The Adventures of Faith

Week 31

2013-06-18T08:38:00.002-05:00

The bump: I think I had another growth spurt over the weekend. This bump just keeps getting bigger!

How far along: 31 Weeks

How big is baby: From The Bump - The size of a pineapple. He's about 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and weighs about 2.5 to 3.8 pounds this month. He's getting so big, he's probably crowding your lungs. He's going through major brain and nerve development. Eye development, too. His irises now react to light! All five of his senses are in working order.

Weight gain/loss: I gained 1.2 pounds this week for a total of 18 pounds gained so far.

Stretch marks: You betcha.

Belly Button: Still an inie but it's getting stretched out. Also my former belly button piercing looks super weird.

Sleep: I did pretty good this week. I do usually have to get up to pee at some point but have slept really well.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Yesterday I had a major craving for tacos and seriously went to town on them. It was embarrassing how quickly I ate 3 tacos, rice, and beans. Fruit is also a big craving, but I think it's mainly because it's sweet.

Movement: He's still pretty active in there, but I get a lot more jabs and thrashes than these cute little flutters. I've actually had some little yelps and OWs come out some of those jabs are so strong.

What I'm loving: Nearing the end! Plus I'm finally feeling better after last week. The abdominal pain I was experiencing was just plain rough. Tuesday was actually the worst day. I think I came home that night and just slept from about 7pm to 7am. I needed it too. By about Thursday I was feeling better and also got the issue with my foot worked out. It's also currently on the mend as well.

Symptoms: Nothing new in this area. Thankfully.

What I'm looking forward to: I have my work shower this week and our birthing class this weekend. Poor John is probably going to be in for an interesting ride this weekend!

Baby Shower

2013-06-17T11:23:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I had my first shower. The girls did such a great job with everything and it was just lovely. Here are a few of the details:

The food was fantastic too!

Everyone left with a brown sugar scrub:

The notes people left us on the diapers cracked me up!

They had some very fun games including one that was a Price is Right guessing game of how much some of the gifts the hostesses purchased cost.

Instead of cards people were asked to bring books to build our baby library.

I love a onesie with some sass.

Sometimes gifts require demonstration.

John also got some gifts of his own including a pretty awesome Daddy Utility Belt

My lovely hostesses

Thank you everyone for coming and showering us with love!

Week 30

2013-06-11T13:45:00.002-05:00

and a comparison shot:

How far along: 30 Weeks!

How big is baby: According to The Bump - The size of a cucumber. Measuring in at 15.2 to 16.7 inches long and 2.5 to 3.8 pounds. His skin is getting smoother, but his brain is getting wrinklier -- to make way for all that essential brain tissue. He's now strong enough to grasp a finger!

Weight gain/loss: I'm down .6 pounds from last week for a total gain of 16.8 pounds.

Stretch marks: Yes.

Sleep: 6 am wake up calls SUCK.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nada

Movement: He has been going nuts in there since the weekend. It almost feels like he's thrashing around.

Symptoms: I had my appointment this morning. Everything is completely normal, but I feel like I've been punched in the stomach and have the biggest cankles I've ever had. Plus my feet are swelling on top of it. Blah.

What I'm looking forward to:

Best moment of the week: My shower was over the weekend and was beautiful (post to come). I also got to spend time with my mom and do a TON of sewing for the nursery (posts to come).

How I'm feeling: Like crud. My stomach is really sore, but the midwife thinks it's just muscular and should go away. In the meantime even sitting, let alone moving hurts like hell. Forget about trying to roll over! I've also done something to my foot so I'm hobbling around because of that too. That appointment is on Thursday and I'm hoping it's better by then.

Week 29

2013-06-04T08:37:00.000-05:00

Can I just say it's getting harder each week to get a picture I like? I actually went through them the first time only to realize I had deleted them all and had to download them again.

How far along: 29 Weeks

How big is baby: From Everyday Family - Measuring roughly 15 inches long, he weighs close to 2 1/2 lbs (the size of an Acorn Squash according to the Bump). For the first time, his head is in proportion with the rest of his body! By 29 weeks, his brain can control his body's temperature. His eyes can move in the sockets, and his muscles and lungs continue to mature. His bone marrow is now producing red blood cells, and fat continues to develop under his skin. He may even begin to settle into the proper birthing position, which is head down, facing your back.

Weight gain/loss: I'm up 1.6 pounds from two weeks ago (not bad for two weeks!) for a total of 17.4 pounds gained.

Stretch marks: In more places than I care to mention. It's just not right.

Sleep: I now have an internal 6 am wake up call. Oh how I miss 8 am!

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I'm trying to be good, but then someone posts a picture of a cookie and then I MUST. HAVE. COOKIE.

Movement: Yes though John has yet to really feel anything. He's actually become my go to for when Frijole is driving my crazy with his kicks. John's hand comes to my belly and it all stops.

Symptoms: I have to pee again. All the time. So much for sleeping through the night! Oh and I'm hot. So. So. So Hot. July and August are already laughing at me.

What I'm looking forward to: My shower this weekend. Plus my mom is coming down and we're going to start sewing things for the nursery.

Best moment of the week: Not getting a call about my glucose test and knowing that I therefore passed!

How I'm feeling: It has now turned into, keep me cool and fed and I'm a happy camper.

Random things I didn't know/Problems/Questions: Nothing new here either. We're making progress in the house and thus the nursery. The crib is put together, the dresser needs to be put together, and I ordered a glider that I'm really excited about. I can't wait to spend this weekend with my mom putting some things together for his room.

Week 28

2013-05-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

How far along: 28 Weeks. Now in the 3rd trimester with only 12 weeks left!

How big is baby: From Baby Center - baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (the size of an eggplant from The Bump) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Weight gain/loss: I forgot to weigh myself this week so no update.

Stretch marks: Yes

Sleep: Still sleeping great but finding that I'm getting up to go to the bathroom once again during the night. I'm going to miss sleeping through the night.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nothing too special.

Movement: lots of movement still. He found my hip bone and my ribs and is not a fan of either. Ow.

Symptoms: Nothing new in this area.

Best moment of the week: Having our floors finished! We can now get stuff back in their places and not in the sun room. We're still battling a nonfunctioning AC unit which is miserable.

How I'm feeling: Pretty good. I feel like I'm about to have another growth spurt though so we'll see.

Tap Tap Tap. This thing still on?

2013-05-24T13:58:00.002-05:00

Well hello there! looking for something not pregnancy related? This post is sorta it I guess. Basically it's a what's been keeping me so dang busy post.

I've officially entered survival mode. Work is at it's absolute peak. If I can make it through these next two weeks I should be good. It's going to be absolutely crazy, but will hopefully soon be over. It just means nonstop work and many late nights.

Work has officially become the cause of the nonpregnancy related chunk of my exhaustion. Of course the other third is made up from stuff going on at the house.

Oh, you mean I haven't mentioned that we're redoing about 900 square feet of flooring, ripping out the baseboards, and painting two rooms? That is SO going on at our house currently. Basically my entire house aside from our bedroom and the living room are currently in the sun room. Even the fridge is out there. It's been interesting to say the least.

We are finally having the floors installed this weekend though so it'll all be over soon.

Really I should be giving John the majority of the credit for the house stuff. He's been the one ripping up the carpet, baseboards, painting, and doing most of the heavy lifting. I move the small stuff, try to sweep, and otherwise keep him fed and in a good mood while he's working. Survival mode y'all.

Nothing like tearing up your whole house while pregnant and during the busiest time of year at work right?

So that's what's been keeping me occupied lately. As soon as I don't feel like taking a nap right when I get home, I'll have more time to dedicate to this poor neglected space. I do good to get a weekly pregnancy update up so please bear with me. I promise I'll have more to say about more things very soon.

Week 27

2013-05-21T08:50:00.000-05:00

The bump: I actually feel smaller. Baby boy is SO LOW still. I started feeling kicks in my ribs in the past few days so I'm sure he's moving around a bit. Sitting on my bladder feels a lot better the kicks in the ribs though.

How far along: 27 Weeks

How big is baby: From Everyday Family - Measuring about 14.5 inches long, he weighs just about 2 pounds.(The size of a rutabaga according to the Bump). This week, his brain is developing quickly. His eyelids, which have remained closed up until this point, begin to open and now his retinas can begin to form. The retina contains specialized photoreceptor cells that respond to light, called rods and cones. Cones in particular help us perceive color. His skin is still wrinkly; but by 27 weeks, he basically looks how he will look when you give birth to him – in just a few months!

Weight gain/loss: I'm up 1.5 pounds this week for a total weight gain of 15.8 pounds.

Stretch marks: Yes.

Belly button: Still a cavernous hole. I can tell it's getting a little flatter. It kind of caused this weird flat crater in my otherwise round belly.

Sleep: I'm sleeping great, but feel like I never get enough no matter how much I sleep.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Still nothing special. Sweets are still high on the list, but nothing like they used to be.

Movement: SO MUCH MOVEMENT. I'm convinced babies start to annoy you now as nature's way of ensuring their survival once they're finally here. All the kicks are his way of verbalizing "mom, mom, mom, mama, mama, mama."

Symptoms: Nothing new this week thankfully.

What I'm looking forward to: Being done? Is it too early to say that?

How I'm feeling: Overall just tired. I'm finding I get winded easier and can get an awful side stitch if I'm walking too fast or too far. Oh and I'm hot. All the time. Hot. I pretty much always have to have a fan on me now. August is going to be miserable.

Random things I didn't know/Problems/Questions: No questions or weird stuff, but I do have my glucose test on Thursday this week. Wish me luck! I have a choice of red or orange. Any preference?

Week 26

2013-05-14T08:37:00.001-05:00

How far along: 26 Weeks

The bump: Frijole is SO LOW. Give my pelvis a break little man! Is it sad that I'd really take a kick in the ribs over how low and heavy he currently is?

How big is baby: From The Bump: The size of a head of lettuce! He's still growing in the 13.6- to 14.8-inch and 1.5- to 2.5-pound range, and developing his senses, features and talents! His eyes are forming, and his eyes will soon start to open. His eyelashes are now grown, too. He's getting his immune system ready for life on the outside by soaking up your antibodies. He's taking breaths, too. They're of amniotic fluid, not air, but it's still good practice.

Weight gain/loss: I'm down 2 pounds this week for an overall weight gain of 14.3 pounds.

Stretch marks: We're up to three now. I'm sure there's a point in which I will just stop counting but these 3 are all front and center.

Sleep: Once I'm out I'm out. Thankfully.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nothing special going on. Still all the things.

Movement: Tons and tons of movement. Sometimes to the point in which it's annoying - yeah, no one ever tells you how annoying it can sometimes get. I think it's really because of how low he is. I'm tired of my lady parts going numb from him trying to kick his way out!

Symptoms: Seriously, if there is one I think I'm going to get it. Bloody nose - check! Freckles that become moles - check! Stretch marks - check! Pregnancy mask - check! Cankles - check! Sciatic pain - check! I could go on, but it's getting depressing.

What I'm looking forward to: 3rd trimester - we're almost there!

How I'm feeling: In case this post isn't reflecting it, not so hot lately. I've had a few rough days pain wise and it's taking it's toll. I've been moody, hormonal, crying, and just overall not feeling so hot. My back pain has eased up a bit today, but one of my knees still hurts and my old man toe is causing some discomfort. I'm sure it's all because I'm about to go through another expansion and things are just loosening up, but it's still not very fun. Plus this is such a busy and stressful period at work. And if we didn't have enough going on we're tearing up the house to put in new floors. It seriously looks worse than when we moved in. Just about everything aside from our bedroom and one of the living rooms is currently shoved into the sun room. Half my kitchen is currently in my living room even. Can someone just wave a magic wand and have it all be over? I'd kill to just sit down with my feet propped up and eat bonbons all day. If only pregnancy was that glamorous!

This Weekend - The Beatles Invade San Antonio

2013-05-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

Disclosure: I have received free tickets to the concert in return for promoting this event. We love the Beatles and great beer at our house so all opinions are my own.

This weekend Beatlemania hits San Antonio. This Friday and Saturday night at the Laurie Auditorium the San Antonio Symphony will present, Live And Let Die—A Symphonic Tribute to the Music of Paul McCartney.

According to the San Antonio Symphony about the concert:

Bridging the sound between popular Beatles rock tunes and classical music, guest conductor Martin Herman will take center stage at Laurie Auditorium. Herman will amplify the essence of the Beatles era through orchestral arrangements as singer and accomplished musician Tony Kishman and his four-piece tribute band will evoke the iconic spirit of Liverpool’s famous band and its iconic front man. Hailed Beatles’ anthems and popular McCartney solo tracks to be performed are “Hey Jude,” “Penny Lane,” “Yesterday,” “My Love,” “Uncle Albert,” “Let It Be,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Hello Good-Bye,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Get Back,” “Silly Love Songs” and “Live and Let Die.”

Because I know many of you are like me (at least when I'm not pregnant) Club Coda is offering a Double Decker bus ride to the concert on Saturday night. The bus boards at the Stone Oak & Alamo Heights Lion and Rose locations before stopping at the Blanco and 410 location for appetizers and a cash bar. While on the bus enjoy complimentary St. Arnold's beer. Tickets for the bus are $50 and include a ticket to the show.

For more information and of course to purchase tickets to the show and for the bus click here.

For more information on the San Antonio Symphony or Club Coda find them in Facebook:

San Antonio Symphony Facebook

Club Coda on Facebook

Week 25

2013-05-07T08:36:00.002-05:00

How far along: 25 Weeks

How big is baby: From the Bump - The size of a cauliflower. From Everyday Family - Measuring about 13 inches long, he weighs approximately 1 1/2 lbs. In the coming weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature at a fast rate, gaining some baby fat and filling out his long, lean frame. As he gains weight, his skin begins to become less wrinkled and he begins to look more, and more like a newborn. Also, his skin is finally gaining some color. His hands are fully developed by this week, fingerprints and all! And at 25 weeks, the structure of the spine is beginning to form.

Weight gain/loss: Up 2.3 pounds this week for a total of 16.3 pounds gained.

Stretch marks: Lone Sal has 2 friends that are starting to show up. Next week they'll probably be there in full force.

Sleep: Eh. I'm definitely starting to feel more tired. I think I'm usually in bed between 9 and 10, but still feel like I could sleep for hours. Sleeping in is a total joke though and I can't ever do it. If I'm not passed out cold then sleep is crap. It's pretty much 50/50 between the too. I did have a night that sleep just totally sucked and Frijole pretty much kicked me all night long.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nothing special. I did eat too many sweets and gave myself a stomach ache over the weekend. I can tell that I can't really eat as much as I could once again though.

Movement: Lots of kicks now. I even felt some under my ribs the other day. FUN. We also discovered Frijole is a fan of Iron Man. We saw the third installment on Friday and baby boy kicked and moved the whole time.

What I'm loving: All the, "oh you just look miserable looks" I'm getting. Yeah. 15 weeks to go people!

Symptoms: I'm still getting a bloody nose about once a week or so. I also discovered 3 freckles that have become moles. Yeah. That was a fun thing to learn about!

How I'm feeling: Overall pretty good. That's why I think it's hilarious that so many people lately have been giving me the "oh you poor thing" or "any minute now" looks. I'm not huge or anything, and granted I look tired every now and then, but really? I do find that I can get winded a little easier than in the past. It's time to learn my new limits is all.

Oyster Bake 2013

2013-05-02T07:53:00.003-05:00

Fiesta came and went this year. We were so busy that we hardly noticed it. In fact, I think this is the first year that I only went to one event.

Oyster Bake had to be done and yes, I even worked the beer booth. This year though it was pretty much all about the food.

Although somehow John still managed to out eat me!

They've changed the set up of Oyster Bake with the addition of a new baseball stadium on the St. Mary's campus. I'm really not a fan as the event has lost it's continuity. Plus the booth we work is now the closest one to the main stage and it's just WAY TOO LOUD. I'm so glad we worked the early shift when just sound checks were going on!

We only did one circuit of the event, and just took our time doing it. John thought I could use some help climbing a hill.

Afterwards my friend Misty and I decided to go get pedicures. Gotta take care of the cankles!

Not our usual way of doing Oyster Bake, but still fun nonetheless!

Week 24

2013-04-30T10:25:00.002-05:00

A comparison from week 14. This was just before I popped at week 15. I was still in regular pants at week 14 too. I was obviously more awake when taking pictures at week 14!

The bump: Frijole is definitely hanging out on the left side. I'm often jutting out just left of my belly button.

How far along: 24 Weeks - how on earth did I get here? Baby boy will be here in just 4 months.

How big is baby: From Everyday Family - The size of an ear of corn (or a cantaloupe from The Bump) Measuring around 12 inches long and weighing a little over 1 pound. In the coming weeks, your baby will continue to grow and mature at a fast rate, gaining about 6 ounces of weight a week. His brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds are developing.
He is pretty lean at 24 weeks, but he'll soon be putting on some "baby fat" to fill out his frame and his wrinkled skin, which is due to the lack of subcutaneous fat. He has begun to develop white blood cells. These cells are responsible for fighting off disease and infection. His lungs develop branches this week, and his inner ear is completely developed. In fact, he has basic control over all of his senses: hearing, touch, taste, smell, and vision!

Weight gain/loss: I'm up 3.4 pounds this week for a total of 14 pounds gained.

Stretch marks: Just the one. I posted to Instagram that I should name it. Maybe that'll make it feel the need to not bring any friends to the party (at least just yet). I'm thinking Sal.

Sleep: Pretty good for now.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: The sweets cravings have subsided (some).

Movement: Lots going on. I swear sometimes he's trying to kick his way out of there which isn't the best feeling. He flipped back over after a very short stint head down, but he did try to kick my iPad off my belly last night. John was finally able to feel him kick, but said it really just felt like I had gas.

Symptoms: Still just the cankles. My hands have gotten a little puffy. I wasn't able to get a ring on this weekend, but I also think it had something to do with the heat and humidity in Houston.

Best moment of the week: This picture from my brothers wedding.

How I'm feeling: Still really good. Aside from puffiness I've been ok.

Week 23

2013-04-23T07:58:00.000-05:00

The bump: Another pop this week. I think my belly is finally starting to move ahead of all my other parts. I even got my first, "you look like you're ready to go any minute now" comment yesterday. Really?

How far along: 23 Weeks - how is that possible?

How big is baby: From The Bump - The size of a grapefruit. At about 10.5 to 11.8 inches and about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces, baby's not just getting bigger, he's getting even cuter. He's forming little nipples (yeah, really!). His face is fully formed now -- he just needs a little extra fat to fill it out. He's listening to your voice and your heartbeat -- and even to loud sounds like cars honking and dogs barking.

Weight gain/loss: I'm up .4 pounds this week so 10.4 pounds overall.

Stretch marks: I officially have one. Boo. Hoping it's a long way off before any of its friends show up.

Sleep: I sleep like a rock when I can. Despite how much I get a night - usually around 8-9 hours I still feel exhausted every day.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Still all the things. I can tell my sweets cravings are starting to die down which is probably a good thing. The other night though it was Indian food. OMG it was so good.

Movement: Tons of little kicks and they're definitely stronger. John still hasn't felt him kick. If you press down where he's kicking he stops moving. It may be a bit still before John finally feels him.
What I'm loving:

Symptoms: The cankles. They're so bad. It doesn't matter if I sit or stand or how much water I drink they're there. I've also been experiencing what feels like period related cramping/back pain. If I sit for too long and get up to quickly I swear I've pulled every single muscle in my stomach.

What I'm looking forward to: My appointment this week. I'm going to ask for the picture of the "goods" so I finally have my visual confirmation that this is indeed a boy we're having. We've also got my brother's wedding this weekend.

Best moment of the week: Eating all the things at Oyster Bake. Although John managed to out eat me somehow.

How I'm feeling: I'd feel good if I didn't feel so tired. Every time I think that I've learned my limits that limit changes. I had to run 3 errands over the weekend. I probably sat in the parking lot of Costco for about 30 minutes before finally going inside I was so tired.

Random things I didn't know/Problems/Questions: Not really a problem or question, but I did have a mini freakout yesterday when I realized how far along I am. I've only got 17 weeks left, which next week means 16 and OMG that's only 4 months! Where oh where did the time go?

Week 22

2013-04-16T08:22:00.001-05:00

How far along: 22 Weeks

How big is baby: From the bump - your baby's the size of a papaya! During month five, the average fetus measures about 10.5 to 11.8 inches and weighs about 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. Now that he's got more developed eyes and lips, he's looking even more like a newborn. He's sleeping in cycles -- about 12 to 14 hours per day (hint: they're probably those times you're not feeling any kicks!).

Weight gain/loss: Up 2 pounds for a total of 10 pounds.

Stretch marks: I have what I think is a tiny one that I'm eye balling.

Sleep: Going good so far. I've slept through my alarm many times in the past week!

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: I definitely have my appetite back. Not that it ever truly went away, but man, I can pack away some food if I really want to.

Movement: Tons of little kicks. Whenever I try to get John to feel them Frijole stops. Go figure.

Symptoms: Just all the fun general pregnancy stuff. Cankles are back in full force.

How I'm feeling: Overall pretty good. still trying to learn to take things easy. John and I did a ton of work around the house this weekend and he cracked up because every time he saw me I was taking a break, but he could tell that I had done a ton of stuff. I think he thought I had a team of elves helping me or something. THAT would be awesome though.

Gender Reveal in Pictures

2013-04-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Frijole is officially a boy (although I still want the visual confirmation at my next appointment). Our original plans for a gender reveal got screwed up. Easter weekend tends to get me in one way or another. Either by it being the same weekend as my birthday or the weekend after my BIG ultrasound appointment thus leading to the bakery that I wanted to use for the cupcakes not taking any special orders. Ugh. Of course I found this out at almost the 25th hour and despite some of the bakery employees thinking my idea was adorable, it did not sway them in any way to help a pregnant sister out.

So on to plan B! I decided to make cupcakes and luckily found the mini egg cartons I wanted to use (and the WHOLE REASON I chose this particular bakery) at World Market. I knew of a giant field of bluebonnets at McAllister Park and since this kid will be a certified Texan, he should begin with his official pictures in a field of bluebonnets. It's a travesty for any Texas born child to NOT have 80 million pictures of them in a field of bluebonnets. It's how we know you're a card carrying Texan after all.

Since we moved our location to a field that was nearby we decided to text all of our friends and family to come out and join us since everyone was just as anxious to find out if Frijole was a he or she.

Excuse John's squinty eyes. I was mean and horrible and made him take his sunglasses off for our pictures.

My mom was the secret keeper for a whole 2 days following my appointment.

It's a boy!

Yes, I know my blue cupcakes look green. I swear the sun bleached these out because the ones I had at home were more blue. Plus 25th hour folks! I didn't have time to buy/find the non-liquid blue food coloring. Also, the dog kept getting onto the counter and eating cupcakes.

Thanks again everyone for coming out and joining us in the fun! Thank you again Kandis for being there to capture the moment.

Birthday Wrap Up

2013-04-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

I always joked about how horrible it would be to be pregnant on my birthday. Or during the holidays. To not savor a fabulous glass of wine? To not cheers with a cocktail in hand (yes, I realize I sound like a boozer. I promise I'm not) I was pregnant for both and it actually wasn't as bad as I imagined. I survived both! In going through my pictures I realized the common theme this year was food. Oh my did I have a ton of great food to ring in my 31st year.

I was in Dallas for Blissdom on my actual birthday. At midnight I was serenaded by a great group of ladies as we wrapped up the night. The next morning my roommate Sarah had left me this sweet note:

I then met up with my Dallas friends for brunch.

Just one of the plates I had.

Then I got to spend some quality time with Virginia. We shopped and I totally splurged at H&M.

We also got pampered.

We then met John for dinner. It just happened that he was also in Dallas for a work training. Dinner was amazing!

Virginia got me these cupcakes and I may or may not have eaten 1 or 2 on the drive home...

When I arrived home this gift was on my counter from my mother in law. Not actually made of real food (it was resin and therefore more creepy), but still food related.

Of course when I got back to work we had to go for lunch. This was quite phallic.

Tres Leches even if my version is better.

That had kind of wrapped up the birthday celebrations. The next weekend was Easter and most people were out of town. Plus we had a whole gender reveal going on.

This past Saturday though a group of us were making dinner plans that turned into an impromptu birthday dinner for me. We ended up at Maggianos since it had an 8 o'clock reservation for 6 people on a Saturday night. Our server talked us into the Family Style menu which basically meant that we got an unlimited supply of food that we could also still box up and take home. DEAL.

We deemed the night, Eating for Two. (Excuse the bad phone pics)

Thank you all for celebrating my birthday with me and Frijole this year!

Week 21

2013-04-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

The bump: Another little pop this week. I also feel like I can tell which position he's in because I can tell I'm sticking out at one point or my belly is a little lopsided.

How far along: 21 Weeks

How big is baby: From The Bump - The size of a pomegranate. At 10.5 inches and about 12.7 ounces, he's big enough now that you've probably been feeling his movements. As his digestive system preps for the outside world, he's manufacturing meconium -- the tarry black substance you'll find in his first dirty diaper (ew)!

Weight gain/loss: The cupcakes caught up to me this week. I'm up 3.2 pounds this week for a total of 8 pounds gained.

Stretch marks: None yet.

Belly button: Still a cavernous hole. My old piercing scar is starting to stretch out and I think I'm starting to get a linea negra.

Sleep: Ok-ish. I had been good about not drinking water too close to bed, but haven't been good about that lately. Had a rough night on Sunday/Monday. I was up at 4:30 and could not go back to sleep.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Still on a sweets kick.

Movement: Lots going on now. It's gone from little pops to more muscle twitches. I can feel them getting stronger, but John can't feel anything yet.

What I'm loving: Feeling stronger movements. Being past the halfway mark.

Symptoms: Still have some round ligament pain. I also get nosebleeds.

Best moment of the week: My impromptu "eating for two" final birthday dinner. I'm still full from it.

How I'm feeling: I've been feeling pretty good lately. I can tell my energy levels are up. Pretty much as long as I'm well rested and fed I'm ok.

Quotable Moments

2013-04-04T14:00:00.000-05:00

Last night at dinner:
John: You're 20 weeks now so this is what? The most sober you've been since high school?

This morning getting blood work done:
Employee: I'm going to assume that because you're drinking coffee in front of me you're not fasting.
Me: Dude. I'm pregnant. I'm pretty much eating from the moment I wake up.

Employee to phlebotomist: Watch out for her. She was mean to me.
Me to phlebotomist: Not true. I know better than to be mean to the people that are about to shove needles onto my arm.

Week 20

2013-04-02T08:11:00.001-05:00

How far along: "Whoooah! We're halfway there!" Sorry. It's been in my head every time I say 20 Weeks!

How big is baby: From the Bump - The size of a banana. Baby weighs about 10.2 ounces and measures about 6.5 inches. He's still got a lot of growing to do though. Can you believe you're halfway done? He's got working taste buds. He's gulping down several ounces of amniotic fluid each day -- that's significantly more than before.

Weight gain/loss: Down .6 pounds this week from previous weeks. My total gained is at 4.8 pounds. I ate a surprising amount of cupcakes this week too so I'm not sure how I lost anything.

Stretch marks: None yet.

Sleep: When I was thinking of writing this post all I could think of was sleep. It's been so great! I sleep like a rock! I don't even get up to pee! It's fabulous despite the 7 am wake up. I wasn't going to write about it because I didn't want to jinx myself. Then last night sucked. I think John didn't sleep well because I know every time I woke up he was tossing and turning. I'm blaming him and hoping it was a fluke.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nothing crazy going on. Food. I can pretty much always eat. Lunch remains my biggest meal.

Movement: Lots of little twitches. It feel like a muscle twitch or when your eye twitches.

Symptoms: Cankles.

What I'm looking forward to: The halfway point! Woo hoo! It's here!

Best moment of the week: So many this week. Getting to hang with my mom. I don't spend enough time with her and it was fun to just shop and hang out. Plus she was a HUGE help in the craft area for the gender reveal. Getting to watch the DVD of Frijole with John on Google+. Finding out Frijole is a BOY. Although I'm only half believing it until my appointment next month when I can see the picture of the "goods."

Appointment recap - My appointment last week went great. Frijole looked fantastic and it was really cool to see everything during the sono. He's measuring a day ahead and weighed in at 11 ounces. He also has a longer second toe than his big toe which John and I both have. Who knows whose feet he'll actually have when he's born though! I've got long and skinny and John has hobbit feet.

How I'm feeling: Great! Hoping it continues to go well.

Bad Dog

2013-04-01T07:32:00.002-05:00

Reese:

First dog
Still angry about the additions to the dog family
Scared of thunder
Sweet tooth
Eats her emotions to make herself feel better about the upcoming human addition to the family
Attempted foiler of gender reveals
Cupcake eating grin on her face

And Frijole is....

2013-03-30T20:01:00.002-05:00

Putting Blissdom into Words

2013-03-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

Wow. It's been three days since Blissdom ended and just two day since I've gotten home. If I wasn't also trying to cram a week's worth (plus a day and a half from last week) of work into just two days I'm sure I would have hit a wall by now.

My roommate Sarah and I met at BlogHer last year and often found ourselves comparing the two over the course of Blissdom. While this post isn't going to be a comparison, I do want to say how much more low key I was about this conference, and how much more low key I found Blissdom to be. I didn't stress about a single thing. I didn't even look at the schedule until I arrived. I didn't feel like I was rushing only to have to wait forever. It was really blissful for me, pun intended. In a way I just let Blissdom happen to me, and to be honest, it was wonderful. I came back inspired, refreshed, and re-energized.

When I first decided to go to Blissdom I did look over the different tracks. I wasn't really sure which if any I wanted to focus on. I did think to myself, "Life Development! Ha! I don't need that touchy feely feel good stuff." You know what? I ended up in more of them than any others and I'm so glad that I did!

So here's what I learned while at Blissdom:

From Jon Acuff during his session and also his closing keynote:

You can't compare yourself to someone else's middle. We all start somewhere and it takes time to get there. Success at anything doesn't come overnight. As Jon said, "no one becomes a master overnight."

If you want support for your dream, the best place to start is by supporting someone else's. This one really hit home and is something I want to pass on. Give support to get support. It's so easy, but can easily be forgotten in the me, me, me world that we sometimes live in.

I absolutely loved Lisa Leonard's session. At all the sessions I attended we were given worksheets to fill out. I didn't complete any while I was there, rather discussed things at my table, and then kept the worksheets for food for thought. Let me tell you though, Lisa's was tough.

It really made you think about your posts. I left her session with a renewed sense of how I write. I've honestly been stuck lately. I've felt like I don't have much to put up here. I have a goal to post twice a week, which is a sad goal. One is a gimme with a weekly pregnancy update. Even with that it's sometimes still a struggle to find something to write. I love having a place to document my first pregnancy, but that's not what this blog is about, and it's not what I want to turn it into. Lisa really made it simple: When telling your story be authentic and honest. Each story should have a setting, conflict, and resolution. She gave fantastic examples of the simplicity of it, and I really hope to be able to apply it here.

From Jeff Goins' session I walked away with an affirmation that I was doing it right.

I write for myself. That's why I started this blog six years ago. I wanted to write for me. It was never about success or making money. Do I love seeing stats go up? Do I love seeing new comments, let alone ones from new readers? Of course I do! Who doesn't? We'd be lying if we said differently, but it's not why I'm here. I'm here because I love it. Does it mean that I sometimes hate it? Of course. Do I sometimes struggle with it? You bet I do. But you know what? It's my passion and that's why I'm here.

Week 19

2013-03-26T08:34:00.000-05:00

How far along: 19 Weeks

How big is baby: From the Bump - The size of a mango. At about 6.0 inches long and weighing in at about 8.5 ounces, she's getting there! She is developing a protective coating over her skin, called vernix caseosa. It's greasy and white and you may see some of it at her birth. She's also working on her five senses. Nerve cells for her sense of taste, hearing, sight and smell are developing in her brain.

Weight gain/loss: No change from last week, so still up 5.6 pounds from my prepregnancy weight. This is shocking considering the amount of desserts I ate at Blissdom.

Stretch marks: None yet.

Belly Button: I like to refer to it as a deep cavernous hole. I have this nice round belly with this giant crater in it.

Sleep: Last week was a rough one. I slept great at Blissdom despite missing my giant pregnancy pillow.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Sweets. All the sweet things.

Movement: Later in the day after last week's post I started to feel these little popping sensations. Then nothing. The past few days though I've felt what feels like more fluid movements. It was great talking to all the other moms this weekend and tell them about it and hear, 'girl, that's your baby."

Symptoms: Round ligament pain still. OW. Plus a lot of pressure. I swear parts are going to fall out from between my legs at any moment. I've gotten a lot of laughs about that and am told it just gets worse from here.

What I'm looking forward to: FINDING OUT THE SEX THIS WEEK!!!!!! My appointment is on Thursday, but since John is out of town I won't actually find out until Saturday.

Best moment of the week: Spending my birthday with friends. Meeting all the great people at Blissdom and just leaving there feeling so uplifted.

Hello from Blissdom!

2013-03-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm at Blissdom this week and couldn't be more excited about it.

If you're at Blissdom too stop by and say hello. I'm celebrating my birthday while up there so if you see me, tell me Happy Birthday. It might just make my day!

A little intro if you're stopping by for the first time:

I'm from San Antonio. I was born in Texas and made several pit stops around the country before my family ended up back in Texas during my high school years. No we weren't military, even though at the time my dad was a Navy Reservist. We just moved around a lot. I came to San Antonio for school and never left.

Well, part of it had to do with a boy. Isn't that always the case? I met my now husband John during my senior year of college. We met at work and got married 4 years later. We just celebrated 5 years of marriage last year.

Last year was a busy one for us. We sold our first house and bought a fab new to us house that is still stuck somewhere between the 80s and 90s. We're talking a gold veined mirrored wall, glitter popcorn, textured wall paper, and our master bedroom has a platform for our bed. It's made of concrete and isn't going anywhere for awhile because of it. We probably would have done more work on it by now if we hadn't moved during the holidays and I was so exhausted during my first trimester.

Which brings us to the next big news from last year. We're expecting our first and I'm due in late August.

I'll be between 18-19 weeks while up there at Blissdom and sportin' a little baby bump with me wherever I go. Yes, there's a baby in there, and no I didn't eat too many burritos. For now we lovingly call the baby Frijole and will find out whether Frijole is a boy or a girl next week. I'm feeling girl over boy, but we'll find out soon!

I garden, I knit, I have chickens in my backyard. I love all food, anything made out of chocolate, traveling, and a good beer or wine with great friends (even if I can't have any at the moment - the beer & wine, not the friends). I love to have a good laugh and that's one of the reasons I love my husband so much. Even if he steals my jokes and repeats them as his own.

So that's me and all of that up there? That's what this blog is about. Hope you stick around for awhile!

Week 18

2013-03-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

The bump: I think I popped again this week. Or at least I'm much rounder.

How far along: 18 weeks

How big is baby: From The Bump - the size of a sweet potato. She's about 5.6 inches long and about 6.7 ounces now and she keeps on growing rapidly. (That's why you're probably feeling so hungry.) Can you believe she's yawning, hiccuping, sucking and swallowing? And she's twisting, rolling, punching and kicking, too -- and she's big enough that you might be able to feel her doing it!

Weight gain/loss: I'm up 5.6 pounds from my prepregnancy weight. My weight was about the same at the midwife's office last week so I know my scale and theirs are about the same.

Stretch marks: None yet.

Sleep: I've been sleeping like a champ this past week. I think exhaustion has something to do with it though.

Diet/Cravings/Aversions: Nothing too crazy this week.

Movement: Still nothing. On the look out for bubbles, popcorn popping, gas, and the many other things people have told me to look for.

What I'm loving: I'm pushing the halfway mark!

Symptoms: Yesterday I felt like I was getting punched in the uterus (way day low, just above my pubic bone) every time I stood up. I don't know if this is also round ligament pain - usually I have it just on the side, but holy crap it suuuuuucked.

What I'm looking forward to: BLISSDOM at the end of this week. I'll also be celebrating my birthday while up there with friends.

Best moment of the week: Getting to hear the heartbeat at my appointment and also all the whoosh sounds while she rolled around and kicked in there.

How I'm feeling: Pretty good as long as I'm not getting suckered punched in the gut, get plenty of sleep, and am well fed. You know, just the little things.