35 weeks, 1 day

35/35!  We're there!



This is another one of those fabulous numbers.  Not that it means much, it's just fun.  35 weeks in, 35 days to go.  Although today technically it's 35/34, but really that's not as fun a number.

So at our last appointment, the doctor confirmed what I had been thinking, Muppet is definitely head down.  I had a feeling based on the location of the hiccups, the foot that keeps popping up on my left and the butt that pokes out on my right.  I have a feeling Muppet is probably chilling like this:

Muppet is still sitting high though, although at this stage that's not entirely worrying.  We are also officially at the point where I'm up to weekly visits.  Scary right?  Scarier is that I only have 4 of them left.  4 doctor's appointments before Muppet is supposed to make his or her grand arrival.



We spent the weekend attending a birth prep class.  It was long, but covered a lot of information.  We went over everything that happens during labor, from the first "meh I feel kind of under the weather" all the way through "I'm sorry I'm pushing what out of where?"  We worked on different breathing techniques - slow, medium, and panting.  And we went over what to pack in our hospital bags, which was also helpful. 


We took a tour of the hospital, so I got to see where Muppet will actually make that big arrival, although we also covered how to deliver the baby in a car just in case (does the thought of this scare anyone else?).  We talked about the different medication choices, both before labor (like an induction), during labor (both systemic and epidurals), and going completely without.  One of the things I really liked about the class was that she didn't make it seem as though any choices were "bad" or "wrong."


We went over different laboring positions and I love the fact that the hospital I'll be giving birth in is so flexible with positions.  They keep birthing balls in the room, as well as squatting bars, and each L&D room has a shower in case you want to do some laboring in water.


Having so few appointments left, knowing Muppet is getting ready, and having completed the birth class makes me so excited for Muppet to get here already!


Total weight gain/loss: +16
Next Appointment: Thursday, September 8
Maternity clothes? yes
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: I've given up.
Best moment this week:  So superficial, but we pretty much finished up the nursery last night, just need to hang the artwork.  After we just sat in there and looked at everything.
Movement: lots and lots and lots of it.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  J doesn't think it'll last this way much longer.
What I miss: This week it's mostly just not being hot all the time!  But that's a combination of weather and pregnancy.
What I am looking forward to:  Next week is 36 weeks which seems like another big milestone!
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
35/35
Muppet is head down
Birthclass!
Baby Names: Designer Names
Boy: Armani
Girl: Chanel

34 weeks, 2 days

 Babymoon!

J and I spent the weekend and early part of the week in Cannon Beach, Oregon as our last trip away before Muppet makes a grand arrival.  It's crazy to think this is our last trip just the two of us for quite some time.  I won't say ever, because we are definitely planning on taking some time away without kids in the future.  I think it's good for any marriage for the grownups to have alone time to reconnect.

We chose Cannon Beach because it was a short plane flight from home.  I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop with this pregnancy.  I fear that any morning now I'm going to wake up miserable, sore, uncomfortable, etc. and when we booked this trip I had no idea how I was going to feel at 34 weeks.  Our second reason for choosing Cannon Beach was because it was simply gorgeous.  I'd heard fabulous things about the Oregon Coast, and this proved to have just about everything we could want in a trip.

We were able to really relax and enjoy ourselves on the trip.  It was absolutely perfect, one of the best trips we've had in a long time.

We spent time walking along the beach beside the famed "Haystack Rock" which would disappear and reappear as the fog rolled in and out. We had dinner overlooking the rock, and when the weather got gloomy our last night there we curled up in bed in front of our fireplace and watched Haystack Rock and the beach from our room.

 

We got to sample some of the local brew.  We went to a tavern where J sampled all their beers.  Not that I would have taken part anyway, but I loved the sign that warned all about the dangers of drinking and incubating.

Instead, I partook in another of the tavern's brews - root beer!  In general I don't love root beer, but this was the best I've ever had.  It was sweet, with just the barest anise bite.  Plus it made me feel like a grownup to be drinking something dark and cold out of a pint glass.  And Muppet loooooooved this root beer.  I'm guessing this because of the crazy movement that was going on while we sat and drank.

 

We went on a 3 mile hike that felt longer because it was all uphill.  Given that we were warned it was "treacherous"  and that it was a fairly strenuous hike, J was pretty impressed with my ability to take part.  Of course it helped that I'm sure we were going barely above a snail's pace. I'm going to be so excited to get back to a normal person's speed again.  And the hike gave us a view of Tillamook Lighthouse.

 

 It was only a couple days, but a fantastic break from "real life."  We're already planning return trips - with the Muppet!


Total weight gain/loss: +14
Next Appointment: Friday, August 26
Maternity clothes? All week
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: I woke up Saturday night with the WORST piriformis cramp that I just could get out - even with lots of foam rollering.  Sunday night I had a fabulous night's sleep.  And it's been back to crappy ever since.  Lots of mid-night insomnia.
Best moment this week:  Definitely the babymoon!  Specifically walking along the beach with J and just feeling so relaxed and happy.
Movement: lots and lots and lots of it.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  J doesn't think it'll last this way much longer.
What I miss: When we travel it's always the alcohol.  But this week it was also the inability to really take advantage of our inroom oversized soaking tub.
What I am looking forward to:  35/35.  Just a few more days!
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
Baby is practicing suckling.  Hopefully Muppet is going to get good at this.
Last plane flight for the pregnancy.
Baby Names: Place Names
Boy: Hoboken (Hobie for short)
Girl: Hannah Lulu

33 weeks, 3 days

 Maternity Clothing
I know one of my favorite areas on my friends' pregnancy/baby blogs is when they review "must have" items.  I swear it's the first place I turn for advice.  Because hearing first hand experienced is always the best.  If you've been following my weekly updates, you'll have noticed I've still been mostly wearing my pre-pregnancy clothes during the week at work.

On my internet board, when women were buying maternity clothing in the first 8 weeks they were practically commended.  "There's no prize for being the last to buy maternity clothes."  But really, there kind of is.  First and foremost, there's the prize of saving money.  My friends who have already been pregnant warned me that if you shop to early, you'll end up with a bunch of brand new clothes that won't fit you during the second half/last third of your pregnancy.  Meaning you're going to have to spend money for 2 new wardrobes, each of which you'll only be able to wear for a couple of weeks.  And frankly, I'd rather spend the money on Muppet than myself.  (I have that problem - I'd rather spend money on practically anyone but me)  So this is my trimester by trimester break down of my maternity wear!

Non-maternity shirt and Non-maternity PJ bottoms

First Trimester - Boobs and Bands
The first thing to not fit for me was the bra.  And this happened ridiculously early.  Like before I had even taken  a pregnancy test.  I remember being in Arizona and J kept telling me I was spilling out of my bra.  So the first thing I had to buy were some new bras.  Since I didn't know how big I was going to get I wanted to get something good and cheap.  I picked up two cotton bras from Victoria Secret for around $14 a piece, expecting them to last for a few weeks.  Apparently I was just an early bloomer because after that initial jump, my breasts haven't grown since the first trimester.

With the new breasts, I needed to pick up a couple new shirts for work.  Mostly because I was wearing suits every day, and as anyone with a larger chest knows, button down shirts show any size changes fairly quickly.  So I went to Banana Republic and picked up a couple button downs in a size larger than I normally wear. 

The second thing to hit was the bloat.  This is when my pants stopped buttoning.  Based on the recommendation of my friend Kim, I picked up a Bella Band.  This little piece of elastic is fantastic and worth every penny.  I wore it till the bloat went down, and then put it back in the draw until the belly started coming in.  And then used it religiously all through third trimester, which kept me out of maternity clothes until this week (more on that later).  I highly highly highly recommend this sucker.

Non-maternity shirt and pj pants in a size larger. at 16 weeks.  I still wear the pants.

Second Trimester - Backups and Blouses
 During the second trimester, I kept waiting for everything to grow.  The bloat had dropped and I was glad not to have shelled out a bunch of money for clothes that I didn't need again.  But we were traveling and I didn't know what each day would hold.  The last thing I wanted was to be away from home and not fit into any clothes I brought with me.  So I started buying "back up" clothing.

First up was a dress for Easter - from Old Navy.  This was a great purchase, although I didn't know it at the time because I definitely didn't need it.  But it was cheap and came in handy later in the pregnancy. 

This is Liz Lange for Target.  This was my "event" dress for anything that would pop up - like barbeques, showers, dinners, etc.

The next stop was the outlets where I picked up a couple of regular non-maternity bottoms in a larger size at Banana Republic.  I still wear both of these items.  The short grey skirt on the weekends, and the long black skirt for work.

I picked up this swimsuit at Motherhood Maternity for a girl's weekend, but it was really too big at this stage.  I had a heck of a time finding something that I wasn't swimming in.  Now this swimsuit is a-dorable on me, but back in second trimester I was still wearing my regular tankini.  As a side tip, during third trimester I picked up a regular tankini 1 size up from Old Navy which also works really well if you're looking to avoid maternity suits in general.

I made a stop at Gap Maternity for some workwear because I was terrified I'd wake up one morning, have to go to court, and have nothing that fit.  Honestly, I SWEAR by Gap Maternity for workwear.  Good prices, flattering, good quality, and perfect for office.

Got this dress in black.  I LOVE it.  It might be my favorite maternity purchase.  It's perfect for the office, court, and has been totally flattering since the first time I wore it, unlike a lot of maternity wear which looked awful during second trimester.

I added this skirt in black.  It does double duty for work and weekend wear.  I ended up having to get it a size larger than I probably should have, but it's cotton and drapey, so it doesn't matter too much.  I just double fold the demi panel.  It's very comfortable.  I could probably sleep in it.

My second clothing issue during second trimester started as the belly actually started showing. I have a long torso, which meant when the belly started coming in, my shirts started getting too short.  Bleh.  Not all of them, but enough that the Bella Band started doing double duty of covering the gap between shirt and pants.  So I had to pick up some shirts that actually fit.

Not Maternity, but I'm still wearing these Target Long and Lean tanks.  Holy awesome Batman.  They're super cheap so I picked up a couple and they still cover the belly even though I'm now decidedly huge.

This is GAP Maternity's version.  I picked up one of these too, but only because they were on super sale, less than the Target ones.  Between you and I, I like the Target ones better.

Welcome back to the GAP.  My favorite non-maternity T-shirts are Gap's "favorite tees."  Luckily they have the same t-shirts in maternity wear, so I could do a real easy swap.

Another GAP shirt for work.  I picked up a couple of these too, but they are so freaking low cut!  I swear they show off just about everything, so I also picked this little baby to go underneath:

This one isn't incredibly fabulous on it's own, but it's perfect for underneath v-necks and some of my non-maternity shirts because of the length.

Non-Maternity shirt and Non-Maternity Pants at 27 weeks.

Third Trimester - Finally There 
  At the beginning of Third Trimester I was still basically wearing non-maternity clothing.  Then around week 30 I was sitting in my office in my non-maternity pants when I REALLY didn't want to wear them anymore.  I wanted to peel them off.  I felt like I was a sausage in casing.  It was time to retire my non-maternity wear.  The ironic thing is, about a week or two later, many of them women on my internet board began complaining about how their maternity clothes didn't fit anymore, but they didn't want to go out and buy more.  I seem to have successfully navigated around those rapids which is what I had foretold many many weeks ago.


First stop was some weekend wear.

After we went hiking one weekend, I realized I needed a pair of shorts to get me through the summer.  These are from Old Navy and have served me well.

I was dreading maternity jeans, because really, who likes shopping for jeans even when they're not pregnant? I splurged and went for more expensive jeans from Joe's Jeans and I'm really glad I did.  While I can't say they're "more comfortable than my regular clothes" they fit really well and don't make me look half bad.

Another trip to GAP for work clothes was an unexpected goldmine as everything was on sale with additional off. Although my work wardrobe seems to be near exclusively black.

I was having a heck of a time finding black pants at GAP in an "ankle" length and really didn't want to spend money on tailoring for pants I wouldn't be wearing long.  So I ended up getting a pair of capris that hit me right at the top of my shoes.  There are benefits to being short.

A black work skirt is another staple for the work wardrobe.  With this skirt and the black pants and my black suit jacket I have two "maternity suits."

This is an example of why sometimes you're better off waiting.  I tried on this dress during second trimester.  At the time it was $60 and looked awful on me.  Third trimester this is one of my favorite things to wear because of comfort and fit, AND it was only $10. 

And of course, Third Trimester is where my events calendar got stacked, so I ordered a bunch of dresses from Asos.com for special occasions.

For my brother's engagement party.

For my shower.

For a wedding in September.

As a wrap up,  my maternity wardrobe consists of:
Work: 1 skirts, 2 dresses, 1 pair of pants, 3 shirts.  Tip - GAP is the place to go for work clothing.
Play: 1 swimsuit, 3 shirts, 1 skirt, 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of jeans.  Tip - Pick up some non-maternity tanks at Target. Both Target and Old Navy are where I'd go for casual wear, but neither has a great in-store selection.
Occasions: 5 dresses. Tip: Some of the more casual dresses are great for summer weekends (or if you work in a more casual environment).  I would highly suggest Asos for nice dresses.  They have great sales, a great selection, and the clothing ships quickly.

Total weight gain/loss: +15
Next Appointment: Friday, August 26
Maternity clothes? I'm really trying to wear them exclusively, so this week I've made a point to wear maternity tops every day.  I've been in non-maternity bottoms twice.
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: We're back to getting up frequently for bladder issues.  And everytime I get up, J gets up too.  I'd feel sorry for him, but really?  He's been doing the same to me for years.
Best moment this week:  Getting everything we need for the nursery.  Once I do laundry, it'll be all set up and ready.
Movement: lots and lots and lots of it.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  J doesn't think it'll last this way much longer.
What I miss: Wine!
What I am looking forward to:  Our Babymoon!
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
We're seeing movement from the outside all the time now and we're pretty sure there's a foot imprint pushed against my left side.

Baby officially has fingernails that go all the way up.  Read in a baby book last night that they suggest nibbling them instead of cutting them when the baby comes out.  I don't see myself doing that.
Baby Names: Names from the kitchen
Boy: Vanilla (Van for short)
Girl: Bruschetta

32 weeks, 3 days

Shower the People You Love with Love


Last weekend I was surrounded with my nearest and dearest for Muppet's shower.  Given that the nursery is centered around some bird artwork, the theme of the shower took on the same tone.

There were bird directions everywhere, from the bird house centerpieces to the crazy balloony birds.

 And of course that theme continued on to the food!

 The muffins were all topped with toasted coconut to resemble nests for the little birds to sit on.

This one is a little sick, right?  Or ironic?  Or is it fitting that the bird is sitting on an egg?

And it wouldn't be a party without cake, right?

 

 As much as  I love opening presents, I really hate everyone watching me open presents.  I get nervous being the center of attention.  So I filled up every silent space with me talking.  Which means basically every picture has me telling a story.

d

 And Muppet certainly reaped the benefits of having such wonderful and generous friends. (Look it's your first view of Muppet's nursery!)

 

Now it's time to unpack all the goodies and get some thank you cards out!


Total weight gain/loss: +15
Next Appointment: Friday, August 26
Maternity clothes? All my bottoms are officially maternity.  Still okay in some shirts and dresses.
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: I didn't sleep at all last weekend because of RLP, but Sunday I slept SO well and felt great on Monday.  Maybe that's the secret of sleeping well?  Pure exhaustion.
Best moment this week:  Being surrounded by friends and family at the shower.
Movement: Still all the time.  J felt Muppet going crazy while we were trying to go to sleep one night and finally understood why I get awoken.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  The general consensus has determined that it probably isn't going to pop - just stretch out.
What I miss: A really really hot bath!
What I am looking forward to:  Shopping for the nursery this weekend.  Retail therapy!
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
- The Shower

Baby Names:  Let's go with literary names!
Boy: Huckleberry
Girl: Buttercup



And our 32 week progression!
 

29 weeks, 2 days

 I like to move it, move it


This week I thought I'd talk a little about moving and grooving.  Both me and Muppet.  In terms of my movement I haven't slowed down this pregnancy.  Okay, let me rephrase that.  I've been able to keep up my pre-pregnancy fitness routine, but the routine itself has actually slowed down.


During first trimester I didn't get the typical fatigue or nausea, so I was able to keep up with my running. In fact, I was training for a half marathon.  Which meant I was running 5 miles, 3 times a week and 7-8 miles during the weekend.  When the half marathon sold out before I could sign up, I decided to give my body a bit of a break by shortening my runs, and just doing them more often.  I cut down to 3 miles, 5 days a week and a 4-5 miler on the weekend.  But I was getting slower and it was taking me longer and longer to run those 3 miles.  Currently I'm running 2 miles a day during the week and 3-4 miles on the weekend.

Last week I ran my first race since finding out I was pregnant.  I'd actually run a half marathon the week before I got my BFP and based on how I felt during the race I was pretty sure I was pregnant by the time I crossed the finished.  Technically that was the first race I ran pregnant.  But this is the first one I've run since then! 

Given how I'd slowed down, I wasn't expecting much from myself for the race.  Especially as I was running and kept falling behind.  By the time I finished there were only 5 people behind me.  So you can imagine my surprise at seeing my finish time - only 9 minutes slower than my typical 5k time!  And 7 minutes faster than I was hoping to run.  And 17 minutes faster than I was expecting to run!

When I'm running, it's typically Muppet's quite time.  And frankly, that seems to be Muppet's only quite time.  For the rest of the day and into the night Muppet is moving like crazy in there.  Sometimes it wakes me up in the middle of the night.  Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night I can feel Muppet twirling away down there.  Last month, at my appointment I asked my Nurse Practitioner about a new movement Muppet had picked up that kind of felt like a giant drill. 

 

I was assured that there is no movement indicating distress and any movement that I felt was "good movement."  Muppet must have taken that as a sign to kick it into high gear.  Now we have drilling, kicking, pushing, and even digging.  I fear this kid is trying to find a way out through any means possible.  The nurse at the latest appointment told me that's probably not entirely accurate, and that there is no such thing as too much movement.

I read this week, and had it confirmed at my appointment, that the baby's movement doesn't necessarily correlate with sleep/wake patterns.  Babies move even when they're sleeping.  And Muppet must be a very restless sleeper.  As soon as I stopped running the race, Muppet was up and at 'em again, kicking and pushing letting me know that just because I stopped moving, doesn't mean baby had to. 

We started doing kick counts this week.  Basically I have to count 10 movements in an hour.  The past 3 days I completed these kick counts in under 10 minutes. Yeah.  We've got an active baby.  And today for the first time I got to see it!  It was another "new" movement feeling - as though there was some crazy dancing going on in there.  In reality I'm sure it's because Muppet's getting bigger and doesn't have as much room to flip, spin, and twirl, but I looked down and my stomach was jumping up, down, to the right, to the left.  Shaking, rocking, and rolling.  I texted J and asked him if he thought it was possible for Muppet to have invited some friends to a party inside me.  Thank goodness we registered for a swing and bouncer because I don't think this child is happy unless moving around.


Total weight gain/loss: +15
Next Appointment: Wednesday, August 10
Maternity clothes? Still on and off, but I think I'm really going to need to pick up a pair of maternity work pants.  I seriously contemplated pulling off my pants and sitting in my underwear at work the other day, but figured that could end up being a bad thing.
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: Not as bad this week - even though I'm currently hitting up the restroom about every half hour during the day, I seem to be doing okay with one bathroom trip a night.
Best moment this week:  Seeing the time when I crossed the finish at my 5k.
Movement: I think this post pretty much covered it, but this child never stops moving.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  The general consensus has determined that it probably isn't going to pop - just stretch out.
What I miss: This week I've missed a nice after run shower beer.  Something so nice about a cold beer in hot water.
What I am looking forward to:  We've started planning our babymoon, so I'm really looking forward to that!
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
- Seeing movement instead of just feeling it.
Baby Names:
Boy:  Mungo
Girl: Morag

28 weeks, 1 day

The Name Game


J and I are being double-y difficult when it comes to sharing information about Muppet.  I already wrote about how we’re team green, so no one knows whether Muppet is a boy or a girl.  To be fair, we don’t know either, so it’s not like we’re hiding the ball on that one.  But we’re also not sharing information we do know – Muppet’s future name.  


We have it all picked out – 2 for a girl and 2 for a boy.  Mostly because of my best friends is due in July and not sharing her names either.  I wanted to have a backup just in case.  For some people it’s no big deal to have your kid have the same name as a friend’s kid.  But personally, I don’t love it, and there are so many other names out there I’d prefer to choose something different. 


We’re VERY picky with names too.  It’s not just friends’ childrens’ names that are off-limits, we’ve also vetoed names of friends, and names of family members.  As someone with two cousins that share a first name, I get annoyed having to qualify whether I mean Sam X or Sam Y when talking to family members.


So why aren’t we sharing Muppet’s name?  One reason – we don’t really want opinions.  No “Well have you thought of this name instead?” or “How come you don’t want to use your great-aunt Murgatroyd’s name?” or “Really?  You want to name your baby THAT?”  And it happens.  Naming is one of those fun perks of being a parent.  Or a pet owner.  Or having a doll.  And everyone wants a piece.  And everyone has an opinion that is quite obviously better than yours. But once it’s done, it’s done.  And no one wants to tell you that Fergus is an awful name once you introduce the adorable pink bundle with blinky eyes and wee little yawn.
 

So instead, we spend our time coming up with REALLY awful names to share with people when pressed.  And I’ll start including some of our picks of the week in my weekly update.  


I know people judge baby names, because I’m as guilty of judging as the next person.  I have friends who have fabulous baby names.  Some of my faves.  And I have other friends who have named their children names that raise eyebrows when I talk about them behind their backs.  And yes, I do talk about them behind their backs (how could they name their child that? Don’t they want their children to be successful? Do they want their children to be beat up on the playground? –although, to be fair, my favorite boy names are the really nerdy sounding ones that make me picture little boys in glasses getting wedgies during recess.)  

For instance, recently at work I was reading the records of a man (I’ll let you guess his name to protect his identity).  He has two sons.  One is named James, and the other is named Jaymes.  (and you thought I was picky about having cousins with the same name!) You’ll never guess what I brought up at the dinner table that night.  That’s my point.  People talk.  People you know, and people you don’t know. (Please see above where I wrote that everyone has an opinion that is quite obviously better than yours) I’ll introduce you to some of the things that we thought about when choosing Muppet’s name.  



Initials – I’ll never forget being in elementary school when my best friend’s older brother decided to change his name.  According to him, he went from his middle name to his first name – although no one believed him.  We all thought he went from his first name to his middle name, because we’d never heard of anyone originally being called by his middle name.  My best friend (who probably knew) told me we were being ridiculous.  If we were correct, his parents would have given his brother the initials A-S-S, and no parents would be that cruel to a child.  While not quite as drastic, J and I made sure to rule out any initials that would give our son or daughter any difficulty.  Unfortunately, that ruled out an entire letter for first names, but it’s a sacrifice we think our future children will thank us for.


Rhyming – Our last name is two syllables and ends with an –er.  I have a tendency to love two syllable first names ending with an –er. Except, put the two together and it sounds like a nursery rhyme.  Or like tripping up stairs. 


Alliteration – Similarly, we ruled out another letter for first names, the letter that begins our last name.  Because to me, having a first and last name starting with the same letter makes you sound like a cartoon character (see Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny) or a comic book character (see Peter Parker, Lois Lane).


Made up Names – These are some of my FAVORITES because I always picture the parents sitting around saying “Hmmmmmm there are millions of names out there, but I don’t like a single one of them!  I’m going to make up my own to show how smart and creative I am.”  Problem is, it rarely makes you look smart or creative.  Usually it has the opposite effect.  The two most common ways to make up a name are to take a name that exists and change the first letter (I’m looking at you Zaiden) or to combine two names by smooshing them together in an almost inhumane way (Charmony).  


Made up Spellings – I love these almost as much as made up names.  This is where you take a perfectly good name and decide to butcher the spelling to make it more “unique” or “creative.”  Again, like the made up names, it rarely has the effect of making you look smart or creative. (See Jaymes above)  I have a friend who named her daughter Alice.  Which is a fabulous name.  She had to seriously battle with her husband who wanted to spell it Alyss.  But that was back during the time of the “y” when those things were stuck in any which way into any name – whether it needed a y or not.  I’ve noticed the trend has moved to “x” and you’ll start seeing more names like Jaxon floating around.  Usually (but not always) you’ll see these misspelling associated with really common names – as though the parents are trying to say “See, I knew there would be 70 Olivias in her class, so I wanted to set her apart by naming her Oilyveah.”  But when you’re screaming across the playground for little Oilyveah to stop kicking little Xristoffer in the head, the other 69 Olivias and their parents aren’t going to realize your precious pumpkin has a different spelling (all sound same).  Likewise, what lesson are you teaching your child?  That conventional spelling doesn’t apply?  If you don’t like the way something is spelled, change it!  I see that going over REALLY well during the elementary school days of spelling tests and spelling bees.

Total weight gain/loss: +9 
Next Appointment: Monday July 18
Maternity clothes? Usually I tend to wear maternity clothes more on the weekend, but this weekend we were packing and so I was barely wearing clothes at all - just the Target long and lean tanks (non-maternity).  I don't think I've worn any maternity clothes this week, but I'm noticing I might be getting too big for my fabulous bella band.
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: I've pretty much decided that I'll never sleep through the night again.  Whether it's getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, waking up in the middle of the night from being too hot, or waking up in the middle of the night because I'm getting kicked.  And I don't anticipate that changing any time in the future.
Best moment this week:  I don't think anything really stands out!
Movement: Constantly.  And Muppet has found my ribs which is pretty freaking uncomfortable.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  The general consensus has determined that it probably isn't going to pop - just stretch out.
What I miss: The hot tub!  When I'm at the gym sometimes I'll just stare at it like Homer Simpson stares at a jelly doughnut.
What I am looking forward to:  Being able to sit comfortably.
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
- Hair Hair Everywhere!  Muppet has eyebrows, eyelashes, and is starting to grow head hair! 
Baby Names:
Boy:  Elmo Bradley
Girl: Elmo Bradley (please someone help me convince my husband that Bradley is not an appropriate middle name for a girl)

 And it's time again for the photo college.  It's crazy to think my stomach used to curve more inward than outward!

 

27 weeks, 4 days

 The Belly


I feel like my stomach has taken on a life of its own.  The size is only part of it.  Although, that's pretty weird too.  It's strange to me that when I lie down, my stomach doesn't sink like normal.  That there's an actual hill I can't see over. 

And though we still haven't gotten to the point where we can see little arms and feet poking out, it's weird that I can feel body parts by touching my stomach.  J first got to experience it tonight - "I think that's a heel!"  And of course, there's the fact that my stomach is ALWAYS off center.  You can physically see which side the baby is on.

View from above

I'm not sure either Muppet or I are enjoying this current residence.  For me, the weight of Muppet makes it difficult to get comfortable.  I always need to wedge a pillow under my stomach to help support it.  And Muppet?  Well, have you seen the famous "birth scene" in Alien?  I'm fairly certain Muppet is attempting to recreate that scene from the inside.  The constant pushing, banging, and digging makes it feel as though someone is searching for a way out.

We spent the long weekend up in Lake Tahoe.  We spent the first day hiking, the second day on and in the water, and the third day up atop a mountain playing in snow. 

We joked that everything was "Muppet's first."  As in "Muppet's first snow!"  "Muppet's first waterfall!"  "Muppet's first fireworks!"  I feel kind of bad for Muppet that our poor baby didn't actually get to see any of these things, but there'll be plenty of time for that in the future.



Total weight gain/loss: +9 
Next Appointment: Monday July 18
Maternity clothes? Still a mix.  I picked up some stuff for our trip - maternity shorts, a non-maternity shirt, non-maternity bathing suit.... At work I'm still in non maternity bottoms and some of my longer shirts, or shirts layered over a maternity cami.
Stretch marks: nada. 
Sleep: I've decided that the waking up in the middle of the night is actual caused by Muppet moving around.  I know, I'm such a princess. But seriously, last night it was like having an angry neighbor banging on the wall for an hour.  If that angry neighbor lived inside you.  And the wall was actually your uterus.
Best moment this week:  Actually getting recognition for being pregnant, and not just pity looks for being fat.
Movement: Nonstop, all the time.  Muppet doesn't sleep and doesn't want me to either.
Food cravings: Nothing 
Food aversions: Nothing 
Gender: Tell you in October! 
Belly Button in or out: in.  The general consensus has determined that it probably isn't going to pop - just stretch out.
What I miss: I miss being able to sample local beers and wines when we travel. 
What I am looking forward to:  Honestly, I'm SO excited about getting an outside baby.  I've been thinking about it a lot.
Contractions: Nope. 
Milestones:
- Muppet's eyes are now opening and Muppet is practicing breathing in there!
- Third Trimester!