23 week belly

well, i don't have my standard covered and bare comparison shots this week. it was just too busy! so instead, i have the above photo. after i put up one of my christmas trees, i asked mr. h3b to take some silhouette shots. i really like how it turned out and hopefully we'll do another closer to christmas to see the changes.

how far along? 23 weeks

total weight gain: after thanksgiving? i have no idea...
maternity clothes? yes
sleep: on and off
best moment this week: having my family see the bigger belly and my sister feeling kicks
movement: yes, big kicks i can see from the outside
gender: boy
labor signs: none
belly button in or out? out
food cravings: no
what i miss: um, back to cocktails. i am sorely missing my winter weekend mimosas!
what i am looking forward to: picking a name
weekly wisdom: do not eat at taco johns
milestones: getting my stroller? it's the first big baby item we have

23 weeks

stuffed from turkey!

i'm 23 weeks now and being pregnant at thanksgiving is excellent. i got to eat. and eat...and eat some more. herman munstertiger loved all of the goodies and was moving all around after the big meal. mr. h3b and i spent the holiday with my mom, dad, and sister. lucky for sister, she got to feel little baby kicks. everyone was surprised by how much my belly has changed (my dad hadn't seen me in person since 8 weeks). it was great to be with them and made me excited for them to meet baby h3b.

in other exciting news, i finally got to open my stroller! awhile back i ordered a quinny buzz 3 in capri blue from babies r us - i found a 50% off coupon from baby cheapskate and snatched one up the second mr. h3b agreed to it. it's been at my parents' house and my mom brought it down for me. it's amazing and adorable and i can't wait to take walks and get out and about with it. hilarity ensued when i put one of my miniature dachshunds in it. he loved being pushed around and wanted to get back in when i took him out. i think he'll be jealous when i have a real baby to use it...

everything else continues to go well. belly grows, baby kicks. my hips and back hurt a little more each week and my sleep is interrupted by at least one bathroom break and no less than five tosses and turns that require heaving my body and my body pillow around in the bed. i feel good, though. in my pregnancy prime, where everyone loves the belly and i still feel like i can walk without waddling. my next appointment will tell me how my weight is going (meaning, how soon will i waddle) and hopefully we'll get a good picture of his profile.

ultrasound next week!

22 week belly

how far along? 22 weeks

total weight gain: at least 15 lbs
maternity clothes? yes
sleep: my back aches, but i sleep
best moment this week: seeing the kicks on the outside
movement: yes, although it has decreased a bit these past few days
gender: boy
labor signs: none
belly button in or out? i think it has popped out
food cravings: no
what i miss: having only 1 chin
what i am looking forward to: picking a name
weekly wisdom: don't fight with your husband while registering - we had fun because it wasn't all serious
milestones: registering

22 weeks

not many milestones.

this time is kind of weird. i am obviously pregnant, enjoying being pregnant, and happy to be healthy...but there isn't much to report. weekly changes these days can be summed up in the expansion of my bump. i eat a lot, my sleep is so-so, and i have a big round belly. we have taken to calling the baby herman munstertiger, a lovely name suggested by the proud daddy. he insists that we'll say it so much we'll end up liking it enough to actually use it. i am sure that won't happen, but i did find myself saying "it puts the lotion on herman munstertiger" this morning while slathering on the belly balm.

mr. h3b and i are house hunting, which is really fun to do with the thought of having a baby in less than 20 weeks. no pressure! we are going to register at babies 'r us tomorrow, an experience i am both looking forward to and dreading. there are so many things to look at and to know...and yet people have babies with just a blanket or two, a dresser drawer, and not much else. i don't mind getting sucked into the baby buying world because it' a fun time and all, but with the walls of pacifiers, bottles, and other baby gear, it's all very daunting. but, mr. h3b loves shopping, especially when it involves not buying anything and looking through a million and one baby blankets to decide which one is the cutest.

cannot wait!

nursery board

i made an inspiration board for the nursery. i think i've decided on a modern yet comfortable look, but every once in a while i want to do an elegant, fluffly boys room (lots of white with light blue accents). i think mr. h3b wouldn't be so agreeable. plus, i'd have to dress the baby in tiny sailor suits and rompers all the time so he'd fit with his room. again, convincing mr. h3b would be difficult...

so i've decided on a simple look. cool gray walls with a light aqua accent wall and pops of bright yellow, white, and aqua all over the room. i don't like themes, characters, or gender specific bedroom sets, so this is what i came up with. i love, love gray and really like white furniture for a small space (as the nursery is bound to be). i'll fill the square shelves with books and small things we've collected, but otherwise i don't see this as a cluttered store-all space. if it's a crying room (me or baby), i at least need it to be relaxing.

want these things? here's a list of places i found while searching. i'm using some as inspiration while other items (like the furniture) are decided upon. note that many of these items can be found at a variety of locations
1. tissue paper pom mobile (DIY)
2. baby mod olivia crib in white/amber available at walmart
3. animal a-z poster by etsy seller tarahogan
4. expedit bookcase in white from ikea
5. spade damask pillow cover by etsy seller moddiva
6. dwellstudio gio aqua pillow available at allmodernbaby
7. blue owl and pussycat giclee print by etsy seller sugarloop
8. lite source yellow viko table lamp from simplybabyfurniture
9. trondheim 6-drawer dresser in white from ikea
10. amy butler martini in mustard fabric from etsy seller babydarling
11. plover organics confetti crib quilt from fawn and forest
12. monte alto rocker in stone available at pacifier
13. offi dachshund mypetlamp in white available at pacifier

honestly, i want to have a million kids so i can make more rooms. nurseries are so much fun. i can't wait to start putting mine together!

kicks from baby

i love his kicks.

today i ate two toasters strudels (it was a horrible grocery experience that ended with me purchasing those and tapioca pudding at the last second), which, in hindsight, did nothing for hunger. but someone ::eyes shift down to belly:: enjoyed them. so much so that he started to kick like crazy. he's been doing it pretty often after i eat; giving me big kicks to say thanks for the food, lady, but today he was going crazy.

it was so strong that i lifted my shirt and sure enough, i could see those kicks from the outside! while i've been feeling them for weeks on the inside, and can now feel them on the outside, it was crazy to see my whole stomach move when baby h3b got going. and he's still jumping around in there. it's been about 20 minutes and he just won't stop.

it's so exciting :)

21 week belly

 

how far along? 21 weeks

total weight gain: at least 15 lbs
maternity clothes? yes. more and more.
sleep: pretty good
best moment this week: hmm, it wouldn't be walking around chicago for 3+ hours (fun but ouch)
movement: yes, kicks especially after food
gender: boy
labor signs: none
belly button in or out? stretched
food cravings: nothing specific, just food
what i miss: thinner me
what i am looking forward to: picking a name
weekly wisdom: cherish the early weeks even when you might be nervous - you don't get them back!
milestones: pushing past halfway