There Will Be Miracles

Bumpdate #1

How far along?
21 weeks 1 day
due date is March 15, 2017

Gender & Name?
We’ve decided not to find out the gender before delivery and keep it a surprise.  I used to be picky about wanting a boy or a girl but after everything we’re just happy to have a healthy baby so either one will be exciting.  Plus it’s pretty awesome to see people’s shocked reaction when they ask what we’re having :)  We totally almost caved yesterday at our anatomy scan but held strong!
We have some possibilities for names but won’t be sharing those until delivery either.  Right now it goes by Seahorse because Matt said it looked like a seahorse on our 7w ultrasound and it just kind of stuck :)

Current Feelings
Other than starting to feel stretched out and a little more uncomfortable, everything physically is good.  I’ve been dealing with almost daily headaches for the last month which I’m getting pretty tired of.  I can’t tell what brings them on, it’s not lack of water, sleep, or food and they happen at all times of day.  Tylenol sometimes helps but I try not to take it each time since they’re so common, same with having a little bit of caffeine.  So usually I just live with them and stay or go home if it’s bad enough.

Nursery
I just recently felt ready to start thinking about the nursery and am really excited to get started now.  Unfortunately our house is pretty small so we’re going to have to change the office into the guest room and the guest room into the nursery.  That room is behind our courtyard wall so I feel safer having it there, plus that means the nursery will have our beloved gray shiplap wall which is going to be fun.  Stay tuned for a full nursery series over the next few months, but peek at my nursery Pinterest board for what I’m thinking of!!

Maternity clothes?
Sometimes. I can still get away with wearing my normal jeans unzipped with a Bellaband over them but it’s starting to get uncomfortable especially sitting at a desk all day.  I’ve found some cute maternity tops and am currently maternity jeans shopping but it’s proving to be as frustrating as normal jeans shopping.  Thank goodness Stitch Fix has maternity clothes and I recently found Pink Blush which has gorgeous clothes!

Sleep
Not too bad, although it’s changed in the last week.  I’ve always been a side sleeper so that’s good but I am changing sides A LOT lately and getting super hot.  I’m most comfortable with a blanket smooshed up under my belly and between my knees for support but it may be time to switch out the blanket to a cooler body pillow option, or crank the AC down some.

Food cravings
Nothing crazy or consistent, it seems to change each week.  One thing I’ve loved this whole pregnancy are sour gummy candies, tangarines, and plums.  Oh, and anything that comes in the form of a one-pan slop-style dish, like mac ‘n cheese (always), Italian dishes, noodles, and casseroles.  I’m eating pretty healthy during the week for breakfast and lunch but the weekends can kind of get away from me.  I’ve only gained four pounds, almost one of which is baby, so I’m doing good so far…

Nausea
I never actually got sick, but I had afternoon and/or all day nausea from about 8 weeks all the way to 17-ish.  It felt like having an all day hangover and I wished I would just get sick, but I didn’t let myself because I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop.  Lots of 7up, crackers, tiny meals, and afternoons home on the couch.  The pineapple and papaya enzyme tablets from Trader Joe’s helped a lot though, more than anything else I tried.  Now I just feel kind of crappy if I eat too much, which is getting easier to do :/

Total weight gain
Only 4 pounds so far.  I’ve been in “trouble” with my doc the last two appointments because I hadn’t gained anything.  Now that the nausea is gone, it’s on!

Movement
YES!!  This point meant so much for me to get to because the worry and anxiety between appointments was killing me, and, just like a switch, between 17-18 weeks there it was!  It started out feeling like a muscle twitch (not like a flutter or butterflies) but then clearly became rolls and thuds.  I feel it most when I wake up and am lying there, around lunch time, and later in the evenings when I’m laying on the couch.  Matt finally felt one just a few days ago and loves it.

Belly button in or out?
In, although it is getting MUCH shallower…

Best moment lately
Definitely having Matt feel movement, and seeing an actual little human on our anatomy scan yesterday!  Baby is 14oz and gave us two yawns during the scan along with some perfectly poised little feet.  I knew what they check for during this scan but it’s amazing how clearly you can see everything, and I can’t believe that little perfect thing is inside of me.

Looking forward to
Our next sonogram at 28 weeks so that we can see it again, and also to make sure the slight placenta previa they found yesterday is moving out of the way.  Oh, and getting the guest room cleared out so I can start the nursery!

I’m sure some of you sweet, loyal readers may have noticed things being a little more quiet around here the last few months and probably assumed that this may be the reason why.  I just couldn’t get myself to do a single thing through all that nausea but it feels great to be back in (relative) action and even greater to now have y’all alongside for all the fun things ahead.

I seriously still can’t thank you all enough for your kind words back in May and for being here with me now.  We still have so much love and admiration for all of you who are struggling and never will we forget that journey.  I can’t describe how badly I am rooting for all of you and for you to never lose faith, whether you believe in it or not!  We’re here to say that you truly never know what to expect and that miracles can absolutely happen after all, especially when you least expect it.

The Story of Our Pearl

Wedding Day

Hill Country Anniversary

 

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