Hello 3rd Trimester!

 WOW - we are now in the 3rd trimester (although some websites say it begins at 27 weeks) - craziness!!!  I can officially say I am feeling "more pregnant" every day.  I feel like I am carrying low and my belly gets so heavy.. I wish I could walk around holding my belly up, but I'd look pretty funny.  Things have been very busy here lately.. work has simply been insane.. and we are getting ready for the Memory Walk and Gavin's birthday party on Saturday.  It's hard to believe my baby boy is going to be 3 years old.  (That reminds me I need to update his blog!)  The nursery is just about ready for paint.. I can't wait to see if all done!!  Gavin has decided that his baby sisser's name should be School Bus.  He even told the clerk at Turkey.Hill that School Bus was her name.. too cute!!  So, it's offical - School Bus Gummy Bear Louise Anderson - like it!?!!

We have our 28 week doctor appointment tomorrow and I get to drink the yummy glucose drink.  I am praying I don't have gestational diabetes.  After this appointment we will start going every 2 weeks, then at 36 weeks we go every week until School Bus Gummy Bear makes her debut :o)

Week 28 quiz:

How far along: 28 weeks 1 day

Weight gain: I'm sure by now I'm up about 18 to 20 pounds

Any new maternity clothes: nope

Any new baby items: yes - I lost control today and bought her a pair of pants, an adorable sweater and a shirt to go under the sweater - I have had my eye on this outfit for a while and it was finally 50% off at the Carters outlet and I had a $10 off coupon!!

Sleep: some nights are awesome, some nights are terrible - the most I've used the potty in one night was 4 trips!

Best moment of the week: buying her new outfit today and buying new toilet seats!!!

Stretch marks: oh yes.. I've been using my lotion regularly but it really hasn't helped much.

Food cravings: I've been craving Texas.Roadhouse but can't bring myself to spend the $... oh but it sounds sooooooo good!!
Gender: well if School Bus Gummy Bear is a boy he's going to be wearing a lot of pink ;o)

Movement: yes!!!  I have to start my kick counts this week, fun!

Labor signs: nope - still just braxton hicks contractions

Belly button in or out: it's a weird shape, but it does stick out sometimes, depending on my position and the baby's position; I finally put my maternity belly ring in.

What I miss: I'd say currently I miss my old clothes and I really miss sleeping on my belly.

What I'm looking forward to: my doctor appointment tomorrow and the Memory Walk and Gavin's party on Saturday!! :o)

Weekly wisdom: It's true what they say about your hormones when you're pregnant - one minute you're happy and cheerful - the next your sad or snapping at someone - just make sure you apologize when necessary!

Milestones: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds, like a Chinese cabbage and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

27 weeks = almost 3rd trimester!

I think this is our last week in the 2nd trimester - so insane!  We now have 10 weeks until I am full term = 37 weeks.  I know that doesn't mean Gummy Bear will be here in 10 weeks, but that does mean that, should I go into labor after that point they will not do anything to stop the labor.  Hard to believe that realistically we could have a baby in just 70 days!! :o)  Not much new news to report - we didn't get the painting done yet.. hopefully soon.. and trust me, I will post photos of the nursery progress!

Gavin shared this weekend that he thinks Gummy Bear's name should be Spiderman, ah the mind of a 3 year old!!  He talks about his baby "sisser" a lot and he has started to give my belly kisses.. adorable!!  I think he's going to be a great big brother, but I can't help but feel somewhat bad for him.  His whole world is going to change.. and he really has no control over it.

I am really excited about the fall weather - it has always been my favorite season and I am already loving it!  Football, beautiful leaves, pumpkins, candy corn, corn mazes, parades, mums.. I just love everything about fall!!  Speaking of mums, I have always wanted to buy a mum or two for my house but have never wanted to waste spend the $ because I would probably just let it die.  Well, for Labor Day my mom bought me a beautiful mum - such a lovely fall copper color - I was SO beyond excited when she gave it to me!  Guess what... it's still alive!!!  I need to take some photos of it as proof, because I am sure those of you that know me can't believe I could actually keep a plant alive for more than 5 days!  THANKS MOM!!!

Anyway, Gummy Bear is moving around a ton and has really grown to like oreos and milk.  I wish mommy didn't like them so much :o)  We have our next doctor visit on Tues. Sept. 23rd at 7:50 a.m.  First I have to drink the glucose drink, then I have my regular visit with the doctor, then I have to get my blood drawn to see if I have gestational diabetes (GD).  I did not have GD when I was pregnant with Gavin so I am hoping I am clear this time too.. but I have a funny feeling.

27 week quiz:

How far along: 27 weeks 1 day

Weight gain: well, I'd say I am up about 18 lbs or so - I am truly scared of the scale ;o)

Any new maternity clothes: yes, I bought a pair of corduroys at a consignment shop for $4.00 - and my coworker Amy gave me a shirt from NY.and.Company that she bought from Goodwill, it's not a maternity shirt but sure fits like one (it's actually the shirt I have on in my photos below!) Thanks Amy!

Any new baby purchases: nope.

Sleep: some nights = good some nights = bad -- I am getting up to use the potty about twice per night now

Best moment of the week: seeing family at the Schroder family reunion on Sunday; college football starting; the beginning of some fall weather; getting holes patched in the nursery

Stretch marks: oh man - they came out of nowhere - my poor hips will never look the same :o(

Food cravings: oreos and milk, chocolate, hot chocolate - wonder why I have stretch marks?!?!

Gender: girl :o)

Movement: yeppers - she's moving a lot - I will try to take a video of her dancing sometime so everyone can see how much she makes my tummy move!

Labor signs: no true labor signs but I am continuing to have the braxton hicks contractions..

Belly button in or out: still a funny shape.

What I miss: this past week I have really missed my normal clothes; I really don't have many nice maternity clothes that fit me well and it's really making me miss my old wardrobe.

What I'm looking forward to: our DR visit next week & hopefully learning I do not have GD; making progress on her nursery; the Memory Walk next weekend, Gavin's 3rd birthday coming up on Oct. 2nd, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Gummy Bear's due date, Christmas, Steven's birthday - we are coming up on a very busy couple of months!!

Weekly wisdom: "Get busy living or get busy dying." - a quote from my favorite movie Shawshank Redemption

Milestones: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds, like a head of cauliflower, and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

 

  

  

yes, I know this one is blurry but it's the best one I got! 

I thought it may be a good idea to try and take my belly photos at the start of the day instead of the end because I am always so tired and it really shows in my photos.  Now that I look at these, I think I look just as tired so it really doesn't matter when I take them ;o)  It's not like they're going in my modeling profile or anything, it's just a fun keepsake for Gummy Bear and myself!

under construction..

I am trying to change my blog a little but am having some difficulties with my computer.  Please excuse the "mess" as I figure out all this layout/column stuff.

Gummy Bear is doing well.. she is moving like crazy and really loves oreos and milk!

26 weeks = still an eggplant!

I am going to apologize now - this is going to be a very lame, super short post.  Maybe I will post again tomorrow but if I can be honest, I am exhausted - emotinally and physically.  I am definitely feeling 'more' pregnant and I hate to complain about it.  I am so very thankful and feel so blessed to have this healthy little girl in my tummy, but it is so draining sometimes.  I will try to post more another day this week.. I am just ready to take my contacts out, put my pjs on and lay on the couch and watch Big.Brother.

26 week quiz:
How far along: 26 weeks 2 day 
Weight gain: + 15 lbs or so -- maybe more at this point but I am not a fan of the scale.. 
New maternity clothes: nope. 
New baby clothes/items: we bought the paint for her nursery - and I did VERY good controlling myself at Ko.hls the other day, didn't spend a dime on baby clothes! 
Sleep: I've been having terrible back pain so sleep has not been so easy recently. 
Best moment of the week: buying paint for Gummy Bear's room; feeling her move more; listening to Gav talk about his baby "sisser" 
Stretch marks: uggg.. don't ask! 
Movement: yes, she moves a ton - love it!! 
Food cravings: sweet tea and gala apples 
Gender: girl! [so amazing!] 
Belly button in or out: still 'funny shaped' 
Labor signs: the braxton hicks contractions have begun - although they aren't a sign of labor it's a sign for me that I'm getting closer to the end.. 
What I miss: being able to control my emotions... oh wait, I have never been able to do that :o) 
What I'm looking forward to: clearing out the nursery and getting it painted; maybe picking a name for our little lady! 
Weekly wisdom: "Take it easy, take it easy - don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy." 
Milestones: At long last, your little swimmer can see the womb! Your miracle’s little eyelids have finally separated (they were fused closed previously) and they’re probably having their first moments of sight as you read this (or maybe it already happened while you were brushing your teeth or watching Oprah or something). In addition to seeing their little studio in your belly, they’ve recently acquired the ability to say “yes” and “no” in rudimentary sign language as they can now move their head back and forth. This is also the time where your little super star’s head hair is starting to grow! A cute little cowlick or two may be springing into position right now, getting ready for years of cute-but-stubborn bed-head. Also, their toenails have grown in and you little raisin continues to slowly pile up fat beneath their still-loose skin. Most importantly, brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace, increasing their (genius-level?) brain activity and will continue to function at accelerated levels for the first seven to eight years of childhood! - courtesy of baby.gaga.com

*these photos are awful - I look terrible - and my shirt really is black, not some faded weird color but I really don't care too much right now, just enjoy the belly :o)

99 DAYS!!

That's right ... 99 days until Gummy Bear's due date!!  We will be heading in to our 26th week tomorrow, so we're almost in our 3rd trimester.  I am happy to report that we bought the paint for her nursery today =)  My goal is to clear the room out in the next couple of days so we can get moving with the paint fairly soon.  It seems to all be coming together at a nice pace.  I still don't have much news on her name - I am still leaning towards Gabrielle, I think my big hiccup with the name is that it seems so long.  My name is short, most of my family has fairly short names, Gavin is a short name.. ah, but what's a few more letters?!!  I will be back on Tuesday with my weekly post!  I hope everyone has a nice Labor Day =)

Gummy Bear got a gift!!

I got home from work today and noticed a package on the kitchen table - immediately my mind starts to wander - did I order something I forgot about, did I get another one of those annoying free offer books, did Steven order something and send it to me - hmmm.. what could it be?!?

I rip into the package to discover our Love Bug photo frame for the nursery - someone ordered it from our registry and had it shipped to our house!!  I was so surprised and excited, who was this mystery shopper?!  I proceed to pull out the paperwork that came with it and read the sweetest note.  The mystery shopper was Jil - a girl I graduated high school with.  She currently lives in New York City and we really only communicate with one another on-line but she said that she has loved reading my blog and was excited to buy something for our baby girl!!  That's when the tears started rolling.. how incredibly sweet.  I was speechless, standing there in my kitchen totally overwhelmed by her kindness.  THANK YOU JIL - hopefully you read this and know how much your gift touched me and I cannot wait to put a photo of our little Gummy Bear in it =)

25 weeks = an eggplant!

(FYI!) The top photo is week #25 size, the second is month #6 size (weeks 25-28), the third is the baby during week #25 and the fourth is a silly cartoon for week 25. 

I am 6 months pregnant... when in the world did that happen?!?  I knew that the beginning would go slow and right around 20 weeks things would start to pick up, boy was I right!!  The past week has been pretty productive.. I've finally started emptying out the nursery/play room and packing things away.  I've also gone through all the bins of Gavin's clothing so we have a lot more storage space in the basement - but I have NO idea what to do with the 6-7 bins full of very gently used clothing.  I bought a small sample of paint last night just to test it out and I think it's a little too pink.  Steven, Gavin and I went back to Lo.we's tonight to look for a slighter lighter shade.  We were there for 5 minutes and Steven found the perfect one.  (we will go back in a few weeks, when the room is cleaned out completely - to buy the paint and all the necessary painting tools!)  I was there for almost an hour last night searching and searching - go figure!  We don't have a lot of decorations/hangings for her walls so I really don't want the pink to be too overwhelming.

I just have to quickly say/type that I hate money.  Money is the root of all (well most) evil and I can't stand it.  Never in my life have I been as consumed with money as I have been in the past month or so.. it's terrible.. and annoying.. and I hate it.  Working on a budget, planning for maternity leave, planning for Gavin's birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Gummy Bear's arrival, Christmas, Steven's birthday.. ahhhhhh!!!  I wish I would have listened when I was younger about how important it is to save money and be wise with money.  (not that we're crazy with our money - but definitely could be a little wiser!)  Anybody got a couple [[million]] bucks they want to throw my way =)

Guess what?!?! A private investigator that has been doing some work for me on a case came in to the office on Thursday and asked when I was due!!!  Finally someone who didn't know I was pregnant actually acknowledged my belly - it makes me feel like I finally look pregnant and not chubby =)


25 week pregnancy quiz:
How far along: 25 weeks 1 day - we are almost under 100 days until Gummy Bear's due date 
Any new maternity clothes: nope - with the weather getting cooler I'm hoping I am going to be able to find some fall/winter clothes in my closet that actually fit!  (back to the $ statement - I really don't want to waste $ on maternity clothes..) 
Any new baby clothes/items: not this week - unless you count paint samples =) 
Weight gain: I am still about +15 pounds - I lost a couple pounds over the weekend due to baseball park food that just didn't sit well in my tummy... but I am sure I will put that back on in no time! 
Sleep: I am getting up about twice to use the potty and I haven't been having much trouble getting comfortable - but I still can't ever seem to get enough sleep!! 
Best moment of the week: finally feeling like we've made some progress on the nursery; hearing her heart beat at the doctor last Tuesday; showing off her clothing to some family members!! 
Movement: oh yes, she is definitely an active little lady!  (it is so amazing!) 
Food cravings: salad, gala apples, pickles 
Gender: Team Pink! 
Labor signs: No! 
Belly button in or out: both, we will call it 'funny shape' for now 
What I miss: my normal clothes, sleeping on my belly, running - same old stuff! 
What I'm looking forward to: FALL = pumpkin patches, parades, leaves changing colors, Gavin's 3rd birthday, Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk, beautiful cool weather.. it's my favorite season!!  Another would be continuing progress in the nursery and getting closer to our baby girl's arrival =)  
Weekly wisdom: "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." 
Milestones: Your little grower’s physical proportions are evening out at this point and most of their remaining development will largely be weight gain and lots and lots of nervous system development. The good news is: if your child is born premature now they’ll be more likely to survive without too much trauma as their lungs began to produce “surfactant” last week, which means their tiny respiratory system is getting stronger with each passing day. Yes, now’s a good time for a minor sigh of relief and a quick pat on the back.  

 this is my view =)

*if anyone has a good suggestion for a free photo editing program online I'd love to hear it.. these photos are always real crappy but I can't use my flash.. so I am sorry!!  (I feel like this week is exceptionally bad not only because of the coloring but because I look so stinkin' tired!)