25 Week Pregnancy Blog

Good morning!

It's been a while since I have posted a pregnancy update, so I thought I would today. I am officially 6.5 months pregnant which is crazy and only 2 weeks away from my 3rd trimester! This pregnancy has flown and I'm so thankful for our healthy, quickly growing baby. Everything has been going very well and I'm loving being pregnant. If you want all the update details, keep reading! :)


Written on Tuesday September 30, 2014

How far along? 25 weeks 5 days (2 weeks away from the 3rd trimester!)

Baby: Head to heel, Peanut now measures about 13.5 inches and weighs a pound and a half (the size of an eggplant or an ear of corn!). Right now the baby is long and lean, but is starting to gain some baby fat (half a pound will be put on this week alone). The wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and the lungs are continuing to develop. Baby is also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture -- so cool!

Total Weight Gain: My thyroid levels are finally in the "normal" range! This has been a battle my entire pregnancy (they were crazy off in the beginning), so I'm very grateful that they have finally leveled out and are healthy. I'm continuing to get my thyroid levels checked each month.  If you didn't know, hypothyroidism dramatically affects your weight, so it was hard to tell what my true weight gain was. That being said, my weight gain should be fairly accurate now and so far I've gained 11 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: I'm going back and forth between bigger regular clothes and maternity clothes. My belly had grown a little more, so the maternity clothes are now looking cute! Still wearing the baby band for most pants. The belly band has been a life saver throughout my pregnancy because it allows me to still wear all my regular pants and shorts!

Stretch Marks: Still trying to be disciplined with the stretch mark cream and doing fairly well at it. No stretch marks as of yet, so I am hoping what I am doing is working and keeping my skin moisturized (at least for now!).

Sleep: I'm still super sleepy which is similar to weeks past. I'm just lacking energy all the time. I had a long weekend and was able to catch up on sleep which was so nice! I seem to drag all day, but if I take a nap then I can't sleep at night. I am waking up a little more often during the night, but nothing that bad. I've started using a little pillow to support my belly while sleeping some nights, but I don't need it as of yet. It does make sleeping more comfy :)

Miss Anything? Still missing regular coffee! And wanting it more and more. Why do we always want what we can't have?! I also miss having energy! But besides those small things, I love being pregnant! I've had such a smooth pregnancy so far that it's hard to have any complaints.

Best Moment of the Week: Registering for Peanut and picking out some furniture for the nursery! Also, yesterday Josh and I were able to spend an entire day together free of work, school and phone calls. It was wonderful! We are trying to enjoy this time when it's just the two of us.

Movement: Still feeling a good bit of movement. Sometimes the movements aren't as strong and I only really notice them if I am paying attention or sitting still. Sometimes they are big! The baby moves the most when I am relaxed and laying down. I was able to see some movement under my skin this week which is the coolest thing! Also, the baby got hiccups twice this week -- it's the funniest thing to watch!

Food Cravings: Sweets! Although I'm trying to tone it down because I have my glucose test next week. Hoping to pass the first time around!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Thankfully, no.

Gender: Surprise!

Symptoms: I was experiencing achy hips and back, but that has gone away for now. I'm still tired and still dealing with hormonal acne off and on. The biggest symptom I'm experiencing is Braxton Hicks contractions! So crazy they can happen this early. My uterus just tightens and hardens like a rock and you can distinctly see where the baby is. It's very weird! I asked my doctor about it and apparently as long as they aren't frequent (like 6 times in an hour), then it's just fine. So crazy my body is already gearing up for labor!

Happy or moody: Happier!

Looking forward to: Finishing up registering and working on the nursery...there is still a lot to be done! Less than 15 weeks to go! We can't wait to meet our baby! :) 

Getting Out Of Your Comfort Zone

We all dread it, maybe some more than others, but know it's a necessary part of life: the nerve-racking experience of getting out of your comfort zone that is! If you are like me, it's usually awkward and filled with nervous moments. There's that little bit of fear in the pit of your stomach knowing that you aren't quite sure what's coming next, but you really wish you had a clue. As my 26th birthday rapidly approaches (less than 2 days!), I can say that getting out of your comfort zone is such an important part of life and allows us to be challenged. It's really one of the only ways we can experience growth. I have always been very hesitant at trying new things, afraid of what could possibly happen. I think about being judged, failing, what others will think, and how I won't know exactly what to do as I embark on the unknown path. These things usually hold me back from experiencing more. As I close out this year of my life and begin a new one, getting out of my comfort zone is at the top of my list for my 26th year on this earth. Since this year will also include having a baby, I'm sure this will be an easy goal to accomplish ;) I want to not be afraid to try everything and anything. Life is so short, ya'll. Like ridiculously short. It's already flying by for me. I don't want to get to the end of my life and realize I was too fearful of getting out of my comfort zone that I missed out on the most exciting things in life, which usually start out by taking a shaky step into the unknown.

Recently, my Sunday school class started a study on prayer. You might be wondering how this all ties in? Well, I have always been a little fearful of prayer. Prayer requires intimacy with God. It requires discipline. Prayer requires getting out of your comfort zone. I've never been the best with prayer. I've always wanted to be better, but then other things catch my attention and I soon forgot my goal. I can't sit still long enough to focus on God and always feel a little awkward when I do. I thought, there's no way I could ever develop a prayer life like these other awesome Christians that I know. They pray for hours on end, I couldn't possibly do that! I was intimidated and almost too afraid to even try.

All these doubts filled my head: What would I talk about for that long? I'll probably sound awkward. My prayers won't sound eloquent enough. I won't sound smart enough or "Christian" enough. What if I don't feel how I'm supposed to feel while being in God's presence? What if I just sound selfish? God doesn't care about my petty problems. I'll feel guilty for not coming to Him enough. Wow, I'm a horrible person for not praying more especially because there are so many people in my life that need prayer.

Needless to say, I knew when we started this book on prayer that I would be pushed out of my comfort zone. I knew I would need to practice praying more and knew it was something I seriously slacked on. I usually avoided it because I didn't want to deal with the unknown. We are a few weeks into the study and I am slowly breaking down these prayer barriers I have built. I've been trying to push myself during those moments I know God is calling me to pray. I've been carving out time to be with Him. I've been making lists of people in my life who need prayer and been actively trying to pray for them. I've even sat in silence and prayed. And you know what? It wasn't that bad, in fact, it's been really great! Yeah, it usually starts off a little rocky, but by the end I'm more comfortable than ever.

Today, I went on a walk during my lunch break. I've been trying to get out and go walking more lately while the weather is so beautiful. I typically listen to worship music on my walks and find myself spending time with God in that way. While that is great, I could feel God tugging at my heart to turn off the music and just talk to Him. I usually don't listen to that tugging and continue on with my music, convincing myself that worship music is plenty pleasing to God. While it definitely is, I know God wanted more from me and He also wanted me to experience more. So today, I decided to turn off my music and step outside of my comfort zone which included walking in silence while praying to God. Yes, I've done this before, but I wanted to really push myself and make it more than just a few minutes of prayer. I started praying and soon couldn't stop. When I finished my walk, I realized I had prayed without ceasing for a whole 20 minutes...quite an accomplishment for me. :)

Getting out of my comfort zone paid off today because I got to experience a special time with God that I wouldn't have if I had just stuck with what was easy and known to me. This is one specific example in my life, but trust me, there are so many more areas where I need to step out of my comfort zone. It's scary, yet so rewarding. Life is short and fleeting, so why not take risks and push ourselves even when it's uncomfortable? What do we have to lose? There are so many times playing it safe is the best option, but not always. The older I get I realize that the best things in life usually start off a little scary and take risk. You may feel silly or awkward giving them a try. You may have no idea what people will think or what will come out of taking that chance. But the experience that comes with trying and succeeding at something new because you found the courage to get out of your comfort zone is so much sweeter than playing it safe ever could be.

23 Week Pregnancy Blog

Written on Monday September 15, 2014

How far along? 23 weeks 5 days

Baby: The baby's sense of movement is now well developed and the baby can you me dance and move.  Peanut is now more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (the size of a mango). I may be able to see her squirm underneath my clothes. Blood vessels in the lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze Peanut when she/he hears them outside the womb.

Total Weight Gain: I'm still teetering between a 10 -11 lb. weight gain (125-126). I can tell Peanut is growing, so that makes me happy! I am also happy that I am still gaining weight steadily.

Maternity Clothes: I'm still using my belly band almost every day and have found some of my regular clothes work well as maternity wear. I also have a few maternity shirts and shorts that I wear regularly. I'm still not huge, so regular maternity clothes are big. I am showing more and more though!

Stretch Marks: Still trying to be disciplined with the stretch mark cream and doing fairly well at it. My skin was slightly itchy this week which I assume means I need more moisture!

Sleep: I was super sleepy this week. I just don't have as much energy as I used to. I've been napping some still, but not as much. Life doesn't always allow for a nap :( I've been trying to go to bed earlier, so that I am more rested in the morning. I've also been using a small pillow to support my belly while sleeping. I don't need it as of right now, but it makes sleeping more comfortable and supports my belly so there isn't as much pressure.

Miss Anything? Still missing regular coffee! (And wanting it more and more). Missing having energy and going on runs. Now that the weather is cooling down, I am dying to go on a run! I guess walking will have to do for now :)

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling movement multiple times each day. I just LOVE it!

Movement: I felt Peanut SO much this past week. I feel the baby move multiple times every day and am now feeling the kicks while I'm standing or moving around. It's the best feeling and the coolest thing! Josh and I love laying there feeling kicks and movement. I also saw a little movement through my skin this weekend. It kind of looked like a muscle spasm!

Food Cravings: SWEETS! I am loving sugar these days. I want it so badly each day but try to limit myself to something small. I literally look at pictures of desserts and plan sweets I want to make or buy. I'm thinking Peanut is a momma's baby on this one! :)

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender: Surprise! Although not a single soul on earth thinks it's a girl! Haha. We did the string test this weekend with my in-laws and it predicted boy (not surprising). Either everyone will already know the gender when Peanut arrives or everyone will be completely shocked! It will be fun to see :) I still think boy, but believe it could easily be a girl too!

Symptoms: Feeling lots of pressure, thrush in my mouth, acne has improved, crazy fast growing nails!, constipation is still an issue, the worst symptom so far has been achy hips after exercise or sitting still for a long time (it's so painful!) and general lack of energy.

Happy or moody: All over the place!

Looking forward to: Registering and working on the nursery...there is still a lot to be done! Less than 17 weeks to go!

Fit Pregnancy Tips -- First & Second Trimester

While it would be really easy to just sit on the couch, veg, and indulge in all your favorite cravings your entire pregnancy (believe me this is a daily temptation for me), I believe that taking care of your body during pregnancy plays a huge part in having a healthy pregnancy, as well as, an easier post-partum recovery. I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my first child and have made a big effort to try to have a healthy pregnancy. I wanted to share some of my "fit pregnancy" experiences so far and the lessons I have learned along the way. I can only go off my experiences thus far and some of you may not find this to be a credible source since I have not actually gone through a full- term pregnancy, delivery and post-partum period yet. But like I said, this is my advice based on my experience of pregnancy so far and this is what is working well for me!

1. Exercise before pregnancy. The biggest thing my OBGYN told me concerning exercise during pregnancy is that I was allowed to continue doing the exercises I had already been doing, but I was not to start anything new that would be too strenuous on my body. Luckily, I had been working out before pregnancy, so I was able to keep up a pretty active exercise routine. Unfortunately, pregnancy isn't the time to start anything new which might limit you if you weren't very active prior to pregnancy. My best advice is if you plan on getting pregnant any time soon, try to develop an exercise routine now. It doesn't need to be anything too demanding, but something that you will be able to keep up during your pregnancy.

2. Continue exercising during your first trimester. I was very nervous about exercising once I found out I was pregnant. My biggest regret is that I stopped running immediately after finding out I was pregnant. Being a long-time runner, giving it up completely was a big deal for me. I was just too scared to mess with it and was terrified of hurting the baby. If I had to do it again, I would have continued running just with less intensity. That being said, I did continue to do the elliptical at the gym, lift light weights with more repetitions, and go on long walks and hikes. It was very nerve-racking exercising in the first trimester for me and it might be for you as well. It's important for you to keep up what you had already been doing knowing that your body is used to the intensity and can handle it. Also, if you stop exercising in the first trimester, it's going to make trying to get back out there in the second trimester a lot harder. Stay consistent with your routine and your body will naturally adjust to exercising during pregnancy.

3. Stay active in your second trimester. Exercising in the first trimester was a breeze for me once I got over the fear of hurting my baby. I didn't experience any morning sickness, wasn't overly exhausted, and didn't have a belly. It basically felt the same as it always had. The challenge came in the second trimester when my belly got bigger, I felt more pressure on my stomach, and I lacked energy. What I soon learned is that for me staying active is key to feeling good and having energy during the second trimester. Not only did it give me more energy, but staying active has also allowed me to feel good during my second trimester. It has helped me feel like the weight I am putting on is healthy weight because I know I'm taking care of my body and my baby by staying active. I quickly learned that staying active doesn't mean I need to always be at the gym. I have found alternate ways to get out there and move around that don't always include much intensity and are low-impact. I go on walks a lot. I even started walking some days during my lunch break just to move around and get away from sitting at my desk for 9 hours straight. Sitting still for a long time isn't great for pregnancy and just caused me to get sleepier and my muscles to tighten. I also go on hikes and walk trails often which allow me to get in a good workout with much less intensity and stress on my body. Some days I just focus on doing basic tasks like cleaning the house, folding the laundry, and going grocery shopping which may not seem like a big deal, but they still help me get up and moving around. All of these things combined keep me active and feeling good. My best advice for the second trimester is to stay active despite your lack of energy and be creative with how you stay active. I try to do something active at least 5 days a week, but I usually only go to the gym 2 days a week. The other 3-4 days a week I just try to make an effort not to come home and sit on the couch all night which after a 9 hour work day and commuting is very tempting!

4. Take the time to rest and listen to your body. With everything I said about being active in mind, also remember how important it is to take the time to rest during pregnancy. We are growing a human inside of us and that's hard work! Some days it might be a good idea to take a nap instead of hitting the gym, believe me your body will thank you! Just like with any workout regime, it's also important to remember to have rest days where you give your body a break. For me, that usually means having a couch day where I do sit and veg, take a nap, and don't worry about having to get up and do anything. While trying to have fit pregnancy, it's so important that we listen to our bodies. Some days while working out, I take it down a notch because I can tell my body is tired or I'm feeling more pressure than normal. If you know you would benefit more from sleeping in than going on a walk, it's important to get that rest. Don't push yourself past where you know is a healthy point for you and that comes with listening to your body and taking the time to rest and relax. Remember that having a fit pregnancy isn't about losing weight. It's about taking care of yourself and your baby which includes rest and not pushing yourself too hard.

5. Recruit your husband in your pregnancy fitness journey. Exercise and healthy eating is always much easier with a partner than doing it alone. Get out there and walk with your husband! This has become a favorite activity for me and my husband. We love going on walks together a few nights a week. It allows us time to talk about our days and get in some low-impact exercise. We also love to go hiking on local trails around our house. We bring our dog and make it a family affair. That way I'm not having to sacrifice limited time with my family, but instead it becomes a fun family activity. If you can recruit your husband to stay active with you, it will make exercise much more fun and enjoyable -- you might actually want to do it!

6. Eat everything in moderation. My last point has to do with the thing pregnancy ladies love most: FOOD! There are so many lists out there of things you should be eating and things you shouldn't. When you are tired or not feeling well, you just want to eat what you want and not have to worry about where the carrot sticks are. There's also the huge topic of pregnancy cravings. You may not want healthy foods and may be craving anything but. So far I have tried to stick with the concept of everything in moderation. I don't have some strict, perfect pregnancy diet, but I also don't give in every time I want ice cream (and good thing because that's like 3 times each day). This has worked really well for me! I'm on track with my weight gain, but I don't feel like I'm depriving myself at all. I do make an effort to eat healthy, but I usually eat something small each day that feels like a treat (usually something sweet :) ). Sometimes I have days where I just eat all the junk food I want, but not every day. The key is to try to stick with an overall healthy diet and then when an unhealthy craving hits, you don't feel guilty for giving in. It's also important to remember that although you are pregnant; gorging yourself with food isn't the best option. It's easy to justify it, but not good for you or your baby. Try to stick with everything in moderation and I feel like you will be very satisfied!

Those are some of my fit pregnancy tips! Every pregnancy is different and what works for one person may not work for another, so definitely keep that in mind. I have also been extremely blessed with a healthy pregnancy so far and am able to carry these tips out, but I do realize that based on different circumstances it's not always possible. Please let me know if you found these tips to be helpful and if you would like me to do another fit pregnancy post in the future (I'm thinking something along the lines of "My Favorite Fit Pregnancy Foods). Also, if you have any advice on having a healthy pregnancy and how to take care of your body during pregnancy, I would love to hear it! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

 

Saving Money on Food

Hello Readers,

Hopefully you are still with me! I haven't posted anything in a while as my life has been quite hectic. Between work, church, my husband starting his fall semester, and baby planning on the forefront of my mind, writing has taken a back seat. I did, however, want to get out a small blog post about something else that has been a priority of mine lately and that's saving money. Saving money on food that is. 

My husband and I are in our mid-twenties. We both work and work hard, but at this age I feel like most of us are still in that money saving, majorly budgeting stage of life. This only gets more complicated when you are expecting a baby exactly 4 months from today (crazy!). I'm constantly trying to figure out the best way to budget our money and where we can save. Like most people, one of our biggest expenses is food, definitely not very exciting, but it is where a huge chunk of our money goes. Lately, I have found a few successful ways to save money on food. I thought I would share them today in hopes that maybe some of you are in the same "Where-Can-We-Save-Money?" battle. Here are a few tips I've learned so far!

1.  Don't go grocery shopping in-between weekly trips. I don't know what you do, but I tend to go to the grocery store once a week. I'm pretty good at sticking to this, but there are usually things I forget or things that pop up during the week that I need but don't have. Lately, instead of going to the store mid-week to get those few random things that I could probably live without, I have been waiting until my weekly shop to go back to the grocery store. Only going during my specified times really helps cutting down on food cost because I'm not spending money there multiple times a week. I only go once a week. Obviously if there is something you really need, go get it. I just know I could go every day if I really wanted (we always need something), but I would end up spending much more money that way.

2. Use up what you already have. This goes off my first point. Instead of constantly buying new things once you run out, use up what you have first. This is something I've been doing more recently and it's shocking how long we can last on the food we already have without having to buy more. Lately, I've been trying to make my weekly shop very minimal and instead use up the food I already have on hand or use what I already have as the base of a recipe rather than buying all new things for a new recipe. If I run out of a particular ingredient, I see what I have on hand that would make a good substitute instead of running to the store to buy something new. This is a great way to save money and you will be surprised how much food you have built up in your pantry and freezer.

3. Only get what you NEED instead of buying ahead of time. This one all depends on sales and how much you like to plan ahead. Personally, I struggle with this one because I am a planner. If I see we are low on something, I like to go ahead and buy the replacement item immediately, so we don't run out. The problem is I find myself buying things a little too far in advance when I could wait another week to replace that item, therefore spending money before I have to. If you see something on sale or you know you will run out of it before your next shopping trip, buy it. I have just found that I can last longer without replacing items than I thought I could. I also limit what I buy to what we actually need instead of what would be nice to have. We could have 3 different kinds of chips, 4 different cereal boxes, 2 kinds of lunch meat, 3 different types of desserts and 5 pounds of ground beef, but we don't need that. I want to have choices, but only having limited choices is okay too.

4. When going out to eat -- share a plate or take a box of leftovers home with you. Josh and I rarely go out to eat, like almost never. But on the rare occasion that we do eat out, I have found a few ways to save money. Eating out can kill your wallet, I would know. Before Josh and I were married, we ate out all the time and it was such a waste of our hard earned cash. When we go out to eat now, I like to do one of two things: either share a plate of food or take half my food home and eat it as another meal. Obviously these two choices aren't always possible, but it's nice to do it when you can. We all know most restaurants give you a huge amount of food, so it's easy to share a plate with your partner or a friend. Sharing a plate means getting two meals for the price of one -- score! Another way to get two meals for the price of one is only eating half the meal and taking the rest home with you. I do this all the time. Josh and I don't really have the same food interests -- he loves pizza and I love salad, so we prefer to order separately. I am usually given much more food than I could ever finish in one sitting though. I used to let them throw away all the extra food at the end of the meal, but I have started always getting a to-go box if I have any extras. I can usually make a whole second meal out of it, therefore saving money and eating good food twice!

These are my "Saving Money on Food" tips and tricks. Sticking to these rules has allowed us to save and been very helpful for our family. These tips may seem like no-brainers to a lot of you money saving pros, but to me they are new found lessons that I felt were important enough to share. Let me know how you save money when it comes to food. I would love to hear your tips and tricks!