Weeks 20 and 21: Celebrating the Half Way Mark!

I’m so excited that I finally made it to the half way mark!! I’ve been anxiously waiting for this moment and it has finally arrived. I can now “relax” considering things are going well. The baby is doing well and so am I. We’ve made it this far and that deserves a celebration!

For most women, celebrating the half way mark means pedicures, massages or new wardrobes but for me, well, I did something a bit out of the ordinary. Okay, it was WAY out of the ordinary. Momma adopted herself a new puppy!

 

Yes, we added a new member to the family. Our Rex boy is a beautiful blend of purebred Golden Retriever and Black Lab Mix. He’s spunky and energetic with tons of love to give. We love him to death,.but boy has he been giving us some serious training! Right now, at only 7 weeks old, he needs to be taken out every two hours at night. Yes, my husband and I get up every two hours. He needs to be fed, pooped picked up, bathed, etc. Sound familiar!? Yes, Rex is our little baby. He’s a handful but hey, we figured, might as well get some training in before our baby girl comes right!?

 

What have you done or purchased to celebrate your half way mark!?

My Pregnancy: Weeks 20 and 21

My Diet

Breakfast – I’m still chowing down on chia/yogurt/fruit parfaits. An occasional apple and nut butter or smoothie or even a grapefruit gets thrown in from time to time but yogurt is hitting the spot right now. Creamy, sweet goodness. Mmmm!

Lunch – I’m still eating salads every day although I’m starting to get a bit sick of them. I haven’t been very creative with them, but even so, salads are becoming….eh. Time to start finding something new to enjoy! Any ideas?

Dinner – Dinner is still usually something cooked. I’m in love with winter squash or sweet potatoes right now slathered in vegan butter and sprinkled with salt. Some green onions is a fun addition every now and then.

Snacks  - Still drinking kombucha for a morning boost. I’m also craving and enjoying organic vegetable juice. There’s something about cold tomato juice that just hits the spot for me. Yumm! So does chocolate :P Oh and roasted seeds, especially pumpkin seeds, are another addiction of mine right now. Love crackin’ and chewin’ on them!

My diet right now is a bit bland and boring. I’ve been so busy taking care of the new pup and creating lunches for my daughter that my food has sort of been pushed to the back burner. No worries though. My focus is healthy foods…whether or not they hit the spot.

Exercise

Sooooo I was doing great with my daily prenatal yoga until the pup came. However, the exercise didn’t end there. No, actually I’m more active (and more exhausted!) than before! I’m constantly up and down two flights of stairs since the pup sleeps downstairs in the basement, and I’m always running around the house and outside keeping the pup active.  It’s an exhausting task but at least my heart stays pumping. I’m hoping to get back into prenatal yoga this week. Wish me luck!

My Pregnancy

The last two weeks have been pretty smooth sailing. The baby has been moving around A LOT and I feel every flutter, kick and punch. She’s an active one and I am quite okay with that. I love it actually!

On the unfortunate side, my clothes are beginning to get a bit snug or straight up not fitting at all. I’m down to one pair of capri style yoga pants and white capris for the summer. Some of my dresses are still working for me, but that won’t last long. Fall is definitely coming as the mornings have been getting quite chilly. Thank goodness for the long sleeve maternity shirts I found at all of these consignment shops I have been going to these past couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to attending a few more within the next few months. Whatever I can do to find cheap maternity clothes, I will do. Why spend hundreds on clothes I’ll only be wearing for a couple of months?

21 weeks with one of my consignment shop Ts. Sorry for the mess!

 

As for the baby, this past Friday, my husband and I attended my 20 week scan. This was my hubby’s first time going to an appointment and it was long, yet fun to watch. They viewed everything, from the uterine arteries to the baby’s bottom. We had to confirm just one more time that it was a girl. Hehe! As I mentioned, she was a serious mover. She moved around a lot during the appointment and made it a bit difficult to get every shot that the docs needed. We did happily get some good photos this go around which totally made my day. She’s grown so much!

 

 

The results of the test, so far, have been positive minus a few minor concerns. First, the baby was measuring 4 days behind schedule. Seeing as this was the first time they measured her via head circumference as opposed to crown-to-rump, it’s no surprise that her age is a bit off. However, because she’s measuring over 3 days behind, the doctors want to continue measuring her every 2 weeks to make sure she’s growing normally and to make sure that the bicornuate uterus isn’t hindering her growth. The other concern they have is with my heartbeat.

When measuring the pulses of the uterine arteries, the doctors discovered that my heartbeat is irregular. I recalled having this same issue when I was in the hospital getting ready to deliver my first daughter. While being poked, prodded and what not the doctors learned my heartbeat was irregular and ordered an EKG. From what I remember, it was nothing to be concerned about. A heart murmur or palpitation I think. I’m assuming the case is the same this go around as well. I never had any heart issues before being pregnant so I’m guessing this is just another pregnancy symptom. I mean my body is working overtime to pump blood. However, the doc recommends an EKG. Whether or not I will get one is another story.

Other than that, everything is going well with the baby and well, that’s all I really want!!

Have you or someone you know dealt with similar pregnancy complications, major or minor? If so, how did you or she deal with it? It can be quite stressful at times!

Beth

18 Weeks: Boy or Girl!?

Another week surprisingly gone! It’s been very busy with school having started on Monday. I was so focused on planning, prepping and perfecting meal plans and schedules that I didn’t realize the last week of summer was already over. Thankfully, my busy planning has paid off. Everything has been smooth sailing so far. Let’s pray it stays that way!

In terms of my pregnancy, this week has been full of changes and exciting news. My body has once again been going through some major physical and emotional changes, which I will discuss more below. Also, we finally confirmed the sex of the baby yesterday at my 18 week cervical check up and I cannot WAIT to share the fabulous news with you all!

So here’s this week’s update:

 

My Diet

Breakfast – The milkshake train has finally left the yummy station. While I still enjoy a chocolate or banana almond butter one at least once a week, my body has been craving for other things such as jackfruit, chia puddings and kombucha.

Last week I picked up a 17 pound jackfruit baby to finally kill my cravings that have been lingering for the past 2 weeks. After an hour plus of prying the pod babies from the stringy hands of the mother, I enjoyed a beautiful bowl of juicy, crunchy, sweet jackfruit. It was completely satisfying; I was genuinely happy.

 

Jackfruit served as my breakfast for two days straight until I learned that jackfruit, in large amounts, was not recommended for pregnant women due to its laxative properties and high Vitamin A content, which combined with a multi, could lead to overdose. So I decided to turn the jackfruit from breakfast into a small treat and found other meals, such as chia pudding and fruit, to serve as my breakfast.

Another thing I’ve been craving is kombucha. During the first trimester, I could barely take the taste of the local kombucha I had been purchasing on a weekly basis. My taste buds were extremely sensitive to the tart flavor and so I had to quit my habit until my appetite and taste buds returned to normal.

On Saturday, while visiting a local brewery with my husband, I stopped by my local kombucha brewer, MTO Kombucha, for a taste of one of their flavors on tap. I was a bit scared to taste it in fear that it would send my taste buds into a fit, but thakfully I loved it! I purchased a growler of Hops flavored booch to bring home, and I’ve been drinking an 8 ounce glass every morning to boost my energy and get my morning started! I heart kombucha and so does my tummy!

Oh, here's my favorite chia pudding recipe from this week...

Blueberry Muffin Chia Pudding

• 3 Tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/2 Tbsp of maple syrup (or more to taste)
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened, shredded coconut
• Cacao nibs and/or almond slices, to top

1. In a small jar, combine the chia seeds and almond milk and stir well. Allow to sit in teh fridge overnight.
2. In the morning, or before eating, add the vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.
3. Top with blueberries, coconut, almond slices and whatever else you like!
4. Enjoy!

Lunch – The kale salad kick has sort of left too. I’m still addicted to tahini dressings and olives, but I’ve been adding them to fresh, leafy salads and zucchini noodles as opposed to kale. Nothing has changed though. Every meal is still loaded with creamy, lemony, garlicky, briney goodness. J

Dinner – I haven’t been doing very well with dinner this week. Every evening has been mostly me snacking on celery and nut butter, fruit, rice or cabbage. Not very healthy I know…but it was one of those weeks.

Snacks – I’m still munching on Peeled Snacks trail mix with chocolate and I have sort of an addiction to So Delicious ice cream, especially the Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl! Soooo good! Other snacks include celery or apples with nut butter, dates, veggies and hummus, and fruit!

My Exercise Routine

Still biking and walking! I’m planning a few yoga routines this week to get some stretching in. The most difficult part has been finding a time in my busy schedule to workout. I’m so busy from the time I wake up to the time my daughter goes to bed that my usual workout time around 7pm or so is now my “rest and get ready for bed” time. My body is just exhausted. However, I have made a commitment to work out once every day no matter what. Short walks, bike, yoga, whatever, I just need to get this body moving..even if it is for only 10 minutes!

My Pregnancy

The post everyone has been waiting for!

Let’s start with those crazy symptoms shall we? This week I have noticed a serious change in my emotional state. While I am a pretty happy, carefree person most of the day, I can become very emotional, clingy and extremely needy in the afternoons. I cry…a lot… and I feel the need to have my husband’s full attention from the time he gets home to the time I fall asleep.

I’m not sure why I turn into this crazy, dramatic being come the evening times but it’s causing a lot of stress on me and my husband. He’s confused because all of sudden I’ve gone from independent to high maintenance and I’m confused because I’m afraid I’m hitting some sort of depression mode. Thankfully, last night I finally realized that I need to get a hold of my emotions and start communicating, through words, how I feel and what I want. I can’t expect him to understand something I don’t even understand.  I’ve also decided to start adding meditation back into my routine. Hopefully that’ll help me not only gain control of my emotions, but also help me sleep better at night.

Besides the emo issues, everything has been going well. I do have some common symptoms such as pregnancy insomnia, body aches and an increased appetite with a decreasing size in my stomach. The last symptom is the least fun as a foodie. My eyes and plate are always a lot larger than my stomach.

 

This week I also grew...a lot! I literally woke up with a belly that was not only larger, but higher as well! This has resulted in more movement that I can feel even when standing! I used to only be able to feel the baby move when sitting, but now I feel it move all the time! Of course, the emo side of me freaks out when baby moves a lot one day and not the next. One day when I was on a paranoid high, I found this and decided to save it and keep it with me at all times! A little reminder that everything is okay J

 

Now for the reveal! On Monday I visited the high-risk doctor for my 18 week cervical check up AND to ask for confirmation on the sex of the baby. After hearing everything was looking perfect and normal, the nurse moved forward with confirming that our baby is……

 

 

Image From: https://www.freemanhealth.com/EGreeting/CardDetails.aspx/?id=14&sid=1&cardid=1

 

Yep! We are having another little princess! Clearly God thinks we need more females to rule the world! I do not disagree J

 

As an announcement I decided to crop a portion of this hilarious video of a baby reveal gone wrong. It has been a joke since the beginning of our pregnancy that my husband’s reaction would be very similar to this little boy’s since my husband wanted a boy super bad. While not exactly the sex we were hoping for, both my husband and I are extremely thrilled and truly blessed no matter what. We’re just happy to be having a baby! As for my daughter, well, she screamed in glee!

After revealing the sex, my nurse tried her best to get some sort of pretty profile pic of my daughter. Unfortunately, the little booger would not cooperate. Instead she hid behind the placenta and gave us this…can you spot the baby!??

Overall, it has been another successful week. While I’m still working hard to adjust to the every day changes of pregnancy, all in all, I’m happy and healthy. My baby is looking healthy and growing beautifully. I couldn’t ask for anything else.

Now to search for a male puppy for my husband…he’s going to need it to counter the rising estrogen levels in this home! Hehe!

See you next week!

Beth

16 Weeks: The Mystery of the Dreadful Weekends

This week has been a very long and very interesting week. My emotions are on a complete roller coaster ride right now and new symptoms are popping up…again! I have been eating well, thank goodness, and exercising when I can. Best of all, I feel great…except for during the weekends.

The weekends are a complete dread for me. Between Friday and Sunday my body goes through this normal routine of headaches, vomiting and exhaustion. I have no idea exactly WHY I go through this every single weekend, but I believe I have narrowed it down to either too much sleep, too much physical activity combined with not enough food and water, or a slack on taking my prenatals (I’m bad, I know!). Whatever it is, I dread the weekends. I’m hoping to one day figure it all out and actually enjoy a Saturday not keeled over the porcelain throne. I’m really tired of cleaning that thing daily.

Do you have any thoughts on what it could be? Is my body just doing all its work on the weekends sending my hormones on a surge during these days? Anyone?

 

My Current Diet

I am currently obsessssssed with yummy morning milkshakes loaded with 20 plus grams of protein and tons of healthy energy producing carbs. These nutrient loaded milkshakes keep me satisfied, energized and most importantly, busy while driving into work. I get a bit nauseous in the car so sipping continuously seems to help. This week I made a couple of varieties: strawberry banana, chocolate and PB and J! The PB and J was obviously my fave! Want the recipe!? You got it!

High Protein “PB and J” Milkshake

• 2 frozen bananas
• 5 strawberries (or more!)
• 1 packet of Justin’s Almond or Peanut Butter
• 1 scoop of Sunwarrior’s Vanilla Warrior Blend Protein Powder (optional)
• 2 cups almond milk and/or water
• 1 tsp of maca powder
• 1 small handful of ice
• 1 Tbsp cacao nibs

1. In a blender, blend together everything but the cacao nibs until well blended and smooth.
2. Add in cacao nibs and do a quick blend just to mix and to break the nibs up a bit.
3. Pour into your favorite cup, add your fave glass straw, sip and enjoy!

For lunch I’ve been sticking to small salads loaded with lots of olives – another yummy obsession of mine – usually topped with a creamy dressing for more of a fill. Mid-afternoon I snack on raw veggies or fruit such as celery sticks, carrots, peaches, figs or whatever is in season. As for dinner, I cook up whatever veggie I’m already making for my family and usually combine it with gluten-free noodles or rice for some heartiness.

Looking at my current menu, I guess you can say I’m trying to follow a “Raw Til 4” diet: raw fruits and veggies until 4 then a cooked meal after 4 or for dinner. It’s been working well for me and I don’t end up waking up in the middle of the night starving. As I say, if it works, then stick to it!

 

My Exercise Routine

Yeahh I don’t really have one but I can tell I need to start one. I will take a random walk or bike ride every now and then if the weather is really nice, but for the most part I’ve been sitting on my bum. During the evening I’m on my feet most and by the time I’m done my body is sore and completely exhausted. Therefore, I listen and rest. No need to overdo it.

However, I have thought about incorporating some prenatal yoga a few times a week. My body has been experiencing joint pains thanks to the relaxin hormone that is loosening up my joints for birth and I can tell a good light stretch is in order. I just need to make sure I take it easy J

Do you have any suggestions for a prenatal exercise that is easy on the body?

 

My Pregnancy

This week my body has been feeling quite sore all over: my pelvic bone, hip joints, tail bone and back to be specific. I think it’s a combination of relaxin, soreness from random exercises and the increase in sitting during the day. I used to stand all day at work and now I only stand to file, walk around the building or cook and clean.  That’s nothing compared to the 6-10 hours I am used to. My solution? Exercise more and stretch!

This week I’ve also been feeling those little flitters and flutters and some punches that some women feel around this time. At first I assumed they were just gas or digestion but I have now been able to distinguish the difference between bodily functions and baby movements….I think. I seem to only be able to feel these little movements when I’m sitting down with a slump. Weird but true. It’s an amazing feeling though, to feel your baby move. It gives me reassurance to know my little baby is alive and well. It can also leave me with severe anxiety should I not feel the baby move much at all. The joys of pregnancy! Overall, it’s been a fun new experience this week. Now I’m just waiting til baby gets big enough to where daddy and sister can feel the movements too!

In other news, I had one of my many 2 weeks appointments today. They were short staffed so I got stuck with one of the doctors as my technician for the day. As much as I like the doctors, having a technician can be more fun for me. Usually they spend more time searching around and they tend to always give you photos at the end of the day. They’re also more trustworthy when it comes to knowing the sex of your baby; not that the doctor doesn’t know. It’s just that the technicians tend to do it more often. J

Today I got no photos, very little viewing of my baby, and an unsure answer as to what the sex of my baby is. I was still happy to see my not-so-little one, but I would have been happier if I got to see a full view of my baby, see it move and possibly get a photo to share. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait til next time. It is, after all, only 2 weeks away! Overall, everything looked good. The heartbeat was at 150, which was lower than normal, but it made sense considering my little avocado was just chilling and not moving very much for the doctor…which was quite unusual. Any other time s/he is causing trouble. My cervix is measuring normal as well and my placenta is moving up away from my cervix; another plus considering it was a concern last time. All in all everything looks “normal” which is what we high-risk mommas want to hear.

I’m truly thankful that everything is looking normal and healthy so far. I can’t ask for anything else…well, maybe for more time. Yeah more time would be good.

Until next week J

*Beth*