Bump Update - 33 Weeks

I scratched my belly right before I took this photo, hence the claw marks haha!

How far along?  

33 Weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: 

Belly is 45 inches...down an inch from last week... I'm hoping this is because he's been relocating in my belly and not because he's getting smaller? 
*Don't panic Kristen... don't panic....*

Maternity clothes:  

Nothing new

Stretch marks: 

Nope!

Sleep: 

Same old.. I usually fall asleep around 1am ish.. Then I wake up about 3 times before 5am. I usually get a good 5 hours after that.. I really look forward to those solid 5 hours

Best moment this week: 
I really don't have much going on in my life besides growing a human.. I wish I had something to say here....

Miss anything? 

Being able to walk outside! I feel like such a hermit because theres been so much snow lately, and then if its not snowing, its raining, which makes everything slippery as hell! I'm really looking forward to spring. I hate this time of year so much.
I also miss Palm Bays.

Movement: 

He dropped, so there was more movement in my pelvis than normal.
He also likes to use my ribs as a foot stool.. sometimes he uses them to push his head into my cervix... now THAT is a fun feeling... *sarcasm*
Whenever I take a bath, he kicks me really hard, and it makes waves.. haha I think its adorable.
He still gets hiccups multiple times a day. I think I'm getting used to them though, sometimes I hardly notice... but having said that, sometimes my whole belly is noticeable twitching, & you can see it easily though my clothes.
Sometimes, mostly in the morning, he kicks REALLY hard! I actually twinge in pain sometimes! It feels like he's bruising my insides! Lol!

Food cravings: 

Ham! I was craving a grilled cheese with ham. Then I was craving ham with hot mustard again. 
Chinese food... like, everything. Wontons, chicken balls, fried rice, beef and broccoli, wonton soup, egg rolls & anything else I can get my hands on...oh and plum sauce, sweet & sour sauce, soy sauce... mmmmmmmmm
I was also craving an Oreo ice cream sandwich - the only craving I was able to satisfy haha!

Anything making you queasy or sick? 

Nope

Gender:  

Boy!

Labour signs:  

He dropped! He literally dropped overnight. People keep telling me this is normal... but it still kind of freaks me out that I was only 32 weeks and a couple days when he decided to descend into my pelvis. I have mixed feelings about him dropping... At first I was really happy because I was able to breathe a lot easier.. and eat! Now, the movement in my pelvis is quite uncomfortable...the lightning crotch is quite intense... & sometimes it feels like theres a head in my crotch! Haha!
Lots of pressure down there, some days are worse than others. 

***Although he did clearly drop, it feels & looks like he may have moved up a little bit again in the photos I took today?***

Symptoms:  

My colostrum has come in!

I had heartburn again for a couple days - I clearly spoke too soon on my last blog post :P

Lightning crotch! It's much more intense now that he's much lower then before. 

I've started to get really tired again in the afternoons... I need to learn to nap more.
Shortness of breath.
It's getting harder to do simple tasks.. like walking around the grocery store, or standing to do the dishes.. It just feels like he is so heavy and I need to lean over or sit down.

Belly button in or out? 
Mostly in, but it tries to be an outie sometimes. 

Happy or moody most of the time: 

Both. It's really been a mix lately because my emotions flip like a switch

Looking forward to:
I really don't have anything in mind...Spring! I hate this weather.

According to "the Bump" app... He is 17.2-18.7 inches long and weighs 4.2-5.8 lbs.
Let me tell you, it feels like it. I think he's going to be long & definitely on the heavier side. His dad is over 6 feet tall, and I was a 9 lb baby. I'm expecting a large child!

Bump Update - 32 Weeks

 He looks lower in this photo then he normally does

How far along?  

32 Weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: 

weight gain... i don't even wanna talk about it... way more then i thought i had gained, let just say that

belly gained an inch since last week, putting me at 46 inches 

Maternity clothes:  

nothing new

Stretch marks: 

nope 

Sleep: 

i had one night this week where i only woke up once... that was nice

other then that. i blame this stupid air mattress were sleeping on, for the last 4 months of my discomfort. one day i'll get a normal bed again

Best moment this week: 

i was hoping to say my prenatal appt.. but that was the day i learned i gained a million pounds. but i also learned the baby is right on schedule with his growth.. so thats nice to know

Miss anything? 

its been an emotional week for me.. so there are a lot of things i miss.. i miss working and having an income.. one income is proving to be difficult, and it's only going to get harder.. 

i miss my family and 2 friends back in red lake.. it was so nice to be there over xmas and catch up.. talking to my friend over Facebook the other day made me realize how much i really miss her!

Movement: 

all the time.. as per usual.. its most comfortable to lay on my right side, because when i lay on my left, it feels like he's squashing me.. but when i lay on my right, his legs kick the bed through my belly... sometimes i can lay on my back, but thats not too often due to him squashing my lungs. 

he also gets the hiccups about 3 times a day.. he made it to 4 or 5 one day

Click here to see my Instagram videos

Food cravings: 

actually nothing.. my sweets craving has still been on the down low, which im thankful for. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? 

nope

Gender:  

boy

Labour signs:  

nope

Symptoms:  

headache at least once a day

still gassy

heartburn has gone away it seems...

this isn't pregnancy related, but my ankle is still really uncomfortable.. going on a month since the sprain... I've also had an earache the last few days

Belly button in or out? 

if he's in the right position, he makes my belly button turn into half an outie! 

Happy or moody most of the time: 

both.. some days were moodier then others.. but some were happier.. bo helps a lot with keeping me happy.. but there are days when all i want to do is cry

Looking forward to: 

next prenatal is in 3 weeks.. was supposed to be in 2, but since everything is so normal with my pregnancy, she's not worried about delaying it another week & seeing me when she comes back to sussex, instead of me driving to saint john

also looking forward to going to saint john to see the hospital and getting a tour of everything... i'll also be able to ask about mom and baby care when i get there, which will be nice since i have a million questions. 

"Just Wait"

Well I should probably start by saying, I'm not sure which direction this is going to go. Whether its going to be a full out rant, or if it's going to have some kind of positive feel. I do know, however, some people will totally understand me, & some people may take offence. Regardless, these are 100% my thoughts and opinions, & you 100% do not have to agree with them :)

Being almost 32 weeks into my pregnancy with some obvious time to go still, I can say that I've had more thoughts and opinions thrown at me whether I asked for them or not. Don't get me wrong, theres been a lot of advice that I do really appreciate. I appreciate the honesty and the good intention behind it. What I'm starting to not appreciate, is all the negative behind everything. Many people seem to have a negative opinion regarding my pregnancy, my labour & birth, my newborn, and so on. 

When I say negative, I mean the horror stories people like to basically scare me with. People using my very minimal complaints against me, telling me its only going to get worse. For example, sleeping. The almighty 's word'.Let's just get one thing straight here. Some babies sleep all night. Some babies don't. Some babies are a happy medium. You do not know what my baby is going to do. You do not know how much sleep I need to function. 

I've only had a handful of good nights rest since I entered my second trimester. Blame it on pregnancy insomnia, blame it on my mine and my boyfriends conflicting sleep schedules, or blame it on my belly being in my way or having to pee 20 times a night. Regardless, I haven't been sleeping for many months. I'm quite aware of what "no sleep" means. On the positive side, I would enjoy the fact that while I was laying in bed wide awake, feeling my baby move around inside my belly, gave me some joy & excitement for whats to come. Hearing "it won't be as nice when baby is here and on the same schedule", or "just wait until the baby is here, you'll never sleep", or "it won't be as easy when you have to wake up to a crying baby" squashes any kind of positive outlook I have on my non sleeping issue. Further more, can someone please tell me why I'm going to be so upset at the fact that my baby is going to wake me up in the middle of the night? He's a little boy who's going to need me! He's going to need his mommy for food, a diaper change, or cuddles & whatever else! Also, who's to say I'm not going to completely enjoy being this little persons security blanket? I'd like to think I'm pretty smart in knowing that I may or may not sleep for a very long time when he's born & I'm okay with that. It helps that I have an amazing boyfriend who is so excited to be a dad, that he is more then wiling to also get up, all hours of the night to help, or to take care of the house while I sleep or comfort our son. Together, were going to get through any sleeping situation were dealt. 

There are a few people who have said to me how rewarding it is to wake up to your crying baby & being able to soothe him back to sleep. How amazing it is to know what your baby needs or wants & to be able to give it to him. How you feel like a frikkin superhero when you get your crying baby to stop crying and start cooing. To those people, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

The next thing that people have liked to be vocal about, is the size of my belly. I'm just going to touch on this one a little bit, since apparently the topic of sleep set me on a rant. My belly is still a part of my body. It is housing a growing human. When you tell a pregnant woman how "huge" she is, she very rarely sees it as a compliment. The further she gets in her pregnancy, hearing she's "so big" is like kicking her ego with cleats on. We are very aware that some of you are commenting on the size of the baby growing inside [most of the time], but when you're actually that big and uncomfortable, it ceases to be any kind of compliment & I for one, would appreciate being told something a little nicer & not how I'm "only going to get bigger". Here are some examples of what some wonderful people have said to me.

"You look great!"

"Pregnancy suits you!"

"Wow, you don't look 7 months pregnant.. I would have guessed 4 months tops"

"You have such a glow!"

You never know what a pregnant, emotional, hormonal mom to be is going through or has been going through. Every single pregnancy is different.... because every woman and baby are different. Someone at 6 months might look like someone else at 8 months and vice versa & thats ok! No two bellies are the same & we shouldn't be comparing them to each other. "You're so big" stops being a compliment at a very young age. There are 38470956756 other ways to compliment & not comment on a pregnant woman's growing belly. I will say, having a boyfriend or husband who reassures you daily about how beautiful you are, is a HUGE help. It almost makes all those little remarks just disappear. It's quite nice to hear "you're so beautiful" & "you have such a gorgeous belly" daily, & actually believe it!

Another thing people have been giving their opinions on, is my birth plan. I for one, am very impressed with women who can do a completely natural, vaginal birth. No induction, no epidurals, no interventions of any sort. I've only seen one birth, & let me tell you.. it sure doesn't look like a walk in the park. It's tough work bringing a human into this world! That being said, I'm trying to be very open minded as to how my birth is going to go. I know there are a million and one things that can happen while you're in labour & your plans can change in an instant. When people ask about my birth, and I say I'm going to try going all natural, the opinions start flowing. "Well you know, you could end up having a c-section", "just get the epidural", "you'll be singing a different tune when the time comes".
On a personal level, it freaks me out not knowing whats going on with my body. If I can't feel myself push because of an epidural, I'm not going to like that. If I take medication that makes me & my baby dozy and out of it, I'm not going to like that. If I get tired & a doctor takes advantage of that fact & offers a c-section to speed things up, I'm not going to like that. That being said, I'm going to do whats best for me and my baby when the time comes. Who knows how it's going to go. I have my opinions, thoughts and values. I have a semi-plan, and if all goes the way I would like it to, awesome!!! If not, oh well, at least I'll know I made choices that I was comfortable with, that got my baby here safely & thats whats important here. 

A big thing that has bugged me in general since I announced my pregnancy, is how it seems like people are literally trying to scare me. This is my first pregnancy. My first baby. Everything from 32 weeks ago until now, has been foreign and new to me. I've been doing my absolute best to not complain & to enjoy every single minute of it because it's been going by SO fast. Having people say "just you wait", "you'll see", "you're going to find out" in a negative way, makes a woman think she's going to be a walking zombie who doesn't like her baby! I know some people were probably just trying to have a conversation, but the truth is, you gotta think before you say something like that. The way your opinions are worded is a huge factor. A new mom to be is getting a million different views about a million different things all the time. I don't think saying negative things & implementing a fear that wasn't there before, is being very supportive and encouraging. 

 Were going to parent our son differently then you did, because our parenting style is going to adapt to our child's needs. Our son is going to be different then your son or daughter. Just like how my pregnancy is different from yours & so forth.
I didn't sign up for motherhood expecting everything to be perfect & go exactly the way I want it to. I, along with his father, are going to cater to this little baby boy's every need because he needs us! We are his parents & he his our baby. We are going to do everything in our power to keep him happy and healthy.
To those people who have given advice & opinions, I know you have just been trying to be helpful & sharing your experience with me. I really do appreciate hearing your stories! Thank you! I truly am thankful for everyone's kind words, encouragement, personal stories & compliments. It makes a world a difference & I really appreciate it. I hope we can all remember to be this way when it comes to someone else and their personal journey! Spread more positive vibes, happy thoughts, and sincere joy & understanding. 

Bump Update - 31 Weeks

How far along?  

31 weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: 

Belly gained half an inch!! A part of me was starting to get concerned.. I feel like 5 weeks is a long time to not have belly growth. I think he was just moving inwards towards my spine or up into my ribs or something because it felt like he was getting heavier, & he was most definitely getting stronger!

Maternity clothes:  

Nothing new. 

Stretch marks: 

I THINK I got a few on my left boob... & I think those questionable ones on my thighs are small stretch marks. Not 100% sure yet on them though. 

Sleep: 

It's come to a point where I just sleep whenever I can. I was trying to stay awake all day, so I would be really tired at night, but thats dumb. I just sleep when I can now. Which still isn't very often, but I'm used to it. 

Best moment this week: 

Uhmm... I really don't have much of a life. There wasn't a lot that happened this week. 

I cut my hair myself...

Miss anything? 

Wine. 

Movement: 

All the time. He is so strong! I really can't say that enough. I don't know if all babies are like this at 31 weeks, but he is such a mover. My belly is always being contorted into different shapes when he's flipping and flopping. He kicks me so frikkin hard sometimes that it hurts. I was doing dishes the other day and I bent over in pain because he kicked me with such force! He likes to stretch out too, so I get poked and prodded on both sides of my belly at once. He also likes to push his butt out really hard... resulting in this [see below]

Food cravings: 

My sweets craving has finally settled down. Which is nice. I've been craving fresh veggies and salads.. which is also nice. My body must be trying to tell me something. Oops. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? 

Nope. Well, if I don't eat fast enough, I feel nauseas. 

Gender:  

Boy!

Labour signs:  

Nope

Symptoms:  

Heartburn 

Shortness of breath

Achy back

Headaches

GASSY

Belly button in or out? 

In

Happy or moody most of the time: 

A mix... I've tried to be positive about everything pregnancy related since the beginning... but it's hard when you just can't get comfortable, can't breathe, and everything is sore... Not complaining.. but my mood definitely fluctuates because of it. 

Thank god I have an amazing boyfriend who will do literally anything for me!

Looking forward to: 

My prenatal on Friday.. finally get to see whats up. It feels like they forgot about me... but I also kinda forgot about them, so the feeling is mutual. 

You're My Little Teddy Bear

I have had this teddy bear since I was a baby!

Soon my little baby will get to snuggle with it too.

.... As long as my doggy friend doesn't steal it. She seems to LOVE this bear! It's actually quite adorable. I was in my bedroom and the bear was just laying there.. and when I turned around, he was gone! I couldn't wrap my head around it. Little sneak of a doggy friend, came in and very gently stole the bear! Hahah! The bear has a rattle in the bone and a bell in the ear, so I was amazed I didn't hear anything. This happened again another time, but I saw her come in this time & watched her. She very very slowly walked to the bear and very very slowly put the bears arm in her mouth... all while I'm sitting there saying "Diesel! No... Diiieesssellll... Stop!" Hahahahah It was too cute and funny to even be mad at her. She was just like "you see nothing....sshhh..." and took the bear out of the room! LOL

Some Pictures!

Here are some photos I took of myself.. selfie extraordinaire! 

I figure, since I won't be getting professional ones taken, having a bunch of selfies is what I have to work with! 

How cute is that little onesie? It's my favourite one so far. It comes with matching mittens. This is newborn size.... I don't imagine he'll fit it for very long!

This is a necklace I received from my mom for Christmas. I love it. H is for my baby [for those who don't know his name]

A couple shameless face selfies. I haven't been feeling very well the past few days.. So today when I looked in the mirror and wasn't horrified at my reflection, I felt the need to document it :)

Bump Update - 30 Weeks

 How far along?  

30 weeks

Total weight gain/measurements: 

44.5 around my belly STILL....??

Maternity clothes:  

Still just the same 3 shirts.. which I haven't worn in a week because its been so hot in the house, that I've been living in sports bras and bandeaus. 

Stretch marks: 

No new ones.. I don't think.. These weird veins in my thighs make me think they're stretch marks, but I really don't know!

Sleep: 

It was going alright.. I was sleeping in 2 intervals again, just at different times.... but last night was absolutely awful for sleep. 

Best moment this week: 

Buying a couple things for our little guy... It always makes me so emotional when I look at this clothes.. I think to myself "soon theres going to be a baby in this".

Miss anything? 

Last night, I was REALLY craving a beer. A nice, cold, Bud Light to be exact. 

Movement: 

All the time. It feels like he's still getting bigger and stronger... It's so weird to me that my belly isn't growing? Unless he's moving inwards or something.. I don't know. 

Food cravings: 

I've been craving those little red candies you can buy at Wal Mart for $1.. They're called Cherry Sours... & they fill a place in my heart <3

Anything making you queasy or sick? 

Nope

Gender:  

Boy!

Labour signs:  

Nope..

Symptoms:  

Legs have been so achy and crampy

Ankles/feet feel swollen + my ankle still isn't fully better from when I sprained it. 

Belly button in or out? 

In, but it feels like its getting stretched out.. & I've discovered that it turns into a smiley face when I try to flex my belly hahah

Happy or moody most of the time: 

Both.. Definitely more moody in the mornings.

So NOT a morning person. 

Looking forward to: 

My prenatal. I haven't seen her since Novemeber! I think they forgot about me. Plus with the bustle of Christmas holidays and what not, I didn't ever get around to calling them. 

A Late Night Random Post Of Gifts, Food + Photos!

I've been so uncomfortable today. My belly feels so tight, full and heavy. It may or may not be because I've also been really snack today. I won't admit to anything. Either way, I can't find a position thats comfortable enough toe it or lay in, especially since my stupid ankle is still swollen, sore and bruised! It's a tough life I tell ya! Haha, no I'm just kidding. It's a good life, just a bit uncomfortable today. 

Anyway, I've decided to write a pretty random blog post. I've collected a few photos of random things I wanted to share as well. 

Like these adorable mugs. Sierra made them for us! For starters, the mug itself is so great, I love the shape of them. Second, how cute are those trees? It made me wanna go scratch a "K+B" into a tree in our backyard. Maybe we'll do that. and then add "Baby H's" birthday whenever he's born! That's a fun idea. I'm going to do that. 

She also sent me this hahaha Which I laughed at when I opened because it was completely wrapped in a whole roll of toilet paper LOL Plus I'm still super loving Kit Kat Chunky's. I don't know what it is. The other day, Bo asked me if he could have a bite of my unopened Kit Kat. I said "yah, but could you cut it in half and take a bite from the middle?"....because I wanted to keep the very end parts to myself. What kind of crazy person am I becoming? hahaha

Adding to the cravings list is ice cream! I just love frozen treats so much. I think I'm going to get a box of those orange, pink and purple double stick popsicles next time I go to the store. Anyway, this ice cream is caramel with chocolate fudge swirls, and chocolate covered caramel pieces. Seriously, its so good. I originally wanted strawberry ice cream really bad, but couldn't find any at Wal Mart... We had just come from Sobey's and I didn't want to go back. 

Pop tarts. Love them. This is why I wanted strawberry ice cream. Could you imagine, warmed up strawberry pop tarts, with a scoop [or three] of strawberry ice cream on top!??! It would be like warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream... & come on... who doesn't love THAT!?

I also had a weird craving for thousand island dressing & instant pudding. 

We also bought some outfits for our little baby yesterday. It was exciting! The little onesies  are newborn, holy crap, so tiny. I know its a good chance he's not going to wear these for very long, but we don't plan on buying much more newborn sized clothes at all. The pants are 0-3 months. So stinkin cute. The white and grey striped onesie with the orange is my favourite! Everything else we have for him right now, has been given to us as gifts. I'm going to wait until my mom sends me a package from home [Red Lake] & then I'm going to do a blog post on some of the things we have so far. She got me this adorable car seat blanket that I want to show off! I had to leave it in Red Lake over Christmas though, as I only had a carry on and it wouldn't fit [I was trying to avoid baggage fees and make it a quick check in!]

Speaking of baby. I tried to make an overlay of what a 30 week baby would look like on my almost 30 week belly[29w3d]! I think it turned out looking pretty neat! 

Not too bad for 7 months +1 week +an abundance of snacks in the last 12 hours. haha!

Well.. I think anyway ;)

Another one I made a couple days ago. I was pretty held up this day. My ankle was petty sore and I just didn't feel like doing much. So I just laid around and watched Greys! 

Well I think I'm just about done now. As random as this was, I felt like I had so much more to say/talk about. Apparently not. Must've all slipped my mind :P 

Have a good night!