Pregnancy Update: WHOA! We're halfway there!

<<< 17 weeks with both my babies >>>

<<< Bump today >>>

Time while mothering is a funny thing. Days can feel like forever and then suddenly weeks and months seem to have flown by in the blink of an eye! The same is true for this pregnancy. Somehow, I am halfway through. I am 20 weeks pregnant — 21 weeks tomorrow actually. And here I am writing my first “bumpdate.” Ah, such is life with a toddler. Delilah keeps me busy and leaves little time for creative pursuits or penning blog posts. (Once she goes to bed,I’m ready for sleep myself!) But it is important that I document this pregnancy, just as I did hers, as best as I can — even if the updates aren’t as frequent and the bump photos not as cute! Without further ado, I’ll jump in, using the same “pregnancy update” format I used the last time :)

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Let's begin with a few images of baby from today's anatomy scan...

Due date: July 26, 2019

Gender: As we announced, Baby Thilgen No. 2 is a BOY! While I didn’t have a strong feeling either way with Delilah, for some reason I felt like this baby was a boy. Greg and I were kind of hoping it was a boy since we already have a girl. But we also would have been overjoyed either way. It would have been so sweet to give Delilah a sister (and maybe someday we will!) but instead she is getting a little brother. Since they will be close in age — about a 21-month gap — I have high hopes that they will be great friends growing up. Not to be naive or delusional, I know it will be quite an adjustment for Delilah at first and there will be sibling rivalries I’m sure along the way, but I believe having a sibling will be a gift for both of them.

Baby’s size: Baby boy is the size of a banana this week. At our 20-week anatomy scan today, he was measuring right on track at 14 ounces.

Weight gained: Weight gain was slow in the first trimester but has picked up steam the last few weeks. I’m up almost 10 pounds. I’m about how much I weighed when I had Delilah, which is somewhat alarming, BUT I have to remember that I also weighed 10 pounds less when I got pregnant with Delilah than when we transferred our embryo this time around. Plus, Delilah came early. I surely would have gained a few more pounds at least if she had arrived on her due date! I’m trying not to stress too much about the number on the scale. My OB said Monday that she is happy with my weight gain thus far and just to keep eating healthy and try to walk a bit everyday — something that was easy to achieve while pregnant with Delilah thanks to working in retail! But my toddling-almost-running little girl does keep me on my toes and now that the weather seems to be slowly warming up, I’m sure we’ll be outside a lot more.

Symptoms & Sleep status: Well, this is not pregnancy related, but week 20 has been spent sick with a cold. Ditto for Delilah, and Greg recently joined the sick club. As far as pregnancy symptoms go, I don’t really have many now that I’m in my second trimester. The first 14 weeks I was predictably exhausted, and probably even more than I was with Delilah because this time I have a toddler to care for and cater to from morning to night! But during the first trimester there were many days where I felt like I could legitimately sleep all day. I could nap for hours. After about 12 weeks or so my energy came back, but motherhood itself still makes me tired. Once I/Greg put Delilah down for bed and the dishes in the kitchen are clean, I turn into a couch potato and all motivation and productivity is lost.

Movement: Just like with Delilah, it took a long time to feel baby move. With Delilah, it wasn’t until 20 weeks. With baby boy, I finally felt him *for sure* at the start of 19 weeks. And then I felt him every day — usually at night, but I’m feeling him here and there during the day, too. He also gets more active when I eat, ha!

Food love: Carbs like last time, but honestly I just love carbs in general. But I have been in the mood for pickles and olives more lately, and I’m dangerously addicted to the garlic dip from Trader Joe’s. So strong flavors are a preference it seems. I will say that during the first trimester, Chick-Fil-A always sounded like a good idea, and since there is a drive-through about five minutes down the road I gave into that temptation (too) many times. (Meaning, I sent Greg to get the goods.)

Food hate: I haven’t had many food aversions this time around. The first trimester was tricky because I was nauseous fairly consistently throughout the day, but never to the point of throwing up. Food often didn’t sound appealing though, or I’d finally eat and regret what I ate. Or I’d have a bad taste linger in my mouth for hours! That was annoying. Suffice to say, I’m glad all that is over with now. If I remember correctly, those pesky symptoms magically disappeared with the start of the second trimester. It’s weird how that works.

Currently living in: The standard SAHM uniform: leggings! All my pretty Anthro dresses that I wore last pregnancy are hanging in my closet, untouched. No reason to get all dolled up these days. But I am at the point — and have been for a few weeks — where my pants don’t fit comfortably or at all, even my stretchy ones. So leggings really are where it’s at right now. I think I may need to invest in a few new pieces soon, but I’m hopeful that warm, sunny days are near and that at least some of my bump-friendly dresses can come out of hibernation. 

Baby/pregnancy-related purchases: We have bought our little dude a few small things so far. For our announcement photo, I purchased a darling nautical romper, a mustard-hued muslin swaddle, a wooden rattle, and a cuddly little bear wearing a matching romper! While at TreasureFest recently, I picked up a handmade wooden “pocket car” toy and an adorable two-piece outfit with a badger embroidered on the shirt. And then while at IKEA this past weekend I got him a colorful soft ball to play with and another stuffed bear (I see a theme forming) with a big heart on the front.

We won’t be creating a full, separate nursery just yet, which makes me a bit sad, but since he’ll likely sleep in our bedroom for at least six months it would be silly to takeover our only guest space right away. So I’m instead going to create a “nursery nook,” as I am calling it, in our master bedroom. On the list of things to buy: changing table, storage baskets, hamper, another diaper pail (yippee!). And I may DIY a mini “wardrobe” for hanging special clothing.

What I miss: Oh, the same as last time: Eggs Benedict and wine! But the eggs more than the vino. Except on those exceptionally long toddler-taming days when a glass of red would really hit the spot.

What I’m loving: Feeling the baby move! 

Looking forward to: You know, I’d love for Delilah to be able to understand what is going on, but I’m not sure she will be able to until he is here. But maybe in another two months or so she’ll be able to grasp the concept that there is a baby in mama’s belly.

Best moment of the week/month: Feeling (with certainty) baby boy kicking and flipping. It took almost half the pregnancy to finally feel him move with consistency, and in a way that was unquestionably the baby (and not just gas). It was worth the wait!

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Now for a few more bump shots. (I have only managed to capture the bump at three different points in time this pregnancy... all via mirror selfie, all appropriately in leggings!)

17 weeks (and one day)

19 weeks (and four days)

20 weeks (a day shy of 21 weeks)

The Post-Bump Bumpdate: Third Trimester, Weeks 31-36

Even though our daughter is here, I thought I’d take a quick look back on the final weeks of my pregnancy. I had planned to do another “bumpdate” once I was on maternity leave and had a bit more free time, but of course we know how that turned out! 

Childhood friends.

At the time of my last pregnancy update, I was on my way to Southern California for a babymoon with my hubby in Pismo Beach, followed by my baby shower! I was 30 weeks pregnant and feeling good — “pretty normal” is what I kept telling people who asked how I was feeling. And in the five or so weeks that followed, not much changed. Pregnancy really treated me well. I was starting to slow down a bit at work; squatting became more of a challenge and my feet, or I should say the bump, didn’t want me to move quite as quickly sometimes. But because I hadn’t gained all that much weight — topping out at about 17 or 18 pounds at week 36 — I was still sleeping fine (no crazy pillow needed) and I didn’t have any aches or pains (besides my sore feet from working retail in heels!).

Babymooning in Pismo Beach at 30 weeks pregnant.

With my bestie at my baby shower, 31 weeks pregnant.

The only troubling or out-of-the-ordinary thing I experienced happened on Sept. 22, when we rang in 32 weeks with a bit of a scare that led to me leaving work and going to Labor & Delivery for evaluation. I had just finished my first bridal appointment of the day and while saying my goodbyes to the bride and her mom I felt a little something “leak” out. I honestly didn’t think much of it. I thought it might have been a bit of pee actually and figured I just needed to go to the bathroom. (Babies like to press on bladders!) I was so unworried that I spent another five minutes or so cleaning up my gowns and chatting with my coworkers before I finally headed to the ladies room. When I wiped I saw a scary surprise — bright red blood. 

Naturally I freaked out, though I tried to maintain some composure since I was at work. Standing in a corner of my store, right outside the restroom, trying to be inconspicuous as shoppers walked around me, I called my OB’s office and spoke in hushed tones. I was put on hold while the nurse conferred with a midwife and I remaining relatively calm until the nurse got back on the line and told me that I should go to L&D to get checked out. That’s when the crying started. I hadn’t even been to the hospital yet! I didn’t know where L&D was! Am I really going to Labor & Delivery today? What is happening, what does the blood mean? Is baby OK, is she going to stay put? All these thoughts were running through my head. 

To make matters worse, my husband had decided to drive to about an hour south to San Jose that morning to go pick up a car seat. I texted Greg while I was on the phone with the OB to let him know that if he was on his way to San Jose to turn around. He hadn’t gotten to San Jose yet but he was farther away from me and baby than he would have liked to have been at that moment and he was freaking out too, especially as he battled Silicon Valley traffic to get to the hospital in Walnut Creek.

So I drove myself to the hospital, which luckily is only about 10 minutes away from my work, and when I checked in at L&D I was a teary, anxious mess. Fortunately, my doctor was actually there (to perform a c-section as it turns out… foreshadowing?) and when he came up to me at the check-in desk I immediately grabbed him and hugged him. I think it was comforting to see a familiar face. I was then taken into a room and hooked up to monitors to track baby’s heart rate and any uterine contractions. As it turned out, I was having some mild contractions, many of which I couldn’t feel and those that I could felt just like pressure. But baby girl’s heartbeat tracings were perfect. It wasn’t long before Greg ran into the room, panicked as he scrambled to my side, and the nurse told him not to worry, to take a breath, that baby and I were fine. 

Forcing a smile during my unexpected trip to Labor & Delivery at 32 weeks pregnant.

I spent about three hours that afternoon being monitored, and I was given medication to calm my uterus. In the end, there wasn’t a definitive reason for the bleeding but the doctor’s best guess was that the intestinal troubles (read: very frequent and soft bowel movements) I had been dealing with for about a week may have irritated my uterus, causing it to contract and, perhaps because of my low-lying placenta, expel blood. All in all, it seemed like a minor and isolated incident. But out of an abundance of caution, I was put on modified bedrest for the following week.

One of the last ultrasound captures of our baby girl.

Speaking of low-lying placentas, that brings us to the only other issue I faced in pregnancy. At my 20-week (almost 21-week) anatomy scan on July 6, Greg and I learned that my placenta was located too close to my cervix and that it needed to move at least 2 centimeters away in order for me to give birth vaginally. When we checked again two months later, on Sept. 7, the placenta hadn’t shifted much. Then, on Oct. 5, an ultrasound revealed good news — and bad news. The good news was my placenta had moved the requisite 2 centimeters! There was no longer a placental reason for a c-section. However, baby girl — who had been perfectly positioned four weeks before — was now Frank breech. Her head up by my ribs, her little bottom down by my pelvis, her legs kicked up in front of her face, by her hands. My hope at that point was that she would turn on her own, especially since I was back at work and moving around again after nine days of bedrest.

No such luck though. At my OB checkup on Oct. 20, baby was still breech. Since I was 36 weeks pregnant, the chances that she would flip on her own were slim to none. Baby girl was starting to outgrow her cramped quarters and my amniotic fluid would only decrease in the weeks ahead, giving her even less wiggle room. I had already read up on external cephalic version — a procedure in which the baby’s position in the womb is manipulated manually, from the outside — and my midwife recommended that we schedule one for the following Monday if I still wanted a shot at a vaginal delivery.

As you know, what happened next is not what anyone expected! Stay tuned for Delilah’s birth story.

In the meantime, a few photos from my last weeks of pregnancy…

33 weeks pregnant.

34 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

The last bump photo I snapped, at 35 weeks and 3 days pregnant.

Pregnancy Update: Second/Third Trimester, Weeks 26-30

^^^ Same night, same bump, at 27 weeks. ^^^

This bumpdate is a bit overdue… I’m actually writing it as the hubby and I make our way down to Southern California for a much-needed vacation, that is bookended by two joyous events. We’ll babymoon in Pismo for several days but first up is my best friend’s daughter’s first birthday party (which, as of finally posting, was yesterday!) and the following weekend we will celebrate Baby T at my baby shower.

Baby’s size: At 30 weeks (can you believe it?! only 10 weeks left!), baby is estimated to be 15.7 inches long and weighs around 3 pounds — about the size of a large cabbage, or a butternut squash. I had an ultrasound on Thursday and the technician measured Baby T to be 3 lbs 4 oz, with a strong heartbeat of 145 bpm.

Weight gained: Just about 12-13 pounds. Still relatively low (or, at least, lower than my and other’s expectations) but every medical professional I ask assures me that baby and I are A-OK! And they tell me to enjoy it :)

Fur baby and the baby bump. 27 weeks.

Symptoms & Sleep Status: Really good! Looking back on the second trimester, and even the first, I’ve had a fairly easy pregnancy, for which I feel so grateful. Getting pregnant was not as easy as for me as it is for most, so I consider it a gift that I’ve been able to enjoy being pregnant with no major aches, pains or other issues that would otherwise make carrying this child an unpleasant process. I’m able to work, sleep, eat and generally go about my life much as I normally would.

Movement: I’m so happy to report that I’ve been feeling Baby Girl quite frequently now! She is still most active in the morning and evening, as well as after I eat,  but I’ll notice her even during the middle of the day while I’m at work. I’ll be talking to a bride or entering notes and she’ll give me a kick — somewhat distracting, but no complaints here. I’ll take every kick, jab, roll and squirm she can dish out. Though, I will say that sometimes it feels like there is a wriggly little worm in my belly and it is the oddest but most wonderful feeling.

Rocking my maternity leggings in the mess that is (or, will be) the nursery. 27 weeks.

Currently living in: Not much has changed on the wardrobe front. Almost everything still fits since I’ve always been a flowy dress kind of gal. I’ve been on the lookout for more fitted pieces though, since at this point I really want to show off the bump!

Baby/pregnancy-related purchases: The biggest recent purchase is a rocking chair for the nursery. A mid-century style rocker that I’d had my eye on finally came back in stock so I jumped on it. The chair is similar to the Nursery Works Sleepytime Rocker that I loved but it has a higher back (that is hopefully more comfortable for tall folks like me who may want to rest their weary heads) and a lower price. Fingers crossed I like it when it arrives since I ordered it online and wasn’t able to try it out.

What I miss: Not much, and nothing I haven’t mentioned before. Wine, eggs benny… Things that I would give up again and again just to feel my little one kick.

What I’m loving: This is obvious: Feeling my daughter moving and growing inside me.

One for you and one for me. So hard shopping for other mama's babies
and not getting something for your own!

Looking forward to: My baby shower! I know my best friend has put so much time and energy into planning something special and memorable for me, and I can’t wait to celebrate Baby T with my friends and family.

Best moment of the week/month: There have been several highlights but one is my thoughtful coworkers showing me so much kindness and support and showering me with beautiful gifts for baby girl.

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A few more photos from the past few weeks:

28 weeks + 3 days: A Sunday fun day at the Presidio of San Francisco.

Me and my (3!) babies in the San Francisco sunshine, enjoying the Presidio Picnic.

28 weeks: Morning cup of decaf with the bump.

30 weeks + 2 days: A rare shot of me in a bikini,
taken at my best friend's daughter's birthday party yesterday.

A recent peek at our little one, during an ultrasound on Sept. 7 (a day shy of 30 weeks).
She loves to hide her face with her hands!

Pregnancy Update: Second Trimester, Weeks 21-25

At work: 22 weeks + 2 days

Baby’s size: At 25 weeks + 3 days, Baby Girl weighs over a pound and a half — the size of a rutabaga! — and she is about 9 inches long from crown to rump, or 13.5 inches from head to heel.

Weight gained: I’ve only gained about 2 pounds since week 20. I’m up a total of 10-11 pounds since becoming pregnant. Since I was told that the benchmark is to gain 10 pounds by week 20 and then a pound a week after that, I was worrying (once again) that my weight gain has been too slow or minimal. But I had a checkup with the OB on Thursday (at 24w7d) and I was told all is looking well! The nurse measured my fundal height (for the first time) and it was 23 cm. She said they like to see it within one or two centimeters of how far along you are, so 23 cm at almost 25 weeks is normal. While my bump still looks smaller in the morning, it definitely feels bigger/fuller/heavier in the evening, especially after working (and eating!) all day. 

Symptoms wise, I’m feeling: Fortunately, I still feel pretty good. I have been experiencing a bit of uncomfortable pressure in my lower abdomen at the end of my shifts, which I attribute to rushing around on my feet all day. (That retail/bridal stylist life!) There have been a few times I’ve had to slow down my pace because I’m feeling a bit of pain. And last night, after driving home, I felt super uncomfortable when I stepped out of the car to walk inside the house. I actually had to lay down with my pups for 15-20 minutes before feeling OK to take them outside for a potty break. 

Other than that, not too many new symptoms to report. Well, I’ve had a bit of intestinal trouble the last week or two, but I’ll spare you the details! It’s typical pregnancy stuff, though. One funny symptom that I didn’t mention in my last update is… hiccups! Not the baby hiccuping, but me! Luckily it isn’t a constant thing, just the random hiccup or two now and then. I’m guessing it is from my organs being shifted upwards by the baby.

The countless trips to the bathroom continue — I don’t think that will change anytime soon. But the good news is the weird, rash-like red bumps I was getting on my face seem to have disappeared. And my hair has  inexplicably been easier to care for! I can go much longer than usual without washing and it still looks nice. I know I need to enjoy this perk now since I’ve heard postpartum hair loss is common.

Sleep status: I’ve been a bit of an insomniac lately. I just don’t feel tired at 10 or 11 p.m. Probably because I get home from work so late (around 8 or 9) and because I have so much on my mind, but I know going to bed after midnight or later isn’t ideal. I’m working on it!

Movement: I’m so overjoyed to feel Baby Girl moving around quite frequently now. Two nights ago, laying in bed, she was really moving and grooving — it felt like she was flailing around, moving her hands and feet at the same time! I was feeling movements all over my belly. She’s definitely most active at night and sometimes in the morning, but I have occasionally felt her during the day at work too. A bit distracting when I’m talking to a bride, but I love it! Usually all the moving around I do at work lulls her to sleep. But on my days off, like today, when I’m sitting on the couch, I feel her little kicks now and then.

Food love: I’m strangely into PB&J lately, which is so not like me. I’ve been having a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich most mornings for breakfast.

Food hate: Still not feeling excited about fish, but when the hubby makes salmon I eat as much as I can because I know it is good for the baby!

With my fur baby: 23 weeks

Currently living in: Same as before, dresses at work and leggings at home. I did order a few items from PinkBlush — two casual dresses for my days off and a pair of maternity leggings — but they haven’t arrived yet.

Baby/pregnancy-related purchases: Several things for the nursery! A baby monitor. A potential going home outfit. And a labor and delivery gown.

What I miss: Other than the very rare craving for wine, the only other thing that I sometimes wish I could have is a turkey sandwich. But a cooked chicken breast sandwich is just fine, too.

What I’m loving: Feeling the baby kick! And the fact that the registry is pretty much complete. I can move on to planning/researching other things :)

Looking forward to: Having my hubby home. Greg has been “deployed” the last two weeks. Not deployed far, just about 45 minutes away, but he isn’t able to come home. He was driving home in the afternoons at first, to let the dogs out and hang with me for an hour or two after work before driving back to the base to sleep, but the gas bills were adding up. He should be home on Tuesday, but then he’s headed to San Diego for a week next Sunday.

Best moment of the week/month: At the beginning of July, finding out that Baby T is a girl! Hitting the viability milestone at 24 weeks. Seeing my bump grow, slowly but surely. And getting to hear her heartbeat again at our last checkup. She stays consistent, at 156 bpm.

Side by side: Comparing my first bump photo to my most recent at almost 25 weeks

Pregnancy Update: Second Trimester, Weeks 14-20

This past Friday, June 30, marked the beginning of my 20th week of pregnancy — I’ve reached the halfway point! It is hard to believe that I’m halfway to meeting my little love. These past seven weeks seem to have flown by and gone so slowly all at once. Looking back, time always seems to have gone by faster than it felt in the moment. Because waiting for the next ultrasound, waiting to feel the baby kick, waiting to see my belly grow into something that looks more discernibly like a baby bump… All of that waiting made time feel like it was ticking by at a snail’s pace. And then, before we knew it, we were in week 20 and our anatomy scan is just days away. Read on for the full lowdown on how the second trimester is shaping up so far.

One day shy of 18 weeks.

Baby’s size: Depending on which app you look at, Baby Thilgen is the size of a mango or a small cantaloupe. Weighing in at about 10.5 ounces, the little one is about 6.5 inches from head to bottom, or 10 inches from head to heel — about the length of a small banana!

Weight gained: My scale is driving me a bit batty this week. A few days ago I hit 163, which would mean I had gained about 9 pounds thus far, putting me right on track since my OB said I should ideally gain 10 pounds by week 20. And yet, the past two days I seem to be losing weight, at 162 and, today, 161. I’m going to try not to worry because, 1) my scale is probably not the most accurate (but it is the same one I’ve been using since the beginning!) and 2) weight does fluctuate. But it is something I’m going to bring up at my next appointment. I want to make sure I am gaining enough to support baby’s development.

On a related note, I've been having bump envy/anxiety most of my pregnancy, but especially since about week 16. My bump is simply not as big as other expectant mamas-to-be and while I know every body reacts to pregnancy differently, I can't help but be envious of other's big round bellies and feel slightly anxious that my smaller bump is a sign that something is wrong. At my last OB appointment, the doctor told me not to worry, that I shouldn't really be showing until about week 20 anyway. I try to remember that when I feel worried, and I have grown in the weeks since that visit with my doctor. And yet, in the morning when I first wake up and my belly looks not so pronounced, I can't help but feel almost sad. At the end of the day, my bump always looks larger, but if you didn't know me you likely wouldn't guess that I'm with child, especially since I tend to wear flowing, A-line dresses. This is the one time in my life where I weigh myself every day and wish that the number would climb higher. The only time I've ever looked in the mirror and wished my stomach was bigger!

20 weeks, day two.

Gender prediction: I don’t have a strong feeling either way. And if I do get a strong sense, it will flip-flop. One day I think boy, the next I think girl. Greg still thinks boy, but he also occasionally says “she” when talking about the baby. Most of my friends and coworkers think boy. I just keep telling everyone that there is a 50 percent chance they are correct! :)

Symptoms & Sleep Status: I’m feeling pretty good! I haven’t had any morning sickness in the second trimester. I do have more energy in general, but I still find myself tired on my days off, which I’m chalking up to the kind of work I am in (retail). The need to pee every half hour hasn’t let up, and I don’t expect it to, but I (thankfully!) tend to only get up once in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. The anxiety dreams continue, but like all the other things listed here that is totally normal to experience during pregnancy. Only one perplexing symptom: My skin has been acting up. It is very dry, easily irritated and I’ve been getting unusual, almost rash-like red bumps across my forehead and around the perimeter of my cheeks. Not sure what it is but luckily the bumps are relatively flat and somewhat eased when moisturized.

Movement: I’ve been a bit bummed the past few weeks that I haven’t felt much movement. I know that it is not typical for first time moms to feel anything before week 18, and sometimes not until week 22, on average, and so I was being patient with myself. Every pregnancy is different and some women don’t feel anything until closer to week 25, but I’ve been eager to feel something inside just to have the reassurance that baby is, quite literally, alive and kicking! Of course there have been instances where I feel a twinge and think, maybe that’s baby. But it’s such a vague and fleeting feeling, that I can’t be certain. I haven’t felt the flutters or other sensations (like a fishy swimming) that other women who are about as far along as I describe. That is, until last night. 

Last night, as I was laying in bed, I put my hand on my belly. I was having a lot of gas (sorry if that’s TMI!) but I know that women often feel their babies most when they’ve settled down for the night. So I was scrolling on my cell phone, as I tend to do before bedtime (guilty), feeling the tiniest of movements under my fingers but unsure if I was feeling gas or baby. (Sometimes I even feel my tummy kind of puff up but, again, I’m never sure if that’s baby repositioning or excess air.) I’m reading something on my phone when I start to sense what feels like a gas bubble moving up my abdomen when BAM! Something kicks my palm! It was so sudden and distinct that it scared me. I literally jumped and gasped. I put my phone down to try to focus and I felt more little flicks. I was debating whether to wake my husband up and I finally did but of course once I shifted over to get closer to him the movements subsided. Greg believes he felt a tiny kick. I kind of wanted someone else to feel what I was feeling so I would know it was real! Nevertheless, I feel fairly certain that last night’s bubbles, pops and taps were Baby T saying hello.

My typical, albeit more patriotic than usual, breakfast.

Food love: Still carbs. But I’m starting to get back into veggies and definitely eating more fruits than I usually do. My typical breakfast as of late: blueberries and vanilla yogurt, with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Lest you think I’m super healthy, I do get the odd craving now and again, and my sweet husband usually obliges. Just the other night I had a hankering for cake. Not any kind of cake, mind you, but bundt cake. Vanilla bundt cake with chocolate frosting. And vanilla ice cream. Greg went to the store and got the closest thing he could find, a “pudding cake” ring with chocolate chips and Ghirardelli drizzle. He’s pretty great, that guy.

Food hate: My aversions have subsided. I’m still picky when it comes to dinner, but salmon has been introduced back into rotation. (I told my husband that I just need the fish to have some kind of sauce, so he’s started making our old favorite, teriyaki salmon, again.) 

A sweet message from my husband.

Currently living in: Dresses at work and leggings (or a swingy nightgown) at home. But my leggings are starting to feel a bit tight so I just ordered a pair of maternity leggings! My first piece of maternity wear. My skinny jeans — the only kind I wear — are totally out of the question now. I can squeeze into them but it is unbearably uncomfortable so I’m stuck when it comes to dressing casually. I may have to give in and order some maternity pants soon, too.

Baby/pregnancy-related purchases: We ordered the crib and dresser! (It’ll be several more weeks until it comes in though.) We have a side table already, too. There was a mini appreciation at work last month, so I took the opportunity to scoop up (at a discount) a quilt and baby book from Anthropologie. I also bought a cute stuffed animal (that reminds me of my favorite childhood toy) from Biscuit and recently ordered a cozy gender neutral outfit from Target, since it was being discontinued. In addition, I got a couple more pregnancy/baby books — I just need to start reading them!

This is how Jasper feels about reading pregnancy books!

What I miss: Nothing, really. Once it gets really hot I think I’ll crave a glass of rose but honestly it hasn’t been difficult giving up my wine-loving ways. It’s not forever, anyway!

What I’m loving: Feeling the baby kick last night.

At 19 weeks, day three, during a recent trip into the city to visit Giggle for some registry recon.
Jeans were a no-go, so I oped to put on a fitted dress and embrace my tiny baby bump!

Looking forward to: Finishing the registry. Ha! It seems like a never-ending task and all the research and product comparing has just upped my stress levels. But the main things I’m looking forward to are seeing the baby at our next ultrasound appointment on Thursday, finding out the sex of the baby, feeling more kicks and seeing my bump expand. Grow, baby, grow!

Best moment of the week/month: I think the best moment of this trimester is just a few days away… so stay tuned! ;)

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