29 Weeks

Size of baby:  An acorn squash, measuring almost 17" long and 2.5 to 3.8 lbs.  Baby is will still have to triple his/her weight before birth!

Weight gain:  I am up only 4 lbs in the last 3 weeks, so I was right about the weight gain slowing down.  Still, I am now 150lbs... which is a new milestone.  Holy cow.  No wonder my body aches all over! At an event on Thursday night, a random woman pulled me aside to say "You are the most beautiful pregnant lady I have ever seen".  Confidence boost, thank you very much!  Much needed after seeing 150lbs on the scale (haha).

Maternity clothes:  The constant struggle... what to wear.  I haven't purchased any new maternity clothes lately, so I'm still in the same "uniform" most of the time (leggings and a sweater). 

Nursery:  If you haven't seen my post from yesterday yet, take a look.  I finally posted photos!

Development / Movement:   Baby moves like crazy.  I can now feel distinct hardness with my hands to my belly when an elbow or knee is sticking out.  Trey can feel it, too - it is so strange and yet makes me feel that much closer to this little package inside of me.  Most of the developmental work is done now - Squish is just plumping up and getting ready for birth now!  Since baby is growing fat deposits under the skin, his/her energy is surging because of it (and I'm certainly feeling it).  Baby's brain can also control his/her body temperature. The doctor tells me to get my hospital bag packed.  This doesn't mean baby is coming, but Squish could arrive any time between now and 40 weeks, so it is best to be prepared.  I know that I took Anita to the hospital at 29 weeks because she was in pre-term labour.  Thankfully, little Linden stopped his temper tantrum and didn't come that day, but it sure was scary!

Sleep:  Thursday night I woke up in the middle of the night with stabbing pains in my lower belly that lasted about 10 seconds.  It was so painful I could hardly breathe through it.  Poor Trey.  I am officially getting really bad ligament pain.  It is nothing to worry about (thank goodness for my friend Diana who is also a maternity nurse and always able to answer my crazy questions), but it sure is painful.  Aside from that episode, I really have been sleeping better than I was a few weeks previous.

What I miss:  I'm feeling ok, even though I can tell this third trimester is going to be tough.  I don't want to take this amazing thing they call pregnancy for granted.  It will be over before I know it and I'm trying to enjoy every minute.

Best moment this week:  There are always so many of these that I can't just pick one.  Trey became a Canadian citizen on Monday!  That was pretty cool and special.   I know he was happy about it.  I joined him at the ceremony and then we went out for brunch at Medina afterwards.  I also had a walk and lunch date with my two Mommy friends, Anita and Diana on Tuesday.  It was the coldest, windiest day of the year and we were packing two strollers (complete with two babies), and three dogs... it was kind of a nightmare of a walk, but we warmed up nicely afterwards at lunch.  

I also had an amazing "tummy and Mommy" facial at Skoah mid-week, amidst a ton of design work and prepping for the holidays, which was so relaxing.  On Thursday evening, Trey came with me to The Cross' 10-year anniversary and grand reopening party.  That was really nice and we picked up some gorgeous ornaments for our tree.  Last night we headed off to Nanaimo, where we are spending the weekend at a cozy little inn and taking a cooking class.  Going to meet my cousin, Melanie today and her baby girl Ashlyn for brunch/lunch, which I'm very much looking forward to!

Looking forward to: Seeing Melanie and Ashlyn today.  The cooking class tonight.  Picking out our Christmas tree on Sunday (and picking it UP after having it flocked on Tuesday).  Finishing up a sub-project of a Design Project I've been working on, as well as lots of Christmas baking.  Next weekend we head to Whistler with Anita and Jeff (and Linden), which is going to be so much fun!

Cravings: Terry's chocolate oranges are so scrumptious.  Still eating 2-3 oranges (the real fruit, this time) per day.  Same cravings lately.

Symptoms:   Ligament pain, heartburn, the sorest of feet, and a little tired.  My iron levels which are normally really good, even compared to meat-eaters, are starting to deplete as baby demands more of me.  I'm dipping a bit low on iron, but still taking supplements of course.  Doctor says I'll start feeling that first trimester exhaustion again soon (hooray).  These days I do get worn out by the end of the day but it is nothing compared to all of that sleepiness I felt in the beginning (yet).

Squishy's Nest

I've been promising this for weeks... photos of the nursery!  I finally got around to taking some good shots.  Thanks for your patience, and to everyone who helped make this nursery possible with your generous and oh-so-thoughtful gifts.  This baby is such a lucky little human!

A huge thank you goes out to Daddy Trey for his hard work in painting the room (including the pale blue ceiling).  It was a lot of work and he did it all on his own!  We used an all-natural clay-based paint.  

The walls are a pale vanilla colour, with a very pale sky-blue ceiling.  No, that doesn't mean we are having a boy.  It looks like the sky.  Girls love blue, too.  

For anyone interested, the chandelier and rug are from Pottery Barn Kids.  The crib and glider chair are from Target.  The daybed is from Ikea (converts into a King sized guest bed if we are ever over-run with guests).  The dresser is also from Ikea, which we simply affixed a change table pad to for now, so that it can grow with the baby when we no longer need a change table.

The elephant watercolour and faux fur throw (yes, faux) is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child.  The moroccan pouf is from Morocco, ordered via eBay.  The garden stool which I'll be using for my tea/water/magazines while breastfeeding is from HomeSense.  The cute white baskets in the closet are from Chapters, with chalkboard tags from Michaels.  Many of the blankets in the closet I sewed myself, and the rest were gifts.

Before anyone comments, I know there should not be stuffed animals or heavy blankets in the crib with baby.  They're just there for now because they look good!

Hope you like what we have done with this little nest.  I've mentioned it before - it is one of our favourite rooms in the house.

28 Weeks - THIRD TRIMESTER!

Here we are - officially in the third trimester!  I know this one will go much slower as we approach babe's due date, but I have to say that, so far, time has really flown by.  I've had a really wonderful pregnancy (all in all), and I  can't believe how quickly Squish has gone from being the size of a lentil to the size of an eggplant.  In no time at all, Squishy baby will be the size of a pumpkin (near the end)... it is amazing.  I know that this baby will grow just as quickly on the outside as he/she has been doing on the inside, so I'm trying to enjoy every moment.

 Size of baby:  An eggplant.  This one I can visualize.  That's pretty big, isn't it?  Approximately 15" long and 2.5 lbs.

Weight gain:  I'll be weighed at my OB's office this coming week.  I think the rapid weight gain has slowed down a bit.

Maternity clothes:   It is all I can wear.  Even large sleeping t-shirts are often a little too short in the front because of the growing bump.  I'm so thankful to be this pregnant during leggings/lulus/sweater season.  I believe I have mentioned that before.  Getting a little tired of my "uniform", but at least I'm comfortable!

Nursery:  I know I have totally slacked on posting photos of the nursery.  To be honest, I've been really busy with my design work and have put it on the back burner.  I really will have to get to it this week.  It is now probably my favourite room in our house (I wonder why)!

Development / Movement:  Baby is gaining fat and plumping up.  This means his/her wrinkly skin is smoothing out and I am told that by this time, little Squishy basically looks the way he or she will look when we meet!  Hair is still growing (Trey and I were both bald babies, so I don't know if Squish will come out with a full head of hair, but my heartburn suggests otherwise).  Baby's eyes can open and shut and sense light.  Squishy can also recognize our voices.  The lungs are mature enough that baby could probably breathe on its own if born prematurely (but we don't want to find out).  Squishy may also be having dreams!  Incredible!

Sleep:  Aside from the odd night of terrible sleep, I'm still sleeping pretty well.  I really am kind of an expert sleeper and I hope our baby takes that from me!

What I miss:  Not just wine, but booze in general.  As the holiday season approaches, I realize that I can't have egg nog, spiked cider, Bailey's and hot chocolate, and all of the other fun Christmas "cheer" that I normally love.  I also really miss undercooked eggs (ha!  That sounds gross).  If you didn't know this already, one of the food restrictions during pregnancy is eggs that aren't fully cooked.  Makes sense - but this eliminates poached eggs for 40 weeks.  I'm slowly compiling a list of foods (and drinks) that we will be enjoying the first month after baby arrives.  It includes poached eggs, wine, oysters, sushi, smoked salmon (lox), egg nog, and more wine.  Of course, not all in one meal (gross).

Best moment this week: I went to a lovely party with Renee on Thursday evening, celebrating Redfish Kids' Clothing's 1-year anniversary.  They had the store beautifully decorated, and had passed hors d'oeuvres, an open bar, and a s'mores station.  Pretty cute little event!  I also had a long overdue dinner and catch-up with my girlfriend Laura at Joe Fortes last night.  It was a delicious meal.  I haven't been there in the longest time and it was all decked out for Christmas, which we all know I go crazy for.  

Today is a good day, too.  Went with Christie to order furniture for their new place (using my design discount, of course)!  Then we had a delicious "family" brunch in Stanley Park at the Tea House with Anita, Jeff & Linden and Diana, Arman & Austin.  I think that brunch is part of the reason I'm currently missing my eggs benny.  Now we are having a quiet afternoon and Trey and I are about to put up and decorate our Christmas tree!  Tonight we are babysitting Linden and having a casual dinner at home with Christie & Sheldon.  Not a bad week at all!

My absolute best and most exciting news of the week, however - is that we found a piano!  My Christmas gift will arrive a little early!  We are ordering it today and should have it within 10-12 days.  I have been waiting years to be able to buy a grand piano and I'm so excited to finally get back into daily practicing and playing.  It is so bad that I haven't been able to play consistently over the last few years.  Can't wait to play for Squish every day and I'm so thrilled that we will have it in time for Christmas, especially since my family will be here - so Stace and I can sing/play together!

Looking forward to:  Next week I have a special facial booked at Skoah called "Tummy and Mommy".  It is the standard facial, but they add on a belly rub with lovely lotions to help with the itchiness of tight skin.  This is one of the symptoms I am having (see "Symptoms", below).  I have also been invited to The Cross' anniversary and grand reopening party on Thursday evening, which I will of course be attending.  Hopefully I can manage to wear heels just for a couple of hours, since I'm attending as a designer (not just a shopper).

Cravings:  Fruit and chocolate seem to be the things these days.  I have even been having a big mix of fruit for lunch some days.  I'm still having 1-3 oranges per day, with at least one before bed (it is my go-to choice of late-night snack).  Currently craving apple cider like crazy, which Trey has just gone out to pick up!  His will be spiked with rum that Diana and Arman so kindly brought back for us from Bermuda.  Apple cider and Christmas tree decorating = the best!

Symptoms:  My skin on my belly is super tight and itchy.  Thankfully, as of now, I don't have any stretch marks (knock on wood and cross your fingers for me)!  Round ligament pain is still there, although not quite as bad this week.   Still have swollen hands and feet... and the heartburn is hitting me a couple of times per day.  All things considered, I'm feeling really good.

Workouts:  I had a ridiculously active week this week with a ton of running around and being on my feet.  None of this involved a workout, unfortunately, but I think I burned about a million calories.  Trey has been telling me to slow down and rest more.  I think he is onto something, as I definitely feel like I've overdone it these past two weeks.  My body isn't thanking me.  I'd rather do a proper workout and have a bit of a restful afternoon than be on my feet from sun up to sun down, even though I've been wildly productive.

27 Weeks (and a half)

Sorry for the delay this week!  I had no idea how many people were reading this blog until a few people mentioned that my post wasn't up yet.  Thanks for your interest!  We had a busy long weekend and time just caught up with me.  Don't worry, I'll be updating you again in just a few days!

Size of baby: Baby Squish is now the size of a... rutabaga.  Where they get these veggies, I'll never know.  For those who don't know, a rutabaga is basically a turnip.  Anyway, size-wise, baby is close to 15" long and somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 lbs (just slightly larger than last week).

Weight gain:  I'm not weighing myself at home, but we'll find out just how huge I am next Thursday at my doctor's appointment.  Thinking I'm still gaining, but possibly not quite as fast as the past month.

Maternity clothes:  I literally wear leggings just about every day with a maternity tank and a cardigan or sweater.  I wore a cute, black maxi maternity dress out for date night on Saturday night and got some nice compliments on it (photo below).

Development / Movement: Apparently this is the earliest that Squish could survive outside of the womb, but let's just keep baby in there for a while longer!  The brainstem is nearly fully developed (which controls heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure).  The cerebral cortex is also developed, which forms consciousness.  Squishy now has brain function, can open his/her eyes, and is still practising those karate kicks.  Baby is also now stretching and grasping.  I feel a LOT of movement and can see it from the outside of the belly constantly.  All of that action is now sometimes keeping me awake (refer to sleep, below).

Sleep:  This is the worst week of sleep I have had all pregnancy.  I suppose since this is the last week of the second trimester, things are rapidly changing.  On Monday night I couldn't sleep.  It felt like I was wired on caffeine but I haven't been having any caffeine during my pregnancy.  My mind was spinning.  I was thinking of everything from "why haven't I ordered more custom Bear stamps yet?" to what first aid kit items we need for baby, to the supplies I had to pick up for our Christmas party invites.  Eventually I fell asleep, but woke up at 4am to go pee and couldn't fall asleep again.  I was up and out of bed by 5am for the day.  Worst.  I also find I sleep on my back a lot (big no-no at this stage), so I'm constantly propping myself up with pillows, or waking up to readjust from my back to move back onto my side.

What I miss:  A flat tummy.  Don't get me wrong, I love my bump.  I will rock this bump proudly.  I am having issues tying my shoes, painting my toes, and doing general things around the house that involve bending over to pick things up, etc.  Oh, and I miss wine.  Familiar theme?

Best moment this week: It has now been more than just a week, so I have lots of fun moments to choose from.  I babysat Linden a couple of times, which is always fun.  He is laughing and smiling a lot more (what a cutie).  We also went on our tour of the hospital and maternity ward last week.  I'm quite familiar with it already from the times I was there with Anita, but it was a really informative tour and I'm glad we went.  Anita took me out for lunch on Friday to Beach House, which was delicious and a great time.  Saturday night Trey and I had a date night out at Black & Blue (a steak house, but delicious seafood).  All good stuff!  Worst moment was the 2-hour glucose challenge test I had on Friday.  They took about 5 viles of blood in total and I felt like total crap afterwards, but the drink itself wasn't so bad.

Looking forward to: Baby's arrival!!!  It is now feeling like it is getting close.  We have less than three months until our due date and I'm now a couple of days away from the third trimester.  Squish is literally all I think about!

Cravings:   Fruit.  Oranges, mostly.  Still craving chocolate.  The best thing?  Terry's chocolate oranges (best of both worlds) - although I can demolish at least half of one in a sitting, so I have not been keeping them in the house at all!

Symptoms:  Oooooh, child!  Do I ever have heartburn!  Tums seem to take it away pretty quickly, but it comes and goes multiple times per day.  Still super swollen in the hands and feet (you can totally tell in this week's pic).  Peeing a lot, which gets me up at night now... so glamorous!

Workouts:  I'm finding I can't quite keep up like I was.  Sometimes doing housework is the most workout I can handle (I run up and down the stairs about 15 times a day on most days).  I'm walking lots and still going to the gym, but not as often.  Eating well, aside from the odd piece of chocolate!

and a photo from date night...

At Black & Blue

26 Weeks

Size of baby: A head of lettuce (once again, I feel like this is maybe smaller than last week's cauliflower?).  At any rate, baby Squish is now just under 15" long and still in the range of 2.5 lbs.

Weight gain: I was weighed this week at my appointment.  I'm up about 9 lbs in the last 3 weeks and a whopping 22 lbs in total.  This stressed me out because I still have a ways to go and I want to stay in the 35 lb range, but the doctor said 'whatever you're doing, keep doing it'.  He said that the weight gain will slow down significantly and since I was losing weight for a while, this is all good stuff.  Growing babies are healthy babies (I've said that before, right?)!

Maternity clothes:  I have to say, I'm thankful to be pregnant in the fall/winter.  Leggings, cardigans, and maternity sweaters are so easy and comfortable.  

Development / Movement: Baby's lungs are starting to produce the fatty substance that coats the lining of the lungs'  air sacs (detailed, much?) and baby's skin has now developed colour because Squish is now producing melanin.  Baby's eyelashes have grown in, baby is taking breaths of amniotic fluid, and his/her immune system is getting ready for the outside world.  This little Squishy baby likes to kick and punch and roll around.  I love seeing my belly move from the outside!  

Sleep:  Sleep is interesting.  I often wake up and realize I'm on my back, even though I'm all propped up by pillows in my little "nest".... so I find I'm waking up lots to change my position.  While I am asleep, I'm definitely sleeping soundly.  

What I miss:  My normal body and normal workouts.  I like being pregnant (not complaining at all), but it is a bit tough not having the same mobility as usual.  

Best moment this week: We had a really fun Halloween party on Saturday night.  Everyone's costumes were amazing and we had an amazing time.  Can't believe I was up until 2am!  I dressed as a pregnant 50s housewife and Trey was the milkman... yes, silly and in bad taste, but funny right??  Thanks to everyone who came out!  It was a total blast.  I will post some photos this week.  A special thank-you to Ajay who brought me such a thoughtful gift basket - filled with all of the fruits from this blog about baby's size (pomegranate, banana, mango, etc) as well as tons of the things I have been craving (more fruit, ginger ale, chocolate) and an adorable onesie for Squish.  It was such a sweet gift.  This week it was also good to have a doctor's appointment, and today the lovely Diana (who is also a maternity/delivery nurse) came over to have tea and chat with me about all of the little things about pregnancy and delivery that she thought I might want to know.  It was super helpful! 

Looking forward to: Let me start with NOT looking forward to... my sugar test is this week.  A 2-hour test where I drink a sugary drink and get a bunch of blood drawn to make sure my body is processing sugars properly.  The doctor has also decided it is time to keep a close monitor on my renal function because of my kidney problems, so I now get blood work every month for the rest of the pregnancy (over and above the usual tests)... Looking forward to all of the time I get with Linden.  Anita is taking a course in cake decorating, so I had hime for several hours today and again tomorrow.  Also looking forward to lunch with Anita on Friday, and a date night with Trey this weekend!

Cravings: Fruit, fruit, fruit!  Chocolate.  Same as last week.

Symptoms:  Same as last week - feeling big and less mobile.  As the third trimester is only 2 weeks away, I am finding that my body is starting to feel the aches and pains of being much bigger than I'm used to.  One of the worst things is the swelling in my hands and feet.  It can get quite painful.  I also have round ligament pain, so any sudden movements and it feels like I've pulled a muscle in my lower abdomen.  

Workouts: Feeling good at the gym!  I'm restricted in some of the things I can do (no more jump rope), but still getting good workouts in whenever I can.