’t cut the mustard anymore…time for some shopping!!!  

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter!  

Sleep? Ok in the last few days…with the help of lots of pillows and fresh air from having the windows open. Waking up with sore hips and knees, though, from sleeping on my side.  I’ve also noticed that I wake up every morning at exactly 6:57, without an alarm. Wonder if that will be a significant time come February?

Best moment this week? Thanksgiving/Anniversary (aka “Thanksiversary”) was quite nice. My brother was able to come down for the day, and we also had our parents down for the feast. The weather was perfect and even Scout behaved herself!

How are you feeling? So much better than last week!!  

Miss anything? Starting to miss getting in a good workout. Don’t have the energy to do much these days beyond a walk with the dog and a 15 minute pilates session, and even that is a huge stretch. Looking forward to getting active again in the spring.

Movement? Although she dances around throughout the day, I think the Baby Tuna is most active in the evenings. If I’m sitting very still, sometimes she will move so much, my whole body kind of vibrates. Wonder what’s goin on in there!

Food cravings? Sweet! Candy, chocolate, fruit. All I want is sweet!!!

Aversions?  The smell of turkey kind of grossed me out on Thanksgiving. As a vegetarian, I don’t ever eat it, but the smell doesn’t usually bother me. But this year, I had to leave the kitchen at one point to get away from the smell.

Anything make you queasy or sick? See above.  

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s trying to flatten out.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Happy!! But don't get on my bad side. Hehe! 

Looking forward to: Decorating for Christmas, which will begin tomorrow; getting our Christmas tree; and continuing work on the nursery. We want it to be perfect for our baby girl, and now it’s down to the fun details.

Four Years of Wedded Bliss

In addition to Thanksgiving, yesterday also marked our fourth anniversary. It's crazy to think that I've been a Mrs. for that long. But at the same time, it feels like we've always been together. The time has really flown by.

We met in high school, and, twelve years later, started dating. I think we both knew right away that this was something different. And now here we are, expecting a baby girl.

We can't wait to meet her, and I can't wait for the Hubs to be a daddy. I know he will be AMAZING! 

I feel so blessed and sometimes can't believe my luck. I have such an incredible husband. 

25 Weeks

How far along? 25 weeks and 3 days

Total weight gain: About 22 pounds…feels scary to see/say that, but the doctor says I’m just right and measuring right on target.

How big is baby? About the size of an eggplant…about a foot and a half long and about 2 pounds.   She can also tell if she’s upside down – craziness!  

The Bump: Huge! But I’m only expanding straight out the front, not sideways too (or worse, out the back!), …thank goodness!  

Maternity clothes? Some maternity and some regular. My old jeans still fit, but the maternity ones are just so much more comfy! Looking for some cute items for the holidays and I just discovered the ASOS site. They have some really cute stuff!

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter!  

Sleep? Not great. I’ve never been an awesome sleeper, but lately it has been terrible. It seems that as soon as I get comfortable, I have to get up to visit the potty.  And it’s almost impossible for me to sleep past 7 am. Boo to that!

Best moment this week? An exciting Gator win while we were up in Gainesville for the game was pretty good, but painting the nursery the perfect shade of gray may take the top honor for the week. I also ordered some prints for the nursery and a boppy cover from Etsy (my obsession) and I can’t wait for them to arrive! And the glider arrived today...sort of. The lovely people at Pottery Barn sent us the wrong chair, but the right slip covers. So now we have to wait a little longer for our actual glider to arrive. The Hubs is hoping that Pottery Barn will just let us keep this chair, in addition to sending us the one we really ordered. Something tells me it won't work out that way.

How are you feeling? Well, I officially have a sinus infection, which sucks! The doctor gave me amoxicillin and Tylenol for my fever, but I’m just so ready for it to be over. Trying to take naps (impossible) and lay around as much as possible, but there is so much to do around here! Drinking lots of OJ and eating my Edy’s Strawberry Fruit Bars to get lots of vitamin C.  I already drink enough water to make my eyeballs float, so hopefully I can get over this quickly.

Miss anything? Sleep. And the ability to take the dog on a three mile walk without feeling like I need to knock on doors to use a stranger’s bathroom.

Movement? Baby Tuna feels like she is already on a schedule. I can just about set my watch (if I wore one) to her dancing. A few times during the day, and every evening around 9pm.

Food cravings? Not in the "cravings" sense. Still hooked on apples and Honey Nut Cheerios. My glucose screening is coming up soon, so I'm trying to keep my sweet tooth in check, which has never been easy for me! 

Aversions?  Nothing new this week.

Anything make you queasy or sick? Coming home to find a nice big puddle of doggy barf in the living room. That was nice. Big ups to the Hubs for cleaning it up so quickly!

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still an inny…but it’s trying to flatten out.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Happy!!

Looking forward to: Heading to Ikea this weekend to get the dresser. Now that the nursery is painted, it finally feels like it’s all coming together (And I’m feeling like there is still sooooo much to do!). Also looking forward to Thanksgiving next week…mostly because our 4^th anniversary falls on the same day! Lots to be thankful for this year!

So, now that we are zeroing in on what we need and want for the Baby Tuna, I am still on the hunt for the perfect diaper bag. I am a bit of a bag whore, and would love to find the perfect Lucky Brand tote to serve as my diaper bag, but I thought I’d ask the newer mommies out there if any of you have found a bag that you love. We are looking for one that doesn’t scream “BABY!” Any recommendations? 

Babymoon in Georgia

For the week of Halloween, the Hubs and I headed north for a much needed vacation… a Babymoon, if you will. We spent the week at my parents’ cabin in Ellijay, Georgia, a small town in the Appalachian foothills between Atlanta and the Tennessee line. The county is the apple capital of the south, and the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, Springer Mountain, is nearby. Much to my chagrin, we wouldn’t be doing any hiking like usual (I was all for it, but the Hubs thought differently. Boo!) .

We love how the cabin feels like a treehouse.

Actually, the whole point of the trip, besides rest and relaxation (and a little outlet shopping for the babino) was to check out the fall color. But thanks to that bitch of a storm Sandy, most of the color that was on the trees the week before, blew off in gale force winds on our first couple of days. By the end of the trip, the trees that hadn’t changed yet started in the wonderful cool weather (the average high was about 55!). Either way, we got to see a little color in all those trees.

 

We also saw a ton of deer (Ok so they might have been the same deer family over and over each day, but still) in the neighborhood.

Damon barely had to zoom in for this pic. This guy was about 10 feet from our car! 

On the second day of our trip, we headed up to Amicalola Falls. We had been before in the summertime a few years ago and it was beautiful. You can start at the bottom of the falls and “climb” your way up a zillion steps, or you can do it the preggo way and just drive to the top on a beautiful winding mountain road. This year, we opted for the drive. 

 At the top, you get an amazing view from the top of the falls of the valley below. In the summer, everything is green and lush, but in the fall, I've heard the colors are amazing. Too bad we missed the best colors, but you get the idea.

We weren’t able to spend a lot of time at the top of the falls due to a freezing wind blowing around up there. So we started down the mountain and pulled off at a parking area a little ways down. We saw a trailhead (don’t worry, it was the kind of trail that is wheelchair accessible, so even a preggo lady can manage) and headed down. 

The sky cleared and became a brilliant blue!

A little ways down the trail, we noticed that someone found a much better parking spot than we did!

Look carefully... there's an old truck in that tangle of trees.

This trail path lead to a spot about halfway down the falls, so we had to get a couple of pics.

We managed to take one of the two of us, too.

The next day, we met my college roommate, Allison, and her two boys (you can check out her hilarious blog here.) at the Flying Biscuit in Atlanta. Her boys are both under the age of 4 and are two of the cutest guys ever! And although I felt like they were pretty well behaved, I think it was an eye opening experience for the Hubs. Dining out is about to drastically change for us FOREVER!

Lunch was followed by some serious outlet shopping in Dawsonville, just outside the ATL. This outlet mall is huge, in the middle of nowhere, and has some pretty great stores (I'm looking forward to going back next year so I can do some shopping in the Lucky Brand store). We spent more than we should have at the Carters, Baby Gap, and Gymboree stores. The Baby Tuna will be one very well dressed muchacha!

The great thing about Ellijay is how close it is to so many different types of places. If you ever make it up to that area, you must head over to Blue Ridge. This is the kind of cute little mountain town that has a main street (incredibly named Main Street, of all things!) with a ton of tiny shops and restaurants. Since I was starving immediately upon arrival (Blue Ridge is only 20 minutes from our cabin, so obviously the drive took a lot out of me!! Haha!), we ate at this great pizza joint that was the kind of place the locals go. Best pizza I've had in a long time! I just wish I could remember the name. If you go looking for it, it's just past the feed store with all the chickens and ducks on the front porch. Gotta love small town America!

There is one spot in Blue Ridge that you absolutely CAN NOT miss... The Sweet Shoppe.

The women who own this super cute bakery were winners on Cupcake Wars. And as many know, I love cake and cupcakes, so, big DUH, this place pretty much rocked my world! The Hubs and I each ordered our own cupcakes. I went for the Hot Fudge Sundae, and he couldn't pass on the PB & J.

Ohmigosh! I still dream about that cupcake! Mine was filled with the lightest vanilla buttercream I have ever tasted. I thought I made awesome buttercream, but I would kill to know how these ladies got theirs so light and fluffy. The Hubs' PB & J was filled with sweet, gooey strawberry jam. Unfortunately, our cupcakes were too good to share, even one little bite, but the Hubs tells me it tasted just like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Yum-o! 

We also couldn't pass on the truffles. We got two of each so sharing wouldn't be an issue! They were each sooo delish! 

Cookies n Cream, Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter, and Thin Mint

We had such a relaxing week, enjoying the cold weather, warming up by the fire and making s'mores for dessert every night. (I'm choosing to forget the stress of the whole baby registry debacle!) It was the perfect way to say good bye to our family of two before we head back next year as a family of three. Can't wait to take the Baby Tuna on a couple of hikes, too! 

24 Weeks

How far along? 24 weeks

Total weight gain: I’m too afraid to weigh myself!  Feeling huge, but it’s all in the belly.

How big is baby? About the size of a cantaloupe. Apparently she is growing hair and is getting chubbier.   

The Bump: Um…yes.

Maternity clothes? Some maternity and some regular. Looking for some cute items for the holidays.  

Stretch marks? None so far…I LOVE my Burt’s Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter!  

Sleep? Sleeping has sucked the last few days. Too much up and down to the bathroom!   

Best moment this week? Getting the call that our glider will be arriving a month early! It’s coming next Friday!!

How are you feeling? Indigestion (as always), and a little round ligament pain (she must be growing like crazy!) and I don’t feel like I have as much energy as I did before, which makes it difficult to get up and exercise.

Miss anything? Kayaking…the weather has been beautiful. The doctor has given me the ok, but my vest doesn’t fit, so with all the boat traffic around here, I’m a little nervous to go.   

Movement? She’s really movin and groovin in there sometimes! Perhaps a future dancer?

Food cravings? I don’t really have cravings, the kind where I can’t rest until I have it, but I have been eating a lot of apples lately. We got some great red delicious from an orchard near Ellijay on our trip, and don’t get me started on the apple butter…yum-o!

Aversions?  Nothing new this week.

Anything make you queasy or sick? Not really.

Gender: IT’S A GIRL!!!

Any names picked out? We have a first name picked out, still working on the middle name.

Labor signs? No

Belly button in or out? Still and inny…but the shape is more slot-ish than round-ish.

Wedding rings on or off? On

Mood?  Happy!! And wondering if my urge to decorate for Christmas (keep your shirts on...I know it's too early for that!) is the beginning of the nesting phase. 

Looking forward to: Heading up to Gainesville for the Homecoming game this weekend! The weather should be perfect!  

So, while we were on vacation (without cable but with the ability to mooch the neighbor’s wifi), the Hubs and I thought it would be a great time to start on the baby registry. Wow! Did we underestimate how difficult and time consuming that would be! We had no problem creating our wedding registry, in fact, it was pretty fun. But this whole baby registry business…yeesh! Now, part of the problem is the fact that we are new to this whole baby game and just don’t have a damn clue. The other part of the problem is that we don’t want to waste anyone’s money on items that we won’t use or have no room for. And because of that, (and because of our personalities) the Hubs and I have researched and researched almost every item before we add it to the regisrty. I follow a number of pregnancy and mommy blogs that are full of suggestions, lists from friends and family, Listmania on Amazon, the Baby Bargains book, not to mention the reviews of each item on the Babies R Us site. We have issues. It has been a week, and we still don’t feel like we have registered for everything we need, or even if we have picked the right stuff. We live in a tiny rental house, so space is a major issue, and that affects our choices. I keep holding on to something that my cousin Erin said (she is an amazing mom, so this comes from a good source)… “What they don’t know exists, they won’t form an attachment to.”  Well said. And I guess if we hate the item, we can always return it…which is why we chose Babies R Us for our registry in the first place. Of course, I still have some research to do! Haha! 

On a different note, is anyone else ready to start decorating for Christmas? Normally, I mark the beginning of the holiday season by the first sighting of the Hershey Kiss We Wish You a Merry Christmas commercial, which I haven't seen yet. But I have seen the Target Dog commercial, and about a zillion others, not to mention had my first Peppermint Mocha at Starbucks. I'm blaming the pregnancy for my jumping the holiday gun. I'm always excited about Christmas, but don't honestly feel the season begins until Black Friday. Last year kinda threw me for a loop when we celebrated "Thanksmas" since my brother would be overseas for Christmas. But because we host Thanksgiving, I will do my best to restrain myself...at least until after I clear the table on Thanksgiving Day.