35 Weeks!

Sorry I have been MIA on here.  This third tri I have been so unmotivated to do anything! I am so tired all the time and its just easy to keep putting off updating on here.  I can't believe we have 5 weeks left till our sweet girl's due date.  We are pretty much ready for this girl!  All we have left to do is pack the bags and install the car-seat. Such a wonderful feeling.  I am just watching time pass slowly now and eagerly awaiting her arrival.

How far along?: 35 WEEKS!  We have Less than 5 weeks till this little nugget's due date.

Baby is the size of a: A large cantaloupe. BUT She is measuring a week ahead so she might be even bigger than that! 

Total weight gain/loss: Last checked (I believe Friday morning) about 27.5 lbs.  No telling after this weekend though.  Ate a bunch and have been very lazy so probably gained 5 lbs in two days lol.

The Bump:  HUGE! She has definitely made her presence to let everyone know I am pregnant!  :)

Symptoms:  Hmm... cramps usually in the mornings, I am starting to waddle, tired most of the time, irritation...ready for this girl to be here so I can have my body back.  I know I really have had it lucky-- since she has so much room, I am really not miserable.  BUT I feel like I have so many other uncomfortable symptoms that are making up for it!  Luckily, no heartburn and I am sleeping pretty well as of now. 

Food Cravings: I'd have to say burgers. I never want to miss out on an opportunity for one and I really enjoy them when I get to eat them! I don't ever wake up in the middle of the night and think "MAN I COULD REALLY GO FOR A BURGER" but it has definitely been my food of choice.

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: You know, I it has been so long that I have posted on here that I haven't told y'all about the loss of our cat.  Its been really hard and I am still recovering but we had to put my sweet cat, Mali, down about a month ago.  She was my best friend always by my side and so loving.  I miss her so much.  BUT I must say, I sleep so much better now that she is with the Lord.  She doesn't wake me up throughout the night and I only wake up once a night to use the bathroom now. 

What I miss: Well I don't deprive myself of too much these days.  I miss sleeping on my stomach  champagne and running.  Can't wait to do all of those things in a few months.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On. Fortunately, still no swelling yet. 

Any Names Picked Out Yet: RILEY GRACE

Gender: Baby Barnes is a girl! 

Movement: She is very active.  Can't wait to see how active she will be on the outside!

Maternity Clothes: I am down to about 2 pair of pants (I DO LAUNDRY ALL THE TIME) and about 5-6 shirts. My wardrobe is very limited and I am trying to get creative, but not really motivated to do so. 

Labor Signs: I had my first Braxton Hicks last week (about 3 in the same day) but haven't had any since. Maybe I was dehydrated.

Best Moment of the Week: Finishing up RIley's registry and finishing up the nursery.  We are ready for you sweet girl, whenever you want to come!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Of course FINALLY geting to meet RILEY. Usually I would say my birthday which is in 2 weeks from today. For some reason, it just doesn't seem like that big of a deal this year.  I am excited to be with family and bring on another year, but other than that... no margaritas= not so much excitement. lol  Oh and we are moving into the weekly appointments starting this week! VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT!

30 Weeks!! 3/4 of the way there!!

How far along?: 30 weeks!! I can't believe we are getting so close to Riley's due date.  70 days to go! (assuming she comes on time!)

Baby is the size of a: Head of Lettuce (that's pretty dang big!) 

Total weight gain/loss: I'm going to start making this about Riley's weight gain, not mine... that's a lot easier to talk about.  Riley should almost weigh 3 lbs!! Also a pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her.

The Bump:  Growing ever so slowly... 

Symptoms: None ...other than feeling random kicks here and there. Oh and feeling fat and tired.  Don't forget the frequent need to use the restroom. Okay fine, fine, I'll admit it, I have symptoms! Geez.

Food Cravings: :( Still... NONE. Maybe I need a stricter diet so that I will actually crave something. I remember when I was in highschool I used to crave this salad dressing from one of my favorite mom and pop Italian restaurants by my parents. Every time I would think of it, my mouth would water.  Why can't I have cravings like that??

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: OH MY GOSH! I have had a breakthrough people!  I have been making the room SUPER COLD! LIKE ridiculously freezing (Andrew is not a big fan of me right now,  but he just piles on the blankets). I HAVE BEEN SLEEPING LIKE A BABY THE PAST 2 NIGHTS! It might be due to the fact that I have been going to bed at midnight every night this week  instead of my usual 10 o'clock. This time change has really thrown me off.  Oh and the past two nights, I only got up ONCE to use the restroom!! I woke up last night sleeping on my back and I WAS SO COMFORTABLE!  I quickly rolled over knowing I am not supposed to... I must have accidentally rolled over in the night.  It felt so good though. 

What I miss: Being able to run more than 2 miles without feel pressure.  It is so depressing because I don't even feel like I am getting a good cardio workout in.  I think I am going to let running go for the rest of my pregnancy and try to get into power walking.  I just get so bored... I like that running gets an amazing cardio workout in half the time! Can't wait to get this girl out of me and be back to my normal self.  Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed this bonding time with her, but I am ready to see her face to face. 

Weddings Rings On or Off: On. No swelling... YET.

Any Names Picked Out Yet: RILEY GRACE

Gender: Baby Barnes is a girl! 

Movement: Goodness... she will be so active some days, and not so active others.  I WORRY WAY TOO MUCH!! :) I am so thankful I have this heartbeat monitor or I would go CRAZY! Heart is beating strong, thank the Lord! :)

Maternity Clothes: I live in leggings and long shirts...anyone know where I can find more really long shirts for Spring?

Labor Signs: none yet.  I have heard of a lot of people starting to experience Braxton Hicks at this point or soon... I don't think I have had any of those yet.

Best Moment of the Week: Getting to see so many friends and family at my first baby shower! It was so sweet of everyone to come and show their support for Riley and us, and shower us with sweet and thoughtful gifts!  Can't wait to write a post to take you all on a tour of the nursery. (That is, when it is all put together and organized which might not be for another few weeks!) Oh, and we got to see our sweet baby girl on 4D last week. She is absolutely perfect. She was so calm and precious.  (Picture below.)

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: We are going to Ft. Worth this weekend to see our brother and sister-in-law (Andrew's brother and brother's wife) and their precious nieces (Dylan-2, and Anna and Emma-5 months).  Can't wait to love on them!

28 Weeks!

How far along?: 28 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Small Cabbage

Total weight gain/loss: More than the baby is going to weigh. 

The Bump:  Still there... lol I never know what to say here. I feel like she is staying the same size the past few weeks, but definitely present.

Symptoms:  A little daily headache. Other than that, feeling pretty dang good!

Food Cravings: I am wondering if I am craving yogurt? I don't feel like I have to have it... but I sure have been eating a lot of it lately.  Maybe that's a craving and I don't even realize it. 

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: I CAN'T WAIT TO SLEEP ON MY BACK AGAIN! It just not comfortable when I am on my back. She sits on my bladder... not a comfortable feeling at all!

What I miss: Margaritas.  We are in Austin for a wedding this weekend and they served margaritas last night at the rehearsal dinner. I had a little sip... okay a big sip! IT. WAS. DELICIOUS! Can't wait to start drinking them again.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet: RILEY GRACE

Gender: Baby Barnes is a girl! 

Movement: She is kicking right now. The strength hasn't increased too much.  Same ole same ole.  She is usually more active when I eat. 

Maternity Clothes: Oh boy... besides workout clothes, that is all I can really wear now. 

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: Finally hitting 3rd trimester according to EVERY book.  (A lot of the articles say different weeks are the 3rd tri... but all of them agree that you are definitely in the third tri by week 28!

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: We are going to do a 4d Ultrasound this Thursday!! I cannot wait to see how much she has grown and see her beautiful face. I will post pictures as soon as I can!   I am also looking forward to week 30 and baby showers!  

27 Weeks & Officially in the 3rd Trimester

That is right everyone, Riley is now officially in the homestretch. She is becoming more active than ever. (Sometimes it is a little uncomfortable, but nothing unmanageable.) I am sure it is just going to keep intensifying as these weeks go by.  The more I feel her sweet rolls and kicks (usually feel more rolling around than punching or kicking), the closer I feel to her.  Then when she's asleep, I forget I am pregnant.  Just kidding.  I actually get worried because I am a worrywart. What? Yes, I already can tell I am going to be one of those moms that worry about everything. I am not worried that Riley is going to mess up, but that I am going to fail at my parenting job and mess up somewhere along the line.  I know we all make mistakes and learn from them but I just want to make sure that I will be doing the best I can do at the time. If i know and truly feel it was the best I could do, then I wont be too hard on myself.  If I know there was something I could have done better for a better outcome, then I will be a little upset, fix it, and move on. Anyway, when Riley isn't moving (or sleeping) I worry that I ate something wrong, or I worked my body too hard, or didn't get enough sleep... the endless worries go on.  Then she wakes up and I can relax again...kind of.  BABIES DO HAVE TO SLEEP! I must keep reminding myself that! ;) 

Good news,  I read that if Riley was born prematurely today she would have a >90% chance of survival. That is amazing!  I am so proud of our little sweet angel. She is working so hard in there and I could't be a more proud mother!  She is getting so strong. 

We have spent the first half of Riley's 27th gestational week in the Big Easy. We came down here so that Andrew and my dad could run the Rock'n'Roll New Orleans Marathon. (For the record, they definitely ROCKED it!)  This is Riley's first trip here (not that she will ever remember it) and boy let me tell you, this girl has been lucky enough to experience New Orleans's finest eats. I sure hope she loves food as much as I do (Riley if you don't I apologize now for making you suffer 10 months of forced eating).  I am pretty sure we are eating our way through the city.  Luckily, most places are walking distance so we are getting in quite a bit of exercise to help offset the extra calories. 

Enough of me blabbin.  Here are a few photos from our trip, and a little follow up with how we are moving along.

Andrew and me in the Hilton on St. Charles Lobby

My parents, Andrew and me at Commander's Palace last night

Family Picture in front of Liuzzo's Restaurant and Bar

I got to see my one of my favorite girls I know, Erin, and her amazing boyfriend Patrick! So good to see y'all!! xoxo

Lastly, here is a belly pic of me @ 27 weeks!

   

How far along?: 27 weeks

Baby is the size of a: Head of Cauliflower!  Just ate one of those the other night. I must say, it was pretty big!

Total weight gain/loss: I think I am going to take this category out.  Every time I read it, I feel my heart sink a little deeper into my newly acquired fat. 

The Bump:  PRESENT!  There is not doubt about it, this bump isn't going anywhere until baby Riley arrives.  Can't really hide it that well either. 

Symptoms:  Starting to get a little uncomfortable.  Fatigue has returned (as I hear it usually does in the third trimester).  My stomach will be sore in certain spots throughout the day (I assume from the stretching it is currently undergoing).  

Food Cravings: I am leaving this one the same as last week. No change. I am actually craving to crave something. COME ON CRAVINGS... where you at?

Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.

Sleep: Wake up 2-3 times a night for restroom breaks and a little tossing and turning throughout the night.  Other than that, I sleep pretty well.

What I miss: Being in control of my body.  At this point I just have to lean on God and know that he is in control and these changes are natural.

Weddings Rings On or Off: On

Any Names Picked Out Yet: RILEY GRACE

Gender: Baby Barnes is a girl! 

Movement: YES! YES! and YES! She is pretty dang active one day, then the next few she backs off and gives her momma a break. Then she's right back at it! 

Maternity Clothes: Just ordered three more maternity dresses so that I can actually have something to wear to these upcoming weddings and showers.  Still need more clothes.

Labor Signs: N/A

Best Moment of the Week: WOW so much!  My handsome nephew, Benjamin Andrew, was born!  (PICTURE BELOW!) Getting to experience New Orleans with my parents, Andrew, and Riley.  (First time in YEARS I have been here without drinking. I am seeing a whole different side to this amazing city!)  Oh yes, and not sure if I mentioned this last week but I PASSED MY GLUCOSE TEST! :) Pretty happy about that too. I had no reason to be worried, but was. (I told you guys, I am a worrywart.)

What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Sad, but getting my hair done this week. These roots have GOT to go!  

...and now I will leave you with the best part of this post.  Please welcome my sweet nephew, Benjamin Andrew. Born February 18, 2013.  9 lbs., 15 oz. & 21 inches. 

26 Weeks Baby!

• How far along?: 26 weeks
• Baby is the size of a: Head of Lettuce
• Total weight gain/loss: a lot (I don't pay attention to the number anymore)
• The Bump:  People are now asking me how far along I am. It really throws me off guard but I have been LOVING IT! :) The unfortunate news of the bump: it has finally become uncomfortable to run. Today I decided to attempt it and there was just too much pressure. NOT FUN!  I am so bummed that running will have to go on hold until Riley gets here.  I plan to power walk and still work out though. :)
• Symptoms: Just some weird aches and pains. Starting to get a little uncomfortable.  It is taking a lot more effort to stand up and sit down. 
• Food Cravings: I am actually craving to crave something. COME ON CRAVINGS... where you at?
• Anything Making Me Queasy or Sick: Nope.
• Sleep: I think I have just gotten used to it.  I wake up a few times a night... can't sleep in past 7. :/
  
• What I miss: RUNNING... I think its just the thought of knowing I can't for a few months makes me miss it already. ( I know I ran today... but I didn't even feel like I was exerting myself, it just felt VERY uncomfortable. 
• Weddings Rings On or Off: On
• Any Names Picked Out Yet: RILEY GRACE
• Gender: Baby Barnes is a girl! 
• Movement: I feel her a lot for a few days and then I don't feel her very much for a few days.  She always moves when her daddy puts his hand on her when we are praying. It is so sweet.  If I haven't felt her for a while I always tell Andrew to put his hand on my tummy and she will move around and it makes me feel better.
• Maternity Clothes: Probably half and half. BUT... most of my normal clothes are starting not to work out much anymore.  
• Labor Signs: N/A
• Best Moment of the Week: Having more and more people ask me how far along I am.  It is still so new and I feel so giddy inside when people ask me.  
  
• What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Getting my glucose results back, and meeting my sweet nephew on Monday!!!  Hurry up baby Benjamin! We are all ready to meet you!

Pregnancy Countdown....100 Days Left!

For your entertainment (and mostly mine), I have put together a few Pregnancy Tickers to check on Riley's size and countdown how many days we have left. Did I mention today is a big day? Not only is it Valentine's Day (HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO YOU ALL and my dear husband), but today marks 100 days left until Riley's big birthday debut! Let the less than 3 digit countdown begin! <3

In the Zone, Then Came the Hormones

Okay hormones... You got me, you win this round but don't think I have given up.  You may have won the battle, but I will win the war! Oh that's right, you guys are not in my brain. Let me fill you in on a little pregnancy hormone mishap that occurred this morning... poor, poor Julie. (I am sorry you had to deal with that this morning Julie! ;) )

For the past few weeks I started training with my good friend Julie on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.  It is wonderful. She comes to my house and all I have to do is get up and get it done! NO EXCUSES!  I can't say "my car broke down", or "I slept through my alarm". Nope, this is because she shows up rain or shine at 8 a.m. at my house, ready to kick my butt!  It has been going GREAT! I have been able to preform all of the exercises she forces politely asks me to do. I have really been enjoying these workouts A LOT and I look forward to Julie coming over and training me. I am starting to see differences in my body already! Julie is an AMAZING trainer and I would HIGHLY recommend her to anyone who wants to start training.

So let me take you to this morning.  Picture this:

I am fatigued from the workout and we are on the second to last exercise of the session. I had to get in an upright plank with my toes on the stability ball (Julie was holding it tight so I didn't slip). I had to alternate toe taps on the floor then bring my leg back up to the stability ball and tap the other side to the ground.  I had already done one round of these, so I knew I can do it. Well, let me tell you I have the WORST balance EVER! EVER! Poor Julie was holding on to the ball with her dear life so that it didn't roll around everywhere.  I am already having trouble holding my plank, keeping my legs straight, and balancing on the ball, and I see Julie trying SO hard to keep that ball still.  I completely LOST it breaking into a hysterical laugh which quickly made me even more weak.  I brought my knees to the ground and turned over because I couldn't stop laughing. Well... hormones took over and all of the sudden I started uncontrollably crying my eyes out. It was so embarrassing  Julie didn't know what to do. Andrew walked in, a little concerned hearing me cry.  I told him I couldn't stop crying.  He goes, "Oh, that's okay... its normal." (NORMAL? Seriously?? lol... he was so sweet to not make me feel dumb. Julie too, she was so kind and just let me take a few moments to pull myself together.)  Fortunately, it only took me a few minutes to recompose myself and we finished up the work out.

HOLY MOLY... up to this point I have not been a hormonal pregnant wreck.  This sudden outburst of tears was completely unexpected and uncontrollable.  I can't wait to see what the next 15 weeks will bring...

Again, sorry Julie! :)

24 Weeks!

Finally 24 weeks! I don't know what it was about week 23, but I found it boring.  There is nothing exciting or special about the number 23 . I prefer even numbers over odds, and if its going to be odd I prefer 5's.  Weird I know, but it is what it is.

Enough about numbers, let's talk about Riley's development this week!

Sweet baby Riley is now almost a foot long!  (All the websites suggest picturing an ear of corn, but I prefer to picture a Subway footlong. Just kidding, an ear of corn works just as well). Her brain is growing at a fast rate and taste buds are beginning to develop. She is strengthening those lungs by developing branches.  She is growing at a very fast rate over the next few weeks and I cannot wait to finally see my belly expand just a little bit so I can OFFICIALLY look pregnant.

Another random fact: My uterus is the size of a soccer ball. Just thought you all would want to know that tid-bit.

I was slacking on the board the past few weeks so my sister so kindly offered to be a guest artist this week!  (Thanks sis! You did a wonderful job! xoxo)

Now lets get into the weekly routine!

How far along? 24 WEEKS! 

Total weight gain: Oh my goodness you guys... don't know what happened? This is rather embarrassing. 17 pounds. There I said it, and I don't feel better at all. 
Maternity clothes? Just about completely wearing maternity clothes. I tried to put on an old dress the other day in hopes it would just be a little snug. I got it to zip and was feeling pretty good about myself until I was heading out the door and noticed a side view in the mirror that the back of my dress was all scrunched up in the back (hiking up) because it didn't fit. Totally depressing.  I decided I need to retire that dress until post delivery. 
Stretch marks? Nope. Just started using Cocoa Butter Creme. That stuff is serious.  VERY THICK!
Sleep: What's sleep? I vaguely remember it. No really, I get some sleep just wake up about 5-10 times a night. (No exaggeration).  
Best moment this week: Getting out of week 23. Just kidding. There really wasn't anything wrong with week 23... its just, well... you guys know how I feel about the number. 
Movement: I listen to Riley every morning and night on the doppler and every time I put the gadget on my stomach she kicks back at it. So cute. 
Food cravings:  Nope. :/
Gender : Sweet girl.
Labor Signs: N/A
Symptoms: Nothing new this past week. Like I said... its been a pretty boring week.
Belly Button in or out? Still in! (That's right Andrew... STILL IN!)
Wedding rings on or off? On. Still fit the same so far.  
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy as usual. I am getting impatient though. Wishing we could fast forward 16 weeks. :)

Until week 25... here's a quick belly shot at 24 weeks!

Pregnancy Dreams Prevail....

I had a random pregnancy dream last night... they are becoming more and more dominant over my normal dreams (don't ask me what a "normal" dream is, I am not really sure.  How about anything that is not a pregnancy dream.)

In my dream I sucked the helium of a balloon and started floating in the air. Then I was worried that the helium would hurt Riley for the rest of the dream and just couldn't forgive myself.

In most of these dreams I will do something without thinking about the repercussions, then be worried throughout the rest of the dream I did something that might have affected Riley in a bad way.

Any dream interpreters out there?

22 WEEKS!

To put it into perspective: I found out I was pregnant at 4 weeks on the day.  Since the day I found out I was pregnant... it has been 18 weeks. I am now 22 weeks and have 18 weeks left until Riley's due date. I understand she might not arrive on that EXACT date, but it really makes it real!  The chalkboard is on hold for a little bit until I can find some time to repaint it.  I thought I was being so smart by using chalk paint markers.  Unfortunately, they do not clean off all the way on my chalkboard so I want to put another coat of chalkboard paint on the board before I update it again.  I will do a belly shot later today and post though.  Here we are @ 22 weeks!

How far along? 22 WEEKS! 

Total weight gain: 12 lbs.  Baby is the size of a papaya and over a pound now!
Maternity clothes? Just ordered another batch of maternity clothes! I am almost completely out of pants to wear. My pants I kept that used to be two sizes too big (pre-pregnancy) are now one size too small. Depressing.  I understand, I am growing a baby inside of me, but there is still that realization that I don't fit any of my normal pants anymore which is a little depressing. 
Stretch marks? Not yet.  (Fingers crossed)
Sleep: I really am not enjoying sleeping on my side.  I am so uncomfortable.  Andrew got me a snoogle for Christmas and I cannot quite figure out how to get comfortable with it.  I have a tempur-pedic pillow that I LOVE and I cannot figure out how to use the snoogle AND my tempur-pedic pillow comfortably.  1-2 trips to the bathroom a night still and lots of tossing and turning in the mornings.  Can't sleep in even when I want to. 
Best moment this week: Buying some nursery wall decor. I am so excited to get the nursery together. I have just been buying things here and there, but I am ready to buckle down and get that room finished!
Movement: Feels about the same.  Off and on... usually in the mornings and evenings when I am laying down being lazy.  I am ready to start feeling her constantly.  Apparently, since I am so tall, she has a lot more room in there which must be why I am not feeling her as strong. I am not nearly as big as most girls at 22 weeks but the doc said I am doing great in size, so I guess I wont worry too much about it. 
Food cravings: None. I have decided its because I eat what I want. lol  I haven't deprived myself of anything so I haven't really had any cravings.  
Gender : TEAM PINK! Riley Grace.
Labor Signs: N/A
Symptoms: Just fatigue lately.  I have been pretty exhausted lately. I think Riley is supposed to double in size and weight over the next four weeks so I imagine the fatigue will hang around for a while. 
Belly Button in or out? In, although I have never seen this much of the inside of my belly button.  lol  Andrew is CONVINCED it is going to pop out.  I am DETERMINED not to let it happen. (I know I don't really have control, but I had a pretty deep set belly button to start, so we will see if it happens.)
Wedding rings on or off? On. Still fit the same so far.  
Happy or Moody most of the time: Pretty happy.  Just singing to Riley whenever I get a chance.  Apparently she can hear pretty well now so we have been having a lot of one way conversations lately! :)

Pregnancy Dreaming...

I had my first pregnancy dream last night.  I always thought it was weird that up to this point I had never dreamed about being pregnant.  It seemed like I was reading everywhere that pregnancy dreams were very common, and all the blogs I was reading talked about how weird their dreams had been about pregnancy.  So I didn't put much thought into it, but still slightly wondered why I wasn't having any pregnancy dreams.  I guess it just took 20 weeks for my subconscious to set in an realize that I am actually pregnant.

I don't remember much but here's what I do remember:
I was pregnant with twins and at the hospital because it was my due date.  I kept wondering what it was going to feel like when I went into labor. I felt so normal and didn't think the twins were ready to break my water.  My tummy was as big as it is now (not that big), and I was really concerned that the twins just weren't ready yet.  So throughout this entire dream I remember all these obstacles happening (like falling really hard on my tummy), I didn't know if I was still pregnant or not and all I wanted to do was meet these sweet babies.

So weird... any of you have crazy pregnancy dreams?

20 Weeks- HALFWAY THERE!

I cannot believe we are HALFWAY through this pregnancy.  Riley is getting stronger and stronger every day. We went in for our anatomy scan on Friday, and it was so wonderful to see our sweet girl again. During this scan they check everything they possibly can on your baby. They count toes, fingers, look at the spine, make sure there is no cleft lip, look at the femur, humerus, calculate the circumference of the belly and head, etc. Those are most of the things I noticed, but I am sure they did much more that I didn't know about. Even though it is a longer ultrasound, it seemed like it went by so quickly.

We are so fortunate to have such a healthy girl- 10 fingers, 10 toes, no cleft lip, strong and long humerus and femurs (that's your upper arm bone and thigh bone). I felt so fortunate that I took anatomy in college because I knew exactly what the nurse was talking about throughout the entire process.  The doc came in (this is not my usual doc--they sent me to her for this anatomy check, as they do all their patients) while the nurse was measuring the circumference of the skull. First thing she asks me is if I had taken the spina bifida and/or down syndrome tests.  I told her I did the spina bifida but wasn't sure if I wanted to do the down syndrome screening because it wouldn't change anything. She acted very concerned that I never took that test. I told her that I thought it was one of those tests that would put you more at risk for a miscarriage and it didn't seem worth it to me. She corrected me and told me it was just a finger prick. So I said, "Well okay I will do it then I guess". (She was getting me really worried... I was just ready for her to tell me Riley has down syndrome.)  She goes... "Oh, no its too late for that." I was like, "Okay well should I be concerned?" She goes... "It doesn't look like it, if there are any abnormalities then we might recommend a different test you could take, but it costs the monies." (Yes she had a weird accent and dialect.)  Anyway, I was so frustrated with her that she made me worry like that for nothing.  Turns out everything was normal.  I think she noticed how big Riley's head was and just thought she would ask if I got tested for it.  Apparently, Riley is measuring one week ahead in size.  All three of us Geffert kids measured very big, and according to my brother my niece and nephew were/are both measuring one week ahead of schedule. So it is nothing to be concerned about.  The doc also assured me that she was well within the "normal" range and not to be worried. She got me so concerned that there was something wrong with my baby at first... but I think she was just trying to get the facts, and saw that she was a bigger baby than normal.  All I can say is apparently we grow big babies in our family!  They said that just because she measures a week ahead of the norm in schedule, doesn't mean that they will move up the due date--it just means she is most likely going to be a bigger baby.  Oh boy, I mean girl! :)  We are just so very thankful that we have a healthy baby.

The entire time they were doing the scan we were watching her move around.  She loves to put her hands over her face a lot and point out her index fingers.  She kicked a little bit, but not too much.  Her head was RIGHT on my bladder which makes COMPLETE sense as to why I keep having to go to the bathroom so bad every half hour.  They tell you to drink water while you are waiting so that the baby will be closer to the ultrasound machine. Well we waited for an hour and a half and by the time we went in the room I had to go to the bathroom SO bad.  My bladder was so full that they were having trouble reading the circumference of her head and considered having me empty it. They showed me how incredibly large/full my bladder was...pretty impressive if I must say so myself! ;) It was the first time anyone has ever pointed out my bladder to me.  At the very end of the ultrasound, she turned it to 3d.  It was so AMAZING to see so much detail of Riley's face.  It wasn't the clearest image they printed, but I'll take it!  She has such a CUTE button nose and sweet soft eyes.  I cannot wait to meet her in person.

Here is her 3d image--It is of her face and her right arm is up by her right ear (on the left side of the photo).  The other thing you are seeing on her left side (right side of the picture) is her umbilical cord.  No worries, it is not attached to her neck.  This is just where is was floating when the image was taken--right in front of her.)  Everyone, meet Riley Grace in the womb:

So excited to be at this halfway mark. Just twenty more weeks and we get to meet this sweet angel.

The nursery is finally making progress. They painted it yesterday, and now I can get started on the fun stuff! :)  Andrew is going to put together the crib today and we will put both of the dressers that have been stashed in our dining room for the past month in the nursery!  WAHOO! Can't wait to finally have it all together.

How far along? 20 weeks--HALF WAY! 

Total weight gain: UGH... got on the scale this morning... I am finally up 10 pounds! YUCK! Research says that I should expect to gain 5 lbs in my first trimester, then about a pound a week after that.  So if their calculations are correct, I should have gained 11 pounds by now.  So, I am not too upset about it.  :)  Hopefully it is all pregnancy weight!
Maternity clothes? Over the Christmas holiday my sister told me that my pants were too tight and it was "time".  I knew the time was coming, I just did not want to admit it. I was so thrilled that I could still fit into my own jeans, that I was in denial that they were too tight.  Yes, I was Gloria from Modern Family. Not that extreme, but it happened. Andrew agreed that they were too snug and wanted me to feel comfortable in my own pants, so he took me shopping! I bought a pair of maternity jeans (which I think I might still wear post baby... they don't have a zipper or a button just a long elastic band that goes up really high on the stomach.  Talk about keeping shirts looking smooth and being ever so comfortable!  I also purchased two sweaters.  (Which the sales lady @ Baby Gap so was incredibly obnoxious. If I have time I will write a post just about that experience.)
Stretch marks? Nope, luckily not yet.  I will continue to put on Mustela stretch mark cream ritually and pray it doesn't happen.
Sleep: Well, once a night potty break has become 2-3 times a night potty break.  Not fun. Oh, and I cannot sleep on my back anymore (which is how I ALWAYS sleep), so I keep waking up throughout the night very uncomfortable.  When I sleep on my side my arms fall asleep so I keep accidentally rolling over to my back and wake up thinking "CRAP NOT AGAIN!", roll back to my side only for my arm to fall asleep again. All in all, sleep sucks lately.
Best moment this week: Having Andrew feel Riley kick from the outside for the first time. Such a sweet and special moment that both of us will NEVER forget. Oh and I am pretty sure Riley got the hiccups the other night!
Miss Anything? Surprisingly, nothing right now. Well, I take that back... SLEEP!
Movement: YES! She will be incredibly active for a few days... then just a few kicks here and there for the next few. 
Food cravings: None. I kind of wish I had more... I have so much trouble deciding what I want to eat because I want everything on every menu in every restaurant. If I actually had a craving for something, it would make my decisions so much easier! Come on Riley, I need an excuse to eat whatever I want. What do you want? Ice-cream? Donuts? Pickles?  You name it... I'm on it!
Gender : A sweet baby girl, Riley Grace.
Labor Signs: N/A
Symptoms: A little more round ligament pain recently (I suppose my uterus is growing quite a bit lately).  Lots of fatigue.
Belly Button in or out? In.
Wedding rings on or off? On. Still fit the same so far.  With this cooler weather, they are a little loose.
Happy or Moody most of the time: HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! I wish we were two months ahead from now so I wouldn't have to wait as long to meet her! 

Recent Pregnancy Mishaps...

I have ALWAYS been a neat eater.  I am not known for getting food on my clothes while I eat, nor am I known for having food smeared all over my face by the time I am done with eating ribs.  I usually only use two fingers (not an entire hand), which makes the mess a lot easier to clean up in the end. More recently over the past few weeks, I have found myself to be a clumsy eater.

For an example: One minute I have my food on my fork, it is heading for my mouth… the next minute I lose it! This is no joke people. I keep literally losing my food only to find it later smeared all over my shirt, or my sheets (yes, I was eating a tangerine popsicle in bed last night and lost a part of it, only to find it 10 minutes later melted all over my ivory sheets! Today, the culprit was blueberries. One minute it is on my fork, the next… well I STILL CAN’T FIND IT!  I am sure it is squished under my butt or inside my blouse or somewhere where only other people will notice but I will have no idea. This extended belly has caused me to lose things I drop very easily.

Next up, sugar. For some odd reason the past few times I have gone to the grocery store I keep thinking I am out of sugar.  I now have THREE LARGE BAGS of sugar in my pantry.  I have got to get a hold of this pregnancy brain before I completely lose it and buy out all the sugar in the entire grocery store! Apparently I am not alone. My pregnant neighbor did the same thing recently. (I tried to give her a bag and found out).  She’s lucky she caught herself at two bags…

Anyone need any sugar?

Catching you up! Weeks 18 & 19

We go in for our big ANATOMY SCAN tomorrow (one day before 20 weeks!).  I cannot believe we are almost halfway! You better bet I will make a long post for that!  Until then, let me catch you up with some pictures!

Here is my baby bump @ 18 Weeks!

I AM 19 Weeks Pregnant!! One more week till we are halfway!

Here we are @ 19 Weeks!

Stay tuned for the 20 WEEK post! :).