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!

Our Baby Shower

I choose to have my baby shower earlier than the norm. It seems most have their show around 32 weeks pregnant and I'm almost 25 weeks. 

I choose to have my shower early mainly because I have been told to prepare for bed rest and how for the best. This is all because of my hip, yes the one I always reference. I have been told since I was about 19 years old that I would be on bedrest quite a bit through pregnancy and have a c-section. So, I wanted to have my shower to be able to enjoy it! I am slowly having issues with my hip, but nothing to stop me from having fun any time soon!

Second reason I choose to have my shower early, to have time to finish preparing for little man's arrival and not feel stressed with a time crunch. Remember, I like to be prepared!

So, now that we have that out of the way, here's how I did my shower!

I did plan most of this my self but had lots of help from my best friend, Katey! 

I choose to keep it very simple. I wanted this so there wasn't a rush, it was fun and relaxing, people got to visit, and I didn't stress over things.

We had the shower at my parents house since they have lots of room. It ended up being almost 90*F! A lot warmer than planned but at least it was nice!

I did ask for books over cards in the invitation. I loved the idea that our family and close friends could pick their favorite book and we could read it Jack (name post coming soon!) as he grew up. 

In keeping things simple, I kept the "games" simple too! We had more stations of things to do instead of lots of games:

• Sign the onesie - just like a guestbook
• Guess the due date
• How many M&M's in the bottle?
• Decorate the bibs
• Don't say baby!
• Advice cards
• Prediction of size cards
• Guess the side of mom's belly

For food, I once again kept things simple. I forgot to get a picture of the table covered in food, so just imagine! We did water and lemonade for drinks. I had chips, pretzels, and some different dips out first. We then got three trays of sandwiches from our local grocery store to save us time and the mess of making them. And after, I had cupcakes from my favorite bakery and a variety of different cookies.

At the very end of the day, I finally remembered to snap a few more pictures! I was able to get a good photo of David and I from our big day. He's not a picture fan, so I take what I can get!

And of course a belly shot! I found my dress at Target on sale! I was planning to get this dress anyway, it's cotton, comfy, and can be used after being pregnant. And my Birkenstocks, not that glamours but what are comfortable to wear now.

And I couldn't forget a picture with Katey! I couldn't have done this without her!

The only thing I would have done differently: taken more photos! I forgot to get one with my parents and even my roommates from college! But I'm thankful for what we do have!

I haven't shared what I got as far as presents so I don't brag. I will be showing more photos of the nursery here soon and show off a bit of what we got!

Until next time,

Kandi

Planning this Week

If you know me, I am a planner.

I like to plan my days and weeks out. If I don't write things down, I forget. I have discovered the world of making your plain planner a little decorative.

It's a big black hole of fun.

Here's what this week looks like for me!

Until next time,

Kandi

I'm late... 21 Week Update

This past week I have been exhausted. I worked everyday and still managed the house (even though I should have let it go a bit... I wouldn't have cared). 

We have been blessed and I have been able to work part time so far this pregnancy. I was so exhausted, nauseous, and had so many headaches during the first trimester that I didn't know if I could handle the work load I had before. I started part time around 11 weeks and its been manageable for me.

But, I'm still waiting for my energy to come back like all the pregnancy books and apps say... it really hasn't come yet. I'm still tired and get exhausted easy. I've tried all sorts of things to get energy, but thank goodness for the one cup of coffee I drink a day. I always chug water as much as I can, the constant trips to the bathroom keeps me up and moving.

Speaking of coffee, I cannot wait for the day that I can drink three cups with out worrying. As soon as we found out we were expecting I cut down my caffeine intake immediately. I was a 3-5 cup of caffeine type of person... Now with only one cup in the morning because I need it, I function as well I can. I like a little french vanilla creamer and whipped cream in it. It helps keep the heartburn down and tastes good. I know I could switch to tea, but I think coffee if more of a placebo so I just drink it.

I haven't updated about my cravings and adversities lately, but the truth is they haven't really changed. Fruit always sounds good and I can eat Mexican food until my heartburn is killing me. Every so often something sweet sounds good, so I'll have a cookie or something. I do like ice cream. I have a little almost every night. 

I have finally gained some weight. I was 152 at 9 weeks and lost almost 10 pounds by the time I was 13 week. I'm finally up to 155 at 21 weeks. The doctor said I'm doing good and don't need to stress about gaining weight. I'm not going to lie, it's been hard thinking I need to gain weight after trying to loose some. But I'm up for anything that will ensure we will have a healthy baby.

I haven been congested. And it's not been fun. My normal crazy seasonal allergies are mixed with the hormonal pregnancy congestion are having fun with my body. Hot showers, a cool mis humidifier, an essential oil diffuser, and trying to sleep propped up... anything that could help.

But, I have felt our little guy kick! And kick a lot! When we had our anatomy ultrasound at 20 weeks I felt him kick as the tech pushed on him and tried to get him to cooperate. I had been assuming he was higher than he was, but no, he was able bladder level. Once I knew what it felt like for him to kick, he hasn't stopped kicking! Being more aware of his movement, I can tell that he likes his room. He's not a fan when I have a full bladder, when I have eaten a bigger meal or when we are pushing on him. He likes to kick hard and catch me off guard. I notice him the most when I sit down to relax or when falling asleep. 

Well, onto next week!

Until next time,

Kandi

Is this NESTING?

Lately I've been getting this wild hair to organize or clean out something in the house! I didn't think nesting could start this early but it sure seems like it! 

I'm not really complaining about nesting because it's getting all these random projects or just things that need to get done, well, they are getting done!

I keep going through my make up. I mean, really going though my stash! I am a huge make up lover. I love trying new products and finding hidden gems. This all comes with a price because I have collected quite a bit of make up over the years. 

I've been going though everything, tossing whats gone bad and setting aside gently used items to pass onto friends and family. I have downsides my collection about a third of what it used to be. I'm finding that I'm a lot more practical about what I like to use and what to keep. I'm not getting everything insight to just try it out. I've made progress.

I've also been talking our kitchen... it need it. We recently got a butcher block for this awkward will in our kitchen. I've rearranged a few cabinets from when we first moved in. And, I organized our pantry.

Thanks to Pinterest, I got the idea to use a shoe organizer for the small things in a pantry so they don't get lost in the dark abyss. We have a pretty deep pantry, but the actual shelves are not deep at all. I'm still on the hunt for some good ideas to use all our available space.

I have also:

• Hung more pictures on our walls! It's been making this place feel more like a home!
• I organized our laundry area! There are still plenty more things I want to do in that space, but I've gotten a good head start!
• And of course the nursery!

There will be more to come, I can promise that. I have this list of honey-do's to make this house more us and more functional. 

Until next time,

Kandi