Some SUPER Quick updates

Stats
How far along: 25 w 4 d
Weight gained: 26 lbs

Updates! 
I don't have gestational diabetes (again).  They did my second glucola test and my blood sugar came back even better than the first time.

Also, I finished one of two valances!

Here are some photos:

At 24 w 3 d

At 25 w 4 d (today!)

One finished valance! (not officially hung yet, obviously)

And that's all for today, folks!  I am swamped at work without much blogging time.  More soon, I hope!

Just Some Photo Updates

Anita came by yesterday and brought us the crib and the crib sheet that she sewed OVERNIGHT!  That just blows my mind.

Anyway, here are some pics.  I *love* how it looks.  It all goes together beautifully:

And in other news, I successfully diapered a duck!

That's all for now!

Sweatin' It

Stats!
How far along? 24 w 1 d
Weight gained?  Not sure.  I am afraid to step on the scale.
Symptoms: Pain! In my hips, all the time. Also, I have no real concept of my new size, and keep bumping into things.
Wedding ring on or off?  On, but really, really tight now.  I don't think it'll make it all 9 mos.
Milestones?  We have reached viability!  Baby now has an excellent chance of survival if born pre-term
Birth plan?  Natural, with an epidural escape clause if needed
Do you plan to breastfeed?  If we can do it, then yes.
Cloth or disposables?  It depends on if I'm working or not.  We'd prefer cloth, but most daycares only take disposables
Mood?  Stressed

First things first, I will post a photo of Enzo's blanket.  We gave it to Leah and Glenn this weekend, and I think they liked it.  :) 

Okay, on to the current news ...

We are fast approaching our THIRD trimester!  Holy moly.  At about 6 months along, I am starting to get really stressed out about preparing for baby.  I guess this is when I would normally start nesting, but everything feels so unsettled that I am just awake all night worrying about stuff, rather than getting ready for the baby in the normal nesting way. 

Here are the top 5 things keeping me up at night (countdown from least stressful to most):

5) Prep Time / R&R - We have plans for every single weekend from now through the end of July, and I'm sure as time passes, weekends after that will get full, too.  When will we get things done?  We need to clean, organize baby stuff, change our electrical outlets, register for the shower, embroider valances, make a mobile, buy diapers, set up daycare, attend birthing classes, pre-register with the hospital, and do a million other things.  When will we do these things?  Most of them have to be done during work hours, and my work hours are jam packed right now.  Also, we wanted to take a babymoon one weekend to rest and relax.  I don't know if that can happen.


4) Baby stuff - We need to create our shower registry(ies), stat.  I am trying to keep in my head all the things we need to register for, and I'm sure I will forget something crucial.  I just need to start a list.   Leah has been a great help by letting us know what she thought has been great for Enzo.  

3) Daycare - We need to set up daycare, and NOW.  We're on one waiting list for a place we really like that is close to home, but we need to be on every waiting list everywhere.  I don't have time off work to go visit the places, and I don't have time during the workday to even call.  The longer we wait, the less likely we'll be to secure a place.  Possible solution:  Make a list of places for Dean to call and visit.  I think he is willing to help where he can. 

2) Work - I HATE my job.  I am the only person right now who does my job (2 colleagues with my same position quit) and I'm constantly worrying that I forgot to handle something or another.  I'd love to quit when Hoagie comes, but I'm just not sure we'll be able to afford for me to quit.  The thought of having to carry this workload plus take care of a baby just makes me want to sob uncontrollably. 

1) Condo (or, Money) - My condo isn't selling, and we need it to sell.  I can't pay that mortgage when the baby comes.  Especially with only 66% of my salary coming in and a million doctors appointments to pay for, etc.  Possible solution: Dean says if we don't sell this month, we can take it off the market, refinance, and get a management company to rent it out.  Sounds like a good plan B, but I'd really love to have it off my hands completely and for good.  And Plan B sounds like a hassle, and we only have 3.5 months to get this settled.

So that's all got me worried.

On the positive side, the embroidery pattern has finally arrived, and I started working on the valances last night.  It looks *amazing* so far, and I am really excited about getting them done.  Here's a pic of the patterns, all jumbled up (not what the valance will look like:

We start the Bradley classes this weekend.  I hope we will learn a lot!

Productivity is Productive!

Stats!
How far along? 23 w 2 d
How much weight gained? 21 lbs (that's right, a pound DOWN since last time!)
Symptoms? Sciatica, general back achiness, insane drive to be productive, weepiness, difficulty putting on own socks and painting toenails
Belly button?  I'm going to stop posting this one, since it's a solid innie, now and forever
Baby size?  ONE POUND and change! 11" head to toe (or is it still crown to rump?)
Any stretch marks?  Not yet, thankfully.  We're cocoa buttering every night.
Cravings? Not so much these days.
What isn't going so hot? Not drinking.  But only since work got crazy.  Also, I really miss deli meat.
Anything about pregnancy particularly frustrating?  That it's 40 weeks long.

Ok, that's enough stats.  Things are going really well for me and baby this week.  Dean and I have been feeling super productive and have gotten a lot done.

For one, we finally printed out and framed the photos for our baby's family wall in the nursery!  I think it looks great!

 

There are some we will need to replace (baby Enzo gets bigger every day!), but this is the basic schema.

We also finished the blanket for baby Enzo!  I think looks great, but I'll wait to post photos until we've given it to Leah.  I don't want to spoil the surprise!  I am so glad that Dean learned to knit.  Now the blanket is from both of us, and I think that makes it more special.  I felt so bad that we didn't bring her anything at the hospital when we visited, but we were rushing to make it before visiting hours ended so we didn't stop to get balloons or flowers.  I hope she likes the blanket, and I hope baby Enzo does, too!


Also, we got registered for the Bradley method classes.  They start June 24.  I was debating between Bradley and Hypnobabies, but ultimately chose Bradley.  It really involves the partner more, and Dean wants to be involved 100%.  I am so lucky to have a husband who is so invested in this.  In fact, he has started making a mobile for the baby.  It is going to be so cute!  My next project is to embroider valances for the nursery.  This baby is going to have a hand crafted room, and I hope she likes it!  It might involve these birds:

In other news, I went to my derby team's end-of-season party.   We had a great time!  I miss derby SO much, and I am totally planning to join Free State Roller Derby as soon as I am able to exercise again.  The practice demands of FSRD seem to be less than DCRG, and it's WAY closer to home.  Plus, the ladies seem awesome!

Here is a pic from the Bombshell end-of-season party.  Trust me, it was a lot more fun than it looks in this photo, which I am posting just to show what I'm looking like these days:

In other words, BIG.  Everyone at the party was excited about the baby.  They said it seemed like time was flying and couldn't believe I was already in my 6th month! 

Otherwise, things are going well.  I'd like to do something for Dean for Father's Day, but he says he doesn't want anything.  But he's been SO great and I really appreciate it.  And we had a great time celebrating his birthday all weekend and yesterday!

Tomorrow is Grandma Anita's birthday.  Happy birthday, Anita!

Ch-Ch-Changes

Stats!
How far along? 22w 4d
Weight gain? 22 lbs! OMG that is crazy.
New symptoms? Um... yes.  But it's a gross one.  So stop reading now if you don't want to know.  I'm ... um... leaking.  Milk.  Ew.
Anything other new stats since your last post?  Not really

Apparently my stomach is getting huge.  Three people in the last week have commented on it, saying such things as, "Wow, you popped out overnight!," "You are getting BIIIIIG!,"  "My daughter is due the week before you, and she doesn't have a stomach like THAT!," and, "It's not twins, right?" 

So, yeah.  Having been a bigger person basically my whole life, I've grown pretty desensitized to size comments.  But I am concerned about being up so many pounds this far along. 

For this reason, I am adding new and different austerity measures.  But I am trying to think of them as healthy mom and baby measures.  It's going well so far.  Here are some things I've done differently today, that I hope to continue:

1) When I woke up an hour before my alarm, instead of trying to sleep more, I got up and walked around the neighborhood.  Sure, my back hurt, but I think overall it's more important that I get some activity in than avoid natural pregnant lady pain.

2) I had the salad bar for lunch, and will try to cut out refined sugars.  I didn't have the world's healthiest salad, but I figure at least the baby is getting greens (chock full o vitamins) and there were no simple carbs involved.

3) Instead of a soda or lemonade at lunch, I got ice water.

4) After lunch, instead of getting a small soft-serve cone (free at my usual lunch place), I left and bought a teeny-tiny yogurt to bring back to the office.  I'll eat it later when I get hungry.

4) Tonight we will make skinless boneless chicken fajitas with lots of veggies and whole wheat tortillas!  I want to keep my dinners high protien and veggie, and low-er carb (or at least whole grain carb when possible).

Basically to keep my weight from spiraling out of control, I hope to keep up the morning walk thing (that's when I have the energy to do it), and just try to stop and think before I grab whatever food is calling me.

I think the fact that Dean and I are cutting expenses by eating at home will help a lot.

Also, I used to have and do and love the Slim in 6 series.  I might see how do able that is.  I think it's pretty low impact?  I  like how the lady is super nice and encouraging and doesn't yell at you like Jillian Michaels does.

So those are my updates for this week.  Er, or, later this week I guess.  Look at me updating twice in a week!  Still no photos, tho.  :(   Next time....

Austerity Measures

Stats!
How far along? 22 w 1 d
How much weight gained?  TWENTY POUNDS.
Wedding ring? On -- I think it might stay on for the duration. Hope so!
Maternity or regular clothes?  Almost exclusively maternity now
Belly button?  Still a solid innie. No signs of flattening.
Have you felt the baby yet?  YES!  Often. From the inside and out.
Do you have a name yet?  We think so!
Symptoms?  Back pain, hip pain, difficulty getting up from sitting, shortness of breath doing anything -- basically all the 'I'm as big as a house' symptoms

First things first about the austerity measures -- there will be no photos in this post, basically because we haven't taken any. So, that's pretty austere.  Sorry, guys.  I'm just not thrilled about having my photo snapped these days.  And while my weight continues to rise, my bump doesn't seem to be getting any bigger.  Then again, neither do any of my other parts, so I'm not really sure where the extra weight is going.  I _am_ getting a bit of a double chin now.  Boooo.

I have two big items of news this week, the first of which is about the austerity measures that Dean and I have decided to implement.  We want to start saving money now, as well as get used to life on the cheap when the baby comes and I don't have income.

Here's what we're doing:
1) Eat out only 1x per week (dinner).
2) Don't order alcohol when eating out.  If we want to have a few drinks (for Dean now, for me after the baby, obviously), we can buy something at the store and drink at home.  Alcohol has crazy markups in restaurants, adds up fast, and you have to pay tips on it.
3) Keep lunch under $10 every day.  I have to eat out at lunch or else not get a lunch (students will bother me constantly if I'm in the building), so I'm just trying to avoid sit down places with waitresses and tips. Dean plans to mostly have microwave meals at lunch.
4) Cancel non-essentials or things we don't use - No more Netflix, X-Box live, gym membership, or charitable giving.
5) Go generic when possible, shop smart (go for the cheapest per unit/ounce items) and use coupons when grocery shopping.  Stop buying foods we're unlikely to eat.

We looked at our bank statements, did the math, and all of this should save us about $1000 per month (conservatively), leaving us with a savings of at least $5000 when the baby comes!  We also found that we can live within Dean's income alone, after the baby is born, if we make these cuts.   That's if we need to.  I'm thinking I will try to work if I can find a decent job (that earns me enough money to make financial sense with daycare).  

So I am feeling pretty jazzed about it.  Eating out less will help with the weight issue, too, I think.  We've already cut our weekly grocery bill by $30 and cancelled some of the non-essentials.  We're going to try to group our car insurances together, too and do other things like that for further savings.

The other big news is .... I think we have a name!  I don't want to blab it yet, since I haven't talked to Dean about 1) whether we really are 1000% sure about it, and 2) whether he wants to / is ready to spill.  But I am excited about it, and we've been calling her by her name at home.  Yay!!

Okay, I should get back to it.  Work has been crazy and I am behind.  Bye for now!