19 weeks - Baby girl is a wiggle-worm!

What a week!

19 Weeks!

Our entire house is currently packed into boxes, which today are being hauled into a huge semi-truck. We'll meet up with our belongings once we find a house to rent in Kansas!

Sunday, our friends here hosted an AMAZING baby shower for us! A beautiful sunny day, delicious foods and drinks, and adorable decorations - it was so much fun! After games and trivia, the boys came over (after beer and video games with my husband at our house) to help us enjoy ice cream cake and open presents. We received such generous gifts from our friends and family, here in Alabama and all over the country! Thank you to everyone!

It's been so much fun finally knowing the gender of our baby. We pretty much have a name picked out, and we'll make it public sooner than later :)

And SHOPPING! I've drooling over baby girl things on Pinterest, Etsy, Amazon, Baby Gap, Land of Nod... such adorable things. I have lots of ideas for the nursery. Light blue painted walls, white dresser/shelves, pink/coral/red accent colors.

Baby girl's unique fingerprints are developed now! She's also growing a waxy coating on her body to protect her skin while submerged in the amniotic fluid, and to regulate her temperature. Like a nice body mask? Haha. Most all of it will be gone by the time she is born.


How far along are you? 19 weeks!

How big is Baby?  Our baby girl was measured at 8oz last Tuesday, so she's probably closer to 9oz now (BabyCenter says average is 8.5 oz.). In other words, she's the size of a large heirloom tomato, or a softball. (James! She is not like an 8oz steak!)

Weight Gain? Well our scale is packed up, but yesterday I was just over 136. Total weight gain is about 5lb.

Gender? GIRL!!!

Maternity Clothes? Sometimes yes, sometimes my regular clothes. I'm not a fan of much that hugs my belly, this weird in-between stage just isn't cute... I want the nice curvy bump!

Sleep? This last week has been good! You know, it really wasn't that hard to switch from sleeping on my back to my side. I don't even think about it anymore.

Movement? I felt the first movement a week ago, the evening after the ultrasound! Since then, I've actually felt her quite a bit every day. I think actually watching her wiggle around on the ultrasound has made me more aware of what sensations to feel for. It doesn't feel anything like flutters though. Maybe I felt those earlier and thought it was just digestion... Little girl's movements feel like something is shifting around inside me. Soft little pokes... I love it :-)

Food Cravings? Not really. Well, except chocolate. I needed brownies the other day, so I made some... And I needed a Georgia Mud Fudge Blizzard the other day, so James took me to DQ (where I bought a Mini, and they gave me a Medium by mistake! Haha...)

Labor Signs? Nope.

Belly Button in or out? In as usual.

What I miss? Not too much. I'm enjoying being pregnant so far!

Best moment of the week? So many! Finding out that our baby is a GIRL (and calling our family with the news), watching James graduate from his course, seeing a couple friends from Washington (SO great to see them again!), enjoying crazy flaming Japanese Hibachi as a farewell dinner for James' class, partying (well, observing drunk people play slap cup), and having a great time at our baby shower!

What I am looking forward to? We're headed to Panama City Beach for a 3-day weekend with 15 of our friends from James' class. It's going to be an amazing finale to our time in the South! By next Wednesday, we'll be road-tripping to Kansas.

Cheers,

Martha

IT'S A GIRL!!!

WE'RE HAVING A BABY GIRL!!!

We couldn't be happier, this is SO exciting! The ultrasound appointment was amazing, so much fun to watch our little girl wiggling around! It only took a few minutes before she uncurled her legs from sitting Indian style, and we could all see that she is definitely a girl.

She was so active! The ultrasound technician asked me if I had just eaten a snack (I had some pizza before we left), because she was bouncing all around. Apparently baby girl likes pizza :-) We got to watch her flip from her back to her tummy, and return to her back! It looked like she was doing yoga with all the stretching and flexing going on. It was pretty amazing to see.

Baby girl weighs a whole 8 ounces! I was wondering how big our baby was since I'm not showing very much. Her anatomy looked perfect, strong heartbeat at 153bpm, and she's right on track with growth! What a relief to know we have a healthy baby on the way.

This evening when James and I got home, I was laying on the floor on my tummy on my laptop, and I felt the baby move for the FIRST time! She kicked 3 times. It was amazing to feel! Today has been such a good day. I can't wait to feel her move again! Maybe I should eat more pizza? :-)

Cheers,

Martha

18 weeks - Boy or girl? We'll know in a few hours!

We're only a few hours away from our anatomy/gender ultrasound!

18 Weeks!

It's been difficult being patient for so long, we can't wait to find out the sex of our baby! I'm excited to start envisioning the nursery, clothes shopping, finalizing a name, and feeling more in sync with the baby in my belly. James keeps saying that he'll feel a lot more excited about prepping for baby once he knows the gender. Today is going to be a very good day!

It's been interesting doing so much research and thinking about what's important to me when it comes to having a baby. There are SO many different ways to raise a baby, and so many decisions to make! Breastfeeding vs. formula, and on-demand vs. schedules? Cloth diaper vs. disposable? Natural birth vs. epidural? Homemade baby food vs. store-bought? And teaching your infant how to fall asleep and stay asleep... hundreds of methods!

Personally, I gravitate toward natural approaches, even if they aren't always the most convenient. I realize that once we have the baby, everything could change. Who knows what challenges we'll face? Nonetheless, I wanted to voice my goals for Baby Bowen.

• Have a natural, drug-free birth at a hospital.
• Breastfeed and/or use breast milk in a bottle for at least 1 year
• Not use a pacifier right away, if at all. 
• Introduce wholesome, nutrient-rich solid food at 6 months. Perhaps some mashed egg yolks or avocado? I'm excited to try my own purees and soft foods for baby to explore. We're not planning on using rice cereal.
• Cloth diaper mainly, using disposable occasionally for trips/outings.
• Enjoy babywearing as often as we can - I love the idea of wearing a baby snuggled to my chest!
• Carry and hold our baby, instead of toting a car seat carrier. The car seat we plan to purchase is a larger one designed to convert into a toddler seat.
• Have the baby sleep in a bassinet in our bedroom for a few months, and then transition to a Montessori-style floor bed (twin mattress on the floor) in his/her baby-proof nursery. We're not planning on using a crib.
• Talk to our baby as much as possible.
• Sooth our baby when he/she cries in the middle of the night with feeding/diaper change/cuddles, but give our baby the opportunity to self-sooth and learn to fall asleep on his/her own.

Some of these goals aren't exactly mainstream today, and it takes some energy to explain to people who aren't familiar with these practices. Cloth diapering? Ewww! Drug-free labor? Are you crazy! No crib? Won't the baby just crawl around?

But that's okay. With so much support and love from our friends and family, I'm feeling more confident in our decisions and following our instincts. Parenthood is sure going to be an exciting adventure! I can't wait for the challenges and rewards James and I are about to experience.


How far along are you? 18 weeks - yikes, we're getting closer to 20 weeks, that's halfway!!

How big is Baby?  Baby Bowen is the length of a bell pepper - about 5.5 inches long! He/she weighs almost 7 ounces.

Weight Gain? My weight has fluctuated a lot this week. I was 135.6 this morning, so I've gained about 4lb total.

Gender? I'll tell y'all later today!!!

Maternity Clothes? Yep, now and then. Still rocking the BeBand with my regular pants, and enjoying my super comfy maternity jeans.

Sleep? Sleep has been good! Crazy insane dreams (I somehow drove my car on the monorail track! AHH!!!)

Movement? Still nothing :-/ Hopefully soon!

Food Cravings? I don't notice much, but James will remind me of certain food kicks I get on... CURRY.... CHEESE... CHOCOLATE!

Labor Signs? Nothing yet.

Belly Button in or out? Looks normal.

What I miss? La Fiera Moscato. My mom was talking about it yesterday... it's probably the best wine I've ever had. I might buy a bottle to pop (when I pop!) in July!

Best moment of the week? Spending time with my Alabama girlfriends throughout the week, because I'm getting sad we'll all be parting ways so soon! This 6-month "vacation" in Alabama has been pretty awesome.

What I am looking forward to? I can't WAIT to find out the gender of Baby Bowen in a few hours! And I'm really looking forward to Sunday - our friends here are throwing us a baby shower!

Cheers,

Martha 

17 weeks - 1 week until gender reveal!

Hello everyone!

17 Weeks!

Another week has gone by already. Here at 17 weeks, baby Bowen should be about 5 inches long! I thought I would look more pregnant by now, and less like I've just eaten Thanksgiving dinner. Sometimes James eyes me with suspicion and questions, "are you sure you're really pregnant...?" But at least next Tuesday he'll get to SEE the baby at our ultrasound appointment!

Even though I haven't grown much, I'm concerned about stretch marks. It runs on my mom's side of the family, and it's pretty much genetic whether you'll get them or not. I've never had one before, and I'm determined not to get any. Most evenings I use my lovely-scented Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil, which is mostly almond oil with vitamin E. We'll see how it works!

There are some exciting developments here at week 17! First of all, our baby can now HEAR! Baby can hear my voice resonate through my body. He/she can also sense touch when I rub my belly. I wish I could feel our baby's little acrobatic moves, because he/she is now changing positions, flipping around, and stretching and curling his/her little limbs.

James and I got a few new baby books today, can't wait to start reading these!

The Baby Owner's Manual: Operating Instructions, Trouble-Shooting Tips, and Advice on First-Year Maintenance - This book looks hilarious! Geared towards men, this book should have lots of practical advice.

Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, Third Edition - I'm very interested in learning about baby sign language. How awesome would it be to know what your baby wants before he/she begins crying in frustration?


How far along are you? 17 weeks today. 

How big is Baby?  If we were to hold our baby, he/she would fit snugly into the palm of a hand. He/she weighs 5 ounces, and measures 5 inches from head to rump!

Weight Gain? My weight this morning was 134.4, so my total weight gain is just under 3 lb.

Gender? This will be the last week of not knowing. This upcoming Tuesday at 3:30pm CST we will KNOW! (Well, hopefully... come on baby, show us your goods!)

Maternity Clothes? I bought a couple new t-shirts, because some of my tops are getting too snug on my chest... I didn't quite anticipate this problem! I have two pairs of Gap maternity jeans that I wear now and then, they are SO comfortable! My regular pants still fit, but continuing to get snug around the waist.

Sleep? Sleep has been good lately. I'm getting used to sleeping on my side, and apparently sleeping on your LEFT side may benefit your baby by increasing blood flow and nutrients.

Movement? I'm trying so hard to notice movement/flutters! But nothing yet...

Food Cravings? Still enjoying grapefruit juice every day, and all things sour! And curry. Last night we went out for Thai food (green curry was SO good), and tonight I made yellow curry with chicken.

Labor Signs? Nope. I just read about Braxton Hicks contractions, and I didn't realize they started at 6 weeks! Most women don't feel them until 20-something or 30-something weeks.

Belly Button in or out? Still in.

What I miss? I miss working. Since we move in less than a month, I'm going to start applying for jobs in Manhattan. Hopefully I can find something flexible, perhaps work-from-home, part-time, telecommuting, etc., that I might be able to keep even after our baby is born. Or maybe even start my own business?

Best moment of the week? My husband's Career Course Graduation Ball was a lot of fun! During dinner, we enjoyed an awesome slideshow of photos from the course. There were a few hilariously embarrassing photos of James, involving the very short shorts he wore to frisbee practice one day (that day his nickname became "Daisy"...).

What I am looking forward to? Valentine's Day is Thursday, and we have reservations for a special dinner! Friday night we're joining our friends and going to a dueling pianos comedy show. Also... we're counting down the days until the anatomy/gender ultrasound on Tuesday! Only one week!!!

Cheers,

Martha

16 weeks - Feeling GOOD!!!

Hello everyone!

16 Weeks!

Well, this has been a busy week. Drove to Orlando on Wednesday morning, spent 4 days at the wonderful Walt Disney World, and drove back on Monday! Tuesday morning my friends here in Alabama surprised me with a 1/2 hour pregnancy massage, and spa pedicure. What a treat! My toes and feet have never looked prettier :-)

My pregnant sister-in-law and I had to be careful about the rides we went on at Disney World, but since I'm not even showing yet, I did go on Space Mountain. SO MUCH FUN!

I had an routine appointment this morning with my doctor, and asked her about the dangers of roller coasters during pregnancy. She said the concern is that rapid acceleration and deceleration can cause the placenta to shear away from its attachment to the uterus. If this placental abruption happens, the effects are pretty immediate (bleeding, miscarriage....). Yikes!

Anyways, things are going well and baby and I are healthy! His/her heartbeat this morning was a strong 153 bpm. I scheduled the anatomy/gender ultrasound for Feb 19th at 3:30pm - SO EXCITED!!! Less than 2 weeks!

James and I have a couple names picked out, but we probably won't settle on one right away. My sister-in-law warned me about choosing a name too early; once everyone else knows, it's hard to switch names if we change our minds! You can't return monogrammed baby gifts!

Can you believe that at 16 weeks, the baby's heart pumps about 25 quarts of blood per day? And he/she's even growing toenails. Wow! 


How far along are you? 16 weeks yesterday

How big is Baby?  Our little avocado-sized baby is 4.5 inches long (head to rump), and weighs about 3.5 ounces!

Weight Gain? Yesterday morning I weighed 133.6 - and this morning I weighed 134.8! Funny how weight fluctuates.

Gender? Our anatomy/gender ultrasound is scheduled for Feb 19th at 3:30pm! Less than 2 weeks!

Maternity Clothes? I took some maternity capri pants to Disney World, and they are sooo comfortable! They definitely came in handy considering how much delicious food we enjoyed :) Buut, I don't really need maternity clothes yet... My pants are just a little snug around the waist.

Sleep? After an amazing trip to Disney World, it feels good to be back in my own bed. Sleep is back to normal now!

Movement? I can't feel anything yet, but I got to HEAR movement (swoosh swoosh!) when using a heartbeat doppler!

Food Cravings? Not much. We were SO spoiled at Disney World with delicious restaurants and beautiful desserts, it's hard to crave much beyond that!

Labor Signs? Nah.

Belly Button in or out? In as usual

What I miss? As my sister-in-law and I strolled through Epcot at Disney World, we were reminded every few minutes of how many delicious adult beverages we were missing out on... Mango smoothie with rum? Drinks served in pineapples?? YUM!

Best moment of the week? So many!! Watching my nephew Nicholas giddily enjoy the Dumbo ride over and over... Enjoying AMAZING Disney restaurants with my mother-and-sister-in-law... Going to IKEA and buying a dresser and shelf for the NURSERY! .... Getting treated to a morning at the spa... and coming home after 6 days to my loving husband!

What I am looking forward to? My husband's Graduation Ball is on Thursday, so I'm excited for dressing up in my new sparkly black gown, and seeing James in his dress mess uniform (the same he wore for our wedding!).

Cheers,

Martha