34 Weeks, 5 Days Pregnant!

How far along: 34 weeks, 5 days

Total weight gain: +29lbs. Definitely make up for last week.

Stretch marks: None.

Sleep: Still doing great, despite a pretty nasty cold. Averaging 8.5 hours a night. 

Best moment this week: Thursday for sure. We met up with Logan and Linda at a delicious Mexican joint in Denver. We spent dinner laughing and sharing a bunch of interesting plates (duck meatballs, pork belly tacos, fried plantain). We also got ice cream at a place a few shops down, and it was delicious. It's been really nice for us to see them pretty consistently. Logan will randomly text asking if we're free, and we always are so it's been great adventuring around with them. We also installed the car seat today! Jon spent a few hours meticulously cleaning the car while I put the stroller together and strapped the car seat in nice and secure. It's so weird seeing it back there. So far, Happy knows to stay his distance. 

Worst moment this week: Getting a cold :( I had it really bad Thursday/Friday where I couldn't breathe at all out of my nose. I have a cough now and am still a little stuffy, but it seems to be working itself out. Another super annoying thing is we found 2 more chips in our windshield (which we had replaced on January 11th) so we're dealing with that.

Food cravings: I'm definitely craving veggies and have worked that into our meal plan this week. We're having oven roasted sausage, potatoes, broccoli, green beans, and carrots for dinner tonight, asparagus-spinach pasta pesto with blackened shrimp tomorrow, and ratatouille later this week. Hopefully this will satisfy my craving for healthy because I made chocolate peanut butter oatmeal squares today to balance it out!

Gender: Still leaning towards a boy. People at work have got me convinced, but we're definitely ready for either. Names are pretty solid, but we have our alternatives just in case, too.

Movement: Not as much. Poor thing is running out of stretching room. We were watching him/her scoot around in there last night, pushing their butt and feet out a lot. Still getting the hiccups pretty regularly, which still drives me crazy. It's like a muscle twitch.

Symptoms: Back ache. I also had heart palpitations while we were grocery shopping so I had to abandon Jon and sit for a while. Nothing I can't handle, and still feeling relatively good considering I'm nearing the 9 month marker.

Wedding rings on or off: On. My fingers looked pretty chubby yesterday, but are looking normal today.

Happy or moody: Happy, even with this cold. Again, I've had an incredibly easy pregnancy and am still feeling great. There's really nothing to complain about :)

Miss anything: Not really. Jon got me some non-alcoholic wine today as a surprise, so I'm really excited to try that out! I'm also still excited about not being pregnant. I know it will be hard initially, but it will be nice sleeping how I want and drinking alcohol occasionally.

Looking forward to: Lots! We have our next appointment on Tuesday, where we might get an ultrasound. And then we're going to a Mexican restaurant (another craving possibly...) that Jon has tried and loved.
Next weekend we might check out Fort Collins! We haven't been there yet and figure we might as well check it off the list while it's easy to do. There are a bunch of breweries there, so I might be that strange pregnant lady you've seen on a brew tour. Woohoo!
Jon's going out of town next week, which I'm kind of dreading and kind of looking forward to. Jon takes Happy out in the morning and at night and really dotes on me, so that will be hard. But I can eat whatever I want! I'm going to make fajitas and bruschetta and decadent salads! I'm also going to try to spend some time cleaning, but I haven't written off just laying on the couch each night. I'm already looking forward to his return, and am hoping the week flies until he's back.

Large and in charge!

LOOOOVING this beautiful handmade quilt from my mom. We're going to use it as baby's travel blanket when they're in their carseat. Isn't it perfect?! It even has a tag sewed on since babies love tags. My mom thinks of everything!

Someone invited himself into our bed this morning and was suuuuper snuggly. 

He still can't get over the rocker. 

Both my boys are loving the Snoogle pregnancy pillow Logan got me! I don't mind sharing during the day :)

Happy testing out his new limited territory. He was so good about not stepping on it, but we decided to install early to teach him that he can never pounce on it (he kind of loses his mind when he sees a bunny).

Why I'm Scared Our Baby Could be a Girl

Why I'm Scared Our Baby Could Be a Girl

Jon and I didn't really discuss that we would wait to find out our baby's gender, it just was something that felt right and natural to both of us. We don't have expectations, or prefer a certain gender over the other (though we both think it may be a boy). Instead of talking about what our baby will be when they grow up or what sports they will play, we talk about the important skills, values, and ideals we want to instill upon this rapidly growing little one.

For the first half of my pregnancy, I literally had dreams of having a little girl. I dreamed of what she would look like, how my heart would puddle to see Jon with her, and how I would do my best to teach her how she's is smart, and brave, and kind. With everything going on now, having a girl has become my biggest fear. 

I feel so lost and scared when I read what is happening in our government right now. I feel angry and isolated that we are still arguing "women's rights." (If someone can remind me of when men have had to continually defend and stand up for "men's rights," I would love to learn of it.) I don't feel protected, like a valued member of society, respected, or cared for. I do not feel equal. 

Going through the process of submitting short-term disability paperwork for my maternity leave (don't even get me started on the fact that I have to categorize the child growing inside of me as a "disability") has left me so defeated. The fact that my body and my brain are physically changing, will break and tear, will never be the same again is a lot of take in. Add to that the fact that in order to secure a position doing the thing I love, teaching, I will need to return to work while my 6 week old child is left in the care of someone else, as my body is still recuperating from the carnage and miracle of birth... and I just can't deal. 

And if, as a 27-year old woman, I can't understand or cope with these discrepancies between men and women, how will I teach my daughter any different? Of course we will teach her she IS important, and valued, and to be respectful to and respected by all, but how can I expect her to believe us when the whole world is telling her something quite the opposite?

The thing that scares me above all that is that I am one of the fortunate ones. I have a job I love, an incredibly loving and supportive husband and family, accessible medical care, a beautiful home, opportunities and adventures abounding, and a savings account. I dearly hope that if we have a daughter, she has everything I do at this stage of life.

But what if she doesn't? What if she can't afford insurance and needs medical help for cancer screening and Planned Parenthood has been defunded due to the illusion that all it offers is abortions? What if she is sexually assaulted, and our government has laid the framework that she should have been wearing more clothing or shouldn't have been drinking? What do I tell her when she's working hard every day at her demanding job and being compensated 20% less than her male counterpart? How will I prove to her that she is more than the looks we have passed on to her?

It's a daunting and terrifying task. This is a scary and telling time in our history. As women (and the men who support us), we need to stand together. And that doesn't mean to banish all your ideals, religions, and beliefs. It means to stop defending a man who boasted about sexual assault - even if you believe it was just "locker room talk." It means to stop fighting against Planned Parenthood - unless you also disagree with funding birth control, cancer screening, STI treatment, prenatal care, and people who cannot afford what you can. It means supporting women who march and fight for their beliefs instead of complaining about feminism on social media.

Earlier this school year, a parent was upset with the way I dealt with her son telling a girl to "kill herself because no one would care if she was dead." She said being pregnant caused me to see the situation and her son in a warped light. That HE was the bullied one, and since I had "pregnancy brain," I twisted the situation out of context. She complained to administration that I wasn't able to do my job because I had a child in my belly. I was brought into a meeting that was solely focused on the fact that I am a woman who is pregnant, and whether that impedes my ability to be a successful teacher.

We need to stop fighting for the men in power who are dictating what our bodies can and cannot do. We need to stand together in solidarity because if we don't, we are proving everything they believe about us to be true. It's okay if you are a Republican or Democrat, wealthy or poor, educated or not. I am here to tell you, and my future daughter if she's in there, that it's not okay for you to be treated differently because of your reproductive organs. If we don't do something about it, who will?

33 Weeks, 4 Days Pregnant!

How far along: 33 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: +24 lbs. I somehow lost three pounds since last week. Don't worry, I'm making up for it today!

Stretch marks: Still, surprisingly, none. I make Jon check daily :)

Sleep: Still incredible. Averaging 9 hours of sleep a night this week. 

Best moment this week: I got so ahead in work this week, which made me breathe a giant sigh of relief. One of my teammates and I both teach 6th grade math to our advanced 5th graders. I typically make the notes for the day, and she makes the activities (we're utilizing Interactive Notebooks). She was a little concerned that when I left, this would all be on her shoulders. I've worked really hard to get over 40 lessons ahead of where we're at now, which should be more than enough to help her finish out the year. To give you an idea, we've done 50 lessons since the start of the year, and I just finished lesson 90! I'm still hoping to get to 100, just in case. Plus, my notebook is now nearly complete, which will be great for future years of work or even interviews. I'm even thinking about trying to sell bundles of my notes on Teachers Pay Teachers since Interactive Notebooks are really taking off in the teaching world. 

Worst moment this week: Nothing really awful has happened, other than just getting a massive back ache by around 9am every day. It just gradually gets worse throughout the day until I feel like I can't even move. Luckily, laying in bed really helps so I usually head to bed around 8-8:30. I think this also helps me fall asleep early, and catch up on the sleep I'm not getting while rolling around.

Food cravings: Still spouts of healthy foods, and also sweets. Last night I had bruschetta for dinner, and that was it. Today, we got LaMar's donuts (OMG they are the best) and Jon's currently out getting ingredients for puppy chow. Balance, right? During our hospital tour, they suggested eating one delicious, fatty craving before going to the hospital since you're restricted to clear liquids until you give birth. I'm already planning what I want on hand the next few weeks in case that happens. 

Gender: Mystery! I am still heavily leaning towards boy. I even have slipped a few times and called baby "he" to friends and coworkers. Hopefully this doesn't mess with baby's psyche if it's a girl! Jon sometimes will refer to baby as the boy name we picked out, so I think it's safe to say we'll be surprised if it turns out to be a little lady.

Movement: Tons. Very deliberate pushing, and I can tell baby is getting cramped. Generally, baby's butt sticks out to the right of my belly button, and it stretches its legs straight out to my left side. It can be rather painful at times. Happy was leaning up against my side when baby pushed out really hard, and the two combined pinched my stomach and I had to shout at Happy to get off. He was really pouty about it for a while :(

Symptoms: Back ache. I had never had back ache before, and I was warned about it, but I didn't imagine it to be like this. Waddling helps relieve pain, but I don't want to waddle everywhere I go. Luckily my coworkers have been picking my kids up from recess daily so I don't need to walk extra.

Wedding rings on or off: On!

Happy or moody: Happy. Also, ready to get this done with! I'm excited to get this show on the road. Although, I'm praying I can make it at least to 39 weeks, because that will be my last week of work. It's kind of a nightmare for me to imagine going into labor at school, so please say a prayer that I make it to February 28th, at least. I have a feeling I'll go later since I have a taller frame, but coworkers have been telling me they had their baby at 34 weeks, or 35 weeks, and that's really soon!

Miss anything: Just being able to get up and walk around like a normal person. I need to heave myself out of bed and usual grunt when doing so. It's adorable.

Looking forward to: I think next weekend we're going to clean the car and attempt to install the car seat! At the hospital, they told us that 80% of carseats are installed improperly. They offer a "Coffee and Car Seats" program where you can install the seat, and then come in and get it checked for safety, which I plan to take advantage of. We already filled out the birth certificate information (minus name and gender), so it's nice knowing we just need to make it to the hospital when the time comes!

How adorable is this??

We can't get over how obsessed we are with him.

LaMar's donuts! Vanilla bar, maple bar, old fashioned, sugar raised, maple glazed, and blueberry filled with vanilla frosting! Once I saw that I lost 3 pounds, we immediately hopped in the car, got Caribou (Happy got another bagel that he buried in the car), and got donuts. Yum!

Trying out baby's swaddles

The view from above. My little freckle on the right is going through some growing pains.

32 Weeks, 6 Days Pregnant!

How far along: 32 weeks, 6 days

Total weight gain: +27 lbs. My doctor said I'm right on track! Wahoo!

Stretch marks: None!

Sleep: Great! Averaging about 8.5 hours (thanks, FitBit). I've been having a super easy time falling asleep and staying asleep. As I've said every week, I am so thankful this is not an area of struggle for me. I need that sleep!

Best moment this week: So many! We had a three day weekend, and it all was great! We decided this was our "splurge" weekend before baby joins us since it was a holiday weekend. And we did indeed splurge!

Saturday we went to see La La Land (GO SEE IT!) at the Alamo Drafthouse. It's a movie theater where you can order food and drinks. We got a milkshake and unlimited cold brew coffee to share. I got a fried egg sandwich with fries and Jon got chicken and waffles for the first time ever. We were pleasantly surprised to find that the food was amazing and it made the experience so much more fun. We already decided we might try to sneak away when Nana and Poppy visit to see Beauty and the Beast there! :)

On Sunday we had our hospital tour, which was really great. It was so reassuring to see the hospital and exactly where we'll be for labor, delivery, and recovery. The hospital is incredibly family and baby oriented, which relieved a lot of my fears. You're not just a patient there, but they really care about your birth wishes and making sure you are comfortable with breastfeeding before you leave. After the hospital visit, we went to 5280 Burger Bar! We got delicious burgers and fries, and hand-churned ice cream. Indulgence for sure.

Today we had our doctor appointment, which was incredibly uneventful. Baby's heartbeat is good, and we got some questions answered, so that was nice! I'm hoping next appointment is another ultrasound. We also found out I have a bladder infection, so I'm happily on antibiotics. It was really nice because we dropped Happy off at Jon's boss's house for a trial run. Happy got along GREAT with their two dogs, Ranger and Hildie. They even have a doggie-door, though we could not convince Happy to go through. What a goon. After that, we went to the Cheesecake Factory and even got cheesecake to go that we've been munching throughout the day. And we packed our hospital bag! See? A great weekend!

Worst moment this week: We had a massive crack in our windshield. It started with a tiny little speck, and grew giant in a few days time. I guess it's "typical" in CO, but annoying.

Food cravings: Healthy foods! I had a monster spinach salad with fresh tomatoes on Friday night, and got a veggie quinoa burger at 5280 Burger Bar, so I've been feeling good. Yeah, cheesecake, too, but I would've eaten that not pregnant!

Gender: Mystery! I think we finalized names for both a boy and girl today at lunch, though. However, we're both very open to the idea that names might change depending on when we meet baby. We had names picked out for Happy, and none them fit him. I can't imagine how much harder it will be for a person. And, don't bother asking because we're keeping them secrets!

Movement: Yup. I look like there's an alien in my belly sometimes. Less jerky movements, and more deliberate pushes. It's pretty crazy!

Symptoms: Back ache and my belly feels so heavy. I got a sling for baby wearing and wrapped it around my belly yesterday to hold it up. It actually worked fairly well!

Wedding rings on or off: On!

Happy or moody: Happy. We're getting really close now and I'm pretty ready to do this. I was reading a book this morning called "12 Hours' Sleep by 12 Weeks Old" and am really excited to implement. It's big on baby adjusting to your life, not adjusting your life to baby. I know, easier said than done. I think this will be really beneficial for our family, though. Plus, I'm hoping if I can get baby on a routine, it will allow me to possibly take a year off of teaching and watch someone else's little one in our home. All just thoughts now, so we'll see how it goes once baby arrives.

Miss anything: Not really. I still make mental lists of what alcohol to buy for when baby is out, but I've been feeling really good lately. I miss not aching by 9am every day, but that's all just a part of the process.

Looking forward to: Nothing in particular, other than getting closer to baby's due date. Our next appointment is at the end of the month, and again, I hope they do an ultrasound so we can see the little one once more before we meet them in person. Jon is traveling at the start of February, so I'm crossing my fingers nothing crazy happens while he's out of state! I guess I'm looking forward to him being home already!

Our sling from WildBird. It's the easiest and most convenient way to wear baby. I have a feeling this will be a staple at the grocery story!

As they warned us, windshields get cracked far more often in CO :( Luckily this was easily fixed in the school parking lot.

Quinoa Black Bean burgers! I decided I'm going to make these in bulk and freeze them before we have baby so we can have healthy, delicious, easy food at a moment's notice.

Family snuggles are my favorite!

I mean, come on. He's so cute I want to die.

This was when I was trying to start the sleep book! I think Happy is already a little jealous. If we get this sleep routine down though, it will give us more time to dote on Happy so he doesn't feel left out!

31 Weeks, 4 Days Pregnant!

How far along: 31 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: +24.2 lbs 

Stretch marks: Still no! I'm kind of shocked at this point, but not questioning it. I still have a TON more growing to do, so I'm not considering myself in the clear or anything.

Sleep: Great! I've been putting lavender on the bottom of my feet before going to bed, and it's really changed my sleeping for the better. I still wake up to roll over, but I fall back to sleep immediately. Still having insane and vivid dreams, which is very fun.

Best moment this week: New Years Eve was really fun because we went out to a fancy dinner in the city, and just enjoyed a very quiet and small atmosphere with delicious food. But the very best was probably Thursday. Jon and I both had a snow day, so we spent all day holed up in our apartment with Happy. Jon had a lot of work to do, but we were still able to hang out a ton. Plus, Logan and Linda came over with dessert from Eddie Merlot's! Logan was in town for less than 24 hours, so it was really special that he made time for us, AND doted on us with delicious treats. Linda is constantly dropping off yummy desserts for us. They are both just the best. Logan will be back in town next week, so we're crossing our fingers that we'll be able to see him again.

Worst moment this week: Monday! I was in so much pain on Monday, and I was convinced something was wrong. I spent most of the day in bed, crying on and off. My back was in agony, and I was having my first episode of Braxton Hicks contractions. It was the first time I just felt incredibly defeated that I still have two more months of being pregnant. I've been feeling pretty good since, but that was not fun. 

Food cravings: None. I'm totally not into sweets anymore. I tried really hard just now to eat some Christmas candy, but I could only have a bite before I put it away. How sad for me!

Gender: I told Jon I'm 95% sure it's a boy. So I'm also assuming I'm wrong and it's a girl :)

Movement: A little less than normal, but doctor said that's how it's supposed to be. Baby isn't violently kicking as much, but slowly pressing against my belly. On Wednesday, my first day back with kids, the baby didn't move all day. I was really concerned, but I think it was startled with all the constant noise after 2 weeks of peace and quiet. Baby really was kicking up a storm on our snow day, so I know all is well!

Symptoms: On and off back pain, Braxton Hicks contractions, and I'm officially starting to get the waddle.

Wedding rings on or off: On! I still have yet to experience significant swelling, which is really nice.

Happy or moody: A bit of both. I'm generally in a good mood, but the intense pain of my body on Monday really brought me down. Jon is seriously a champion. While I was crying in bed on Monday, he cleaned the apartment, brought me drinks and food, and was consistently checking in to see if I needed anything. He says goodnight to be each night by asking if I need a snack or a drink or a massage, and reminds me that I can ask for anything at any time. I always knew he was selfless and generous, but he's somehow exceeding all my expectations. I'm the luckiest.

Missing anything: Beer and wine! I was listing for Jon all the alcohol I want to get after baby is born. I was not a big drinker at all before getting pregnant, but there's something about drinking a beer while cooking, or lounging on the couch with a glass of wine that I really miss. I was talking to my old coworker, Zack, about it and he said his wife was the same way at this point in pregnancy. I'm glad to know it's normal, and I definitely am not going to go crazy after baby comes, but I'm looking forward to it.

Looking forward to: Next weekend already! Jon and I both have a three day weekend because of MLK day, and our next appointment is on Monday. We're doing a lunchtime appointment, and then going to find some food in the city. I'm still loving our city dates, and want them to happen as much as possible before our little one crashes the party. Our doctor said we'll either do an ultrasound at this next appointment, or the one after to double check that baby is in position and all is as it should be. Then the next time we see our baby, they'll be in our arms! It's nuts. On Tuesday I'll officially be 8 months pregnant, and only have 8 weeks to go! (By the way, how rude that everyone says you're pregnant for 9 months. 40 weeks = 10 months, guys. Let's not diminish the feat that women go through to have children!)

This was from New Years Eve! Jon and I didn't get a shot together, so you'll have to make due with separate shots.

Jon at Fooducopia!

Just Happy being painfully cute. He's snoozing on the rocker as we speak :)

Jon made chocolate chip pancakes for our snow day.

Favorite part of the nursery! This dresser was a beast to construct, but it turned out beautiful!