Weekend Recap: Showers, Antiques and Hippos

Guuuuys. My little man and I were completely spoiled this weekend. My good friend Kristen threw me a baby shower where I ate too much cake and received more gifts than I even know what to do with! I now feel confident that if baby Turner were to make an early appearance, Steven and I pretty much have everything we need for him ready and waiting! 

I wish I would have taken more pictures of Kristen's setup because it was so cute and Pinterest(y)! Unfortunately, I forgot my camera and all photos were taken on my phone. My poor camera has been pretty neglected lately. 

Steven and I also took advantage of our three day weekend and got a lot done around the house while still finding time to slip away and have some fun too. We checked out a new antique store that opened up just down the street from us that was pretty awesome (full of the usual rustic decor, creepy dolls, and amazing furniture pieces I'd love to refinish but know I'd never get around to), watched the Seahawks make their way into the Superbowl, and had a much needed coffee date! All in all, it was a pretty great weekend! 

Not going to lie though, probably the best part of this weekend was finding a toy that has survived over 24 hours of Huckleberry chewing and is still completely intact. Meet blue hippo (that's his name). He hides treats in his tummy and a squeaker in his head, and Huck has yet to destroy him.

If he lasts a week I will be utterly amazed.

:)

34 Weeks

6 more weeks to go!! 

Baby: Baby is 34 weeks and the size of a butternut squash. Basically at this point, baby's main concern is to put on more weight between now and his arrival. I'm pretty sure he's doing a good job at that because A) I look absolutely enormous compared to just two weeks ago and B) all 3 of my midwives have mentioned on different occasions that baby is big and quickly running out of room! Not going to lie, they're kind of frightening me that I'm harboring a 10 pounder in there...

Weight: I'm up 33 lbs, which means in the last month I've gained 8 lbs! I know most of it is baby and fluids but geez...that's a hard number to swallow. I've already gained more weight than my mother gained with any of her 3 pregnancies!

Symptoms: Where to begin... the uncomfortableness of the 3rd trimester has definitely caught up with me.  I have the hardest time sitting at my desk at work. My upper back begins to ache as well as the ribs on my right side. I feel almost instant relief when I get up and walk around but I don't have much opportunity to do so. I've also been struggling with heartburn in the evenings. My midwife gave me some natural Papaya and Pineapple Enzymes to combat it, so I'm hoping that will bring some relief. 

Sleep: Basically, I don't sleep anymore. At least not soundly. I fall asleep quite easily because my body aches and I really do feel so tired, but within an hour I'm up either because I'm uncomfortable and restless or because I need to use the bathroom. Either way, it sometimes takes me hours to fall back asleep. Just last night I was up from 1:25 until about 4am. It's absolutely miserable! I've never been one to function good on little amounts of sleep. It makes me want to go around punching people in the face. I've also been having the weirdest dreams... and even nightmares! Some are funny and deal with people I haven't seen or spoken to in ages. Others are extremely frightening and I've even woken up crying...most of the time it's because I've lost the baby --he was stillborn or maybe only lives a few moments in my arms. I've even had a dream he was a Cyclopes. -- I know that last one sounds silly but it was horrible. 

So even when I do get some sleep, it's not very restful.

Cravings/Aversions:  I'm struggling eating meat again like I was at the beginning of my pregnancy. I still make myself do it because I know it's good for me and baby. I've also been adding a huge handful of spinach to my protein shakes in the morning and they are surprisingly delicious! Right now it's my favorite go to breakfast. I use 8oz almond milk, 1 scope of raw nut butter, 1 scope protein powder (I use this brand) , 1/2 a banana, and a handful of spinach....yum!

Body: Pretty much the same minus a bigger belly ;) No stretch marks, full hair, and my skin seems to be clearing up a little bit. I have started to notice that the muscle tone in my arms from my hot yoga days is disappearing and I'm definitely looking forward to heading back for some yoga once the doc clears me!

Random Thoughts: We have a 3 day weekend this week and Steven and I hope to get a lot done in preparation for baby's arrival. I'm hoping we can get the nursery completely finished! There are only a few things here and there we have left to do so it shouldn't take much.

I also have my first baby shower this weekend and I simply can't wait! Showers are so much fun and I feel so blessed that others want to give to our little man :)

6 weeks left.....ahhhhh!

To read more pregnancy updates, go here!

That One Time It Snowed In Washington

While the rest of the country seems to be frozen, here in Washington it's a balmy 40 degrees with the usual overcast skies. Okay, maybe not balmy. But compared to what my two brothers are experiencing in upstate New York I figure I can't complain... We did have one snow this year. One. Snow. It's definitely something that I struggle getting used to --not having white Christmases in Washington -- but this snow came a few days before Christmas and my heart was so full thinking this year it would be white! But alas, less than 1 inch of snow never sticks around for long and by Christmas it was all gone.

Either way, Huck and I had fun during our one snow day. 

Huck taking his snow nose to a whole new level

Stay warm, everybody! 

Our (soon-to-be-not-so) Private Oasis

Steven and I love to go on walks. With both of us working in an office environment, a refreshing evening or early morning stroll is exactly what we need to lift that technology fog that tends to settle over one's mind during the working day. 

We're lucky in that our favorite place to walk in just down the road from our home. Whether we feel like walking a mile or 8, there are numerous trails we can choose from that are lush, wooded, and feel very private --like they're our very own secret getaway from the hustle and bustle of the world. 

Unfortunately, they recently started tearing down the beautiful trees along our usual trails to bring a new flood of people to our little, private oasis. Over 4,000 homes, a Fred Meyer and gas station, and a strip mall are all expected to spring up on these untouched acres, and, well, that makes me sad... 

It's strange to be able to see through the tree line, and even more bizarre to come across heavy machinery during our walks. I know the construction will take a long time to be complete, but I'm selfish and want it to never start. 

It kind of makes me want to curl up and watch Fern Gully and cry. Of course, that would be a little overly dramatic but I'm pregnant and can use one of my crazy pregnant lady passes. ;)

So much for moving out into the country to escape the traffic, busyness, and people in the city! They are bringing the craziness right to our backyard. 

At least there is still some beauty retained along those familiar trails and hopefully we'll be able to appreciate them for a little while longer.

32 Weeks

Hello, everyone! And happy Friday! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things over here since the holidays ended. I've been busy with work these last couple days organizing emails, clearing my desktop, and prioritizing tasks that need completed before I go on my maternity leave. I want to make sure my 3 month absence is as pain-free for my boss and myself as possible. Is this what it's like to be  "nesting" at work?

Anyway, I realized I haven't done a pregnancy update on the blog since I was 28 weeks! That was a month ago! Reason being there pretty much hasn't been any significant changes these past few weeks other than the fact that I look like a ginormous walrus more and more each day ;) But I thought an update for my own records and some of you curious mama's-to-be out there was needed. 

 32 weeks

30 weeks | 31 weeks | 32 weeks 

Baby: Baby is 32 weeks and the size of squash! He weighs just under 4 lbs and is anywhere between 15-17 in. long. My midwife confirmed he is now in the head down position but still has room to twist and do some flips in there. Hopefully, by week 34 he will be in the head down position to stay. This little guy is quiet the mover! Steven and I love to feel him kick! It surprises me how much energy our little babe can pack in a punch! He must be a strong boy ;) 

Weight: At my 30 week appointment I was up 25 lb, which I feel good about. We did not weigh me at my past appointment, but judging from the photos above I've definitely put on some more weight. It's amazing to see how much my belly has grown in just 2 weeks!

Symptoms: I'm just uncomfortable. The worst is sitting all day at work. The sitting position compresses my uterus, giving the baby less room to wiggle around so he usually chooses to hang out under my right rib. After a few hours of kicks in that area I feel a bit sore. Also, I'm carrying some excess fluid so my symphysis fundal height measurement reads a little bit high. The midwife said that too could be causing a lot of the pressure I feel under my ribs, but apparently, it's not enough fluid for them to have any concerns about me or the baby...just makes things a little more uncomfortable on my end. 

Sleep: This is the first week that sleep started to become difficult for me. I wake up often to use the bathroom or simply turn to my other side in bed. It takes me a long time to get comfortable again and fall asleep. Also, right before bed at night I've been feeling extremely restless. I either do some yoga exercises or some of the relaxation techniques I've learned from my Bradley classes to get the tension out of my muscles and help me sleep better. A warm bath before bed usually does the trick, too. 

Cravings/Aversions:  I can and will eat anything and everything around me, but a few things that have been particularly yummy to me lately are bananas, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and milk.  

Body: I find it pretty amazing that I've gained so much weight and have yet to see a stretch mark. But I've heard a lot of women say they didn't get any until the last week or so of their pregnancy, so I know I'm not in the clear yet. Also, I've been noticing that my hair is fuller and there is less shedding in the mornings while in the shower and blow drying my hair! I know the shedding will return after the baby is born but I'm enjoying the fullness for now. I'm still fighting a lot of breakouts. Apparently, the "pregnancy glow" just wasn't in the cards for me. 

Random Thoughts: I am in full blown nesting mode. Poor Steven...I have made him do so many small projects around the home lately I'm surprised he keeps coming back everyday after work. If I were him I'd probably just stay away ;) But he's been so good to me by knocking off projects here and there on his honey to-do list! He's a good egg. 

After tonight we'll be halfway through with our Bradley classes. They are still going really well and I do find the information in them super informative. I'll let you know after the labor if I think the 12 week course as a whole is actually worth it when it really counts though. Crossing my fingers it is!

Also, our nursery is almost complete and I can't wait to share it with you all!