Lil' G Week 16

Week 16 (1/19-25/14)

Pretty awesome week! Adam had Monday off for MLK day so we had a long weekend together of movies, golf, dinner with friends, and REST! Adam also told me that he had a special surprise planned for us next weekend (details coming)...

LUCKY he informed me of that, because he also got himself in trouble this week…. I had been complaining for weeks that my neck and shoulders were hurting (see week 15!), so imagine my excitement when I saw that he ordered some massage balls (I got the confirmation email from amazon since we use my prime account). I was so proud that he had taken a hint and done something so simple but thoughtful! Well, fast forward a few days after the balls arrived…. He came home with 1 of the 6 balls and asked if I wanted it because “one of the guys at work didn’t want his”…. “WHAT?!? I thought those were for me in the first place! I don’t want leftover balls!” He was in trouble! Especially because he bought a “gift” for his guys with MY account and MY amazon credit card… so actually, I bought a gift for the guys…. Spectacular. I gave him a hard time, then of course we got a good laugh (and you can imagine the jokes that ensued about the “Gazda ball fiasco”…). He made up for it with a massage, buying me a back scratcher (something else I’d been complaining of), and my awesome surprise weekend:

Adam took me to the JW Marriot Starr Pass Resort in Tucson for a relaxing stay-cation. This place is incredible!! Beautiful hotel, gorgeous views and a pretty kick ass spa and restaurants. He got the “executive suite” with an awesome view of the mountains golf course and city lights, rose petals leading to the bed (obvi this wasn’t all for me), and chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us. That night we went to dinner at Primos. The food was ridiculous, and the company was even better (Adam surprised me again with a visit from some of our friends).  The next day was our spa day and I got an awesome prenatal massage. Although, it was pretty comical because they had me lay on a pregnancy pillow (with cut-outs for boobs and belly)…. Well let’s just say they don’t have midget size so my boobs were where the clavicle should be, but my belly was comfy so that’s all that matters!

 Desert was yummo... Gelato and homemade donuts! I ended the night with 2 babies...

 Hard to see, but those are the Tucson city lights in the background... beautiful!

We ended our day (Saturday) with take-out and Captain Phillips. Awesome movie, but I really need to stick to my promise of only happy from now on. I’ve been watching too much drama… the LAST thing I need is a dramatic child!! Especially since he/she can hear now!

Speaking of movies, some people have been asking what I do when I just lie around all day… Well, it mostly involves TV, but I have started to slowly begin launching the RN refresher course I’m teaching so that should take over my time pretty soon. As far as TV goes, here’s my line-up: Law & Order SVU, Orange is the New Black, Breaking Bad, The Bachelor, Revenge, Scandal, and of course Ellen!!

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: an avocado! (4.6in. 3.5 oz)… I’ve been craving guac… odd…

“Your baby now weighs in at a whopping three to five ounces, and he's four to five inches in length. The bones that are now in place in his ears means he can probably hear your voice as you talk to your partner and pals and sing in the car. While he’s getting used to your voice, the tiny muscles in his body, especially the ones in his back, are gaining strength, so he can straighten out a little more. And thanks to his developing facial muscles, your baby is capable of making a few expressive frowns and squints, even at this early stage. (Don’t worry, those frowns have nothing to do with the sound of your voice!) And his eyes are finally working, making small side-to-side movements and perceiving light (although the eyelids are still sealed). Peekaboo!” http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-16.aspx

Gender: Still no clue!! Adam is convinced it’s a boy, and I’m leaning toward girl. I did have a (very strange) dream that a friend (who is also pregnant) and I were driving a Big Rig…. I was in charge of the brakes and when it was time to stop, my reflexes didn’t work so I couldn’t… when we got out of the truck I was holding a newborn baby girl… I’m not sure if the baby was hers or mine though… we’ll see ;). I also had a freak out moment when I woke up that my baby wouldn’t have reflexes… Let the crazy dreams begin! I have an appointment on 1/28 so they should schedule the anatomy scan for the next week (where they’ll be able to determine gender if Lil G cooperates). Yay!! Almost here!! We’ll share the sex, but not the name ;).

Symptoms: Better! But still not feeling fab…  I have more energy, but still nauseous most days. I also still have the sinusitis (constant stuffy nose), and the weepiness has only increased… I find myself wanting to cry all the time, for no good reason at all.

Sleep: pretty much impossible! I get up every 2 hours to pee….this should have calmed down by now as the uterus lifts out of the pelvic bone and is still fairly small, but I think there’s something going on in there (like the position of my placenta or baby) that is causing constant pressure on my bladder (we’ll see at the next ultrasound). I also can’t get comfy… I can’t sleep on my belly (for obvious reasons), I shouldn’t sleep on my back for extended periods of time because the uterus would rest on blood vessels that deliver blood/O2/nutrients to both me and the baby, and I can only sleep on my right or left side for a few hours at a time because my ligaments are softening so lying on my hips gets very painful. So basically I’m up every 2 hours to pee and reposition. TMI?...

Cravings What I can stomach: Yay! I can switch it to actual cravings instead of just ‘what I can stomach’…. This is a big deal! Like I said, the nausea is still around so food isn’t always appetizing, but at least my appetite is back! This week I’ve gone for queso (which you can’t find in Tucson... wtf?? you have cheese, salsa and heat... put it together, it tastes good!!), guacamole, 7 layer dip (see a trend?), mac n’ cheese (I had some awesome Lobster Mac at a little restaurant downtown with a friend), pasta, mashed potatoes, and wonton soup. I think that’s all… Oh, and I would kill for a margarita or yummy beer... people kept telling me I wouldn't even want alcohol because your body naturally creates an aversion... bull shit!! Anyway, sweets aren’t on the top of my list, but I saw this and had to make it. It was SO yummy, but I only had one piece (and it didn't keep that well after a day or 2).

Food Aversions: Still can’t do bell peppers, mushrooms or red meat.

Total Weight Gain: 3-4lbs and 3 inches around my waist! Lil G is growing! Adam is still calling me “potbelly”… lovely… I forgot to get a pic again, but it's really hard to see a big difference because I'm carrying really low.. and I'm trying to keep this blog PG... I'll take one this week for sure!

Activity: I’ve brought my “daily 300’s” to “daily 150-200’s” (my hips aren’t handling squats and lunges too well), yoga twice a week, and starting to walk Lola again. I also cleaned the entire house and didn’t feel completely drained. Yeehaw!

Lil' G Week 15

Week 15 (1/12-18/14)

This week has been pretty uneventful. I’ve woken up everyday with a pretty awful headache on top of not feeling well in general, so it’s safe to say I didn’t (want to) do much. I have a history of migraines so I thought they were returning… fabulous! Then I realized they were more of a tension headache so I started going back to yoga… huge help!! I forget just how amazing yoga is! I started off in a VERY gentle class and I almost fell asleep. So now I’m doing intermediate and pre-natal. Lil G was diggin it too. 

We did see 2 movies this week (about as fun as I’m going to get right now)... Wolf of Wall Street and Lone Survivor… both great movies, but a little (a lot) much for me… from now on, I’m watching happy. The theatres here serve Icee’s! I was never a huge fan before, but they sure do hit the spot now! The spouses also got together for a ladies dinner on Wednesday night. We’ve decided to each host a get-together at each of our homes once a month. Great way to get together, have some fun, and get away from all the F16 talk… we love our boys, but I have no clue what they’re saying half the time. This month was a yummy Mexican theme with guac, pork tacos and margaritas… of course I had to step away from the ritas…. Not an easy feat! We met the 3 new spouses in the new class and I have to say, I’m loving our little group! (forgot to get a pic of this..boo). I have to say, I'm fairly certain some of the spouses think I'm a little wacky.... which is pretty much true, but heightened by the fact that I don't get out much anymore ;).

On Saturday, I was actually feeling pretty awesome (knock on wood), and it was a beautiful day!! We decided to finally announce our pregnancy to the social media world, then went golfing (aka “find the tiny white ball”…. Adam is the worst at remembering where he hit the ball lol). Oh, and I just drive the cart…

How we announced on social media (back story: we were going to wait until we found out the sex (more fun than saying gender... I actually want to have a sex party instead of a gender reveal, lol...I amuse myself easily), but we were both sitting in our Ellen underoos one morning and decided this would be an awesome way to do it! I bought the onsie months ago...) Oh and as far as the Ellen thing goes... if you didn't already know, I just LOVE her and have been trying to go to her show for YEARS!! I have several pretty hilarious (and quite embarrassing) stories of my attempts that I really should share in another blog post... so, I thought this couldn't hurt):

 Golfing... we went to the course on base, not that great, but there were a few cool views and we played near the bone yard (hundreds of old military planes/helos/jets):

 Adam got his ball stuck in this bush...

So, I guess the week wasn’t that uneventful afterall….

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: an orange! 4in, 2.5 oz

"One way to deal with the havoc of pregnancy hormones: Focus on how much is happening with your baby. She's about the size of an orange this week, her ears have migrated to the sides of her head, and her eyes are moving to the front of her face. Plus, your little smarty-pants can now wiggle her fingers and toes and make breathing movements in preparation for life outside the womb." http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-15.aspx

Gender: Not a clue!! I asked Lola to wag her tail if she wanted a brother, sister, or neither... she went with neither… brat ;). We’ve also looked at all the old wives tales that are supposed to tell you one way or another… they’re pretty much split 50/50... (surprise)! And of course everyone has a guess and their reasoning behind it, which is pretty much just a bunch of opposite opinions. They’re fun to listen to at least! Just makes the mystery that much more fun :). We’ll know in a few weeks!

Symptoms: Still not feeling fab… nausea, exhaustion and I’ve had some pretty awful headaches everyday this week. Yoga, rest and stretching are helping. However, on Saturday (the last day of week 15), I woke up feeling pretty awesome!! Fingers crossed it continues!

I’m also feeling pretty overly weepy… evidence of hormone overload:

1.  I cried (literally) because Sandra Bullock looked so pretty at the Golden Globes

2. I read a story on Facebook about a guy who went to Chic Fil-a and they got his order wrong… he didn’t notice until he got home and called them about it.. they brought him a new order no questions asked… very cry-worthy, right?

3. I saw the book titled “Find it in Everything”… just the title.. I lost it… didn’t even know what it was about…

Sleep: Pretty much all I’m doing these days to help ease the symptoms.

Cravings What I can stomach: I’m still doing pretty well appetite wise… Actually, the only thing that curbs the nausea is eating... Loving smoothies, apples, trail mix, peanut butter, homemade nachos, and pizza is finally appetizing again (thank the heavens!!).

Food Aversions: I thought I was finally ok with bell peppers again… I ordered a veggie burrito at a “Mexican” restaurant (I say “” because it’s just not my kind of Mexican…. And no, it’s really not even authentic Mexican… just plain not great here), well it tasted like a big bell pepper and I couldn’t eat any of it. 

Total Weight Gain: 2.5lbs!! and 2.5 inches around my waist! Lil G is growing! Adam told me one morning that I have a “potbelly”… not sure what to think of that. Forgot to get a pic, but it's not that different than week 14. 

Lil' G Week 14

Week 14 (1/5-11/14)

I’m officially in my second trimester!!! Yayy!! There’s controversy as to whether second trimester starts at week 13 or 14… I’m going with 14. The “books” say everything gets a lot easier starting at week 14….. hah… not so my friends (at least not for me). I’ve been very positive the last 3.5 months about my agony… “It’s all worth it to have a healthy baby” “I can’t complain” blah blah blah.  While I did believe that, and to some extent still do (I’ll be sick for as long as I need to as long as the baby is well), I’m DONE sugar coating it! This is miserable! I have NO energy. When I think I do have energy and go out to do something, it’s quickly zapped from me and I feel like collapsing! The other day I felt pretty good so I decided to clean and do laundry. I literally just cleaned the bathrooms and thought I was going to die! After folding and putting up 4 loads of laundry, I started writing my will… WTF?!? I used to be able to clean for hours and still have the energy to go for a run then go out with friends. This little person is a leech!! Adam said the other day that if this child ever gives me lip, I have the full right to go ape shit and he’ll totally back me up after what I’ve already been through…. And this is only month 4 out of like a million… Lord, give me strength!

On the bright side, I did get to do a few fun things this week… I started the baby registry!! Thank heavens for friends with babies, pinterest and blogs… they basically registered for me! The whole registry started when a friend informed me that the awesome BOB stroller was on sale for 40% OFF!! on Amazon (which for me also means free 2 day shipping!!). So, I bought it and registered for the other necessities! Feel free to take a look! If anyone has any suggestions, let me know! Did I mention I got free 2 day shipping? Well, Amazon is DA BOMB! because I got it in 1 day!!! And that same day, I received these little cuties from our close family fiend!! Adorbs!! They come with several different color airplanes to mix and match :).

So, in a nutshell….  Lil G is spoiled and I’m just the host. Oh well, I’ll take one for the team.

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a lemon! which I cannot live without in my water... my dentist is going to kill me! 3.4in, 1.5oz

"Now the size of your clenched fist, your baby is more fluid-like in his movements, so he’s no longer doing the jerk every time he repositions his arms and legs. Other developments this week include a roof of his own (inside his mouth, that is) as well as intestinal activity: His intestines are producing meconium (which is the waste that will make up his first bowel movement after birth). He is also sporting a downy coating of hair (lanugo) that keeps him nice and warm. Not to worry — you won't give birth to a monkey; baby fat will accumulate over the next few months and take over the function of keeping your baby warm and toasty —allowing most of that hair to shed."

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-14.aspx

Gender: I still switch between boy and girl on the daily. After all, it’s 50/50! I’m getting really antsy!!

Symptoms: Sooooo, I’m in my second trimester, which is supposed to be the “best” trimester…. LIARS! I still feel pretty crappy (so far)! Nausea, breast tenderness (really an understatement), headaches, allergies, peeing non-stop, hungry all the time, and just overall exhausted! I’ve been very optimistic that this will all pass soon, but I’m not holding my breath.

Sleep: Pretty much all I’m doing these days to help ease the symptoms.

Cravings What I can stomach: I’m still doing pretty well appetite wise… Actually, the only thing that curbs the nausea is eating... Loving smoothies (slowly adding some veggies like carrots and spinach), sweet tea, water with lemon, apples, trail mix, peanut butter, homemade nachos, and pizza is finally appetizing again (thank the heavens!!).

Food Aversions: The only thing I really can’t stand is bell peppers…. I actually went through the trouble of picking them out of my salsa the other day….

Total Weight Gain: 2lbs!! and 2 inches around my waist! Lil G is growing!

You can see the markings my pants left.. they really aren't comfy at all, but they are the most comfy pants I have right now (if that makes sense)... if anyone knows where I can get a comfy pair like these, please let me know! PS I don't like cotton (since the fabric can fade)

Lil' G Week 13

Week 13 (12/29/13-1/4/14)

Another fun week! We basically started telling all of our close friends after the new year….we are waiting a while to share with the world (aka facebook, instagram, blogging… ). I had another appointment with my OB. We heard the heartbeat again at a beautiful 152bpm! And she let me know that the results of the NT screen came back normal!! Yay so far :)!! We celebrated New Years Eve with a yummy dinner at our friend’s house and watched the ball drop in New York (10pm our time)… I can’t stay up much longer than that… although somehow we did. New Years Day we celebrated our 3^rd wedding anniversary! It took a while for me to get moving because I felt awful, but we ended up going to Mt Lemmon in Tucson. It’s about a 30-minute drive up the mountain and it is beautiful! We had a late lunch there then drove down the mountain as the sun set. It was a simple and perfect day!

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a peach! 2.9in, 0.81oz

"What's up with your baby? Well, besides being as large as a peach now, that big old noggin of hers is now about half the size of her crown-to-rump length (that’s one reason why your little peach looks more like an alien from outer space at this point). By the time you give birth, her body will catch up, measuring three-quarters of her total size. What else is going on in there? Tiny bones are beginning to form in her arms and legs, the intestines are beginning to move from the umbilical cord to the abdomen, and the vocal cords are well under construction (the first step toward saying, "I love you, Mommy!"). And because she can move her arms and legs in a jerky fashion, she may be able to get her thumb into her mouth (a habit that may come in handy for self-soothing when she’s a newborn)." http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-13.aspx

Gender: I’m suddenly feeling more girl vibes (and no, it's not because 'what to expect' decided to call it a girl this week, lol)… to be honest, I don’t care what it is as long as it’s healthy (and I can quit calling he/she IT!), but I’ve always said I want one of each and a boy would be fun first, although a girl would be so great…. PLUS there’s an old wives tale that fighter pilots are MUCH more likely to have girls… So, since we got pregnant 2 weeks before Adam started in the F16 (apparently the jets he was in before don’t count) this may be our only chance for a boy ;). Oh… the things that go through my head! I just can’t wait to find out! Either way we will be SO excited!! 

Symptoms: Starting to switch up a little! Finally! I still have the breast tenderness and nausea, but I’m really starting to get my appetite back (which is wonderful!! I missed food!). I’m also starting to show a little! I pretty much just look bloated, but when I try to suck in there’s an obvious bump! I can’t wait to actually look pregnant… and by that I mean second trimester pregnant, not miserable third trimester pregnant…. That I can wait for! I’ve also been having headaches and frequent urination (up 3-4 times/night). My skin is rebelling… all my old acne scars (which were virtually gone) have resurfaced into bright red spots… beauty. And the hormones are still in full force… I tried to read a 2 paragraph article to Adam about a man who made an arrangement to continually have flowers sent to his wife every Valentines Day after he passed away and couldn’t get more than 2 sentences out at a time….

Sucking in as much as I can... I know it doesn't look like much (anything really), but I promise it is! lol. Adam actually thought I was pushing out in this pic, but I promise I pulled it in (so it would be a true pic of the bump and not bloat)!

Sleep: Sleeping well (except for the whole peeing thing). I have started to find some long lost energy in the mornings, which has been nice, but quickly learned not to overdo it because I crash hard. I still need my naps and am in bed by 9pm… wild and crazy, I know.

Cravings What I can stomach: Since I have my appetite back, I’m going for healthier foods since it’s not just about survival anymore. I’m back to smoothies every morning, except they’re mostly all fruit since veggies aren’t super appealing yet… plus I don’t want to ruin it with the odd color that veggies can create. I also made more tortilla soup and my famous pita pizzas with spinach and tomatoes.  I’m also on a huge lemon water kick… so yummy, but I know my dentist would disapprove.

Food Aversions: Fewer things sound awful to me… I tried to eat a burger on New Years Day and the meat wasn’t completely convincing so that made me pretty green… red peppers and mushrooms are still my enemy :/.

Total Weight Gain: 1lb.. finally! They say you should gain about a pound/week beginning in your second trimester so I guess I’m on track. I was worried that I hadn’t gained anything so far, but my doc assured me it was totally fine (as long as I start to gain by week 14). Here we go!

Lil' G Week 12

 Week 12 (12/22-28/13)

This was another big week for us!! We finally had an opportunity (and a green light) to tell our family!! It was killing both of us not to tell, but we wanted to be far enough along and have the opportunity to tell them in person! So for our 1 week Christmas break, we made our rounds through Texas.

The first stop was my Nonie’s house in Gatesville… my aunts and cousins were there so it was even more special! We decided to tell everyone by putting the sonogram in a glass ornament with the due date written on the outside. I was nervous no one would ‘get it’ because they weren’t the clearest pictures especially when inside a round ornament… Adam assured me it was obvious. Well, Nonie took quite a while… my aunt saw the date and put 2 and 2 together and once everyone started jumping up for joy she caught on too :). This group probably had the most entertaining response, but of course it was the only one we forgot to record :(.

The second stop was Adam's parents house in Granbury. His aunt and uncle from Michigan were in town, so again, even more special. We actually got video this time! Adam’s mom thought it was a snowy mountain lol! Again, the Aunt was the first to figure it out ;).

And last but not least, we made it to see my family in Galveston. This time the announcement was a little rocky… I learned from my sister about 20 minutes before arriving at my grandparent’s house that my grandma was upset with us because we were getting there several hours later than she expected (we made some extra stops on our 6 hour trip there)…. So, naturally that upset me because I really didn’t want her to be mad when we had such great news, AND they were lucky we were going out of our way to drive all the way there (basically 20 hours!!). So I’ll just say we had some words, she felt bad for being upset, I felt bad for getting angry… yay for family Christmas!! Lol. Within an hour we were able to make the announcement. We gave an ornament to my mom, and since Meme doesn’t have a tree, we put the sonogram in her annual family calendar on the due date. Meme is impossible to shop for so I learned about 5 years ago that she loves the custom made family calendars (with family photos on each month)… so, that’s what she gets every year! So of course that was the perfect place to put the announcement! She thought the sonogram was a hurricane….

**I have video of both of our family's reactions, but for some reason it's not letting me post... we recorded on the iphone...

It felt so great to tell everyone and share our excitement (and why I’ve been sick for the last 6 weeks)!! 

My family is gunning for a girl since there hasn’t been a girl born in my family since my sister (who’s 26!)…. And there have been about 9 boys since… Everyone else is just as torn as we are.

We have been getting some fun (unsolicited) input on names… We have had our favorite names picked out for YEARS, and we lean for the more traditional. My grandma and sister’s ideas have been the most interesting…. Slade, Ace, Elisia… are we naming a child or a heavy metal band? no thanks. 

Christmas in general was pretty awesome! Although it was exhausting to spend half of it driving (about 40 hours total), it was so wonderful to see everyone! Other than our family, we made a quick dinner trip to see our friends in Dallas, eat some YUMMO Pappasitos, and share the big news (dropped the ball and didn't get pics of this :(.) We also made a stop on our way to Galveston to meet this little cutie:

And this is what I said to Adam after he made a comment about all the driving he had been doing (he's a saint and drove 36/40 hours, although I was pretty busy too):

I really don't believe Christmas should be all about gifts (especially for our children), so I really didn't expect anything from anyone... Adam and I exchanged gifts and we gave our families the ornaments and calendar, but other than that it was more important to be with family and celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.... and the little miracle growing inside of me was just reassurance of the blessing He has bestowed upon us.
BUT I have to give my hubby some props on his sweet gift:

Love this guy!

And really love this face:)

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a plum! 2.1in, 0.49oz
"By now, your baby weighs a full half-ounce and is about the size of a large plum. Most of his systems are in place, though there's still plenty of maturing to do. For one thing, his fetal digestive system is beginning to practice contraction movements necessary for eating, and his bone marrow is busy making white blood cells — weapons against germs once he's out of your safe haven. The pituitary gland (at the base of the brain) has started producing the hormones that'll enable him (or her) to make babies of his (or her) own in a couple of decades or so." http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-12.aspx

Gender: Still having boy vibes and a lot of the old wives tales are pointing to boy. Adam being 100% convinced it's a boy has also been somewhat persuasive...

Symptoms: The same…breast tenderness, bloating, cramping, serious nausea, headaches, round ligament pain, and moodiness (literally everything makes me cry!).

Sleep: As much as possible! I’m exhausted!....especially with all the traveling. This is basically what my holiday looked like:

Cravings What I can stomach: Still living off of apples and peanut butter. Trail mix is my newest fave. I was able to eat Christmas dinner, but not as ravenously as usual :(. 

Food Aversions: very few things sound appealing. Mushrooms, meat, eggs (nothing new with those 3), and red peppers really send me over the edge. Oddly, this whole time, sweets just haven't sounded appealing. 

Lil' G Week 11

Week 11 (12/15-21/13)

This was a big week for us!! We had our first trimester screen (aka NT screen)... this basically looks for any indication of genetic issues via blood work and ultrasound. I originally considered skipping this, but with my previous miscarriage I just had to know for peace of mind. This was also the first ultrasound Adam was able to attend. He would finally get to hear our little one's heartbeat :). I was a nervous wreck on the drive there. I wanted to hear good news so badly, but I couldn’t help but think about the alternative. We went in, and unlike the first US where they had to search a little for the tiny bean, we saw our bambino immediately. Swimming around beautifully!! Everything looked great and the heartbeat was a strong 154bpm! It was so cool to watch Adam see the baby for the first time. He was glowing (and immediately claimed it was a boy). This was also our go ahead to share the news with our family (no one except my Aunt and sister knew yet!). See week 12 for the reveal!

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a lime… still taunting me ;) 1.6in, 0.25oz

"Your baby (now about two inches long) has been pretty busy this week, growing hair follicles, fingernails, and ovaries (if she's a girl). She has distinct human characteristics by now, with hands and feet in front of her body, with ears nearly in their final shape, open nasal passages on the tip of her tiny nose, a tongue and palate in the mouth, and visible nipples. What else makes her look human? Those hands and feet have individual fingers and toes (meaning good-bye to those froglike webbed hands and feet). Hooray!" http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-11.aspx

Gender: I had a dream we’re having a boy! eeekk!!

Symptoms: The same…breast tenderness, bloating, cramping, serious nausea, headaches, round ligament pain, and moodiness (literally everything makes me cry! Commercials, seeing a Dad with his childen, EVERY contestant on the X Factor….).

Sleep: As much as possible! I’m exhausted!

Cravings What I can stomach: This week I had some Pad Thai (3 times…), apples with peanut butter have been my “go to”, and my most interesting craving has been ruffles potato chips with ranch dip and cherry tomatoes. I also HAD to have oranges and almond milk at 10pm one night. 

Food Aversions: very few things sound appealing. Mushrooms, meat, eggs (nothing new with those 3), and red peppers really send me over the edge.

Total Weight Gain: 0lbs.. I am super bloated, so I feel pregnant but not really showing yet.

Lil' G Week 10

Week 10 (12/8-14/13)

One quarter of the way through! If you didn’t already know, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks.. if you do the math, that’s over 9 months! Think on that one for a while!

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a prune!! Probably wrinkly like one too ;) 1.2in, 0.14oz

"Your baby (now the size of a prune) has small indentations on his legs (soon to be knees and ankles!), and his tiny arms even have elbows that bend (how is that for magical?). Inside that little mouth, tiny buds of baby teeth are forming under the gums. His stomach and kidneys are kicking into gear, producing digestive juices and urine, and if it's a boy, his testes are making testosterone (how manly!)." http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-10.aspx

Gender: I’m feeling girl vibes this week.

Symptoms: The same…breast tenderness, bloating, cramping, serious nausea, headaches, round ligament pain, and moodiness (literally everything makes me cry! Commercials, seeing a Dad with his childen, EVERY contestant on the X Factor….).

Sleep: As much as possible! I’m exhausted!

Cravings What I can stomach: Cereal…not all… I tried Raisin Bran and Captain Crunch and nothing, but Adam came home with this Cranberry Almond Crunch Cereal and I ate the whole box… delish! I’ve traded 7up (too sugary) for Izze Grapefruit Soda.

Food Aversions: very few things sound appealing. Pizza makes me cringe (I never thought I would say those words in one sentence)

Total Weight Gain: 0lbs.. not even going there...

Activity: what a novel idea

Lil' G Week 9

Week 9 (12/1-7/13)

I had my third visit with my OB this week, and as usual I went in with a million questions and concerns. As soon as she walked in she had the fetal heart doppler in hand (I wasn’t having an ultrasound done this time), and I felt so relieved to know I’d get some reassurance. The little bean’s heart beat was a strong 168bpm! Music to my ears! It’s been very difficult to believe everything will be ok. Althouh I know the odds are highly in our favor (less than a 5% chance of miscarriage at this point), you can’t help but wonder about that 5%... I’m doing my best to stay positive and optimistic, but as I’ve learned, being realistic is just as comforting. A friend asked why I wasn’t insisting on an ultrasound during this appointment... while part of me wanted to do just that, another part of me knew that an ultrasound wasn’t going to change the outcome. I’ve known people that have seen issues early on on ultrasound and had to wait in agony for weeks before anyone could identify whether that issue was truly cause for concern…. In that situation, I felt ignorance was bliss.  Just knowing that heart was beating was enough for me. I worry that my fears could be foreshadowing as they were last time, but I just can’t think that way. You hear about women being cautious in the first trimester, but not downright fearful…. I choose to believe that we all feel this way but just don’t talk about it because it too is… taboo.

With all of the fears I'd been having.. this post was the biggest help.

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a green olive!! 0.9in, 0.07oz. I find this a little perturbing seeing as how I would give my left arm for a mexican martini right now (no worries though, I can resist temptation).

"Your baby, now the size of a green olive, has grown about an inch since last week. Tiny muscles are beginning to form, so while he might not be ready to pump iron, he's gearing up to move his arms and legs. It's still too soon to feel anything in your belly, but you might be able to hear something at your next checkup. Try listening for your baby's heartbeat via a Doppler device — that welcome sound should be audible anytime now." 

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-9.aspx

Gender: No strong vibes this week.

Symptoms: The same…breast tenderness, bloating, cramping, serious nausea, headaches, round ligament pain, and moodiness (literally everything makes me cry! Commercials, seeing a Dad with his childen, EVERY contestant on the X Factor….). And I’ve developed some fun digestive issues… I won’t go there.

Sleep: As much as possible! I’m exhausted!

Cravings What I can stomach: This week I decided I wanted a roll… with some mustard… make that a lot of mustard….. ooohhhh, and add a bunch of cheesy Doritos in the middle! Glorious. I’ve also become tired of drinking water all of the time so I started on 7 up. My wonderful hubby brought home 2, 2 liters of 7up…… err….. the cans are so much better! Back to the store he went. I love him. I also made homemade tortilla soup and it was amaze-balls.

Food Aversions: very few things sound appealing.

Total Weight Gain: 0lbs.. possibly negative lbs, but I don’t want to think that, so I’ll stick with 0… eating as much as I can to give Lil G the nutrients he/she needs. Still don't know why I'm posting this..

Activity: what a novel idea

Still no bump, so no pics..

Lil' G Week 8

Week 8 (11/24-30/13)

So not a whole lot happened this week.. still feeling pretty awful! BUT, I have a good story... Adam's class usually ends their Fridays in the squadron bar... This particular Friday (last Friday) was "special" because his senior class was receiving their call signs... and apparently you can't get a call sign unless you get crazy wasted. They drank at the squadron from 2-5:30, then took a party bus to another bar. I got a text from him at 7pm that he was ready to come home and wanted me to pick him up.... I was feeling pretty proud that he was calling in so early! ha.ha. Turns out he was wasted, passed out in the bathroom... One of his IP's (Instructors) called me on my way there to inform me that he had confiscated Adam's phone and was watching over him until I got there... Lord, give me strength.
This was our ride home:

And apparently in Adam's drunken stupor, he decided to share our news with one of his friends (who is a Dad), who then told his wife. I didn't mind because I knew I could trust them with the secret, and I had already told my aunt, sister, and close friend. Well, on Monday Adam came home with a big basket full of things to help with my pregnancy... of course Adam tried to pass it off as a gift from him at first ;) I knew better... it even came with a list of everything in the basket and what it's for (the picture doesn't do it justice, there were a million goodies in there!!): 

Due Date: 7/7/14!!

The baby is the size of: a raspberry!! 0.63in, 0.04oz

"Your baby is growing at an amazing rate — about a millimeter every day — and now is the size of a large raspberry. Your little berry is looking a lot less reptilian (even though she has webbed fingers and toes, her tail is just about gone) and a lot more baby-like these days, as her lips, nose, eyelids, legs, and back continue to take shape. Her heart is beating at the incredible rate of 150 times per minute — about twice as fast as yours! And even though you can't yet feel it, she's now making spontaneous movements as she twitches her tiny trunk and limb buds."

http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-8.aspx

Gender: No strong vibes this week

Symptoms: The same…breast tenderness, bloating, cramping, serious nausea, round ligament pain, and moodiness. The sinusitis has gone away, thank goodness. I feel AWFUL, but I can’t complain because it’s the price I’ll pay for a healthy Lil G.

Sleep: As much as possible! I’m exhausted!

Cravings: Still only holding down Boost, grapes, oranges, pineapples, and crackers. I mostly go for anything salty (yes, I’ll put sea salt on my fruit.. don’t judge). BUT, I have found where these “cravings” come from…. They occur when NOTHING sounds appetizing, yet you’re so hungry and in need of nourishment that you find the most off the wall things appealing: One day I decided I really wanted (needed) some jalapeno chips, so I sent Adam a text while he was at work to pick some up on his way home…he isn’t allowed to have his phone in the flight room, but I assumed he’d see it before he left… he conveniently “missed” that text (which I soon discoverd he lied about and you better believe the pregnancy wrath ensued!). So since he “missed” the text and he’d have to go out and fulfill his pregnant wife and tiny baby’s need for survival, I added to my order: Mrs. Vickies jalapeno chips, Hot fries (in the red and yellow bag), a pickle, sour patch kids, and cookie dough ice cream. THAT my friends, is a craving… and it was good!

For those of you who aren't aware... I like to eat my Sour Patch Kids WITH my pickle! BUT, only the green and yellow ones.

Food Aversions: Pretty much everything

Total Weight Gain: 0lbs.. possibly negative lbs, but I don’t want to think that, so I’ll stick with 0… eating as much as I can to give Lil G the nutrients he/she needs.

Activity: what a novel idea