Pregnancy Update: 22 Weeks

How far along:

22 Weeks!

Total weight gain/loss:

I got on the scale for the first time since my last prenatal appointment and discovered that I've gained 4 pounds. I feel huge, but I guess I haven't gained as much as I thought.

Maternity clothes:

Yep, it's all about maternity clothing around here. 

Movement:

Baby Cheerio (or "Honey Nut" as some sweet family have started calling her) is just like her big sisters- a wiggle worm! She is always up to something in there!

Gender:

GIRL! 

Emotions: 

Just when I think I am starting to even out a bit, I lose it! I'm starting to see a trend with being hungry and snappy, so Joel and I joke that as long as my inner fat girl is being fed, I should be OK. 

Food cravings: 

I was just about to type "nothing new" when I realized I had discovered another achilles heel: Cookies and Cream Skinny Cow Sandwiches or Cookies 'n' Creme chocolate bars. I love them both. 

I had some blood work done last week to check my thyroid and blood sugars, but not the glucose screening yet. Honestly, with as crappy as I sometimes feel after eating a meal, I'm wondering if I am GD again. I should be taking precautions and checking my sugars at home now, just to be careful, but you know me... 

Sleep:

Sleep is still kind of hard for me right now. I am exhausted at the end of the day; usually around 8, I'm ready for bed, but once I get there I can't sleep! I toss and turn and fidget and squirm. I have a ton of pillows and a Snoogle to help, but nothing works! I think it must just be like that right now.

Symptoms:

I've been doing really well physically- by taking Zofran once or twice a day, I can curb the nausea and be a productive member of our family (and society, too!). It's been great so far. I feel like this is the closest to a normal pregnancy I've had. 

Stretch marks?: 

Nope, nothing yet!

Labor Signs:

None! I have contractions all the time, but they're harmless.

Belly Button in or out:

My belly button is currently IN! I hope it stays that way...

What I miss: 

Everything. I miss everything about not being pregnant. It's an amazing thing to grow a baby, please don't misunderstand, but it's just not an enjoyable experience for me. I feel like my body has been hijacked. 

What I am looking forward to: 

I am looking forward having the baby already! I just cannot wait to meet her and love on her! Also, I am REALLY looking forward to deciding on a name soon. It's makes me crazy that Honey Nut is still unnamed!

Best moment this week:

Last night, I semi-jokingly told Joel I wanted to sleep in today and wake up to donuts- and I did! He let me sleep as long as I could and when I woke up, there were donuts waiting for me! 

Cruisin'

In the evenings, Lily and I have been riding our bikes around the neighborhood. We are always keeping our eyes open for other kids/potential playmates to introduce Lily to, but so far no dice. In the meantime, we are just enjoying our time together.

(...not that either of us look particularly happy in this photo! I blame the sun in my eyes.)

I cannot wait for Joel and Margot to come with us, too. It will be so great to have family bike rides!

Summer: Week One

For the summer, I'm going to do a weekly post about our happenings. Hopefully they will be a lot more interesting than this first week, though. Memorial Day weekend was a great way to kickoff summer, which officially started for us Wednesday- on Lily's last day of school... I am so lame for not taking a single photo. Next week!

Thursday and Friday were super low key days. Laura came over for a bit on Thursday with her youngest kids and hung out for a bit, then I took the girls swimming at my mom's. Friday, I gave a hair cut in the morning and we visited my grandparents in the evening.

Saturday Joel, Mike and Susan took Margot to Downtown Gilbert for an Art Walk, then Margot played in the splash pad for a bit. Afterward, she and Joel came back home for nap time and so I could give him a hair cut, and then we had lunch together before making a Costco trip and calling it a day. The weather so beautiful, Joel and I sat on our back patio and chatted for a bit later that night. It was wonderful!

My parents offered us their house for the weekend for another Staycation! Even though we're still kind of getting settled in here at the new house and we love it, there was no way we would turn down a couple of days at my parents' house with a pool. Surprisingly, the weather was beautiful. I think it was only in the mid-eighties!

Mike and Susan came over Sunday morning and we all listened to an awesome Podcast on relationships by Paul Tripp. It was seriously amazing and I recommend it to everyone! We shared some bagels and yummy cinnamon raisin bread, had Communion and chatted for a bit. We love those guys!

Sunday afternoon, Molly #2 came over and hung out with us at my parents' house. We tried to stay warm by the pool... the water was so cold in the afternoon that we couldn't really swim. Joel grilled some pork chops my mom had marinated and we had dinner together.  Molly is amazing and I'm so glad she came over so we could get caught up.

Monday, Laura and her kiddos came over to swim and hang out with us, too. It was great, and kind of exhausting to have seven children in the water at one time! After some swimming, Laura and the kids braved lunch at my parents' restaurant- and they all loved it! I seriously could not believe that they all tried sushi and other Japanese food. When we got back, we let the kids swim a little more and then had leftover pork chops for dinner. I think all of Laura's boys, Joel and I have sunburns- even though we all wore sunscreen!

Tuesday morning was a doozy. In the morning, I had blood work done and Margot had her 18 month well-baby in the afternoon. Before her appointment, the girls and I went to lunch and had some great mom and daughter time together. Margot had immunizations done and was so upset/not feeling well at all. We laid low for the rest of the evening.

Wednesday was the day of what I consider fruitless errands. Nothing around here opens until 9 or 10 am, which was not what I had planned when I left the house at 8:15 with the girls to avoid the heat. We came back home for some outside playtime, and ran our errands later in the day. We also visited my grandparents for a little bit before rest time. I am loving that they are so close to us now, though I am sure they will be sick of seeing us all the time now.

Thursday I (finally) went to the eye doctor for new glasses/contacts. I've needed both for so long, despite Joel's consistent reminders to go and get it done. I can't wait to have an updated prescription- even in a year, my eyes have changed so much. That evening, Laura and I colored each other's hair. I hadn't colored it since February and had so much gray. Yuck.

Well, that is it for this week... More to come next week!

What kinds of summer fun are you having?

Playing Outside

Tuesday morning, after running some completely fruitless errands (why is nothing open around here before 9 am? Do people not know how hot is gets mid-morning?), I let the girls play outside for a bit before morning rest time. 

As a total afterthought, I grabbed our DSLR while the girls played thinking I could capture a few sweet moments from their time together. I am so rusty! 

Really, Mommy? Can't I just play?

Maybe if I hide, she won't see me?

Please, Mom? No more photos!

I love when Lily helps her sister, but her sister does not love it so much. 

My pretty Lily.

Margot's Band-Aid from yesterday's shots. :(

Lemon for you?

Up to no good? Who moi?

I'm actually glad those errands didn't get finished... They'll be around later, but these moments are passing too quickly for my taste!