29 Week Update (I know it's late...)

I'm writing this really late... later than any other week update. I'll be 30 weeks in 30 minutes...

So this past week I have actually been able to sleep!! Thank goodness! It has been a struggle sleeping since I have found that every so often I wake up on my back. Don't worry, I use a million pillows to prop myself up, but it's something that has been happening to me. 

One annoying thing, when I wake up in the morning and hop out of bed my feet are instantly killing me! It's like I've been on my feet for days straight in bad shoes. Eventually it does get better as I move, so I just might be stiff but still annoying. 

Speaking of feet, I have been starting to swell more. I can tell the days that I'm busy and don't have time to sit for a bit that I swell more. So I've been trying to take it easy and rest more through the day. 

We live in Southern California and the summer heat mixed with my ever-changing hormones has been getting the best of me. I feel like I'm always hot and sweaty! I have never experienced this kind of heat and I usually love the summer. Now, I'm trying to find anything that I can be comfortable in and be in as much AC as possible!

As for my weight, I have gained a total of 14 pounds so far. My doctor says I'm on track for my weight and not to worry!

I did pass my glucose test! And trust me, I celebrated with chocolate cake!

Until next time,

Kandi

Third Trimester! 28 Week Update

We have made it to the third trimester! We are 2/3 of the way done with this pregnancy! We have about 12 weeks until Jack will be here. We are prepared if he comes early and hoping he won't be too overdue. We are too excited to meet him!

Sleep has continued to be a shaky thing. Some nights I don't sleep at all and others I sleep like a baby. Lots of friends keep telling me to get used to it or that it doesn't get better. I'm just trying to rest while I can! I will nap any chance I can now!

Heartburn has slowly been getting worse. I have found that the Healthy Mama Tame the Flame works the best for me. It's like tums but minty and no after taste.

I had my Glucose test this week. It wasn't too bad, I think it was hyped up more. I made sure to make the earliest appointment I could so not too many people had to deal with me without coffee. I was given the orange flavor which tastes like warm, flat orange soda. The worst part wasn't the blood drawing or waiting, it was the sugar crash I got about 2.5 hours after drinking the nasty drink. I made sure to bring a big bottle of water and some snacks for immediately after my second blood draw. After I got home I did a few things then instantly started feeling like crap. Before I knew it I took a nap for over an hour!

Lately I have been really noticing my belly stretching. If I turn to one side too quickly I get sharp pains around my middle. I'm guessing my round ligament pain is getting worse as he keeps growing. I'm hoping that it doesn't get too bad right at the end.

I have also been having swollen feet quite a bit. I was expecting this to get worse, but it still sucks. No one wants to feel like they have "cankles" all the time. I'm just hoping it doesn't get worse. It surprisingly hurts quite a bit when they are really swollen.

We have been lots of the final baby shopping done. I know I'm doing things early, but I wanted to be able to get everything we need while I'm still working. That way we aren't worrying about any extra expenses. I'm figuring I will work till the end of August when I'm 36 weeks, but that is creeping up so fast.

We did get our stroller and carseat! I will be be doing a post all about them!

Until next time,

Kandi

Salsa Chicken

One of our favorite go to dishes that is super universal: Salsa Chicken.

It's so sticking simple to make.

Here's what you need:
Chicken Breasts (how ever many you would like for your family)
Salsa of your choice
CrockPot

Simply place your chicken breasts into the the crockpot, they can be thawed or frozen. (We usually go the frozen route and just start it in the morning before work.) Cover half way up the chicken with salsa, it will be one to two cups of salsa.

If you are in a time crunch, place it on high and it will be cooked between 2-4 hours depending on the amount of chicken breasts and if frozen or thawed.

Once its cooked, we shred it up and but it on everything! Nachos, tacos, salads, as a snack, etc.

It's just so easy!

Until next time,

Kandi

27 Week Update

It's the last week of my second trimester....

I have made it, well basically, two thirds of the way.

I only have 13 more weeks or 90 more days till my due date.

I'm still not getting much sleep. My doctor says it's normal, all hormones, and told me to get used to it. Friends and family say it's the worst part of pregnancy. I will go all day, maybe have a nap or rest, and then not be able to fall asleep till around 2 am.

I have kept with my normal bedtime routine but it's been no help. I've tried warm baths. I've really tried it all. I will try to fall asleep around 10pm with my husband. I end up just laying there and having every thought race through my head. I will be exhausted and ready for bed, then all the sudden by wide awake. So I just get out of bed and so something until I can fall asleep. I'll do laundry, paperwork, pick up the house, you get my drift.

I've also been having sweaty feet and clammy hands. Eww, I know. All I have to thank is hormones.

We have finished most of our shopping for Jack. I placed a big order on Target.com for some of the last things we need. I know I'm early, but I'm a planner and like things done early. I have been setting things up in the nursery, but I'm excited to get the final things in the room and start organizing the room. I love the initial organization of a room and cannot wait to have his room ready and waiting!

I have began swelling more. I notice my ankles and my feet are swollen by the end of the day. I try to stop a couple times during the day and put up my feet, but life doesn't always work that way. I've now noticed that my hand are starting to swell if the dangle too long. I end up holding my arms like a T-Rex, looking a little ridiculous, but it helps! I've found that not many of my shoes (I miss my Keds) fit or are comfortable too long. At least I can still wear flip flops!

Now, my biggest issue and something I've put off for a while, my left hip. I talked a little bit about it in my 17 week update but basically I have a bad hip. I've been told since I was 19 that I would need a c-section (that's still up in the air) and could have issues whenever I got pregnant. As a precaution when I got pregnant my doctor gave me Tylenol+Codeine to take as needed for my hip pain but it just gave me the dry heaves. My doctor then gave me an anti-nausea medicine to take with the Tylenol+Codeine but that made me feel horrible and I couldn't get off the couch. I was then given Tramadol around 20 weeks which I have been taking every night to help with the pain.

At my last appointment my doctor offered me stronger pain meds, which I declined because I would like to go as long as I can before adding too much medication into my system. But, when I got back for my next appointment in two weeks I will be asking for it. I am having more pain and it's to the point to where I get so uncomfortable that I just want to cry. I have a high pain tolerance so it takes quite a bit to make me get to this point. I have so much pressure between my legs, pressure onto my hip joint from Jack moving and growing, and horrible lower back pain. My hips have widened quite a bit and I still have more to go as my ligaments loosen to prepare for birth.

I'm hoping to make it as far as I can with being as active as I can during my last trimester of my pregnancy. My biggest fear has been bed rest because I would go stir crazy!

Picking Jack's Name & 26 Week Update

It honestly didn't take long to pick a name for our little boy. In fact, we had his name picked out for over a year before we even decided to have kids. One night we joking talked about kids names and came the the conclusion on ones we liked. We had a girl and boy name ready for whenever we decided we were ready.

Well, after being told that we might have issues getting pregnant we finally decided to begin trying since it could be a long road ahead. Only a few months later we found out we were pregnant! 

Fast forward a few more months and we found out we were having a boy! I knew, it was like magic, that I knew we were having a boy! From then we started calling him by his name.

We continued the format of our names: name + family name + last name. He'll be: Jack Willis.

We choose Jack because its a classic name but not overly used. It's a simple name and you can find it on souvenirs. It's also the name some of our favorite movie characters. And its easy to yell durning those fun mischievous kid days.

Willis is my Great Grandpa's first name. He was someone who was incredibly special to me and passed away when I was least expecting it. I wish he could have seen me have Jack and any of our future children, but I'm lucky to get to honor him this way. 

This past week my sleep hasn't gotten any better. I'm up late and try to get all the rest I can. It's hard to sleep on either side and I always wake out to be on my back. I have a feeling I will need to try and sleep in my "recliner" position again.

I'm back to no being interested in food. Nothing sounds good and I never know what to eat. I still eat, don't worry. I just make whatever sounds good for David and eat that. 

Jack is growing like crazy and I can feel my skin starting to stretch more and more. He also kicks like crazy, so much that I can see my stomach move!

I have only gained 10 pounds total so far and the doctor says I'm right where I need to be. I have about 10-15 more pounds to gain by the end. 

Until next time,

Kandi