Week 27: Cauliflower

week 27

*Total weight gain?: 149.5- 18.5 total.
*Pregnancy Symptoms: Getting those leg cramps in BOTH legs. I constantly feel like I just did maximal calf presses to fatigue.

*How big is baby?: A little head of cauliflower!

Baby at 27 weeks gestation: One source says he should be between 2-3 pounds already!

Our lovely little cauliflower baby!

Kind of reminds me of a cabbage patch baby :)

*Sleep: Decent aside from the terrible leg cramps- I have to get out of bed before my leg 'seizes up' and stretch them like crazy so they don't hurt so bad. I just realized today my new vitamins dont have potassium and I just switched back to the horse pills. That should help.

Sex:  a little boy!!

*Maternity clothes: all but the pj's- and they are CUUUUUTE ;) Also, do Chris' old t shirts and boxers count as maternity clothes? I look like a fat frat boy after work.

*Stretch marks: Not that I can see! I read that if I was going to get them I would probably have them by now...*crossing my fingers*

*Movement: Oh yeah! He now kicks back if he feels pressure from the outside. Chris keeps trying to hear his heart beat by putting his ear to my belly and usually gets kicked in the face. It's entertaining :)

*Food cravings: Not really. Lately, I stare at our pantry with the thought that nothing looks good....and we have PLENTY of food in there. Donno what that's about.

*Labor signs: Nope!

*Belly button in or out:You decide! I am between in and out, but if I have just eaten I can make it pop out. Which looks gross so I poke it back in :)

*What I miss: Feeling together. I'm a total space cadet.

*What I'm looking forward to:  getting the baby's room started. Now we're getting into procrastination mode! Mr Bronzino is going to help us with some italian plastering though- I'm REALLY excited about that!

*Best Moment of the Week: Staying up to 10:30 one night without taking a nap! I actually got to spend some time with Chris!

Week 26: Hothouse Cucumber!

Week 26: Hothouse Cucumber

...sorry for the blurry pic I got lazy :)

*Total weight gain?: 150...19 total. I've been trying to eat better (all the major food groups every day + vitamins) but who knows. I think I'm missing some major potassium though (which I don't understand b/c I still eat fruit) because I have been getting the most ungodly charlie horse in my right leg...I'm talking it's hard to walk for 2 days charlie horses. I'm pretty sure lil' man is taking it all for himself!

*Pregnancy Symptoms: Still have a good little kicker in there but my most major symptoms would have to be the leg cramps in my right leg, occasional numbness in my right hand (that has gone beyond just numbness and actually hurts sometimes at night), I forget everything, and I sleep roughly 14 hours a day (this often includes 2-4 hour naps after work). Chris has forced me to leave the house on several occasions so he can actually see me get off the couch. He demanded that I go to the movies last week (I know- what a jerk!)

*How big is baby?: A hot house cucumber!! He's allegedly around 14 inches long and somewhere around 1.75 pounds. ***These sources are starting to say that these estimates are now rough as babies start developing at different rates at this point and are based on having a 7.5 baby at 40 weeks.

The baby is the size of a Hothouse Cucumber!

*Sleep: Pretty good except the charlie horses...and little events like the other night: The power went out while we were watching TV, and all the power came back on around 4 am, which involved the TV coming back onto whatever ESPN channel we were watching (my "favorite"). He heard me SOBBING uncontrollably in my sleep and had to WAKE me UP to get me to stop. When he asked what was wrong I told him I dreamed I kept turning the TV off and it kept coming back on and he wouldn't help me. Point being: my dreams are ridiculous and vivid and I am an emotional train wreck. 

Sex:  a little boy!!

*Maternity clothes: I love them and I think I'll wear them forever :)

*Stretch marks: Not that I can see!

*Movement: Oh yeah!
 

*Food cravings: Not really...but Chris called me yesterday to tell me he was going to CostCo- which I was already there. He decided to come in anyways and help me (because he's awesome AND because he doesn't trust me in the grocery store anymore). He proceeded to examine my cart. I was largely buying ingredients for Jon and Ally's Couple's Shower that we're throwing this coming weekend, but I had a couple personal items in there as well. After returning half the cart (easily $150 in things we didn't need and things my MD would NOT approve of), I could see him wish he could take away my CostCo card. He didn't though- he just said "Aren't you glad I came?" ...I couldn't really answer that!

*Labor signs: Nope!

*Belly button in or out: I don't know what you would call that thing that used to be my belly button. I'll show you next week.

*What I miss: Changing positions without it being an event complete with noises and groans....oh and energy (this blog is a week late!)

*What I'm looking forward to:  getting the baby's room started. Now we're getting into procrastination mode!

*Chris' Weekly Advice to our Unborn Child: "When you're cutting up jalepenos, you should wash your hands BEFORE you go to the bathroom." This was a little pearl that Chris learned the hard way. "But if you don't follow my wise words, remember that vegtable oil > milk > soap > water."

*Best Moment of the Week:  Eating a big juicy steak because I realized that wasn't really on my list of things I can't have :) 


*Random Balmes/ Maxwell news: My brother Justin has been appearing on the Next Food Network Star each week and here are some highlights of last week's episode. He also offered to do the food for Jon and Ally's couple's shower so we are so excited to let him show off his talent to good friends!

Justin making pizza - Giada wanted to smell it.

They loved his pizza :)

So happy in the kitchen!

Not so happy in front of the camera...

The judges generally LOVE his food :)

Week 25: Rutabaga vs Eggplant?! An Eggplant-a-baga!!!

*Total weight gain?: 148#. Up 17 total. I thought I was doing good to not have any changes this week; however, the morning I went to my doc (right after my brother's premiere of The Next Food Network Star (when I ate extra salted popcorn for two days to watch the show 4 times) I got in trouble for being too swollen & gaining "a little too sharply since a month ago." Apparently I'm not supposed to eat any more fried foods and need to even watch how much fruit I'm taking in! Though I think I went on a 'bad morning,' I will try to comply with EVEN MORE ridiculous rules! The next OBGYN visit I get to take the standard glucose testing to rule out gestational diabetes. Sounds like fun! I think I'll continue to check my weight on my scale every Saturday so I can make sure I'm not making true scary swelling jumps and not worry too much about my overall gain. I'm clearly not one of those super preggo ladies that only gains 20-25 pounds (skinny bit****!!!!), and I think this last doctor was a little old school in that respect. I promise to try not to get diabetes though :)

Justin's Premiere Party at our house last Sunday! We had a delicious Taco Bar with lots of salty foods that got me in trouble on Tuesday!

*Pregnancy Symptoms: My little eggplant-a-abaga is kicking me all night. I love love LOVE it :) Also my stomach is noticeably rounder this week. I think, even though my weight hasn't changed in numbers this week, my body is redistributing weight like crazy. Supposedly my uterus is the size of a soccer ball! Nuts!!

*How big is baby?: One source says rutabaga and another says eggplant. Both agree he's around 1.5 pounds!!! I can tell his bones are getting harder and he is getting stronger as he is able to kick my ribs when I'm sitting and it really catches me off guard sometimes!

*Sleep: Lucky to only get up 2 times to pee some nights and very vivid dreams. I don't remember any from last night, but they're totally weird.

Sex:  a little boy!!

*Maternity clothes: My amazing cousin Amy loaned me not one but TWO more pairs of maternity shorts from her closet. Her beautiful baby Lucy was also born in September, so our sizes are matching up well for now. That being said, I'm not sure I will still fit into her clothes for my duration...at this point I don't care though! She's pretty much one of my favorite people right now!!

*Stretch marks: NOPE! Holding strong!!

*Movement: Yes! He moves about 10 kicks every time he has a kicking "session" as I call them. These little sessions occur all day long, but I probably really notice about 3 sessions per day. We went to Scott and Kristin Lowry's wedding this past Saturday (yay for weddings!!!!), and during the prayer our little man decided he wanted to pray too; he kicked me so hard my stomach actually moved! This was the first time that happened and I was so sad no one saw it. (Turns out no one is watching the fat pregnant lady during a wedding?!?!?) Last night he woke me up with that kind of stomach moving kicking several times. It's not to the point that it hurts yet, but I definitely can see how this could escalate into some bruising of the ribs!

*Food cravings: fruit since my doctor told me to lay off the watermelon. I always want the foods I'm not supposed to eat. I'm not sure I can do this- fruit is so delicious...I will try to cut back on the fried stuff though! (Chris suggested I stop watching Oprah re-runs while eating fried cheese sticks and crying...like THAT will help anything!).

*Labor signs: Nope!

*Belly button in or out: at the moment it is in, but I'm fairly certain my 'innie' days are numbered.

*What I miss: Being able to eat without feeling like I need to sit for a while because my stomach is getting in my way. People are probably saying "seriously? you have a ways to go!" but my job entails me to get around and crawl on the floor, sit on tables and move body parts, and demonstrate balance exercises (which, embarrassingly, some of my patients are now better at than I am). It is definitely getting a little harder to do- but I will do it for 3.5 more months!!!

*What I'm looking forward to:  cooking this little baby for a while longer and getting the little guy's room more together. It's now cleaned out, and Mr. Bronzino is going to help me with some italian plastering so his room is nice and pretty :)

*Chris' Weekly Advice to our Unborn Child: Mostly he just sings Willie Nelson songs to my stomach!! (especially Chris' fav: Momma's don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys!). He also sings  I have friends in low places per my suggestion. I picked that one because the baby always kicks really hard after Chris sings in a deeper voice. I think they are going to be good buddies!

*Best Moment of the Week:  Feeling him kick so much harder this week and knowing that he loves Chris' voice :) Also, I got to hear his beautiful heart beat again yesterday and I never get tired of that! I'm still waiting to be able to hear it with my stethoscope which I try to do every day to no avail!