Week 24/25 and a rant

How far along? 24w4d weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I think I'm at about +30. So not too bad. I asked my OB about my weight gain and he said it was nothing to be concerned about, especially with my weight gain with Gabriella. He told me that weight gain during pregnancy is mainly genetic and he thinks that if I'm making good choices food wise (I am) that there's nothing I can do about it. He went as far as to say that he thinks that if I was on 1200 cals a day I would still probably gain about 35-40lbs, its just how my body functions during pregnancy.
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Chris has been allowed back into the bed and thus far I'm sleeping just fine!
Best moment this week: Having my parents and sister in town!
Movement: Yes, she has her quiet days and then her more active days
Food cravings: Everything!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: The fam, of course. Its always hard to see them go.
What I am looking forward to: Yoga tomorrow night. I skipped Saturday's class b/c of the fam's visit.
Milestones: V-DAY!

So my parents and sister were here for 4th of July weekend and we had a wonderful time. Gabriella absolutely adores them - YES, more than Chris's parents. She's SUPER attached to my parents even though they are far away. Its just different. If you could see the interaction, you would understand.

I agreed to dinner with my ILs...I know, what was I thinking, but alas it was to placate my husband and I was in a "lets just get it over with" mentality, so that I don't have to do this for a long time. Well, my MIL stooped pretty low in her insults this weekend. The convo went like this:

Bitch pats my stomach: Are you sure there's not 2 in there?
Me: No, there's just one
Bitch (talking to baby): Just how big are you going to be?!
Me (annoyed): I'm not really all that bigger right now than I was with Gabriella at this point.
Bitch: Oh I don't know about that, you look A LOT bigger to me.

If anyone knows how much I hate my MIL, you'll all understand why this comment is so inappropriate. I effing hate her. Oh, and let me add that she said this to me in front of my own mother, who was left just as speechless as I was.

Week 23

How far along? 23 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I'm not entirely sure, but I think I'm up 2lbs total since the beginning of last week. I'll find out for sure at my doc appt next week (Wednesday)
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No, but those little spider veins are starting to sprout on my tummy
Sleep: Its getting better. G isn't coughing nearly as much. Its really only happening when she wakes up in the morning now, thankfully
Best moment this week: Feeling more kicks up high versus cervix punches/kicks
Movement: Yep, she definitely has her active moments and her quiet moments. She's generally moving around 1st thing in the morning, then its sporadic throughout the day, then again after dinner into the evening.
Food cravings: Pizza!!
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? It's in still, I doubt it'll come out; it didn't with G. Although I am starting to get that bruised belly button feeling which means its expanding
What I miss: The sun - um hello, cloudy much?
What I am looking forward to: The weekend
Milestones: One week away from v-day!

So I realized I am a bad mama and never updated about G's 2nd year appt. All is well, obviously. Her weight and length can be found over on right hand side. She is in the 90th percentile for both. Generally people look at her and easily assume she's 3 versus 2 because she's so tall. Her HC is in the 50th percentile, I just don't remember the exact measurement. Her pedi says she's doing very well and hitting all her milestones.

G cracks us up on a regular basis. The more she talks, the funnier she is. I can't even begin to list all that she says b/c its THAT much. She's really starting to put together a bunch of words and ask real questions. Its just amazing. She's getting so big and she's gonna be such a great big sister.

In terms of belly pics, I never got around to it in week 22 so I'll definitely have to take one this weekend!

Week 22 - one week away from 6 months!

How far along? 21w5d
Total weight gain/loss: Well, at my weight check this week (I went for a follow up to last week's spotting episode) I was up something ridiculous like 5lbs in one week, BUT I'm attributing that to being constipated. In fact, I weighed myself last night (after a full day of eating) and was a lb less than I was that morning that I was weighed-->and my scale at home and the docs have been saying the same thing. So...lets just say +25 to be safe
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Well, my poor munchkin has had some post nasal drip that makes her cough overnight, so for the past 2 nights I've been up in the middle of the night and I am exhausted. He hasn't been told yet, but tonight is Chris's turn!
Best moment this week: We bought G her toddler bed :)
Movement: Yes, definitely. I think she is still breech though
Food cravings: Nothing in particular
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In, but the bottom half of my piercing is starting to pop out of my belly button
What I miss: Sleeping through the night
What I am looking forward to: Yoga tonight - it always does my back so much good
Milestones: I have my GD test at my next OB appt. Holy crap! I can't believe I'm at that point already!

So, Chris and I have started the names discussion. We have about 5 or 6 names that we really like, but won't be sharing until we narrow it down a bit further. I have 1 front runner in my mind, with a 2nd name a really close dual front runner, but mums the word until we cut the list down a bit.

I need to do a mass belly pic upload. I've been taking them, just too lazy to upload them when I get home!

Le grand update

OK, so I'm not really sure where to start since so much has gone on since my last blog post. First we obviously went on vacation - we had so much fun with Gabriella and while we had some gripes about the resort, we really had so much fun with her. She was such a little fish! She wore herself out everyday. Traveling wise, she was great on the way there and an utter beast on the way back. But unfortunately we had to skip her nap that day b/c of the flight so I'm going to say that was the culprit.

I had my 20w appt on Monday and all looks well. I'll do a survey down below. Yesterday was Gabriella's 2nd birthday. I cannot believe how fast this 2nd year flew! We had some cake for her on Sunday but otherwise, didn't do anything "special" for her birthday this year. I really wasn't in the mood to have my husband's family over to gorge themselves and be obnoxious. No thanks.

Yesterday we had our big u/s and I am super happy to say that we are expecting a perfect and healthy little GIRL. We had a level II u/s and so we were able to take an in depth look at everything and she's just perfect, weighing in at about 14 oz and measuring about 5 days ahead. We are seriously so excited for Gabriella to have a little sister.

The usual survey:

How far along? 20w5d
Total weight gain/loss: +22lbs (up 6 in a month which I'm pretty happy about)
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Not too shabby. The past 2 nights have been really good actually. Still getting up once to pee, but hell, I can live with that.
Best moment this week: Finding out the baby is healthy and perfect, and of course 2nd to that finding out that it's a girl.
Movement: Yes, some days more often than others, but I definitely am feeling her.
Food cravings: Sweet stuff, like fruit juice and fruit snacks. Odd, I know.
Labor Signs: Well, no, not technically. Something I ate on Sunday didn't agree with me that caused some cramping overnight with a tinge of pink spotting, but after both an internal exam by my OB and the cervical u/s yesterday (cervix was 4.6cm which is great) all was confirmed to be just fine. It was just a irritation flared by a GI issue.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Well, I would love some decent mat clothes selection. Its not something I necessarily "miss" since mat selection is always crap, but YGWIM.
What I am looking forward to: The weekend.
Milestones: Geez, lots I guess. The u/s, Gabriella's birthday, a good cervix report!

Week 19

How far along? 18w5d
Total weight gain/loss: I haven't the slightest clue. Probably close to 20
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Same as last week. Back has been more achy, but sleep has been generally ok
Best moment this week: Feeling movement more often
Movement: Yes, I feel him/her every day now, usually multiple times per day
Food cravings: Bagels and cream cheese
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Nothing in particular
What I am looking forward to: VACAY + Gabriella's birthday + big u/s
Milestones: More steady movement and we bought our double stroller. We are now the proud owners of the Double Baby Jogger City Mini. I got a great deal on a 2010 one from Amazon.

This will be my only update until the big u/s. We will be departing for our fabulous Puerto Rican vacation on saturday and will be away all week. We are so excited!

I'll post a belly pic before I leave, but until then, here is our fab new stroller:

Week 18

How far along? 17w5d
Total weight gain/loss: well, I haven't weighed myself, but I'm guessing +17-18 at this point
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: I think I'm at that center-of-gravity-shift-time so my back has been more achy, thus making it slightly uncomfortable to sleep, but I've been managing with my Snoogle and a pletora of pillows. Its amazing how many more props I can use when Chris is in the other bed!
Best moment this week: Feeling a BIG kick!
Movement: Yes, but its sporatic. With Gabriella, once I started feeling movement it never stopped. With this babe, I feel it much more sporatically. Sometimes yes, somedays not at all - they are very light taps and off to the side. I'm guessing this is b/c of the placenta. Yesterday when I was getting my brows done, it must have been the way I was laying down b/c I felt the biggest kick as I laid there. It literally took my breath away!
Food cravings: Nothing in particular this week. I still love everything generally
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Warmth! Last week I wrote about how it was super hot, but since Friday we've had very chilly temps (Sunday was even in the 30s!) so I'd like some stable spring weather please (effing Chicago)
What I am looking forward to: VACAY!
Milestones: Yay for movement! Oh, and also, all of our b/w screening tests (quad screen and OB panel) came back normal. Just waiting now on the CF carrier screen test results.

18 week belly pic!

Week 16-17 update

How far along? 16w5d
Total weight gain/loss: +16lbs....here we go
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Its been pretty decent. I can't really complain. I definitely don't have insomnia anymore
Best moment this week: Anytime Gabriella randomly comes up to me and gives me a big squishy hug and kiss
Movement: No and I'm starting to get impatient. All these tails of 2nd timers feeling flutters at like 14-15 weeks makes me so jealous. I know the OB said the anterior placenta shouldn't be a factor and I know that its still early, but alas I am an impatient girl. With Gabriella I was definitely feeling movement by week 18 so here's hoping I feel something by then.
Food cravings: My love affair with chips continues and I may have asked my co-worker who went to the grocery store, to pick me up gushers and popsicles...
Labor Signs: No
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Spring...seems like we are on the fast track to the surface of the sun the past few days
What I am looking forward to: Lots of things, but more than anything movement and vacation
Milestones: Nothing really monumental going on right now.

In case anyone is wondering about Gabriella happenings, let me just tell you that this little girl is unbelievably hilarious. Sometimes I cannot believe what comes out of her mouth. Her new fave things to say are "I want it" and "I don't want it." She also likes to sternly point her finger in my face and say "stop it!" LOFL. How do you not laugh when a toddler is in your face pointing her finger at you in ALL seriousness? I die.

I'm getting super excited for vacation, but there's still SO much to buy. We are buying the Baby Bjorn travel crib (Thanks Maura!) since it looks perfect for what we need and despite the luxuriousness of this resort I just don't know what their provided cribs will look like. Also just have to start my master list of things to remember to pack.

I started prenatal yoga last Saturday and love it. The teacher was a little too over the top for me, but I still thought the class was worth continuing. I'll be starting twice weekly at the beginning of June when my 2nd class starts up during the week. Oh, also, I had another cervical check last week at the hospital and all is well. did find out that I have a marginal placenta, so its in proximity to my cervix. No sexy time or heavy physical activity...lol, not that I needed to worry about either of those. I just now have a medical excuse...SCORE!

I'll post belly pics tonight (under belly pics). T-26 days till the big u/s and Gabriella's 2nd b-day!