Week 28 Update... 12 Weeks To Go!!!

And GOODBYE to Trimester Two!!
 

I remember how excited I was to enter the second trimester at thirteen weeks. It feels like forever ago, yet the time flew by so quickly! The last stretch is finally here, and I'm getting more and more excited with each week! I cannot wait to meet my little man!

Movement: Vaught is a playful little thing! He's starting to kick a LOT, and when he does, I poke at wherever he's kicking. After a few seconds, he'll kick back. If I stop poking at him for a minute or so, he'll start going nuts! It makes me think he's going to be a happy, playful baby! You can totally see him kicking around now. My belly jumps all the time. I've made a few videos of it and plan on sharing them on my Instagram at some point.

Craving: BBQ sauce. On everything. I really like tater tots from Sonic with some of their yummy BBQ sauce! I've not had any major cravings though; I've not had to get up at 2AM just to go get pickles or olives (by the way, I still hate olives). When I get a craving for something, I usually just go get it and then the craving goes away. I definitely indulge when the need strikes! I have craved Mexican food a few times lately, but I haven't eaten it in weeks. I'm waiting on a reeeeally good opportunity.

Weight Gain: As of my appointment Tuesday, I'm sitting at a total gain of 16.2 pounds. My doctor was impressed and happy with the loss from that 12 pound jump and just wants me to continue monitoring until due date. I so wish that at around week 38, assuming I make it that far, I could just start shoving food in my mouth and enjoy at least a whole week of the "typical pregnancy" some women have where they just don't give a shit and eat what they want when they want. But I know that's not a good idea, even for the tiny women who do it! Healthy mama, healthy baby!

Glucose Test: I failed. By 6 little points. My blood sugar was 146, and their cut-off is 140. Some offices dictate 135 and some say 150 is the magic number. If only I went to a 150 office! I seriously could have cried. I was so disappointed, but then my doctor came in and explained that he wasn't worried about it. There could be a multitude of reasons why my blood sugar was elevated and most women fail by wayyy more than 6 points. Even still, I will go back in three weeks for the three hour test, and he thinks I'll do just fine. I can't help but feel a little... Helpless. I'm trying to have the "perfect pregnancy," realizing at the same time that it is not possible. It's yucky and annoying sometimes, and we have absolutely no control over some of the things our bodies are doing. Having gestational diabetes is one of them. Either I do or I don't, and I've got to get over it and stop worrying. If I do, it's okay. I've stayed healthy and will continue doing so. If not? When I leave my OB's office on July 22nd, I'm headed straight for the Mexican restaurant for a humongous, well-deserved quesadilla.

Up Next: Bathing suit for the beach has been ordered! Check out this super sexy number in cobalt. No, I will not post any modeling pictures. I'd hate to put a virus on your device. I also ordered a black tankini top to match some hot pink bottoms I have from last summer.

Vaught's room is coming along very nicely! I recently got a duvet cover and shams on clearance for $11 at Target, as well as navy curtains for $10! Carousel Designs, where his baby bedding was ordered, is also running a 4th of July sale where everything is 20% off, so I got him a changing pad cover last week for $32! A few nights ago, Eric and I put his Eddie Bauer play yard together (pack-n-play, basically), and I got his crib mattress, so we are almost set!  I just need some minor décor items, and I want to get even more organized in his room! It's getting more and more real! He will be in my arms in three months or less!

 

My first baby shower: August 3rd, hosted by two of my best friends, Cheslin and Anna Kate! I'm so excited!!! One of the main things I'm looking forward to?? Anna Kate's coffee punch: my favorite!

Twerk-n-Jerk: One of my July goals is to work out at the gym four times a week. Sometimes I get lazy and might only make it there once or twice. When I work out at home, I'm not as motivated; I move slower and take more water breaks. Usually my dogs will interrupt me, so I'll play with them for a minute or two, often totally forgetting what rep I was on or what exercise I was even doing. At the gym, I move fast and get a lot of work done in less than an hour. Where do I get my workouts? Michelle Marie Fit.  I am obsessed with her workouts, and they can be tapered to fit any woman's workout style! A few of the ones I've been doing lately are below. Give them a try! You feel incredible afterwards!

For the days when I have only half an hour :)

I get a serious burn from this one for several hours!

Gotta keep the legs in check; pregnancy has made mine thicker!!

Belly Shots

I know I should probably wear more fitted clothes for these pictures, but I hope it's obvious that the roundness and poke-out-ness is all baby!



Every Thursday I have to go take belly pictures for my dad in our bathroom at work... He says it's his favorite thing about Thursday now :)

 

I can't believe we're only twelve weeks away from meeting face to face! I cannot wait to hold this little guy! My friends with children keep telling me that there's just something about little boys and their mama's; I can't wait to find out!

Second Trimester Survival: Must-Haves

     No, I'm not a seasoned, professional pregnant girl, but I do feel like I now specialize in the area of surviving the second trimester! So many women told me that the second trimester was golden, and it took me about two weeks to realize that for the most part, they were right! I was hit with some bad back pain, but it beat the heck out of it being exhausted all day, every day, feeling as if I could sleep at my desk from 8 to 4!

     As I reflected on the second trimester and how wonderful it really was, I concluded that it definitely deserves it's very own blog post about what helped me get through it and enjoy it as much as possible! For expectant moms, I hope it's as golden for you as it was for me!

 

 

Old Faithful... AKA a heating pad/icepack

When the back pain began getting really tough for me, heat/ice pack was my best friend. Some days ice felt better for inflammation, while the heat was a great muscle soother for other days. This was $15 at my chiropractor's office, but you can find them much cheaper at drugstores. I've also heard of pregnant women wearing those icy hot wraps during the day. Never tried it, but I'm sure they're amazing!

Tylenol

 

The "safe" drug for pregnant women. Two tablets every morning helped combat the minor headaches that continued into trimester two and the back pain. I'm no longer popping pills every morning (except for that lovely prenatal vitamin that I forget nearly every day), but I still keep a bottle of these in my bag at all times.

Water

 

And LOTS of it. Trimester Two is a thirsty one, so keep a cold bottled water close by. While at school, I was making trips to the water fountain to fill up my tumbler every half hour. In addition, I was making just as frequent trips to the bathroom, but after a dehydration scare (accompanied by a $500 emergency room bill just to find out I needed something to drink), I learned to keep my fluids nearby! This summer, as I'm walking around the hot streets of Holly Springs running errands for work, I've kept this cup with me. I'm always sipping on my ice water!

Cute, comfy nightgown

 

At a certain point, pajama pants just won't stay put and are too uncomfortable on a growing belly. I love my Victoria's Secret gowns that I've had forever, but my mom and I recently found ones at Walmart that read "Drink Coffee & Be Happy." Of course, we each just had to have one, and now it's my favorite!

Yoga Pants

 For that awkward phase (mine was weeks 17-20) when you're not far enough along for maternity pants but your pre-pregnancy pants are a little too snug. I started wearing yoga pants to work every day with a t-shirt or tank top and cardigan. I'm sure I looked pretty basic some days, but hey, at least I was comfortable!

Fast Food

But not that kind of fast! I'm talking about quick snacks and even meals that you can throw in your bag on the way out the door because trust me, when hunger strikes, it strikes HARD. Just a couple of weeks into the second trimester I learned the importance of keeping something edible on me at all times. My mother and I were in a junk store looking around, and I knew I was getting hungry, but I still didn't suggest we go. After a little while, I told her that we were going to need to leave pretty soon and at least get me a Coke or something with a little sugar, as I was getting hungrier by the minute. My mother kept saying "Okay, I'm almost done... Just one more trip around the store..." After twenty minutes of this, I grabbed her arm and said "If you do not get me out of this store and to a place with food, I am going to kill you." She made a beeline for the checkout and since then, she makes a point to hurry it up the minute I tell her I'm hungry! Pregnancy hunger is like no other!!

Maxi Dress/Skirt

A great maxi dress you can wear anywhere. Church, parties, work, showers and more showers, maxi dresses become your go-to style. Coming from a self-proclaimed shop-a-holic who rarely wears a really great outfit more than two-three times, I've realized that with a pregnancy wardrobe, you just gotta find a few things that fit and get as much wear out of them as you can. It doesn't last forever, so don't go spend hundreds. Also, don't just head to the maternity section; shop for things a size or two up as well. It's much cheaper!

Comfy Shoes

I may "only" be 28 weeks, but so far, all of my shoes still fit perfectly fine, including my favorite Nike tennis shoes. I'm telling you, water-only is the way to get out of all that ankle swelling! I also love my Teva flip flops. These are the second pair I've owned (RIP to the first pair, destroyed by Anabelle). I suppose they are like Chaco rip-offs. I once saved my money for a pair of Chaco's, got to Kinnucan's and tried on five different pair in my size. I thought they were heavy and clunky and made my size ten feet look even bigger. Then I saw these hanging on the wall, and I've not looked back. They're amazing. The soles are a rubber, foamy material, so they're super squishy and great for people with high arches like mine!

NOT uncomfortable lace up your rear end...

A great pair of... underwear? Yikes, I said it, but it's true. "Sexy" panties kind of went out the window for me at about five months, so I now opt for comfort instead. It's my personal belief that since these come from Victoria's Secret, they are not "granny panties." :) Go for the hip-huggers or bikini styles from VS!

A good support system...

And I found that in stretchy sports bras. I wear these religiously anyway, but they've been especially helpful during pregnancy for days when I just don't even want to deal with a regular, wired bra. For years, I have only bought the meshy, spandex bras with no binding around the bust. I get most of mine at Target, but they also have some great ones for super cheap at TJMaxx.

Did I leave anything out? What helped you make it through lovely Trimester Two??

Only 12 more weeks until Vaught and I get to meet!