22 weeks

The Hogie Bun at 22 weeks

Total Weight Gain: 13 lbs & 12 oz. + ??  I have a doctor's appointment this coming Monday so I will keep you posted on the total gain! Hopefully, just the right amount.  I am still eating some ice cream and cheese here and there, but not as often as I was before.  I've also started to increase my walks with Danielson!

For those of you not living in Wisconsin, the weather has finally started to feel like December weather.  For this time of the year, we have been spoiled with some wonderful relatively warm/comfortable weather.  However, this week has certainly felt like Christmas is just around the corner.  The temperature dropped from 60 degrees over the weekend to about 15-25 degrees this week.  So you can imagine what the wind chill is like?!!? (just lovely).
Walking in this weather is like getting natural free botox!

I must admit that it is hard to get out there and get the walks in after work, but my hubby does a good job at pushing me out the door :).  Overall, we really enjoy our walks even if they are cold ones.  It's our time to reflect on our day and talk about "future dreams/plans" without interruptions.  VERY ENJOYABLE!

Baby's Update: 11 inches (length of a spaghetti squash) and 1 lb 1oz +

Movement: Lots of it!  I think we might have a little swimmer brewing.  The baby's strongest movements are felt during the AM around 8:30 or so, and towards the evening.  This past week, Dan was able to feel the baby make some strong movements.  Strong enough that you could sort of see them.

Discomfort: So far so good!  The baby sometimes likes to press on my sciatic nerve which gives me some discomfort, but then I ask him to move and since I am a great pretender in thinking that he is listening, he moves and I am all better!

Bellybutton: almost flat, but not quite there yet.

Looking Forward to: Now that we know we are expecting a BOY, we are looking forward to start working on the baby's room little by little.  We are currently renting a Condo and the walls are painted with a green shade color and a darker brown/dark olive green accent color on one of the walls.  Therefore, we are not going to spend money and repaint it as this is not our forever home.  Eventually we will decorate it how we really like it, but for now that's our plan.

Another thing we are looking forward is naming our baby boy!  We have some options, but have yet to make a decision.  We'll keep you posted!

21 weeks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

So thankful for our little bundle of joy!

Total Weight Gain: Last doctor's visit 13 lbs & 12 oz. I don't think I've gained any additional weight this week.  In fact, since I heard the total number, I started to slow down on the bad foods and started to focus more on eating more of the healthy foods.  That doesn't necessarily mean I laid off on all "yummy stuff" I've just limited it's frequency and portions.

The Hogie Bun at 21 weeks

Baby's Update: At 20 weeks and 4 days, the baby's heartbeat was 156 bpm, weighing 1 lb. and 1 oz.
As mentioned in the previous update, baby is doing great and pretty active inside the Hogie Bun!

On another note, while we were having our 20 week ultrasound and after they told us it was going to be a baby boy.  The baby was constantly moving his little arms and legs.  At one point the baby did a "hi" hand movement, which of course, we were very excited and assumed he was waving at us.  As first time parents, I think we were both experiencing a lot of "aww moments" and smiling from ear to ear with whatever we saw him doing.

However, there was a time during the ultrasound when the baby was really working his little arms and moving them in a forward motion (up and down) and Dan said "look at him, his practicing his quarterback moves", well sure enough a little bit after that comment, the baby ended up making a hand motion that resembled a #1 with his little fingers.  See picture below.  It was the cutest thing!

Footprint & Our Irish Burrito letting us know he is #1

What features will our Irish Burrito have?

Mommy & Daddy's Baby Pictures

Discomfort: I haven't had much discomfort these days.  Every now and then the baby will press on my sciatic nerve, but then eventually move, giving me some relief.  Other than that pretty comfortable.

We are looking to do some Black Friday shopping, so we'll see how comfortable I feel during and after shopping.  Wish me luck!

Skin Changes: normal

Bellybutton: not much change since last time

Looking Forward to: Finding some great deals and saving some money!

Predictor Tests: It's official, all those wives tales are fun to test but not accurate and obviously 50/50. Most of my tests came up as our baby being a girl, and only a couple of them being a boy.  Sure enough, the way you carry high/low or the fact that your face might look "fuller" does not matter either.  BUT IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO KEEP GUESSING! at least up until a certain point!

We're Thankful For...

We're thankful for the basics:

food, clothing and comfortable shelter; 

the rest is a bountiful bonus.

We're thankful for work, play, and the treasured people 

who make these experiences richer and more meaningful.

We're most thankful for family and friends, 

especially the dear friends who are and have always been there for us!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Snap Shot

We went to our 20 week ultrasound and we are very happy to let you know that our Irish Burrito is growing proportionally and everything appears to be developing properly.  It was a very neat experience to see our baby so active, considering there are times when I don't get to feel all the movements the baby is doing.

As a first time mom, one tends to over analyze everything that one is reading, as well as what everyone is telling you, that it can sometimes make you wonder if everything is going the way it should be.  The ultrasound was very reassuring and it certainly has given us some peace of mind.  Overall, we are very very happy!

Our Irish Burrito in the Hogie Bun at 20 weeks

Irish Burrito close up

Stay tuned for Thanksgiving Reveal Day!

20 weeks

HALFWAY THERE!

The Hogie Bun at 20 weeks

Total Weight Gain: 13 lbs & 12 oz.  Once I heard that number I thought, OH BOY! I better lay off the cheese and ice cream a bit, otherwise I will still be rolling out of the hospital after the baby is born!

I will say that I used to take more frequent walks when it was warmer, but now that it's colder it has gotten more difficult to get out.  Dan is pretty good at encouraging me to get out there and we go on long walks together, which I actually enjoy a lot.  Yesterday, we went for a 2.75 mi walk and took some hills, great way to get my heart rate up! Thanks Danielson!

Baby's Update: Heartbeat this past week was 157 bpm, weighs about 10 1/2 oz.

Movement: Yes, mostly feels like a small push, although lately, it has sort of felt like a tickle/flutter, one of the times it actually made me laugh a bit... sounds ridiculous but I felt the need to chuckle.

Discomfort: My lower back hasn't been as much of an issue these days.  However, after talking to the Dr. and explaining I have had some discomfort on my right upper leg when i walked or did certain movements, it sounds like the baby might be pressing on my sciatic nerve, which run down the spine and into the pelvis and upper leg area.

Apparently this is very common during the second and third trimesters, when the baby is larger and in a lower position in the abdomen.  I asked the Dr. how I should treat it and when she thought it would go away. Her response was well unless the baby moves, you can have that until you are in labor! OH GREAT! Then she recommended to either ice it or use a heating pad to ease up the pain.  Soooo.... there you have it! I feel I am a little wobbly from time to time just because of this lovely nerve being pinched!

Here is another kicker! Yesterday I experienced a lovely cramp on my left calf in the middle of the night.  Granted I have had many experiences from cramping muscles at night in previous years, but trying to "jump" out of bed when you are surrounded by pillows/blankets and a belly in between is much more difficult than you think.  Overall, I managed to put some pressure on the leg and stretch it out.  I was making some noise but Dan was sound asleep like it was all quiet... I think we all know who is the one that's going to be getting up in the middle of the night....

Skin Changes: pretty normal

Bellybutton: almost flat, but there is still some indentation :)

Looking Forward to: Finding out the gender of our little Irish Burrito.  Is it a BOY or GIRL??? ~ ONE MORE WEEK ~

19 weeks

The Hogie Bun at 19 weeks

Baby's growth: weighs about 8 1/2 oz.

Size of a large heirloom tomato

Total weight gain: Not 100% sure.  I don't feel like I've gained much more than last week, so I still think that perhaps a total of 10 lbs.

Movement: I have felt some movement this past week.  Mostly below my bellybutton and to the sides of the bellybutton.  I  think it might be the baby, just because there are times in which I can tell that I am digesting and those mostly feel more towards the rest of my stomach and are not necessarily concentrated in one area.  Then again, I am not a 100% I am correct, but I like to think that it's the baby moving.

Discomfort: my lower back and hips have been a bit of an issue.  I feel they are stretching, therefore, anyway I sit, lay or sometimes stand has caused some discomfort.  Massaging the areas do not help, but eventually the discomfort goes away.  I also think that my balance is sort of getting a little wacky at times.  So there are times when I feel like I lean more towards one of my sides than the other when standing just so that I don't fall over...

Skin changes: I got ONE pimple on my face! It's gone and now it's just drying out! Other than that, we are nice and clear.

Bellybutton: the flattening and stretching continues, not so different looking than last week.

Gender Prediction: Well, those of you who know me, must know that the anticipation of not knowing what we are brewing is really getting to me.  As I've mentioned on previous posts, we have tried most of the wives tales.  They are fun to try and at the same time they keep you guessing.  Last week, we took a quiz with all of the questions and it said that we were expecting a boy.  Well, this week, I found a new test that's safer than the Drano test.  This test involved two items, "yellow natural liquid" and a teaspoon of baking soda.

The test mentioned to pour a teaspoon of baking soda into the cup with the liquid and if it fizzles like a soda or beer = boy and if it doesn't do anything = girl.  So, needless to say we tried it in the afternoon and the results where = girl (no fizzle).  Then again, I tried it in the early morning thinking perhaps there wasn't enough concentration :).  The results again = no fizzle = girl.  So, what do YOU think we are having a BOY or a GIRL??!! ??

Side note: All three of us are doing great thus far! Dad-to-be has been extremely supportive and sensitive, and understanding of all of my roller coaster emotions (I feel like crying quite often for no reason), and best of all super helpful around the house (like always) but let's face it's no surprise there = he is SUPER HUBBY soon to be SUPER DAD.  Thank you for always keeping us in your prayers, that means a lot to us!

18 weeks

The Hogie Bun at 18 weeks 

Baby's growth: about the length of a bell pepper, weighs about 7 oz.

Total weight gain: Not 100% sure.  I feel like I've gained at least 10 lbs because I am starting to feel "fuller"

Movement: It is still a little hard to distinguish the baby's movements from digestion, but about a day ago, I thought I might have felt the baby move. Very tiny flutter nothing major, but I suppose as the baby grows, I will be able to for sure know if it's the baby.

Discomfort: my lower back has been hurting me a bit, and so has my upper back.  I blame the growing belly and the growing upper front extremities, if you know what I mean.

Skin Changes: none

Bellybutton: looks flatter and stretched out

• Cute/FYI Note: We always do the sign of cross to each other in Spanish before we leave the house as we say "Que Dios Te Bendiga" (Translation: "May God Bless You").  My Grandpa & Grandma would always say that to us when we left their house or said Good Bye, so I taught that to Dan and so now it's just something we do.  So now that we have a little Irish Burrito in the Hogie Bun, he also does the cross to the Hogie Bun, and finishes at the belly button.  Well today, he had a hard time finding it because it is flatter than before.  It was cute! 

Gender Prediction: the mixture of feelings continues.  I did however, tried yet another silly gender predictor web thingy.  This one asked you questions such as, whether you were carrying high/low, if you partner was also gaining weight with you, if you were having to use your razor more than usual, if you were getting acne, etc...  Based on my responses, it predicted that we were having a BOY!  So back to 50/50 my friends!  November 19th, if baby cooperates the suspense of the brewing Irish Burrito will be revealed!