TWENTY TWO weeks & an anniversary

How many weeks? 22

How am I feeling? Tired, again. Last week's energy is long gone. And I'm nervous, again. The closer we creep to 25 weeks, the more the nerves set in, even though I am experiencing "good" signs of a normal pregnancy that we never had with the last. Feeling the boy move is my saving grace from insanity every day. If I feel him moving, I know he's alive. I know he's most likely well, and I know we're one day closer to our goal.

Doctor’s Appointment? I saw my endocrinologist ( love him!) on Tuesday. My thyroid panel came back right in line of where we want it to be for the remainder of my pregnancy. My BP seems to have stabilized, and was actually within normal limits at his office, despite being 99/62 in the morning. I follow up with him in 6 weeks for bloodwork, and he will call me to give me the results so I don't have to make the drive to Camarillo to see him. Isn't that nice? Then, I won't see him again till 6 weeks after the boy arrives!

I saw one of the OB's whose been treating me on Thursday, we heard the heartbeat again, and I was told I need to listen to my body and start taking it easy...so I guess my switch to part time hours through end of October is right on time.

Workouts? I walked for 20 minutes one night, but started getting tightening and it scared me.(which I told my Ob the next day--and was subsequently told to take it easier, even though occasional contractions after 20 weeks can be somewhat normal. No reason to push myself)

Sleep? Can I have another pillow please? It's totally normal to barricade ones self with pillows, right? Pretty soon NZ will be on the floor or in the guest room if I add any more pillows to our bed.

Weight Gain?Up 16 lbs from pre-pregnancy weight now! This kid better be a chunk!

Baby Preparation? None

Likes/Dislikes?

Likes? We went out on Friday night for our 5th Anniversary to Mastro's Steakhouse. I finally got my petite filet that I have been dreaming about since like week 16! And it was good...ohhh so good. It was a wonderful night, good conversation, and great music. It made me feel really special to dine at such a fine place..I mean, are we actually adults now?

Dislikes? The comeback of my anxiety..after last week's Pollyanna attitude, it has been a daily struggle to tell myself that I have no reason to worry right now. I couldn't have gotten better news this week from my Docs, and just because the calendar is creeping towards week 25, I can not compare this pregnancy to my last. I just can't. So many factors have changed, for the better, and I just have to believe that this child WILL make it.

Gone Batty

{Image belongs to Tater Tots and Jello Creepy Specimen Art}

I saw a cute framed Halloween project which made use of bat cutouts from a silhouette SD cutter over on Tater Tots and Jello's blog. I have been trying to use my silhouette and get better acquainted with it's capabilities any chance I get. Although I liked the idea of the Specimen Art project, I felt like tweaking it a bit to make it my own ( and use up some leftover craft supplies I am tired of storing).

I found the following Bat outline through a simple google search.

I imported it into my Silhouette library, traced the outlines, and sized them to about 1/3 of an inch by 1 inch, and copy and pasted until I had a full sheets worth of bats to cut out.

I bought a Halloween pack of scrapbook paper from Target's $1 bin, and cut the 12x12 sheets into 8.5x11 to fit through my Silhouette machine.

Then I just cut to my heart's desire.

And ended up with this...

A box full of bats.

I re-purposed an old styrofoam wreath form by spray painting it with a matte black spray my husband had in the garage (well ventilated, of course, not wanting baby boy to catch a whiff of any fumes, for sure!), let it dry for a few hours, and then got to gluing.

Bat, by bat.

Note: At first I was pinching the bats in the center to make them 3D, and pinning them after I dabbed Modge Podge on their backs, but realized a few pins in, that the pinning was totally unnecessary. So I gave up pinning, and just glued...

and glued..

Until..

I had myself my very own Halloween bat wreath.

For the grand total of:

$1

5 years, already?

It seems like just yesterday that we woke up to this elaborately decorated Jetta.

But in fact, it was 2006.

That's 5 whole years since this happened...

Can it really be?

September 23, 2006.

That was really 5 years ago?Already?

Thank you sunshine, for sweeping this girl off of her feet when she wasn't looking. You've been everything and more than I ever thought I deserved in a husband.

I look forward to cooking your breakfast every morning till I'm old and gray, and you've become my silver fox.

I'm pretty sure that's a deal we can both live with.

TWENTY ONE weeks

[my DIY Steelers cutout applique shirt]

tutorial coming soon!

How many weeks? 21

How am I feeling? Better this week. A tad bit more energy. In fact, I managed to make it out to a friend's birthday at a local club until 11:30 on Friday night, and we had NZ's bro and sis-in-law & kids over for supper on Saturday night, and I had energy for it all! I admit, I felt sorta like the scene from "Knocked Up" going into a club with a big ol belly and ordering drinks at the bar, but it was a fun night, and we celebrated the Birthday of a super sweet friend.

Doctor’s Appointment? Next week. Endocrinologist for a thyroid and BP check, and then my OB later int he week for a check up.

Workouts? Yes! I can finally answer YES! (Okay, so it was ONLY one morning of 30 minutes walking so that I could catch up on a housewives reunion I taped way back when.)

Sleep? Eh, could be better. Waking up and seeing the numbers on the clock slowly tick by is never fun. 11:30 p.m., awake. 12:10 a.m., awake....2:45 a.m., wide awake..you know how it goes.

Weight Gain? Oh yes. Up 14 lbs from pre-pregnancy weight now! This kid better be a chunk!

Baby Preparation? Talked about the possibility of a baby shower with my sis-in-law, looked at invite ideas..but that's all.

Likes/Dislikes?

Likes? My new maternity dress I bought for Canada. 90% off of $54.00 at Kohl's...Do the math...that's $5.40! Score!

Dislikes? None. I pretty much like everything that's happening this week. After all, I'm 21 weeks along( which at the beginning of this pregnancy, seemed soooo far away) , feel the baby moving ( which I never really felt with my last pregnancy) and am feeling positive about this baby boy having enough room in my renovated uterus to grow into a real chunk by the time December/January rolls around!

Beatin' up the Beats

It probably doesn't surprise many of my close friends and family, that NZ and I watch the Jersey Shore every Thursday night. It's a train-wreck of a semi-reality show that we just can't keep ourselves from watching. I'm not quite sure what it is about those kids that keeps us enthralled ( could it be Deena and Snookie's all-day pollution followed by a Deena's inability to fully dress herself before heading out to the club and flashing her girl parts? Maybe. Or maybe not. It's a mystery, but for some reason we watch the show, like clockwork).

It's defintiely NOT the music. In fact, also not a surprise to those that know me well, I am far from a fan of the music that the Jersey kids fist pump to. I can't even call it music. It's always been that way for me. The techno/house/trance crap that they call music does nothing but agitate me.

Seriously.

This is why I do not do well in clubs unless I'm completely polluted. If I were to get kidnapped in some foreign country, and tortured, they could skip the water board and just stick me in a room with trance music pumped in.

I think I'd go crazy in 2.2 seconds.

So get this...

Our boy seems to like to beat up the beats like the Jersey kids.

During the past week, NZ have gone on a couple fun outings ( Tuesday night Dodger game and a friend's 30th Birthday at a club last night). Both exposed us to the club/techno/house-ish Dj music. Of course, I got agitated because pregnant girls don't drink ( read above disclaimer..alcohol helps my tolerance of said music) but what happened next is a frick'n mystery.

The boy started fist pump'n in my belly. Like seriously rockin' out full throttle.

Our kid?

Techno junkie?

Is that even possible?

Oh no!

I pretty much only play country music and 80's-90's alternative music in my car. I never get that response from him with my pumped up "Dirt Road Anthem" that I sing ever so loudly to (off key, of course) each time it comes on.

Ah well, he's asserting his individuality early, I suppose.

Perhaps a pair of Bose noise cancelling headphones will be on my registry list so I can use them 13 years from now when he turns our home into a rave.

Keep on rockin' baby boy, you're a guido in the making.

20 weeks

How many weeks? twenty.

How am I feeling? Run down and tired, very little appetite, although I do wake up with a grumbling stomach..All in all, nothing sounds good to me for lunch and dinner. I am feeling some movement, although not all the time. Mostly at night, after work on the couch, or lying in bed..Does this mean we have a night owl on our hands? And he most definitely lets me know that he does not like when I lie on my right side. Feeling movement has put my mind at ease a little bit more, but I still worry about the boy making it into our arms alive.

Doctor’s Appointment? We have the week off from appointments. Next week too, barring anything unexpected happens.

Workouts? Does thinking about working out count for anything? I should just remove this question and replace it with a better one. I did a funny comparison of my abs circa 2006 and now (= That's quite a difference, and am I ever excited to grow a belly.

Sleep? Wish I could get more. My dreams have been waking me up in a panic this week. Guess my imagination is in overdrive. Last night's dream had me drinking beer and then remembering I was pregnant and shouldn't have drank beers, while out riding dirt bikes ( me on a dirt bike? in the dirt? that really was a dream!) haha. Thank God it was only a dream.

Weight Gain? Didn't weigh myself this week. I'll leave that to the professionals.

Baby Preparation? Ehhhh, maybe just a little..Anyone see the four onesies I accidentally made for the boy? Are they super stylish or what? Who wouldn't love a little "Italian Stallion"?

Likes/Dislikes?

Likes? Simply Lemonade and Limeade drinks. Watered down 50/50. (Thanks for raising me that way mom!). Cereal. Any type. Eggs. And, that's about it. I have had no appetite lately. My fruit fetish from a couple weeks ago went MIA about a day after I restocked our fruit bowl. Go figure.

Dislikes? Up until this week, those who asked " Don't you feel anything yet?". Uhm, yeah, thanks for freaking me out making me think I was abnormal for not feeling things sooner, even though my MFM doc told me that sometimes women don't feel anything until 24-25 weeks. For some reason, I let those questions increase my anxiety to a level I didn't know I had. So, baby, thank you for finally letting me know you're in there alive and kicking. I can finally answer with a definite "yes".

Technically Speaking

I have to use a disclaimer before I start this blog...before you all start reading and getting all " I thought she wasn't buying anything for the baby until her 30 week mark..cause of her silly little rule" on me, I technically haven't bought anything for the boy, yet.

You see, we have a couple of family members also due in late 2011. I've had the itch to make something baby-ish for the past week or so. But, I kept going back and forth with whether I really wanted to cross into the all consuming and ever so adorable blogs full of baby project temptation. A few nights ago, my curiosity got the best of me. I found myself bookmarking ideas left and right, not to mention I spent an hour or so over on pinterest pinning even more craft-worthy projects.

And I found it. A project. A gift-able project.

All it required was a onesie and a printed image onto my iron-on paper.

I could do this.

Even, better? I could do this without stepping foot in a baby store, thus side-stepping temptation to buy anything for our boy.

I dug into the box of girl clothes I can finally let go of, and I just so happened to have saved a 5 pack of white onesies.

So, I got all creative and went to town printing fun images from the computer ( most royalty free, however, there are two sporting team logos that I recreated myself). I used my silhouette machine to mirror the images so that the writing would read the correct direction once ironed on, cut around each printed image, and within minutes of my time with the iron, I had five completed onesies to gift-away.

Okay, so I made ONE onesie as a gift ( and can't post it till the recipient receives it, because if I posted it, it's a dead giveaway who it was made for, this ruining the surprise!), and might just have made the other FOUR for the boy.

But, technically speaking, I still haven't bought anything, therefore, I have not yet broken my self imposed silly rule. I know that no one care about it except for me, but I am afraid of jinxing our luck with this pregnancy if I get ahead of myself and start buying things.

Sheesh, all that just to show you what I've made...Anyone want to spend a day in my head? It's fun, I tell ya.

Without further adieu, here they are...

[Go Steelers! Got pop's college football number on the sleeve]

[ fit for a son that is the same % Italian as mom & pop]

[ Sharing mom & pop's love affair with the Chevy K5 Blazer]

[ His roots]

So, that's it! It's an easy, easy beginner project for those of you that have showers to attend. A pack of onesies generally costs between $9 and $12. Just be sure to wash them with a dye free detergent before applying images.

NINETEEN weeks..did they or didn't they?

How many weeks? 19 ( only 6 weeks from My next "milestone" of viability!)

How am I feeling? I had two days of headaches this week which put me in bed by 8:30 p.m. Other than that, I feel fine. I think a lack of hydration, low BP and a late night out on Monday night were the culprits.

Doctor’s Appointment? I had an appointment with my OB on Tuesday, where my belly was measured and we heard the heartbeat again (which eased my worry heading into Thursday's ultrasound with my MFM). We finished out the blood work for the quad screen this week, and also had an in depth ultrasound with my MFM to make sure il bambino is growing appropriately, and he was also able to tell us if we are having a boy or girl. We're happy to say, that so far, everything is going well, and we found out that we are expecting a HEALTHY baby weighing 9 oz. at 19 weeks..that's the same weight that Denise weighed due to restricted growth at birth at 26 weeks!.... And, it's a boy. ( Did you really think I could resist finding out?)

Workouts? I'm pretty sure I don't even own gym clothes that fit anymore.

Sleep? Back to the earlier bedtimes this week. I still haven't gotten that surge of energy so many talk about during the second trimester. I have felt tired and run down this entire time, but if it means we're growing a big healthy baby, I'm pretty sure NZ and I will put up with a few more months of un-exciting evenings of Jersey Shore and Top Gear till I pass out.

Weight Gain? 11 lbs since week four. 4 of those lbs being in the last 2 weeks. I say, grow baby grow!

Baby Preparation? Believe it or not, still nothing. However, I made a set of burp cloths for an extended family member who's expecting a boy just weeks before our baby is due. So, my sewing machines are once again OUT, and I might just start sewing some essentials for our baby soon. Maybe, Probably, Or not. Really trying to stick to my "buy nothing before 30 weeks rule" that I have in my head.

Likes/Dislikes?

Dislikes? Shopping online for maternity dresses/ evening attire. Is Motherhood really the only affordable option out there? I have a weeks worth of business-dinner appropriate attire to put together for the trip I am taking to Canada with NZ. So far, I have ONE outfit, sigh...maybe I will have to get over my anti-maternity store stance and head into that dreaded Motherhood store. I've got a few more weeks till I have to have my wardrobe ready, so if any one has any uncovered treasures (online stores) to share with me, shoot me a message!

Likes? We went to a Dodger game with some of NZ's cousins and their significant others on Monday night, and I got to rock the Dodger tank top I fashioned for myself out of a gray maternity tank and an upcycled Dodger shirt. I have been waiting to wear that tank top to a game for 2 whole years now! I had made it back in 2009 when a couple of my girls and I had plans to go to a game, and I never got to wear it. So, finally getting to wear my Dodger tank with a belly was a significant milestone for me ( I'm a dork, I know!).