Bumpdate- 32 Weeks

How far along: 32 weeks 3 days

Baby is the size of:honeydew!

Extra poundage: after Christmas, i have to be at least 20 pounds in.

Bump status: umm, have you seen the picture above? holy cow!

Favorite food of the week: probably my step-mom's homemade mac n'cheese we had for Christmas dinner. omg.

Heartburn worthy foods: i'm terrified my heartburn is coming back! i've had it twice this week- both after eating Christmas dinner and subsequent leftovers. please God, no!

Favorite piece of clothing this week: i'm starting to hate having to wear maternity shirts. and pants. 1 of my 2 pairs of "weekend pants" started to separate from the elastic waistband, so i had to take it to the dry cleaners to fix. then, knowing i only have 7 weeks left, i hate having to think about buying more shirts. but i just can't fit in old ones and don't want to stretch them out. grrrr...

Movement: Little Wood is starting to cause me some pain here and there. i know it's because she's running out of room and is probably more aware of her ability to move her arms and legs. but sometimes she hurts! and i have random stretches where she moves like crazy, then a day or two where she's much more subdued. huh.

Sleep: getting floppier every night. luckily, it's only when i'm about to wake up, but still.
Pee trips in the night: 1-2. 

Guilty pleasure:  my friend, Gwin's fudge.

Baby purchases this week:  Old Navy is having a great sale, so i bought 4 onesies, 1 pair of leggings, and a hat. then i went to Target, who is also having a sale, and got 4 more pairs of leggings. it's about time- the poor girl needs some pants. 

Looking forward to: only 5 weeks of work left until maternity leave starts!

nursery update

i've made some more headway on Little Wood's nursery in the last two weeks, and i'm pretty much done with furniture purchases. yay! i'm very blessed to have a part time job on the side that allows me a little extra money so we can buy some things for the wee babe and not have it impact our budget (especially because we are preparing for a reduced income in the next 2 months!). that being said, i still try my best to get reasonably priced items when i can because a) little wood won't know the difference and b) i don't plan on her using this furniture her entire life like some people might. it just won't happen.

now, on to the updates! first up, the dresser. it's definitely nothing fancy (aka, from Ikea), but i like that it's simple and has a wide enough top to double as a changing table. i don't plan on getting a separate one due to space and the fact that i've never liked the idea of a changing table, because it has such a short lifespan (i.e. no more diapers= no more using it).  it also has a separate top i can buy for only $30 that would add edges so i could put the changing pad inside. but i'm not sure if i need it so am waiting to purchase. i like that the top has an open space for baskets for diapers etc., and that the the first drawer has another smaller drawer inside for some smaller items like bibs, hats, and rattles. don't be fooled however- this thing was a bit of a beast to put together. really Ikea, 40 steps? thank goodness my dad helped me! the husband would have had a heart attack!

i also picked up some picture ledge shelves from Ikea because i wanted something understated, but also decorative enough that the nursery didn't look barren. my handy dandy dad did me a solid and helped hang these as well. these shelves also come in a size that's about twice as long, but they didn't have them when i went and i kinda liked the small size of these anyways. kind of like "baby" sized shelves, if you will. i've bought 2 prints from Etsy (see below) and some white frames (hi-yo, penny sale at Aaron Bros!) and will lean them on the shelves once i get them.

 

this is what it looks like, big picture:

i'm still trying to decide if i want to hang anything over the crib, since it sits on the biggest wall. however i would hate for anything to fall and hit Little Wood! i guess i could search for some canvas prints, but i haven't found anything i like yet. speaking of prints, these are the two that i have bought so far:

(from this shop)

 and this one i just bought yesterday:

(from this shop)

i just LOVE this ee cummings poem and thought it would be a beautiful piece for LW's room. both prints are 8x10's and i plan on putting this one in a larger frame with a matte because i love it so much.

i still have a few things left to purchase:
new floor lamp
mattress for crib
some drawer and closet organizers
a few more pieces of art

i'm definitely enjoying this part of nesting, but have to say that i'll be glad when this is all finished and the only thing i'll be missing is Little Wood!

Christmas in utero

Christmas is probably my favorite holiday of the year. i love the music, decorations, and the overall spirit. oh, and the eggnog, peppermint, and cookie treats.  it was a little emotional for me this year, what with all the hormones, and i even caught myself trying not to cry a few times at church while singing Christmas carols!  being that this is our last Christmas without the wee babe, the husband and i decided to take it easy, but to also spoil each other a little in the gift department:) we know our focus during this time will change completely next year, and definitely for the better! we are always blessed during Christmas by each other, and our families. here are some of my favorite gifts from this year!

Madewell Heart Stripe sweater- this was an inadvertent gift from the husband. he had originally gotten me a different sweater that made me look like a whale (and it would have even w/o being pregnant) and some awesome thermal pajama pants. but the pants were defective and i had to return them and they didn't have any more! so sad. but i got this cute sweater instead and it kind of even fits my pregnant belly.

Clarisonic Mia cleaner- i didn't even know i wanted this until I had it! it's a facial hand buffer/exfoliater which i've used 3 times and already love it. it's gentle on my acne prone skin and makes it feel so soft! i'm hoping it can really keep my acne at bay until i can get back on my Rx creams after Little Wood comes.

JCrew striped blouse- i LOVE this print and can't wait to wear it! right now i look a little silly in it because my belly is half exposed. oh well.

Chi pink flat iron- i've had my Hai for at least 5 years and needed an upgrade. my parents got me this new one and it's AMAZING! it's much smoother than the Hai and makes my  hair so much shinier.

Madewell UK Storyteller Scarf- this is such a beautiful scarf. it's got "hand drawings" of Scotland, Ireland, and England on it and i can't wait to wear it.

Les Miserables (unabridged)- yes, i know, i'm quite advantageous for having a baby next year. but i've always wanted to read this and i think it may be my 1 and only book goal for next year. we'll see.

Madewell Skimmers in emerald green- i've decided that i'm a "flats" girl. heels kill my feet and do not a happy mama make. my husband is now indulging me, and got me this lovely flats!

and finally, the wee babe was also blessed this year by the hubs (guess which item he bought) and by grandma and grandpa Jalowiec:

it goes without saying that i can't wait until we can share the wonderful holiday season with our newest Little Wood next year. she is already so loved and blessed!

Bumpdate- 31 Weeks

How far along: 31 weeks 4 days today. holy cow, i'm in the single digits for number of weeks left- 9!

Baby is the size of: head of lettuce

Extra poundage: doctor confirmed- 19 pounds. after my ultrasound, they also told me the wee babe is 3lbs 10 oz! (and that she's still a girl. PHEW!)

Bump status: feeling a little bigger here and there. my t-shirts i wear for PJ's are looking pretty silly with half my belly showing, but i don't care!

Favorite food of the week:  Korean bread that my boss got me. holy cow, such buttery goodness.

Heartburn worthy foods: had a tad of HB twice this week with enchiladas. it must be the spiciness!

Favorite piece of clothing this week: my new Gap maternity shirt (seen in the picture above). even though it's the color of melon and makes me look a little similar to one, it's super comfy and i like that it doesn't have the ruching on the side. it seems every maternity shirt i come across has this!

Movement: i don't feel many kicks per se anymore. like a good wine, Little Wood is a more full bodied mover at this point. to be honest, it can be a tad painful at times, and i think i'm feeling her fingers grab at my insides at times. and yesterday my belly was pretty lopsided after a jaunt through the mall for some last minute shopping!

Sleep: good, but much more flopping back and forth as my belly gets heavier.
Pee trips in the night: 1-3. 

Guilty pleasure:  Christmas sweets. 

Baby purchases this week:  three more onesies (i really should start focusing on pants) from Baby Gap.

Looking forward to: Christmas! only two days away, and it's our last without Little Wood.

last ultrasound

i always thought i would be a big proponent of having a lot of ultrasounds when i was pregnant. pregnancy is quite long, all things considered, and i knew i would be curious about what my little one was up to in the womb. now that i'm here, i'm surprised at my lack of interest in getting more pre-birth pics of my babe in utero. it probably has a lot to do with the little info we have on the impact of ultrasounds on the unborn, and me just not wanting to take the risk. additionally, i  just have this desire to leave my wee one alone in there as she makes her way towards life. i can feel her all day every day, and that's been enough for me.

that being said, my doctor required that i have a final ultrasound this last week to make sure my placenta had moved up. at my 18 week scan, it was a little low, and they wanted to make sure i wasn't a candidate for placenta previa. good news to report, it has! along with ensuring i was good to go for labor and delivery, i also got to see a few last moments of the wee babe before she's here for good.

one thing i will say, is that Little Wood is not very photogenic. this is the 2nd time that she has refused to cooperate for a good picture. this time, it's because she was busy hiding her face by having her legs practically touching her forehead. she blocked any good face shots that may have been. regardless, i was still a happy momma to be. the ultrasound tech said that she looked perfect and even had some hair! she is head down and if i'm going to take a stab at natural childbirth, i hope she stays that way.

here's one last photo for your viewing pleasure!

Bumpdate- 30 Weeks

How far along: 30 weeks 5 days today. i'm 3/4 of the way done! (p.s. it was raining yesterday, hence the inside photo. also, don't mind my fly away hair)

Baby is the size of: head of lettuce

Extra poundage: i weighed myself at the gym last week and i'm up to 19lbs!

Bump status: feel about the same as last week. everyone i come across though doesn't believe i'm as far along as i am and tells me i'm tiny! can't complain.

Favorite food of the week:  peppermint! anything peppermint- hot chocolate, creamer, cookies oh my!

Heartburn worthy foods: none!

Favorite piece of clothing this week: long sleeved anything. it's been cold in good ole California. though having only bought 4 long sleeved maternity shirts, i'm in desperate need of just a few more to make it the last 9.5 weeks.

Movement: i swear the other morning i felt either a head or rump move over by my hip. it was the first time i felt something so distinctive and large that i knew it was a body part, not just a kick. so cute.

Sleep: pretty good.
Pee trips in the night: 1-3. 

Guilty pleasure:  Trader Joe's Candy Cane Jo-Jo's. i will need to stock up on these before they stop selling them for the season.

Baby purchases this week:  yep! i bought the wee babe two long sleeved striped onesies (i just LOVE stripes and polka dots on babies), a dresser, shelves for the nursery, and some jars for hair bows. that little bit of shopping helped me regain control. i was starting to feel unprepared again.

Looking forward to: my last ultrasound on Wednesday. i'm just hoping she's still a girl- i've done way too much painting and shopping for that 1st ultrasound to be wrong!

Bumpdate- 29 Weeks

How far along: 29 weeks, 3 days in the picture. 29 weeks 5 days today.

Baby is the size of: butternut squash (so cute!)

Extra poundage: still 17 lbs that i know of

Bump status: i don't feel bigger, but i did wear a maternity shirt to work last week and was told i got huge! though i'm not offended because i know they didn't mean bad huge ;)

Favorite food of the week:  nothing in particular

Heartburn worthy foods: i was burping our carne asada fajitas for about an hour after dinner last night, but that's about it.

Favorite piece of clothing this week: i had to work all this week and was just grateful for stretchy pants. i've also noticed that my shoes are starting to kill me, or rather, just being on my feet off and on all day :(

Movement: still a lot. last week i had to have an unexpected appointment due to a lovely UTI infection and they wanted to check on the wee babe. she did NOT like the doppler. she kept moving away and when they found her, she would kick it! i personally thought it was cute :)

Sleep: so good! i think it's the cold weather. i'm getting into some DEEP sleep where i wake up and my ear hurts from sleeping on 1 side for so long.
Pee trips in the night: 1-3. yes! only 1x last night!

Guilty pleasure:  coffee. i blame it on all the fancy coffee creamers and holiday drinks. darn you Starbucks!

Baby purchases this week:  i really tried, but i'm finding i'm REALLY picky and will not put just anything on my child. that being said, nothing.

Looking forward to: mailing off both my Christmas cards and 1 set of shower invites this week! (see above for a preview of our Christmas card shoot!)

another class for the wee babe

this past week i took my first class at the hospital in preparation for the wee babe's arrival, Successful Breastfeeding! i told Dave he could take the night off, even though i knew he was more than welcome to come. i figured he would be more uncomfortable than anything and i wanted to make sure i could absorb all the info without worrying about him.

this was the best 2 1/2 hours i've spent so far! obviously, i have no experience at all in this area of child-rearing, and my mom didn't breastfeed because it was the 80's and it wasn't much of a fad in those days, so i couldn't glean a lot of knowledge from her. i absolutely loved the instructor, the materials, video, and facilitation. i feel much more prepared and am actually very excited for my Little Wood to hurry up and get here! oddly, it was quite the bonding experience.

i'm not going to go into details about what i learned because you can take your own class! we've already signed up for our Childbirth 101 classes in January and am a little scared, i'm not going to lie. it's 3 consecutive Thursdays in a row, and i've been instructed to wear comfortable clothing and bring to pillows. that just screams heavy breathing. i'll let you know how it goes!

Belly Laughs

it seems odd to me that i haven't had the desire to read more pregnancy related books, especially given my love of reading. i hear a lot of people run to their nearest bookstore the second they see two pink lines and stock up on all things pregnancy. i guess i'm having enough real-life experiences that the thought of reading about it is the last thing on my mind!

that being said, i was lent this book by a friend and just now finished, 29 weeks in! it wasn't a particularly long book, it's just that i now got to reading it. having now finished, i can definitely recommend this book to other preggo's out there, and even to those anticipating having a baby in the near future.

obviously, writing isn't Jenny McCarthy's strongest skill, but you can feel her sincerity and humor throughout her book. i really appreciated her honesty and bluntness to talking about all things pregnancy.  for example, when you're terrified of getting stretch marks, you learn to appreciate Jenny's tell-all that even she got them, and that no one wants them.  i don't want to hear that they "tell a story" and are "to be worn proud" because you carried your child. blech. look, i don't want them, and i don't know anyone who does. anyways, McCarthy is quite the open book in her novel and i love how she talked about topics that people forget to warn you about in pregnancy. if you need a good laugh, and a good read, read this!

Bumpdate- 28 Weeks

How far along: 28 weeks, 4 days in the picture. 28 weeks 6 days today. it was a crazy week and that's why i'm getting to my bumpdate later than usual

Baby is the size of: a small head of cabbage

Extra poundage: 17 lbs (eek!)

Bump status: regular shirts are no longer doing the job....

Favorite food of the week:  meh. nothing is really sounding all that good right now. fatigue is slowly creeping back into my bones and i will eat whatever is easiest. especially Brinner (breakfast for dinner, for those of you who don't know)

Heartburn worthy foods: nothin'. i even ate Italian food!

Favorite piece of clothing this week: ugg, clothes. with about 11 weeks to go, i'm starting to see where this is headed. i would probably just say anything with elastic that doesn't make me look like a whale?

Movement: tons. at my 28 week appointment, the doctor commented that i have a very active baby. she does not like the doppler and turns away whenever they try and find her heartbeat. moo haha.

Sleep: since i put my flannel sheets on, much better. though the first night way a little rough and i woke up super sweaty because the husband had closed every door and window in the house!
Pee trips in the night: 2-3. again:(

Guilty pleasure:  my friend's home made fudge. i've never looked so forward to dessert at home!

Baby purchases this week:  Little Wood's crib.

Looking forward to: Christmas. i know it's some ways off, but it's my favorite holiday of the year!