Baby Pino: 31 Weeks

How far along: 31 weeks

Weight gain/loss: Gained 13 pounds

Size of Preslie: Almost 3 1/2 pounds; over 16 inches long; the size of a pineapple

Gender: Girl

Movement: Constantly. She seems to be awake more often than not at this point.

Sleep: Okay. Some nights are better than others. This week it hasn't been so much I've had bad sleep, but I've been having trouble falling asleep because of all the movement going on in my belly.

Maternity clothes: Yes. I really don't want to buy anymore at this point, but my tops are starting to get snug again. Ugh!

Symptoms: Hot flashes started this week. Not fun (or attractive). Heart burn and stomach aches. Also, uncomfortable pretty much always.

Aversions: I haven't been a big fan of salty food lately. The beginning of this pregnancy I was all about the salt; couldn't get enough. Now it just tastes horrible to me. Which really sucks because chips are salty and I like that crunch, but I haven't had them in a long while.

Cravings: My friend Michelle who hosted my shower on Saturday had this artichoke bisque soup and an awesome walnut salad with chicken on the menu. I could've eaten up the entire pot of soup! I had two servings. But now I crave it all the time, and I can't have it because only one particular restaurant in my hometown makes it.

Ice chips, which combines two of my favorite things right now = coldness and crunch.

Vanilla ice cream.

What I miss: Not being achy and uncomfortable while working. It's been very difficult work-wise and this pregnancy.

Best moment this week: Obvi my baby shower. I got to see so many friends I haven't seen in a long time and I am at a loss for words when it comes to expressing how generous they were to Preslie and us. Overwhelmed with gratitude would be a good start.

What I'm looking forward to: My maternity leave. Twenty-three-and-a-half days left of work. But who's counting? Also, Preslie's cousin is due to be born almost any day now and I'm excited to get my hands on that little guy!

Baby Daddy: Kevin saw all the gifts from the shower that are piled high in our guest room and said "Holy catfish, we have a ton of baby stuff!" I kept trying to prepare him for all the stuff we're going to need to start organizing and finding room for. I guess he gets the picture now. ;)

He came home from work one night and said "I can't wait until I can come home from work and can just hold my daughter after a long day."

A little of this and a little of that

1. Today I actually feel like blogging for once. This may just be a one-time thing though because I feel like I actually have stuff to blog about.

2. Lately, it's felt like the blogging world has turned so much into a materialistic thing. So many giveaways all the time and product reviews. I've been skipping those blog posts altogether and spending time reading actual posts about bloggers' everyday lives. I enjoy those posts so much more.

3. I am almost completely caught up at work and it feels so good! I have two more projects left to do, and after they're done I'll feel like I could leave the next day and wouldn't have to worry about what I left for others to handle if I were out on maternity leave. I've been doing more "nesting" at work than I have at home!

4. I am currently craving the following things: A big, squishy, warm chocolate chip cookie. An orange creamsicle (or three). Cheesecake Factory avocado egg rolls. Coffee. I probably won't have any of these things because that would require that I go to the grocery store and I hate grocery shopping!

5. I want to wear an outfit but I'm not sure it goes together. Imagine a navy blue top with skinny white stripes, green skinny jeans and nude flats. Does that sound like it would go together? Maybe a green necklace too. I don't have pictures of any of these pieces, unfortunately.

6. Meal planning has seemed like it's become such a chore lately! I don't know if it's because I'm just too lazy to go looking for new recipes to try, but I hate it. Could also be the fact, like I mentioned in #4 that I loathe grocery shopping so I get in and out as fast as I can and don't like searching for new ingredients.

7. I think I've had my contacts for about two months now, and I still hate them. I can't go longer than nine hours with wearing them. I can see clearly, which definitely outweighs the negative, but I do not enjoy wearing them. Like on Thursday, I have to drive three hours to my parents' house. So I'll probably not put them in until the end of the day because an entire day (7am-10pm) just isn't going to fly.

8. I usually get on Twitter, FB, Instagram and Blogger before bed. When I do that, I tend to have dreams that involve people's kids that I follow. So weird and random. Usually, I'm just babysitting them or I dream they're my own children. Please don't think I'm a psycho now. ;)

9. The weirdest things run through my head sometimes. Like this morning as I was driving to work I was wondering if while I deliver if I should wear socks or no socks. Socks because I'd be afraid my feet would smell (like that's everyones biggest worry during delivery time) or no socks so I could have a good grip on the stirrups. Lord help me.

10. I was sanding furniture last weekend (don't worry, I was sitting down and wearing a mask the whole time) and my arms are so sore! Very pathetic, especially thinking about how I'll be lugging a child in a car seat around soon.

Peace out!

Baby Pino: 30 Weeks

How far along: 30 weeks. It's hard to believe she could be here in eight to ten weeks!

Weight gain/loss: Gained 11 pounds. Lost a pound this week for some reason.

Size of Preslie: Weighs just under three pounds; over 15 1/2 inches long; the size of a cucumber.

Gender: Girl

Movement: Always moving. I can tell that she's currently breech because her feet are waaaay down low. Feels like she could just kick her way out! She's been this way for about three days, but I'm not concerned because she still has some time to decide on her final position.

Sleep: Hit or miss. I've been having a hard time falling asleep. Night sweats are back with a vengeance. Last night I woke up at 1am, completely wide awake.

Maternity clothes: Yes.

Belly button: It's so shallow now and seems small. Kevin says that's because my belly is big in comparison to it now, but I'm not so sure. I don't think it'll ever pop out, but it's definitely changed.

Symptoms: Lots of heartburn this week. Just general pregnancy discomforts.

Aversions: Nothing. I'm pretty much open to anything and everything at this point.

Cravings: Tacos, like whoa!

What I miss: Just moving like normal. It's harder to get projects done the bigger I get. And I know I'm not that big, but for my 5'2" frame I feel big.

Best moment this week: Nothing in particular stands out. Just enjoying each moment.

What I'm looking forward to: My first shower on Saturday and seeing friends I haven't seen in a while!

Baby Daddy: Kevin has been working hard on the nursery. He and I have different ideas of completing projects. I like to complete them like...yesterday. Kevin on the other hand is okay to let things go for a few days or weeks. We're both working on patience. Ha!!!

Baby Pino: 29 Weeks

How far along: 29 weeks

Weight gain/loss: Gained 12 pounds

Size of Preslie: 2 3/4 pounds; almost 15 inches long; the size of a small cabbage.

Gender: Baby Girl

Movement: She's an active little thing. She put on a show for her Daddy tonight, and he was pretty amazed.

Sleep: Sleep has been good! I've also become quite the master at naps.

Maternity clothes: All maternity.

Symptoms: Achy hips and some contractions. I guess they can be called Braxton Hicks because they aren't regular, but they're strong enough that I usually need to stop what I'm doing until they pass. Good practice I guess? ;)

Aversions: Nothing that I can think of.

Cravings: Just food in general. I've been hungry all. the. time!

What I miss: Being more mobile. The limitations of bending over and trying to get up off the couch are frustrating.

Best moment this week: Having today off for the MLK Jr. holiday. :) My doctor appointment on Wednesday and hearing her heartbeat. I also got a lot of questions I had, answered. I had my glucose test and passed. It wasn't bad at all.

What I'm looking forward to: Getting this dang nursery done! It seems like it's taking a sweet forever and it's just hanging over my head.

Baby Daddy: Kev and I have been discussing how we want to raise our daughter and expectations of each other as parents. Since he's going to have a daughter, he's already feeling protective over her and said "Just so you know, she'll be born grounded." I couldn't stop laughing!

Baby Pino: 28 Weeks

How far along: 28 weeks! Finally in the third and final trimester!

 I also wanted to include this comparison shot. Twenty weeks on the left versus 28 weeks on the right. Amazing what that time span of baby-growing looks like! I look bigger in the photo on the right than I do in the photo up top because it was towards the end of the day.

Weight gain/loss: Gained 11 pounds.

Size of baby: About 2 1/2 pounds; a little under 15 inches long; the size of an eggplant.

Gender: Girl

Movement: Yes. She has also found my ribs which seems to be her favorite place, lately. ;)

Sleep: Good nights and bad but overall bearable.

Maternity clothes: Everything is maternity. I headed to Destination Maternity last week because I'm growing out of my tops. So I got some of those and a pair of pants for 50% off. I also got fitted for a new bra, and lets just say the "girls" have grown about three cup sizes in the past month. Yowza!!!

Symptoms: Very emotional all. the. time. I cry all the time and am super sensitive. Hate it with a passion because I'm normally not like that at all.

Aversions: Today while talking with my mom she mentioned pot roast and I wanted to gag. That meal just doesn't sound appealing to me right now.

Cravings: Baked potatoes and Mexican food and margaritas.

What I miss: Fitting into my regular clothes. Last week I took all the clothes out of my closet that I no longer fit into and transferred them to the guest room closet. I'll pull them out when I can get back into them again. *sigh*

Also, miss bending over. I told Maygan today that I've never loathed dropping something so much as I do now because it's not the easiest task to reach down and get it. 

Sleeping on my stomach.

Best moment this week: Getting an invitation to my very own baby shower in the mail! I'm so excited for it! 

What I'm looking forward to: My doctor's appointment on Wednesday.

Baby Daddy: When my gut is just hanging out, he likes to put his hands on my tummy and ask "How's my baby girl?" I think he's already smitten with Miss Preslie Kay. ;)

Baby Pino: 27 Weeks

**I just want to note that while I feel so lucky and blessed to be pregnant, right now I am not enjoying it. I know I still have 12-ish weeks left and it's most likely going to get harder. But everything seems to overwhelm me right now. Just things I feel like I have to get done around the house, the nursery, making decisions, scheduling appointments, feeling like I'm not doing a good job at work, it's just feeling a bit much right now. While the anticipation of a new baby is of course exciting and a blessing, I'm ready for her to be here so we can start on our new normal and I can feel like myself again.

 

How far along: 27 weeks

Weight gain/loss: Gained 11 pounds. I am seeing a number on the scale that I have never seen before while weighing myself. Eeek!

Size of baby: Two pounds; 14 1/2 inches long; the size of a rutabaga.

Gender: Baby Girl

Movement: All the time

Sleep: Not that great this week. Lots of tossing and turning and not being able to get comfortable. Oh! And as Kevin reminded me this morning, I continue to snore.

Maternity clothes: Yes - all clothes are maternity.

Symptoms: Achy-ness all the time. And yes, I know it'll only get worse from here. I've stopped telling people I'm achy and uncomfortable because that's the response I get. So from now on I just say "I'm fine."

You know the saying "Never trust a fart?" Well, for me it has been "Never trust a burp." It tends to get a bit precarious if I burp soon after I eat something because it wants to come back up!

Aversions: Sushi has kind of been a turn-off for me recently.

Cravings: Just food in general. Another growth spurt is on the way because I'm hungry all the time and I feel the stretching in my belly.

What I miss: Just the normalcy of things. Today has been a rough, emotional day. I just think everything is hitting me at once and the floodgates just opened. It started out with not being able to find anything to wear and it kind of snowballed from there. Pretty much just crying non-stop today. Needless to say, I did not go to work, which makes me want to cry yet again because I feel like I'm letting my co-workers down. *sigh*

Best moment this week: It wasn't really a "best" but I had to go into Labor and Delivery on Wednesday because I was having cramping and a lot of pressure for two days in a row; even after staying in bed and lots of fluids. So they hooked me up to monitors and I got to hear Preslie's heartbeat, her hiccup and move all around. Everything is fine and it doesn't appear she's coming just yet. Oh and FYI...getting "checked" is not comfortable at all. 

We started on the nursery over the weekend. There's still lots to do, but as far as ordering/purchasing things we only have the chair and ottoman left to get.

What I'm looking forward to: Pretty much just giving birth. I'd like to feel normal again.

Baby Daddy: It sure pays off to have a husband who's summer job during high school was that of a painter. He did a great job on the nursery and knocked it out so quickly!

2013 = No Pressure or Expectations

It was a very quiet New Years Eve for us; which I didn't mind one bit.

So, last year I made some goals for 2012:

1) I never learned how to sew.

2) I'm not quite a mommy yet, but well on the way there. We are very lucky that God decided to bless us with this pregnancy.

3) I've gotten a lot better at giving myself a break and have taken it easy on the perfectionism.

4) I completely failed at mailing birthday cards to friends and family.

During 2012 we...

Decided to try for Baby Pino starting in January 

Moved into my MIL's house in February

Lost Kevin's Grandfather in March

Took a nice, little trip to Reno in April

I started a new job in May

Kevin stated a new job in June

Started house-hunting in July

Found out we got a house July 27th

Found out we were expecting July 30th

Celebrated our one year anniversary in August

Moved into our new house in September

Lost my Grandmother in October

Hosted our first Thanksgiving in our new home in November

I turned 30 in December

2012 was the craziest year of my entire life!

My goal for 2013?

NO PRESSURE OR EXPECTATIONS!!!

I will become a first-time mom this year; Kevin and I will be first-time parents this year. Our number one priority for 2013 will be to just survive.

I am making it a point right now to not put pressure on myself (or us as parents) to try and live up to what other moms and parents are doing. We can only do the best we can, learn from our mistakes and make the best decisions possible when it comes to raising Preslie Kay.

I find myself so often second-guessing things based on what this person is doing with her pregnancy or will be doing with her newborn, or all the un-wanted advice I get from family members. All I can do is learn these things on my own and find out what works best for our family; not what works best for someone else's family.

I also have absolutely no expectations about how Preslie will be. She could be an incredibly colicky baby and never sleep and cry constantly. Or she could be an angel and sleep through the night and be a great eater. Either way, we'll deal with what comes, but I'm under no assumptions that being a new mom is going to be easy. I'm open and willing to take whatever comes our way; the good, bad and the ugly. And thank you Sweet Baby Jesus that I have Kevin by my side through everything. 

I'm going to have to remind myself over the next year to come back and read this post, because it's easy to get caught up in the stress and pressure of everyday life. But this is what I resolve for 2013 and for all the years to come.